As the Burien Actors Theatre waits patiently for a new performing arts space, the company continues on with its shows and performances. 

Burien Actors Theatre lost its performing space two years ago and its shows and performances have been on Zoom ever since. The building, which had been home to the theater for more than 40 years, was demolished by the City of Burien because it was determined that the old school facility was no longer safe to occupy.

“BAT’s building a performing art space is a five-year plan. It is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Eric Dickman, the Burien Actors Theatre’s artistic director. “BAT is updating necessary corporate documents and looking to expand its Board of Trustees.” 

“We have been reaching out to artists and arts organizations and have received over 200 responses which we are reviewing, rating, and grouping,” said Dickman. 

Suggestions can be sent to ideas@BTAtheatre.org. 

“Building a space is a Herculean task. We are moving forward, but we aren’t expecting to break ground for a few years,” Dickman said. “We recently finished producing the very popular show Destroy David.”

“The New York playwright, Jason Odell Williams, logged into our Zoom and held a talkback with the audience at two of the performances,” Dickman said.

Williams is also known for his other plays Church & State and Handle With Care.  

“It was exciting and the first time a New York playwright has been part of a BAT talkback,” said Dickman. “Next up at BAT is our Summer Play-in-the-Parks show, The Play’s the Thing.”

The Play’s the Thing, adapted by P.G. Wodehouse of Ferenc Molnár’s 1924 Hungarian play, is further adapted by Rachel Rene who will be directing the play for the Burien Actors Theatre. 

The play is a comedy filled with different twists and turns and follows the story of a young composer of a new show, Albert, and the playwright, Sandor. 

Albert visits his fiancée without prior notice and overhears Ilona sharing her affection with another man, Almady. 

Sandor tries to save Albert from heartbreak and as a result save his new show, but to do this he has to use clever misdirection to make the situation better and make Albert believe that what he saw is different than it seemed. 

Auditions for The Play’s the Thing will be held on Tuesday, April 26 and Friday, April 29, from 8-10 p.m. 

The auditions will be held online via Zoom and will last 20-30 minutes. The auditions will consist of cold readings from the script with the director or other actors and sides will be sent through email.

Additional auditions and possible callbacks will be Saturday, April 30, from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, May 1, from noon to 4 p.m.

“We will start rehearsals shortly after the show is cast,” said Dickman. “We are building the show page for The Play’s the Thing, which will be updated as more cities sign up and the show is cast.”

To make an audition appointment, please contact rachelrene@araucto.com 

For more information about the auditions please visit https://battheatre.org/get-involved/audition 

To learn more about the Burien Actors Theatre and the current show please visit https://battheatre.org/shows/current-season/the-play-s-the-thing