Back in 2005 a group of ExPats formed BCP (Boquete Community Players) to provide residents with some live entertainment and the opportunity to have fun acting in theatrical productions. The first play was performed in a meeting room upstairs from Banistmo (now HSBC) Bank on Main Street to an audience of about 75 people. The play was Ayn Rand’s Night of January 16th about a courtroom drama about a wife being tried for killing her husband. It was a hit, with all 3 performances Sold Out and BCP got “legs”.
Bobby Anderston takes the stand in January 16th
Phyllis McNaughton testifies
Dave Ross cross examines Rob Boyd
Elizabeth Worley (the defendant) confers with her attorney, Dave Ross
A variety of other venues were used to present BCP’s first performances, including Postcards From Paradise, a fun filled musical comedy about a small, about-to-go-broke resort on an island in the Caribbean. Again, the community was amazed at the talent living among us, which included playwrite/songwriters Mickey and Squirt James, who had moved to our small mountain town from Nashville, Tennessee where they were in the songwriting and singing business for many years. 15 original songs were written for the play, including the familiar to us all refrains of It’s A Whole New World Here In Panama! and Rubber Stamp Man.
- Postcard’s Kent McNaughton, Mary Lloyd
- Postcard’s Willy Edwards & Dave Ross
- Postcards From Paradise – Full Cast Curtain Call
Then, BCP found a temporary home downstairs in the same building in which they began. Community volunteers donated time and money to renovate this facility, which in which were held a wonderful Christmas Concert featuring the Boquete Choir, a play Boeing, Boeing, the first annual Boquete Arts Expo, various musical concerts, and improvisation and acting classes.
- Full cast curtain call for Boeing, Boeing
- Jerry Hedrick, Mary Lloyd, Jeff Simon & Carmencita McIntyre in Boeing, Boeing
- Jeff Simon, Carmencita cIntyre, Stephanie Brockman & Jerry Hedrick in Boeing, Boeing
Then, after just 9 months, BCP was once again homeless, but not helpless. The plays God’s Favorite, Social Security, Reflections, Fat Katz and ExPats (a second Mickey & Squirt James original productions), an innovative Reader’s Theater (where cast held scripts) Music & Stories of the 60′s and the Fun in the 50′s Show were all performed at various venues around Boquete.
- Frank Tucciarone and Tammy Smith in God’s Favorite
- Phyllis McNaughton & Jeff Simon in God’s Favorite
- The Boquettes…..Fun In The 50′s
Then luck smiled on BCP and one wonderful day Anayansi Menendez, a local business owner offered BCP a virtually derelict building to BCP with a 5 year lease. It was perfectly located across the Feria bridge downtown. The venue had spaces with great potential that could be re-engineered into a theater and event center, and it even had a parking lot! Another generous resident, Dianne Heidke, owner of Zapadora Imports, donated some fixed seating units and a design was under way. People in the community were very generous with their time, money and talents and after months of grueling work, the new BCP Event Center was opened in November of 2009.
Click here to see details of the renovation
The inaugural play DOUBT was performed in February of 2010 to a full house and received standing ovations at all three performances.
Click here to see details & video clips of Doubt
- Robert Gregory, Agniya Verbeke , Donna O’Toole, Mary Lloyd & Director Susan Thoms
The BCP Theater and Events Center now includes a glass Hexagon Party Room with adjoining kitchen, surrounded by the covered Riverside Patio, a large Lobby and Lounge with views of the river and where a built in bar serving drinks and snacks, along with a 112 seat Theater/Auditorium, complete with sound/light booth, 14′ x 32′ built in stage, dressing rooms and storage.
The Event Center is the perfect place for special events, meetings and productions. and is available for rent by local groups and businesses. It is also the home of the Tuesday Morning Meeting which gives residents an opportunity to hear speakers on subjects of interest about living in our new home town, and for announcements and other issues of importance to be presented.
The Tuesday Morning Meeting has now been expanded to include the Tuesday Market, where local vendors offer organic produce, home made baked goods, prepared foods, art and crafts, and other wonderful products for sale. The Market is open every Tuesday from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon. Contact Theater Manager for a table space at the market, or for information about renting the building for your next special event or meeting. And contact Membership Director if you want to become a member of this exciting group.
