Valdez Last Frontier Theatre Conference

by Chris Huston  |   

The Valdez Last Frontier Theatre Conference has many exciting evening performances coming up that are FREE to attend! All of them will be held at the Valdez Civic Center. There will be one show per evening starting this Saturday, June 8 and ending Thursday, June 13!

Saturday, June 8, 8:00 PM:

Black When I Was A Boy is an honest, moving and even humorous look at a powerful coming of age story. Cooper Bates shares his recollection of the extraordinary inner life of his younger self, Frankie Bates, who grew up as the only Black child in a small Caucasian community in Kansas (population 1,500). He never saw himself as Black, until he was cast as Nigger Jim in the school production of Huckleberry Finn in 6th grade. This show is suggested for audiences 15 and up.

Sunday, June 9, 8:00 PM:

The Playwrights Evening features the playwrights from our artistic staff reading from their work. This annual event is a chance to journey into the heart of artists, experiencing the work of the leaders of this year’s Conference. Suggested for audiences 16 and up.

Monday, June 10, 8:00 PM:

Cyrano’s Theatre Company presents Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House, Part 2, a sequel to Ibsen’s masterpiece. Nora returns to the family she left behind, to ask for help in order to face one of the consequences of her actions. But, can she truly anticipate the repercussions? What will happen when the door she slammed 15 years earlier reopens? Suggested for audiences 13 and up (language).

Tuesday, June 11, 8:00 PM:

Spelman and Morehouse Colleges presents Hands Up by various artists, directed by Keith Ar-thur Bolden. In light of the police shootings of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and John Crawford III in Beavercreek, Ohio, among others, the New Black Fest commissioned seven emerging black playwrights to write 10-15 minute monologues that explore their feelings about the well-being of black in a culture of institutional profiling. Suggested for audiences 13 and up (language).

Wednesday, June 12, 8:00 PM:

Welcome to Popcorn Falls, a small American town whose only claim to fame – their namesake waterfall – has dried up. Now bankrupt, their last chance is a large grant that can only be used if the town produces a play in a week. One big problem: no playhouse. Another problem: no play. Led by the Mayor and the local handyman, the enterprising townsfolk try to rise to the challenge and prove that art can save the world! Greater Tuna meets Waiting for Guffman, Popcorn Falls was chosen ‘Top Twenty Theatrical Moments of 2018!’ It is suitable for audienc-es of all ages.

Thursday, June 13, 8:00 PM:

TBA Theatre presents P. Shane Mitchell’s The Death of Edgar Allen Poe, directed by Erin Da-gon Mitchell. In the moments before his death, America's most celebrated author of the maca-bre reveals how his sins and the tragedies of his life lead to his descent into madness and al-coholism, inspiring his dark and thrilling works. Thirteen of his most gripping tales including The Telltale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Raven come to life as he reflects on his failed attempts at love and human connection. Suggested for audience 12 and up.

Call 834-1614 for more info, or 835-2469 during the Conference