Spotlight Community Theatre, a countywide acting troupe based in Festus, has upcoming auditions for its Spring Acting Troupe Showcase.
Auditions for the Adult Troupe (ages 18 and older) is scheduled for 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28. Auditions for the Youth Troupe (ages 8 to 17) are set for 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2, and 2-4 p.m. Saturday, March 4. All auditions will be at First Christian Church, 415 N. Mill St., in Festus.
“Our auditions are open to the public, no experience needed,” said Courtney Wisely, the Spotlight Community Theatre founder and leader.
The Spring Acting Troupe Showcase is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 20-21, at the Festus Middle School Multipurpose Room, 1717 W. Main St., in Festus.
The show will include three 30-minute comedies, two performed by the Youth Troupe and one by the Adult Troupe.
The Youth Troupe will perform “Masterclasses,” directed by Lucky Perry, and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Fifth Period,” directed by Eric Haynes. The Adult Troupe will perform “Town Council,” directed by Wisely.
Admission is $5 to watch one of the three comedies and $15 for the entire evening’s performances.
Wisely said the community theater group is thriving, despite having lost the lease to its old headquarters late in 2022.
“First Christian Church is allowing us to use its Fellowship Hall in the basement for auditions and to meet,” she said. “We’re right at 300 people signed up to be involved in Spotlight. We had over a thousand people who were involved or came out to buy tickets for performances last year.”
She said Spotlight can always use more members, not only actors, but those who support performances in a variety of ways.
“We always need people for tech crews, like sound and lights, for props and set construction, costumes and general volunteers to help at events,” Wisely said.
Links to sign up for auditions may be found on the Spotlight Community Theatre - JeffCo Facebook page.
The group held its first meeting in March 2022 and presented its first major production, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” in August of that year at the Jefferson College Fine Arts Theatre in Hillsboro.
“We have received our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status,” Wisely said. “We also now have an official board of directors.
“The group is better than ever. And, we just joined the Historical Tanglefoot Association.”