Theatre producer seeks actors for next play
His name is becoming synonymous with Belizean theatre and Curtis Gillett is wasting no time in pulling new talent onto the stage. Gillett, who just produced the well-received “Dear Counsellor”, has already scheduled another show for November. “We Won’t Pay, We Won’t Pay” not only addresses today’s issues, but promises to bring smiles to people’s faces. Gillett stopped by our studios this afternoon and spoke to News 5’s Jacqueline Woods about the upcoming play, and more importantly, how you can get to play a part in it.
Curtis Gillett, Producer, We Won’t Pay
“The play, “We Won’t Pay, We Won’t Pay” is written by a Swedish guy and it is a play that can be understood by anybody. What the play is about is these two sets of families are facing hard times. No job, only one family member is working, and then the wife and a friend, they go out and steal all these goods from a local grocer, who keeps raising the price on the goods and they swindle their way out of the groceries and then take the policemen on a different route as to what could have happened to the groceries that they are accused of stealing. The play basically touches on a lot of issues that is happening right now in our society, issues with the police, the cost of living, and the politicians and everything. We are not trying to attack anybody, we are just trying to entertain and make some things aware to other people.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And people will be entertained in November because that is when the show will be opened to the public. But in the meantime you are looking for people. Tell us about what sort of characters you are looking for?”
Curtis Gillett
“We are not necessarily looking for characters, anyone who wants to act or has acted before and decide well, I would like to go back and try is more than welcome to enter the audition. Again, what this audition will focus on is that at first we will do training and then we go into the rehearsals for the November production of “We Won’t pay, We Won’t Pay.”
Jacqueline Woods
“You’ve produced the comedy show Laugh?A?Rama and very recently the play, “Dear Counsellor”, what has been the public’s response to both these productions?”
Curtis Gillett
“People are still talking about Laugh?A?Rama. It is unfortunate that that show came to close. We are also talking about the possibilities of bringing Laugh?A?Rama back. People loved Laugh?A?Rama and a lot of people are still talking about “Dear Counsellor”. As a matter of fact “Dear Counsellor” will be back as a part of the September celebrations on September fifteenth and sixteenth. Students especially are asking if we are going to bring it back because Literature teachers were asking their students to do reports on the play itself, so a lot of people loved the fact that we did a play, a play they enjoyed and we are really hoping that at least three times for the year we can do a theatre production.”
If you are interested in joining the cast or crew of “We Won’t Pay, We Won’t Pay”, you can pick up a form at the Belize Arts Council or the House of Culture’s temporary offices on Regent Street.
