From the Stage to the Director’s Chair, Bell and Smeltser Make their Directorial Debuts at the Arts Council
Julie Bell and Marnina Smeltser are faces you normally see on the Hardeman County Arts Council (HCAC) stage. Tonight, and through the weekend, they will be seated in director’s chairs, directing the Arts Council’s production of Christmas Belles, a Christmas comedy that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter.
Christmas Belles takes the audience to Fayro, Texas just in time for the annual and long-running Christmas program to be presented. We meet the Futrelle sisters, Frankie, Twink, and Honey Raye, who each is a comedy in their own story.
This is the first time both women have directed a play and Bell did not hold back when sharing her introduction to the new role as a director.
“This job is no joke! From set planning to character development and costumes, it’s a form of leadership I have never done before and really enjoyed,” said Bell who was eager to take on a new challenge and learning another aspect of theatre.
Bell started volunteering at the HCAC last season. She sang during the intermission segment of Crab Cakes and Murder and has been using her artistic skills as a part of the set design and construction crew. Bell’s involvement at the theatre company has led her to serving as the secretary on the HCAC board.
It has been a great experience for Smeltser seeing the other side of a production, having spent her time primarily acting on the stage. She has appeared in several HCAC productions since 2011, which include Charity in ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Editor in The Christmas Bus, Phineas Trout in Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR., Jasmine in Disney Aladdin JR., in which she was also a choreographer, and as Calamity Raines in Crab Cakes and Murder. Those experiences have proved invaluable as she has taken on a director role.
“One of the biggest things I have learned while directing my first play is the cast plays a huge role in creatively developing the show. I have learned how important it is to work alongside your cast because their ideas and comments are an important part of producing a great play,” said Smeltser.
Both women credit their cast as the reason they have enjoyed directing Christmas Belles. Although they are in leadership roles, they realize what the audience sees during each performance is a collaboration of not only the directors, but one that also includes the cast.
“This cast has been amazing! I’ve known most of the people for a couple years, gotten to know new ones, and have learned so much about them personally,” said Bell. “I also have really enjoyed seeing them bring these characters to life.”
Smeltser shared similar sentiments about the evolution of the actors and their performances on the stage.
“One thing I have enjoyed about this play is the ability to sit back and watch a group of people start off as strangers reading their lines off of a page, only to become a cast of friends performing in costume in front of an audience,” said Smeltser.
Without giving away anything details about the storyline, Bell and Smeltser shared why they think people should come out and see the play.
“This is a belly laughing, twist, and turns kind of show where the true meaning of Christmas is presented! It’s set in a small town and honestly sometimes feels like the cast walked straight out of Hardeman County,” said Bell with amusement.
With no bias at all, Smeltser admitted Christmas Belles may be her favorite of all productions she has performed in at the HCAC.
“This production is one of my favorites that the HCAC has ever put on, and not because I helped direct it! This play is a crazy story with a simple message,” said Smeltser. “Although it is full of jokes and laughter, it all boils down to the story of Jesus Christ coming as a baby to save us from our brokenness.”
The Hardeman County Arts Center has been a part of Hardeman County for almost 20 years. Since its inception, it has brought theatre and other elements of fine arts to the community. People who live in the county and surrounding areas do not have to go far to experience quality fine arts. The vision of the HCAC is “to provide the best in artistry, entertainment, and culture. We hope to inform, enchant and inspire the community through the presentation of local groups, individual artists and major art organizations that will nurture and promote the arts.”
“Living in a small town doesn’t mean we have to go without the opportunities of larger cities. When I moved here [Hardeman County] four years ago from South Carolina, I truly missed having my season tickets to the big local theater there. Then I found HCAC,” said Bell. “I have loved bringing my four-year-old to plays. He had his HCAC debut in Shrek The Musical JR. My husband has even started singing karaoke again because of the Karaoke Nights.”
Smeltser loves how the HCAC provides the opportunity for any and every person from the community to be a part of the experience of providing quality entertainment. Although the HCAC is based in Bolivar, people from throughout Hardeman as well as in the surrounding county areas are invited to be a part of what the HCAC does. The cast includes people with all levels of acting experience, and from Hardeman County and other counties. The commonality they share is giving their all to present the best show for the audience.
“I believe the arts are important because I believe community is important. The arts provide an atmosphere for the cast and crew to get to know one another. The arts also allow the cast to perform for hundreds of strangers, and for the duration of the show, those strangers become friends, laughing and applauding as one,” said Smeltser. “Theater is the art of elaborate storytelling, and the HCAC makes it possible for our community to participate in that great art. The HCAC offers a place for local mechanics, police officers, daycare workers, and teachers (just to name a few of our cast members occupations), to come together and bring a little joy to their community.”
When asked whether they enjoyed acting or directing more, each noted as a fact they cannot be compared.
“I do not think acting and directing can really be compared. They are so different from one another,” said Smeltser. “I will say this, being an actor has made me a better director. And I hope that after having been a director, I will be a better actor.”
Christmas Belles opens on Friday, December 1, 2023. Bell and Smeltser are looking forward to the cast having the opportunity to present to an audience what they have been working on for the last couple of months. They hope whoever can attend comes out to the HCAC and believe the audience will not be disappointed. Along with some great laughs, they hope the meaning of Christmas will be conveyed.
“I hope people take away the meaning of Christmas. Jesus came as a baby to save the world! Fully God, fully man. If people walk away hearing that message, with a lot of laughs and giggles in between, I have done my job correctly,” said Bell.
“The thing I hope people take away from this production is that Christmas is not about us ‘having it all together’. The Futrelle family is chaotic and messy, but the Lord Jesus still comes. Christmas is not about neat families or organized holiday calendars. It is about Heaven’s King coming to earth and entering our mess; our unorganized, helpless mess,” said Smeltser. “So, along with much laughter and fun, I hope people are reminded that the Jesus is not afraid of their mess.”
Christmas Belles will be presented on the HCAC stage on Friday, December 1, 2023, at 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, December 2 – 3, 2023, at 2 p.m. Tickets are now on sale online for Christmas Belles and may also be purchased at the HCAC box office one hour before each performance.
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