No Shame Theatre gives artists, musicians, and other performers a place to debut their work before an uncritical audience. Mace Archer, a Randolph theatre professor, launched the Lynchburg edition of No Shame Theatre last year, but the series took a break during the summer.
The season premiere will take place at 8 p.m. Friday in the Thoresen Theatre, on the third floor of the Harold G. Leggett Building at Randolph College—a few hours earlier and on a more prominent stage than No Shame’s usual arrangement. Admission will cost $5 for students and $10 for adults, with proceeds going to theatre scholarships at the College.
Archer hopes to see No Shame regulars and newcomers join the audience on Friday.
“We want to celebrate the work that was done last year, and we want to share what’s been done with people who have not ventured out at 10:45 at night (No Shame’s usual hour) so they can see what it is,” Archer said.
Friday's performance will be a “Best of” show. Archer scheduled some of the more popular performances from last year’s events, including some performances nominated by fans of the No Shame Theatre Lynchburg Facebook page.
There will be 15 five-minute performances, including:
- music on guitar and piano
- a drum circle
- a belly dance
- stand up comedy.
After this week, Lynchburg No Shame Theatre will return to its regularly scheduled time and venue: 10:45 p.m. on Fridays in the lab theatre on the second floor of the Leggett building.
It will also return to its usual, unplanned approach in which performers sign up on a first come, first serve basis, and its usual cost: a suggested donation of $5.
Archer said he is proud to see No Shame return.
“Randolph has a history of being free thinking, open minded, and non-judgmental,” he said. “That’s what No Shame is about. It’s a place where people can speak their minds and try new ideas.”
For more background on No Shame Theatre, read these stories from The News & Advance and Randolph magazine.
