BUFFs of a different sort are making an appearance next week on Minot AFB! No, not more B52’s, but the Minot Theatre Buffs. Technical Sergeant Dorian Garland, 5th Civil Engineering Squadron Unit Training Manager and VP of the Mouse River Players, wants all theater enthusiasts to meet at the Base Theater on September 19th at 3:00 p.m. If anyone is an actor, singer, builder, techie, fashionista, playwright, or interested in theater in general, this event is for you! All Enlisted, Officers, Civilians (adults only), and Spouses are welcome.

For the last two years and in different capacities, TSgt. Garland has worked in theatrical shows with several members from the base to include 1st Lt. Michael O’Keefe of 5th SFS, TSgt. Christine Cherry of 5th FSS, and Staff Sergeant David Becker from the 5th LRS. TSgt. Garland worked with SSgt. Becker in I Hate Hamlet but worked with 1st Lt. O’Keefe and TSgt. Cherry not only on stage, but also behind the scenes in a technical role in Clue the Musical. TSgt. Garland wants to create an opportunity for Airmen to express themselves in a constructive way and to let them know that there are people on MAFB that have gotten involved with the arts. For personnel who don’t know where to go or what is available, the Minot Theatre Buffs will be there to help people who aspire to learn skills in any aspect of theater arts, whether artistic or technical. TSgt. Garland stated:

“At the end of the day, I want to create a community who can grow and help to get people out of the dorms or houses and find a way to get involved with the community. I want to be able to create a pipeline of talent between the base and Minot. I know we have talented people on base and maybe some who may need it awakened in them, and I hope this is a place to give [it] that push. I would think of the group more of a training ground/networking club.”

While having fun and engaging with other people, TSgt. Garland wants members to feel welcome, to feel free to be themselves, and to be able to either hone their skills or develop public speaking habits, stage presence, and confidence. Several purposes of the club are to expose members of the base to what is available in the theatrical arts/music arts, to open opportunities to network, and to interact with people in the community, which will provide a chance for potential theater buffs to learn from them and to educate potential buffs on workshops or Q&A.

At the theater buff meetings, new buffs will be provided with a list of upcoming auditions with local theaters, complete workshop classes and games that focus on developing acting skills with local actors and directors, go on backstage tours with the local theaters in town, sit in on rehearsals, attend Q&A’s with the cast and crews of the shows in season, and ultimately attend a regional show in Fargo or Minneapolis. Also, club members will work on simpler skills, such as cold readings, audition and stage direction, and volume and projection.

To direct new club members with different talents to their area of interest(s) in the theater, the club needs to learn where the new member’s interest(s) lie. For example, a member’s primary talent might be singing, so the club would try to find upcoming musicals where a member could use that talent, while another’s primary talent might be into set building and design, so the club would try to find an upcoming show that needs a talented carpenter or painter to create a set for the show. It’s TSgt. Garland’s dream to create a cast containing 90% military-affiliated personnel in a local show, but right now, to stage a show on base, it’s a matter of determining logistics, type of play, and the commitment that comes with staging a show.

TSgt. Garland wants to create an opportunity for Airmen to express themselves creatively in the performing arts. This theater meet-up is the first of its kind for MAFB, but TSgt. Garland hopes to make these meet-ups a regularly occurring program for Airmen and their families on base. Currently, the theater buffs’ meeting is on September 19th at 3:00 p.m. at the Base Theater, but TSgt. Garland is working on a permanent site, such as the Jimmy Doolittle Center (JDC), and if the initial club meeting goes well, he would want the theater buffs to meet twice a month.

So, calling all performing arts enthusiasts! Showcase your talents at the meeting on September 19th at 3:00 p.m. at the Base Theater and become part of the vibrant arts community in Minot.