Tag Archives: Ilion Little Theatre

One Dead Body, at a Church

Posted on April 5, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I feel I can get away with one more post about my murder mystery, because some readers may be wondering how it went.  Well, it was splendid.

The church, Morning Star Methodist in Ilion, NY, sold more tickets than they were hoping to.  In fact, serving dinners was delayed at one point when they ran out of potatoes and had to cook more.  I told them if they ran short of meat, I could go hungry, but luckily that was not necessary.

I stood by the table of the lady taking tickets and welcomed people.  I warned them they would meet some unusual people but should not be worried about talking to them.  I’m not sure my warnings were needed, but people were very nice about it.  More importantly, I had to be the liaison between the actors and the dinner-servers.  I gave the actors the high-sign to start the performance part.  I told the audience when to fill out their guesses and collected the papers after they had guessed.

As I attended to these duties, I realized my folly in undertaking such a role.  I wanted to be acting!  There are few things more fun for me than to dress up in a costume and pretend to be somebody else.  I love it on a stage with lines, and I love it at a murder mystery when mingling with the audience.

The lucky ones who did get to act enjoyed it quite a bit, and they did a marvelous job.  A few lines were dropped, but I believe only the author noticed (um, you remember that was me, right?).  The audience was full of praise, except for one gentleman with a hearing aid who hadn’t heard a word.  I felt quite terrible about that.  At least he got a good dinner out of it.  Roast pork.  Yum!

I hope Ilion Little Theatre will be asked to present more murder mysteries in the future.  I’m ready to write them and I am more than ready to act again!

 

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I’d Like to Watch Television, Too

Posted on April 1, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I can’t make two real posts in a row, can I?  I know, I have done it before.  Well, I’m not doing it today.  I started to write something at work and it wouldn’t quite gel.  In my defense, I had a bit of a headache.

“Oh no,” my readers moan, “she’s not going to start THAT again!”  Seriously, have I ever really stopped? Sorry, I won’t go on about my aches and pains, except to maybe blame it on the weather.  Up and down the temperatures go, now it’s rainy, now it’s sunny.  I rather enjoy the variety while still pining for that deck-sitting weather I mentioned yesterday.  But changes in the barometric pressure can be bothersome.  I suppose now some readers with superior weather knowledge (or just a superior attitude) are saying with a sniff, “It’s not the barometric pressure, it’s…”  whatever it is.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “Don’t be didactic, Myrtle Mae.  It’s unbecoming, and men loathe it.”  That’s a line from a play.

Where was I?  Ah yes, making a Non-Sequitur Thursday post and trying to be quick about it, because I have a baby afghan to finish for a co-worker’s prospective grandchild.  One must be timely about these things, you know, because babies grow awfully fast.  This one isn’t born yet, so I still have time.

In my further defense, I have two plays going on at once.  The murder mystery goes up in two days.  I believe I spoke about that on Tuesday.  Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre goes up in less than a month.  Yes, you may expect this blog to go All Leading Ladies All The Time soon.  I hope you are all having a lovely Thursday and I hope to see you tomorrow, when I try to think up some play on words involving Lame.

 

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Engaged to be Tired

Posted on March 30, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

So yesterday I promised to do my damnedest to finish the post I started. I bet some of you were sitting there shaking your heads in a superior fashion saying, “She won’t do it.  She’ll have a Tired Tuesday post.  You watch.”

Well, technically we’re both right.  I did try my damnedest to finish that post before giving up and starting the Tired Tuesday nonsense you are now reading (ooh, here are a couple of Freudian slips for you:  I started to type “Turd” instead of “Tired,” and “not reading” instead of “now reading”).

We had rehearsal last night for “Engaged to be Murdered,” the murder mystery being presented by Ilion Little Theatre at Morning Star Methodist Church this Saturday, April 3.  Just to give another plug, that’s at 5 p.m., tickets are $20 and include the performance and a roast pork dinner.  Reservations are required by March 31 by calling the church office at 315-894-4093.

Rehearsal went marvelously.  The actors all brought their costumes and let me tell you, they are fabulous.  Everybody looks awesome!  The performance should be very enjoyable. I’m only sorry I’m not acting in it myself.

Tonight I have another rehearsal for Leading Ladies, ILT’s spring production, which as you may remember I am directing. I’m sure that will go well too. We’ll be missing an actor, but these things happen in community theatre.  We must make the best of them.

In summary, I think I have legitimate reasons to be tired (I didn’t even mention being on overtime at work, but I am).   I suppose it’s no reason not to write a blog post.  Oh wait a minute, I just did.  On to rehearsal!

 

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How About Edward G. Robinson?

Posted on March 16, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I don’t want to say I’m feeling old (at least, no older than I actually am) (in dog years) (just kidding!), but recently I have felt somewhat… dated.

It started at the read-through for Leading Ladies.  I told one of the actors who will portray a man dressed as a woman that when he was a woman, I wanted Rosalind Russell.

“He doesn’t know who Rosalind Russell is,” Steven told me.

What’s this?  A drama person who hasn’t seen Auntie Mame?  Say it ain’t so!  Of course it is so.  Luckily the actor understood what I wanted from the gesture I made when I said it.  However, I felt a point had been made about generations and different frames of reference.

I don’t want to telegraph any jokes, in case this is read by people who might come see the play (Come see the play!), but there is a reference to a Marlon Brando imitation.  I thought to myself,  “I’ll have to tell the actor involved that it is not Marlon Brando in The Godfather but Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire or On The Waterfront.”  Then I remembered that The Godfather was in the ’70s, not a recent movie this young person was likely to have seen.  (Full disclosure:  I haven’t seen The Godfather either; I just know Marlon Brando was in it and he was a lot older than he was in the other two movies.)

Anyways, I don’t know why it’s a Marlon Brando imitation anyways.  I think James Cagney or Humphrey Bogart would be better.  And I don’t mean James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy or Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (yes, I’ve seen both those movies).

Yes, I can direct a play without resorting to references to old movies.  And, no, I did not see these movies first run at the theatre.  Any other questions?

 

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About that Murder Mystery

Posted on March 15, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Murder is on the menu when the Morning Star Methodist Church in conjunction with Ilion Little Theatre presents “Engaged to be Murdered,” an interactive dinner theatre, on Saturday, April 2 at 5 p.m. at the church located at 36 Second St., Ilion. Tickets are $20 and include the performance and dinner. Reservations are required by March 31 by calling the church office at 315-894-4093.

“Engaged to be Murdered” takes place at the party celebrating the upcoming nuptials of society girl Genevieve Raglan to handsome up-and-comer Luke Donovan.  Representing Genevieve’s family are her elegant parents, Eliot and Marseille (it’s pronounced mar-SAY) Raglan, her glamorous Aunt Theodora, and family matriarch Grandma Nell.  Luke is accompanied by his father, cattle rancher Harry Donovan.  Also present, although nobody is sure who invited her, is ne’er-do-well Cousin Randy Raglan. All of these people have secrets to hide, and the audience will have a chance to ferret out the clues and try to solve the mystery.

That is from the press release I wrote for the murder mystery Ilion Little Theatre is putting together for the church’s fundraiser.  I had meant to copy the whole thing for today’s blog post, but, well, my desk top would not cooperate.  I managed to copy the first paragraph and half of the first sentence of the second paragraph.  Now I am on my new laptop, trying to remember the rest of it.

I think I have included all the relevant information.  My press release went on to toot my own horn as the writer. I figured the papers, if they used the release at all, would cut that part out.  Therefore, I shall feel free to cut it out now.  Local readers may like to come see the performance. I understand the dinner is roast pork.  Yum!

 

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I’m Not Stressed

Posted on March 10, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is another lovely warm day in the Mohawk Valley, and I am not in any position to enjoy it.  Much. OK, I’m loving it.  Only I would love to go running again and I cannot.

Today is the read-through for Leading Ladies, (all together now:) the play I am directing at Ilion Little Theatre.  We haven’t even started yet and I am stressed, Stressed, STRESSED!  Oh dear, mustn’t admit that.  I hope none of my cast members read this.  They might get worried and quit.  I’m thinking as soon as we get started I will be fine.  There may be one bad moment at the beginning, where everybody is looking at me expectantly and my mind will go completely blank. I’ll tell you what, the Actor’s Nightmare is nothing compared to the Director’s HeebieJeebies.

However, it will not last long, if it even occurs.  I’ll start talking, and then we’ll rehearse.  I don’t know why I’m even worried, but there it is.  And here I am in the middle of a Wuss-out Wednesday post, trying to remember what-all I thought I absolutely had to get done before heading over to the theatre.

Here’s the funny thing:  it did not even occur to me to write a blog post on a break at work today.  I had planned to work on next month’s article for Mohawk Valley Living, the deadline for which is looming.  Unfortunately, I brought the wrong notebook to work with me.  You might think that once I realized that, my thoughts would turn to what other useful writing I could do. Instead I started looking at the script, because I am still struggling with working out a rehearsal schedule.

That was arguably another useful thing to do, but it doesn’t help you much, does it?  Here you tuned into a blog, hoping to read something good, and what did you find?  Me.  Then again, regular readers are probably not surprised.  I guess I’m not either.  Tune in again tomorrow, and we’ll see if I resort to Non-Sequitur Thursday.

 

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A Good Problem on a Tired Tuesday

Posted on March 2, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

This timeI think it really is Writer’s Block.   I just sat here by my notebook for a good ten minutes and no thoughts came through my head and out my fingers.  I was also eating my sammich and vegetables at the same time (although in general I am no fan of multi-tasking).

I finished my lunch in short order, and as you can read, I’m writing now.  Perhaps it isn’t any good, but it’s words on paper.  Sometimes we must take what we can get.

All morning as I worked (yes, when I COULD have been thinking about my blog post), I was obsessing about Leading Ladies, the show I am directing (should I say that every time and should I specify at Ilion Little Theatre?  I don’t like to bore regular readers, but I must also consider those of you who are just tuning in) (if any) (um, I mean if any AT ALL, regular or otherwise).

Thirteen people showed up for auditions Monday night.  That is a marvelous turnout for our little community theatre.  I only need eight actors!  Oh dear, maybe this is not so marvelous after all.  How can I turn people away?  How can I decide who to turn away?  Now what?

I know, it is a great problem to have.  Usually we are making phone calls, sending emails and tearing our hair out.  So I’m not exactly complaining, although I suppose it sounds suspiciously like I am.

Be that as it may, I have now blathered on for over 200 words.  It is Tired Tuesday and I must get to the second night of auditions.  Wouldn’t it be cool if even MORE people showed up?  Maybe I need to find a bigger play.

 

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Maniac Monday

Posted on March 1, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was going to title today’s post “Manic Monday,”  but then I thought about the song of that name and it didn’t really fit.  Now I have the song playing in my head kind of mashed up with “She’s a Maniac” from Flashdance.  I really should exercise more care in crafting these titles.

I knew I would be pressed for time today, because auditions are tonight for Leading Ladies at Ilion Little Theatre (in case you forgot or never knew, that is the play I am directing). That being the case, it would have been a good idea for me to write my blog post earlier, maybe even to have written it and typed it in yesterday.  Yeah, I’m likely to achieve that level of organization and planning at my age.

In my defense, a co-worker nicely brought me a copy of Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I usually read that magazine cover to cover, not just my own article.  It’s a really awesome publication.  So I did not write my blog post, and I’m still not quite ready for auditions.

I just now typed up audition sheets on my computer.   For the uninitiated, the actors fill these out prior to auditioning, and I use them to write comments on.  They ask name, contact information, availability.  Sometimes they ask you to list experience, but I decided I didn’t really care.  I mean, unless I’ve seen them in it, it doesn’t really tell me much.  And if I saw them in it, I probably would remember it.  I asked if they were willing to shave and wear a dress, since the two lead males have to do that.  I was going to put “men only” for that question, but I didn’t like to discriminate.

Longtime readers may remember how when I’m involved in a project this blog eventually becomes All [That Project] All The Time.  I’m afraid I may get to the All Leading Ladies All The Time sooner than expected, unless I really get my act together.  I think we all know the probability of that.  Happy Monday, everybody.

 

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My Spontaneous Friday Night

Posted on February 28, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I don’t have a Scattered Saturday post for this week, but I thought I could give a brief overview of why I was in Ilion, NY at dinnertime yesterday, instead of sensibly and frugally at my home fixing fish sticks or tuna noodle casserole or something.

Directly after work, I went to the Medicine Shoppe to pick up a prescription.  It was not ready (weird renewal situation, not really relevant), but they said they could process it and have it for me in about 45 minutes (in retrospect, they might have said “Four to five minutes,” but, again, not really relevant).

Since I was in the neighborhood, I walked across the parking lot to Ilion Wine and Spirits, to get some of the Pinot Grigio Steven likes (full disclosure: I like it too).  What did I see on their door but a sign advertising a wine tasting that night at five!  Woohoo!  I love wine tasting!  It was only four, but that was a problem patience could easily solve.

“I have a prescription to pick up later,” I said.  “I was wondering if it was worth it to come back out, but now I’m motivated!”

I went home and made vague attempts at doing something useful.  Then the phone rang, and it was my friend Diane.  Diane recently opened Eye Q in New Hartford, NY, an excellent optical establishment.  She gave me a good deal on a truly awesome pair of glasses.  When she heard about the wine tasting, she was happy to meet me at Ilion Wine and Spirits at five.

The wine tasting was from Lakeland Winery from Syracuse.  I’ve tasted their wines before.  The lady that does the tastings is a delight.  She remembered me from the last time we had met at Ilion Wine and Spirits, and even remembered how my husband Steven had joined the tasting already in progress.

“I should go get Steven at work so he can join us this time,” I said.

I ended up doing just that.  Everybody was pleased to see Steven, Steven was pleased to taste some wine, and a delightful time was had by all.  Incidentally, I forgot to mention that the store served crackers and Herkimer Cheese as an accompaniment to the tasting.  Yum!

So that was my Friday, and I’m glad I wrote a blog post about it.  For one reason, I woke up this morning with the dull, draggy feeling that I had wasted my Friday on frivolities.  I see now that I did not.  I had a spontaneous and enjoyable time.  I’m soon off to have a marvelous time at Ilion Little Theatre.  I hope to write about that tomorrow.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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Lame Post Before Drama

Posted on February 20, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

My life for the foreseeable future is going to be DRAMA!  No, I’m not going to be continually having Wrist-to-Forehead whatever day it is (although I suppose it could happen).  I mean my life is going to be theatre, Theatre, THEATRE!   (Yes, I must spell it with with “re”.)  I led with the first sentence for the sake of being, obviously, dramatic.  Who could blame me?

First, however, I shall make my weekly Friday Lame Post.

Earlier today I met with a lady from the Morningstar Methodist Church regarding a murder mystery dinner theatre fundraiser they are presenting in conjunction with Ilion Little Theatre.  Guess who’s writing and directing?  No, I’m not starring as well, although I expect I shall play a small but pivotal role.  It is very exciting for me.  I haven’t done a murder mystery in a long time, although we did them quite frequently in the North Country during the 1990s.

I shall write more blog posts on that project as I continue to work on it.

Additionally, auditions approach for Leading Ladies, Ilion Little Theatre’s spring production, which I am directing.  I must talk with the fellow who promised to build my set and with the lady who agreed to work on costumes.  I must pick out scenes for actors to read at auditions.  I must come up with a sheet for auditioners to fill out, including contact information, availability, etc etc.  And that is only a few of the things I have to think about.

Again, more blog posts will be forthcoming.

I think the first, most important thing I ought to do is to get my act together.  Yeah, I know, good luck with that.   That would be worth a blog post!  In the meantime, happy Friday, everybody.

 

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