by Marcy Horst

“I have never directed a show that I have looked forward to doing with this much anticipation!” 

Steve Arnold, president of ACT I and Grease Paint’s esteemed September Member of the Month, will soon begin to fulfill one of his greatest wishes.  Later this month he will commence the lengthy auditioning process for The Secret Garden.  This very difficult show filled with challenging singing and acting roles is a production he has wanted to direct for many years. 

"I am pleased that ACT I has matured in its level of performance to the point that we are able to meet the demands of such a beautiful show as The Secret Garden and that we will be able to fill al the roles with performers who can make it truly memorable.  It amazes me that a community this size has the human resources to be able to produce such diverse shows as The Velveteen Rabbit and A Streetcar Named Desire simultaneously and with such a high degree of artistic success, with only two people involved in both shows.  The quantity of experienced talent in this town that is now focused on producing theatre is incredible."

Steve, a veteran actor and director with ACT I, has directed 11 productions for our theatre group (including The Miracle Worker and The Prince and the Pauper – his favorites due to terrific stories and near perfect casts that were a great joy to work with).  He has also performed in 7 ACT I productions, Andrew Wycke of Sleuth being his favorite role.  Steve’s acting credits also include work with Theatre Cedar Rapids, Old Creamery Theatre, and Burlington Players’ Workshop, as well as many high school and college productions.

Steve grew up in Cedar Rapids, graduated from Jefferson High School in 1970, received his B.A. in Theatre from Coe College in 1974, and a M.A. in Special Education from the University of Iowa in 1976.  He now teaches Special Education at West Elementary in Vinton.  He taught previously in Fairfield and West Burlington, where he entered the political arena, being elected to two terms on the West Burlington City Council.  He also ran unsuccessfully for the Iowa legislature in 1986, and has since given up politics in favor of devoting all his energies to theatrical pursuits, his first love.

Steve has many wide and varied other interests including antiques, books, travel, and music.  He shares his life with his four year old Shih Tzu, Oberon.  Steve has written and performed four different shows for the Lion and the Lamb Bed and Breakfast murder mystery dinners, performed with the regular assistance of fellow ACT I members Charlie Vogl, Aaron Murphy, Nick Radcliffe, Matt Meyer, and Greg Tucker.  (ACT I members Kate Westergard, Holly Brown, and Lisa Elliot have also served for the murder mysteries.)  

Steve has also written over twenty unpublished juvenile novels, a pursuit he has set aside to a large extent since becoming so heavily involved in ACT I.  Additionally, he became involved with puppetry about 15 years ago and formerly performed regularly, creating his own puppets and writing all his own material, both religious and secular.

ACT I is indeed fortunate to have such a theatre devotee at its helm.  Steve procured our visiting artist, Kathleen Berger, for our Artist In Residence program.  He has only recently stepped down as editor of Grease Paint (in fact much of this issue was written and submitted by him.)  He expends much time and energy maintaining the ACT I website, which is updated at an amazing rate!  And, Steve also was instrumental in starting ACT I STAGE!, our youth theatre group.

“Because theatre has always been a very important and meaningful part of my life, I have tried to share that with the youth of our community through my involvement with ACT I.  It is vitally important in developing a lifelong appreciation of theatre that quality age appropriate theatrical experiences be provided to school age children, and I am pleased that ACT I and the community have been so supportive of that.”

ACT I of Benton County salutes Steve Arnold for his energy and dedication and wish him well as he begins The Secret Garden.  We think you’ll agree, he’s worthy of the task!

“The performing arts are becoming more and more a vital part of life in Vinton.  It is so important to view the arts not as a luxury but as a necessary part of the fabric of our community.  The arts bond us with both the past and the future and put us closer in touch with ourselves, giving us a better understanding of human kind.  Vinton is very fortunate that we will soon have the intimacy of the Palace Theatre for the performing arts, enabling ACT I and other organizations who will use it the means to give even better performances for the enlightenment and enjoyment of the community we serve.  Unlike literature or the visual arts, the performing arts need a proper public setting to showcase them, and the Palace is a wonderful gift Vinton has given itself for just that purpose."

Update:

Since this article was first written, Steve has directed The Secret Garden, Romeo and Juliet, and The Titanic Disaster Hearings for ACT I, Kiss Me, Kate, and Lost in Yonkers, The Music Man, Lend Me a Tenor, and has appeared as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.  He has also played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol for both ACT I and Theatre Cedar Rapids, and Rev. Parris in The Crucible for The Classics at Brucemore. 

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