Common Threads, opens Nov. 21 at the OK Theatre

Published 11:46 am Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Even for those of us in Wallowa County, today is a time of divisiveness, tribalism, and discomfort, no matter what your persuasion. The original two-act play Common Threads, which opens at the OK Theatre Nov. 21, aims to help heal some of our angst by appealing to the common threads that hold community together. The curtain goes up for Thursday-Saturday shows at 7 p.m.; Sunday matinee starts at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 general admission for everyone at the door.

Written—or rather stitched together—by actor, drama coach, and director Jennifer Hobbs, Common Threads is an amalgamation of 33 different plays and writings including To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Women, Anne Frank, Androcles and the Lion, The Music Man, and Our Town.

“I wanted to do something that highlighted the common ground and shared experiences of Wallowa County, and people everywhere,” Hobbs said. “The scenes from every play are relatively short, but they show that we are stronger together and we share the knowledge of things that make our community work. It’s something we need right now.”

The play is, in a way, a tribute to The Soroptimist organization and its store. The costumes were largely gleaned from Soroptimist clothing, including the shoes. That link to other people in the community is something we share, Hobbs noted.

“You really can’t understand a person until you have walked a mile in their shoes, the old saying goes,” she said. “In this play, and in fact for anyone who has worn items purchased at Soroptimist, we really are walking in another local person’s shoes, or maybe their coat or jeans or hat.”

With a cast of 28 talented local actors who range in age from 8 to their 80’s, there’s something for everyone in Common Threads. The cast includes Mark Lacy, Claudia Boswell, Andy Leggart, Richard Hobbs, Anna Moholt, and many more. Gail Swart provides the piano accompaniment and musical interludes. There’s humor, drama and pathos in the sewn-together fabric of the play, Hobbs said. In fact, in some scenes the drama is “nested”—a play within a play, including the first scene, from Little Women, where the children are doing a play in which they need coaching. Hobbs credited Kate Loftus with doing much of the groundwork that has made this production, and the MidValley Theatre Company, possible.

Common Threads is performed in an open stage format, with each actor seamlessly taking on several different roles to piece together many story lines and moods. Costume changes are done on-stage, and sometimes as part of the play. Each actor takes on multiple roles. It’s an innovative piece of theater, and a play that is geared to make the audience think.

“Theater lets us transcend everyday life and imagine different ways of doing things,” Hobbs said. “It’s transformative. It can be fun. And its sort of what we all need now.”

For more information about Common Threads and the OK Theatre performances, call Jennifer Hobbs at 541-398-1055.