Spotlight on Island Theatre
Spotlight on Island Theatre
Island Theatre cofounders Kate Meyers and Steve Stolee discuss the origins and history of Island Theatre, the company's evolution from a more-or-less conventional community theater, to finding a niche with a small room, on-book performances, and the annual Ten Minute Play Festival. Friends for nearly forty years, Steve and Kate will also share stories of the local theatre scene in the eighties, including their first exposure to the community, the Susie Glass Burdick production of Grease, and how it led to an international musical theatre collaboration with a theatre company in Siberia.
Grease 1988, Russian Exchange 1989
about ISLAND THEATRE
Incorporated in 1994, Island Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit community theater company in Bainbridge Island, Washington. Specializing in theatrical presentations mainly by and for adults, it has three main performing components: Island Theatre At The Library, a bi-monthly series of on-book performances at the Bainbridge Library; Island Theatre At Your House (YoHo), a bi-monthly series of open play readings hosted in private homes; and Island Theatre Ten-Minute Play Festival, an annual juried short play invitational and presentation of selected plays held at Bainbridge Performing Arts.
Island Theatre at the Library
KATE MEYERS
Kate received her B.A. in Theatre from Washington State University and first set foot on BPA’s stage almost 35 years ago. Kate cherishes the many roles she has played at BPA since then, from backstage crew to actor, board member (co-chairing the initial Capital Campaign to build BPA’s playhouse), and Director.
Onstage, Kate has played roles in Grease, Marvin’s Room, Blithe Spirit, The Butler Did It, and You Can’t Take it With You.
Her directing credits at BPA have ranged from the classical (Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing) to comedic (Art; Picasso at the Lapin Agile), dramatic (The Kentucky Cycle, Snow Falling on Cedars, The Grapes of Wrath, Amadeus, Arcadia), and – more recently – to contemporary “dramedies” (The Revolutionists, August: Osage County). Kate’s plays often take deep dives into the human condition, examining history, culture, and the importance of family. Several have contemplated art and the nature of artistic genius, as well as quantum physics, and even time travel.
STEVE STOLEE
Steve Stolee is a freelance photographer, videographer, graphic designer, Bainbridge Islander since 1979, and a BFA from U.W. School of Art. He is a cofounder of Island Theatre and managing Director of the I.T. Ten-Minute Play Festival; a 2019 recipient of the Island Treasure Award for Arts and Humanities, cofounder of The Picture Project, and creator of the documentary film, “Another Man’s Treasure,” a story about the biggest rummage sale in the world. An honest man and a hell of a nice guy, he proudly claims to have danced with the great Cloris Leachman at the Port Townsend Film Festival.
Island Theatre Ten-Minute Play Festival
Island Theatre The Play's The Thing
NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT
MISSION: Ovation!’s mission is to create and present quality theatrical and arts education experiences by and for our community, which reinforce our shared commitment to artistic excellence. We achieve this by engaging talented members of our community as a united force, working together to reach our goals.
ONLINE: ovationmtb.com
Ronald Ivan Milton, beloved husband, father, friend and artist, left us suddenly on Thursday, April 29th, 2021.
Ron was an artist and educator who touched hundreds of lives, likely thousands. He served as Artistic Director for Ovation! Performing Arts Northwest on Bainbridge Island for 18 years, a company he helped found. In that role he directed dozens of musicals, operas, and operettas doing what he did best - achieving outstanding performances from casts composed of all ages and all experience levels. Ron loved working with talented youth performers and aspiring young designers most of all and impacted a generation on Bainbridge and beyond.
Read more in the Bainbridge Island Review.
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