From the President

The play is over, the applause has ended and the curtain has gone down. All of the patrons have gone home as have the actors and the behind the stage folks. There is no one left in the theater—or so you might think. But theater people know better so each night when the stage goes dark, the ghost light is left on.

What is the ghost light? Today the ghost light is a single light bulb set in a pole lamp left on stage and burning anytime the house would otherwise be dark. The presence of the ghost light is a long standing tradition in the theater dating back to before electric lights when the ghost light was a candle.

The more interesting question is, “Why the ghost light?” There are many theories. In Shakespeare's time, it was thought that the ghost light would scare away the ghosts from old performances. In more recent times, the ghost light is assumed to be there so that someone coming on stage from backstage when the house is dark would not run into set pieces or step off the front of the stage.

But my favorite theory is that every theater has its own ghost e.g. the Paris Opera House's Phantom. It has been said that some ghosts are benevolent and are protectors of the playhouse. But others are not and these can wreak havoc with productions. In either case the theater troupe needs to treat its own ghost well either out of gratitude or fear of “mishaps”. As ghosts apparently do not see well in the dark, the ghost light is left on so they can find their way around the stage during the hours when the theater is theirs alone.

Assuming this theory is correct, then who is the ghost of the Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre? I like to think that it is none but the primary benefactor of the theater Gilbert Mead who unfortunately passed away before the theater was completed. Who do you think it might be?

So directors, production managers or players— whoever leaves last, remember to turn on that light and remember too, the theater is never completely deserted.

From the Executive Director

It's back, it's all the buzz, and it's the best way to welcome in the Spring!

Get ready for year number two of the WRCT “We've Got Talent!” competition. Last year, 33 acts competed for prizes ranging from $100 - $500, and the winning act – Special Forces – went on to perform in the City Band summer fundraising concert, Locals on Stage, and the Miss Wisconsin Rapids Area Pageant. This year, the competition will run the week of March 15 – 20, and we hope to have even more talented acts involved. Emcee extraordinaire Phil Hartley has agreed to take the stage once again.

Mary Beth and I are busy lining up judges, taking applications for performers, and organizing all the surprises we have in store for you with this competition. The basic rules remain the same, with a few tweaks. Each performer will have one 3-minute chance to wow the judges (last year, the time limit was 2-1/2 minutes). Semi-final and final performances will have a 5-minute limit. The initial competition runs Monday – Thursday, and the top performers from each night will advance to the semi-finals on Friday. Top Friday performers will advance to the finals on Saturday night, where the top five acts will receive cash prizes ranging from $100-$500! The audience will still be an important part of the competition by coming to the performances, because a percentage of the contestants' score will be made up of audience votes.

Here's what you can do to help...

• Pass it on! Let everyone you know hear about this fun event and encourage them to participate.
• Volunteer your time . The more volunteers we get, the less time any one of us has to work!
• Grab some flyers to put up around town. Mary Beth will have them ready for you in the office.
• Come and see the show . Tickets will only be $5 for most nights, $10 for the semi-final and final evenings.
• Be a sponsor . Sponsorship is needed for prize money and other event costs. This is a great opportunity for local businesses to buy local themselves! Or, contribute an item or basket to the raffle table. Thanks to Bank-A-Count Corp, the top prize is already taken care of. These folks jumped on early with their support, and we hope you will join them.
• Sign up to be a competitor! If you've got a talent or a talented group of friends -- hey, even if you don't -- be a part of the fun. Get those high school buddies together, dust off those white bellbottoms and love beads and lip-sync to "Boogie Nights;" practice up on the bird calls that won you such critical acclaim at countless family reunions; recite your favorite poem while playing the triangle -- you could have what it takes to win $500!
  

Music by Cy Coleman Lyrics by Dorothy Fields Book by Neil Simon Directed by Susan Edgren Musical Comedy 5 men, 4 women, and extras Production Dates: March 5-6; 11-13, 2010: 7:30 PM March 7 Sunday Matinee: 2:00 PM Tickets will also be sold an hour prior to performance: 6:30-7:30 at the box office.

THE STORY: Adapted from Nights of Cabiria, a film by Federico Fellini, Sweet Charity tells the story of an optimistic young woman, Charity, who not only wears her heart on her sleeve, she's had it tattooed to her arm! As the play begins, Charity finds herself dumped by the married man on whom she had pinned all her hopes and dreams, and she vows never again to be taken advantage of by a man. But Charity is too trusting and soon finds herself involved with an Italian movie star. The actor, however, is no better than the other men Charity has dated, and once again she finds herself jilted and alone. The next night, however, as fate would have it, she finds herself trapped in an elevator with a claustrophobic tax accountant who soon sweeps Charity off her feet. Soon it becomes clear that this man is different—that he actually wants to marry her--but will he still feel the same way when he finds out that Charity works at the Fan-Dango as a dance hall hostess?

Here is the cast list:

Charity Hope Valentine - Karly Tellekson
Nicki, "Mama" Brubeck, extra - Cynthia Welling
Helene, extra, chorus - Kelly Schoonaert
Carmen, "Edie" (Brubeck asst.), extra chorus - Jody Steinke
Rosie, Ursula, extra, chorus - Gretchen Powers
Suzanne (Fandango girl), dancer, extra, chorus - Amber Fait
Frenchy (Fandango girl), dancer, extra, chorus - Wendy Fait
ASM, extra, chorus - Jenny Guggenheimer
Charlie, Vidal, Oscar - Mat Elmhorst
Marvin, Harold (Brubeck asst.), dancer, extra, chorus - Mike Fait
Herman, extra, chorus - Lee Tritz
Manfred, Barney, Doorman, Customer, extra, chorus (OPT) - John Young
Sailor, dancer, extra, chorus - Brandon Fait
Teen customer, ice cream vendor, waitor, Ferris Wheel kid, chorus - Doug Jenuin
Customer, cop(s), chorus - John Cismoski
Fairy Godmother - TBA (cameo appearance)
Narrator (voice only) - Mike Edgren

Opening Night Art
Join WRCT in welcoming the fine artist from the Central Coast Gallery
on the opening nights for each production from 6:30 pm to showtime

Featured Artists:
March 5, 2010: Watercolor artist, Bonnie Bahr-Schneider and Photographer, Teri Bertin
May 21, 2010    Bruce Hendricksen, Sam and Katie Johnson

Come early and enjoy this unique opportunity to meet these talented artists and support the "Arts"! 

Auditions for Hay Fever Coming in March

Come one, come all!
Auditions for
Hay Fever
by Noel Coward
Directed by Linda Garski
Gilbert and Jaylee Mead Theatre
March 15 and 16 at 6:30 PM.
Production dates will be May 21-23; 27-29.

Here's your chance to be part of WRCT! Don't feel you need to have acting experience. This is COMMUNITY theatre, which means that everyone — both rookies and veteran actors — is welcome to audition. Or, if you prefer, we can use your help backstage. You're guaranteed to have fun either way!

The story: Best described as a cross between high farce and a comedy of manners, the play is set in an English country house in the 1920s, and deals with the four eccentric members of the Bliss family. On this particular weekend, each of them—unbeknownst to the others—invites a guest for the weekend, and each intends for their guest to stay in the guest room.

So now all the Blisses are mad at each other, and decide it will be fun to ruin each other's weekend. The guests, however, are clueless to what's going on. The reactions of the guests are as funny as the antics of the Bliss family.

Below is a list of the characters, and something about each of them. If you have any questions, please contact me at 424-4521, or email me at llgarski@wctc.net .  For more information or updates, go to the WRCT website.

The characters include:

• Sorel Bliss - 21-32 years old . Sorel is Judith and David Bliss's daughter. Sorel and her brother come from money, but they are siblings as we know them: fighting one minute, and best buddies the next.
• Simon Bliss - 21-32 years old. Simon is Judith and David Bliss's son. He loves to rib his sister.
• Clara - Over 30 years of age. Clara is the Bliss family maid. She's a bit rough around the edges.
• Judith Bliss - 45-58 years old . Judith is a retired English actress. She misses her younger years, and is looking for someone to tell her she's still beautiful and desirable.
• David Bliss - 45-58 years old. David is a novelist who is looking for his next muse. He, like Judith, seems to be in a bit of a mid-life crisis.
• Sandy Tyrell - 25-32 years old. Sandy is the young man Judith invites for the weekend. He's a stud, and he's enamored with Judith.
• Myrna Arundel - 25-40 years old. Myrna is Simon's weekend guest. She doesn't really want to spend time with Simon, but wants to meet David.
• Richard Greatham - 35-55 years old. Richard is a proper English diplomat, and Sorel 's weekend guest. He's a bit stiff, but likeable.
• Jackie Coryton - 21-32 years old. David's weekend guest. She's kind of a good-hearted ditz.

Linda Garski

WRCT Silver Foxes

We meet from 1 PM to 3 PM on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at the WRCT Studio Theatre.
No memorization required
No experience necessary

But there is practice, practice, practice!

Think you don't know how to act or you don't want to? Think you don't have a place in the WRCT Silver Foxes? Well think again! Not everyone in this group is an actor. We are an active group of seniors who have fun and enjoy bringing entertainment to others. We love using our life experience and abilities in new ways. Singing, playing instruments, sewing, writing, reading, laughing, and interacting with others are some things we enjoy.

What a rewarding and fun time the Silver Foxes have had since our beginning some six months ago. We have entertained, made new friends, laughed and learned new skills and practiced old ones.

Our Halloween production was standing room only! We added another performance to accommodate all those who wanted to attend. We enjoyed it so much we decided to make it an annual production! One audience member stated, “It was so nice to have something for us older folks at Halloween.”

Joan Joseph Organizer WRCT Silver Foxes

A few members of Lowell Senior Center joined us as we entertained at their Annual Election Meeting. A rousing game show skit drew lots of laughter as well as a Groucho Marx type skit of Doctor, Oh Doctor. Two other entertaining performances rounded off the program. We also gave performances for a women's luncheon group and at a Director's Workshop Production.

The joy of the holiday season was enhanced for us as we joined in singing carols and performed holiday skits for residents of Our House Senior Living Facility and the clients of Park Place Adult Day Care.

This year we anticipate we will have many new learning experiences and opportunities to bring programs to citizens in our community, seniors as well as others. We have contacted most of the senior living and care facilities to let them know of our desire to entertain and enrich their lives with theatre and the arts.

Come visit with us a few times and enjoy a few fun-filled hours. You might find yourself wanting more! You can get involved for as little or much as you like. Or you might find you just like hanging around with us!

Youth Drama Club

The WRCT Youth Drama Club exists to get area kids more involved with different aspects of theatre and to learn more about acting. We have meetings once or twice a month and we will occasionally have guest speakers, and we will incorporate that topic into our future meetings. Kids will pick monologues to work on and eventually perform, write scripts and then direct and act them out. We also are planning trips to see professional shows; anywhere from Stevens Point to Chicago to Minneapolis . And to also encourage the kids to go see shows on their own, we've initiated a point system; they get 5 points for each show they see, bring in a program and synopsis on what they liked and didn't like, etc. and then every time we reach 100 points; we'll have a pizza party, or movie night or some time type of reward for them.

The WRCT Youth Drama Club is a way for local kids to have more theatre opportunities than just the summer youth show; especially if their school doesn't offer a theatre program or creative outlet. Want to join? E-mail Stephanie Hoerth at scooterstar13@hotmail.com or Gretchen Powers at gpower288@uwsp.edu for more information.

IT'S MAGIC!

Illusionist Tristan Crist and company are coming to the Gilbert and Jaylee Mead Auditorium for one performance only on Friday, March 26 at 7:30 pm.  

Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre will host The Illusion Show , a theatrical performance of modern magical illusion that is the perfect entertainment event for young and old alike.  Known for his energetic and charismatic onstage persona, Tristan presents a performance that is a step above the norm. His viewers have called the experience "engaging," "fun," and "amazing," saying Tristan relates well to his audience.

Audience members will be treated to plenty of thrills as they witness a show filled with grand illusion as well as more intimate sleight-of-hand.  Classic magic meets modern theatrical presentation as the illusionist demonstrates dangerous disappearing acts and even defies gravity!

Discover a new way to saw a lady in half.  Marvel as a lovely lady is folded into a small 12” box, and witness the fastest feat of magic in the world - Houdini's famous Metamorphosis. 

This is the one show of the year you will not want to miss.  Reserve your seat now for an incredible entertainment experience featuring the Midwest's premiere touring illusionist!    

Tickets are only $15 for adults, $13 for students or seniors and $8 for children.  The box office opens at 6:00 pm, and the performance will begin promptly at 7:30pm.   Advance tickets can be reserved by calling TC Productions at 608-477-1447.

Visit www.bestillusionshow.com for more information, or to purchase tickets online.

WRCT WISH LIST

If you are interested in contributing any of the items below, please contact the office:

Want a great place to hold an event?
RENT OUR THEATRE!

The Gilbert and Jaylee Mead Auditorium and the Studio Theatre are avaiable for rent. The auditorium seats 223 and is designed for a performance venue but is also ideal for a speaker's forum.

The Studio Theatre is nultifunctional and seats up to 60 people. To date, we have accomodated small theatrical events, workshops, childrens' activities, meetings, luncheons, and even a wedding. Whatever your needs, WRCT personnel are happy to work with your particular group or occasion. Call the office at 421-0435 for a fee schedule and reservation form.