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Niles, Michigan
 Temp: 66°FHumidity: 73%Wind: SW at 9 mphDew Point: 57°FClouds: overcastConditions: light rain Visibility: 10 miles |
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May 23rd, 2013
May 24th, 2013
May 25th, 2013 |
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| Four Flags Event Calendar |
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WWII Play Make It Home
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One week before WWII landing craft bring hundreds of soldiers to Tiscornia Beach for Lest We Forget’s WWII Re-enactment, the stage will be set by talented, local playwright Larry Nielsen. On June 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. and June 24 at 2 p.m., Nielsen will direct the WWII-era play he has authored. Make It Home will be performed at the Hanson Theatre at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center. A live Auction of vast and valuable items to benefit Lest We Forget follows the Sunday Matinee and is open to everyone, in addition to play attendees, at 4 p.m.
Larry Nielsen describes the play in his own words…
It is the mid-1960s, approximately 20 years after the war. Sally, a homefront married woman of 20, whose husband went off to fight the war, is now in her mid 40s. Sally’s husband was drafted and trained as a paratrooper to fight in Europe. Her two brothers also served.
Evelyn, a young girl of 10 when Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor - and who saw her father and older brother go off to war - is now in her early 30s. Evelyn's father and brother joined the Navy. She grew up during the war years.
Nelly, the oldest of the men to go to war at age 31, is now in his mid 50s. Nelly enlisted in the Air Corps and flew missions in the Pacific.
Sam, Mark, Bobby and Eddie were 18, 19 or 20 when they went to war and now are in their mid- 40s. Sam enlisted in the Army and was a part of the 106th Division, fighting in Europe.
Eddie enlisted and became a Marine, fighting in the Pacific. Mark enlisted after the Pearl Harbor bombing; going with five of his buddies after school one day to the recruiting office. He joined the Navy and was a Seabee, Naval Construction Battalion. He saw action in the Pacific. Bobby was inducted in the Army and was a rifleman who fought in Europe. These characters are examples of the young men who fought WWII and “saved the world.”
The multi-media play covers the time period in the lives of all seven cast members just before the war; their training, their fighting, and continues through V-E and V-J days. Stories they share are taken from many first-person accounts and oral histories of those who lived through and those who fought in WWII. These many accounts have been woven into the seven characters of the play. The words are largely as told with some editing for dramatic effect.
Integral in the play is war-era music. These melodies reflect the mood of a country going to war, the soldiers and those at home. Selections include: We Did It Before and We Can Do It Again, Goodbye Mamma I'm Off to Yokohama, Till Then, Comin' In On a Wing and a Prayer, Stalin Wasn't Stallin, and Leave the Dishes in the Sink, Ma. The cast recorded war-time classics like Rosie the Riveter, I'll Be Seeing You, You Can't Get That No More and (I'll Be With You) In Apple Blossom Time as pre-show and intermission music.
The multi-media play, thanks to Marty Golob and TPC Technologies, Inc in Niles, includes photos from Lest We Forget members that reflect the actions portrayed throughout the play. Projected for the audience to see, they connect words with pictures and add dramatic effect.
The Cast includes (no particular order): Sam - portrayed by Robert Myers. Bob is curator of the History Center at Courthouse Square, Berrien Springs. A veteran actor and director at Twin City Players, Inc. (TCP), Myers recently directed Escanaba in Love and the reprise of Escanaba in the Moonlight. Nelly - played by John Taylor, a veteran of the TCP stage making numerous appearances. John is a wonderful baritone and was on stage with TCP's Hometown Broadway.
Mark - played by Mitchell (Mitch) Conrad of St. Joseph, who has been in various productions of Doug Fordyce's Kids on Stage and TCP productions of Rabbit Hole and Escanaba in Love. Mitch is terrific singing tenor or baritone. Bobby - portrayed by Stuart Coulston of Niles. Stuart has performed with TCP's production of Above the Tavern and with Children's Music Workshop and Niles High School productions. Stuart is 2nd Runner Up to Mr. Blossomtime, 2012 and accomplished singer as tenor. Sally - portrayed by Aubrey Iwan, has been in TCP productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Hometown Broadway. The accomplished dancer sings soprano. Evelyn - portrayed by Rachel Thursby of St. Joseph. She has been in nearly every production at St. Joseph High School and was featured in Children's Music Workshop's Teen Stock production of Shirt Powers. Besides being an accomplished actress, she is wonderful singing alto.
The Crew includes (no particular order): Tami Walton, the musical accompanist having done such for many TCP productions. Scott Bradford, Technical Director/Assistant Director. Bradford is a veteran actor, singer and director with TCP. Directing efforts with TCP include Annie and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Larry Nielsen - director. Nielsen has directed numerous productions for TCP including Book of Days, Proof, A Christmas Carol, A Piece of My Heart, Love Letters, and Over the Tavern.
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the door. For more information please contact Don Alsbro, President of Lest We Forget, at 269-925-7176 or email dealsbro@sbcglobal.net.
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Saturday the 23rd o June 2012 [ All Events This Day ]
This event occurs on multiple dates. [ All Events in this Series ]
Location
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Lake Michigan College
Hanson Theatre in the Medel Center
2755 East Napier
Benton Harbor, MI 49120 |
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