Two area theaters honored at regional competition
By KAREN SHADE World Scene Writer
4/17/2007

Vanessa Adams-Harris performs in the one-woman play “Who Will Sing for Lena?” MICHAEL WYKE / Tulsa World file

Theatre North's "Who Will Sing for Lena?" will head to Charlotte, N.C., in June for the American Association of Community Theatre's national-level competition. The one-woman play was named "outstanding production" Saturday night during the AACT Region VI Festival gala in Alexandria, La., along with a production of Regina Taylor's "Crowns" from Denton Community Theatre of Denton, Texas. Seven companies from Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and New Mexico staged their productions at the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center in Alexandria, including Heller Theatre. Heller's "The Unexpected Man" was named outstanding production-first alternate for the national competition if either of the Region VI productions are unable to compete. "It was a very, very good experience. We're just on cloud nine. It was simply wonderful," said Maybelle Wallace, executive director of Theatre North. "I just felt confident that we would win." "Who Will Sing for Lena?" is an original play by Janice Liddell. It gives a voice to Lena Baker, a black woman who was executed in the 1940s in the Georgia electric chair for killing her white employer she claimed raped, kidnapped and tried to kill her. Vanessa Adams-Harris plays Baker in the production directed by Todd Murray. Adams-Harris was named to the festival's "dream cast," along with Charles Whitson and Liz Masters for their work in Yasmina Reza's "The Unexpected Man."

Heller's production was honored for its costume work while Ron Hildebrant was awarded for outstanding work in set design for "Lena."

"We were excited about going to the regional festival . . . with our sister theater, Theatre North," said Julie Tattershall, artistic director of Heller Theatre. "It was great getting to regionals twice in a row. We feel honored."

Theatre North has won state competitions three times in the past, but this will be the company's first trip to nationals. Adams-Harris has attended past workshops at the national AACT festival. She said the quality of the shows performed there rivals professional work.

"It's kind of a surreal feeling this time, because I've seen the shows at national level, and they're really good. That our show is going to present at this level is profound," she said.

Twelve productions will be shown at the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte from June 18-24 for the festival.

AACT represents the interests of more than 7,000 theaters across the country and U.S. territories, states the festival Web site, www.aactfest07.com . The field began with more than 250 entries at state-level competitions, said Darlene Delorenzo, AACT festival assistant.

Wallace said she looks forward to the next round and hopes to see "Lena" make it to the international level. For now, she is focused on raising money to take "Lena" to North Carolina.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Wallace said.