09/26/2021
Thanks for the fun!
In 2006, I was teaching an acting class for beginners.
As some of you other acting teachers may know, sometimes it is challenging to get the students to fully memorize a monologue or scene. Everyone is in love with the idea of being an actor but not always ready for the work it entails.
One day I decided that I would have them work on a reader’s theatre style of acting; where the performer holds a script in their hand; no memorization.
As I was deciding what they should work on, someone mentioned it would be fun to do a presentation of one of the Buffy the Vampire TV episodes. And so, we did, as an exercise. Jeff Jenkins had been letting us use his Skinny Improv space and he saw us working on it and thought it was very funny. He asked if we would want to perform it for his late-night show. We did. After the show, other actors in the community started coming out of the woodwork to want to be a part of the concept.
It took us a few years to get through the series. But we also expanded into Star Trek Live Parodies, Twilight Zone Live Parodies, Batman Live Parodies, JAWS a parody, Supernatural Live Parodies, and several other comedic plays. Also, I had always wanted to do a show in the style of Grand Guignol; plays designed to horrify with gruesome scenes. One evening I met Sean Parker at one of our shows and he mentioned he was a horror writer. I pitched the idea and he was off and running on ideas. Grave Tales was born.
Eventually, we put the scripts down and started memorizing a show a month. Let me clarify…for many years, we rehearsed 4 to 6 nights per month and then charged onto stage for a crazy ride we shared with the audience. We did this every month. The pace was and has continued to be an insane pleasure; but grueling.
Through the years and several venues, with terrific dedication many actors have performed for A Class Act Productions. I want to take the time to thank everyone of them who gave of their time and talent to make A Class Act Productions a success. I also want to thank all our fans and followers who have supported us through the years.
But life has a way of sometimes telling us it is time to change course; our destiny lies elsewhere. I have been mulling things over for about a year and a half. The time for mulling has ended.
And so A Class Act Productions will be an taking an indefinite break. Perhaps in the future, a play here or there will move me to direct or produce. But for the time being, I must focus on personal and family health matters.
Again, I deeply thank you for letting A Class Act share with you our love of the lively art of theatre.
George Cron
Executive Producer
