by Steve Arnold

Without Dr. Ron Baldwin, there would be no group called ACT I.  It was Ron who gave the group its name twenty years ago when the fledgling community theatre group was being formed.  The acronym ACT I (for Area Community Theatre, Incorporated) was Ron's creation, and he has contributed to us in countless other ways as well from the beginning and remains active with us today as an actor, board member, and as one of those individuals who can be counted on for just about anything ACT I needs.  Ron will appear next month in our readers theatre production of A Christmas Carol, playing the Ghost of Jacob Marley as well as several other roles, and so we honor Ron and his wife Nancy as our ACT I Members of the Month.

Not only did Ron give ACT I its name, he also appeared in that very first production twenty years ago, as Mr. Kirby in You Can't Take it with You.  Ron is one of the few original members still active with us.  Among Ron's performance credits through the years have been roles in A Thurber Carnival, The Night of January 16th, our first production of The Girls in 509, the title role in Daddy's Dyin', Who's Got the Will, and Mr. Brownlow in Oliver!, as well as roles in many other productions.  Perhaps Ron's most unusual role was in The Boardwalk Melody Hour Murders, in which he played an FBI man in drag, disguised as a nun.  He has also served as assistant director for The Odd Couple, he is a frequent (and current) member of the board of directors, and he usually can be found pitching in whenever ACT I operates a food booth for a fundraiser or has a work day.  He also served as House Manager for The Secret Garden.

"Sister" Ron made a "habit" of solving crime in
The Boardwalk Melody Hour Murders. 

Dr. Baldwin has been a fixture in Vinton for over 30 years, serving as a teacher, principal, and curriculum coordinator, and finally teacher again for the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District.  He retired several years ago but continues to work regularly as a substitute teacher, staying young by staying in regular contact with the youth of our community.

Ron's wife Nancy is one of those very loyal behind the scenes ACT I members, generously loaning Ron to us on a regular basis.  She did, however, join us onstage as a member of the chorus in Oliver!  She also pitches in with volunteer work whenever she is able.  Nancy retired recently from her long time job with Head Start.  Ron and Nancy have three grown children, Kevin, Carter, and their daughter Andrea.

In addition to his volunteer work with ACT I, Ron and Nancy have been very active in creating the Old Creamery Nature Trail.  They labor countless hours helping to make the trail a reality.  They also worked on the excellent Old Creamery Haunted Hay Ride.  In addition, he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Old Creamery Theatre, currently serving as board secretary.

In celebration of his recovery from thyroid cancer, Ron and Nancy made a very generous contribution to ACT I last year at the time of the opening of the Palace Theatre which was used by ACT I to purchase our piano for the theatre.  The piano is a very tangible manifestation of the interest Ron and Nancy have had in ACT I from the beginning, but the biggest manifestation of that interest has been the twenty-one years that Ron and Nancy have supported and participated in ACT I.  A big thank you to both of you for your years of support, and we hope you can be an active part of ACT I for many years to come! 

Update:

Since the publication of this article two years ago, Ron has remained very active with ACT I.  His roles during that time have included Michael in Life with Mother, Giles Corey in The Crucible, Judge Gafney in Harvey, Erronius in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Senator William Alden Smith in The Titanic Disaster Hearings, .  He continues to serve with distinction on the ACT I board and also continues his other volunteer work with the Old Creamery Theatre and the Old Creamery Nature Trail.  Ron and Nancy make retirement look like a great deal of fun!  Ron and Nancy also became grandparents for the first time recently, when his son Carter became the proud father of twins, Corey and Kayli!

Ron looks appropriately somber in his role as Senator Smith in The Titanic Disaster Hearings.  As the presiding officer of the Senate Committee investigating the sinking of the RMS Titanic in our three part production, Ron had the distinction of playing the largest role ever given to a performer by ACT I.  (And he was very glad it was a readers' theatre!)

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