Grease Paint Online; November, 2003

ACT I's Events Series for 2003 - 2004 opens with the murder mystery drama The Book of Murder by Ron Cowen. The show runs Saturday and Sunday, November 22 and 23, at the Ray House in Vinton, with curtain time at 7:00 PM. Ticket prices are $2.00 for all patrons.

The show is directed by David Canaday. Featured in the cast are Alan Nebola as Henry Aythecliff, Cathi Calderwood as Anne, Bunny Feller as Catherine, Shelly Haisman as Mary, and Alexander Martinez-Vasquez as Charles Marlette. Kathy Akers makes her ACT I debut as Jane.

The show runs approximately an hour and ten minutes. Seating is limited to 50 patrons for each of the two performances.

For a more information and photographs of this production, go to the Book of Murder page of our website at act1.org/book.htm.

If you have not yet sent in your membership for this season, please take care of that now! For your convenience, you can download the membership form here, print it off, fill it in with your check payable to ACT I of Benton County, and send to ACT I Palace Gems, c/o Marcy Horst, 1307 C Ave., Vinton, 52349.

The Wizard of Oz
Runs at the Palace Theatre -- First WHS
Production Ever at the
Palace Sells Out Before
Opening Night!

The drama department at Washington High Shool in Vinton made an impressive debut on the stage of the Palace Theatre earlier this month with it's production of the popular musical The Wizard of Oz. A cast of over 70 students, including many ACT I veterans, wowed local audiences with this magical tale, directed by Marcy Horst in her debut production at WHS. The sets, costumes, and staging made for a breathtaking visual production, matched by the excellent singing, dancing, and acting of the young cast. Congratulations to all involved!

Dorothy (Megan Christy) and Toto arrive in Munchkin Land, to be greeted by the Mayor, Blake Hanson.

The Scarecrow (Ben Mealhow), Tin Man (Matt Ternus) and the Cowardly Lion (Matt Meyer)
accompany Dorothy and Toto on their way to find the wizard in the Emerald City.

The Wicked Witch of the West (Abby Hilton) threatens Dorothy and friends with
destruction if Dorothy won't give up the ruby slippers.

OZ trivia: Did you know L. Frank Baum, creator of the Oz stories, took the name of his magical kingdom from the labels on his personal filing cabinet? The top drawer was labeled A-N, and the bottom drawer O-Z.

Ten years ago this month ACT I featured the courtroom drama Night of January 16th by Ayn Rand. The production, performed at the Old Creamery Theatre in Garrison, was the 26th show produced by ACT I and ran November 10 - 14, 1993 and was directed by Faith Brown. The story takes place in a courtroom and portrays the murder trial of Karen Andre, accused of killing millionaire financier Bjorn Falkner. A jury of audience members was selected each night to hear the case, and three out of the four juries found the defendant not guilty.

Featured in the case were Patty Swift in her ACT I debut as Karen Andre. Mary Phillips made her performance debut as Defense Attorney Stevens, and Steve Arnold portrayed District Attorney Flint. Judge Heath was portrayed by Marshall Berry.

The remainder of the cast portrayed witnesses and court officials. Performers making their ACT I debuts with the show included Darran Sellers, Elaine Hegge, and Jenny Helle (Blix). The cast also included Becky and Keith Mossman, Ron Baldwin, Bob LaGrange, Eric and Patti Upmeyer, Lee Tjelmland, Geneva Bridge, Linda Radcliffe, Orin Calhoun, and Deb Oliver.

The assistant director was Patti Upmeyer, and the Master Carpenter was Marsh Berry, with lighting design by Eric Upmeyer, sound design by Dean Beckman.

For more information about this past production, visit the Night of January 16th show page on this website by clicking this link or by going to act1.org/night.htm.

Confusion reigns in the courtroom as the second act of Night of January 16th in our November, 1993 production at the Old Creamery Theatre.

Twenty years ago this month ACT I produced A Thurber Carnival by James Thurber, performed at the Old Creamery Theatre November 18 - 20, 1983. The show was directed by Old Creamery actor Steve Shaffer, assisted by Theresa Juhl. The show was the eighth production of ACT I.

The play is a collection of sketches and short stories by James Thurber, humorist and long time writer for the New Yorker Magazine. Among the Thurber favorites presented in the show were "The Unicorn in the Garden," "The Night the Bed Fell," "If Grant Had Been Drinking at Appomattox," "The Wolf at the Door," "The Little Girl and the Wolf," "Mr. Preble Gets Rid of His Wife," and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."

The acting ensemble for the show included Colleen Stufflebeam, Marsh Berry, Dan Campbell, Nancy Beckman, Richard Paulus, Ron Baldwin, Bob LaGrange, Dorothy Bliss (Albert), Orin Calhoun, Sally Ludden, Marc Greenlee, Mary Prochaska (Richards), Anna Bess Rice, Ann Fiedler, Teresa Kueny, Brent Rolland, Kathie Calhoun, Elaine Oleson, and Barb Burkey. The Stage Manager was Deb Fowler.

Ron Baldwin (right) as the husband in "The Unicorn in the Garden" watches with mock indifference as his wife, played by Barb Burkey, is hauled off to the "bobby hatch" by the policeman, played by Orin Calhoun in our November, 1983 production of A Thurber Carnival at the Old Creamery Theatre.

For more information about this past production, visit the A Thurber Carnival show page on this website by clicking this link or by going to act1.org/thurber.htm.

For a look at a loot at all ACT I's past productions, go to the Scrapbook section of our website at act1.org/scrapbook.htm.

As we prepare our Events Series production of The Book of Murder, we take a look at the contributions to ACT I by one of our esteemed actresses in the production, who made her ACT I debut ten years ago this year. Bunny Feller, a teacher for the Vinton Shellsburg school system, is featured in the role of Catherine in our current show which runs this weekend at The Ray House, and it is with pleasure that we feature her as our Member of the Month for November, 2003!

Bunny Feller in a dramatic moment during a recent
rehearsal of Ron Cowen's The Book of Murder.

For the past seventeen years, Vinton native Bunny Feller has been a third, fourth, or fifth grade teacher for the Vinton - Shellsburg school district, teaching at East, Lincoln, and currently Shellsburg elementary, where she is now on the fifth grade faculty. Prior to becoming a teacher in our local district, Bunny served as the attendance secretary at Washington High School here. Bunny made her ACT I debut in June of 1993 in the Neil Simon comedy The Odd Couple, Female Version, presented at Tilford Middle School. Bunny demonstrated her flair for comedy when she was featured in the role of sportswriter Olive Madison, the character based on Oscar from Simon's original rendering of the story. Bunny's next ACT I role was in 1998, when she proved that not only was she a comedianne, but that she was effective in dramatic roles as well, when she portrayed M'Lynn in our production of Steel Magnolias, also performed at Tilford. Bunny was back for her third ACT I role during the innaugural season of the Palace Theatre for our June, 2000 production of Life with Mother, in which she played the role of Mrs. Willoughby. Bunny returned two years later, this time in a musical role, when she performed in Words and Music by Skeet Powers at the Palace Theatre in November of 2001. Not only did Bunny show us that she could sing, but she could also pour great emotion into a musical performance. Bunny was back later that same season for the role of Jane Tate in It Runs in the Family, her most recent role before her current run of performances in The Book of Murder. In addition to her contributions as a performer, Bunny is also a past member of our Board of Directors.

In Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, Female Version, Florence Ungar played by Nancy Beckman
waves a ladle at Olive Madison, played by Bunny Feller in her 1993 ACT I debut.

In addition to being a regular performer during the past ten years, Bunny also enjoys being a regular patron of ACT I productions when not on stage. And as a teacher, she has had the opportunity to encourage and support younger ACT I members who have been in her class through the years.

Bunny's family includes her three adult children, Eric, a local police officer, his twin brother Andy, also a police officer, in Illinois; and a daughter, Stephanie, who lives in Iowa City. Bunmy has eleven grandchildren, all of whom are home schooled. Her other interests and activities include photography -- she loves taking pictures of her children at school as well as her grandchildren.

In Bunny's most recent previous ACT I role, Bunny (right) played Jane Tate,
mother of the slightly derranged punk Leslie Tate, played by Matt Meyer
in our 2002 production of Ray Cooney's It Runs in the Family.

Bunny says of her involvement in ACT I that "It's really been fun to work with so many good actors and actresses. It's such a relief after the stress of a teaching day."

Bunny will be retiring from teaching at the end of the current school year. We wish her well in the new phase of her life coming up, and certainly hope that ACT I will be a part of it! Thank you, Bunny, for your participation with us over the last ten years!

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 have been updated to make the members' accomplishments current! To visit the Member of the Month Archives, go to www.act1.org/mom.htm..

The Murder Mystery genre is always popular with audiences. As we prepare our latest mystery production, which of these past ACT I murder mystery productions can you identify?

1. One of the best known murder mystery plays, this past ACT I show has the distinction of being the world's longest running play. Its original production opened in London in 1952 and is still going.

3. This mystery was our first production ever performed at the Ray House, featuring a murder committed on the upstairs balcony of the house for the whole neighborhood to see!

4. This less than serious audience participation mystery performed at the Vinton Country Club pitted straight man detective Jim Hilliard against a series of wacky characters and props, including a ventriloquist's dummy, a turban just seen in the recent WHS production, and a pair of falsies worn by Patti Upmeyer.

5. Another audience participation mystery produced at the Vinton Country Club, and one of the strangest scripts we have ever tackled, this show with a title almost impossible to remember (complicated by the fact that the title didn't appear in the program) featured everything from fishnet stockings to an FBI man dressed as a nun.

6. In this semi comical mystery, actor Darran Sellers spent much of the show in a stupor in a window seat.

For how many of these song titles can you identify the show in which it was performed?

Contratulations to Jessica Rundlett who answered seven out of eight 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!

Minutes of meetings of the ACT I board from July, 2000 on can be accessed from a link on the "Everything You Need to Know About ACT I" page, or on the "Minutes" page of our website, www.act1.org/minutes.htm.

I've managed to sneak into a couple of rehearsals at the Ray House to get some quick photos and still not spoil the ending for myself. The show looks great, congratulations to David and the cast for their hard work on ACT I's eighty-third production!

I also want to extend my congratulations to Marcy Horst, the Palace Staff, and everyone else who helped create the excellent educational experience for Washington High School students of the recent production of The Wizard of Oz. I know your efforts were appreciated by the students who learned a great deal about theatre from the experience, and it was definitely appreciated by those of us in the audience! Well done!

Answers to Last Month�s Quiz