Before long, the assembled team began their regional outreach, which started in earnest last year. Their first round of collective auditions took place last January and drew representatives from about 20 statewide companies. The auditions made it possible for casting directors to see actors from across the region and be introduced to talent outside of their organization’s existing roster.
“It was a huge love fest,” says Malkus, and also a moment of pride for the group’s founding members, which also includes Rapid Lemon Productions, Vagabond Players, and the Strand Theater Company, among others. “[Everyone] contributed in their own way—Arena Players hosted, I wrote the grant proposal for funding, and the Baltimore Rock Opera Society videotaped all of the auditions to create a database that can be used for future casting.”
Fueled by the success, a second round of auditions followed last summer, and a third is scheduled for January 4-5 at The Voxel. And for local thespians, the response has been appreciative, as well.
“The Coalition has facilitated connections with other theaters and like-minded artists, helping us build a supportive network,” says Audra Mullen, a director, board member with Vagabond Players, and the vice president of the Coalition. “In the realm of small arts, it’s reassuring to know we’re not alone in facing challenges, and we can lift each other up to achieve success.”
For Donald Owens, who has spent more than 50 years with Arena Players, the oldest continuously operating Black theater company in the United States, that’s what it’s all about. He’s seen firsthand how the community shows up for each other, with members attending or participating in each other’s shows.
“The theater community itself becomes a family that keeps the theaters going and helps people come together,” says Owens. “It allows people to try their wings at something. The greatest hope [with the Coalition] is to let everybody know that they’re part of the family.”
