Coming: Yuma-produced Broadway shows
People who enjoy live theater may now attend a full season of Broadway shows here in town.
For the first time in 12 years, Yuma Community Theater will produce a full three-show season in Yuma.
After "incredible community support and success" of last season's "The Sound of Music," the board decided to do a full season and will continue to do so if it is successful, said Fred Brown, president of YCT.
YCT will produce "Nunsense" The Musical, "Oklahoma!" and "Let's Murder Marsha." All will play for three weeks each.
YCT members are expecting an "even bigger success" to be able to continue offering full-season shows, Brown said.
Prior to 1995, YCT generally had a three-show season, but during the last 10 years they have only put on one show a year, he said.
The full season will now give YCT the opportunity to sell season tickets which are for sale for $35.
When people buy a season ticket they will automatically save $5 and have the advantage of choosing the row and seat they want, which will be reserved for the three shows, said Brown. This will allow for groups attending the plays to make sure they will be sitting together.
"So there's two huge advantages to buying a season ticket," he said.
Season tickets can only be purchased in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at A Reasonable Rent A Car, 2129 E. 24th St. using cash or check only. Season tickets will only be on sale until Nov. 12 and the sooner they are purchased, the better seating options there are, he said.
Individual tickets cost $40 and are general admission and open seating. These will be sold at AEA Federal Credit Union and will be available a month before the opening date of each show.
The profit from ticket sales will fund future productions and cover costs such as copyrights of the plays, rent of the theater, costumes, set, tickets and equipment.
YCT was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Yuma Art and Culture Commission that helped pay for the cost of "The Sound of Music." Although YCT hasn't received any grants this year, the profits made from The Sound of Music helped in putting on the upcoming season, Brown said.
YCT is a nonprofit organization that started performing as a volunteer community theater group in Yuma in 1980 with a complete volunteer and nonprofessional staff, Brown said.
The actors, actresses, directors, producers, make-up artists, costume designers, stage builders and the rest of the staff work unpaid time and dedicate themselves to provide live theater to the community, Brown said.
"The only payback that these volunteers get is the community applause. And let me tell you when you're on the stage and you've got 500, 600 people applauding... it's a greatest feeling in the world," Brown said, who acted in past plays.
For more information visit www.yumacommunitytheater.org or call 919-4876.
