With the Renaissance Theater closed, the cast of Calendar Girls rehearsed outside wearing masks and social distancing.
‘Calendar Girls’ Still Rehearsing!
Laurie Farquhar
It’s more than a year into the pandemic, but the cast of PC Players’ next production, Calendar Girls, is optimistic that they will present this show in the Renaissance Theater in the not-too-distant future.
This hilarious and heartwarming comedy was originally scheduled to open in October 2020, and the 14-member cast had just been selected when the first pandemic lockdown began. With the theater closed, the cast rehearsed virtually on Zoom over the summer, getting to know each other and talk about their characters. As the weather cooled down and restrictions eased a bit during the winter, they met outside at the amphitheater in Bullard Wash Park, near PebbleCreek Parkway and McDowell Road. There was plenty of space to move around on the stage and still social distance while they worked on the production.
Now that everyone in the cast has been vaccinated and restrictions have lifted even further, the actors are finally moving their rehearsals indoors to the Renaissance Theater. At this point, they still have to follow strict COVID protocols, as the theater can only be used for rehearsals, but that is one step closer to a live production.
If the coronavirus continues to recede and facilities in PebbleCreek open further, Calendar Girls will run for four nights from Wednesday, Oct. 27 to Saturday, Oct. 30. It will probably be the first resident performing arts production in the Renaissance Theater since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Calendar Girls is based on the true story about a group of older women in England who posed nude for a calendar in order to raise money to purchase a sofa for their local hospital. The calendar not only funded the sofa at that time but has since raised millions of dollars for leukemia research around the world. Funny and uplifting, Calendar Girls is the perfect production to see in person after over a year of virtual performances.
Musicians Wanted
Susan Kice
Do you play an instrument? Did you ever play an instrument? Are you looking for a musical group to join now that you’ve given up the vocation portion of your life and are starting to enjoy the retirement portion—including doing those things you always loved to do but never had the time? Now is your chance! The PebbleCreek Musicians are actively seeking additional members to join the PebbleCreek Big Band. The following instruments are needed to fill vacancies: trumpets, trombones, saxophones, drums, percussion, guitar, bass, piano, and vibes. Also needed are male and/or female vocalists with experience in singing with a band, including pop, jazz, and ballads.
The PebbleCreek Big Band plays a variety of music from the swing era of the ’40s through the pop and rock genre of the ’50s through the ’80s. The band is showcased in March with their Burst of Music performances, with the next scheduled Burst of Music XV to be presented March 24 through 26, 2022.
So, what do you need to become part of this talented group of musicians? You need to be able to read music, be proficient in the playing of your instrument, and be available for rehearsals, which are scheduled to begin in late October and are held every Tuesday from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Contact the director, Jeff Buda, for more information and to schedule an audition at [email protected], 623-533-6176, or 330-289-3711.
Try it, you’ll like it!