Category Archives: ATOI news

Play Writing Group to Meet

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”.

Play Reading Group Meeting

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”.

Amazon Smile Program

Do you know about the Amazon Smile Program?

If you purchase almost any item from Amazon, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the non profit organization of your choice.  There is no additional cost to you as the purchaser.  How does it work?  Instead of going to www.amazon.com, go to https://smile.amazon.com.  The first time you enter, it will ask you to select the non profit you want to receive your donation.  After that, just sign in to https://smile.amazon.com instead of www.amazon.com and everything will be the same – except that the non profit you chose will get a donation based on what you buy.  Note:  Occasionally, some items sold are not part of the smile program.

New LED lights at ATOI!

For the last  year, we have been searching for suitable energy efficient LED lights to replace our current incandescent lighting.

Early this year, we identified two fixtures that meet our needs and save about 90% of the  power of our existing lighting.  In April we applied for a $15,000 grant from the Orcas Island Community Foundation.  We have already invested  $3,000 received from donations so our balance was $12,000.

Last week we received a grant from OICF for $12,000 to enable us to finish this project in a few weeks rather than the years it would have taken otherwise.  We will have then installed and in operation by the time you  see our next full production at the Grange.  We will also use these lights in our summer Readers Theater program.

THANKS TO ALL WHO DONATED TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE!!!!