April 20, 2006

By LAURA PEACH
Contributing Writer

This upcoming Friday and Saturday night a special set of seniors will put a real twist on classic improv at the Pike Place Market Theatre. Actors will interview members of the Pike Market Senior Center and turn ordinary life into an extraordinary production called Market Shares. The two-night special will raise money to support the Senior Center and will be the first in a series of stories about Pike Market voices that Unexpected Productions is showcasing throughout the year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Pike Place Market.

Last year the Senior Center set up a storytelling booth at the Market Festival. Zoë Freeman, the activities coordinator at the Senior Center, was struck by how many interesting stories the seniors were telling. Unexpected Productions had a nearby booth at the festival, so the two organizations joined forces and came up with the interview-improv idea.

“ When you take a single moment of anyone’s life and magnify it, it becomes truly beautiful,” says Freeman. These simple stories of life will weave a narrative of the people who make the Market area such a unique spot.

The Pike Market Senior Center is a meeting place for men and women over 55 looking to take art lessons or exercise classes. Every afternoon, the center serves almost 100 hot lunches to seniors who would otherwise have little or nothing to eat. A job referral program and social services station are also available to help meet other needs of seniors.

“ This is just like any other senior center, except it is more focused on those with low incomes,” says Freeman.

The center is hoping to raise $4,000 to $5,000 with this weekend’s production to help with operating costs and their upcoming move to a new location, nearer to the market, in June.

Freeman looked for members of the Senior Center who were particularly passionate and animated about their lives. She recruited six seniors: Mary Brady, Estella Wallace, Ray Jiles, Doris Nelson, Ron Honsinger, and Ann Hope. Each person will draw from their own distinct life experiences during onstage interviews to provide the actors with scenes to improvise.

Although there truly is no telling exactly what the production will be like, it is sure to address serious social issues and encompass moments of humor. Hope may talk about the obstacles she faced when trying to register to vote in Arkansas during the 1960s. Brady, a folk dancer and artist, might mention the comedy that transpired when her group of girlfriends went out to dinner.

“ Most older people have lived interesting lives, and people are interested in what they have done, and I want to let people know what we contribute,” says Nelson.

Honsinger has been coming to the center for 15 years. He grew up during the Great Depression and says he remembers when people used to exchange services instead of money. He used to love coming to the market in the summer, because there were so many great things to eat. “I think that this production will build closer relationships so that the members [of the Senior Center] can better become a family,” he said with a smile.

Ray Jiles, who traveled the globe before returning to Seattle, says that he’s not worried about the actors taking the seniors’ stories too far. “Life changes, always. As long as the production expresses the thought, it’s worth it.”

The actors, who are all donating their time and skills, will not interview the seniors in advance. Production director Randy Dixon says that it’s best to make discoveries in front of the audience.

“ The goal of the show, in general, is to celebrate everyone’s life experiences,” says Dixon. “We’re hoping for a nice, big crowd.” n