Mainstage
Be apart of a twenty five year experience! Every February we begin rehearsals for an original two act play that opens in June. This production, challenges and give students the opportunity to look at current problems, brainstorm possible solutions and be change agents to their peers and community. Original music, set and costumes are all incorporated into this original two act play. The productions are open to students 7th grade and up.
Mainstage Memories
2024 - T'Shuva
A community has fallen apart when their courageous leader Jayden was called away. Crime, drugs, violence and fear has crippled the community as new leaders have risen up. The Dark Lords control the streets now and have influenced the faint at heart. When Jayden returns and discovers that her best friend Vada has joined the Dark Lords she offers her the opportunity to turn back and make the right choices. T'shuva, to change the direction of your life.
2023 - Voyagers
Our story begins long ago, with a great fleet of pioneers, fleeing from an oppressive land. They were called rebels, extreme revolutionists for they fought for the truth, against a kingdom that offered them sweet lullabies, singing its people to a content slumber. My great grandmother, one of the great voyagers, was one of these revolutionaries. She landed here, on this very island, bringing with her the very seeds that we use today to crow our crops and feed our land. But with these great pioneers came, RD, the great Red Dragon. She had good intentions as first, but RD soon grew greedy, wanting fame, glory, and power all to herself. She divided and scattered the villagers away from each other. Unity was broken and war broke out. The land still moans to this very day because of this great fall. But the villagers rose up, fighting for truth and RD was thrown off the island, but not before she tore the great story apart, scattering its pages throughout the land. She threatened to return one day to take revenge on all the people, and that day is upon us now. (Lights turn on) But we do not live in fear of this day, for we have hope. Nor are we living this story alone or blazing some untested trial. For all these pioneers have blazed the way for us, all these veterans are cheering us on. And we’d better get on with it. Working together, running, never quitting but planting these seeds of truth and unity like those before us. Sometimes it may seem like the burden is too heavy. It will be like climbing up a steep mountain in the fiercest of winter storms, only for the seeds to be taken by the wind when we’ve arrived at the top. Little do we know though, that the wind has taken these seeds, faraway to places we might never have expected them to travel, to land upon rich soil, to sprout and grow. Sometimes, we cannot see the results of our hard work. That is why we must gather, go over our story again, item by item, that long history of hostility that we have plowed through to be where we are today. It takes discipline and hard work. It takes picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves off, and sometimes starting over. Realigning ourselves back into our purpose, loving each other like our lives depend on it and spreading hope in the midst of chaos. Fighting as warriors and finishing as athletes. Remember, everything has a seed. If you plant fear, then fear is what you are going to grow. But if you plant hope and truth, then hope and truth will not only grow, but flourish. And it is not the name of my great grandmother, nor mine, nor any of our names that will be remembered in bright lights, but it is the seeds that we have planted, the truth that will prevail. That is what our story is all about. A story of endless hope, in the midst of the fiercest battle. Acting as warriors of truth, we will continue to share our story with anyone who has ears to hear and a heart to listen. An endless hope, that is our song.
2022 - Age of Endurance
Epoch Arts is celebrating our 25th year of creating original art and theater! This year our students will present an original two act play called, Age of Endurance. The play focuses on the theme of hard work, committing to a task no matter how difficult or tired you become. When a storm hits a small island community, the islanders’ true and honest way of life is put into jeopardy as they are faced with two options: Hold fast to the truth and in the goodness of your work, or to take the easy way out. When a colorful group of strangers, led by the notorious Red Dragon, land upon the island, the weary islanders must decide if their life of community, truth, and honest living can stand up to what these strangers offer them. The threads of their community and their elder’s tapestry, which is filled with the great stories of old, are put to the test when they are offered an easy life filled with lies and deceit. The cast is made up of 14 students and the play features original music, and costumes.
2021 - Golden Revolution
Golden Revolution is an original one act play that takes place at the end of a world not unlike our own. Within that wreckage its inhabitants, each armed with their own tools and ideals, contend with each other over ruins, purity, and the potential to blossom from the rust, grit, and grime.
2019 - Shadows of Truth
Travel with us into a world where four tribes have lost the meaning of character and sacrifice. Each year the tribes offer up in thanksgiving their horns, which naturally fall off each year. The " Festival of Horns" has always been a time of reflection, pruning of character, a time to show growth in character and truth. But over the years, the festival has lost its meaning, the true story, and has become a time of showing off their horns, how big they've grown, whose is better and more importantly, whose have not grown. As the tribe of Umami grows in strength, its leader, Ozora, bullies others to become like her. In a violent attempt to demean some and overtake others, Ozora subtly becomes the new face of the festival and anything that stands in her way is held captive. As the life of a prisoner is at stake, the true meaning of sacrifice, is finally shown.
2017 - Unfinished People
The original play, Unfinished People, focused on issues of social and economic differences, it looked at what causes separation, what distracts us from community involvement and how we can educate ourselves on issues that we know nothing about. It talked about characters who lived in a perfect diverse society, but when they are pulled out of that society and forced to look at the real world,they are shocked at how broken the world really is. "The play tackled current social and economic issues, as well as addressed the drug problems in this world that others seem to ignore. It taught us that we need to be passionate and active members of our community, instead of being distracted by superficial things,” says actor Megan Crotty. The play asked the question of how we spend our time, what superficial things we fill it up with and should we be investing in people, rather than things. Sixteen year old cast member Robin Leet explained, “This isn't your average play. This show discusses important, sparsely spoken of issues, such as drugs, addiction and what it can do to a person, and the unhealthy things we consume ourselves with in daily life. We will speak of the vacancy in relationships and people caused by cell phones and other casual, everyday devices.We break down barriers you might not even know were there and bring attention to poverty, the middle to lower class, and how these issues can affect our community as a whole.”
2016 - Beautiful Things
"You are beautiful, smart, unique, and you are always enough. You are worth it, I tell her. And with the smallest of actions, with nothing more than a seed, her spirits were lifted in this one little deed. Yes, I believe love, will make you do crazy things." Little things are worth the investment.
2015 - Ubuntu
Epoch Arts is gearing up to perform its 18th year of the Mainstage play. With an amazing and diverse cast, this years theme fits perfectly. The plays central theme is about community, but with a broader sense of what that really means and who that includes. The storyline begins with a character Abella who is searching for a friend outside of her clique. But she is a Haveit, and she is not allowed to include other people, especially Tinkers and definitely not Monsters. To her surprise, she discovers a friend who is certainly not like her. His name is Bartholomew and he is a monster with a special talent. Abella learns that opening your heart to all people creates a balance that is missing within her community. It takes courage, a sense of newness and a fight, but in the end she stands as a wonderful example of what every community should look like. Epoch Arts theater department creates new and original works that are about transformation, possibilities and community which allows audiences a place to experience work on the cutting edge. For more information visit us on facebook or at www.epocharts.org
