Bill Lucas Premieres 'Time Out!' at Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre
The Moorhead playwright steps back from direction to let Jim Hagel lead the first staging of his comedy about a football coach and Shakespeare.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Bill Lucas’s play “Time Out!” opens Friday night at the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre in the Hjemkomst Center. It is his first full-length script to premiere on the company’s stage.
The comedy features a high school principal who forces a reluctant football coach to stage “Romeo & Juliet.” As the actors perform, the coach interrupts with questions and demands, such as banning kisses in favor of handshakes. Lucas said he wanted to see two different worlds collide and aimed for humor throughout the script.
Lucas has taken a hands-off approach to this production. He hired his friend Jim Hagel to direct and declined to participate in casting or rehearsals. Lucas said he did not want to look over Hagel’s shoulder or tell the director what to do. His first visit to the theater for this show will be opening night, when he will sit in the audience.
Lucas has been involved with the community theater for about 30 years. He directed and coached football in Fargo before retiring from his role as “Ole” at Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks games. He played the character, a Norwegian farmer, from the team’s start in 1996 until 2021. After moving to Arkansas to care for a grandson, he returned to the area this spring.
FMCT Executive Director Judy Lewis said the company supports all parts of theater and aims to produce a playwright’s first work once a year. She described Lucas as a treasure for the community. The production is the only full-length non-murder mystery dinner theatre or non-children’s show on the company’s current schedule as it prepares to move to a new downtown Fargo space early next year.
Lucas has faced physical challenges on stage, including three strokes since 2012. He said he now finds it easier to work as a writer and director because he no longer needs to memorize large amounts of dialogue. He acknowledged that it takes him longer to learn lines but said he is happy to accept those limitations.
He noted that he prefers not to be the star of a production. His focus is on not hurting other actors by messing up their scenes. Lucas said he remains grateful for the ability to continue working in the theater despite his health history.
