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CALLBOARD May 2013 |
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New Kensington Civic Theatre Entertaining the AK Valley for over 65 years |
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Editor, Cindy Ansani
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NEW KENSINGTON CIVIC THEATRE MAY 2013 CALLBOARD
Hey, hey, what do you say, we finally made it to the month of May! We have “Last of the Boys,” Mother’s Day and Memorial Day to celebrate and enjoy.
General Meeting
The general meeting is Friday, May 3, 2013 at the workshop. The planning board is meeting April 22nd; so, we may finally have our 2013-2014 season! We still need volunteers for refreshments for May and June. Aw, come on, it’s not hard to do! A bag of chips and pretzels will do just fine!
Notes and Quotes
In response to my desperate begging for news:
“You seem in need of some stuff, so here is an edited item for all those souls who like gardening.” ---J. Delvecchio
“LAST OF THE BOYS” UPDATE
Two cast members had to drop out as of April 23. Shelly Spataro’s parents are both very ill right now with heart issues. Also, Chris Capo dropped out. Fortunately, Pam and Brandon Farneth have graciously agreed to replace Shelly and Chris. A huge thanks to both of them! We will keep Shelly and her parents in our prayers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~15 Minutes with Denny Sulava~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Denny became a member of NKCT in 1991 after he met Colleen. As Denny put it, “The rest is history.” With his background as a shop teacher, he found working with hammers and saws the most appealing aspect of public theatre. Denny said he was most impressed by the evolution of the shows. It was amazing to him to see a pile of flats and platforms turn into a great-looking set.
His first role ever in a show was his most memorable role. The show was THE BOYS NEXT DOOR and it was directed by Valerie Veltri. He portrayed a mentally challenged man name Norman Bulansky. Norman worked in a doughnut shop and lived in a group home for disabled men. His favorite sayings were “I need my keys” and “doughnuts are snacks.” To this day, there are people who still say “doughnuts are snacks” when they see Denny.
Another reason THE BOYS NEXT DOOR was so memorable was because Denny’s wife, Colleen, was cast in three roles in the show. Because of the story line of the play, Denny told me people left the theatre crying. Denny’s friends told him they were so moved by the show that they couldn’t sleep that night. It was one of the shows he will always remember.
As far as memorable productions, CABARET also fills the bill in several ways. The set was designed by a dear friend, Rita Devlin. Denny took on the job as set builder and, with the assistance of many “helpers,” he replicated Rita’s design piece by piece. Rita was being challenged at that time by an illness that eventually took her from us; but, she managed to muster up enough strength to come and see her masterpiece.
CABARET was the first play in which Denny “danced.” He was taught by his mentor and sweetheart how to fake it by getting placed in the back. By just moving his arms and upper body like everyone else, no one (not even the choreographer) was aware that Denny wasn’t really “dancing.”
I was curious to know what production he would love to do if it had roles for both him and Colleen. Denny feels that THE GIN GAME would be an ideal production for both of them.
In closing, I asked what one role he would love to play if given the opportunity. I was surprised to learn that Denny would jump at the chance to play the Cowardly Lion; “it is truly the only role that I have ever desired to do on stage.”
Thank you, Denny, for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us in the Merry, Merry Month of May!
Respectfully submitted, Cindy Ansani |
