SUBMITTED BY: GARY ROMANS
Mask & Mirror Community Theatre has its own inauguration this coming January: the first show in its new Mask & Mirror UnMasked series of plays which bring live theatre back to the City of Tualatin. “String of Pearls” by Michele Lowe opens January 13, 2017 for six performances at The Tualatin Heritage Center, playing Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are only $10 each and are available online at www.MaskandMirror.com/box-office. The theatre is small and advance purchase of tickets is recommended.
“String of Pearls” is a radiant play that explores the possibilities that open up in the lives of an array of women as they come into contact with a certain strand of pearls. While the pearls are stolen, bought, bestowed, unstrung and nearly lost, four actresses play 27 characters in this deeply moving drama that is as fresh as it is funny. Spanning 35 years, the pearls touch the lives of mothers and daughters, sisters and friends, even husbands and wives as they weave a deeply affecting story of love and loss.
Gary Romans, a Founder of Mask & Mirror and the Director of “String of Pearls” says, “I saw this play performed professionally in Portland a few years ago and I knew it would be perfect for our UnMasked series. We had the talent available to cast the show and, with our partnership with The Tualatin Heritage Center, the venue suitable to produce the play.”
Mask & Mirror Community Theatre has been producing family focused comedies and dramas on their stage rented at Calvin Presbyterian Church in Tigard for the past 6 years. The all-volunteer, non-profit Community Theatre was formed in 2011 to present live theatre productions for the cultural enrichment, entertainment, and inspiration of the residents of Tigard and Tualatin. As audiences have grown the group has been searching for the right time and place to expand into Tualatin.
Pat Romans, President of Mask & Mirror says, “Although our relationship with Calvin is excellent and we will continue to stage our major productions there, there are many high quality plays that have content that we are uncomfortable presenting in a church environment. ‘String of Pearls’ has adult language and themes and is not recommended for children.”
The Cultural Coalition of Washington County and the Oregon Cultural Trust recently acknowledged Mask & Mirror’s efforts to bring live theatre to Tualatin by awarding the theatre a grant for 2017 that will partially fund the production of “String of Pearls” and a second play, yet to be selected, that will be produced at The Heritage Center in July, 2017. This support allows Mask & Mirror Community Theatre to provide the UnMasked series at a $10 per ticket admission.
Mask & Mirror Community Theatre is now in its 6th season of presenting high quality and affordable (no tickets are more than $15) live theatre to the citizens of Tigard and Tualatin – using all-volunteer actors, stage crew and administrators.
Participation and membership is open to all. We welcome experienced performers and theatre “wannabes” – we’ll train you!
Mask & Mirror Community Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit performing company. Additional information can be obtained by visiting www.MaskAndMirror. com or contacting Gary Romans at Info@MaskandMirror.com.
