The Hyannis Village Players will perform skits, duets, solos, and selected musical numbers to celebrate Valentine's Day on Sunday, February 13 at the Longhorn Inn in Hyannis. The Cabaret- style evening will commence with a cash bar manned by the Hyannis Eagles Club at 6:00 PM, followed by a prime rib dinner at 7:00.

Sherri Wheelock is preparing the meal. The Village Players will perform at 8:00 PM that evening.

"Hyannis doesn't have a great many entertainment options" says Floydene Wilder, Village Players president and participant in this year's Cabaret; "Its been awhile since we have done anything and the group thought the time was right to present another Valentine's Day Cabaret." Wilder stated.

The Village Players have filled the entertainment niche at Valentine's Day many times during the past, but it has been four years since the last VP Valentine's Day Cabaret. "We're working on some new material which should make the evening fun-filled and enjoyable" says John Glenn who writes many of the skits performed by the VPs and serves as their master of ceremonies. Glenn's antics are well known around Hyannis and Glenn is often hired by other organizations to entertain at miscellaneous parties and roasts.

Tickets are $18.00 and are being sold for the event by VP members. All tickets should be purchased by February 8 to help the cooks determine the quantity of food needed. Reservations are being taken by mail at Box 348, Hyannis, NE 69350, or by phoning Della Hayward at (308) 458-2230. Email reservations may be made at della@NEB-sandhills.net.

This performance is underwritten, in part, by a grant from the Nebraska Arts Council. For further information contact Al Davis at (308) 458-2220.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:March 15, l999
Contact: Dottie Davis
Phone: (308) 458-2220
E Mail: adavis@neb-sandhills.net

VP RITA GLENN NAMED "BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS" IN STATEWIDE NACT COMPETITION

Village Player Rita Glenn (Pictured here with Steve Fouse and Les Schreurs) was named "Best Supporting Actress" in the Nebraska Assn. for Community Theatres all-state competition, held the weekend of March 6 in Broken Bow, NE.

Glenn played the role of "Kari" in the production, "Talk to me, Jack", which was written by fellow VP, Chris Gentry. This was the premier performance of "Jack", which is to have an encore performance in Hyannis on March 27.

"Talk to Me, Jack" marks Glenn's 12th VP production, since she starred in "The Foreigner" in 1989. She has previously participated in two NACT competitions, "The Rainmaker" in 1993, and "The Shadow Box" in 1997.

Gentry received a special NACT award for his original script.

First place award for overall best production went to the Broken Bow Players, for their rendering of "Schubert's Last Serenade", directed by the talented Judy Moninger. The Lofte Theatre of Lincoln placed second with "Patio/Porch", directed by Will Cover. The VPs' "Talk To Me, Jack", directed by Al Davis, took third-place honors.

In addition to Glenn and Gentry, the show starred Les Schreurs , Floydene Wilder, Steve Fouse, and Al Davis.

HYANNIS RANCHER'S PLAY TO PREMIER AT NACT FESTIVAL '99

When the Village Players compete in the Nebraska Association Community Theatres Festival on March 6th, they will take a special pride in performing an original script by VP member, Chris Gentry. "Talk To Me, Jack" will have its premier at the Festival, to be held in Broken Bow, NE. Gentry is a Cherry County rancher-turned-playwright, who conceived much of the script as he rode in his pick-up feeding cattle, with the pastoral sandhills scenery as an inspirational backdrop. Chris is also performing in the production. Veteran VP, Al Davis, will direct the show.

"Talk to Me, Jack" tells the story of a group of people brought together by the death of a gifted musician and hobbyist named Jack. As his friends, co-workers, and relatives meet to sort through his belongings, they explore his life and question what could have led to his death. Each of them must come to their own conclusions, drawing from their limited relationship with Jack. Eric, his best friend, only begins to work through his confusion and grief when Jack returns and attempts to guide him toward understanding.

The Village Players members are thrilled to be producing this show, particularly for the NACT competition. "The other theatre people who attend have seen a lot of plays. It's nice to be able to present something original for their enjoyment," said VP Dottie Davis. "We're really proud to be doing Chris' play and we think he's done a wonderful job with a very challenging theme," she added. The play features Les Schreurs , Floydene Wilder, Steve Fouse, Al Davis, Chris Gentry, and Rita Glenn. John Glenn, Karin Schreurs, Ginger Fouse, Dennis Wilder, and Dottie Davis will be assisting backstage and in the wings.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:August 4, l998
Contact: Al Davis
Phone: (308) 458-2220
E Mail: adavis@neb-sandhills.net

"HIGHWAY 2 PLAYERS" DO THEATRE IN THE FAST LANE

You've heard of "theatre in the round", but how about "theatre on the run"??? That's exactly what's been served up by Nebraska's newest and most mobile community theatre company, The Highway 2 Players.

On Monday morning, August 3rd, the cast of "She Was Only a Farmer's Daughter" was back at their "real jobs" feeling like it was all a dream. Did they really meet up with a band of old and new friends at a roadside inn along Highway 2 for three long rehearsals in five short days? Did they then hit the road to stage a full-length production three times within 36 hours?

No, it wasn't a dream (though it sounds like an actor's nightmare!). For the veteran members of the "Highway 2 Players", it was simply business as usual. This is the second time the troupe (made up of members of the Hyannis Village Players and Broken Bow Community Players) has teamed up for a summer performance, and the process is starting to seem routine.

"Only A Farmer's Daughter", a classic Millard Crosby melodrama, was directed by Al Davis of the Hyannis VPs. VPs in the cast were Les Schreurs, Tricia Ferguson, and Beth Ferguson. Sandy Yorges joined the crew as accompanist. Chris Gentry and Dottie Davis provided technical and other assistance.

Broken Bow contributed the talents of Judy Moninger, Jaime Weber, Steve Gobel, Jim Hartman, and Sharon Miller. Moninger provided the costuming, in addition to handling the bookings, tour coordination, and publicity.

The cast members(all of whom were assigned roles and sent scripts in advance) met three times at Stubbs Restaurant in Thedford in the week prior to the performances. They went straight to work under the direction of Davis on getting the show blocked and polished. On Friday, August 31, after just three rehearsals, they were ready for the curtain to go up in Hyannis. The show went off without a hitch.

On Saturday, they traveled to Broken Bow, where they performed in open-air at the Custer County Fair. After an evening of respite and revelry in Broken Bow, they moved on to Uncle Buck's Lodge in Brewster, NE, and presented a matinee.

Cast and crew members remarked that the fast friendships made during the whirlwind week are the highlight of the experience. A true sense of camraderie develops in a very short time, and there are lots of laughs that make the grueling pace worthwhile.

"The Highway 2 Players" is a name which was jokingly selected at first, but it fits so well that it's now semi-official. The two contributing theatre companies are situated on scenic Nebraska Highway 2, and the rehearsals are held at a mid-point along that same road. Two years ago, they produced "No Opry at the Opry House Tonight", and performed it over a single weekend at Hyannis, Broken Bow, Anselmo, and Thedford, NE.

The key ingredients required to insure the success of "theatre on the run" are professionalism and commitment on the part of the participants. Advance preparation is essential, as is the willingness to travel great distances for rehearsals and shows. Actors from the two theatre companies had to drive 70 miles to meet for the Thedford rehearsals, and the time zone change created a bit of havoc with other job responsibilities. "You also have to be flexible about accomodations," according to one cast member. "The 'dressing room' is likely to be a van, a restroom stall---or even the great outdoors."

Given the success of the first two shows, it's likely that The Highway 2 Players are here to stay. As they pitched in to strike their set after the last performance this summer,they were already discussing their production for the '99 "season". Who will be in the cast or where they'll perform remains to be seen. The Highway 2 Players only know that they "just can't wait to get on the road again."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:April 1, l998
Contact: Al Davis
Phone: (308) 458-2220
E Mail: adavis@neb-sandhills.net

TUNA A HIT IN HYANNIS

The Village Players performed "Greater Tuna" at the Longhorn Inn in Hyannis on March 28th, after sweeping the state with their current zany production over the past three weeks. Director Al Davis, interviewed as he loaded the VP horse trailer with the last remnants of the set following a recent show at the historic Thorpe Opera House in David City, NE was nearly speechless when asked to comment on the show. "John Glenn and Les Schreurs are tremendous! We had no idea that guys that OLD could have so much stamina!". Davis was referring to the 39 costume changes required for the two actors in the challenging production. Fishy as it may sound, "Tuna" requires that the two actors portray a total of 19 different characters.

The tour was slated to grind to a screeching halt following the Players' performance of "Tuna" in Hyannis, but it appears the show may not be put to bed as planned. Apparently the two beleaguered actors, who have sprinted in and out of a grand total of 117-odd costumes--- and we DO mean ODD ---are willing to keep the show alive for a few more road shows. The play has been a hit at every stop, with crowd favorites being Glenn as the harried Bertha Beumiller and sweet little Aunt Pearl, and Schreurs as Betha's misfit boy, Stanley, and the seductive and breathy Dida Snavely. Sound technician Dottie Davis remarked that the guys have great legs, considering their age and gender. Backstage dressers and do-everything-elsers, Karin Schreurs and Rita Glenn, looked shell-shocked after the most recent performance. They were treated and released for velcro burns on their flying fingers following the last show. Chris Gentry has been a faithful and indispensible roadie, taking time away from his duties as a real cowboy on his Cherry County ranch.

The Hyannis show on March 28th offered an opportunity for local friends of the fine arts to see the show for the first time. Performing at the once-cafe-now-theatre posed some peculiar challenges for the crew, which finally settled on a "theatre-in-the-trapezoid" staging scheme. Amazingly, it worked well and will probably be copied in other theatre towns, like New York, etc.