By Nicholette Carlson
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — A new theater ministry, 3:16 Community Theatre, is rising from the ashes at Quaker Haven. Lakes Area Players had been struggling financially and suffered from performances being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to continue a theater ministry at Quaker Haven, a group of individuals involved with Lakes Area Players reevaluated the organization and renamed it 3:16 Community Theatre.

The theatre is a nonprofit with five board members in place, Rod Urick being the board president. This new group has big plans to revamp and rebrand the organization as well as refocus it. The group was renamed after the popular verse, John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The new community theatre will kick off with the show “Welcome to Virginia.” Auditions for the play will take place from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at Quaker Haven. It is a small cast with limited roles available. All actors and actresses must sing and will have either a solo or duet. Following auditions, rehearsals will start Monday, Sept. 14.

Beginning in December, there will be seven shows of “Welcome to Virginia.” It will run from Friday, Dec. 4, to Saturday, Dec. 12.

They are also planning to do an Easter production with auditions and rehearsals beginning in mid-January 2021. The theatre will focus primarily on the Christmas and Easter shows, though there is talk of possibly holding a summer concert or production.

“As a board, we’re focusing on getting people to Christ, saving souls and, in these troubling times, shedding a light in the community,” Urick stated.

The 3:16 Community Theatre is currently holding a fall soap fundraiser with a variety of laundry detergents and cleaning products available for sale through Monday, Sept. 28. These products and tickets to the Christmas production can be purchased at www.tickettailor.com/events/316.