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The Gerald and Marcy Horst Family

Reprinted from the August, 1999 issue of Grease Paint Online

 by Steve Arnold

  Here’s a fun trivia question: What percentage of the 63 members of the cast and crew of "The Velveteen Rabbit" had the last name Horst? Answer -- seventeen percent! No doubt about it, there are a lot of Horsts, and they all sing, act, and dance, and they have become a definite presence in ACT I!

This family -- actually two families -- began with ACT I in a small way, when sisters Erin (now going into seventh grade) and Clare (going into fifth) made their debuts in the cast of How to Eat Like a Child. The sisters returned again in Oliver! and we kept hearing how we really ought to get their dad into a show since he’s such a great singer. That finally happened when Gerald made his debut as Albert Peterson in last year’s Bye Bye Birdie, a cast that again included his two oldest daughters, and the three of them were featured in the dance sequence "Put on a Happy Face." Erin and Clare’s cousin Annie (going into fourth grade) also joined us for that show. Wife and Mother Marcy went onstage for the first time with us in our next show, "Gift of the Magi," in which she and Gerald saved the day taking on the roles of Della and Jim at short notice. The Horst floodgates opened wide with the advent of ACT I STAGE! -- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe featured Clare, and debuts by Patrick, (going into third grade) and Megan (going into second grade), and Erin appeared in the cast of "The Prince and the Pauper."  Then came The Velveteen Rabbit, with Marcy co-directing with Shirale Hanson, and adding to the cast Emma (going into Kindergarten) and cousins Ellie (in preschool) and Nathan, (going into second grade) and Aunt Mary, who was a costumer and the show photographer.

Gerald Horst as Albert Peterson is accosted by
Halane Cummings as Mae Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie.

    So now let’s pause and get the players straight -- That’s parents Gerald and Marcy, with daughters Erin, Clare, Megan, Emma, Lily (now age 2) and son Patrick; (hmmm -- five daughters -- Fiddler on the Roof, anyone?) and Gerald’s brother David and wife Mary, with children Annie, Ellie, and Nathan. All of them except Dave and Lily have now worked with ACT I. What an impressive and varied talent for us to draw on!

Gerald and Marcy, with Narrator Kurt Karr, perform
in The Gift of the Magi at the 4th Street Coffee Company.

    Gerald, who in addition to acting, singing, and dancing with us, did crew work for The Velveteen Rabbit.  He is Director of Network Applications at McLeodUSA in Cedar Rapids and also serves as choir director at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Vinton. Marcy was active in theatre at Loras College, and besides theatre her interests include reading, writing, and gardening. She is also a member of the Family Advisory Council at the University Hospitals in Iowa City. Beginning as September, Marcy will also take over as editor of Grease Paint, the monthly ACT I newsletter, and will also take on the job of laying out our special 20th season commemorative book.
    And of course, the whole Horst family are active singers!  They sing at church, in the car, around the piano, while weeding the garden, while playing, while cleaning their rooms, with an eclectic collection of CDs ranging from Beethoven to Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy, and, of course, in the shower. They love to watch movies and old musicals, and eat popcorn! The kids write and perform many of their own theatrical productions, as much of the extended family (audience members) can attest.  They have quite a collection of dress-up clothes, a variety of musical instruments, and of course, each Horst family member including Mom and Dad boasts at least one pair of tap shoes.

As for Horst quotables:

Gerald:   I've been away from theater since college, until recently, and had forgotten the work, comradery, and pure joy of working with a great cast. Now, by participating in ACT I productions, the whole family is able to discover their talents, develop relationships with other cast and crew members, and build their confidence for the future. What an advantage for the children in this community to face the limits of their comfort zone and push beyond them to play for the audience. Moreover, the investment that the community is making in the Palace Theatre demonstrates the commitment and hope we have for the future of this city, the community, and our children. I'm thrilled to be part of it!

Marcy:  Although we Horsts eagerly await the opening of the Palace Theatre I would like to commend ACT I on its flexibility and ingenuity in obtaining venues for past rehearsals and shows; Riverside Park, Steve's basement, Joan's studio, Lincoln gym, Tilford, The Braille School, and my personal favorite, 4th Street Coffee Company!  This perseverance and dedication in the face of much opposition has served to make ACT I a long-standing, contributing force in the community. The opening of the Palace eases the burden and insures the future of community arts in Benton County. The movies are an added bonus.

Erin: I love acting and singing and watching others perform. I also like helping the little ones. It will be great when the Palace Theatre opens. I can't wait to do a show there.

Clare: I really enjoy rehearsing for a show, but the best part is the real performance. I'm always sad when a show has ended.

Patrick: I like the fight scenes. I got to use a sword in two shows so far! And I've only been in two shows!

Megan:  I really like dancing with Dad and I hope I get to dance with him in a show sometime.

Emma:  I wanted to be the Baby Doll (in Velveteen Rabbit), but I loved the Bunny Dance, but the ears itched me.

    So that's our visit with the Horst family!  You're sure to see them all in future ACT I productions!

Update:

Since this article was written the Horsts have been very busy with ACT I and have become a very vital force within the organization.  The productions that either Marcy or Gerald or both have directed include Charlottes Web, The Emperor's New Clothes, Intermezzo II, and Family Affair.  On stage, the family has been making quite an impact as well.  Gerald appeared as John Arable in Charlotte's Web, and he and oldest daughter Erin portrayed the leading roles of Archibald Craven and Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden, and Erin played the role of the Princess in The Emperor's New Clothes.  Marcy also appeared in that show as the Empress.  In the summer of 2001, Clare played the lead in our production of The Red Shoes, and Patrick was featured as one of the soldiers in Stone Soup.  All the other Horst children as well appeared in one of the summer shows.  Marcy is also now serving on the ACT I board.

Erin and Gerald as Mary Lennox and Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden.

Gerald was also elected to the Vinton-Shellsburg school board in 2001, but two non theatrical events have made the family happiest since this article first appeared was the birth of child number seven (and daughter number 6) in 2000, Grace.

The family is also very grateful that on September 11, 2001, Marcy's brother just happened to be late for work -- at his job in the World Trade Center.

Marcy and Gerald had a great success staging The Reluctant Dragon in February, 2003, and in the summer of 2003 Marcy and sister-in-law Mary Horst wrote and directed American Hysterical for ACT I STAGE, featuring many younger Horsts in the cast.  For Season 2004-2005 Marcy directs The Adventures of Beatrix Potter for ACT I STAGE!.

Marcy has also taken on two new jobs - high school drama director for WHS - where she staged The Wizard of Oz and Arsenic and Old Lace during the 2003 - 2004 school year, and during 2004 she also became the Executive Director of Vinton Unlimited!  Congratulations, Marcy!

 

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