Vive Les Arts Community Theatre

I didn't have high hopes when I heard Killeen had a performing arts theater. I was blown away by the quality of the production AND the talent! I had no idea we had such talented folks here in little ole Killeen! I will definitely be back.

I was forced to watch a play for a college theater course, so I bought a pair of tickets to a show that my community theater was performing. I attended Vive Les Arts' production of Cats and was blown away. The audacity to attempt such a spectacle should be applauded, but the fact that the theater actually pulled off a worthy performance should be cheered. A handful of musicians played the live music in the pit as the performers sang and danced on stage. The intimacy proved to be both the show's panacea and its restraint. This show benifited from its status as a volunteer theater by the audience willing to forgive quite a bit. Thankfully, there was not much that needed forgiving. If you take into consideration that the entire cast is a group of volunteers with job, family, and sometimes high school priorities; this production would have earned 5 stars (Excellent). If it had been a professional production, I would have only given it 3 Stars (Average, not great). As I am striving to judge the production on its own merit I can not consider the status of the performers. When I look simply at the play I watched a good show. V.L.A.s status as an intimate community theater was also a drawback in this performance. The stage size, while adequate, was limiting to the choreography of the dancers. The production schedule (6 weeks from casting to showtime) did not allow enough time for the choreography rehersals that this production would need in order to be amazing. I am not saying that the choreography was bad, I'm simply saying that the cast could have used an extra two weeks to tighten their movements. You shouldn't have the same rehersal time for Cats (which is dependent on movement and spectacle) that you can have for A Christmas Story (which is dependent on its characters and story). In the end, I am simply nitpicking. I really enjoyed the show and hope to see other ambitous projects in the future. I consider my time at Vive Les Arts to be well spent. I had fun, and I have recommended this theater to many of my friends. -Charles McManus