In recent years many of the theater companies in the region have at times had difficulty filling out their casts, to the point that at least one major show had to be cancelled this past winter, and several other companies have had to scramble to find enough good people.

To try and ensure this does not continue, Ara Barlieb and Pamela Wallace of Crowded Kitchen Players are trying to create an actor's directory for theater companies in the region. It would simply be a listing of actors' names and contact information, and it would be made available to every company who wants it, free of charge.Veteran actors, or those who are just interested in giving acting a try, are asked to send their names, ages, genders, and e-mail addresses if they'd like to be contacted in the event a company finds itself in a tough casting situation.Those interested may also include acting resumes, if they wish, attach photos, and send along any other information they feel compelled to share to

ckplayers@rcn.com.Barlieb and Wallace will create a directory and make it available on their website, updating it weekly, to everyone who wants to participate.