A Night of Comedy

Judy Jacques as Conga Girl	left to right:  Jane Chassey, Barbara Hunt, Ginny Wolfram, Ralph Wolfram
left to right:  Theresa Maniscalco, Ralph Wolfram, Ginny Wolfram, Judy Jacques	Jeanne Brown in a turtle costume for Ducknet
Bob Harrison	Merdudes
The Merdudes led by Theresa Maniscalco.  Merdudes are Galen Bird, Paul Hanson, Ed DeAvilla, Jerry Brown, Sal Musco, Tim McCullen
The act called Ducknet	Charlie Ruhmann
Bodies in the Sand number with back-up singers Ed DeAvilla, Ron Miller, Vince Koehr and Bud Campbell
Betsy Miller in Ducknet	Larry Knopfel and Linda Bird in Ducknet

 August 8, 2009

     HHR’s Theatrical Committee delivered laughs in their first production, “A Night of Comedy”, believing laughter is the best medicine in an active 55-plus community.    

     Imagine the glitz of a Las Vegas Show, combined with local  talent, and you get the reason for August 8^th’s success.  The clubhouse comedy had the feel of an old Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney movie.  The dominant theme: “Hey kids, let’s put on a show!”

     Pure enthusiasm created a night of fun with a sell-out crowd cheering the actors on.  Well, maybe not sell-out…after all, it was free.  Yes, all that hilarity and a non-stop, thirteen-act program were at no cost!

    “A Night of Comedy” was produced by Barbara Hunt and professionally directed by Bob Harrison.  Prop changes were smoothly executed by Ann Zito, Frank and Geri DeCarlo and Pat Kuznitz.  Tech crews consisted of Eddie Webber, Larian Johnson and Charlie Ruhmann.  Charlie Ruhmann designed the program art, and Vince Koehr made signs.  The show couldn’t have happened on schedule without the amazing help of our very own clubhouse hero, Ted Rhodes.

    Hostesses, Monte Kay Johnson and Beverly Lechnir, made sure guests had an experience that rivaled the Fox Theater.

     Imagine the audience’s surprise when the show was kicked off by a conga line led by Judy Jacques.  What a way to “warm up an audience”.  After a record-breaking speedy costume change, Judy Jacques starred in “Internet Dating Part I”.  Judy waited for a blind date she had only seen as an online picture.  Imagine her shock (and the audiences’) when a Merdude with Marge Simpson-like blue hair showed up.  Judy said, “You don’t look anything like your picture!” 

     Tim McCullen kept a perfectly straight face through it all, and couldn’t understand Judy’s rejection as her new Prince Charming. 

     The audience was glued to this three-part act which unfolded like a soap opera.  Judy’s other co-actors were Gordon Wilkinson and Ed DeAvilla.  Judy wrote her act and we hope she’s got more for upcoming shows.

     If you weren’t able to attend that night, you might ask, “What’s a ‘Merdude’?   But if you were there, you’ll remember Theresa Maniscalco instructing her Merdudes  to perform their summer, poolside water-ballet show routine.   Who will ever forget Galen Bird, Paul Hanson, Ed DeAvilla, Jerry Brown, Sal Musco, and Tim McCullen in lipstick and flowered,bathing caps, as Esther William’s synchronized,bathing beauties.  Theresa wrote, choreographed, and directed her entire act. 

     Later, our hot new writing team, Theresa and Judy, put together “The Old Baseball Ladies”. 

     In Act III, “Ageless Love”, we were now in Walgreen’s Drug Store.  Ginny and Ralph Wolfram appeared as a highly excited, soon-to-be-married, elderly couple, along with pharmacist, Ron Maniscalco.   The couple rattled off a long list of items they needed which included Depends and Hemorrhoid Cream (by the way, it’s located in the Ladies’ Cosmetics Aisle).  When Ron asked them why they needed all this, they answered, “It’s for our bridal registry!”

     The audience cheered the classic favorite performed by Bob Harrison and Tim McCullen playing Abbott and Costello in “Who’s On First?”.  Bob Harrison was also convincing as a country bumpkin who witnessed his first football game in “What It Was, Was Football”. 

     Ron Miller was a red-neck comedian whose polished monologue built up to the best punch line ever.  We want him back!

     Charlie Ruhmann said, “Let’s take a break from all this silliness”, only to give us more knee-slapping humor. 

     Charlie’s number, “Bodies in the Sand”, had lovely backup singers:  Ed DeAvilla, Ron Miller, Vince Koehr and Bud Campbell,  attired in long hair, hula skirts, and nothing much else but coconuts.  HHR’s rendition of the Beach Boy hit, “Kokomo”, was something not soon forgotten. 

     Charlie Ruhmann and a 7-person ensemble performed  “The Paper Dress” to the tune of the “Tennessee Waltz”.  Charlie, The Dapper Dans (Jeanne Brown, Larry Knopfel, Fred Meier, Tom Gill, Larian Johnson) sang back-up, as we saw Sharon Brooks and Sal Musco do a dance that kept us guessing what was going to happen next.  This act delivered laughs from the moment Sal stepped out in a newspaper dress and glamorous long, blond wig.

     The crowd pleaser, “Ducknet”, was a favorite. Betsy Miller, Shirley Kruse, Larry Knopfel, Linda Hanson, Linda Bird and Jeanne Brown performed this act in the style of “Dragnet”. 

     Jeanne Brown brought real class to the show in three acts:  as a turtle in “Ducknet”; accompanying The Dapper Dans; and during a rousing solo titled ” These Are My Favorite Things”. 

     The jewel in the crown was announcer Jane Chassey whose vitality and humor kept the show going at a fast pace.  Jane raises the bar on everything she does from sports to card games.  She’s the winning formula in any project.

     A positive attitude, the hard work of forty cast and crew,  a refusal to let the lack of a great sound system stop them, the show opened exactly on time.  But, the real magic was the best audience any production could possibly have.  They were supportive, forgiving, and out for a night of fun!

     Barbara Hunt had the brilliant idea for the show while on a HHR bike club outing led by club president Veta Cairns.  Fellow bike rider Ann Allard fell into the role of stage manager (she thought she was just going to go for coffee for the cast and crew).   She still doesn’t know exactly what a stage manager is.  Biker, Tim McCullen became Casting Director, as he convinced perfectly reasonable men in the neighborhood to put on makeup and wigs. 

     How are they going to top that night?  Theresa Maniscalco’s already has the answer.  “I think we should do a Mystery, Dinner-Theater Night!” 

     The sky’s the limit!  Only this time, with their newly found confidence, and with one hit already under their belts, you better believe this cast is going to charge for the next show.  And they might even throw in an autograph or two!