By Johnathan Baines
If you haven’t yet seen a Ruston Community Theatre production, you are missing out on a hidden jewel of north Louisiana! With humble beginnings when founded in 1978, this dedicated theatre troupe has grown into a beloved staple of the community. RCT continues to bring quality theatrical experiences to Ruston, and the production value gets better every year. This year’s Rustonys, celebrating the season, will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28 at the Dixie Theatre.
The 47th season opened with the dark comedy The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in the fall, followed by a holiday musical classic Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. In the spring, they presented a Texas-sized comedy Southern Hospitality. The season concluded with the hit rock musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. There were also two junior shows presented, cast entirely by students 18 years and younger: C.S Lewis’s timeless tale The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and the musical standard Singin’ in the Rain, Jr. And now, to commemorate all these shows, RCT will hold its 33rd annual RusTony Awards Celebration. This is a free event open to the public. To recap the year, photo and video montages will be presented and a few live performances.
It wouldn’t be an award show without some awards! Winners of the RusTony Awards for outstanding performances this year will be announced during the event. Performers from this past season were nominated by an anonymous committee of season members, and then voted on by the season membership as a whole. Plays and musicals are nominated in separate categories, and junior–only shows are nominated separately from shows with performers of all ages. With the amazing talent presented this year, across all shows and performers, it seems impossible to choose one above the rest! Fortunately, in past years, the spirit of comradery superseded competitiveness. It is heartwarming to hear fellow cast members cheering on their friends when they win.
A new award introduced this year is the “Heart of Community Theatre” award. Instead of a performance-based award, this one was created to recognize a performer who embodies what it means to be in community theatre. It is intended for those whose character, kindness and dedication shine brightly behind the scenes. The recipients of these awards were voted on by the fellow cast members and there will be one award given for each show of the season.
Season membership will be on sale at the RusTony Award Celebration and this is the last opportunity to get them at a 10% off discount! Prices will increase after this event. If you would like to join in the fun of voting for your favorite performer, and benefit from some other membership perks, then consider buying a season membership, which includes a prepaid pass for all the shows of the season. Memberships are on sale online, but if you have questions on what level to buy, you can discuss with an RCT representative at the event.
Don’t miss another show, and support this wonderful organization, bringing the community together through theatre. See you at the RusTonys!
