David A. Norton

January 6, 1949 - August 18, 2012

“We bring you the circus, pied piper whose magic tunes greet children of all ages, from six to 60, into a tinsel and spun-candy world of reckless beauty and mounting laughter and whirling thrills; of rhythm, excitement and grace”

The Greatest Show on Earth
Paramount Pictures, 1952

To hear Dave auction off a dinner, a trip or even theatre seats was to hear the “whirling thrills, of rhythm, excitement and grace.” A great talent and an appreciation for the unusual provided Dave with his unique career and numerous accomplishments. We are grateful he chose to share these gifts and talents with Tibbits Opera House and by extension the entire community.

In 1979 he helped establish the first Tibbits Auction so the theatre could pay its bills. Over the next 32 years he helped raise nearly $1.3 million for the theatre operations. He served on the Tibbits Board and the Restoration Executive Committee. He shared the dream of a beautiful restored theatre. Tibbits Opera Foundation & Arts Council salutes the memory of David A. Norton. 

    

Today marks the end of our 2012 summer season here at Tibbits.  As I look at all the shows we've done this summer, I think, wow, time has flown and we have done some great work.  I have enjoyed writing the blog for Tibbits this summer and thank all of you who have so generously given your time, lunch and dinner hours to be interviewed for the good of the blog, much appreciated!

A face you may recently be recognizing in the pit for Nymph Errant is our music director Steven Zumbrun.  A fantastic pianist, whom I already knew from the touring show of A Christmas Carol.  Steven has music directed and played this tour many times.  Steven has brought great enthusiasm to our production at Tibbits.  He is always excited about the music and that excitement is contagious.  He has added fun harmony to songs in Nymph Errant where the songs may have only had unison parts written in the score, adding audible interest and proper endings to songs.

Steven travels the country for a living now, like many of us, but works often for another opera house called Springer Opera House in Columbus, GA.  Originally from Hamprad, Maryland right outside Baltimore, Steven holds a BA in English and Theatre with a Minor in Music from Western Maryland University.  This is Steven's first summer at Tibbits and loves the way an old opera house can make you feel like you have stepped back in time.

Steven started music directing in '93 by accident.  He fell into the position when a music director dropped out of a production of Merrily We Roll Along, and Steven stepped in.  Steven says the work snowballed from there and has enjoyed the amount of work music directing has gotten him over the years.  He realizes now that the prolific work in music directing made him find his niche in theatre.  Steven loves traveling, and since on tour, he has traveled through every state in the US and parts of Canada.  Steven has worked on the national tour of A Christmas Carol, theatres such as Springer Opera House, Totempole Playhouse and a few of his favorite theatres he has played on tour include: the Smoot Theatre and Newberry Opera House.

Steven's dream shows to music direct are Follies and Little Night Music. He advises young hopefuls to not be snobbish when it comes to taking jobs.  "Go where you are needed."  He says you will see amazing things and meet people you never thought you would by traveling.

To wrap up this summer, one person I didn't get a chance to interview while he was in town as an actor in Pinocchio and Chicago is Jimmy Wencel.  I believe Jimmy was an important part of our cast this summer so I interviewed him by email and wanted to share his answers with you. Jimmy is originally from Bad Axe, MI and holds a BA in Theatre and Interpretation from Central Michigan University with a Minor in Dance and Voice.  When asked what he likes most about Tibbits and Coldwater he stated, "I love the people at Tibbits so much!  We all work so well together and are dedicated to putting together the best shows that we can for this community, which has been so welcoming to us this summer.  My host family, Douglas and Sharon Bloom, were especially welcoming.  I felt like I had a "mom and dad" to come home to all summer!  Our Artistic Director, Charles Burr, and our Executive Director, Christine Delaney, are so very supportive of us and I thank them for all of their hard work here at Tibbits Opera House!"

Jimmy's began in theatre pretty young he says, " My first play was a Thanksgiving class play in the 3rd grade, but my first real play was The Diary of Anne Frank when I was in Eighth grade.  I knew I wanted to be a performing artist around that time, but at first I thought that would be as an instrumentalist.  I decided on theatre as a career my senior year in high school."

Jimmy's mother was very inspirational to him and his decision to go into theatre, " My mom was a theatre major in college, so I was always exposed to the performing arts.  My mom and I have even done a couple of Community Theatre productions together."  Since graduating from college Jimmy has worked for many theatres.  Some include, a national tour of A Christmas Carol for NTC Productions, based in Omaha, NE, various productions at The Lost Colony in Manteo, NC, and a few productions with La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Springboro, OH.  Jimmy has also done Children's Theatre tours through The National Theatre for Children and Bridgework Theatre. 

Jimmy's dream roles include Will Parker in Oklahoma, Jack in Into The Woods, and Jimmy in Thouroughly Modern Millie.  Jimmy advises young hopefuls to, "keep working hard and follow your dreams.  Don't give up or let the difficulties of the profession hold you back.  Always be appreciative of your fellow castmates and the artistic and technical staff.  Savor every moment you have onstage.  Each performance is truly a gift."

Well said Jimmy.  This is Kiersten Vorheis signing off for Tibbits Opera House this summer.  To quote someone much more famous than I, 

"Goodnight and Good luck!"  

As we now enter our final week of Nymph Errant and our summer season, another exciting thing has occurred.  Shakespeare has been placed in his permanent home, up in the alcove, at the base of the Tibbits' cupola. 





The Shakespeare bust was purchased by Artistic Director Charles Burr as his contribution to the Tibbits restoration.  In the pictures you see below, after our Wednesday matinee show of Nymph Errant yesterday, Charles helped tie the pulley rope to Shakespeare, then climbed the scaffolding to place Shakespeare with his own two hands.

Charles Burr climbs the scaffolding

Many of us stood below to view this incredible milestone step in the reconstruction process.  The scaffolding will be coming down soon at the end of August.  Then the balcony roof will be built onto the front of the theatre where it originally was located.  The work will end sometime in Feb. with a grand opening of the fully restored Tibbits in April.

Charles holds the bust of Shakespeare

For many of us returning actors this is incredible to see, as we know it is really special for local Coldwater citizens to see this prized jewel be restored.  Earlier this summer, two former summer company members from the early 90's returned to visit and take a tour of the new Tibbits.  They were flabbergasted at what they saw, the makings of all the hopes they had heard about many years ago, of Tibbits original look and grandeur, now coming to life before their eyes.

Charles Burr places Shakespeare in the alcove

Nymph Errant, also directed by Artistic Director Charles Burr, is another gem from days past.  Originally produced in England during 1933, it never crossed the ocean to Broadway, mostly due to the Depression, and the cost of the production.  A few people went back to the book in the 1980's and rewrote the production you can see on Tibbits stage for one more week.  This version, scaled the cast size down, and also tied up some loose end stories from the original script.

Charles gazes at Shakespeare in his final home 

This Nymph Errant, has the wonderful nostalgic feel of a Cole Porter show, but has a fun modern twist, with Dick Baker playing all 8 different, reappearing, gentleman in the lead Evangeline's life.  This through line gives great humor and spunky feel to the piece.  Everyone in the cast reappears from time to time as other characters, keeping the pace clipping along at a nice speed, while leading the audience through all the places and journeys Nymph Errant takes Evangeline Edwards.  Make sure to catch Nymph Errant this week playing through Saturday evening August 18th.

See you at the show!!!

Scenic Designer Brittany Elias overseeing the slip stages

Cole Porter's Nymph Errant opens tomorrow with a matinee and evening performance, Thursday Aug 9th and plays thru Saturday Aug. 18th. 

This show has one of the most intriguing sets I have seen on the Tibbits stage.  I have been so enamored with the backstage and onstage workings of this show, I decided to dedicate this blog entirely to "your backstage pass to Nymph Errant."

Nymph Errant is a huge show, we have a lot of places to cover within the play: from Switzerland to France, England, Greece, Italy and even Turkey.  Our director Charles Burr had given our Scenic Designer, Brittany Elias the beginning idea of a possible storybook, or postcards from each of the places the play is set.  Well Brittany took it even further to create a moving world.  Our stage crew have built a slip stage you see in the above picture.  Basically, behind this frame are tracks built in in rows.  Each of the two dimensional flat pieces move on a track to create a 3D picture of where we are.  There are several layers to each location that are then switched out for the next local.  Each of the pieces are moved by hand by our backstage crew, mimicking the train ride movement from one place to another.  See below the work at hand.

From the audience's point of view, you see something like this below.

Stage Manager Mark Abrahamson 

Assistant Stage Manager Gabe Taylor

Each set piece, including the slip stage moves on a cue from our stage manager Mark Abrahamson, who is located in the booth above the balcony. He calls the cue, via headset, to our Assistant Stage Manager Gabe Taylor, who then cues the rest of the backstage crew to go with the next set change. It sounds complicated but it works, and these guys are working hard on this show, believe me!



With all the backstage workings, the performers have been getting used to the space since we entered tech rehearsals on Monday afternoon.  We have been running the songs and dances, adding props and certain costume pieces as we go, transferring our numbers from the gym, where we rehearse, to the stage.  Our choreographer, also playing the French girl Madeline, shown above, Aisling Halpin, makes sure our spacing is correct now on stage and keeps an eye on the musical numbers, even while performing them, to make needed adjustments.

This show, mixed with its wonderful Cole Porter music and lyrics, has quite a bit of tap dancing in it.  It fits wonderfully with the rhythms and time setting of the show. 

I have sincerely enjoyed learning new Cole Porter songs, some I may have never known if I had not become a part of Nymph Errant.  The songs are certainly catchy, swim constantly in our heads and are sure to do the same to our audience members.  What a beautiful show to conclude our Tibbits 2012 season.  Don't miss this one, it is not the type of show you catch next year on tour, this one is a special treat brought to you by Tibbits.

See you at the show!!!



With the closing of Funny Money last night, we have now said good bye to a few more cast members and the crew is assembling another huge show.  We are now entering into our final show of the season with Cole Porter's Nymph Errant.  Nymph Errant will open Thursday Aug. 9th with a matinee and evening performance and will play for two weeks, closing Saturday Aug. 18th.

Playing the lead in Nymph Errant is Amy Lamberti.  As Evangeline Edwards, she travels the world in search of new adventures and love.  This is Amy's third summer here at Tibbits.  She is originally from Trumbull, CT and holds a BA in Musical Theatre from SUNY Cortland University.  Amy returned this summer knowing that she loves the community, theatre and company at Tibbits. 

Amy began in theatre when she was 8 years old in a production of Cinderella.  She did shows until 5th grade and then became very involved in competitive dance.  She began again in theatre during her Sophomore year in high school with the show Sweet Charity.  Amy and our stage manager Mark Abrahamson grew up together, and Amy was close with his sister Caitie.  When searching for colleges Caitie mentioned SUNY Cortland to Amy since Mark attended that college and was related to Kevin Halpin, the director of their musical theatre program, and also our director this summer of Chicago.  Amy was accepted at SUNY and while there started her path toward performing theatre for a living.

Amy was inspired by the theatre world when she was 3 years old and attended the out of town tryout for Beauty and the Beast.  Amy met Belle after the show, and Belle told Amy she liked her dress.  Amy says, "that was all it took," she was hooked on theatre.  Amy has worked for Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport, CT, acting in many of their shows this last season.  Some dream roles of Amy's include Holly in the Wedding Singer, Regina in Rock of Ages and Louise in Gypsy.

Amy's advice to young hopefuls is to keep an open mind and keep in touch with everyone.  "You never know when you will work with someone again, it is a small world in theatre."  


It is indeed, Amy.  When saying good bye last night to several company members, I kept saying, "It's never a good bye, it's a see ya later."  Because it is true, over the years, I have continued to run into and work, many times, with the same people from past productions.

Come see Amy Lamberti explore the world of adventure and love in Nymph Errant. 

See you at the show!!!

Funny Money is now entering it's final week of performances with a matinee performance on Wednesday Aug. 1st and evening performances Thurs. Aug. 2nd thru Saturday Aug. 4th's closing.  Don't miss this hilarious comedy, well reviewed by the Battle Creek Enquirer here.

We also have entered our first week of rehearsals for Cole Porter's Nymph Errant musical, the final show of the season.  One gentleman, who is involved in both of the shows is Dick Baker.

Dick plays Detective Sargent Slater in Funny Money.  The detective is very straight laced and professional as he has been given a task of delivering gravely bad news to the lead character's wife Jean Perkins.  However, Dick's fun personality begins to reveal itself as his character unravels along with the multitude of situations snowballing before him.

In Nymph Errant, Dick plays all the male characters, and I mean ALL of them.  A comical and very entertaining thru line of Nymph Errant is that all of the men, the main character Evangeline Edwards meets along her journeys, are played by Dick.  His roles include a British horticulturist, a French producer, a Russian orchestra leader, a German nudist, an Italian Count, a Greek shipping magnate, a burly Turkish officer, and a friendly Eunuch; Dick Baker is busy to say the least in Nymph Errant!

Dick was also in On Broadway 1956 and played the sly, fast talking lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago this summer.  Dick is originally from Canandaigua, NY, and like many this summer at Tibbits, holds a BA in Musical Theatre from SUNY Cortland University.  This is Dick's third summer at Tibbits and said that he thinks the renovation of the theatre is so exciting it adds excitement to the experience of being here as an actor.  He sees himself, and all of us company members, like the community members of Coldwater, pulling together as part of the overhaul of Tibbits.  He said "it makes you feel important performing with something so important going on."

Dick's first show ever was during his Freshman year of high school, when his cousin Pete, who was a year older and involved in sports like Dick, but also in theatre, talked Dick into doing the show, 42nd Street.  After that, Dick's high school music director encouraged him to pursue this as a profession, and by Dick's Junior year of high school, he had made the decision to go into theatre professionally.

Dick feels like being in theatre is much like being a part of a team, like he was of both Football and Lacrosse.  It takes everyone involved to pull a show together.  Dick has worked at Geva Theatre in Rochester, NY, Freefall Theatre in St. Petersburg, FL, and also American Stage Theatre also in St. Petersburg, FL.  A dream role of Dick's is Gabe in Next to Normal. 

Dick's advice to young hopefuls is to START SAVING NOW!!! Funny, right?  But an honest answer appeared from Dick immediately following, saying "don't forget to have fun." 

Come see Dick, and all us former hopefuls, having fun in Funny Money, closing this week and then opening Thursday Aug. 9th with Nymph Errant.

See you at the show!!!