Volume 20 Issue 6

Copyright2015 Sun City Players Community Theater. All rights reserved.

SUN CITY PLAYERS

COMMUNITY THEATER
August 2015

SAY WHAT???

Inside this issue:

Next Meeting Promo

Board Members and

Staff

Words and Music

Review

Two Comedies and a

Musical

Membership Facts

Presidents Points

Future Plans: Update

on Mountain View

Season Ticket Order

Form

Workshops and
Activities

Monthly Meeting
Menu

Clubhouse Schedule

Membership Form

Monday MeetingPage
Calendar

1 10

I have heard an argument

in theatrical circles that
one-person plays arent
acting; they are merely
storytelling.
Its the merely that
annoys me. Storytelling
is as old as human
speech. Stories record
our history, define our
culture, communicate our
ideas, inflame our
imagination, and enrich
our souls. They tell us
about places we havent
seen, and introduce us to
people we never knew.
The audience becomes
part of the story, as each
listener supplies his or
her individual

understanding, and no
two persons understand
quite the same thing in
exactly the same way.
Any good storyteller uses
timing, pace, energy,
body language, and
understanding of
character. Every actor
tells a story. So do
dancers, painters,
musicians, writers, and
every other kind of artist.
And every kind of art
finds growth in the soul
of its audience.
I act. I direct. I even
write a little, every now
and then. But underlying
all that, I am a teller of
stories. On Sept. 21 I will

introduce you to some

fascinating people; they
are real, everyday people
who chose, or fell into, a
most unusual path. You,
the audience, can tell me
afterwards which side of
the argument you think
correct. Whether it is
storytelling or acting, Lizs
Circus Story is a tale of
real people youll not
soon forget.
Mary Harrison

August 2015

PLAYERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015

President
920-988-7339

GREG ENGSTROM
grege2471@yahoo.com

Vice Pres. & Scheduling

623-265-6516

CAROL BOWMAN
FGBCGB@aol.com

Secretary
623-815-0529

MARTA SIGMON
Mysong57@cox.net

Treasurer
623-972-2110

BOB BUDORICK
rbud4@cox.net

Marketing
480-323-8575

PHIL ENGLISH
vpenglish@hotmail.com

Membership
602-403-2475

ANNA THOMPSON
at80005@gmail.com

Meeting Programs
623-518-9994

PALMA MITZEL
PJMitzel43@gmail.com

Actors, Producers, Directors

218-639-3561

MARY HARRISON
fiddlefootbeader@gmail.com

Buildings & Properties

623-875-7364

BILL LOSLO
loslo2001@q.com

SCPCT PLAYBILL STAFF

Page 2

PUBLISHER
623-337-4560

ETTA MARCUS
ettam1@outlook.com

EDITOR
602-799-2227

JAN MURPHY
murphjanet@gmail.com

ADDRESS LABELS
623-875-3868

LAURA KUCHLER
LKK3868@gmail.com

MAILING DIRECTOR
623-815-0529

MARTA SIGMON
Mysong57@cox.net

PRINTING
623-815-0017

EARL BRACKEN
bractalis@cox.net

August 2015

WORDS AND MUSIC

truly tickled
my funny
bone!
Im not always able to
attend the Players regular
Monday night meetings,
which are held the 3rd
Monday each month at
7PM. However, I am very
glad that I did not miss May
18th. I was so very, very
proud to call myself a
member of this talented
and versatile group.
This meeting, being the last
one for this season, was
Cabaret Night. At the
suggestion of one of our
dear members, Lavina
Dawson, the theme for this
particular Cabaret was
Words and Music. The
performance was dedicated
to Lavina.
I regret that there is not
enough room in this
column for me to boast of
the talents of each
performer. I will say that I
would never hesitate to
match our gifted members
up against those of any
other community theater
group. In Vaudeville there
was usually a lovely young

Page 3

sign girl who would

gracefully place the title
boards on an easel to
introduce each act. Our own
Palma Mitzel handled this part
of the program with great
fineness and flair! She never
missed a board-changing
queue but my guess is that
most of the men in the
audience were far more aware
of Palma than they were of
what was next on the
program. She did a great job!
The Words portion of the
program consisted of Barbara
Blansits wonderful, original
poems; they truly touched
ones heart. Bill Lohmeyer
shared a select group of
inspirational readings. With
his amazing speaking (and
singing) voice, Bill can make
even reading the city phone
book sound like Tennyson!
Next came Bunny Sherman;
her clever rhymes and her
delivery caught me quite offguard and truly tickled my
funny bone!
Music contributions came
from a few of our members
who seem to know the path a
song should take to target the
place in each of us that
spreads the enjoyment
throughout our beings. Our

gifted singers were: Eric

Emerson, who lends a
smooth tenor touch to each
song; Connie Groff, who
took charge of the soprano
notes with perfect pitch;
Regina Heck, who added an
age-old favorite with
Pennies From Heaven that
everyone enjoyed; and Patty
Mason, Ginni Summers, and
Marie Crossley (with a touch
of Eric Emerson), who
supplied memories of
unforgettable female trios
from the 1940s and 1950s
that took each one of us
back to a very different time
in our lives. What a great
job they did! The music
portion of the evening was
capped by a couple of
audience sing-a-longs that
we all had fun with. I feel
compelled to note that our
beloved Pat McDonald
accompanied each these
musical offerings, as only
Pat can do. She is indeed a
treasure!
The evening was so
enjoyable that I cant wait
for our 2015-2016 season
beginning in September.
Hope to see you there!
Dan Eldridge

August 2015

Two Comedies and Musical On Tap

for 2015 2016 Players Season
By Jim McConnell
Sun City Players will be performing two comedies and a musical in the coming season; they promise to tickle
your funny bone and keep a smile on your face. Members of the play selection committee have pored over
dozens of scripts, and found these engaging offerings for your participation and entertainment.
Auditions are scheduled for September 9 for Jean Kerrs romantic comedy Mary, Mary, the story of a
recently divorced couple, Bob and Mary, who are brought back to a meeting with Bobs tax accountant to
help unravel questions over Bobs sticky tax returns. Other characters include Bobs new fiance, Tiffany,
and his war-time buddy, Dirk. While old differences between Bob and Mary are re-kindled, so are the
feelings that originally brought them together. There are 3 male and 2 female roles. Dan Eldridge will be
directing this production and opening night is October 30.
Mary Harrison will direct the winter offering, Murder Most Fouled-Up, a mystery/ comedy by playwright Nikki
Harmon. This play runs the gamut of witty dialogue to slap-stick as the heirs of Ridgely Randolph frantically
seek the hidden millions of dollars in inheritance and the deed to the family estate. If they dont find them in
24 hours, the heirs will go penniless. Even the ghosts in the manor walls attempt to assist in the search.
There are roles for four men and five women, though flexible casting is possible. Auditions are scheduled
for November 11 with opening night slated for January 8.
After much consideration, the musical offering has been moved to the spring production slot. Last produced
by Players in 1989, Annie Get Your Gun will once again get your toes tapping with Irving Berlins musical
standbys like Theres No Business Like Show Business, Doin What Comes Naturlly, and The Girl That I
Marry. Annie Oakley is the best shot around, and she manages to support her little brother and sisters by
selling the game she hunts. When she's discovered by Col. Buffalo Bill, he persuades this novel
sharpshooter to join his Wild West Show. It only takes one glance for her to fall head over heels for dashing
shooting ace Frank Butler, who headlines the show. She soon eclipses Butler as the main attraction which,
while good for business, is bad for romance. Butler hightails it off to join a rival show, his bruised male ego
leading the way, but he is ultimately pitted against Annie in a final shoot-out. Marie Crossley returns as
director, and has set December 3 as the date for auditions; the show opens March 11.

Were on the Web!

suncityplayerscommunitytheater.org

Membership Facts
Did you know that our club now has 9 honorary members who
have belonged to our club for 25 years or more? We thank
Grant Merrell, Mim Grumstrup, Donald MacDonald, Francis
Murphy, Marge Murphy, Sally Siekmann, Edward Smith,
Peggy Smolnik and Betty Walley for their loyalty and dedication. Members in the 20-25 years category are Donald
Crooke, Sheila Harmell, and Marlene Jenner.

1996-2000 = 14 Members for 15 years or more

2001-2005 = 50 Members for 10 years or more
2006-2010 = 47 Members for 5 years or more
2011-2015 = 104 Members for less than 5 years
Page 4

August 2015

PRESIDENT'S POINTS
Greetings from cool and rainy Minnesota. To my knowledge, this is the first August issue of a
Playbill. Hoping to get an informational and marketing jump on the 2015/2016 season, we
voted to put out a Playbill one month earlier than our traditional September starting issue.
At May's board meeting we focused on 3 issues that were important to getting the next season off to a good start:
First, we considered the purchase of a printer and folding/stapling machine which could be
set up and used to provide all of the club's future printing needs. Earl Bracken had researched this possibility and had provided the board with a terrific proposal that would pay
for itself in a year or less. Also, Earl had volunteered to provide an air-conditioned space in
his home (until a suitable space can be found to permanently keep the equipment), to be
trained to run the equipment, and to physically do the printing for our needs for the beginning of the season. The board voted unanimously to purchase the printer and stapler/folder
equipment. Since the expenditure would be more than $2000 ($3500 altogether), the proposal needed to be brought before the membership at a general meeting. The purchase was
proposed to the membership at the May Monday night meeting and was accepted unanimously. Earl reports that the equipment has been delivered and is working great. You should
be reading this on paper that we have printed, folded, and stapled ourselves. Thank you, Earl,
for one more wonderful thing you have done to make our club better.
Second, we heard from the play selection committee as to their progress on selecting a
musical for the upcoming season. The committee proposed Annie Get Your Gun and the
board approved the choice.
Third, we discussed arrangements for the September start for our new Wednesday morning
club house meetings at Mountain View Community Center. Mary Harrison will be in charge of
the Wednesdays in September. Please find details in this issue and on our website.
Thank you again to everyone who works so hard to make our club function.
I will be gone until early October. Carol Bowman will run the September board meeting and
the September Monday night meeting. I look forward to seeing you all in October.
Greg Engstrom

Page 5

Page 6

August 2015

PLAYERS CLUB
Starting on the second Wednesday of September, the Players will have the use of Mountain View
auditorium on every Wednesday morning from 9 to 12.
We are planning all kinds of workshops and activities, but we also want every single person in the
Players to use this time to gather socially, chat, catch up with old friends and discover new ones, and enjoy
each other. The venue is big enough so more than one activity can take place simultaneously. Wouldnt it be
fun to have a few people running lines for their next play in one corner, someone practicing dance steps in
another, a couple of people discussing old movies, someone else discussing set design, and you, as member,
free to wander among them as the interest takes you?
Your board will hold its regular monthly meetings there on the third Wednesday of the month. All are
welcome to watch, and there will be a spot near the end of the agenda for your questions and comments. The
board does not take up much space, so other things could be planned for the same time. The board meeting
should in no way hinder the regular social get-together.
Since I am a summer bird, I volunteered to organize the September schedule. Our snow birds will be
trickling home then, but I will really need the support of all of you who are here to come out in September and
use this time and space to claim this club house as our own. We are grateful to RCSC for this opportunity. Go,
Players!
Mary Harrison

MONTHLY MEETING MENU

By Palma Mitzel
Well, this is something newan August playbill!
There has been a lot of planning going on for the fall entertainment:
Mary Harrisons one-person play will open the season and welcome home weary travelers on
September 21st. This play is a must-see, so put it on your calendar as an end-of-summer
highlight.
The Cabaret Variety Show on October 19th will surprise you with a lot of amazing talent. Get ready
for some side-splitting comedy and unusual acts in old vaudeville style.

On November 16th, the 22-piece All Star Band will be sharing their talents and love of music with us. This
promises to be an evening of toe-tapping, enjoyable music which will put a smile on your face and a song in your
heart!
The annual Christmas party at Palmbrook Country Club will be held on Saturday, December 12th. We will have
wandering minstrels and a few other surprises for a little different take on singing Christmas carols.
All in all, we have tried to bring you some new, fresh ideas on entertainment and hope that you will enjoy the ride.

Page 7

August 2015

Page 8

August 2015

Date Paid: ________/________/________ Check#: _____________ Amount: $______________

Sun City Players Community Theater

2016 Membership
Please enter your information below. This data will be used for our mailing list and member ship
directory and to organize cast and crew for our productions.
RCSC Card # ___________________
Last Name: _____________________ First: ____________________ Nickname: ____________________
Address: ________________________________________________ Sun City AZ Zip: _____________
Phone (1): ____________________ Year Joined: _______________ Birthday MM/DD: ______/_______
Phone (2): ____________________ Email: ___________________________________________________

WE NEED YOUR TALENTS

Please mark your fields of interest:
On Stage Behind the Scenes
_____ Actor _____ Director _____ Sound Design
_____ Singer _____ Producer _____ Lighting Design
_____ Dancer _____ Book Holder _____ Props
_____ Musician _____ Stage Manager/Crew _____ Costumes/Dresser
_____ Set Design/Crew _____ Makeup

Miscellaneous
_____ Play Selection _____ Hospitality _____ Computer Skills
_____ Advertising/Publicity _____ Membership _____ Office Skills
_____ Ad Sales _____ Art Work _____ Graphics Design
_____ Ticket Sales _____ Publications _____ Web Design
_____ Usher _____ Audience Only

Classes (S=student, I=instructor)

_____ Acting _____ Dance _____ Lighting Design _____ Sound Design
_____ Makeup _____ Publishing Software _____ Other ______________

Dues are $5.00 per person. Make checks payable to Sun City Players Community Theater.
Mail a copy of your Sun City Recreations Center (RCSC) Card, your check,
a self-addressed stamped envelope and this form to:
Anna Thompson 13819 N 109th Ave, Sun City, AZ 85351

Page 9

August 2015
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
SUN CITY, AZ
PERMIT NO. 168

Sun City Players Community Theater

10725 W. Oakmont Drive
Sun City, AZ 85351

MONDAY MEETING CALENDAR

September 21
Mary Harrison will star in a one-act,
one-person play, Lizs CirCus story
October 19
Cabaret Variety Show
November 16
All Star Band

Page 10

December 12
Christmas Party at Palmbrook