Straw Hat Players Moorhead Mn - early 1970s? - The Miracle Worker

I'll post a couple more photos in honor of the 50th anniversary of Moorhead's summer theatre company, the Straw Hat Players - performing on the Minnesota State University campus in Moorhead.

My 7 years with the company somewhat blend together in my mind - without company lists and programs to help.   I'm not sure about the date of the photo below.

 
Above is a long shot from one of my favorite serious roles, Annie in  THE MIRACLE WORKER.
I'm lower left on pic with the young Helen Keller played by a girl named Heidi.  She was beyond wonderful.

In one scene Helen signed letters into a dog's paw.  And one night the dog in our cast walked offstage in the beginning of this scene. (Perhaps acting was not in his bloodlines.)

Mr. Keller and I continued the dialogue, knowing that soon we would reach the point when the father tells Annie that teaching Helen is a hopeless task - she doesn't know the signs are language - it's just a game... after all, she's signing to a dog. 

With no dog I wasn't sure what we were going to do... But... about two lines from the moment we needed the dog, our Helen picked up her doll from its buggy.  And she signed into the doll's hand.  Mr. Keller substituted "doll" for "dog" and we continued on as written except for that one word.

During act break Dr. Hansen asked Heidi,  "How did you think of using the doll?"   Looking surprised, as if it was no big deal, she said, "Well, the dog wasn't there."

Straw Hat Players Revisted - 1972 (?)

Photo is from production of a Neil Simon play:
LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS.

Great fun.  My character was Bobbie. The lead actor was Les Sarnoff... an amazingly funny man.

Probably from the summer season of 1972... I recognize the pantsuit... think I bought it earlier that year in Fargo or Moorhead... for an après wedding outfit, something new and something blue...   

Straw Hat Players 1975 (or 1976?)

I think the pic below comes from my 6th season with  Moorhead's Straw Hat Players, summer of 1975 -  THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, a musical based on Shakespeare's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS.

I remember this production well. And not because it was the first - and only - time I was a featured dancer in a musical [I hadn't taken any formal dance lessons since 1st grade.  But Fatima was a comic character - I could get away with not being the best-trained dancer in the company].  I got to play the finger cymbals... wow.  Our choreographer was Roger Rabey.

My memory of this production remains strong because of
the second night of performance.   Good timing and an improvised tilt of the head in my solo dance prompted an unexpected wave of laughter in the audience... for a few moments time stopped... I felt that all the people in the auditorium and I were one - melded into a single entity with the universe - a transcendental experience, I guess.  Strange, rare, crazy, wonderful, brief.  Difficult to describe, impossible to forget.

In the photo is the wonderful comedy actor Leslie Sarnoff... as a lusty wizard, I believe.  I'm next to him, mid-stage.  Other members of the harem, from left to right: Bethea Stewart, Julie Ruhland and Kristin Rudrud.

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED... 1970... Straw Hat Players

2013 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Straw Hat Players - Minnesota State University Moorhead

The photo above, from Sunday's Fargo Forum - August 9, 1970, promotes A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, the final production of that summer season.

It's one of the few times I've played blond... I'm in the middle of the first row (billed as Lennarta Ramberg).  My "twin" is Ruth Schultz.  We're the only two not scantily clad.
  
The other admirers of returning soldier Milos Gloriosus, played in this production by Lowell Gytri (now Los Angeles actor Lowell Dean), starting at picture left, are: Monica Kolb, LaNita Sola, Patricia Holt and, in leopard skin, Peggy Smith. 

Still eighteen, I had just finished my freshman year at Moorhead State. It would be my first of seven consecutive seasons with the Straw Hat Players.

The 2013 summer season will also include a production of A FUNNY THING.  I hope to see it if Bill and I fly back to attend the 50th reunion, July 19-20.

GRIFFITH PARK BEAR - READY FOR ITS CLOSE-UP

We drove by the Griffith Park Bear yesterday morning at 8:15. The bear was already drawing a crowd!  And for good reason.  The bear was bedecked in finery - in honor of today's Oscar Award Ceremony.

About noon, when we passed by the bear again, I had to wait my turn to take a couple pics. 

With Oscar statue, blond wig and sunglasses this glamour puss seemed delighted to pose for the cameras. 

In the past the bear has been costumed for Valentine's Day or Halloween. On time during a cold winter day, the bear wore a knit scarf and cap.

Winter in Hollywood Today...

Low 40s this morning as we arrived at the Roosevelt Golf Course in Griffith Park. 
As I walked up the fairway on the 4th, the brilliant colors prompted me to pull my cell phone out of my golf bag for a pic. The tee shot of one of my golfing buddies ended up in a pile leaves (pretty but a tough lie).

It's a 9 hole course - and by the sixth I had to shed my outer fleece layer because of the bright sun. 
Tonight it's supposed to get down to 31 - very cold for Hollywood.

Post-project Blues

With A CLOWN DOG'S CHRISTMAS finished, I set the world of Pebbles, my heroine Clown Dog, aside for now.  I leave Budapest and Sun Valley and return to Maxton Falls, the town where my Girlfriend Detectives Jade and Nettie attend middle school, prepare for a talent show... and sleuth.

 

The tricky bit is fighting through what I call the post-project blues.  When I am in the last weeks of completing a project I feel exhilarated... like I'm riding my red Flying Saucer on the steep backyard hill on 60 Banks in Silver Bay. Everything is momentum and acceleration, speed and gravity-defying...

 

Now I'm at the bottom of the hill again. I have the basic story, but I trek slowly up the hill to a better draft.  My snow boots are leaden as I climb, with false steps and a bulky jacket that hinders progress.  Like my Saucer on its rope, I lug the story, CASES OF CONFIDENCE, slowly forward. Gravity is working against me at present.