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Upcoming GRP season full of song, comedies
By Diane Vance/Gate City Staff Writer
More than 30 people turned out for ice cream, talent and anticipation of the Great River Player's upcoming season Thursday night.
GRP's annual Curtain Call is open to the public to recap the past season and announce the shows scheduled for this season.
Two awards are announced, the Laura Hull Scholarship and the GRP Service Award.
GRP is sponsoring an “Evening of Broadway” over two nights in September.
Local talent will perform songs from popular Broadway shows in the GRP space next to Peebles store in River City Mall, Keokuk, Friday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, Sept. 27. Java River at the mall will cater refreshments.
“This is one of our fund-raisers,” said GRP board President David Wendt. “The Friday performance is for patrons only. Saturday is open to the public. Tickets are $20.”
GRP's upcoming season opens with “Every Christmas Story Ever Told - (and Then Some!) written by Michael Carleton, James Fitzgerald and John Alvarez with original music by Will Knapp. The show has been performed across the country and internationally since 2003.
John Vance of Keokuk will direct this comedy with a cast of only three men.
The actors decide instead of performing the classic Charles Dickens' “Christmas Carol” they will incorporate all “beloved holiday classics” from Scrooge to the Grinch to Rudolph to George Bailey and more - or “and then some!”
Performance dates are Friday through Sunday, Nov. 14, 15 and 16 at the Grand Theatre.
GRP's traditional Valentine's Day offering will be “Bone Chiller,” directed by Laura Harmon of Keokuk.
The mystery/farce, written by Monk Ferris, is set on Friday the 13th with a reading of a will. A sizable estate is offered to anyone who can solve a puzzle that is presented.
GRP's spring play is the Broadway hit and movie musical “My Fair Lady,” directed by Keokuk's Tamela LaFoe, assisted by Shelly Travis of Warsaw, Ill.
“This will need a large cast,” said LaFoe. “And it features many beloved songs such as ‘On the Street Where You Live,' ‘I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face,' ‘I Could Have Danced All Night' and others.”
Summer 2009 student performances will be “School House Rock,” directed by Reva Henoch of Hamilton, Ill., for the younger students and “Footloose,” directed by Christal Lewiston of Montrose for the high school students.
Ice cream, toppings and bananas were served Thursday. After everyone was served, Wendt invited the crowd to look around.
“Do you remember what this looked like more than a year ago?” he asked. “A special thanks to Diana Kraus and Jack Lutzen. A lot of paint, hard work and cleaning went into this. Jack installed our lights and ceiling fans.”
Kraus said Hannah (Vance) Stark also helped with hours of painting.
“We're out growing this space and we're looking to purchase a building,” said Wendt. “We've found a good space but we need to raise more money.”
Wendt invited the directors from last season to re-cap their shows.
“I think we had an excellent season but then, I may be biased,” he said. “We opened with ‘Gypsy' which was a lot of fun.”
Wendt directed the musical last fall.
Randy Whitaker of Hamilton directed “The Sunshine Boys” in February.
“Thanks to Chuck (Betts) and John (Vance) for an outstanding performance,” said Whitaker. “And we had some newcomers, Steve and my dad (Duck Whitaker). Bridgetta (Crayton) made an excellent nurse.
“I had a blast with my first time directing for GRP. Thanks.”
Chris Wright directed “Lend Me a Tenor” in the spring.
“It was funny and it turned out very well,” she said. “I don't recommend to directors having six doors to use, we had to repair them each night after performances. Thanks to Christal (Lewiston) who took care of that. And she performed in the show.”
Sarah Vigen and Bobbie Lutzen directed the Marilyn Hart Children's Theatre in “Sleeping Beauty.”
“We had 55 kids audition,” said Vigen. “We double cast most parts. It worked well.”
Lewiston directed “Anything Goes,” with the high school students this summer. She was not present Thursday. Other GRP members said the show was very good.
The Laura Hull Scholarship is given to a graduating high school senior who has declared a major in the fine arts.
Alex Culpepper, a 2008 graduate of Warsaw High School and freshman at Quincy University majoring in theatre, received the scholarship this year. Culpepper was not able to attend Curtain Call Thursday.
The annual Service Award is given to someone who has worked with GRP for several years in any capacity, on and/or off stage, contributing above and beyond to the group
Last year's Service Award winner, Ann Hester of Warsaw, Ill., made the presentation.
“This recipient has the art of a winner,” she said. “He's very deserving. I don't know how long he's been a part of GRP but I know he's contributed to the last seven seasons.
“He can crack you up and put you back into place. The award goes to John Vance.”
Vance accepted a plaque and said, “I don't do this for the recognition. I do it to feel good. This is the best ‘let's pretend' we can have since we were kids.”
Wendt announced that Noel Brown wants to teach volunteers to run the sound board and volunteers also are needed to learn lighting and set construction. Anyone interested should contact a member of GRP.
GRP's annual Curtain Call is open to the public to recap the past season and announce the shows scheduled for this season.
Two awards are announced, the Laura Hull Scholarship and the GRP Service Award.
GRP is sponsoring an “Evening of Broadway” over two nights in September.
Local talent will perform songs from popular Broadway shows in the GRP space next to Peebles store in River City Mall, Keokuk, Friday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, Sept. 27. Java River at the mall will cater refreshments.
“This is one of our fund-raisers,” said GRP board President David Wendt. “The Friday performance is for patrons only. Saturday is open to the public. Tickets are $20.”
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John Vance of Keokuk will direct this comedy with a cast of only three men.
The actors decide instead of performing the classic Charles Dickens' “Christmas Carol” they will incorporate all “beloved holiday classics” from Scrooge to the Grinch to Rudolph to George Bailey and more - or “and then some!”
Performance dates are Friday through Sunday, Nov. 14, 15 and 16 at the Grand Theatre.
GRP's traditional Valentine's Day offering will be “Bone Chiller,” directed by Laura Harmon of Keokuk.
The mystery/farce, written by Monk Ferris, is set on Friday the 13th with a reading of a will. A sizable estate is offered to anyone who can solve a puzzle that is presented.
GRP's spring play is the Broadway hit and movie musical “My Fair Lady,” directed by Keokuk's Tamela LaFoe, assisted by Shelly Travis of Warsaw, Ill.
“This will need a large cast,” said LaFoe. “And it features many beloved songs such as ‘On the Street Where You Live,' ‘I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face,' ‘I Could Have Danced All Night' and others.”
Summer 2009 student performances will be “School House Rock,” directed by Reva Henoch of Hamilton, Ill., for the younger students and “Footloose,” directed by Christal Lewiston of Montrose for the high school students.
Ice cream, toppings and bananas were served Thursday. After everyone was served, Wendt invited the crowd to look around.
“Do you remember what this looked like more than a year ago?” he asked. “A special thanks to Diana Kraus and Jack Lutzen. A lot of paint, hard work and cleaning went into this. Jack installed our lights and ceiling fans.”
Kraus said Hannah (Vance) Stark also helped with hours of painting.
“We're out growing this space and we're looking to purchase a building,” said Wendt. “We've found a good space but we need to raise more money.”
Wendt invited the directors from last season to re-cap their shows.
“I think we had an excellent season but then, I may be biased,” he said. “We opened with ‘Gypsy' which was a lot of fun.”
Wendt directed the musical last fall.
Randy Whitaker of Hamilton directed “The Sunshine Boys” in February.
“Thanks to Chuck (Betts) and John (Vance) for an outstanding performance,” said Whitaker. “And we had some newcomers, Steve and my dad (Duck Whitaker). Bridgetta (Crayton) made an excellent nurse.
“I had a blast with my first time directing for GRP. Thanks.”
Chris Wright directed “Lend Me a Tenor” in the spring.
“It was funny and it turned out very well,” she said. “I don't recommend to directors having six doors to use, we had to repair them each night after performances. Thanks to Christal (Lewiston) who took care of that. And she performed in the show.”
Sarah Vigen and Bobbie Lutzen directed the Marilyn Hart Children's Theatre in “Sleeping Beauty.”
“We had 55 kids audition,” said Vigen. “We double cast most parts. It worked well.”
Lewiston directed “Anything Goes,” with the high school students this summer. She was not present Thursday. Other GRP members said the show was very good.
The Laura Hull Scholarship is given to a graduating high school senior who has declared a major in the fine arts.
Alex Culpepper, a 2008 graduate of Warsaw High School and freshman at Quincy University majoring in theatre, received the scholarship this year. Culpepper was not able to attend Curtain Call Thursday.
The annual Service Award is given to someone who has worked with GRP for several years in any capacity, on and/or off stage, contributing above and beyond to the group
Last year's Service Award winner, Ann Hester of Warsaw, Ill., made the presentation.
“This recipient has the art of a winner,” she said. “He's very deserving. I don't know how long he's been a part of GRP but I know he's contributed to the last seven seasons.
“He can crack you up and put you back into place. The award goes to John Vance.”
Vance accepted a plaque and said, “I don't do this for the recognition. I do it to feel good. This is the best ‘let's pretend' we can have since we were kids.”
Wendt announced that Noel Brown wants to teach volunteers to run the sound board and volunteers also are needed to learn lighting and set construction. Anyone interested should contact a member of GRP.
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