After losing their performance space, the Women in Theatre had to get creative. The group had a space at the Coconut MarketPlace in Kapaa, but had to vacate about two years ago. “We’re basically nomads,” said Nellie Foster, WIT president.
After losing their performance space, the Women in Theatre had to get creative.
The group had a space at the Coconut MarketPlace in Kapaa, but had to vacate about two years ago.
“We’re basically nomads,” said Nellie Foster, WIT president. “It’s hard to have a season with no space, so we’ve been trying different ways to get events going.”
Over the last two years, the group hosted dinner theaters at the Hukilau Lanai restaurant and plays “Kauai Shorts,” at Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center.
The events are for playwrights and actors as much as they are for WIT, Foster said.
“We want to support the actors in our community,” she said.
In the spirit of giving local performers and writers an outlet to showcase their work, the group is starting, “WIT Happens.”
WIT Happens will travel to different places around the island. It will feature staged readings, short plays, readings and poetry. Performers will present either original or classic work, Foster said.
The first WIT Happens will be at Ha Coffee Bar from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
It was organized by Romey Curtis, WIT’s vice president and will have a Valentine’s Day theme.
“We want each month to have a theme,” she said.
Foster said 12 people are slated to perform a selection of short scenes, monologues, poems and other works.
“It’s a good outlet for people to perform, because auditions can be intimidating and they don’t have to memorize lines,” she said. “It gives local playwrights a chance to create something original that can be presented.”
WIT is open to people of all ages and skill sets. It’s what sets them apart from other theaters.
“We’re home-spun,” she said. “We have high quality performances, but we’re more welcoming and people don’t have to be an experienced actor to get involved.”
WIT is also unique because it emphasizes the importance of original work and having women’s issues reflected in that work, Foster said.
“We’re not a feminist organization, but we want women represented,” she said.
