Bart Ventura sings Sinatra with the PebbleCreek Big Band
And the band played on…
Brenda Hyman
SRO—Sold out all three nights—Most successful show ever—Oh what a night!
Words cannot describe the swaying, singing, applause and glee that our PebbleCreek audiences felt at our Burst of Music Production on March 31, April 1 and 2. Our eGroup lauded its praises about the PebbleCreek Band (led by Bruce Birnel), the Silk Quintet (led by Ed Buda), Jerry Layne (our resident ventriloquist and announcer), our vocal soloists Marsha Macy and Bart Ventura and our PebbleCreek’s Got Talent winner Joe Armbruster singing 18 Holes.
Here are some highlights of our Burst of Music IX show. Frank Sinatra, portrayed by Bart Ventura, sang two memorable songs: That’s Life and My Way, old blue eyes would be proud. The Buda brothers, Jeff (on the saxophone) and Ed (on the vibes) kept our toes tapping and our hands clapping. Solos by Larry Tallant (Never My Love) and Bill Throssell (Georgia On My Mind) kept us swinging and swaying with the last song of the first half, It Don’t Mean A Thing.
The SILK quartet (Ed Buda, Steve Jensen, Jorge Hernandez, Jeff Buda, Burt Shurly III and Marsha Macy) resumed with the romantic tune of Misty followed by Spanish Eyes and Caravan. Heads swayed and fingers snapped for the entire SILK performance.
To wind up the show, our Big Band performed an assortment of tunes ending with the ever popular In The Mood. The applause was thundering; the request for encore was overwhelming and everyone filed out in a dancing and rocking mood. Oh! What a night it was—.
Such talent here in PebbleCreek!
Burst of Music X is on the horizon for 2017. The band is planning an even better show that our recent number nine. How can you improve on excellence? The musicians are going to make a great effort to please the audience even more.
Kudos to all who attended, played, sang and complimented our musicians. Another great presentation!
PC Players President Cathy Lindstrom and Tim Butterfield, Coordinator of EMCC’s Fine Arts Facilities, in the college’s new theater.
PC Players building community ties
Laurie Farquhar
The PC Players has supported community outreach for many years. The clubs’ reader’s theater wing, Roving Readers, has performed for enthusiastic audiences at senior facilities such as La Loma and The Groves and for eager young students at neighboring Mable Padgett and Barbara Robey Elementary Schools. Now with the blessing of the HOA, PC Players is inviting theater students from Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) to work as interns on some of PC Players productions at the Renaissance Theatre.
PC Players President Cathy Lindstrom says this new working relationship is a win-win for everyone. “Both groups benefit as we learn updated methods for theater productions and technical aspects, while the students get practical experience in putting on big plays. This also helps them meet some of their class requirements in Play Production.” Initially, the students will work with the Tech Team on lighting and sound and with the backstage crew during productions. In a year or so some students may take on acting roles but only if those roles cannot be filled by club members.
The first contact between PC Players and the EMCC performing arts department was about a year ago when the college’s new, state-of-the-art theater building opened. Cathy Lindstrom approached Tim Butterfield, the Coordinator of Fine Arts Facilities at EMCC, to see if both groups could benefit from a partnership. The plan was to share up-to-date information and ideas about theatrical production as well as provide an additional rehearsal space for PC Players members. Following those early conversations, several PebbleCreek performers participated in the performing arts center’s opening ceremonies in November. This spring set construction crews used the EMCC scene shop to build the sets for Players show On Golden Pond and ShowTime’s musical Damn Yankees.
The student interns will not start working in PebbleCreek until 2017 because the Renaissance Theatre will be closed for renovations this summer and fall. In the meantime, PC Players will perform their fall production, Noises Off, at the new EMCC Theater in October. Since this show will be co-sponsored by Players and EMCC’s Performing Arts Department, students will help both on stage and behind the scenes. Director Laurie Farquhar says, “It will be exciting for Players members to work with the younger actors, while the students look forward to having the opportunity to work on a production that will give them credit towards their class requirements.”
The partnership between PC Players and the EMCC Theater Department is still in its early development. More ideas for working together are being explored, but the association is an example of how building community ties can bring benefits to everyone involved.
PebbleCreek’s Roving Readers performed Henry and Ribsy for residents at The Groves and for second and third graders in schools around the community; from left: Neal Weckworth, KT Tanner, Maud Bones, Leslie Miller, Jan Edwards, Ruth McCosh and in front Arnold Reed.
Roving Readers on the road again
KT Tanner
Coming off their immensely successful production of Love, Lost and What I Wore, the Roving Readers, a part of PebbleCreek Players Community Theater, returned to the road by dusting off one of their all-time favorites. At a recent meeting called by Dorothy Danner, the group read an excerpt from Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary and were told to “take it on the road.” After a few cast changes due to illness, the group performed this charming selection for The Groves senior living facility and the Barbara B. Robey Elementary and Mabel Padgett Elementary schools. The audiences included memory care and higher functioning residents at The Groves and second and third graders at the schools. The residents, students and teachers all responded enthusiastically with questions and comments following the story. Arnold Reed, Leslie Miller, Ruth Mccosh, Neal Weckworth, Maud Bones, Jan Edwards and KT Tanner headlined the cast. Roving Readers are planning more performances in the surrounding community as well as a future production here in PebbleCreek along the same lines as Love, Lost and What I Wore. Keep an eye out for more information as they want to choose a work that appeals to a wide audience, including guys.
Anyone who is interested in performing before an audience but who does not want to be burdened with costumes or memorization of a script is invited to join the Roving Readers. For further information about the group you can contact Dorothy Danner directly at [email protected] or Cathy Lindstrom, PC Player president at [email protected].
PebbleCreek Singers sing out
Donna Swagger
“From the very best part of who we are, we sing out—from our hearts we sing out!” The closing words of PebbleCreek Singers’ spring concert finale linger on as the chorus brings a close to another successful concert season. Director Gail Kennedy and the PC Singers extend a heartfelt thanks to the PebbleCreek Community for their overwhelming response and support of the chorus. Your enthusiastic applause, standing ovations and abundant words of praise inspire us to “sing out like we’ve never sung before” and we look forward to singing for you again in the 2016 Christmas concert.
The enjoyment of being in the audience listening to the PebbleCreek Singers is superseded only by being on the stage performing with the chorus. Have you ever considered singing with us? Now is the time to let us know! We are continually looking for new members to join our chorus. Previous choral experience and the ability to read music are advantageous. Prospective members need to be capable of learning challenging music, a cappella numbers and memorization of several songs.
Auditions will be taking place soon for the fall season. We are accepting applications for all voice parts, particularly basses and tenors. The audition process is simple and auditions are private. Sheet music and a learning CD will be given to you prior to the audition with the excerpts you need to learn. If you wish, we will also have someone to work with you to help you learn the notes. Anyone interested in auditioning may contact Nancy Gustafson at 623-215-3292 or pick up an application form at the club information center in Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse.
Rehearsals are every Monday afternoon, beginning with sectional practice from 1:00 to 2:15 p.m. and followed by full chorus rehearsals from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. The men and women rehearse separately alternate Wednesday afternoons from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. Attending these rehearsals is of utmost importance. Members are also responsible for paying annual dues of $10, purchasing a costume for the performances and buying a music folder. Sheet music is provided for all performances from the Music Library.
Yes, you can be a part of the PC Singers’ family. Commitment and hard work are involved, but these are offset by the camaraderie with fellow singers and the pleasure of giving something back to the community. Get your application in soon so that an audition can be set up and you can participate in the 2016 holiday concert.