Community blog entries

80th Anniversary Season for Shorewood Players

DominicDavis — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:52:24 GMT

Milwaukee’s 2009-10 theatre season has several milestone anniversaries, but none older than The Shorewood Players. On November 26, 1930 The Play Production Club of the Shorewood Opportunity School (later part of MATC) staged three one-act plays under the direction of Mildred Reynolds. When those plays (Columbine, A Harlem Tragedy and Dust of the Road) were staged in Arnold Hall at Atwater School, the Shorewood Players were born. In 1936, the group (then named The Playshop) moved to newly dedicated Shorewood Auditorium. This WPA project was modeled after the RKO Theatre in New York City, and was considered to be the second finest school auditorium at the time (surpassed only by Yale University). The Playshop’s first production in this venue on Nov 12 and 14 was The Insect Comedy (The World We Live In) by Josef and Karel Capek, and directed by Paul Norris. Attendance exceeded the 1200 seat capacity of the Auditorium, leading to an encore performance on Dec. 4. The Playshop became the Shorewood Players in about 1947. Over the years, notable directors have moved the Players in new directions. From 1946 to 1970, Curt Haensel directed five full length productions per year, totaling 144 in his Players career. Haensel had been an actor, director and owner of a movie studio before leaving Nazi Germany in 1939, eventually settling in Milwaukee. He loved comedies, but did not shy away from serious plays of the era, like The Glass Menagerie, Death of a Salesman and The Andersonville Trials. “It is our purpose to give people a well balanced diet. We have in mind particularly a public that loves good theatre but can ill afford to pay the prices a touring company must charge. We have uplift in mind, but neither do we have time for trash.” –Curt Haensel MATC support ended in 1970, and the Players struggled for several seasons as an independent organization. In the late 1970s, the Shorewood Recreation Department sponsored the Players as a financially self-sustaining organization. Since Haensel’s retirement, two people stand out among those who led Players shows. Betty Paige (Board President: 1980 – early 1990s) and Terry Grazer (Director: early 1990s --2004) are responsible for memorable productions over many years. The Players now have a rotation of directors for its three-show season. On July 1, 2009, the Players became independent once again, as an active corps of volunteers continue the mission of a vibrant community theatre. This season opens on Nov 13-22 with the zany Mel Brooks musical The Producers, directed by Terry Grazer. –Dominic Davis, Shorewood Players, with information from Bernard D. Greeson and Shorewood Historical Society.

There I Was, Innocently Checking Out Our Final Haunt Spot

susanscotfry — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:46:04 GMT

Hey, I’m just beta testing our newest Haunt Spots tour here. Now’s not the time for a paranormal experience. Oh, yeah?

Last night, we were checking out the final destination in Caper Company’s newest tour “A No Safe Haven Caper” – scheduled to debut on Thursday. We need to make sure that the written directions will get you where you need to go, that the Caper is all do-able, etc. Check — check — check. Couple tweaks here and there and it’s looking good. We’re on track to get this baby off the launching pad.

(actual stream of consciousness) “Oookaaay… what’s that smell? OMG! It’s the smell I described in this tour at this destination. Is it? Yes, it is! It’s an honest to goodness confirmation of one of the reports of paranormal activity for this Haunt Spot. Yes! Wait! Augh! Get me out of here! Hey, does Ron smell that too? Yes! Wait! He never detects anything paranormal. Does that mean that this place is especially potent or … what? Who cares! Get me out of here!”

This experience reminded me of something one Caper Company fan wrote to me recently about how it doesn’t matter how many time she visits this Haunt Spot destination — something always seems to happen. Ditto.

When you least expect it.

What’s Your Ghost Story?

Susan Scot Fry

Caper Company Tours LLC

www.CaperCompany.com

Wally Dog is a Surprise

smapes27 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:25:58 GMT

Just when we think we have Wally Dog figured out, he surprises us. For the last two nights, he has put himself to bed. The kids go up to bed and he goes down to his crate without being told. Wonderful! We’ve had Wally Dog for eight years and he just keeps getting better!

Ethel is trying to think of a treat to make for him for the Wally Dog Wear custom dog clothing line. Perhaps a new dog t-shirt, custom coat, or a new doggy treat recipe to post on the website and give to him to enjoy. Hmm…

A Kidder Kaboodle

ItsMrLucky — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:37:10 GMT

Tuesday November 3rd, 2009 - St. Charles, IL

   Big Jerry’s Kidders summit today. The four of us have been out of touch for a while for various reasons, most of them legit. We needed to get back on the same page so we met at Portillo’s in St. Charles, IL, right across from the Pheasant Run Resort. Portillo’s is a very popular hot dog restaurant chain in the Chicago area that has achieved legendary status.

   I was turned on to them back in the ‘80s when I first moved to Chicago. They serve hot dogs and Polish sausages and Italian beef sandwiches among other things. It’s not a fancy menu but they really do it right and every location seems to have lines around the joint for the drive through window at all hours of the day. People in Chicagoland LOVE Portillo’s.

   The guy who started it has become a celebrity in town and there are now probably about 40 or 50 locations, mostly in the suburbs. There’s a picture in every one of where it began in 1963, and it’s this tiny little mini house looking thing that isn’t very impressive at all.

   What’s extremely impressive is the business the guy built out of that little cart. He has a gold mine and I’m sure he’s a millionaire many times over. Good for him. He found a gig and did it well, and in a town where hot dog joints are everywhere - his brand stands out.

   His places are always very clean and well run and there’s a vibe of efficiency whenever I walk in, no matter the location. He’s got the mojo working, and I respect the guy beyond words. I’ve never met him but I’d like to shake his hand someday and say how much of a fan I am of his accomplishments. I know nothing about hot dogs but I admire Portillo’s.

    Another guy I admire a lot is ‘Famous Dave’ Anderson. I did get to meet him years ago when I interviewed him on the radio in Salt Lake City. There’s another guy who made his mark on a competitive business and stands out because of his quality and efficiency. I’ve always been a fan of Famous Dave’s restaurants because I see how well they‘re operated.

   I don’t want to get into the restaurant business but if I did, I’d gladly work for either one of those places. Someone in charge has a clue, and they know what they’re doing. I would bet they’ll both be around for a while and I’d have to feel good about my job being safe.

   Job security was the main issue of our meeting today. We’re all concerned about money right now and wanted to get on the same page of how we’re going to move forward in the next twelve months with the Kidders brand both on radio and as a live performing show.

We’ve got opportunities on the horizon but nothing is in stone and we all have to make a living NOW. If anyone gets hired to do something else it could easily jeopardize all of our hard work as a group and nobody wants that to happen. We’re in a delicate situation here.

   Our play with Vicki Quade is moving ahead, but that takes time. None of us can say for sure we’ll be making our living doing it in 2010. Portillo’s built a hot dog empire but they focused on one thing and did it right. Jerry’s Kidders now need to focus on our product.

Eleven Percent

ItsMrLucky — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:14:38 GMT

Monday November 2nd, 2009 - Chicago, IL

   Back at Zanies in Chicago after a week off. It felt good to get back in a groove but I’m wrestling with the same issues I’ve always had with time management. I spent all day at home working on tedious but necessary tasks like sorting receipts and answering emails.

   I intended to get a walk in but I had so many other things to do, I just didn’t get around to it today. I was on a roll doing what I was doing so I decided that was being productive and chose to keep doing it. There’s no way I can do everything I want to do in each day.

   That’s unbelievably frustrating but also reality so I have to make my choices carefully. Today was the tentative start of a new session of comedy classes so I had to be at Zanies by 6pm to see if anyone showed up. We did get a turnout and I’ve got a few more on the fence so hopefully we can squeeze in one more class session before the end of the year.

   I’ve come too far with this project to just let it die and I refuse to let that happen. I have a proven system that has taken years to develop and it’s still getting better because I work at it all the time. I know I have a dynamic product, now I have to market it to the masses.

   Having Zanies in my corner doesn’t hurt. They have been good to me and have stood by their promise to let me be their exclusive comedy teacher. No matter how many others try to set up shop in Chicago, I’ve got the cherry location everyone craves. That’s one chip in my favor but I still have to get the word out so people know that classes are available.

   Bert Haas and I had a meeting after the show tonight to discuss exactly that. He wants a set schedule for the classes, much like Second City has for their improv classes. They’re a money machine when it comes to that and that’s great, but now even they’ve jumped on a growing bandwagon and added standup classes. It’s time to claim this and make it mine.

   I listened to some great audio programs on the way to and from Zanies today. I’m trying to pack my head with quality thoughts at every turn. Tony Robbins had my ear on the way there and Wayne Dyer was my choice for the way home. I enjoy listening to both of them.

   Every person in that field has virtually the same message, but they’re all correct - what a person thinks about most of the time, becomes reality. Many use the phrase “Thoughts are things” or some variation of it and it’s very true. Our thoughts can be our biggest boost or our biggest bust, and ultimately we’re the ones who control them. That’s the basic theme.

   And a most splendid theme it is. Even George Clinton has a variation of it with one of his album titles - “Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow.” No matter how it’s said, the truth is all of us have a lot of untapped power inside our coconut that stays unused.

   We’ve all heard the statistic that we use about 10% of our total brainpower. Who’s the one measuring this? I think they’re WAY high on that number, but if it’s true all I’ll need to do is use 11% of mine and I’ll be looked at as a genius. I think I still have a way to go.

Milwaukee's Jenny Crain: Finding Her Stride

Bernie4 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:24:58 GMT

In August 2007, I was still living in Columbus, Ohio. My familiarity with Milwaukee had been confined to the weekend trip I'd taken in April earlier that year to visit my brother, who was in his first year at Marquette Law. My brother lived on North Prospect, just two blocks north of Brady Street. In August 2007, I didn't know that at the very same intersection I'd crossed with my brother months before, the life of a celebrated runner would be forever changed, her dreams of Olympic glory would be silenced in a matter of seconds.

I recently read an article in Runner's World magazine about the sad story of Milwaukee runner Jenny Crain, and the hope she's given others in her ongoing rehablilitation at Mt. Carmel hospital. The top American female finisher in the 2004 New York City Marathon and three-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier was struck by a car at the intersection of Brady and Farwell after going on one of her routine runs down Lincoln Memorial Drive one summer afternoon.

I was glued to the lengthy article, weaving in stories from her childhood to her time spent training for races and finally to the life she now knows in the brain-injury unit at the Rehabilitation Center in Mt. Carmel. I wanted to know the bubbly warmth of the pre-accident Jenny. I wanted to meet the survivor in the post-accident Jenny. In both incarnations of this inspirational woman, I found strength, tenacity, hope and endurance. The endurance of a marathon runner and the endurance of someone whose biggest goal is to walk 40 feet across a room.

I moved to Milwaukee's East Side in the summer of 2008, just blocks north of where Jenny Crain's life changed forever. I've run that route down Lincoln Memorial countless times, to the bench-lined walkway past the Milwaukee Art Museum, up to the Summerfest grounds and looping around Lakeshore State Park and back again. I've crossed the Brady Street Bridge and continued onward, just like Jenny did that morning. Though it may be cliched, it was hard for me to recount that running route, putting myself in her beat-up Sauconys, and not think "That could have been me." The truth is, it could have. It could have been any one of the East Siders who cross that intersection every day. I'm humbled by the thought that a world-class athlete could be struck down so quickly. But it happened, and life can't be turned back.

I know I'm a little late on this story (over two years late, actually), but hearing about it now, and the details of her recovery, I can't help but feel sad for the dream that will never be realized, but hopeful for a new set of goals for Jenny to achieve. Her stride may be changed, but the finish line is never too far from sight.

If you're looking for inspiration today, please read her incredible story from Runner's World here: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--13329-1-1X2X3X4X5X6X7X8X9X10X11-12,00.html

Wally Dog REALLY Dislikes the Flu

smapes27 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:54:29 GMT

Ethel is going to make Wally Dog a Wally Dog Wear custom nursing dog coat. Only Ethel, Wally, and the cat are feeling well. Don’t know if it is the flu…but whatever it is, it’s bad. Aargh! Wally is hoping to stay well.

· Some Tips for Avoiding the Flu

· Wash your hands frequently

· Rinse your nasal passages with salt water

· Gargle salt water

· Stay hydrated

· Drinking warm fluids helps to clear the germs from your mouth and throat

· Stay away from those infected when you can