Grease Paint Online - February, 2005

A delightful Valentine's Day themed vocal recital, Intermezzo IV, Silly Love Songs,

concludes our Events Series for this season with two matinee performances at the Ray House on February 6 and 13. The short program followed by refreshments in the Ray House dining room is a perfect Sunday afternoon diversion. A variety of vocal and instrumental performances is presented by both adult and student performers who make the most of the program's theme. Appearing in the program are Erin Horst and Derek Ferguson, performing "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Ritchie. Later on the program, Derek performs Elton John's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" from The Lion King, and Erin later sings with "I Believe in Love" by the Dixie Chicks with her sister Clare. Conni Huber sings "My Funny Valentine" by Richard Rodgers and Lois Martin performs two numbers from Showboat by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II; "Bill" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man." Annie Horst performs the piano solo "Bagatelle, Opus 119, #1 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Clare Horst, Sara Walston, Sara Stephenson, Sarah Allyn, and Brittany King offer "All I Have to Do I Dream" by the Everly Brothers. Nathan Horst performs "What I Like About You" by The Romantics, accompanying himself on both guitar and harmonica. Sheila Monson and Luann Urlaub perform the duet "The Power of Love," by Geoff Bullock and "Sisters" by Irving Berlin. Allison Canaday performs two violin numbers, and Gerald Horst concludes the program with two Cole Porter numbers, "Night and Day" and "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love." The accompanists include Lois Martin, Julie Canaday, and Clare Horst. The recital is introduced by Marcy Horst, who prepared the program along with husband Gerald.

Tickets for the recital are $2.00 each. Curtain time for the two matinees is 2:00 PM. Intermezzo IV, Silly Love Songs is sponsored by Vernon Research Group, Pat and Sandy Lyons. The Ray House is made available courtesy of Bob Moen.

For additional information about this production go to the Intermezzo IV show page of this website at www.act1.org/intermezzo4.htm.

ACT I's recent variety show Live at the Palace, presented in celebration not only of our 25th Anniversary but also the fifth anniversary of the reopening of the Palace Theatre, was an instant audience favorite which played to two packed houses, one a complete sellout. Production director and Palace Manager Lu Karr presented a program that was praised for both its variety and its quality.

Long-time ACT I member Dorothy Albert and her grandson Blake Hanson served as emcees for the production. Performers, among them several ACT I regulars mixed with new faces as well as some old faces back after long absences, included vocalists Kevin Bookmeier, Doug Martens, Dave Gates, Gina Lahue, Jill Lockard-Bopp, Abby Larkin; Carolyn and Julie Corken, Mark and Katie Hancock, Erin and Clare Horst, the Owens, Huber, Martin, and Canaday mothers and daughters; mime Mandy Peterson; instrumentalists David Canaday, Ray Knoff, and Tess Noeller; piano accompanists Jancy Jorgensen, April Ahrenholz, Julie Canaday, and Lois Martin; comedians Kurt Karr, Doug Martens, Brenda Hackbarth and Simon Feston-Fagel, and the vocal/dance group Beautiful Dudes and the Dead Flower, consisting of siblings Erin, Clare, Patrick, Megan, Emma, Lily, and Grace Horst accompanied on drums by Dad Gerald.

Behind the scenes were Michelle Bookmeier, lights; Jay Appleby, sound; and House Manager Barb Bookmeier.

The production, ACT I's 89th show and the 26th at the Palace Theatre, was sponsored by Cedar Valley Bank and Trust, Vinton.

For additional information about this production go to the Live at the Palace show page of this website at www.act1.org/livepalace.htm.

You Can't Take it With You...
Our Anniversary Date Approaches as the Revival of our First Production Draws Near

April 25, 1980 was the date. You Can't Take it With You by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman was the show. And on March 4, the revival of ACT I's first show returns to our stage for the first time in 25 years. A special bonus: ACT I's 400th performance will occur during this anniversary production! The production is staged by Pat Lyons and Nancy Geiken, and rehearsals are well underway for this very special production!

For additional information about this production go to the You Can't Take it with You show page of this website at www.act1.org/take.htm. For pictures and information from our original production, go to www.act1.org/can't.htm.

Call now for tickets for You Can't Take it With You! The ACT I Ticket information line and Palace Theatre Box Office number is 472-9957!
Keep this number handy for reservations for the rest of our 25th Anniversary Season!

Though we are in the midst of celebrating our anniversary season, the ACT I board is pressing forward with plans for next year! And the ACT I 2005-2006 Play Selection Committee needs member input! If you'd like to let us know plays you would like to see staged, or want to participate in the selection process, then join us this Tuesday at 6:00 PM at the Iowa Braille School. Any and all members are welcome! If you aren't able to attend, but still want to offer input, then contact Alex Martinez-Vasquez at 472-2433. Thanks for your help and patronage!

Director Nancy Beckman has announced the auditions for the final production of the current season, Blithe Spirit by Sir Noel Coward. Auditions for this very witty British farce will be held Monday and Tuesday, March 7 and 8, at 7:00 PM at the ACT I Studio above Clingman Pharmacy. The play calls for two men and five women. Performance dates are May 6 - 15 at the Palace Theatre. Blithe Spirit was originally presented by ACT I in March, 1981 at the Old Creamery Theatre in Garrison.

Anna Bess Rice and Becky Mossman in our original production of Blithe Spirit in March, 1981

For additional information about this production go to the Blithe Spirit show page of this website at www.act1.org/spirit.htm. For pictures and information from our original production, go to www.act1.org/blithe.htm.

Five Years Ago:
The Secret Garden,
ACT I's First Musical at the Palace,
Runs in February, 2000!

Five years ago this month ACT I presented our first fully staged play at the Palace Theatre, the musical The Secret Garden by Marsha Norman, with music by Lucy Simon, based on the early 20th century children's novel by the same title by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The show first ran on Broadway during the 1990 - 1991 Season, featuring Mandy Patinkin, Rebecca Luker, and Daisy Eagan. The show, which takes a modern, surealistic twist on the original storyline, features a beautiful and atmospheric musical score filled with haunting melodies appropriate to the ghostly story line. The memorable musical numbers include "I Heard Someone Crying," "Come to My Garden," and the incredible "Lily's Eyes."

Featured in the ACT I production were Erin Horst as Mary Lennox and Gerald Horst as Archibald Craven. Matt Meyer was seen as Colin Craven, Jeff Cumberlin was Dickon, and Kari Nordli (later Douma) was Martha. Kathleen Berger was seen as Lily.

Also in the cast were Rhonda Westergard and Pat Lyons and Rose and Albert Lennox, David Katz as Dr. Neville Craven, Larry Adams-Bowers as Ben Weatherstaff, and Lori Kerwin as Mrs. Medlock.

Rounding out the ensemble were Angie Olson, Alexander Vasquez, Mark West, Sara Arnold, Kate Westergard, Kendra McChristian, Shirale Hanson, John Westergard, Jake Fowler, Kayla Comer, and Bree McClenning. The Children's Chorus consisted of Sarah Allyn, Jacob Christy, Andy Hanson, Patrick Horst, Abby Larkin, Rachael Larkin, Kordereau Sellers, Sara Stephenson, Zach Svoboda, and Laura Van Steenhuyse.

The director was Steve Arnold, music director Greg Douma, Stage Manager and Assistant Director Ray Bookmeier, Choreographer Joan Cooling, Pianist Judy Mitschelen, and the Technical Director was Jay Appleby. Matt Salger, Kevin Bookmeier, and Austin Karr created the lighting, and Mark West created the special painting.

Matt Meyer, Gerald Horst, Erin Horst, Pat Lyons, Rhonda Westergard, Kathleen Berger

For additional information about this production go to the Secret Garden show page of this website at www.act1.org/garden.htm.

One of the pleasures of our recent variety show, Live at the Palace, was the return to our stage after a very long absence of two ACT I favorites, Jill and Tony Bopp. And happily, this Vinton couple, who brought so much pleasure to ACT I patrons through their performances in the 80s and the early 90s, seems ready to come back for more, as Tony is already scheduled for a return engagement as a member of the cast of our upcoming You Can't Take it With You. And so it is with pleasure that we reintroduce Jill and Tony Bopp to a new generation of patrons as our Members of the Month for February.

Tony Bopp and Jill Lockard-Bopp delivered a classic comic performance during our recent Live at the Palace. Jill played it straight at the piano singing and playing while Tony brought down the house with some incredible and wacky visual comedy.

For anyone who began attending ACT I productions after 1993, the appearance of Jill and Tony Bopp in Live at the Palace was a delightful arrival of a pair of new faces. But for those of us lucky enough to have been around before that, the appearance of the couple on the Palace stage was the signal of a return to some of the early delights of ACT I's early years. It was for our October, 1985 production of The Mousetrap that Jillian Lockard first gained credits for ACT I. Jill served as an Assistant Director for that show and also did costumes and makeup. She was back again for our very next show, Lovingly Yours, in which she appeared as a vocalist. The next ACT I show was My Three Angels, in which Jill played the role of Madame Parole. That show also included a young actor in the cast named Anthony Bopp, in the role of Paul. This was followed by the October, 1986 production of The Girls in 509, in which Jill played the featured role of Mimsy and Tony was seen in the highly comic supporting role of Old Jim. Jill also did costume and makeup design for that show.

Jillian g. Lockard as Mimsy and Becky Mossman as Aunt Hettie listen at the door as Old Jim, the elevator operator, talks to a reporter during The Girls in 509 at the Old Creamery Theatre in 1986.

Following 509, Jill directed an ACT I production for the first time. For The Rainmaker in April, 1987, Jill cast Tony as Sheriff File. Tony also was busy with publicity for that show and Jill was busy was costume and lighting designs. Jill also directed our next production, The Cat and the Canary. For the following show, Take a Number, Darling, Tony was heard as the announcer and did set construction while Jill did lights and makeup. Our next show, the comic melodrama Klondike Kalamity, featured the couple in some very broad comedy, with Tony as a member of the company for the pre show olios and Jill as the featured female lead in the melodrama itself, the hapless Nell Oudt. The couple also did set construction for that show.

Tony Bopp and Jill g. Lockard were both dragged around the stage in our 1988 production of Klondike Kalamity - Tony in one direction and Jill in two!

For our next production, Morning's at Seven in April, 1989, Jill was back as director, this time with a new name - Jillian g. Lockard-Bopp. Jill's plate for that show was full with technical assignments while her new husband did lighting and set construction. Jill also directed our next show, In 25 Words or Death, in October of 1989. Next up, Jill ran lights for our April 1991 production of Daddy's Dyin, Who's Got the Will, and that fall she directed Cheating Cheaters for us on the Brenton stage of the Old Creamery Theatre. In addition to Tony, who did set construction and properties, another family member was also involved in that show. The couple's shih tzu Wicket became the first dog ever to appear onstage in an ACT I production. (A total of six different dogs have performed for us.) Our next show was the May, 1992 production of Dancers, for which Tony did Box Office and set construction and Jill did makeup and appeared as Sutton. During this period, Tony was also active as the organization's president.

In June of 1993 Jill appeared for the last time on our stage before a long absence. She played the role of Sylvie in The Odd Couple, female version. She also did makeup and Tony did set construction.

Jill Lockard-Bopp, center, as Sylvia in The Odd Couple, female version with Bunny Feller (left) as Olive and Judy Wood as Renee. (The poker players of the original version became Trivial Pursuit players in the female update.)

Following The Odd Couple, Jill and Tony began their long leave of absence from our stage. Jill planned to return in 2002 when she was cast as the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, but the final illness of her father forced her to withdraw from that role. She did, however, design several costumes for that production. The couple has of late been regular volunteers at the Palace, and now, with Live at the Palace, we are delighted to finally have them back onstage!

Jill writes, "Well, I can say Tony and I are a true ACT I couple. We met during ACT I's play My Three Angels. We were both in the show at the time. We got to know each other better after I cast Tony in The Rainmaker. (I kinda had a 'captive' interest in casting him.) :) It was during one of my rehearsals for an Agatha Christie play, when Tony came in to watch, that things got really interesting! In the middle of rehearsal, (he did wait for a break), that he turned to me and asked me LOUDLY, 'So, Jill, will you marry me?' This put a stop to the rehearsal BIG time! I pretended I didn't hear him. Tony, in typical fashion, asked again even LOUDER, 'So Jill, will you marry me?' I replied 'Okay already!' just to shut him up! Quite the romantic moment! But in keeping with the drama our lives have had!"

"Tony has been employed in the computer software field and is a true "pooter nerd!" I left Mount Mercy College five years ago and have been loving working out of my home and mostly not working! We love puttering around the house both inside and out. Tony is a late blooming 'lawn-man' and I love to pretend I am a gardener. We also enjoy our 1 year old Cocker Spaniel named Rheaghal Pippin Dumbledore, and our resident feline queen-of-the-house, Willow Missy Fuzzbutt. Quite the names for our children, but then look at the parents/owners! :)"

"Tony enjoys computing around the internet and watching "American Chopper" for whatever strange and unusual reason that is beyond me! I enjoy reading (I think I'm the library's favorite checker-outer), gardening, and learning to knit something besides scarves. We're quite the pair."

"After getting involved with volunteering with the Palace about a year ago, Tony and I decided to become a little more active in ACT I. Tony and I had fun with the last variety show and now Tony's in the next play You Can't Take It With You."

We are delighted to once again have Jill and Tony Bopp back among our ACT I family for current productions and hope their renewed involvement with us will be a long and happy one! We thank them for their years of dedication to theatre in Benton County and for such a memorable performance in Live at the Palace, and look forward to seeing Tony again in You Can't Take it With You!

View the past articles in our Member of the Month series! All previous Member of the Month features (beginning with September, 1998) have been archived and can be accessed in one convenient place. Older articles in this archive section have been updated to bring the members' accomplishments up-to-date! To visit the Member of the Month Archives, go to www.act1.org/mom.htm.

In recent years, ACT I has expanded beyond just the production of plays to present other types of performances to the Benton County community, including vocal recitals and readings. The concept of the Intermezzo recitals comes from the definition of the word itself; a brief musical interlude between larger pieces. Intermezzo has now been used as the name for four midseason musical recitals in between major play productions. What do you remember about past ACT I vocal recitals?

1. Two different vocal recitals were performed in January, 2002 by guest artist Kathleen Berger, one a program of Broadway show tunes and the other a program of classical works, which was ACT I's second Palace presentation. Where was Kathleen's first recital performed?

3. Our current Intermezzo production has the theme "Silly Love Songs." What was the first "themed" Intermezzo program?

4. In addition to vocal recitals, ACT I has also presented programs of readings. The spoken word equivalent of the vocal recital would surely be a poetry reading. What was the title of the poetry reading we presented several seasons ago as part of our Events Series?

The variety show format has been used for several productions since January, 1998, when Brenda Hackbarth presented our first production of this type, Be Our Guest. What do you remember about past variety shows?

1. Which variety show was ACT I's first production at the Palace Theatre?
I'll be Home for Christmas

2. Which variety show was accompanied by photographic exhibition in the lobby to be enjoyed by patrons before the show and during intermission?
Encore! Encore!

3. Our only variety show presented at the Ray House was this holiday themed show.
Monster Medley Spooktacular

4. Every variety show has its share of funky, off beat, and very unusual acts. In which variety show did we feature an Elvis impersonator?
Be Our Guest

5. In which variety show did the list of acts include a lecture about Benton County Civil War soldiers?
That's Entertainment

6. Surely one of our strangest acts ever presented was a duet for piano and laser light. In which variety show did this hilarious presentation occur?
Encore! Encore!

CONGRATULATIONS to Mary Horst and Gina Lahue, both of whom answered all six questions correctly!

The next meeting of the Board of ACT I of Benton County will be held soon. Check back to this box for the exact date.

Members and visitors are always welcome at board meetings!

ACT I has lost a dear friend. It was a shock to hear, announced from the stage of the Palace Theatre at the conclusion of the Sunday matinee of Live at the Palace, news of the untimely death of Stan Westergard, a prominent member of the Vinton community and a long time friend and supporter of ACT I. Stan was a businessman noted for the kind and gentle manner with which he served his insurance customers as well as his tireless support of his community, his church, his family, the Boy Scouts, and many other organizations and projects which earned his interest.

Stan and his family have been a part of ACT I since his wife Rhonda and their children, John and Kate, all made their debuts together in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in 1994. Over the next ten years numerous productions have featured at least one member of the family. John and Kate appeared in the first two productions of ACT I STAGE!, our youth program. In addition to being a fine actress, Rhonda was an outstanding Stage Manager for My Fair Lady. The list is long.

Stan himself never appeared on our stage, or worked backstage in a technical capacity, or served on our board or on a committee. Instead, Stan's support for ACT I manifested itself as a very loyal and supportive member of our audience, and as an enthusiastic supporter of his wife and children, all three of whom have been very active with us, both onstage and off. It takes a great deal of patience to hold things down at home while the rest of the family is on a regular rehearsal schedule. Stan did this regularly, and he was certainly proud and supportive of his family at production time. And Stan's loyalty as an audience member, whether Rhonda, John, or Kate were onstage or not, was always known to us all.

Answers to Our Last Quiz