Several months ago, The Greene County Players were only an idea in John Copelan’s mind, now in just several weeks, they will take center stage in reality.

The Greene County Players is a new community theater project, spearheaded by Copelan, who brings over two decades experience to the endeavor.

“My earliest community theater started during my high school days in  Eatonton,” Copelan said. “I then directed plays as a high school teacher. Following that, I was one of the founding members of a community theater company in Eatonton.”

Copelan has for the past dozen years been working in the area in Monticello, as the founding Artistic Director of the Monticello Little Theater.

Drawing on this experience, Copelan chose a play he thought fell right in line with the flavor of the Greene County community, “The Dixie Swim Club.”

The Players first production, opening at 7 p.m., February 14, at Festival Hall in Greensboro and will run for three consecutive nights and is a comedy

“I try and select plays I feel will be appealing to this area audience, Copelan said. “As the saying goes, if you are going to write, write about something you know. I feel this also applies to my play selection.”

“The Dixie Swim Club” is a comedy about five distinctly different southern women who bonded together in their younger days on their college swim team. Each year they meet for one weekend in August at the same beach cottage to leave behind husbands, kids and jobs for a few days of relaxation and rekindling of their friendships. The play takes place during four of those random weekends over 33 years.

Ellen Hester, House Manager of Festival Hall, the debut venue for The Greene County Players, said she is excited about all the different  experiences a community theater can bring to an area.

“When I interviewed for this job, one of my questions was do you have a community theater, because I had seen the value of it by being a part of community theater in Monroe.” Hester said.  “Festival Hall is not just for commercial performances, but also for community performances”

Five local women are cast in the parts for “The Dixie Swim Club” and several members of the crew work behind the scenes to keep everything flowing like it should. Copelan said that’s one of the great things about community theater, it brings together people who might not normally cross paths, and forms a working friendship.

“Everyone benefits from getting involved in community theater,” Copelan said. “The cast and crew members benefit from increased social opportunities and the audience members are given the opportunity for quality entertainment close to home. This creates a stronger environment in the community.”

For the future of The Greene County Players, Copelan wants to see everyone who has an interest have an outlet to participate and expand their dramatic horizons.

“In five to ten years, I hope to see The Greene County Players expand their season to include children’s theater, musicals, dinner theaters, cabaret evenings as well as the adult productions,” Copelan said.

In the coming months, The Greene County players will hold Auditions for their next two plays, “The Curious Savage” and “Dearly Departed.”

Meanwhile, to keep the intimate setting of “The Dixie Swim Cub” Copelan has limited each night’s seating capacity to about half of the number Festival Hall is capable of seating. That means you’ll want to get those tickets early.

“I highly recommend for anyone to come and see this show,” Copelan said. “This is quality community theater in every respect. This play will have you laughing all the way home.”

The Dixie Swim Club will begin at 7 p.m., February 14, 25 and 26, at Festival Hall in Greensboro. Tickets are general admission and  $10 each. Call Festival Hall at (706) 453-0905 for tickets.