The WCCT Spotlight
The Newsletter of Webster City Community Theatre
February 2017
1001 Willson Avenue, Webster City, Iowa
MURDER ON A BUDGET
Written and Directed by our own Sally Evans
All aboard for the Higby High School Class of 1968 Reunion!
The classmates had looked forward to a great event, but when the class
treasurer absconded with the funds, those plans changed. They were
forced to sail in lousy weather during the off-season on a second-rate,
seedy ship with cabins that are too small, lousy food, and a captain who
thinks he’s Captain Kirk of the Enterprise and a crew of one. As if that
wasn’t bad enough, one of the classmates is murdered and there’s a
creepy guy on the deck chair! The story unfolds in a hilarious manner
that you won’t want to miss.
Sally’s cast has had a ball working on this show and invite you to join
their crazy cruise. Featured in the cast are Dale Arends, Al Yungclas,
Dave Borer, Sylvia Vust, Jeff Pingel, Linda Thomas, Dean Evans, Cathy
Olson, Paul Wagner, Sharon Helm, Larry Helm, LuAnn Jackson, Trese
Arends, Pat Powers, and Stephanie Hill.
Join them for a performance of this murder mystery comedy
February 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 7:30 pm
February 19 and 26 at 2:00 pm
All tickets are only $12
Order your tickets by calling 515-832-4456
Resident playwright/director
Order online at www.wcctonline.org
Sally Evans
Stop by the box office at 1001 Willson Avenue
Weeknights 7-9 pm, Saturdays 10 am to noon, 1 hour prior to show time
Crew members helping with this production are Mark Dohms, Dan Ryherd, Loween and Doug Getter, Wil Groves, Sam Ose, and Alan and Karin Yungclas. Many thanks to our set construction wizards Wil Groves, Dale Arends, Sam Ose, Lynn Leksell, Wayne Fuhlbrugge, Fred Pauk, Alan
Yungclas, and Dean Evans with Carol Zills and Elaine Beermann adding the artistic touches.
This is the third of Sally’s original plays WCCT has staged. Previous hits were Murder in Black & White and
House Guests Can Be Murder.
Many thanks to Pioneer Communications, Inc. for our professional-looking programs, Webster City HotelMotel Tax Committee for the grant that helps fund promotion of this production, Briggs Woods Golf Course
for the use of the white chairs, SOS Vintage for the stateroom sconces, Foster’s Funeral & Cremation Center,
Daily Freeman-Journal, KQWC, our box office crew and ushers, and especially the family members of our
cast and crew.
WCCT to Hold Stage Lighting Workshop
Friday, March 3, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Saturday, March 4, 9:00 am-1:00 pm
This workshop will be presented by John Pomeroy, associate professor, tech director, designer, and
department chair of Drake University of Theatre Arts. John presented at the AACT Workshop at the
Des Moines Playhouse attended by Wil Groves and Sam Ose last August.
The workshop is recommended for everyone involved in community theatre, not just techies:
Directors, actors, makeup artists, costumers, set designers, and set builders will learn and understand how lighting impacts and is impacted by all phases of the production.
FRIDAY EVENING WORKSHOP—No Charge
The Friday night workshop will start with a pizza supper. The evening will be devoted to evaluating
the lighting setup at WCCT. It would include a review of placement of instruments and gel choices,
assessment of rigging and pipes and suggestions for improvements. Discussion will include use of
our new LEDs, how they work, how to use them effectively, how to blend them with our existing
lighting instruments, and how to program them. The program will also include how to develop and
implement a lighting plot for a production.
Though the session will focus specifically on WCCT’s lighting needs, the concepts discussed would
be applicable to other theatres as well.
SATURDAY MORNING WORKSHOP—$10 for WCCT members, $20 for non-members
Saturday morning’s session is recommended for everyone involved in community theatre, not just
techies: Directors, actors, makeup artists, costumers, set designers, and set builders will learn and
understand how lighting impacts and is impacted by all phases of the production.
9:00
9:30
10:30
11:30
12:00
12:30
Registration fee payable on site. Rolls, coffee, and juice served.
General lighting concepts that enhance the story and audience’s experience, set mood, direct
attention. Ellipsoidals, fresnels, scoops, spots, and LEDs: how they work and what they do.
Choosing and using colored gels. Lights, costumes, and makeup.
Demystifying LEDs...what is it, how does it work, expense, integrating with existing
equipment, is it for our theatre
Lighting plots...why and how
Putting it all together. General discussion. Other thoughts. Q & A
Wrap-up
If you would like to attend the Stage Lighting Workshop we would like to know so we can
plan details. Please contact Wil Groves at [email protected] or Sam Ose at
[email protected] with your name, phone, and email address.
What I have learned about lighting…
People look best when light shines on them.
People complain when lights shine in their face .
I do sound .
ICTAFest 2017
The cast of A Nice Family
Christmas, which
performed the comedy by
Phil Olson in the fall, has
been rehearsing Act One
for the state Festival
competition to be held at
Marshalltown Community
Theatre March 16-19.
Director Loween Getter is so pleased with how
well they have remembered their lines all these
weeks since the show closed. “At this point the
challenge is getting the pacing to the point that
we can perform the entire act in less than the
60 minutes allowed.”
The cast and crew will have 10 minutes to bring
the set from its 10’ x 10’ on-deck space to the
stage. Then they have up to 60 minutes to
perform, before striking the set and returning it
to that on-deck area in 10 minutes.
A Nice Family Christmas will be in competition
against six other productions from these Iowa
community theatres:
Marshalltown with Escanaba in da Moonlight
Ankeny with 110 Stories
Keokuk with Eleemosynary
Newton with Pvt. Wars
Red Oak with A Number
Decorah with The Pillow Man
The judges will give their comments after each
performance. WCCT is hoping to have the
opportunity to be one of two entries selected by
the adjudicators to advance to Region 5 AACTFest to be held in Brainard, MN April 27-30.
We would love to have our WCCT family attend
Festival to cheer us on when we perform at
7:00 pm Friday, March 17. Hopefully you will
also want to be involved in other Festival
activities:
 watch the other performances
 hear the judges comments
 learn more at workshops
 network with other theatre-lovers from
across the state at meals and parties
 participate in the annual member meeting
Festival Workshops
Two of the three workshops to be presented
Friday morning, March 17, by the adjudicators
will be of interest to directors and actors. The
same workshops will be repeated on Saturday
morning, March 18.
“Lessons in Leadership: Guidance for Great
Directing” will offer traits, tips, and tricks that awardwinning directors use to lift artistic teams and productions
to excellence. Useful for
beginning and intermediate level directors. Topics cover
a range of directing responsibilities with a focus on personal growth, artistic
understanding, skills development, and leadership across
all production elements.
“Putting Out Fires-The Many Hats of a Director”
will discuss problem solving techniques and various hats
the director may wear during the course of a production:
visionary, inspirer,
organizer, coach, cheerleader, educator,
psychologist, tactician, editor, and promoter. Share directorial road blocks you may have
experienced.
Awards of Excellence Announced at Gala
We should be finding out soon if any of the
WCCT nominees for Drinking Habits, Junie B.
in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, Cheaper by the
Dozen, Fiddler on the Roof, and A Nice Family
Christmas are finalists for the Awards of
Excellence. These awards are given in
Direction, Music Direction, Acting, Costuming,
Scenic Design, Technical Design, and
Choreography.
As soon as the finalists are announced, you will
notified so you can decide to join us for the
award ceremony at the Gala on Saturday night,
February 19, to be held.at the Best Western
Regency.
Register, Meals, Hotels
A registration form is included in this newsletter.
Select a Festival package and send in the form
and payment to MCT or pay at the door for a la
carte workshops and/or performances
Meals are on your own at a host of eateries in
Marshalltown. A block of rooms at the Best
Western Regency are reserved for $79 per
night. Other motels are also available there.
Questions???
Call Loween at 515-297-0846 or email her at
[email protected].
REGION 5 AACTFest
The two community theatres that present the
winning productions at the Iowa Festival in
Marshalltown will advance to the Region 5
AACTFest in Brainard, Minnesota April 27-30.
Chalberg Theatre on the campus of the Central
Lakes College will be the site of the regional
competition. There are 7 states in Region 5:
Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota,
North Dakota, Missouri, and Iowa. Each state
is allowed to enter up to two productions. They
are anticipating nine or ten entries. The set up,
performance and strike format remains the
same as the state competition.
In addition to the performances, there will be
workshops, parties, box lunch, and awards
brunch. The full package is $125 per person.
Ala carte items are also available. Everyone
participating in one of the presenting shows
must purchase a full package.
Festival hotels in nearby Baxter are the Holiday
Inn Express, Comfort Suites, and Super 8.
One production will be selected by the adjudicators to advance to the national level. AACTFest will be held in Rochester, MN June 26July 1.
National AACTFest
One community theatre’s production will be selected at each of the twelve regions to compete
at the national Festival to be held June 27-July
1in the Civic Theatre’s Mainstage Theatre in
Rochester, MN. Each theatre will perform their
show twice (matinee and evening) and be
adjudicated the following day.
Included with the competition are a theatre
management conference, adjudication training,
a youth leadership conference and youth
festival, educational workshops (a list appeared
in the January newsletter), top vendor
displays, the tech design exhibition/competition,
a new monologue competition, social events,
sightseeing, and networking opportunities, and
the awards presentation
The same set of rules (found in the AACTFest
2017 Handbook available online at aact.org/
handbook) are followed in all states and regions.
Registration Fees
AACT Member Non-member
By March 1
$240
$340
March 2-June 1
$265
$365
After June 1
$295
$395
Add $135 for Adjudication Training
$30 for Introduction to Adjudication.
Discount $15 for Youth under 18.
Nearby hotels are Double Tree by Hilton Hotel,
Hilton Garden Inn, and Kahler Grand Hotel.
AUDITIONS FOR YOUTH THEATRE
Sunday, February 19 at 6:00 pm at WCCT
Tuesday, February 21 at 6:00 pm at WCCT
Alan Yungclas, director, and co-assistant directors Katie
Greenfield and Maren Borer announce auditions for the WCCT
kids' show, Sherlock Holmes and the Wolf Family Caper.
Scripts are available to check out at Kendall Young Library.
There are parts for 10 girls and 4 boys.
Ages 4th grade through high school.
Performance dates are March 31, April 1,2,7, 8 and 9
Thank you to our 2016 Donors…
WCCT gratefully acknowledges the following donors for
their support thus far in the 2016-2017 season.
Contributions to the General Fund will help support
production costs and facility maintenance:
Luanne Baker
Keith and Erma Bockoven
Dean and Adele Bowden
Richard and Sonya Carlson
Mark Dohms
Bob and Mary Ann Erickson
Lorraine Habben
Andy and Tami Hejlik
Maribeth Martin
Jason Ott/AON Risk Solutions/AON Foundaiton
Leon’s/Leon and Lynn Ott
Marlin and Kathy Pruismann/Thrivent Financial match
Beth Van Diest
Shirley Yungclas
All 33 travelers who journeyed on WCCT’s
“English Sights, London Highlights & Downton Delights”
tour created by Legacy Tour & Travel
Donations made to Camp Creamery will support the
2017 kids’ summer theatre workshop:
Mark Dohms
Doug and Loween Getter
Beth Van Diest
Webster City Cruisers
Norm and Marj Wonderlich
Donations made to the WCCT Endowed Scholarship Fund
will go to 2017 scholarships for Hamilton County high
school graduates who have been involved in theatre:
Dick and Sue Anderson
Kevin and Trish Bahrenfuss
Doug and Loween Getter
Al and Karin Yungclas
If you would like to make
a financial donation to
help support the mission of
your community theatre,
please make checks payable to WCCT and designate General Fund, Camp
Creamery, or WCCT Endowed Scholarship in the
memo. Mail them to
WCCT, c/o Doug Getter,
2009 Beach Street,
Webster City, IA 50595.
AUDITIONS TO BE HELD AT UCC
(across the street from WCCT)
SUNDAY, MARCH 26 @ 4:00 PM
MONDAY, MARCH 27 @ 7:00 PM
CALLBACKS ON MARCH 28 @ 7:00 PM.
Church Basement Ladies, which is WCCT's summer
musical, is a celebration of the church basement
kitchen and the women who work there. The show
features four women ranging in stage age from their
70s to early 20s and a male Lutheran pastor. The
story explores their relationships as they organize
the food, solve the problems of a rural Minnesota
church, and navigate the tumultuous social changes
occurring during the 1950s and 60s.
It is a journey by turns funny, heartwarming, nostalgic, and poignant. From crusty matriarch to bride-tobe, these four basement ladies stave off potential
disaster, share and debate recipes, instruct the
young and keep the Pastor on course. All this is accomplished while thoroughly enjoying (and tolerating)
each other as life unfolds in the basement kitchen,
beneath the house of God.
Wil Groves will be directing, with assistance from
Andrew Wotherspoon. The production dates are
July 7-9 and 12-16. Wil is also looking for people to
assist behind the scenes and front of house with
Church Basement Ladies.
BROADWAY KARAOKE
Approximately 20 people gathered on
December 30 for Broadway Karaoke. Thanks
to Sam Ose and Sunshine Yoders for spearheading the event and all who attended.
Join us on April 28 from 7:00-10:00 pm at the
theatre. There may be improv as well!
A Note from President Angela Rottering…
February introduces our second show of the 2016-2017 season: “Murder on a Budget” and you know what that
brings? Another work day to get our building ready for the audience, the cast and the crew. Once again I put
together a two page list of things that needed to be accomplished on Saturday, February 11th. Sixteen
individuals showed up at 1 pm to help. I want to thank David Borer, Sally Evans, Larry & Sharon Helm, Loween
Getter, Wil Groves, Stephanie Hill, Cathy & Gregg Olson, Sam Ose, Dan Ryherd, Linda Thomas, Sylvia Voist,
Paul Wagner, Al Yungclas, and myself. The work day was scheduled for 1 pm because the cast of “A Nice
Family Christmas” has been rehearsing Saturday mornings preparing for competition.
What looked like a huge task on paper was completed in less than two hours. Carpets were vacuumed, floors
were swept, and bathrooms cleaned throughout the building. Items were moved from one area to another. I
think it was the first time I have seen two upright vacuums and both central vacs being used at the same time.
When everything was checked off the list, some of the helpers left while others sat down in the green room and
just talked. There were about eight of us just talking and enjoying each other’s company. That doesn’t happen
too often because we are always busy getting ready for a show, putting on a show, or striking a show.
I enjoy getting to know my theatre family a little bit more during these rare times. We all learn something new
and share ideas.
Speaking of ideas, if there is a play or musical that you would like to see presented on WCCT’s stage then put
Sunday, March 12, at 3:30 PM on your calendar. That is the date and time of our planning meeting for our
2017-2018 Season, which may be our 50th season!. It’s an interesting process of how we decide on our upcoming shows. Just like Reader’s Theatre, bring a snack to share. We can enjoy eating, which we love to do,
and discussing what shows will happen in the future on stage at WCCT.
Hope to see you soon!
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THIS AND THAT…
We will be selecting productions for the
2017-2018 season, March 12, at 3:30.
If there is a play or musical you would
like to direct, be in, or attend, bring
your ideas to the meeting, as well as a
snack to share and your own beverage.
15 people attended the Readers Theatre
perusal of All My Sons on 2/12/17. No
Readers Theatre in March or April.
Congrats to Jake Nilles for the “Student
Spotlight” in the Our Hometown” magazine
Scholarship applications are available on
the website: www.wcctonline.org. Due
May 1 with 3 letters of reference.
WCCT has joined the Fort Dodge Fine
Arts Association to further promote our
activities.
Check out the photo display at ICCC’s
Triton Gallery. Dave Borer has 4 photos
in the exhibit.
WCCT BOARD OFFICERS
President, Angela Rottering
[email protected]
Vice President, Sunshine Yoders
[email protected]
Secretary, Cathy Olson
[email protected]
Treasurer, Dale Arends
[email protected]
Youth Member, Gianna Borer
[email protected]
Past President, Alan Yungclas,
[email protected]
Members At-Large
David Borer (3rd year), [email protected]
Sam Ose (2nd year) , [email protected]
Sally Evans (1st year), [email protected]
THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE
SUNDAY, MARCH 12, AT 6:00 PM. THE
APRIL MEETING WILL BE ON THE 2nd.