DERBY LINE — A new theatre company is forming to bring more live performance to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and Quebec’s Eastern Townships.
Memphremagog Community Theatre will introduce itself to the public with a murder mystery launch party at 3 p.m. April 12 at the Haskell Free Library in Derby Line, which straddles the U.S.-Canadian border in Derby Line and Stanstead, Quebec.
Guests will be invited to solve the mystery of who “killed” the company’s lead actress while meeting the board and learning about the organization’s plans, said Zoe Yarnall, the board’s facilitator. The event will include door prizes, a raffle for tickets to the company’s upcoming season and information about how to get involved. Admission is free, though donations are encouraged.
The company’s nine-member founding board draws from communities on both sides of the border: Yarnall of Derby, Kelly Newton of West Charleston, Holly Lillis and Meghan Corbett of Newport Center, Mic Hallinan of Derby Line, Natasha Annis of Newport, Leesa Guay Timpson of Island Pond, Kim Bailey of Hatley, Quebec, and Ross Murray of Stanstead, Quebec.
“Our goal is to produce live performances and events and to provide opportunities for people of all backgrounds and experience levels to get involved both on stage and behind the scenes,” Yarnall said.
The company has announced a night of one-act plays at the Haskell Opera House on Aug. 14, 15 and 16. Titles and audition details have not yet been announced.
Memphremagog Community Theatre will also lend support to “Two Tents,” a new comedy written and directed by Murray, being produced by the Haskell Free Library as a fundraiser for a new Canadian entrance to the building. That production is scheduled for Oct. 23, 24 and 25 and Oct. 30 and 31 and Nov. 1. The cast includes Sarah Hardin, Hallinan, Lillis and Benjamin Tabah.
The company has established a membership structure open to individuals, organizations and corporations, with voting rights at its annual meeting. More information is available at memphretheatre.org.
