November 2002 Edition

Miracle on 34th Street

Christmas follows close on the heels of Thanksgiving this year and so does the next Port Arthur Little Theatre mainstage production. The holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street, will open the day after Thanksgiving and play three weekends. On Nov. 29-30, Dec. 6-7 and 13-14, the show will start at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 1, 8 and 15.

Miracle is included in the PALT 2002-03 season ticket; prices at the door for non-members are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens over age 65. For reservations, call 727-PALT.

Director Bridget Farias will take you back to a time when we learned the important truth about "believing in something even when common sense tells you not to."

Doris Walker (Terri Harley) is an employee of Macy's Department Store on 34th Street in New York in 1947. She hires a man calling himself Kris Kringle (Don Smith) to play the store Santa. She is none too happy, however, when a neighbor, Fred Gayley (Danny Minton) brings her young and much too serious daughter, Susan (Gabrielle Seymour), to see this jolly Santa. After all, Susan doesn't need to believe in such fantasies.

When Doris calls in Kris to prove to Susan he is just playing a role, he staunchly states that he, indeed, IS Santa - and his attitude is infectious! As Macy's Santa, Kris recommends customers shop at other stores for better bargains, much to the aggravation of Sylvia Shellhammer (Janet Wise), a Macy's marketing executive.

Far from being a marketing disaster, his advice turns into the best public relations campaign ever. Benevolence spreads over the city, even into the Walker household where Kris helps Susan exercise her imagination and play make-believe like other children her age. She confides in him that her only Christmas wish is a real house with a real back yard, and she'll believe he is Santa Claus ONLY if he brings her that gift.

Albert Sawyer (Isaiah Good) tries to prove that Kris is insane and should be "put away," and the issue ends up in the courtroom of Judge Henry Harper (Danny McClintock). Charles Halloran (John Woodard) advises the judge to hear Assistant District Attorney Thomas Mara (Jeff Courts) and Fred Gayley, Kris's lawyer, try to prove if Santa is real or not. The D.A.'s son, Thomas Mara Jr. (Shane Benoit) and postal employees Al Golden (Thomas Xavier) and Lou Spoletti (Carl Heubach) get into the spirit of the season to help Kris prove his point.

The cast of 42 includes Kyle Romero, Otter and Debbie Miller, Duane Sibley, Julie Scott, Devin Medley, Carly O'Connell, Marina Neal, Michael Chang, and Candice Binur as bailiffs, reporters, parents and children. Kara Partain, Lacey Craigen, Sophia Lima, Alisha Armstead and Cody Taylor are Santa's kids, and Jenny Yates, Anna Wueller, Jacob Good, Lydia Harris, Sarah Drummond and Cassie Queen are Sexy Elves and Santa Girls.

Kenneth Thomas, Ryan Dosser, Nikolle Freeman, Joe Jones, Alex Rozell, Colleen Scott and Meredith Miller are townspeople and Santa supporters. Dana Deggs and Steve Harmon will provide holiday vocal solos.

Anna Taylor is assistant director, Vickie Seymour is producer and publicist, and John Holland is the set construction head. Ann Holland is costumer, Haley Seymour is the soundboard operator and Hillary Gray is operating the light board. The backstage crew includes Jazymn Kinder, Kelly Wade and Nicholas Fong, and props are being handled by Kay Lene.

Forget the December shopping rush, the crowded malls and parking lots. Join us for this heartwarming holiday treat for the entire family at Port Arthur Little Theatre, 4701 Jimmy Johnson Blvd. See you there!

Calling All Actors: Auditions

The next few months will offer several opportunities for local actors to display their talents and for more people to try their hand at a new experience in community theater. The season for Port Arthur Little Theatre has been revised, and the last three shows will hold auditions soon. All will take place at the theater at 4701 Jimmy Johnson Blvd. at 7 pm.

Director Jean Heubach will hold auditions for a dinner theater production of On Golden Pond. The cast consists of three men, two women and one teen-age boy. Auditions are Dec. 16-17, and show dates are Feb. 7-8 and 14-15 at the Garden Terrace Tearoom in Nederland.

Director Rose Moon will hold auditions for The Butler Did It by Tim Kelly. The show is a spoof of English and American detective writers and their characters. The cast calls for five men and five women. Tryouts will be Jan. 6-7. This show will run for two weekends beginning Feb. 28-March 2 and March 7-9.

Director Dr. David Sorrells will hold auditions for Romeo and Juliet, which has been rescheduled for the spring. He will hold his auditions early in January to let cast members have more time to learn the Shakespearean dialogue. Auditions will be Jan. 12-14, with show dates being May 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18.

All of the directors want potential cast members to know that they may audition for all shows. Being in one will not keep someone from being cast in any of the other ones, especially the last two. Please look at your calendars and mark these dates, and write down any known conflicts to share with the directors. We all look forward to seeing you.

For information, call the theater at 722-7732 or the reservation line at 727-PALT.

PALT Season Revised

We want to call attention to the revisions in our season lineup of shows. Miracle on 34th Street will be presented in place of Romeo and Juliet this fall. The show dates are Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Dec. 6-8 and Dec. 13-15.

Up the Down Staircase has been dropped for this season. Instead, Jean Heubach will direct a dinner theater production of On Golden Pond at the Garden Terrace Tearoom Feb. 7-8 and Feb. 14-15. This is not included in the regular membership and has a ticket price of $22 for all ages.

The spring lineup will now feature The Butler Did It in a new time slot of Feb. 28-March 2 and March 7-9. Romeo and Juliet will be presented under the direction of Dr. David Sorrells as the last mainstage production of the season. Those dates are May 2-4, May 9-11 and May 16-18.

Please note these changes on your calendars, as the information on the back of your membership cards is no longer correct. For further information, call 727-PALT.

Webmaster's Note: Additional performances have been posted since this publication. For the most up-to-date information, visit the season page.

Play Submissions Requested

It's almost time to start planning for next season, so potential directors are asked to submit play recommendations to PALT through Ann Holland, chair of that committee. Write the name of the plays you might be interested in directing in a letter with a short synopsis of the plot, cast size and other information available. Include your phone number. Mail submissions to PALT, Attention: Ann Holland, PMB 118, 8691 Ninth Ave., Port Arthur, TX 77642-8011.