With the establishment of Bright Comet Theatre in 2022, Dominique Betts, the group's artistic director, and others hope to create performance opportunities for underrepresented groups. Their first production, Lord of the Flies, runs at the Central Library from Feb. 10-19. I caught up with Betts, 25, who's directing the production, which has also been supported by a Spokane Arts Award Grant, for a quick Q&A. (Her responses have been edited for length and clarity.)
INLANDER: Tell me about Bright Comet Theatre.
BETTS: We are relatively new. We're a theater comprised of younger artists, and artists who've been underrepresented in the theater community in Spokane. A lot of people of color, a lot of queer people, a lot of women. I'm a trans woman myself. We have a lot of artists who haven't had as much opportunity as others in this town. It's harder to be taken seriously when you're young, and we wanted to create a space where they could come together and do meaningful work.
Was it hard for you in the theater scene here?
I would say it's hard. In the Spokane theater scene you're taught to go with whatever happens, and you're thankful for any opportunity. You're expected to behave a certain way, and when people don't want to give you an opportunity you just don't have one. I've been passed up for so many things for directing because I'm too young in their eyes. Even though I'm showing them my work and what I'm capable of, I'm just too young and don't have enough experience. But I can't get experience because no one will let me do it. We decided we were done waiting and begging for opportunities. We wanted to create a space that would uplift other young artists and not brush them off.
I understand this is going to be an all-female version of Lord of the Flies?
We wanted to explore this piece with an all femme-presenting cast. Some identify as nonbinary, but all identify as female or have in the past, or are femme-presenting. The show is typically done with an all-male cast, and we want to explore the idea of gender and what makes a society.
What kind of commentary on gender do you intend to spark by doing the show this way?
We're performing the play as written, other than some racist dialogue (the book was written in the 1950s), so we won't be changing any of the characters or gender. We're playing boys and the comment we hope to make on that is gender is just kind of arbitrary when it comes down to it. Whether you're male or female doesn't affect how you would act if you're stranded on an island and trying to survive.
How'd you decide on this play for your first show?
These young people are stuck in a position they can't control, and they have to operate without the help of anyone older and take it upon themselves to create something. In this case, it doesn't go well for them, but it's still about trying your hardest to survive. That really resonated with me, and I think it will with a lot of people in our community who have to do what it takes to survive in life or in art.
I just hope people can come and experience an exciting story that will spark discussion. After every performance we will be having a talk-back to discuss the piece. ♦
Lord of the Flies • Feb. 10-19; Fri-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 5 pm • $20 • Central Library • 906 W. Main Ave. • brightcomettheatre.com