October, 1998
Hello Dolly cast
The Village Players has once again put together a
large and multitalented cast for this fall’s production of “Hello Dolly!”,
scheduled for six performances in November. Dan Charlton will play Horace
Vandergelder, the cantankerous half-a-millionaire on whom Dolly Gallagher
Levi. Played by Diane Sullivan, has set her sights. Both are longtime Village
Players members. Michael Haeger, last seen as the evil Bill Sikes in “Oliver”,
will tackle the role of Cornelius Hackl, Vandergelder’s chief clerk who's
looking for adventure and finds romance along the way. Darrell Keene, Jr.,
a Village Players newcomer, is Cornelius’ energetic coworker and partner
in calamity, Barnaby Hackl. Carol Light, who last directed “Oliver” and
“My Fair Lady”, takes a turn on stage as Irene Malloy, the millineress
who is also longing for adventure, and Caitlin Corson plays the vivacious
yet innocent Minnie Faye, Mrs. Malloy’s shop assistant. In addition, Ed
Dunkel, last seen as Murray the cop in “The Odd Couple”, plays Rudolph
Reisenweber, the maitre d’ of the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant. Newcomer
Beth Champagne of Franklin will play Vandergelder’s weepy niece, Ermengarde,
and longtime Village Player Wayne Gehman, seen as Fagin in “Oliver,” will
play Ambrose Kemper. Helen White, also a VP veteran, will play Ernestina
Money.
The cast also includes a chorus comprised of numerous
Village Players veterans and some new faces as well. The chorus includes
Sarah Breslin, Judy Breuninger, Mary Nightingale Campbell, Hannah Croteau,
Maggie Croteau, Pat Eischen, Millie Gawlicki, John Gillette, Jerome Holden,
Delina Ingram, Paul Johnson, Beth Krainchich, Anne Levergood, Corky Mork,
Willie Mork, Maureen O’Connor, Jane O”Meara, Carole Pralle, Dean Richardson,
Alice Tuttle, and Brian Wadlinger.
Megan Brady is assistant director, co-stage managers
are Diane Ducret and Jan Croteau. Carol Bense is once again guiding the
principals and chorus through the vocal challenges this show presents.
A crack set design/construction crew includes Richard Croteau, John Gillette,
Russ Ellis and Jason Vaggy. The pit orchestra will include Jan Stanley
on keyboards, Bob Copplestone on trumpet, and Megan Brady on flute.
Performances will be held at the Village Players’
theater on Glendon Street on Nov. 13, 14, 15 and 20, 21 and 22. Friday
and Saturday night shows are at 8 pm; tickets are $10 in advance and $12
at the door. Sunday performances will be at 2 pm, with tickets $8/$10.
They will be on sale at Black’s Paper Store at the end of October. General
admission only.
Open House at the Theater
Well, we needed lots of help to get the building cleaned
up and sparkling again for our Open House which we held on July 25th, and
we got it. Weren't you there? Too bad, because we had a lot of fun as well
as getting the place up to snuff. Here's the people who came to help: Becky
Bense, Carol Bense, Bonnie Cooper, Hannah Croteau, Jan Croteau, Rich Croteau,
Diane Ducret, Ed Dunkel, Joanne Dunkel, Willie Dunkel, Wayne Gehman, Barbara
Hobbie, Willie Mork, Bob Pralle, and Carol Pralle. Great work guys. The
place looked wonderful for the open house. Jerome Holden made us a great
sign to put up outside the building and we had a turnout of about 40-50
people at the open house. There was a contest for a $50 prize kindly donated
by Barbara Hobbie and Rick Manke, and several drawings for free tickets
to The Odd Couple. So thanks everyone for all your help with this project.
VP Presents Chicken Barbecue at the Street Fair.
Once again we were asked to do the Chicken Barbecue
for the Huggins Hospital Street Fair this year. We agreed to do it in spite
of the fact that it was taking place on the same night as one of our performances
of The Odd Couple. This made it a bit more difficult to get help because
many people were involved in the show and not available. However we managed
to pass muster and get a good turnout. Some people had to leave a little
early to get ready for the show and some came a little late as we didn't
need everyone there to cook, but we neeed them to serve. A huge thanks
to the following people who helped out on this: Carol Bense, Ted Bense,
Louise Gehman, Wayne Gehman, Michael Haeger, Bob Light, Dottie Light, Willie
Mork, Rhoda Nute, Jean Plummer, Dean Richardson, Alice Tuttle, Jeff Urquhart,
Michael Wilkes and Stephen Wilkes. Willie brought us funny hats to wear
and of course we all wore our Village Players T-shirts, even Ted who is
not a Village Player. Jeff brought up his fancy yellow truck for us to
hang a Village Players sign on. Ted, Wayne, Michael H, Dean, Jeff, Michael
W and Stephen all slaved over the coals getting the chicken to just the
right temperature, and Carol found a new way to baste it, just ask
her. Then we all served to the crowds of peop1e from the fair right up
to 7:30 when we all went off and left Stephen with the last few chickens
to sell. We're not sure how he did it, but he did it. Another job well
done thanks to lots of help and cooperation.
Friends of the Village Players benefit Christmas Sale.
Save these dates! On November 5, 6 and 7 Village Players
friends Di Hopewell and Leigh Roessiger will present their second annual
Doncaster Christmas gift show and sale at our theater from 10 am
to 5 pm. Profits from the sale will benefit our Building Fund. Please come
and choose from the many fine gifts and help a worthy cause (us!). Di and
Leigh are looking for volunteers to bake cookies and/or be hostesses on
the days of the sale. Call Willie at 569-2687 if you can help.
PROP CALL!
DO YOU HAVE IT?
The Village Players Summer Show for 1999 is She Loves
Me, and we (Rosemary and Scott Lounsbury) have a prop request: Any product
that you purchase on a regular basis which comes in a tube, carton, bottle,
box, jar, container, etc... which could pass for some type of cosmetic
or health/beauty aid which might have been found in a cosmetic shop in
the 1930’s: Please will you save the container? Examples Shampoo, conditioner,
jars of face cream, soaps, boxes of toothpaste, even containers of non-cosmetic
items like mustard or ammonia or small light bulbs...if they could (from
a distance) pass for this type of thing, we want your empties!! Are you
friendly with someone who is a hair dresser or barber? Or manicurist? Or
electrician? Cosmetologist? Pharmacist? There will be a box at the theater
for depositing said items. (Please clean out any containers which may attract
insects or mold or start to smell icky.)
The goal is to be able to attach these items to
shelves, in order that they appear to be for sale in a shop. As you
can imagine, the necessity is for the items to be of the exact same size
and shape and color. If we start collecting now, we should have an entire
store to stock by summer. (Nine Months Away!) Thanks so very much!
By the way, if anyone would like to read the script
to She Loves Me,or listen to the Broadway Cast Album, please feel free
to call us at569-2599. It’s a neat show, written by the same team
(Bock and Harnick) that brought us Fiddler on the Roof and Fiorello. It’s
a “Small Musical” (if that’s not an oxymoron) Cast size requires 14 but
we can use up to about 25 if we get the actors.
Annual Meeting scheduled for December
6
The Village Players will hold its annual meeting at
5 pm on December 6 at out theater. On the agenda will be election of officers
for 1999, as well as a vote to accept the revised bylaws. All paid members
are encouraged to attend. After the short business meeting, we will have
a potluck supper and a chance to catch up with fellow Village Players.
Anyone wishing to run for office or with suggestions
for candidates should contact the chair of the nominating committee, Diane
Sullivan at 539-4951. Offices to be filled are President, Vice President,
Secretary, Treasurer, and two members at large.
The bylaws of the Village Players have been revised
by a committee to accommodate our new status as property owners and conform
to new laws. They have been accepted by the board, and must now be approved
by a vote at the general meeting. Anyone who would like to review the revised
bylaws should contact Diane Ducret, secretary, at 569-5726, or come
to our web site at vp.home.ml.org
Your Board of Directors
President Carol Light 569-4814
Vice President Michael Wilkes 569-4814
Secretary Diane Ducret 569-5726
Treasurer Carol Bense 569-1396
Past President Corky Mork 569-5726
Members Helen White 569-3870
at Large Jane O’Meara 522-3384
Contact us:
In addition to the phone numbers above, you may call the theater at 569-9656,
mail us at PO Box 770, Wolfeboro, NH 03894, or e-mail us at villageplayers@usa.net.
Our web site is at vp.home.ml.org