From left, performers Antigone Lautar Hall, Ellie Yeater, Conner Medendorp, Zac See and Shroom Moellendick pose for a group photo before a performance on the Valley Gem sternwheeler in Marietta. (Photo provided)

Performers on The Valley Gem’s “The Company” are embracing the opportunity to explore new and engaging theater styles on the historic sternwheeler.

One cast member, Antigone Lautar Hall, said their journey began with an audition earlier in the year.

“A friend reached out and said they were looking for an actor to replace someone in their production of ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,'” said Lautar Hall.

While they didn’t land the role of Sally Brown, they saw it as a “foot in the door.” Later, auditions for the company itself came up in August, and according to Lautar Hall with some encouragement from friends, they auditioned again.

After performing two monologues and two songs, they were thrilled to find they’d been cast for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Actor Antigone Lautar Hall, right, performs with audience volunteers on the Valley Gem in Marietta. (Photo provided)

This season has brought a variety of roles for Lautar Hall, from Ivana Kiljavol, a Russian KGB Agent who wanted revenge on James Sinclair for the death of her dog, in the spy-themed murder mystery dinner show “Live and Let Spy,” to the title character Mary Bennet in “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.”

Alongside these roles, performers also dive into themed cruises such as the Renaissance and Pirate Cruises and take part in holiday shows like the Charlie Brown Events. Lautar Hall said the diverse lineup means much more audience interaction, much more improv, and far more in-the-moment decisions, especially in the lively dinner theater format.

The Valley Gem’s dinner theater shows have been challenging.

“Dinner shows require much more audience interaction,” said Lautar Hall. “Fortunately, most of my fellow castmates had done a dinner show before, and those of us that hadn’t picked it up pretty quickly.”

Rehearsals for “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” have been similarly demanding as they work to stage a full-length Jane Austen-style piece on a boat. Since cast members can only meet once or twice a week for three or four hours, the process is efficient but demands a great deal of independent preparation.

From left, performers Zac See, Conner Medendorp and Shroom Moellendick perform on the Valley Gem in Marietta. (Photo provided)

Another performer, Shroom Moellendick, agreed that the rehearsal process for performing on the ship can be a little intense, but rewarding.

“The rehearsal process is pretty fast paced but the environment of the rehearsals make the fastnesses of them feel not as scary,” said Moellendick. “I feel like I get so much out of being a a part of the company, I am growing as a performer and singer every day because of the boat. I’ve grown so much just from the year I’ve been a performer for them.”

As The Valley Gem embarks on its first Winter Schedule in 2025, the performers are looking forward to an even more varied lineup. For the first time, the Valley Gem Sternwheeler will offer events during the winter months, with the addition of the Major/Riviera vessel allowing the Gem to operate year-round.

This is a milestone for the company, fulfilling a vision from its founding in 1973.

“When Jim and Peggy Sands started this business in 1973, one of Jim’s goals was to run the boat year-round,” the company shared in a release. “While it has taken some time for us to get there, we are proud to carry on and realize this goal now.”

The upcoming Winter Schedule will feature cozy, heated excursions with old favorites like murder mysteries and Captain’s Dinner Cruises as well as exciting new events on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.