Lionheart presents a moving performance

   "This reminds me of an episode on Bonanza," Scott King said. "This British actor comes to town with his troupe and they don't have a place to do their play so they set up in the tavern. Then Hoss and Li'l Joe make this big deal about finding other places for them to perform. This makes me think of the kind of place they would have used." 

   This place King refers to is The Royal, a fine arts gallery in Norcross where the Lionheart Theater Company performs. Lionheart's Artistic Director Tanya Carroll said they were performing outdoors at Thrasher Park and were looking for a place to use in case it rained. The town barber, Neva Spell directed them to The Royal where owner Terry Robinson invited the troupe to use it as a permanent home. 

   Here the volunteer theatrical group performs against a backdrop of exposed brick walls and boarded up windows for an audience of 40-45 people. Front row chairs butt up to a strip of blue tape that separates the audience from the actors. Back row seats are barstools backed against a wall.

   "With 30 or 40 people you feel like you've got a full house and they're enjoying the intimacy of the experience," said King.

   Lionheart, under the direction of Steve McElroy, is rehearsing for their upcoming performance of Neil Simon's "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" which will run October 14-16 and 21-23 at 7:30 p.m. The $10 ticket price includes a beverage and homemade dessert. And for dinner before the play, The Royal is within one block of Paisano's, The Continental, Dominick's, Norcross Station, The Blue House and Norcross Tavern.

   Set in 1953, the play provides a behind the scenes glimpse of social misfits who write for a weekly variety show. King, who plays a minor part in the play, took on a major role in finding props. Because the audience is practically on stage, everything has to be genuine. To support his line "The Pope approves of psychotherapy" King found a 1953 Time magazine with a picture of Pope Pius XII on e-bay. King invites the audience to scrutinize the set for other perfect props like a 1950s Royal typewriter.

   As pleasurable as The Royal experience has been for both actors and audience, the final curtain will fall at the December performance of "A Charlie Brown Christmas." 

   "We're outgrowing the building," said Carroll. "In the meantime, the Norcross Masonic Lodge was looking for creative ways to give back to the community. Starting in March Lionheart and the County Seat Players will perform in the Masonic Lodge where we can accommodate 90 people. A performance fee paid by both groups to the Lodge will be used for their charitable purposes."
Yes, like the traveling troupe on Bonanza, Lionheart will be moving on. But in their case, they'll have a much happier ending. King said the troupe on TV somehow ended up in jail.

   (Info on performances and auditions: www.royalnorcross.com  or 770-823-0694)

100604

Archive