Aspiring actors don ’ t have to move to Hollywood to get their start . Instead , two local theater groups in Cleburne offer opportunities to both young and old performers to star in productions people from all over the state travel to see .
Rather than competing against each other , Plaza Theatre Co . and Greater Cleburne Carnegie Players compliment one another . They also share resources and a common goal : to bring entertainment to Cleburne .
“ Our goal is to offer a different kind of theater , so we do theater-in-the-round ,” said JaceSon Barrus , one of Plaza ’ s founders . “ We ’ ve met and talked with Carnegie about this as well .
“ Between the two of us we feel like we offer a fairly wide range of options as far as what to go see . Almost 60 percent of our patronage travels here from outside of Cleburne . My daughters have played in a show for them , and I ’ ve played in a show .”
The theater groups do compete , but also share .
“ We have a very good working relationship ,” said Jay Cornils , who is on the Carnegie board of directors . “ We are in competition . We compete for advertising and audience . We also compete for actors .
“ We share our audience dates and we share our actors as well . We share costumes . We share different set pieces . We work very closely together .
“ The competition between us makes both of our programs ’ quality just that much better .”
Though 2020 shuttered most performances because of the COVID-19 pandemic , both groups hope to get back on the stage this year .
Plaza Theatre Co .
Two couples , JaceSon and Tina Barrus and Aaron G . and Milette Siler , came together to create the Plaza Theatre Co .
Aaron Siler and JaceSon Barrus had a vision for the company when they attended college in Idaho . Although they went different directions in their careers — because they were geographically separated for 16 years — their passion for theater allowed them to cross paths again not long ago in Hurst .
Barrus needed audio assistance for one of his performances , and a man recommended Siler for the job .
Barrus said he wondered if this was the same Siler he knew in college years before .
After they were reacquainted , the men began acting in JaceSon ’ s productions . Shortly thereafter , Aaron mentioned their college dream of opening a theater company together .
A few months later Jackie Vinson of Cleburne came to the Hurst theater and told Barrus the Downtown Cleburne Association wanted to put in a community theater .
All four are actively involved in every production the nonprofit theater puts on , whether it be directing , acting , creating
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costumes or doing sound effects .
The first show was November 2006 . Full-time operations began in April 2007 when the group moved into a theater at 208 S . Main St . The theater moved into a newer facility at 111 S . Main St . in August 2008 .
Mostly musicals , Plaza ’ s productions are performed in the round , where the audience is seated on all sides of the stage .
With more than 100 shows produced in Cleburne since 2007 , the Plaza Theatre Co . in 2017 celebrated 10 years of performances .
Outgrowing the small location on Main Street , the owners purchased the former Liberty Event Center , 305 S . Anglin St ., as the theater ’ s current home .
The center features 276 seats versus the previous location ’ s 158-seat capacity .
Plaza continues to draw fans from far and wide and gain renown well beyond Cleburne ’ s borders . Several of the theater ’ s productions have garnered major awards in recent years .
For information , visit plazatheatre . com .