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Since October, the very talented and dedicated cast and crew of CHICAGO have been rehearsing four (and sometimes five) days per week to bring our members and patrons another production to make St. Dunstan’s proud.

After running for 14 years as one of Broadway’s most popular shows, this smash-hit takes our stage Jan. 18. You’ll enjoy performances by many talented long-time St. Dunstan's members and some new faces that are sure to leave a lasting impression.

Be sure to make your reservations, so you don’t miss this electrifying musical full of greed, murder, adultery, lust, sex, innocence, a little bit of comedy and LOADS of talent.

CHICAGO runs Jan.18 - Feb. 2. See you there!

EVENTS CALENDAR MAC MeetingBoard MeetingChicago Opening NightAlmost Maine Auditions

Jan. 8Jan. 17Jan. 18Jan. 20-21

Mairo Towle, whose knee surgery was postponed, is asking members to bring either an appetizer or dessert item for the Opening Night After Glow on January 18. If you would be willing to bring something, please contact Mairo at 586.504.9879 or email her at pandamonia@comcast.net.

We are looking for volunteers for driving the shuttle during the run of "Chicago". if you are interested, pease call Kathy Brooks at 248.584.0698 or email rosehip@wowway.com. Having the shuttle is critical for the January show!

The Cast:Velma Kelly-Kendall Doman

Roxie Hart- Liz SchultzAmos Hart-Paul Dorset

Matron-Nina KircherBilly Flynn-Chris SteinmayerMary Sunshine-Skyler Tarnas

Emcee- Molly DorsetLiz -Rachel Biber

Annie-Lauren CavanaghJune-Sara Rydzewski

Hunyak -Jessica DanleyMona-Stephanie Peltier

Go To Hell Kitty-Julie NoeFred Casely-Andrew McMechan

Juror-Rita Leigl Male Ensemble:

Taylor Gray, Roberto Warren, Zak Shugart, Patrick Wehner

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You’re invited to visit us in Almost, a small unincorporated town in Northern Maine, populated by ordinary people, who according to the playwright, “are normally very grounded, but who have become excited by love…and other extraordinary occurrences.”

The play is presented in eight vignettes plus a prologue and epilogue, in which the denizens of Almost find themselves transformed by magical moments, as they experience and explore love and loss under the Northern Lights. This sweet, poignant, and witty play has been described as a "whimsical approach to the joys and perils of romance." According to the author, the action takes place at nine o'clock on a cold, clear, moonless, slightly

surreal Friday night in the middle of the deepest part of a northern Maine winter. When asked to direct “Almost, Maine,” Sandy Prokopp said she had never heard of the play. She was immediately captivated by John Cariani’s seemingly simple, but complex, characters, who stand in contrast to the play’s quiet, remote sense of place. Sandy said, “I actually felt refreshed after my first reading of the play.”

There are 19 separate characters in the play, but four women and four men will be cast for multiple roles.Each scene represents a separate "story," each of which is presented by two characters, who suddenly find themselves "knocked over" by love. You are requested to prepare all gender-appropriate parts.

Ages are flexible--ranging from the mid-twenties to mid-fifties, in order to allow us to cast appropriately-matched actors for the specific scenes. No accents needed.

Scripts can be obtained from Sandra Prokopp at: sandraprokopp@sbcglobal.net.

Characters for each scene: Prologue: PETE and GINETTE, who have been dating for a little while

Her Heart: EAST, a repairman, and GLORY, a hiker

Sad and Glad: JIMMY, a heating and cooling guy; SANDRINE, his ex-girlfriend; and a salty WAITRESS This Hurts: MARVALYN, a woman who is very good at protecting herself, and STEVE, an open, kind fellow whose brother protects him Getting it Back: GAYLE and LENDALL, longtime girlfriend and boyfriend Interlogue: PETE, from the "Prologue"

They Fell: RANDY and CHAD, two "County boys."

Where it Went: PHIL, a working man, and his hard-working wife, MARCI

Story of Hope: HOPE, who has traveled the world, and a MAN, who has not.

Seeing the Thing: RHONDA, a tough woman, and DAVE, the not-so-tough man who loves her

Epilogue: PETE and GINETTE, from the "Prologue."

Auditions Jan. 20 and 21 at 7 p.m.Performance Dates: Mar. 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, and 23, 2013Sandra Ann Prokopp, Director Jeff Foust, Assistant Director

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At the cast viewing of It Came From Mars at the Minchella Home Theatre MPLEX in early December, the DVD of the show could have been the star of the evening. Just not so. Peggy Lee shared part of her life with the cast and crew, and there just was not a dry eye in the house! We have Peggy’s permission to share her heartwarming story with the rest of the St. D’s family, too.

At a year old, Peggy was adopted. The Lee family had a boy and a girl and Peggy made three children for them. Always with wondering and questions, Peggy posted on a website saying she was interested in information about her birth family. After some 10 years, she was finally contacted by a birth brother who lives in Pennsylvania. His whole life, he had been carrying the only tangible memory of his little sister, a picture of Peggy when she was 6 months’ old. He said he never stopping thinking of her, and had been actively looking for her for more than 20 years. It turns out that Peggy has ANOTHER brother, too, and her birth mother is still living!

Her birth father was a country-western singer from Nashville, and Peggy was actually named after the original Peggy Lee! She has been speaking daily with her new family and they have been filling her in on all the family information. “You cannot imagine the peaceful feeling of finally seeing that I LOOK like someone,” Peggy said. Peggy is making plans to meet her brother as soon as possible—and her St. D’s family couldn’t be more thrilled at her joy! It all came together on Facebook! Social media and long-lost family made a fairy tale come true for our mirthful, sweet Peggy.

My love of the theatre has been the only constant in my life since I can remember. I've always had a passion for the arts and live theatre has had the power to deeply move

me and connect with my very being ever since I was a little girl. Home for one week from an extended work time in China, jet-lagged and feeling a bit isolated and down, I searched Google for "auditions in metro-Detroit." Completely out of the blue.

The search results yielded It Came from Mars, and I fell in love with the script. The audition was FUN, and although I didn’t get a role, Rita called and thanked me for audition-ing and said she would like me to be involved and offered me appren-tice assistant director. What an op-portunity! I was overjoyed to be a part of this amazing show.

Auditioning for Chicago was a long shot. I took voice lessons and prac-ticed the dance day and night for a month to prepare. This will be my first musical as an adult and I couldn't be more excited--a dream come true. I'm so thankful to be a part of the cast... Everyone works hard and we have a BLAST, not to

mention the mentorship of an in-credibly talented directing team.

I've been an official member of St.D's for about a month now. From Day 1, when I walked into an open audition not knowing a single per-son, I was welcomed, encouraged, and treated like "one of their own" by everyone in the theatre. I'm so appreciative that I was suddenly blessed with not just a community, but a family as well.

A random search brought me to the theatre. Coincidence? Possibly. But I believe I was led to St. D's, be-cause it’s where I belong. I’m home here and love being a part of this warm, inspirational community.

Peggy Lee goofing around

New Member, Jessica Danley

Got those down-in-the-dumps January thaw blues? Need a lift, a laugh and a spring in your step? Well, St. Dunstan’s offers you fun, silliness and everlasting thanks, if you want to volunteer to help set up chairs and general spit shining for the hundreds, yea, thousands of guests we anticipate for the run of Chicago.

Ruth Bennett has been generously running the ticket counter for some time now, and she is offering to train new recruits! You can have the starring role in EVERY SHOW, selling tickets and making patrons happy with your warm, winning smile and Tony-worthy personality.

Call Ruth or email her at rbenmsc@gmail.com

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Ian writes: “I cannot let this ‘annus horribilis’ come to an end without expressing our deep gratitude to all you wonderful friends for your support and love throughout this year. The messages, cards, meals, and visits have meant so much and sustained us through the difficult times. To have so many people care so much is a great blessing. So, to all of you, a very inadequate THANK YOU!

Connie's spirits are very good. Not a real surprise with her wonderful attitude. We have bought a wheelchair-accessible van which has made the world of difference to her ability to get out and about.

We have a quote for a wheelchair lift which will enable her to get downstairs and so get to her studio. It will take until about April, unfortunately, to get it installed. We decided that trying to bring her studio up to her was not going to work so we are taking her to it! She has not done any painting since going into hospital and she really misses that. We are also in the Medicare bureaucracy attempting to get a power wheelchair for her.

Her upper body strength and balance have improved a lot, and she is gaining movement and strength in her left leg. The right one, not so much. Her immediate aim is to be able to stand and pivot on her left leg. That would make a huge difference to her mobility.

We do not yet know how much therapy she will get through Medicare in 2013, but suspect

that it will not be as much as we need. So we are looking into the availability of private therapists. Any contacts would be welcome.

Two weeks ago she had an IVIG treatment which is intended to repair the nerve coverings. This involves a 3.5-hour infusion of antibodies through an IV. I think it has made a huge difference to both her pain and her movements. We will not see the neurologist again until the New Year, but if she deems it successful it can be repeated monthly.

We are looking forward to a successful New Year, and we wish all of you and your loved ones a happy, HEALTHY, and successful 2013.

Paul did his President's Notes off the top of his very fried head this month! He is Amos in Chicago--he did the Karaoke Christmas Party, ran props for the Children’s Show, organized seeing Les Miserables the day of the horrific snow storm, and he is just like the rest of us--overworked and uber-committed to myriad functions. Oh, and he also works full-time! So, after hours and hours of rehearsal and coordination of other St. D's activities, Paul has a single request for each of you this month: MAKE RESERVATIONS TO SEE CHICAGO and bring ALL your friends! This show is going to be so phenomenal that NO ONE should miss it.

Contributors:Ruth BennettKathy BrooksPaul DorsetMolly Dorset

Susan HolmesPam Richards

Nancy Wegienek

Kimberly Stoll, mom to Jack, the younger of the bear cubs from The Three Bears’ Christmas, gave birth to a new brother for Jack, Vaughn Tanner Stoll, born on Dec 6. Although St. Dunstan’s was looking forward to having another talented young man join our group as Vaughn grows, we understand that the whole Stoll family will be moving to Sweden at the end of January, but we hope they will keep us in mind, if they move back to Michigan.

To save costs, we are only mailing to those unable to come in and pick them up, or those members who live of state/city! Any Rosters not picked up during "Chicago" run will be mailed in February.

Connie McEwan with Santa (Keith Lepeard) and Mrs. Claus (Linda Watson)

Paul and Molly Dorset at the Holiday Party