<< Previous   of   Next >> Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) A maximum occupancy sign points out the size of the venue as Steve Cooper, president and artistic director of the Do North Theater Company, discusses the company's latest venture, The Little Oasis Theater (formerly The New Space Theater), Friday, August 22, 2008 at the theater in North City, Shoreline. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Steve Cooper, president and artistic director of the Do North Theater Company, discusses the company's latest venture, The Little Oasis Theater (formerly The New Space Theater), Friday, August 22, 2008 at the theater in North City, Shoreline.

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CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, Copy editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

Local theatre ready for its close up

By Amy Daybert
Enterprise editor

Steve Cooper wants to tell a few good, simple stories in Shoreline. Although the space he has to tell those stories in is small, he's certain audiences are looking forward to future performances produced by the Do North Theatre Company.

"Ninety percent of people coming to see plays want to see something that has a good beginning, a good middle and a good end and that's what we want to do," Cooper said at The Little Oasis Theatre in North City Aug. 22. "We want to tell a good, strong story with good, strong characters and make it as simple as possible."

Cooper became the president and artistic director of Shoreline's small, independent theatre company on 15th Avenue Northeast in March when the former owner of the New Space Theatre decided to give the space up. At the time, Cooper was working on lighting for the company's final performance at the theatre and quickly decided he couldn't let the space go.

"When you get a building like this that's ready to go, you just better run for it," he said. "I said I couldn't let it go because it's performance ready. She took her theater company away and I had to form a new one."

From that point, the freelance lighting designer, director and stage manager produced the first show under his management -- Shirley Valentine. During the North City Jazz Walk on Aug. 12, a steady stream of residents filled the space to listen to the Paul Anastasio Trio. Many who visited the venue that night told him they weren't aware the theater space even existed.

"I know that nobody knows about this space," Cooper said. "It's the biggest, best kept secret in Shoreline and I want to stop that."

The Do North Theatre season will officially open on Nov. 7 with nine performances of "A Two- Character Play" by Tennessee Williams. Throughout the play, a brother and sister acting pair perform a standby act after being left behind by their theater company. Audience members will experience how their real life stories weave in and out of the script, Cooper said.

Director Paul Fleming expects the play to be both engaging and funny.

"It's going to take people on a really remarkable journey," he said. "I think it's a dreamlike play in a lot of ways … it takes you through a real, surreal place at one point and is very entertaining but at the same time thought provoking."

Rehearsals begin in September, Cooper said. In the meantime, he works to make interior changes such as a fresh coat of paint, securing new speaker positions, building up the booth and implementing approximately 38 new seats. One day, according to Cooper, the Do North Theatre space may be used for company meetings, lectures or maybe even some parties.

"There's a possibility for that kind of stuff," Cooper said. "We're hoping we'll be using it more and more as the word gets out that we have it available."

The performance schedule is determined by the Theater's board of directors, consisting of two actors and two directors, Cooper said. This year's season has three different shows and multiple performances with the possibility of four shows in a future season.

Cooper is hopeful that soon, more people will become familiar with Shoreline's independent theater company and remodeled theater.

"One of the things I'm trying to do is let as many people as possible know that you don't have to drive to Edmonds, you don't have to go to Everett or Seattle, you can see good theater right here in Shoreline."