Submitted by Jody L. Powell
Eunice Players’ Theatre concluded its 50th season of shows last November, and are preparing for the Irving Awards to be held Jan. 25. As ballots and invitations were delayed reaching season ticket holders, the deadline to return them to Vige, Tujague, and Noel has been extended to Jan. 22.
In preparation for the annual awards gala that will celebrate the 50th season as well as the past 50 years, EPT has made available a look at the early years via Facebook posts showcasing programs, photos, and information from newspaper articles for each season. Currently, the page contains seasons 1-20, and the remaining 30 will be posted in the coming weeks. “It’s quite a treasure trove of photos, and the written post for each season tells the story of how the theatre has evolved,” said Jody L. Powell.
The first two shows in 1969 were held in The Crystal Lounge on N. Second St. that was owned by the Uzzo family; Johnny Uzzo was one EPT’s founders. By the time the third show of the season, “The Odd Couple” rolled around, the acting troupe had moved into a building on S. Second St. where the theater still stands today. It had been an old grocery store and was owned by the City of Eunice. Board members negotiated a low rent and a long-term lease with Mayor Wilson Moosa, and as Genevieve Rozas, founding member and director of “The Odd Couple” recalls, “board members and the set crew built the stage under us as we rehearsed.” The lights were made with large school cafeteria vegetable cans, the audience sat on metal chairs, and there was no air conditioning.
As time went on, improvements were made with money raised from ticket sales, donations of lighting and sound equipment by founding member Karl DeRouen, and support from the city. Eunice Player’s Theatre was highly successful in putting on three straight (non-musical) shows and one large scale summer musical every year right from the start.
Franci Bass, one of EPT’s regular crew members notes that, “Eunice was ready for it. We had no trouble casting shows or finding props, set pieces, or costumes as the people of Eunice were very generous in loaning us whatever we needed.” Even with large casts for the musicals, including “Oklahoma,” “Guys and Dolls,” and “South Pacific,” men, women, and children of all ages auditioned for roles, and no one was turned down.
LSUE and local business Berns Air King attracted people from big cities in the Midwest, including Fred Dole and Jim Mulholland who were accustomed to having easy access to culture; upon moving to Eunice, they were thrilled to find a thriving community theatre in a small town and they immediately joined in with all family members in tow.
Karen Hail, a prolific actress and tech creator, notes, “Diversity” wasn’t a word we used back then, but we had people from all walks of life working on shows. We called ourselves “an assorted box of cookies.”
Gary Reeves joined Eunice Player’s Theatre in 1976 as a young boy. At the time Eunice offered little in the way of cultural activities for children except for the theatre, and when Doris Stagg, EPT pioneer, approached him with an offer to audition, he became “interested, maybe obsessed” with getting on the stage. When he won his first role as Jester in “Once Upon a Mattress,” he was hooked. “Being exposed to stagecraft and interesting people who shared my love for all things theatre-related, I gained confidence and support from fellow thespians which, in turn, helped to build great self esteem,” Gary recounts. Through working on various plays, he made life-long bonds of true friendships and learned to appreciate others for being themselves. Over 50 years, there are countless people who have walked through EPT’s doors who know exactly what that means.
The reach of Eunice Players’ Theatre extended to neighboring parishes for actors, crew members, and audience members, with some patrons traveling from as far away as Baton Rouge and beyond to see what EPT created.
“Eunice Player’s Theatre’s reputation was built on providing high-quality entertainment with talented actors, proper sets and costumes, and shows that were based off of current Broadway listings. With tremendous community support, it is a reputation that continues to this day, and that Eunice Player’s Theatre plans to maintain for its next 50 years,” said Jody L. Powell.