With Liberty And Theater For All

Lois Mettler invited me to go with Russ and Barb Knopp to The Music Man, produced by the Touchet Valley Arts Council Productions Group.

Lois bought the tickets. We were seated in the front row of the Liberty Theater in Dayton. Lois apologized for the location of our seats.

Yet I discovered that our seats were the ideal place to watch the performance and be amongst the members of the orchestra. Anyone who knows me will realize how exciting this was for me.

I sat by Nicolas Pearson on my left, who played the electric keyboard, and Linda Hermanns on my right, who played the violin. I was close enough to her to read her music.

I also was able to watch the music and chorus director, Carolyn Randall, and other members of the orchestra.

It struck me then and there how fortunate the valley was 10 years ago when people like Steve Edwards formed the arts council and fixed up the theater.

I have known for 50 years through church choirs, longgone community concerts and such that Waitsburg and Dayton have many, many talented people living in their communities, but without the new theater, others wouldn't perhaps know.

This Liberty Theater is such a good idea. And The Music Man has to be the best show I've seen there since it opened.

Mike Ferrians was a "natural" as the Music Man. His singing and acting were well done. And Shelly Franklin was the perfect Marion the Librarian.

The costumes were fabulous thanks to Mary Luce and her crew. The gingham dresses, knickers, and women's gym uniforms were so authentic for that era. The hats, lavishly decorated with silks and velvets, plumes, feathers, ribbons and flowers, matched the long satin dresses.

Melissa Ferrians directed the chorus, which was great.

I was impressed with the work of artists Debbie Baxter and Brian Graham on the set design. The scenery displayed on the back of the stage was very well done!

The Music Man was directed by Elizabeth Arebalos Jagelski, and what a great task, to direct such a show, working with such talent. Everything seemed to fall into place!

The Music Man was certainly a tribute to Edwards, who passed away on Nov. 6.

A quote from the program states: "Steve founded the TVAC Productions Group. He has taught us how to act, sing, dance, turn on the right lights and put up the right scenery."

The whole valley thanks you, Steve. You obviously taught them well.

In a story about Edwards published in the Times on Nov. 11, his wife Roslyn recalls him saying, "People, we are one family, and family comes first. We treat each other with love and respect." Roslyn attributes her husband's ministerial work as well as the theater with bonding the communities in the Touchet Valley.

Well done! And what an enjoyable venue to see it happen in.