Familiar faces and voices set for Mac-Haydn

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CHATHAM, NY — Faces and voices familiar from the fairgrounds to just last summer will be returning to delight Mac-Haydn Theatre audiences in the 36th season. Mac-Haydn people have been performing all over the country, and are glad to return to Chatham to be "back at the Mac." One of the professional theatre’s first "super-stars" was Monica M. Wemitt. She went from Chatham to Broadway, with many superb roles in between. Ms. Wemitt’s vocal and acting talents made her one of very few actresses who have ever stepped in to perform for the great Carol Channing; on the tour of “Hello, Dolly”, Ms. Channing became ill just before show time and Ms. Wemitt played an understudy’s dream role as Dolly Gallagher Levi. A tour with Liza Minelli, playing Carlotta in “Phantom” at the noted Carousel Dinner Theatre, and most recently a four-year stint as Madame La Grande Bouche in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”, have kept Ms. Wemitt busy in the years since she was last seen on the theatre-in-the-round stage. She will be playing Ruth, the hapless and hard-of hearing nursemaid, in “Pirates of Penzance”. Kathy Halenda was an audience favorite last year, ‘back where she belongs’ on the Mac-Haydn stage playing Miss Mona in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and Dolly Levi in “Hello, Dolly”. This year she recreates another of her signature roles as Mama Rose in “Gypsy”. She will also take a broad comedic turn to begin the season as Domina, the domineering wife in “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum”. She has been performing her one-woman show about that sizzling ‘last of the red-hot mamas’, “Sophie Tucker”. Karla and Kelly Shook have grown up on the Mac-Haydn stage. They both spent the winter touring the country. Kelly showed off her triple threat tap-dancing, singing and acting talents in the starring role of Kathy Selden in “Singin’ In The Rain”. Karla was featured in “Fiorello” and then went on the road in “Kiss Me Kate”. Tiffany Thornton ‘s soprano voice soared as Lily in “The Secret Garden” last year and as “Naughty Marietta” the year before. This summer she will again take the operetta lead, hitting thrilling high notes as Mabel in “Pirates of Penzance”. From a foppish Governor in “Naughty Marietta” to a stern John Dickinson in “1776”, Michael Shiles showed the range of his ability in past seasons. He returns to do more of the same, with comedy at the forefront as he plays Senex, a beleaguered husband with fond hopes for a new maid in “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to The Forum”, and as the “Very Model of a Modern Major General” in “Pirates of Penzance”. Chad Heuschober beat the winter cold on a cruise ship sailing the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans over the winter. He started his first Mac-Haydn summer last year as Joseph in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and also played Dickon in “Secret Garden”. His ship has docked and he’ll be bringing his dynamic vocal and acting talents back to Chatham for a second Mac-Haydn season. Kristen Clark has been building a host of delightful characters in several Mac-Haydn seasons, Mrs. Medlock in “Secret Garden” and Mother Burnside in “Mame” among those. She will show more of the same this summer; coming to The Mac-Haydn Theatre from a tour of “Little Mermaid”. Trisha Stever has been away for several seasons, finishing a degree at Valdosta State University in Georgia and doing major roles at Jeckyl Island Music Theatre. Donald Panella and Josh Ross will again be mainstays of the ensemble and filling roles throughout the season; both have been studying theatre in New York City. The company for the 36th season will also include many talented newcomers sure to be welcome on the theatre-in-the-round stage. The Mac-Haydn Theatre opens May 27, with the riotous “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to The Forum” setting the pace for “Fantastic Fun” through June 6. Glorious Music is next with the operetta songs and lighthearted comedy of Gilbert and Sullivan’s popular “Pirates of Penzance”, June 10 through 20. A musical theatre classic, ”Gypsy”, brings Kathy Halenda back as Mama Rose, June 24 through July 4. The bouncing beat and dancing feet of “Swing” recreate the songs (“Stompin’ At The Savoy, Cry Me A River”) and style of the swing dance era, July 8 through 18. Award winning Nancy Timpanero-Hogan brings the bawdy, inimitable comedy of the pioneer American Comedienne to the Mac-Haydn Theatre with “Adorable Me! The Totie Fields Story”, July 21 through 25. It’s a special schedule, call for further information. The most requested show of the season, “Showboat” steams on stage with a classic score, wonderful characters and a touching story, July 27 through August 8. “Join The Circus” for a magical musical tour of the life that led to the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’, the happy humbug of the world’s greatest showman, P.T. “Barnum”, August 12 to 22. Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s beautiful, exotic “The King And I” closes the season August 26 through September 5. Performances are: first week, Thursday at 2 and 8 p.m., Friday at 8, Saturday at 5 and 8:30, Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m.; second week, Wednesday at 2 and 8, Thursday and Friday at 8, Saturday at 5 and 8:30, Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $21.90 and $22.90 for evening performances, $20.90 for all matinee seats, $12.00 for children under 12 with an adult. Discounts are available for senior citizens and groups. Lunch or dinner with the show packages are available. Air Conditioned. Master Card and Visa accepted. No cancellations or refunds. Call 518-392-9292 for information and reservations. Visit the Mac-Haydn Theatre website at www.machaydntheatre.org .
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Senior Golf Series Returns in September

Community submission
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Berkshire County Fall Senior Golf series returns in September with events on five consecutive Wednesdays starting Sept. 18.
 
It is the 22nd year of the series, which is a fund-raiser for junior golf in the county, and it is open to players aged 50 and up.
 
The series will feature two divisions for each event based on the combined ages of the playing partners.
 
Golfers play from the white tees (or equivalent) with participants 70 and over or who have a handicap of more than 9 able to play from the forward tees.
 
Gross and net prices will be available in each division.
 
The cost is $55 per event and includes a round of golf, food and prizes. Carts are available for an additional fee.
 
Golfers should call the pro shop at the course for that week's event no sooner than two weeks before the event to register.
 
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