Alternative Repertory Theatre Pours Preseason Tea to Entice New Patrons

The Alternative Repertory Theatre hosted an afternoon tea on Sunday at the Irvine home of Dale and Frankie Bryson, parents of ART founding member Kathleen Bryson.

The low-key event--the second of three preseason parties--was designed to “encourage people who may have heard of us but haven’t come to one of our shows to take the plunge” and buy a season subscription, said artistic director Pat Terry.

Sitting in the shady back yard, Terry said the goal of the three get-togethers is to double last season’s 101 subscriptions, priced at $17 to $42 for tickets to all four 1989-90 productions. ART, located in a 61-seat storefront in Santa Ana, begins its third season next month with the Greek comedy “Lysistrata.”

Among guests munching homemade goodies (buffalo wings, finger sandwiches, fruit salad, cake and brownies) was Sue Kakishita, who said she had stopped by with her friend, Veronica Lopez, “just to check it out, see what’s going on.”

Kakishita, who lives in Orange, said she hadn’t attended local theater for years but wanted to start again. “Also, I love afternoon teas,” she said with a laugh. “It reminds me of graceful days of years gone by. And you can wear a hat!”

Michele Roberge, an actress from Westminster who performed in ART productions last season, said she was looking forward to this year’s tryouts.

Amy Larson, an actress and one of the five founding members, said she saw the formation of the group three years ago as “a wonderful opportunity to have input in plays we chose, with parts for myself in mind.” Larson said working in the tiny “theater-in-the-square” in Santa Ana has helped her increase her concentration.

“Because it’s so intimate, the feedback is immediate,” she said. “I love that. And I love how hard I have to concentrate. Of course, I see the person there with the brown shoes and the one there looking at a program--but I can’t think about it. I have to just be aware of these people who are very close to me and concentrate on what I’m doing.”

Also tea-sipping for ART were Karen Weller, the company’s resident costumer; Joel Cotter, who directed a production last season; theater supporters Tina Bedford and Joe Cole, and Tom and Teresa Orr.