Nathaniel Lopez, Nancy Truax, Andrew Hiller, and Sarah Belknap during a performance of Skin Hungry.
By Nathaniel A. Lopez
The SPATs Theater in Oracle, home to the San Pedro Actors Troupe, hosted their first play in 5 years. In October, San Pedro Actors Troupe presented the play Skin Hungry, directed by Jim Pollack and produced by Becky Greer.
Ruth is a 74-year-old woman. Rowan is a 23-year-old man. They’re in love. And Ruth’s 43-year-old son is freaking out.
The play was written by Erin Mallon and produced with special arrangement with Broadway Publishing Inc. The cast of the play were: Nancy Traux as Ruth, Nathaniel Lopez as Rowan, Andrew Hiller as Jim, Sarah Belknap as Gina, and Justin Palmer as Dad. Working as part of the crew were: Director Jim Pollack; Assistant Director June Rettig; Producer Becky Greer; Stage Manager Rose Milam; Light and sound tech Al Colburn; Digital audio by Zoomer Seckendorf; Playbill and graphics by Imo Baird; Stagehands Betsy Colburn, Roxy Brown, Mechelle Egan, Christine Oberth; Hair and makeup by Taylour Geiss. The Theater hosted five showings of Skin Hungry, making it their first play since The Savannah Sipping Society in early 2019. SPATs dedicated this production to their late member M. Van Howell, who directed 16 plays and acted in 20 plays.
Later in the month of October there was a screening of the locally shot film, La Bufadora. The movie is described as, “A decrepit old mining town looks to a mystical beast to be saved from more plundering.” The movie was written and directed by Jeremy Finch, who was in attendance for its second screening at SPATs Theater. The movie was shot in Arizona towns Oracle, Globe, Miami, Hayden, Florence and Tucson. The movie was shot in 2020 and released in 2023. It also stars local actors Couger Miller, Taylour Geiss and Andrew Hiller.
The following evening was a night full of local music. Local bands TOYLIT, and Culinary Kitchen Soup Collective played with Yaris. The members of Yaris came out from all over, one member, Jeremy Finch came from New York, another from North Carolina, and Phoenix, as well as Andrew Hiller from Oracle. Each band played passionately, as those in attendance danced and swayed to the music.
If there’s one thing to say, it would be that SPATs Theater is coming back to life! Be sure to be on the lookout for the next event to take place there.