Theater gives us a unique lens into stories.
Whether we commiserate with, loathe, or love the characters on stage, we start to see different aspects of ourselves through them.
Boise Contemporary Theater (BCT) decided to tackle “Where in the world am I?” as its theme for the 28th MainStage season. For BCT Producing Artistic Director Benjamin Burdick, his answer is ‘Idaho.’
“After graduating from Yale University, I went out to Los Angeles to act,” Burdick said. “My real love was in theaters – both small and large – telling stories and feeding off of that symbiotic energy with a live audience. I was born and raised in Idaho, and I knew I wanted to come back. I saw that a position was open at BCT, applied, and we moved back in April of 2018.”
This season, the location question was answered through a California school board tackling a mumps outbreak in “Eureka Day,” followed by the classic World War I tale from the Western Front: “All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.” Patrons can visit the Rochester, New York, friendship of Kenneth and Bert in “Primary Trust” from February 4-21 before wrapping up the season in 1950s Iran with “AJAX" from April 22-May 9.
BCT itself is embodying its location theme this year by growing. The theater recently added the Ghost Light Pub, and is continuing with major upgrades and renovations as part of a $3.3M capital campaign.
“It takes an entire village to make a nonprofit arts organization work,” Burdick said. “BCT has an incredible staff, from fulltime to front of house, who make this place possible. Our 100-plus volunteers keep performance nights running smoothly. Our Board works tirelessly as ambassadors of the place. And, most importantly, everyone who walks in that door to experience the magic of theater are the most important piece. They are all the ones who keep the doors open and the lights lit.”
One can’t forget the thespians who bring the shows to life.
“We hire actors from all over the country,” Burdick said. “Many come from New York City, Chicago, and L.A. That being said, it is very important to me that we support the incredible actors we have here. In the first show of the season that I directed, three of the five actors were local. In “All is Calm”, seven of the ten are.”
Burdick is also committed to showcasing Boise artists outside the MainStage, through the Locals Only program.
“We started it last summer and, as with everything new, we learned a lot,” he said. “There is much to improve, but I loved the excitement it brought to artists and patrons alike.”
As for the stories, Burdick wants audiences to think or laugh or cry, and then linger.
“What happens after are lively and civil conversations about the play between friends and, occasionally, total strangers. We hope all of it helps folks become more empathetic people. The world could use a little more empathy, and that’s why I think the arts, and theater in particular, is so crucial to the community.”
To purchase tickets to an upcoming BCT show, visit bctheater.org.