Good News For Grand Terrace:

Grand Terrace theater group hits stage
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/13/2009 02:49:19 PM PDT
Updated: 07/13/2009 03:01:11 PM PDT

GRAND TERRACE - Lori Williams got hooked on theater at a young age.
Musicals, Shakespeare, Broadway and dramas - she loved them all.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Williams has formed her own theater company called the Grand Terrace Community Players.
The group puts on its debut production, "Showcase Spectacular, a Musical Revue and More" Friday through Sunday at Terrace Hills Middle School.

The show includes a mix of Broadway hits and songs from movie musicals. All the songs either won or were nominated for Tony awards.

With the help of her older daughter and a five-member board of directors, Williams is trying to put Grand Terrace on the theatrical map.
"We've always gone all over the Inland Empire to see shows," said Williams, a Grand Terrace resident since 1986. "I thought it would be nice if we could get other people to come here for our shows."

Grand Terrace had community theater in the 1960s and '70s, but the group lost its building and stopped putting on performances.

Williams' troupe is hoping for a better fate.

The new group is seeking donations from businesses and art-minded people to offset the $3,000 cost of the production.
"It's a lot of hurdles," said Williams, a revenue supervisor for the Riverside County Fire Department. "There's a lot of costs I never realized when I started doing this."

Just to rent the school auditorium and pay for a janitor to clean up after the shows is $2,000, she said. Williams also paid a $300 fee for the group to apply for nonprofit status. Its application to become a nonprofit is pending.

Selling out the 275-seat multipurpose room would help defray the cost, she said.
"I'd like to break even on this," Williams said, "and if nothing else have a little bit for the next production."

The group plans to put on two Shakespeare romantic comedies, "Much Ado About Nothing" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream," in the fall.

Her 21-year-old daughter, Bonnie Williams, is a theater major at Cal State San Bernardino and the group's artistic director. Her goal is to become a Broadway stage performer.
"Live theater is just an amazing experience," Bonnie Williams said. "It's such a big part of who I am."

She said theater teaches important life skills like teamwork and public speaking.
Her mother wants to help make the community stronger.
"If we can involve the Inland Empire in finding out how great Grand Terrace is, then we're the better for it," Lori Williams said.

'Showcase Spectacular, A Musical Revue and More!'
When: Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Where: Terrace Hills Middle School Multipurpose Room, 22579 DeBerry St., Grand Terrace.
Cost: General admission is $10. Children under 12 are $5.
Information: (909) 783-0437