By Timothy Bradfield
Correspondent
ROCK SPRING Ga. – The curtains soon will open on the Walker County Community Theater.
“We’re just so excited,” said Walker County Civic Center Director Nelda Parrish, who added that she’s been trying to get a theater group started for 10 years.
She said the reason for her mission was twofold: a love for the theater and a desire to use the civic center’s auditorium, where the plays will be performed, “to the max.”
“We’ve got a beautiful facility here,” Parrish said. “We’ve got a beautiful stage, dressing rooms. And it’s just not being utilized, in my opinion, the way it should be.”
Parrish’s efforts finally paid off when she contacted Kim Parrish, who is no relation.
Kim Parrish is managing director of the Community Players, a theater group that performs at The Colonnade in Ringgold, Ga.
Now she’s on board as a director at the Walker County Community Theater.
“I was ready to try something new, while still keeping my foot in the door at The Colonnade,” she said.
Kim Parrish has a bachelor’s degree in theater and 20 years of theater experience, most of it in directing.
She says she “can’t wait to see” what the new theater develops into.
“It (community theater) broadens the community scope in a lot of ways,” she said. “Sometimes … people don’t have an outlet. Not everybody’s into outdoor stuff. Not everybody’s into sports.”
Kim Parrish said the county isn’t putting any money into the theater, which depends on donations and volunteers.
“We kind of beg and borrow and that sort of thing to get started,” she said.
The theater group’s first play, which opens to the general public on Nov. 19, is “Babes in Toyland.”
Eight-year-old Katie Anne Henry of Catoosa County has been cast in the role of Bo Peep. This will be her second community theater play.
“I just like getting to pretend,” Katie said. “I get to be in front of a big audience. And I get to show what I’m like and what my acting is like.”
Walker County has been without a community theater since the early 1990s, when the LaFayette Little Theater took its final bow.
Nelda Parrish says she has high hopes for this next act.
“It may be slow to start, but I think in time the community’s going to come out and really support this,” she said. “Since it’s local, they might come out and try out for a part or … buy a ticket and see the show.”
Timothy Bradfield covers Walker County. Contact him at timothyb2010@gmail.com.
TO LEARN MORE
For more information, e-mail walkercountycommunitytheater@yahoo.com.