The Actors Theater of Orcas Island will present a Readers Theater Production of Jerry Mayer’s play “2 Across”.

Performances will take place at 7:30 pm Friday, July 5th thru Sunday, July 7th at The Orcas Island Grange (3252 Orcas Road)

Two strangers, a man (Tom Fiscus) and a woman (Suzanne Gropper), board a San Francisco BART train at 4:30 a.m. They’re alone in the car, each is married, both are doing the New York Times crossword.

She’s an organized, sensible psychologist. He’s a free-spirited, unemployed ad exec. She is a crossword pro, he always quits. When he tosses his puzzle away, she snaps, “Crosswords are a metaphor for life, those who finish, succeed, those who don’t, fail.” Now he vows to finish. Why? He’s a competitor and she happens to be lovely.

This starts an eighty-minute ride described by critics as “Hilarious,” “Witty,” “Romantic,” “Poignant,” and “Wonderfully entertaining.”

Two opposites in an enclosed space, attacking each other’s values but also being swayed and intrigued by them. They each have serious life problems that the other helps solve. Their trip is filled with unpredictable, but believable, surprises, even a passionate kissing embrace or two. As the train ride ends, it’s obvious each of them has been changed for the better.

2 Across is directed by Doug Bechtel.

While suitable for all ages, this play will not be of interest to preteens.

Tickets can be bought on line (see link at left) and will be available at Darvill’s Book Store and at the door. All tickets are $10.

For more information, contact Doug Bechtel at 360-317-5601.

After a break following our very successful Playfest last spring it is time to start thinking about Playfest 2019.  The Actors Theater’s Play Writing Group meets monthly to learn, write and share our work.  Whether you are an experienced playwright or just wonder what it takes to write dialog, here is your chance.  The group has members who are first time writers and those with years of experience.

Each meeting lasts a couple of hours where writers learn the technical and artistic aspects to writing a play.  There are fun play writing exercises to get you thinking, time to share what you are thinking about or sharing and getting feedback on the play you are working on.  While most of the writers are working towards submitting a play for the next Playfest, others are working on longer pieces.

The next meeting of the Playwrights Group will be on Monday, July 30th at 6:30 at the OICF office.  Hope to see you there.  For more information, contact Doug Bechtel at doug@orcasactors.org.  We have a separate e-mail list for our Play Writing Group.  To sign up, go to www,orcasactors.org and select “Subscribe”.

At the last play reading, the group read a full length play “Trouble With The Truth” by Doug Bechtel.  The number of people present to read the play was low so we have decided to hold off the reading program until the end of August (or maybe September).  We have a separate mailing list for our play readings.  If you want to be on our play reading e-mail list, go to www.orcasactors.org and select “Subscribe”.