On a Tuesday night in October, a local backyard is alive with the sounds of production. More than a dozen people move throughout the softly lit area. The sound of a Skil saw screeches as it chews through plywood. The construction of a theater set is well underway.
NoName Theatre, a new underground theater group that combines professionalism and amateurism, will perform its first play near Roosevelt Street and Fourth Avenue in mid-November. The guild is a collaboration between local artists, playwrights, actors, directors and theater lovers.
“It’s really hard to break into theater anywhere you go, it’s a lot of competition against a lot of people,” said Shane Geant, founder and co-board manager of the guild. “I wanted to create a space that was free for anybody to come and give it a try.”
The theater originally worked out of Aside of Heart Cafe, located near Roosevelt and Fifth streets, under the guise of Aside of Heart Theatre Guild.
The guild’s co-founders, Geant and Nathan Burns, started the theater troupe nearly five months ago, but the two did not see eye-to-eye on several issues including leadership. Creative differences severed the relationship and they decided to part ways about four months after it was created.
The split prompted Geant to revitalize the leadership of the group, creating a board of members that would work together to help the guild succeed.
Nearly all of the members from the Aside Guild followed Geant. The group changed their name and found a new location to rehearse and perform.
“Anyone off the street can come in and learn about theater. If they don’t have any experience it doesn’t matter,” said Rebecca Doughty, an ASU theater graduate and actress in the guild.
NoName’s first two plays will represent the group’s creativity and originality.
“Doors and Windows” is about a failing marriage between a couple trapped in a house during the zombie apocalypse.
“A Lovely Afternoon” is acted mostly through projecting shadows on a screen. The “shadow theater” reveals a cheating husband and his mistress being caught by his wife.
Katherine Bluff, an actress in the guild with technical background in the studio and experience in improv, let the group use her backyard as headquarters for rehearsals and set construction.
“A lot of places are having financial problems. So this is sort of keeping that theatrical creativity alive,” Doughty said.
The co-owners said the “two-bit” theater barely has two pennies to rub together to fund the production.
However, financial support is only one aspect of success.
“I always think there’s room in the marketplace. The ability for them to be successful is for careful planning,” said Vincent VanVleet, the managing director for the Phoenix Theatre. “The ability for them to survive is really found if the work that they’re bringing wants to be seen.”
The theater finds strength in its diverse leadership. Geant and co-board manager Oaks Wright complement one another – Wright handles money and organization while Geant has the creative vision.
“These people are just fantastic. They are very creative, very resourceful,” Bluff said, “We’ve got some MacGyvers on our team.”
NoName Theatre works as a community effort. The group holds open board meetings every Sunday at 3 p.m. at Copper Star Coffee.
“It feeds the part of me that’s hungry. I really like being a part of community efforts. … This is locally written, locally performed, practiced in a local space, and performed downtown,” Bluff said. “This is just the place to be.”
NoName’s first shows will be Nov. 16-18 at 7 p.m. at 844 N. Fourth Ave. Attendance is free with donations accepted at the door.
Contact the reporter at tchawtho@asu.edu
