For almost a year, a group of thespians have been meeting once a week at the Parkside Playhouse Theatre.

Like most performers, the group enjoys acting and entertaining audiences. However, in contrast to a normal troupe, all the participants are over the age of 50.

“We call ourselves the Fairly Old Players,” Teresa George said, “and the only criteria to join the group is you have to be 50 or older.”

George, who initiated the acting group, said she did so to give those who were increasing in years the opportunity to showcase their talents.

“My husband and I both do ‘Gold in the Hills,’” George said, “And there are a couple of parts we can still do, but we are getting to the age where we cannot play the younger parts.”

George added that although the Vicksburg community is rich in theater productions, many of the parts available are geared for those who are younger.

“There are not many parts available for people who are older than 30. Most of the plays you go to may have one part for an older person,” she said. “So when I heard about this, I thought it would be something I would like and I thought other people would too.”

Reader’s Theatre

The Fairly Old Players meet at 1 p.m. Thursdays at the Parkside Playhouse Theatre on Iowa Boulevard and there is no cost to join.

“We mostly do Reader’s Theater so you don’t have to memorize,” George said.

“There are a lot of people that just say they can’t learn anything new,” she said, and by doing Reader’s Theater productions, actors and actress do not have to memorize the script.

“But you can’t just stand there and hold the book right in your face,” George said.

Anyone, both men and women, are welcome to join, George said, “And you don’t have to have any experience. There are some in the group who have never done any acting at all.”

Skits last no more than half an hour and George said the group has performed for church programs and in senior living facilities.

“We mostly like to do things with groups that have a lunch. We are more of a daytime group than an evening group,” she said.

Currently, George said, she was pretty sure Vicksburg was the only city in Mississippi that has a senior adult acting group, and encouraged anyone who may be interested in participating to come and try them out.

“If anyone just wants to come try it, they can come any Thursday to the theater and just try it. And if it’s not your cup of tea that’s all right,” she said.