Thunder River Theatre Company (TRTC) is on the precipice of its 2024-2025 season. It opens on Sept. 13 with “What the Constitution Means to Me.”
Written by Heidi Schreck, a 2019 Pulitzer finalist, “What the Constitution Means to Me” highlights a debate between a woman and a 15 year old about whether the Constitution is still relevant today. TRTC Artistic Director Missy Moore explained that the subject material seemed fitting as the nation approaches election day. The show runs through Sept. 29.
“I picked it because I think it’s relevant to the state of our nation right now and, as we go into an election season, I’m hoping that it can provide insight to both sides of the argument present without taking a side or becoming too preachy,” Moore told The Sopris Sun.
She described the production, directed by Cassidy Wiley, as a memory play, but one that addresses current topics. It delves into the main character’s life as she reflects back on it and how the Constitution, in relation to her family lineage, played its part. The audience will also get to play a role during this performance.
“The older character essentially resurrects her teenage self who used to tour the country giving speeches about the constitution at Legionnaire halls,” explained Moore. “She reflects on four generations of women in her family and how the founding document, the Constitution, shaped their lives. The other cool thing is that the audience gets to choose which side of the debate to take in Act Two.”
The season’s second show is “Ghostlight,” an immersive theatrical experience written by Michael R. Duran. The show will give audiences a glimpse into nearly every nook and cranny of the theater — including the basement, which Moore affectionately called the heart of the theater. Though it will see a truncated run, from Oct. 25 to 31, Moore said she is excited to take a first shot at Halloween programming. And there will be multiple showings each day.
She described the script as being composed of “ghost stories that actually happened to the playwright in various theaters throughout Colorado.”
The third show, “Tiny Beautiful Things” by Nia Vardalos, opens Feb.14 and runs through March 2. Based on the best-selling book by Cheryl Strayed, it details the relationships between an anonymous and unpaid columnist, writing under the alias “Sugar,” and her readers who ask for her advice.
“This was the one play that kept circling back to me. As I read it, I was like, ‘Gosh, this is a play about the human experience.’ It’s a woman choosing to offer advice for no compensation whatsoever to help people through the human experience,” explained Moore.
The final show, “These Shining Lives” by Melanie Marnich, tells the story of four women who were considered “expendable” during their time working at the Radium Dial Company in Ottawa, Illinois, in the ‘20s and early ‘30s. It opens Apr. 25 and runs through May 11.
Moore stated that each of these shows are aligned with her goal of creating conversation both in and outside of the theater.
“If I have produced a piece that creates conversation that goes beyond the doors of the theater, then I’ve done my job. The whole reason I do theater is to challenge, entice and to get people thinking,” Moore concluded.
Season passes, or tickets for “What The Constitution Means to Me,” are available at www.thunderrivertheatre.com