Twelve Angry Jurors (1999)
was presented at the new home for the Hale Theatre Company, the new field house, on April 30th-May 2, 1999. "12 Angry Jurors"
was first written for television for the classic Playhouse 90, which presented live 90 minute plays every week. Written by the very talented Reginald Rose, as "12 Angry Men", this work has been made into a major motion picture once, starring Lee J. Cobb and
Henry Fonda and as a made for television film for Showtime starring Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott. It is the story of a group
of jurors who have come to the jury room to deliberate over the fate of a young Hispanic man, accused of killing his father with
a knife. With a lot of evidence apparently pointing out the boys guilt, the jurors think it will be easy to find the boy guilty and go
home. However, one of the twelve isn't sure, and it makes for a long session on the hottest day of the year (with a broken air
conditioner to boot). The real heat comes from the confrontational jurors who strike at each other intensely in their search for the
truth.
Cast
Foreman...............................Deborah McLaughlin
Juror #2.................................................Laura Miski
Juror #3..........................Terrence J. McLaughlin
Juror #4........................................Jenny R. Hogan
Juror #5..........................................Katie Witkowski
Juror #6...............................Lauren Sierioslawski
Juror #7...................................Jaimey M. Kennedy
Juror #8...........................................Tracy M. Glatz
Juror #9.........................................Charlie Pasters
Juror #10.................................Michael J. Murphy
Juror #11...............................................Rocco Tucci
Juror #12...................................................Lisa Glatz
Guard........................................Lauren J. Polenske
Judge.....................................................Keith Medici
Production Crew
Directed by................................Michael J. Murphy
Technical Director/Lighting/Sound Design
.................Keith Medici
GIVE MY REGRETS TO BROADWAY! (1998)
was presented by the HTC at the Marquette Dinner Playhouse on May 1 & 3, 1998. It was the groups annual musical review. Written and
directed by HTC resident, Michael J. Murphy, the story of "Give My Regrets..." centers around two anxious musical writers who are faced with
a dilemma. Their agent is on the "other" coast (L.A.) trying to sell their latest treatment. IF they don't get a deal-they will run out of money
and terminate their business venture. With the help of their office friends, including the cleaning lady, the UPS carrier, the mail room clerk and the owners of the deli in the building (among others), they work out the frustrations they face. Along the way, we hear the best of Broadway from
"Gypsy" to "Les Miserables", and "RENT" to "The Wiz".
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written and Directed by.............................................Michael J. Murphy
Musical Director/Asst. Director..............................................Dave Mikols
Choreographer.....................................................................Christine Mikols
Production Supervisor.................................................Lauren J. Polenske
Technical Director/Lighting Desiger....................................Keith Medici
Sound....................................................................................Daniel Thompson
Original Artwork/Set Designer............................Mark "Jake" Jacobson
CAST
Jack Miller............................................................................Michael J. Murphy
James Minkoff.................................................................................Dave Mikols
Tracy...........................................................................................Christine Mikols
Smitty..............................................................................Mark "Jake" Jacobson
Rosie.............................................................................................Marie Mikulskis
Marge......................................................................................Virginia Valentine
JoAnn....................................................................................Lauren J.Polenske
Bobby.......................................................................Robert "Charlie" Pasters
Sylvia.....................................................................................Suzann Robinson
George.......................................................................................................Jon Fah
And featuring
The Hale Childrens Theater
"HARVEY" (1998)
was presented by the HTC on February 19-27 1998 at the Nathan Hale Auditorium. "HARVEY" is the 1943 Pulitzer Prize winning comedy by
Mary Chase, and has entertained audiences for many years. "HARVEY" introduces us to Elwood P. Dowd, an everyman, who has tried to "wrestle
with reality for 40 years" and is happy to report that he has lost the battle! We meet Elwoods' sister, Veta-Louise, who is trying to get her daughter,
Myrtle Mae, introduced to society. Theres only one problem-everytime Veta and Myrtle make strides, Elwoods' "friend" Harvey shows up! Harvey is
a six-foot invisible white rabbit! And he isn't quite seen by everyone! Along the way we meet The staff of Dr. Chumleys Sanitarium-Chumley's Rest.
When Veta decides to commit her brother, the tables are turned on her and we go along for the happy ride!
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Director.................................................................................................Lauren J. Polenske
Technical Director/Lighting........................................................................Keith Medici
Scenic Construction/Painting.................Keith Medici/Lauren J. Polenske/Michael J. Murphy/Sandra Mendez
CAST
Myrtle Mae Simmons...........................................Tracy Glatz
Veta-Louise Simmons.............................Virginia Valentine
Elwood P. Dowd.............................................Dennis Kingsley
Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet.................................Phyllis Prideaux
Ruth Kelly, RN.............................................Suzann Robinson
Duane Wilson............................................Michael J. Murphy
Lymon Sanderson, MD....................................Mynor Lemus
William R. Chumley, MD........................................Dan Turlow
Betty Chumley..............................................Jenny R. Hogan
Judge Omar Gaffney...................Robert "Charlie" Pasters
E.J. Lofgren..................................................................Larry Sliwa
"INHERIT THE WIND" (1997)
was presented by the HTC on September 19th & 21st at the Marquette Dinner Playhouse and on September 25th & 26th 1997 at the Nathan Hale Auditorium.
"INHERIT THE WIND" was written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee and was "loosely" based on the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925.
It follows the events of a small Tennesee town where a young schoolteacher breaks a state referendum and teaches Charles Darwins' theory of evolution. The town leaders, led by a spiritual leading pastor, have the teacher arrested and the story evolves into one of the most explosive trial dramas ever written! The town brings in a conservative religious figurehead to prosecute the teacher, and in a civil rights move a big city liberal newspaper sends the most feared civil liberties lawyer to defend him. This play evokes all kinds of debate-Religious freedom, freedom of speech
and the right to "think". Although the similarities are many, "INHERIT THE WIND" and its main characters evoke the feelings of the Scopes trial,
and showcases the identities of Clarence Darrow and William Jennings-Bryan.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Director..........................................................Lauren J. Polenske
Technical Director/Lighting...............................Keith Medici
Scenic Design......................................Mark "Jake" Jacobson
Scenic Construction/Painting......Mark Jacobson, Keith Medici, Ken Zable, Lauren J. Polenske, Michael J. Murphy
Costumes..........................................................................Sabina Eve Nelson, Phyllis Prideaux, Lauren J. Polenske
Special thanks to Deb McLaughlin and the Maria High School Drama Program
CAST
Rachel Brown..................................Jeanette Beauregard
Mort Meeker...........................................................Larry Sliwa
Bertram Cates....................................................Rocco Tucci
Mrs Goodfellow.......................................................Lisa Glatz
Mrs. Krebbs............................................Phyllis J. Prideaux
Rev. Jeremiah Brown..............................Dennis Kingsley
Mrs. Bannister......................................Debbie McLaughlin
Melinda...............................................Monica Lee Valentine
Howard...................................................................Joe Meston
Mrs. Blair....................................................Virginia Valentine
Elijah..................................................Mark "Jake" Jacobson
E. K. Hornbeck.................................................Mynor Lemus
Mayor..........................................................Carlos Rodriguez
Matthew Harrison Brady............................Thom F. Miller
Mrs. Brady..............................................Sabina Eve Nelson
Marion Davenport...........................................Jenny R. Cron
Henry Drummond.................................Michael J. Murphy
Judge............................................................Thomas Prideaux
Mary Cooper..........................................Jessica Lynn Fields
George Sillers...........................................................Joe Kenny
Harry Y. Esterbrook...............................................Dave Mikols
"BECOMING MEMORIES" (1997)
was presented on March 13th & 14th and 20th & 21st at the Nathan Hale Auditorium and on May 23rd & 25th 1997 at the Marquette Dinner Theater. "BECOMING MEMORIES" was written by Arthur Giron and was created in collaboration with the Illusion Theatre Company of Minneapolis. A truly
unique theater experience, "BECOMING MEMORIES" follows the lives of four families from different backgrounds and regions and how they are
linked together through marriage. The actors play numerous roles for as the playwright explains-"The reason the same actors portray members
of different families is because i believe that we all are part of each other.. we are all one family." We meet an Irish firefighter who marries his
sister-in-law after the death of his wife to take care of his young son, a tomboy who marries too young and bears a child only to lose him in
infant death, a schoolteacher who sends her beau off to wa.r and a Jewish bandleader and his wife who want nothing more than to raise a
family. We share their triumphs and tragedies and are drawn into their lives by the parallels in our own lives.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Director.............................................Lauren J. Polenske
Technical Director/Lighting...................Keith Medici
Sound Technician..................Mark "Jake" Jacobson
Costumes/Publicity......................Lauren J. Polenske
CAST
Rosina......................................................................................................Carolyn Smoot
Albert/Little Michael/Fireman........................................................Eric J. Sonntag
Jack Sheehan / Sam Simon /Schoolboy / Father.........Michael J. Murphy
Margaret...........................................................................................Lauren J. Polenske
Ida/Fannie Fern/Linda...................................................................................Lisa Glatz
Henry / Father / Father Dillon / Jerry Simon...................................Edward Ruiz
Sophie / Angie Roo.................................................................................Jenny R. Cron
Oscar / Casey / Father Dillon.............................................................Chas Seaton
Judge Patterson / James / Cutie / Fireman............Robert "Charlie" Pasters
Mrs. Patterson / Abby / Chee-Chee / Clara...................................Diana Smoot
Mother / Mary Jo.................................................................................Maureen Cleary
"YESTERDAY'S SONGS:
A Musical Journey Through America's Jukebox" (1996)
was presented November 7th & 8th 1996 at Nathan Hale Auditorium, November 16th and 17th 1996 at the Marquette Dinner Playhouse and
April 25th & 26th 1997 at Rainey-Hancock Dinner Theater. "YESTERDAY'S SONGS..." was written and directed for the group by resident HTC bard
Michael Murphy. It tels the story of the DoubleDip Diner. It is a retro-50s style diner which is facing closure because business has not been good.
The kids who grew up in the place, who have gone their separate ways, return to the DoubleDip for the last night. They comfort Marie, the owner
of the Double Dip and she recants the history of the place since it was a USO club in WWII, through its 50's soda shop and 60's coffee house,
and 70's and 80's dance club. Along the way we are treated to all the great songs of each era. From "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and "Hey There"
to "Rock Around the Clock" to "Billie Jean".
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written and Directed by.........................Michael J. Murphy
Production Coordinator..........................Lauren J. Polenske
Musical Director.....................................................David Mikols
Choreographer................................................Christine Mikols
Technical Director...................................................Keith Medici
Technical Assistant.....................................Michael Hulbert Jr.
Set Design........................................................Michael J. Murphy
Set Construction / Painting.....................Mark "Jake" Jacobson, Lauren J. Polenske and Michael J. Murphy
CAST
Michael J. Murphy
Lauren J. Polenske
Marie Mikulskis
Christine Mikols
David Mikols
Lisa Glatz
Mark "Jake" Jacobson
and
Dianna Smoot
COME BLOW YOUR HORN (1996)
was presented April 11th & 12th at Nathan Hale Auditorium and April 19th & 21st 1996 at the Marquette Dinner Playhouse. A Neil Simon treasure
which involves us with the Baker Bros., Alan and Buddy, Alan is a 32 year old platboy jetsetting to Colorado and seen in all the nightclubs of NYC,
Buddy is his younger brother just celebrating his 21st birthday. He wants to leave the nest of his overbearing father and enjoy the lifestyle his
brother has grown accustomed to. But Dad is not too keen on the idea, He is the owner of the largest artificial fruit business in North America and already cannot tolerate his older childs work ethic. Buddy "runs away" from home and joins his brother and is transformed into an even bigger
playboy than his brother, who has his hands full dealing with two ladies- one who he just likes for company and the other who he really adores
but is afraid of commitment. It was Simons' first hit on Broadway and a great evenings entertainment.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Director.........................................Lauren J. Polenske
Technical Director..................................Keith Medici
Scenic Design............................Lauren J. Polenske
Set Construction / Painting...................Keith Medici, Michael J. Murphy, Lauren J. Polenske
Costumes......Jana Stauffer & Lauren J. Polenske
CAST
Alan Baker.........................................Joe Kenny
Peggy Evans....................................Tracy Glatz
Buddy Baker...................................Jim Mulcahy
Mr. Baker...............................Michael J. Murphy
Connie Dayton...............................Rasheda Ali
Mrs. Baker.....................................Jenny R. Cron
A Visitor...............................Lauren J. Polenske