ANACONDA — It’s almost Halloween and the Anaconda Ensemble Theater has a real treat for you: a horror play — live.
“The play is incredible. I love horror as a genre and it’s very niche to do it on stage, it’s not done on stage very often, sort of difficult to do,” said director Blane Pressler.
"The Margins" is a one-act play written by David Skeele about paranormal investigators conducting an experiment in an old mansion.
Pressler, who works in New York, said it's an exciting challenge to bring horror to the stage.
“Commitment of the actors is the biggest thing you need, you need actors that are going to go there emotionally, they’re going to scream as loud as they can and give you the jumps,” said Pressler.
Butte actor Caleb Hill added, “There’s so much going on all at once, especially when you get to the scary part, there’s a lot going on all at once so you have to be on your cues at all times.”
The cast is made up of amateur and professional actors who are dedicated to putting on a great show.
“We’re on the ball, everybody has amazing attitudes, shows up prepared by rehearsals, there’s no ego which is so rare,” said actress Tashia Gates.
Gates is an Anaconda native who has been working as an actor in Los Angeles for 10 years.
The actors' strike and some canceled projects left her without work temporarily.
“As an artist, there’s always going to be an obstacle. I mean, there’s always going to be, so I firmly believe and what personally keeps me going is always staying creative, I’m just so blessed that the opportunity came like this in a play, never done it before with these amazing people in my hometown,” she said.
Performances are at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 through 15 and from Oct. 20 through Oct. 22, 2023, at the Tammany Ballroom at 200 Main Street in Anaconda. Tickets are $20.
