Ava Brewster-Turner has witnessed a few close calls from stage right over the years.

That's where she stands, out of sight from the 50-seat audience at 1713 Wooddale Blvd., home of UpStage Theatre. Turner opened it 23 years ago, not only as Baton Rouge's first Black theater company but as "the small theater with a big heart."

While the space is small, when the stage lights up, it doesn't matter. Audiences suddenly find themselves in other people's stories playing out in other places.

Sometimes those make-believe stories can be as unpredictable as real life.

"We've had a couple of malfunctions," Turner said. "And it's funny that we're talking about this, because I often share a story with my actors from a time I was visiting Los Angeles."

In 2010, the company was invited to join actres

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