As we revive the variety show format for our 25th anniversary season of revival productions, we feature this month the director of our first two variety shows, long time ACT I volunteer Brenda Hackbarth, who returns to our stage in the current production as part of a comedy team with a most unlikely sidekick!

ACT I was five years old when Brenda Witt became involved, back in 1985, as a member of the prop crew for our production of The Mousetrap.  Brenda credits her involvement to Nancy Beckman, with whom she bowled regularly.  Brenda was recently divorced, working at the State Bank of Vinton, and looking for ways to fill her time.  After hearing so much about ACT I from Nancy, Brenda decided to give involvement with the organization a shot.  She quickly became one of the organization's regulars.

After being on a prop crew, Brenda was ready to tackle being on stage.  The following spring, Brenda went onstage for the first time as Emilie Ducotel in My Three Angels, a show for which she also worked the prop crew.  That same year, she served as assistant director for the first of many times, working on our first production of The Girls in 509.  She also played a small role in that production and did an assortment of crew assignments.

Brenda Witt, seated, right, in our 1985 production of My Three Angels.

Brenda was now hooked in a long, continuous string of ACT I productions, working vigorously off-stage and going onstage as well.  Crew work for The Rainmaker (she recalled some great times with the cast and crew of that show, as does everyone from that production that we feature!) Crew work and the role of Cicily Young in The Cat and the Canary, Assistant Director and multiple crew assignments for Take a Number, Darling, more crew assignments and the role of the Mistress of Ceremonies for Klondike Kalamity, and crew work for Morning's at Seven.  In 1990, Brenda worked on the show that was used to celebrate our 10th anniversary, Play On, for which she served as Assistant Director and took several crew jobs.  There were more crew assignments and the title of Stage Manager for our next production, Daddy's Dyin', Who's Got the Will.

Brenda, left, on the crew of Take a Number Darling in April, 1988.

"It was the most wonderful organization to fill my free time," Brenda said of her early years with the group.  (During this time she was sharing a home with fellow ACT I member Faith Brown.)  "There were singles and families and married people, everybody worked with everybody."

Brenda, as the Mistress of Ceremonies in our melodrama Klondike Kalamity in October, 1988.

Brenda also praised our children's theatre program for helping to keep ACT I going.  She commented on the number of families where the parents have become involved in the group after their children have.  (Indeed, that list is long!)

Brenda (red shirt, right, standing) with the rest of the cast and crew of Play On in April, 1990.

In November of 1989, shortly before Play On went into production, a new manager came to the Fareway Store in Vinton, Craig Hackbarth.  In 1992 Craig and Brenda were married, and Brenda's life changed completely, but it didn't end her involvement with ACT I.  She and Craig worked the Box Office for Dancers in 1992, and Brenda was on the lighting crew for Bye Bye Birdie in 1998.  Brenda also directed our first two variety shows, Be our Guest in 1998 and That's Entertainment in 1999.  She has continued to volunteer regularly for ACT I as house manager for numerous productions at the Palace, and also does weekly volunteer work at the theater.

Brenda and Craig Hackbarth

Now, at last, Brenda is back on stage, doing a comedy routine in our current production, Live at the Palace.   When she's not busy at the Palace, Brenda remains very active in numerous organizations.  She is president of the Vinton Garden Club and is also active in T.T.T..   She enjoys spending time with grandchildren and each summer she hosts "Camp Hackbarth," when as many of her nieces and nephews as possible spend a week in Vinton with the couple.  Brenda says of ACT I, "This is still a very, very worthwhile group.  The friendships you make are just everlasting.  Bob LaGrange and I see each other on the golf course and still call each other by our stage names."

Brenda, like all of the individuals being featured as Member of the Month during our anniversary season, was one of the members who helped shape ACT I in our early years and she played a very active role, both on stage and off.  We are so pleased that twenty years after her involvement with this organization began, that she remains active with both ACT I and the Palace.  We welcome her back onto our stage with the current production, and hope she is back on the boards many more times as well!  Thank you, Brenda, for being a part of ACT I's first twenty-five years!

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