BLANK to Be Dramatically Filled at Prima Theatre

It explores elements of experience, execution, experimentation and engagement. BLANK is a study of the human mind, the human spirit and human behavior.

"BLANK is scripted, but the script contains a lot of blanks," said Mitch Nugent, who's been the founding executive producer of Prima Theatre for 16 years. "The written play provides the structure and guides the guest performer through the experience. The unexpected elements come from the words the audience supplies and how the performer responds, as everyone creates the story together. Quick thinking can help, but it is less about being fast or funny and more about being present, listening, staying curious and trusting the experience. The script does the heavy lifting. The guest performers' contributions make each performance entirely its own."

Prima Theatre, which is located at 941 Wheatland Ave., Lancaster, will stage 14 unique performances of BLANK between Friday, Sept. 11, and Sunday, Sept. 27. The evening shows begin at 7:30 p.m., and the Saturday and Sunday matinees start at 2 p.m.

There are costs associated with admission, and tickets can be purchased at primatheatre.org/blank. Concessions will be available inside the theater.

"BLANK offers an opportunity to experience something increasingly rare - an unrepeatable path," said Nugent. "So much of life follows familiar patterns, but BLANK gives you something different. The guest performer walks onstage without ever having seen the script. The script contains blanks that the guest performer and audience work through together, gradually creating a story that could only have emerged from those particular people in that particular room.

"In a world that can feel so divided, there is something beautiful about gathering in one place and generating a fresh story together," he added. "It's playful, joyful and deeply communal. No audience member is ever forced to participate, but the opportunity is there for everyone who chooses it."

Each performance of BLANK will last about 75 minutes, and the interactive presentations do not include intermissions. Among the onstage performers are local directors, teachers, community leaders, doctors, presidents and CEOs, managers, founders and speakers.

"The atmosphere will be warm, intimate and playful, with seating on three sides of the central playing space," said Nugent, a resident of Lancaster. "Warm lighting and a simple table at the center of the room will create a feeling of a shared gathering - a room buzzing with energy and plenty of unexpected goodness ahead. The audience is essential because the people in the room help shape that night's story."

BLANK is the brainchild of Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour and originally premiered in 2015.

"We all need experiences that interrupt the ordinary - moments of beauty, shared joy and connection that help us feel fully alive," said Nugent. "Prima's role is to be a resource, a place where you can step away from the predictable, encounter something fresh and leave with more energy than you had when you arrived.

"Prima offers intimate theatrical experiences that awaken curiosity and create joy," continued Nugent. "For artists, it creates opportunities to collaborate, experiment and develop new work. For Lancaster, it helps make possible a community where theatrical work can be born."

Nugent and his wife, Diana, founded Prima Theatre in 2010. The theater presents nearly 100 performances, concerts, productions and special events each year.

The next production Prima Theatre will host is "Illumination" - a candlelit holiday experience featuring rich voices and extraordinary live music in the round - which will open Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. and run through Wednesday, Dec. 23.

"More people discover Prima Theatre every year, but it still feels like one of Lancaster's best-kept secrets," said Nugent. "The space is intimate and contemporary, with no faraway seats. You are close enough to see every expression and feel the energy moving through the room. You do not need to consider yourself a 'theater person' to belong. You only need to be open to experiencing something."

For additional information, go to http://www.primatheatre.org.

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