Elgin Theatre Company to entertain with fresh vision

Jocelyn Adamski is a talented, articulate actress, choreographer and director, who now holds the position of president of the Elgin Theatre Company, a community theater founded in 1952. Originally part of an evening adult class at Elgin Community College, it’s been producing entertainment for more than 70 years.

Adamski acknowledges she’s been involved in theater practically all her life – since she was 7 – never stopping. She has a bachelor’s degree in acting and attended The Chicago Academy for the Arts, an independent high school for the performing and visual arts.

The new president is dedicated to Elgin Theatre Company‘s goal “to help take ETC to the next level as a local provider and as a professional-level theater that excites, entertains and challenges … audiences”; her objective is to produce a wide variety of shows that will appeal to many different types of audiences.

“We have fantastic longtime patrons who have been loyal to us and absolutely helped keep us afloat through challenging times,” she said.

But Adamski believes now is the time for ETC to broaden its base and also attract a younger and more diverse crowd. Its most recent show was “The Value of Moscow,” an edgy, dark, contemporary play involving three sisters.

In mid-September, Shakespeare’s final masterpiece, “The Tempest,” will be staged. With its humor, romance and fantasy coupled with themes of survival and forgiveness, the appeal will be to all ages. The season will continue in November (pending rights) with a female-themed show reflecting identifiable experiences of women of all ages. Adamski promises the season’s upcoming three plays will navigate the storms of life, family and belonging.

As president, Adamski sees her role as “really about having a vision for the type of theater we want to be.” She believes in maintaining “a pulse on every aspect of our productions to ensure that vision. I want to keep the board and play-going community excited about Elgin Theatre Company and its future, with high expectations for our season.”

Community theater does come equipped with its own set of demands:

• Is the play appropriate for the area?

• Contracts and rights

• Budget

• Staff/team

• Cast!

• Venue

• Ticket prices/dates

But Adamski and the board don’t seem phased. Adamski believes a community theater’s existence is to provide the unbeatable thrill of live entertainment and the opportunity for involvement as a participant or as a patron, with the cast effectively providing high-quality entertainment.

What is so great about local community theater? It’s the accessibility for everyone, plus people don’t have to trek into downtown Chicago. Adamski promises that Elgin Theatre Company is working hard to continue to grow and improve. She is on a mission to reintroduce the company to the community with a focus on great plays and performances by talented actors, connecting with others to bring more people to the Fox River Valley for entertainment and fun.

“As for the future,” she said, “I can encapsulate Elgin Theatre Company in one word: opportunity!”

• Regina Belt-Daniels is a 50-year veteran of the theater. She’s held theater board positions, performed onstage and worked backstage throughout Illinois and Ohio, and is currently in her 12th year of writing theater reviews for Shaw Local News Network.

IF YOU GO

• WHAT: Elgin Theatre Company

• PHONE: 847-741-0532

• INFORMATION: elgin-theatre.org