The Northwest Senior Theatre (NST), a troupe of performers aged 55 and older, has crossed a new frontier by taking its show on the road. Known for producing two musical revues annually for thousands of attendees over the past 35 years, NST has now added four mini-shows tailored for local senior living facilities.
“This outreach is something we’ve wanted to do for years,” said NST President Rachel Zierdt. “After rebuilding our troupe following the pandemic, we felt the time was right to expand our audience by going directly to them.”
Sixteen of the 25 regular cast members are participating in the new venture. Divided into two casts, each group presents a pair of shows featuring 15 songs. The performances include a mix of ensemble, solo, duet, and trio numbers, alongside dance routines. Created and directed by Zierdt and fellow cast member Ken Kane, the shows feature music tracks compiled by Audrey Perino, with Judy Prentice serving as DJ.
Collectively titled “When We Were Young(er),” the mini-shows are designed to evoke memories of growing up, featuring musical numbers spanning from 1895 to 1973. Audience participation is highly encouraged.
Looking ahead, the full troupe is currently back in the rehearsal hall preparing for NST’s spring musical revue, “Mothers and Fathers and Kids, Oh My!” Directed by Lennon Smith and conceived by Kane, the production will feature four matinees from May 6 to 9 at Rise Church, located at 10445 SW Canterbury Lane in Tigard.
“Our spring and fall shows provide the material for our mini-shows. We hope that this new on-site series, which we anticipate mounting in the winter and summer, will help us grow the audience for our main productions,” Zierdt said. “And, of course, it offers more opportunities for NST to do what we’ve done since 1991: enabling seniors to entertain seniors!”
Retirement communities or senior centers interested in hosting an NST mini-show can contact Zierdt at nwseniortheatre@gmail.com or 503-251-4332.
