Nonprofit multi-disciplinary art organization, The Layman Group, seeks to advocate the appreciation for the arts in Lee County as well as the state of Alabama as a whole.

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“We’re an organization that’s basically trying to amp up the excitement and advocacy for the arts and culture here in Alabama,” said Doc Waller founder and executive artistic director for The Layman Group. “We are a vessel for people to get involved with the arts, understand nationally what’s going on with the arts and a vessel for people to create artistic productions originally in Alabama for Alabamians.”

The organization focuses on various forms of art such as film, theater, dance, literature and music. The encourage people who share the passion of the arts to offer support or get involved with the organization.

“If anyone has any kind of creative ideas or projects that you think the organization could produce and you’re looking for a way to get your ideas off the ground The Layman Group is definitely the organization to contact,” said Waller. “We also have our own productions and exhibits that we are producing so if you see something that interest you just contact the Layman Group to get involved.”

Performers for the productions consist of students and professional based individuals who are familiar with theater and the art.

“The bulk of the cast are AU Players and we use a lot of our performance ambassadors, which are like our interns, they’re all students too, said Waller. “So sometimes we use college age or high school students but then again some of them are already professional people who’ve worked in the art industry.”

The Layman Group’s latest production is their Halloween theater production, Vanynberg Vignettes that ran from Oct. 21 -31.

“We’re having an amazing time in rehearsal the show has evolved into so much beyond what I conceptualized when I pitched it to Doc Earlier this year,” said Brennen Reece, creative director for the Vanynberg Vignettes.

The developers wanted to do more than just the typical haunted house

“We didn’t want to just give cheap thrills, we wanted them to walk away having conversations about it. We rather them drive away saying, ‘I didn’t get that’ instead of saying ‘that was scary’ and walk away empty, said Waller.

For more information about upcoming events produced by The Layman Group or to get involved, visit their website at www.thelaymangroup.org.