July 2002 Edition

Saluting the Season With 1776

This summer Port Arthur is being invaded, not by the British, but by actors from all over the Golden Triangle, celebrating Independence Day by portraying our founding fathers and company in the patriotic musical 1776. This production has been long in coming as director Keith Cockrell fell in love with the historical play almost 30 years ago. It takes a large cast of men who can sing, dance and act, and the past three decades have produced a bumper crop in the local theater companies. Even so, it is taking actors from all over the area to make the commitment to bring this production to the stage.

Damon Gengo (Children of a Lesser God) will play John Adams and typifies the diversity of the regional cast. He grew up in Vidor, got his degree in Beaumont, teaches in Port Arthur and lives in Nederland. He is returning to the stage after a 15-year absence.

Alan Anderud (All Night Strut) of Beaumont will play the wise and wisecracking Benjamin Franklin. Danny Minton (Annie), also of Beaumont, finishes the Founding Father trio by playing Thomas Jefferson.

David Sorrells (Mame) of Port Arthur will portray John Hancock, who made his signature large enough "so Fat George can read it without his spectacles." Dennis Riley (Harvey), also of Port Arthur, plays the suave but menacing representative from South Carolina, Edward Rutledge. Orange is represented by Robert Freeman (The Mousetrap), who will bring Col. Thomas McKean, as a true a Scotsman as ever breathed American air, to life.

John Dickinson, Adams' most resolute foe, will be played by David Hooker (Man of La Mancha), and Richard Henry Lee, of the famous Lees of Virginia, will be played by Sean McBride (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying).

There are women in the show, but only two. Roxane Gray (Hello, Dolly!), will play Abagail Adams, who pleads with her husband to come home, or at least send her pins. Dana Deggs (Little Shop of Horrors) plays Jefferson's young wife, Martha.

Newcomer to the local stage but not to theater, Neal Price will bring his golden voice to the role of the courier. Sam Covington (The Elephant Man), a longtime performer at the Port Arthur Little Theatre, will portray Caesar Rodney.

Men of the area who have starred on many of the local stages will play other Congressmen, including Gregg Moon (Harvey), Tom Van Velson (Cinderella), Sandy Wall (How to Succeed in Business), Jim Crain (Cinderella), John Holland (Mame), Phillip Gray (A Christmas Story), Tom Neal (Hello, Dolly!), Patrick Lené (The Mousetrap), Stephen Morgan (The Mousetrap) and Gene Byrd (Hello, Dolly!), as well as Jay Vinevour, usually seen playing the clavinova.

John Woodard plays a Leather Apron, Benny Bryan (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) plays Congressional Secretary Charles Thompson, and Gene Hughes, editor of the Beaumont Journal, plays Congressional Custodian Andrew McNair.

Cockrell says he has dreamed about doing this show. With a cast like this, the audiences may feel as though they're dreaming, too.

Helping achieve this dream are Krista Holman, assistant director; Ann Holland, costumer; Gwen Ramos, vocal director; and Jean Heubach, hair designer.

1776 opens July 5 and plays through the weekend, July 13-15 and 18-21. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and non-Lamar students and $5 with a Lamar I.D. For reservations, times and other information, call 984-6111.

2002-03 Season Announced

Port Arthur Little Theatre is pleased to announce its upcoming season, starting July 5 with a bang. Lamar State College-Port Arthur and PALT's annual joint production is the patriotic musical 1776, a longtime favorite of director Keith Cockrell. This rousing musical will run July 5-7, 13-15 and 18-21 at the Lamar Theater, 1600 Lakeshore Drive in Port Arthur.

Admission for this show is $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and non-Lamar students and $5 with a Lamar ID. Reservations for this play may be made by calling 984-6111.

The first Playhouse production of the season is The Music Man, a valentine to small-town life. Harold Hill comes to River City, Iowa, to scam the townsfolk and gets more than he bargained for. The popular musical comedy is directed by Thomas May and runs Sept. 6-8, 13-15 and 20-22.

Director Roxane Gray will bring an unusual production of Romeo and Juliet to the stage next -- unusual in that it is set in the 1960s, proving that Shakespeare is indeed timeless. this tragic romance will be presented November 1-3, 8-10 and 15-17.

Jean Heubach will direct the first spring show of the season, Up the Down Staircase, which portrays the confusion and emotional entanglements of a first-time school teacher. Both humorous and enlightening, the play will run Feb. 21-22, Feb. 28-March 2 and March 7-9.

Rookie director Rose Moon will present The Butler Did It, for your enjoyment as the last show of the official season. The comedy spoofs English mystery writers with a decidedly American flair as authors are invited to spend a weekend assuming the personalities of their characters at eerie Ravenswood Manor. When a crime takes place, the writers have to do some real sleuthing or perhaps be the next victim. The comedy will run April 25-26, May 2-4 and May 9-11.

All of these shows are included as part of the PALT annual membership, which can be purchased by mail or at any of the shows. Pricing information and a membership form are avilable online. Ticket prices at the door are $10 for adults and $8 for senior citizens and students.

Special events not included with the membership -- but well worth attending -- include several dinner-theater presentations, a reader's theater in December and a summer show to be announced. The first of these exras will be Bathroom Humor, an adult comedy presented in dinner-theater format at the Garden Terrace Tea Rom Aug. 16-17 and 23-24, directed by Donny Avery. Watch for more information on this show in the newsletter and area media.

First Spotlight Awards Night

Iced tea flowed, applause abounded and prizes popped up everywhere at Port Arthur Little Theatre's first awards night, dubbed the Spotlight Awards. The Garden Terrace Tea Room was the site June 15 for the gathering dedicted to honoring all of PALT's life members as well as volunteers who gave of their time, skills and labor to help make the 2001-02 season a success.

Directors from the season were asked to name the outstanding volunteer or technical helper from their shows of the season, and these people were recognized with a certificate at the awards banquet. Those so honored included John and Ann Holland, Dennis Riley, Todd and Courtney Wind, Rosie Einkauf, Janice Terrell, Ida Steele, Hillary Gray and Anthony Holland.

Directors also assigned points to various members of their casts and crews, and the points were tallied to determine the Volunteer of the Year across the entire season. There was a tie in each of the top three places, and certificates and gift certificates were presented to the participants.

Isaiah Good and Ida Steele were second runners-up, and John Holland and Todd Wind were first runners-up. The Volunteer of the Year was a tie between two very busy and deserving women: Ann Holland and Jean Heubach. Each received a trophy, a cup with candy and a gift certificate to Central Mall.

Congratulations and many thanks to these people who have made Port Arthur Little Theatre a big part of their lives!

New life members David Sorrells and Paula Capello were introduced, and all life members received a special mug with the PALT logo and life member designation. Other events of the evening included short scenes recreated from many of the season's shows and an announcement of the upcoming season's offerings.

Door prizes were given at intervals during the night, including a membership to PALT and passes to upcoming productions. Many thanks to all who donated their door prizes, which included wind chimes, grass shears, bowling passes, popcorn and bath products. Thanks must also go to all who contributed food and drink to feed all those who attended, to Paula Tallant and Janet Wise of the Tea Room and to the board and others who put together this first of what we hope will be many annual events.

Music Man Auditions Held

The Music Man is coming to PALT in September, and you can be a part of it. Director Thomas May will hold auditions at the PALT Playhouse on Jimmy Johnson Boulevard at 7 p.m. July 8-10. There are many parts available, and the show will play the last three weekends of September. For more information, call 722-7732 or 727-PALT.