“I think it is always striving for high quality production—everything we put on that stage—it's important that it's the best we can possibly do,” Lindley said. ”And then the same thing with customer service, when they walk in the door they need the very best customer service they can get.”
On the playbill
RTC performs six productions a year. Rehearsals run about five weeks and productions run four. Genres of plays include comedies, dramas, thrillers and a Christmas-themed show.
“There's different types of comedies. There's Be My Baby, that we just did, which is more of a heartwarming, romantic type of comedy,” Lindley said. “Then this show that we're doing now, Let's Murder Marcia, is a fast-paced farce.”
Meet the actors
Lindley said RTC performers have a wide range of acting experience and are volunteers who come from all walks of life including students, business people, nurses, lawyers and more.
She said the youngest performer she knows of was five years old and the oldest, who performed in the Christmas show last year, is 92. A small percentage of their performers only audition for RTC shows while most also perform in other local theatres.
“The benefits are the time spent with wonderful people and making friendships and connections,” Lindley said. “Another benefit is feeding your soul, getting to perform and entertaining your community.”
Meet the artistic director
Lindley said she made her theatre debut as a child and it has been her touchstone ever since. She was cast in her first RTC production in 1998 and became the artistic director in 2001.
As the artistic director, Lindley is responsible for putting together the production season which includes selecting plays. She said that entails a lot of script reading as well as listening to suggestions from patrons, actors and RTC Executive Director Lise Alexander. Other responsibilities include directing most of the productions, casting and putting together the production staff.
Get involved
In addition to performers, RTC needs behind the scenes assistance in the costume, set design, concession and usher departments.
Quote of note
Occasionally, Lindley will forgo her director’s seat for a spin in the spotlight—the last time was a few years ago when she played Anne Wilkes in RTC’s production of Misery—however she feels successful when overhearing feedback.
“I am not a person that's going to ask, ‘What'd you think of it?’ That's not who I am,” Lindley said. “I'm a person that will stand right behind that black curtain and listen as people are going out. They say, ‘That's the best show I've ever seen here.’ As long as they keep thinking that's the best show they have ever seen here—I know I'm doing good.”
- 518 W. Arapaho Road, Ste. 113, Richardson
- www.richardsontheatrecentre.net
