Beacon of H.O.P.E. starts Pine Island Play House
The Beacon of H.O.P.E. recently began a new program, Pine Island Play House, with hopes to get the entire community involved.
Beacon of H.O.P.E. Executive Director Betsy Haesemeyer said the goal is to have a Beacon program that involves babies to grandparents.
“It’s a great way to engage the community,” she said of Pine Island Play House, because people can become involved by joining the production or by sitting in the audience watching the play. “We want the entire community to have a good time and enjoy it.”
The first show of the newly developed program will feature the Beacon’s Students Achieving Success (SAS) students as the performers.
Beacon of H.O.P.E. Pine Island Play House Coordinator Nichole Pichon said the SAS students began writing in February, which developed into the play “SAS the Mentors and the Cabinet.”
Thirty SAS students have a part in the play, which they all contributed to with a piece of their own story.
“When they started to write their idea, we couldn’t get them to stop,” she said of the students.
Haesemeyer said the students were very excited to see how something they wrote was woven into a much larger story.
“It’s really been such an engaging process for the students,” she said, adding that it has also been exciting to provide the students with the opportunity to see themselves as artists.
The students began rehearsing the play in March for approximately 45 minutes a few times a week.
The Beacon of H.O.P.E. Pine Island Teens also provided a hand in the production of the play by creating props and making costumes.
The play, which will be performed at the Pine Island United Methodist Church on Saturday, May 4, is a take on the “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
Pichon said the play begins in the SAS classroom, before transpiring into another room after the students crawl through a cabinet either in groups or singles to the other side.
Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. on May 4 and the show will begin at 6. Although admission is free, donations will be accepted if individuals want to contribute.
The Pine Island Play House will have another performance in August. Those who are 18 years and older who would like to be a part of the play are encouraged to contact Pichon at 317-918-8188 or send her an email at pineislandplayhouse@gmail.com.
She said she would love to hear from the community to hear what their interest is in the new program.
The Pine Island Play House will also have a play in December, “The Christmas Carol.” Pichon said all ages are welcome to take part in the play.
“Everyone in the community can do this one,” she said.
In August 2012, Pichon moved to Pine Island hoping to continue her involvement in theater.
“I wanted to have a community theater,” she said. “I’m lucky and thankful to have a program like this.”
Haesemeyer said it’s a real gift for the Beacon of H.O.P.E., that Pichon has brought the community theater to the island.
Pichon graduated from Ball State in Indiana with a double major in theater education and design technology. She has been involved in theater for the past 10 years, three of which she was a theater teacher in Indianapolis.