Players In San Juan Capistano Offer Alternative to Baseball

Dissatisfied with what it perceives as “a scarcity of good community theater” in southern Orange County, a new troupe calling itself the Monday Night Alternative will launch a monthly series of free, radio-style theater readings next week in San Juan Capistrano.

“There’s just not enough theater around here,” said co-founder B.J. Scott, who will stage the first reading on Monday: Paul Zindel’s “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds.” “So we’re going to try to do something about that.”

Scott, who directed “Exit the Body” at San Clemente’s Cabrillo Playhouse in January, said the fledgling Capistrano troupe is being launched on “upwards of $50 or $60.” It plans to perform one Monday each month. Co-founders are Diane Green and Roz Fleming.

If nothing else, Scott said, “those of us who don’t like to watch Monday Night Baseball will have some place to go.” Admission is free, and donations will be accepted for refreshments. The cast for the first show consists of Sandi Silver, Cynthia Walker, Carrie Pohlhammer and Gary Isaacson.

Scott said the second reading--”Ladies at the Alamo,” also by Paul Zindel--will take place May 22. In June the troupe will read two one-acts, “A Need for Brussel Sprouts” and “Conflusion,” followed by century-old Chicago melodramas in July and August.

All readings will be held at the Clubhouse of San Juan Village, near the intersection of Village Road and Rancho Viejo Road in San Juan Capistrano. For performance time or other information, call (714) 364-6717.