Dear Friends,
One of the projects of the nonprofit Arts Of Royal Highlands, of which I am the chair, is the production of the play ‘The Profligate Daughter’. This full-length 3 act 16-player enterprise has survived several table reads and rewrites but has run into problems reaching production.
I find I have newly discovered late-stage cancer that infests several organs. Treatment begins this week (2 June) and I fear I may be running out of time. The Advanced Cancer Center in Brooksville, Florida (352) 345-4565 will confirm this.
This is a Christian play running parallel to The Prodigal Son but in the settings of today. As the playwright, I felt it need be gritty, and realistic, in the beginning to gain the credibility of the youth we want to influence. The Come To Jesus solution is time-tested and presented in a heartfelt manner that no young person can dismiss.
Hopefully, a youngster headed in the wrong direction will remember the warning signs and back out before she or he gets irretrievably deep. You can view the script or purchase a copy on the website www.ArtsOfRoyalHighlands.Org . Scripts and licensing are available for your church if desired. They are inexpensive.
I need a stage. I have one at my community center but it requires funding to secure it. Anything free is always prone to time and day adjustments by unassociated management.
I can recruit some talent from the neighborhood but youthful actors may come from the surrounding churches. This will require advertising as not every church is open to me offering ‘their’ youngsters training in the world of theatre. I received no support in a large church I attended for a decade but, aside from a small praise team, there is no respect for art. It’s also difficult to mix with the schools. I have been a substitute teacher after retiring from a computer career but did not see an opportunity to promote this play then.
If I am asking actors to report for rehearsal at a particular time and expect sterling performances they will need to feel respected. A reasonable craft table should be provided.
Performance scheduling is best provided by a seasoned professional. Promotion needs to be coordinated as well as advertising.
There are costumes and backdrops to consider. There is the ASCAP music licensing.
This is a good play. It may become a hit. If so, solutions to advance the play beyond the county and state will be funded. The play is owned by a nonprofit that has no paid management and employees, if required, will be merit-based and not overly paid.