The Other Shoe: The Coots ride again

And so here we are... sitting around a table at the Presby church, reading lines. Ron Siemer is pleased as punch (Wasn't another Ron fond of that expression..?) that the Coots are at it again. This is our fourth play - third as a part of the annual Yellow Springs 10-Minute Play festival. This time around, we are delving into existentialism, in our own bungling way, of course. This one's is going to be deep and funny, and more than a bit self-referential. Hey we're entitled - we're old...

The title of the play is "Coots." And in a theater-of-the-absurd kinda twist, the Coots will be playing themselves. The Coots are Walter Rhodes, Ron Siemer and Jerry Buck. Gary Reimers is joining us for a second time. He will be playing me (the writer). I've probably already given too much away. So I'll stop about "Coots" for awhile.

We have eight plays lined up for this year's festival. In addition to my play, we have two by former resident, Prof. Jerry Holt, "Ledge" and "Train Stop." I have seen videos of these two from when they were performed in Michigan City, IN and they live up to Jerry's high standards. "Ledge" is guaranteed to draw belly-laughs. Marcia Nowik will step out onto the ledge as the female lead in that one and direct "Train Stop."

Aaron Saari has given us "Do Adults Make Out in Yellow Springs?" a two-person play in which he will act and direct. His wife, Miriam (Eckenrode), will play the female role. Aaron was last seen in the Center Stage production of "The Crucible," and I gotta tell ya, he scared the bejeebers out of me in that one. Miriam is a regular on stage around town.

Jerry Boswell, long time director at the old Center Stage and participant in last-year's festival, has given us "We'll Be Right Back" a play that contrasts 1950's television with today's fare. Jerry is an old pro. The back-up play for this slot is by WYSO's Jerry Kenny. His play was accepted into last year's festival, but was never produced.

Kayla Graham, who acted in just about every play in last year's lineup, has submitted a script of her own, "Memory Play: Construction." She will also act and direct and is currently looking for someone to take on the male role. Kayla also knocked me out in "The Crucible."

"Whither Thou Ghost" is Lee Huntington's entry. Lee, a long-time writer, dipped her toes into theater last year when she acted in my "Bench to Nowhere." After that she was seen again in "The Crucible" and has finally given us a play - a funny one involving a GPS navigator. If you have one of these gadgets, you've got to catch this play. She will also direct.

Kay Reimers, who writes funny, short plays and serious, long, historical plays, is combining genres to give us "Post Office" a play about the mural in the Yellow Springs Post Office. Leave it to Kay to find inspiration in the history behind the WPA project that brought the artist that painted it to town.

Performances will be at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, October 25 & 26 at the First Presbyterian Church of Yellow Springs. If the first two 10-Minute Play Festivals are any indication, this is going to be a great time.

-vh