Like many theatres, both community and professional, the Orinda Starlight Village Players (OrSVP) had to cancel their 2020 season due to COVID-19.
Unlike some theater companies, OrSVP is entirely volunteer run and does not have to worry about paying employees during the pandemic. However, they still have storage expenses for sets, props, furniture and costumes that have to be paid.
Suzanne Lorraine, one of OrSVP’s regular directors, set up a GoFundMe page to help generate donations for the theatre group at www.gofundme.com/f/Orinda-Starlight-Village-Players.
“For 36 years, Orinda Starlight Village Players has delighted audiences of all ages in the outdoor Orinda Community Park Amphitheater,” said Lorraine. “With no performance income to pay for storage or play rights for our 2021 season, we are dangerously close to losing this valuable community theatre.”
Another OrSVP director and playwright, Malcolm Cowler, is organizing a Zoom mystery game, A Night of Creeps, Haunts and Murder, which is free to play (donations are appreciated). The Zoom events have a cast of OrSVP regulars portraying murder suspects in a haunted mansion. The players are locked in the mansion and must determine who the murderer is in order to escape.
“The game can host up to nine players along with the murder suspects,” said Cowler. “Get a couple of friends, sign up and log on with some snacks and your beverage of choice for an evening of fun and mystery.”
Cowler will be running the Zoom mystery game starting July 9 at 7 p.m. and running Thursday nights into August. To register for the game, email info@orsvp.org.
Those interested in supporting the Orinda Starlight Village Players should visit www.orsvp.org, email info@orsvp.org or call 925-528-9225.
The empty stage at the Orinda Community Center Amphitheater, for the last 36 years the summer home of the Orinda Starlight Village Players, bears testimony to the effects of Covid-19.
