From the Inside Out

Mark your calendars because it’s back! The tale of the “Last Chance Inn” continues at McKinney Repertory Theatre in May. Familiar characters from Hartburn Hotel will return in this “popcorn tossing” melodrama that guarantees laughs and entertainment for all ages. The latest saga, Blame it on the Pony Express, opens on May 13 for a two week run.

I will be reprising my role as Ivory Keyes, and I have to say that I’m really excited about stepping back into her shoes. She’s a fun character, plus I get to put my piano skills to use when playing Ivory. Joining me will be a host of other actors playing the roles of many of the beloved characters from the previous play. We have an outstanding cast who will bring those characters to life. Our first rehearsal, a read through of the entire play, was held tonight and laughter was abundant. It’s going to be a great show. I can’t wait!

Here’s your first glimpse of the diorama depicting our stage, the interior of the Last Chance Inn.

Did you notice my tiny, tiny piano? It’s SO cute!

A close up view of Ivory’s piano

My view from across the table looking at a couple of the cast members and our director

Mark your calendar for ALC’s next drama production, The Prison.

The Prison is a dramatic look at the lives of three strangers cast into prison with no explanation and seemingly no hope for release.  Performances will be held on May 1 and 2 at 7:30 pm. Admission is free, and childcare will be provided for children 5 and under.

Hope to see you there!

2021 E. Park Bled.

Plano, TX 75074

Gary and I wrote a play last year for the ALC Drama Players. And Then There Was One is a “whodunit” murder mystery. Ten strangers are snowed in, out of power, and no one can escape. One by one people start dying until there’s only one person left.

The play was a big hit at ALC, and I was approached earlier this year by a church in Denison that wanted to use it for a dinner theater production this summer. We made a few arrangements and voila! It was done.

Tonight we went to see the show. They made us feel very special from the moment we arrived. We got the best seats in the house and were recognized by the organizers of the show. I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers at the end along with a gift card for dinner. It was such a nice treat!

We had a fabulous evening. The food was great, and the cast did an outstanding job with the production. I really enjoyed watching what the directors and actors did with the characters. That’s the great thing about a play. It’s a living entity. Each actor brings a bit of their own personality to a character, so it’s always a little different depending on who is playing the part. In addition, the cast threw in a few surprises which had me laughing out loud. Below is a picture I snapped during Act One.

Watching the show was a neat experience although it’s difficult to explain exactly how I felt as others performed my work. I’m having trouble putting it into words. I guess I’d have to say that it was a mixture of joy, excitement and pride coupled with a sense of accomplishment. I’m so thankful that God has used us to reach out to people and convey His message through drama evangelism. Now that message is extending beyond the walls of ALC. Isn’t that amazing?

Lights…camera…action! Pirates of Patmos opened tonight, and we had an outstanding crowd. The energy from the audience was amazing; that’s what makes acting so much fun.

After a “so-so” dress rehearsal plagued with costuming issues and sick actors, I was really nervous about the performance tonight, but I’m pleased to report that everything went flawlessly. God was definitely listening to our prayers!

I couldn’t be happier about tonight’s production. We received rave reviews from the friends, family and guests who were in attendance. We posed with the kids who wanted photos with our characters and had a really fun evening.

While the play is intended to be a lighthearted and fun pirate adventure, it does have a message. It’s one that I hope people will remember long after tonight. Even though I really enjoy putting on these productions, we don’t just do them for the fun of it. Ultimately, our goal is to minister to people through drama, leaving a message of hope and redemption.

Well, it’s really late, and I have to get up early tomorrow. I’ll try to write more about the Pirates experience when I have more time. In the mean time, you can check out the new photos in the Photos section of the blog.

Thanks to everyone who came out tonight to support us.

We will do it all over again tomorrow, and I can’t wait!

To quote from “Office Space”:

“Let me ask you something. When you come in on Monday, and you’re not feelin’ real well, does anyone ever say to you, ‘Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays’?” 

Yes, I had one of those days today.  I had a million things to do and no energy to get it done.  To make matters worse, I also had to cover for one of my employees who was out sick.  After back-to-back conference calls, countless action items, fire drills, and impossibly short deadlines, I’m spent.  Really, I should have been working all night, but I didn’t have the energy for it, so I crashed instead.  Hopefully, Tuesday will bring better things.

On a brighter note,  I have started to work on the script for the ALC Players’ next drama production.  It’s a pirate tale with a rather suprising twist (I’d tell you all about it, but I don’t want to spoil it for you).  It’ll be tough to pull off on an amateur stage, but I think everyone is up for the challenge.  It’s going to be lots of fun. 

We’ll be performing it this summer — June 20-21 to be exact.  Put it on your calendar; you won’t want to miss it.