By Carina A. Brunson
Harlingen Community Theatre (HCT) is where Valley stars shine, and they are celebrating 50 years of highlighting that Valley talent. The theatre has a fantastic lineup that begins November 8 with Steel Magnolias.
Last year, my husband, son and I had the opportunity to see the last showing of Fiddler on the Roof. When I tell you it was a great show, it’s an understatement. These actors looked well-seasoned – and came to find out for some of them it was their first year participating. We had a great visit with the cast after the show as they lined the entry hall as guests were leaving, thanking everyone for coming to their show. We wished we had been able to catch more of their shows, because it was definitely worth seeing, and seeing more of, as often as you can. You can tell the cast really enjoys what they do when on, and off, stage and that they are dedicated to each production.
So, if you haven’t been to one of their plays, this year is a great time to start. Last year, nearly all of their shows were sold out. If you plan on going to a show, get your tickets early, and arrive early as well to get great seating.
One of the things that impressed me, besides the phenomenal production, props, singing, and dancing, was that the orchestra is below deck, just like bigger productions. We sat close to the front (the only seats available as we arrived late and didn’t purchase tickets ahead of time), so we had the opportunity to see some of those musicians working in their hole down there and chatted a bit during intermission and after the show.
HCT proudly presents Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling on November 8, 9, 10 and 15, 16, and 17. Friday and Saturday showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. Sunday is a matinee time at 2:30 p.m. Adult tickets are $20. Tickets are sold online at www.hctvalleystars.org. Any remaining tickets can be purchased at the door on performance days. The box office opens one hour before curtain.
On March 1 and 2, they will be featuring Cinderella. They are currently doing casting calls for the production. They need adult men and women of all ages. If interested, casting calls are being made on November 12, 19 and 21 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. All information on what you need to have prepared can be found on their homepage. They might add a matinee performance to this schedule depending on sales.
In April (10, 11, 12, and 13), they will present Godspell, and in July (11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20), they will perform In the Heights. Dates and showtimes can be found online, on their Facebook page, and in their ads in the Winter Texan Times.
They do have season passes available for adults. There is the Golden Patron Pass which is one ticket per show for $90. A Golden Winter Texan season pass includes one ticket per show for the three productions during the season – Steel Magnolias, Cinderella, and Godspell for $65. A second Golden Winter Texan Season pass includes one ticket per show for two productions either Steel Magnolias, Cinderella, or Godspell for $40.
Harlingen Community Theatre is located at 1209 Fair Park Blvd. next to the Lon C. Hill Destination Park, just past the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium. The venue has seating for 270 patrons, with two extra slots for patrons in a wheelchair. They also have designated handicapped seating. Performances are open seating – but there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
They are a non-profit community theatre company. They produce four to five Broadway quality musicals or plays per year. The cast members are all local talent from the RGV. They hold auditions for each show and the cast includes children, teens, and adults. There are also opportunities for volunteers to work behind the scenes.
