Katy Lifestyles and Home magazine Jul 2009: Katy Theater Company

he story behind Black Acre Theatre, the new theater company in Katy comprised of young Katy adults, reads like a play. The company was founded and is operated by Mary Black, 21, and Ben Chai, 20, two college kids and former Cinco Ranch High graduates who became great friends while immersed in the same high school plays and musicals. Theater was their passion. It still is.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could come back and start a theater in Katy, they often dreamed back then.

After high school each went off to study theater in different parts of the country: Mary at the University of Oklahoma and Ben at the Cincinnati Conservatory. Yet, during their college years, they remained friends, stayed in touch, and from time to time revisited the idea of starting a theater “back home.”

This December, while both were home in Katy for Christmas break, they agreed now was the time. “Ben, let’s do this,” was all Mary had to say. Ben, like a race horse out of the starting gate, was ready, too. Mary, who just finished her junior year, knew a little something about business from her minor in enterprise studies. She knew enough to know that, even together, they didn ’t know the answers to how to start a business, so they began by writing down the questions. Then, they found a partner with a lot of business experience: Bob Black, Mary ’s dad. He was weeks away from retirement from an oil company and looking for a new challenge. The timing couldn ’t have been more perfect for the three to join as a team. While Mary and Ben take care of the artistic jobs like acting, staging and directing, Bob handles the business side.

“We could not have pulled this off without Mary’s dad,” said Ben. “He gives us all the business advice. Things we would never have thought about, he ’s helped us with. Bob knew about handling taxes, about forming corporations, about who to contact. About how to do things that can only be learned by doing it. Bob handled forming the corporation in its entirety and all Mary and I really did was sign the papers and structure the business in a theatrical fashion. ”

So they sat down with a blank sheet of paper and started taking notes. First things, first. They needed a name.

After a futile attempt at looking up random words in the dictionary Mary had a meaningful idea. They would name their theater company Black Acre after her fond childhood memories. The name is borrowed from her grandfather’s farm in Jefferson, Iowa, where she spent many summers.

“It’s all about exploring. Discovery. I love the spirit of the place,” said Mary.

So, Black Acre Theatre it was.

Next on the list was a task a little more daunting: finding a place to set up shop.

“We drove all around Katy and quickly realized how pricey everything was,” said Ben. Again, Mary and Ben used their impeccable timing that great actors seem to have. They approached Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center (KVPAC) who needed something to fill a gap between summer camp for kids, which ends right before they start college, and adult community theater, which is post-college. Theater for young adults during their college years was lacking. So, in walked the founders of Black Acre Theatre with an idea to use their facility, and at the same time, fill a community need.

The two learned a quick lesson in marketing and public releations. Then, they did what any twenty-something person would do, they set up a Facebook group, which now has several hundred members. Next, they sought out sponsors and asked for donations.

Sometimes when starting a huge task it might be best not to know just how much you don ’t know. The huge task for Mary and Ben was that they were asking for help in creating a gigantic dream without anything to back their credibility within the neighborhood other than their high school work.

“We’ve learned that there will be people who will throw ideas at you and people who will come to your after party, and then there ’s people who will be wanting your autograph only after you do something incredible, but there ’s only a very small handful of people who are actually willing to do the work to make it all happen, and we ’re very fortunate to have that group,” said Ben.

The curtain rose with its inaugural show, Love Song, by John Klovenbach on June 12. It’s a story about an outcast, Beane, his sister, Joan, her husband, Harry, and a mysterious burglar named Molly who robs Beane. It plays with the idea of love in all its forms. The cast of five consists of Paul Stuart as Beane, Lauren Bielski as Joan, and Nate Evans as Harry. Mary plays Molly, and Ben is the waiter.

Following Love Song, Black Acre Theatre will present “Local Playwright Night” and the “Black Acre Theatre Film Festival,” both of which will showcase the works and talent of Katy-area artists.

In his letter to the community, Ben writes: Mary and I founded Black Acre Theatre because of our desire to create an environment of artistic collaboration in the Katy area. We ’re joined together by the common belief that theater, and all forms of artistic expression, are natural impulses that remind us of who we are .

With the hard work, passion and timing of superstars, Mary Black and Ben Chai, Black Acre Theatre ’s success can’t miss.

For now, the theater company is summer stock for Katy, in Katy and by Katy folks. In the fall, Mary will return to finish her senior year of college and Ben will transfer to University of Southern California. After college, Mary will probably move to L.A. to pursue her career in acting. Ben isn ’t sure what’s in the stars for him after college but he certainly doesn’t lack talent or skill.

He acts, dances and plays many instruments. He can run the sound and light booth and compose full orchestra music. He even writes and directs.

So, what’s in the future for Black Acre Theatre when the carefree, college summer days and nights are gone for Mary and Ben?

“We might just have to pass it down to other people in Katy,” said Mary.

The show must go on.