Opening January 23rd

By Alfred Uhry
Directed By Thomas Roy
Asst. Director: Bruce Kissinger

Written by the playwright who gave the theatre Driving Miss Daisy, Alfred Uhry won the 1997 Tony Award for The Last Night Of Ballyhoo . This insightful comedy/drama takes place in Atlanta, Georgia in December of 1939. Gone With The Wind is having its world premiere, but the characters are more concerned with who is going to Ballyhoo, the social event of the season. Events take several unexpected turns as the characters discover where they came from and who they really are.
"A charming......textured play," N.Y. Daily News

Show Dates
January 23, 24, 25, 30 &31 & February 1, 2003 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday Matinees: January 26 & February 2, 2003 at 2:30 p.m.


Tickets
$10.00

Lala Levy (Melissa Yorty) proudly displays her picture of Rhett Butler she "liberated" from the lobby of the theater where she has just seen "Gone With The Wind".	Boo Levy (Patti Amor), and Adolph Freitag (Jim Amor) rehearse a scene.

Some Notes From The Director

I am simply, delightedly, amazed by my cast of performers and my crew, especially my partner in this venture, Assistant Director Bruce Kissinger.  

I have to state at the outset that the first 30 years of my acting and directing career was in the so-called “amateur” realm and that I didn’t turn “professional” until I began to do this for a living 12 years ago. What I’ve learned is this: professionalism is more about state-of-mind and dedication to the craft than it is about money. Consider that every single person affiliated with Ballyhoo, as just one example, is doing it unpaid…unpaid for money, that is. But the pay my Ballyhoo family is getting is better than money. It’s the reward (truly) of the craft of acting, of performing, of sharing the work of a wondrous playwright with you, our audience. And these are all folks who have lives out there in the alleged real world, so they’re always juggling their need to do laundry, go to school, go to work, eat, shop, relate to their families with their need to be creative and expressive.

(L to R) Boo Levy (Patti Amor), Lala Levy (Melissa Yorty), Joe Farkas (Michael Huffman), and Reba Freitag (Ruth Roy)	Sunny Freitag (Ann Whitmire) and Joe Farkas (Michael Huffman)

In other words, this marvelous crew of people I’m working with is doing it for the love of it all, and there’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ll benefit from that deep commitment when you attend The Last Night Of Ballyhoo.

I also must cite Rabbi Louis Zivic of Beth Israel in Lebanon for his educational contribution to Ballyhoo, as well as his spiritual support. In one evening he gave us a visit to a part of American life that we knew little about, and, more important, he gave us his blessing, for he knows, too, that this play isn’t just about being Jewish—it’s about being human, and we’ll see, if we’re honest, much of ourselves up there on the stage.

About The Cast

Jim Amor, as Adolph Freitag—talk about commitment! Jim’s a dentist who lives and practices in New Holland, so as soon as his dental day is over, he and Patti and son Jimmy pile into the SUV and high-tail it for Lebanon. Jim is a veteran performer, from many venues, most common of which is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, where’s he’s been a member of the Acting Company for about six years. He’s portrayed everyone from Sir Francis Walsingham in Elizabethan England to Sergeant Bilko in the annual Blast From The Past Rock ‘n’ Roll Festival. His Adolph is perhaps the kindest man you’ll ever meet, for he wholly supports his widowed sister Boo and her daughter Lala, his widowed sister-in-law Reba and her daughter Sunny, all living under the same roof. He barely complains…except when pushed. And he does get pushed, as you’ll see.

Patti Amor, as Boo Levy—talk about commitment! Patti’s practically a full-time everything…from helping Jim with his New Design Dental Associates, to operating a house occupied by a husband and two sons, to her ongoing theatre work. She’s performed recently in The Vagina Monologues, and will be doing so again soon, and, of course, she’s a well-known member of the Acting Company at the Renaissance Faire. Her Boo is a woman to behold…and beware of…for this gal has some moxie! To be sure, she loves and cares for her daughter Lala and everyone else under the roof, but wow, does she have some opinions!

Ruth Roy, as Reba Freitag—what can I say about this actress who is also my wife? What am I allowed to say?! But, seriously…it’s wonderful, for I’ve rarely seen such a scholarly approach to taking on a part, and I’m speaking here about all actors, for Ruth is up nights on the internet researching 1939 in America, 1939 in Atlanta, Judaism in America, fashion in 1939, the works. Her Reba is, well…remember George Burns and Gracie Allen? That’s it. Gracie Allen with an endless love for the whole world. I remember what the Harrisburg Patriot wrote about Ruth’s performance during LCT’s Greetings two Januarys ago—“Donna Reed on mescaline.” Yes, I think, that’s Ruth, only more like Mammy Yocum on three pots of coffee.

Ann Whitmire, as Sunny Freitag—sheer joy. Those are the best and most accurate words to describe what it’s like to work with Ann. She reminds me always of the line from a poem, “Finely schooled in every grace.” Thus, in her portrayal of Sunny, we see a gentle-lady, a swan, an angel, and above all, a woman with a heart. Best of all, it’s a heart that’s about to be won by a man who might as well as come from Mars.

Melissa Yorty, as Lala Levy—sheer joy. Those are the best and most accurate words to describe what it’s like to work with Melissa. And how fun to see Melissa and Ann nearly come to fisticuffs in the middle of a raging battle right in the living room! The challenge, of course, is that Melissa, like Ann, is so gosh-durn pretty, and that’s a problem because Lala is not supposed to be anything like her tall and gracious and brilliant cousin Sunny, so we’ve discovered how to “disguise Melissa” so she looks like Lala. One thing about Melissa I’ve learned already—she weighs, maybe, 98 pounds…but when she starts cookin’ up there, look out, for even Emeril couldn’t turn it up that many notches!

Tom Roy, Director—Tom has been an actor, director, and teacher of acting and improv for many years. He’s a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation Of Television And Radio Artists, and his television and screen credits include the wild-eyed street evangelist in Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys, two separate gigs on Saturday Night Live, a co-starring guest shot on Nickelodeon’s Pete ‘n’ Pete, and much more. His full-time occupation is that of Associate Producer of the annual Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. LCT patrons may remember Tom as Grandpa Frank in last season’s Over The River And Through The Woods.

Bruce Kissinger, Asst. Director   A veteran performer, Bruce has appeared in numerous local community theater productions, including Miracle on 34th St, Rumors, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Cash on Delivery. When not performing on stage, Bruce can usually be found backstage designing lighting, or working on sound effects. Bruce currently sits on the Board of Directors for both LCT and Annville Community Theatre. He is ATF licensed in pyrotechnics, and owns Prog-Tech FX…a stage lighting and special effects company. Bruce first met Tom Roy while playing the role of Grandpa Nunzio in last season’s Over The River and Through The Woods. He is ecstatic about working with Tom on this production, and hopes to get the opportunity to work with him again in the near future.

Never Last And Never Least

An army never moves, never attains victory without the folks behind the lines, and our Ballyhoo army is blessed with some real angels, as follows:

Stage Manager: Ian Bonner	Stage Crew: (L to R) Jimmy Amor and Michael Roy	Crystal Wyman Assistant to the Directors

Stage Manager: Ian Bonner
Assistant To The Directors: Crystal Wyman
Lighting Designer: Mark Cuddy
Angels-In-A-Million-Ways: John and Mary Lou Kelsey
Costume Designer: Karen Albert
Backstage Production Princes: Michael Roy and Jimmy Amor

Webmaster Mike Hartman, for service above and beyond the normal call of duty.
And many, many more, all, like the above, doing it for the love of the craft. God bless each and every one of them.

Thanks!
Tom Roy

Call the box office to make your reservations today at (717) 273-5151.