KIRKWOOD THEATRE GUILDCALLBOARD

September, 2009Notes from the President

Hoping you are all enjoying this summer and are resting up for the next KTG season.

This season will be held in the arms of a group of exception-ally talented directors: Out of the Frying Pan will be held by Brad Schwartz; Glass Menagerie by Candice Coleman; There’s a Burglar in My Bed by Adam Grun; and the musi-cal, High Society, by Jim Arnet. They will need our excep-tional talent to produce another successful KTG season of service to our community. Please put the audition, build and performance dates on your calendars.

Here in St. Louis, we are blessed with all of the seasons and each one has its own specialness about it. But there is always something special about the opening of a new KTG season. Maybe because it coincides with the beginning of a school year – it’s that learned behavior our culture has about start-ing a school year again. The excitement of buying fresh sup-plies, new clothes, new routines, and seeing old friends and making new ones, literally permeates the air. Even the State gets into the act by giving us a break on sales tax for this purpose. Getting ready for a new KTG season is a little like that too. Instead of picking classes to take, we pick shows in which we want to be a part.

Details of our Kick-Off party will be found in this Callboard. Mary Wright has been working hard to make sure our party is fun and successful. Although I think our group could have fun and entertain ourselves just about anywhere we go! The kick-off event is the party at which we all meet and greet each other again, eat free food and drink free drinks, and schmooze the directors and tell them how much we want to help them with their shows. Please mark your calendars with that date also.

As we look around our world these days, it is difficult not to think to yourself: “All of the sudden, all the rules have changed!” The precepts that served us so well for so long have started to fail us. There are some things, however, that have not changed. Things not really considered in our lives before now. For instance: we are not what we own; we are not what we do for a living; we are not our where we live; we are not our religion; we are not . . . (you can fill in all the other blanks). When we all get together to “make a show”, we aren’t the show either. We are just people sharing ourselves with the audiences and each other. We enjoy sto-rytelling and we do it well. We love having our family and friends see us doing this. So this season, let’s relax, enjoy

each other, do what we do well, and have fun.

Let us raise our glasses and toast: “To all the things we are – to our loved ones – and to ourselves. Let us not forget our core creativity.”

Thank you and see you at the theatre!

Cherol Bowman Thibaut

CALL BOARD TO GO ONLINE!

KTG and the Call Board are going green! We want to share all our news with KTG members and friends. The electronic news-letter is not only better for the environment but it will also let you share KTG events and photos with your friends.

The Call Board will be available to read and download from our website, ktg-onstage.org. You will receive notice via email that is up. So please make sure we have your current email on file.

If you would prefer to still get your Call Board newsletter by US mail, please notify Terry Sibbitts by calling 314-821-9956 or emailing her at tsibbitts@ktg-onstage.org.

Out of the Frying Panby Francis SwannDirector Brad Schwartz OPENS November 6

KTG 79TH SEASON OPENING PARTYFRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11th

This is a members only event.Invitations will come by mail

~AUDITIONS~OUT OF THE FRYING PANBy Francis Swann

Sunday, September 20th at 6 pm, Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Rd., Room 300Production Dates: November 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 Director: Brad SchwartzSynopsis: Produced in New York City. Three young men and three young women share an apartment in all innocence; they are would be stage folk and they are doing this for economic security. Their apartment is immediately above that of a Broadway producer who is about to cast a road company. They rehearse the play but how can they get him upstairs to see it? It happens that the producer is an amateur chef and, right in the middle of a culinary concoction, he runs out of flour. He comes upstairs to borrow a cup. At last the kids have him and they aren’t going to let him go until he sees some evidence of their ability so they stage a murder. It is so realistic that police swarm into the scene with hilarious results.

Roles:George Bodell: About 23. A large, lazy and completely good-natured man. His voice is slow and he has a dry, flat way of saying things.

Norman Reese: Aged 22. He is the capable member of the group. He takes care of things, sees that appointments are kept, watches over the others like a mother hen with her chicks.

Tony Dennison: About 24. The handsomest of the three boys. He is tall and deeply sincere, but is inclined to be a bit discouraged at the moment.

Kate Ault: About 21. Kate is the cynic of the crowd. She is tall and dark. She has probably been in New York trying to get a “break” in the theater for a longer time than any of the others.

Marge Benson: About 21. Young, dark and attractive- a little more serious than the others-and in being more serious, seems a bit older.

Dottie Coburn: A petite blond girl, young and attractive, always a little vague. She is the “Dumb Dora” type but quite cheerful and happy about everything. She is the baby of the crowd about 18, but seems even younger than that.

Mrs. Garnet: Who is their bewildered and uncomplaining landlady. She is never quite sure whether she is watching a play or a scene from real life. Probably the answer to it all is that behind her whimsical exterior she is envious, because she is stage struck.

Muriel Foster: Dottie’s friend from Boston. She is petulant, suspicious and later on, woe-begone, with a voice like a tired Minnie Mouse. In spite of all this, she is not unattractive. Dottie’s age.

Arthur Kenny: Middle-aged, with a sharp jaw and a dry, unemotional voice that accompanies an habitual sphinx-like expression. He is dignified at all times, fastidious and dresses well.

Mr. Coburn: A successful business man turned politician. He is on the Board of Censors in Boston-of some wealth, just enough to be snobbish. He explodes rather easily, but tries to maintain his dignity.

First Cop: The intellectual type of policeman-a career man. He tries very hard and wants to be obliging.

Second Cop: The dumb but earnest type. Even if you drew him a diagram he would not understand it. vvvvvvvvv NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY vvvvvvvvv

Auditions will consist of readings from the script. Rehearsals will be every Monday, Wednesday &

Thursday (one week night might be dropped and Sunday rehearsals added)from 7-10 pm at the Kirkwood Community Center beginning September 21st.

Tech week begins November 1st.Please be prepared to list all conflicts at the audition. Please do not audition

if you are unable to attend ALL tech week rehearsals and ALL performances.

September 18th, 19th, 20thCome help us publicize KTG!

Volunteers NeededPARADE~Join us Saturday at 8 am to decorate the cars (at KTG office-Simmons at Manchester).Parade begins at 10 am at Kirkwood High School.

This is a really fun way to help!

INFORMATION BOOTH~Kirkwood Park2 hour shifts available. We want to promote our new season & share our volunteer opportunities.

Please contact our Green Tree Coordinator, Susanne Hoernschemeyer, 314-276-1126 or

smhnurse@aol.com

KTG begins 79th Season!Set-Build for OUT OF THE FRYING PANSaturday, OCTOBER 24THFor those who can tote & carry Move-in starts at 9 amBuild starts at about 10 amPainting and detail work to start late am.Work continues Sunday October 25th~10 am and in the evenings during the week (time to be determined) Continuing on Saturday October 31st at 10 am.

Questions? Please contact, Production Manager Linda Menard 314-614-2551Ushers needed for upcoming show.Please contact Membership Manager, Mary Wright to schedule a date! 314-616-1273 or marycycler@gmail.com

v KEEP YOUR MEMBERSHIP ACTIVE v VOLUNTEER

~New Members always welcome~INVITE A FRIEND

Lee Meyer~Take A Bow It must have been kismet that brought Lee Meyer to the Kirkwood Theatre Guild. He learned of a KTG gathering and out of curiosity he came to see what community theater was all about. Lee has always had an interest in techie stuff and particularly theater since his two daughters were involved with high school dramas. Lee’s one and only appearance on stage was a bit part in his high school musical production of Lil Abner.

Born in Independence and raised in Cape Girardeau, Lee was one of 4 children. He began his college stud-ies at SEMO where his father was Dean of Instruction. After 2 years he left to attend Mizzou to pursue his dream of becoming a photojournalist. After successfully getting his BJ, Lee went to work for the Bulletin Journal Newspaper in Cape Girardeau. While at the newspaper he became re-acquainted with his future bride, Barb Weatherly, whom he had known from high school. The next move was to Jefferson City where

he worked for the New Tribune for 2 years. The life of a roving photographer was difficult for a young family man, so Lee decided to go back to school to begin his MBA studies. One of his extra jobs was working as a school bus driver, he has some interesting memo-ries from those experiences, the kids probably do, too!

Barb and Lee moved to St. Louis where he finished his MBA course work at UMSL and worked for Target. Firmly believing that retail work was not in his future Lee took a position with the Archdiocese of St. Louis, in 1984, where he is still employed in a tech support role for the finance department.

Lee started working on the set construction of Dearly Departed and has been a valued volunteer ever since. Gradually, he got more involved when he started coming to hang and focus lights. He has run both the light and sound boards and did the Sound Design for last season’s Dial M for Murder and Damn Yankees. He looks forward to doing sound design for Out of the Frying Pan and working as assistant Lighting Designer on the Glass Menagerie. Lee’s favorite KTG memory to date is going out the upper theatre doors, out onto the roof of the Community Center with Steve Abling during a light drizzle. Laughing they wondered exactly how they would get down if they had accidentally let the door shut and lock.

Lee thinks that working with KTG “is too much fun”. He loves the opportunity to learn and play!

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Damn Yankees

1984CAST

BACK: Merrick Mohler, Martha Jane Mohler, Ray Shea, Gloria Bender,Carolyn Braverman, Don Wandless, Polly Cummings, Diane Drinkhard,Dave Bommarito FRONT: Robin Berger, Jan Wheatley, Dodie Nelke, Bert Wunderlich

Robert Doyle

Judy Lewis

JT Ricroft & Joel Hackbarth

Bob Hotze, Mark Mendelson, Vi Hotze

Mary Wright & Lauren Anderson Arnet

Deanna Hauptli

Gary Sibbittsm Kent Coffel, Gary Bortosky, Stephanie Merritt

Jonathan Foresythe &Jeremy Brown

Matt Houck, Anthony Hagan, Jonathan Foresythe, Troy P. Turmip-seed, Jeremy Brown, Robert Doyle, Pat Klick, James Kuhlman

Danny Austin &Bert Wunderlich

Kent Coffel & Courtney LaBelle

Kim Mc Creight, Lauren Anderson Arnet& Robin Berger

Caitlin Mickey, Kristi Shilts, Stephanie Merritt

Courtney La Belle &Joel Snider

Back: Robin Berger, Caitlin Mickey, Nancy Leahy, Danny Austin, Mary McEntee, Jan Wheatley, Art Schwartz, Kristi Shilts, Kent Coffel, Lauren Anderson Arnet, Courtney LaBelle, Gary Bortosky, Laura Kyro, Kim McCreight, Beth McClute, Setpahnie MerrittFront: Bert Wunderlich, James Kuhlman, Robert Doyle, Anthony Hagan, Jack, Ashley, Matt Houck, Jonathan Foresythe, Joel Snider, Jeremy Brown, Troy Turnipseed, Pat Klick

Nancy Leahy, Jan Wheatley & Laura Kyro

2009 CAST

Kirkwood Theatre Guild Annual Awards & Meeting Banquet

JT Taylor, Cherol Thibaut, Paul Thomas, Linda Menard

Judi Lowe, Mary Wright, Jan Meyer

Becky Sorrells, Kristi Shilts, Matt Houck, Dustin Sorells, Deb Sclar, Marcia Meyer

Carolyn & Tom Yager

Lynn & Harold Feltmann, Verna Wiseheart, Dan Kuzma, Dorothy Davis, George Wiseheart, Jerome Davis

Janet, Jamie & Brad Schwartz

Kristin Meyer, Lee & Barb Meyer

Joan Thomas & Jim Meyer

Joan Dolan, Bert & Bobbe WunderlichGeoff & Barb Harris

Nancy Leahy & James Kuhlman

There Goes The Bride - Best Facial Expression of the Year - Janet Robey-Schwartz Best Cryer of the Year - Adrienne Lamping Best Faux Floor & Set Design - Kristin Meyer Most Valuable All Around Technical Person - Frank Lewis Cemetary Club Hardest Working Actress Award - Nancy Leahy Best Cheering Actress Award - Dianne Krueger Best Technical Crew Award - Barb Weinhardt Best New Techie Award - Becky Sorrells

Dial M for Murder Best Villian & “Boo” Award - Troy P. Turnipseed Best All Around Actress - Stephanie Merritt Best Lighting Design - Steve Abling Best Sound Design - Lee Meyer Damn Yankees Most Valuable Player - Kent Coffel Rookie of the Year - James Kuhlman Sportwriter of the Year - Lauren Anderson Arnet Most Valuable All Around Tech - Mary Wright

2008-2009 YOU DID FINE Awards

LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDSBert Wunderlich, Steve Abling,

Beverly Weissenburger, Jason Weissenburgr

vvvvvvvvv

vvvvvvvvv

Harold Feltmann Gary SibbittsKent Coffel

Presidential Apple Award Winners

Kirkwood Theatre GuildPO Box 220554St. Louis, MO 63122

For information regarding VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, AUDITIONS or TICKETS call 314-821-9956 or check at www.ktg-onstage.org. Don’t forget to help KTG keep our

contact information up to date~let us know when your address or email changes.

President~ Cherol Bowman ThibautSecretary~ Bert WunderlichArtistic Manger~ Kent CoffelMembership Manger~ Mary Wright

VP & Treasurer~ Danny AustinProduction Manager~ Linda MenardPublicity Manager~Jan Meyer

KTG BOARD OF GOVERNORS 2009-2010

2009-2010 SEASONOut of the Frying Pan Auditons, 6 PM~September 20 Performances~November 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14

The Glass Menagerie Auditions, 2 PM, October 15 Performances~January 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23

There’s a Burglar in My Bed Auditions, 6 PM~January 17 Performances~March 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13

High Society Auditions, 2 PM~March 14 Performances~April 30, May 1, 2, 6, 7, 8

Check the KTG website~www.ktg-onstage.org for more information.

KTG’s 79th Season

Be a Part of It!