Fall Preview
KMC Live Theater Shows

Christine June, Story and photo
415th Base Support Battalion


***image2***Autumn is just around the corner, and most of the local KMC live
theaters are bustling with rehearsals for their fall shows. Below is a
sneak peak of what shows will hit the KMC this fall.

KMC Onstage
The 415th Base Support Battalion’s KMC Onstage will kick off their fall
season with  “Arsenic and Old Lace” Oct. 14 to Nov. 6 at KMC
Onstage, Bldg. 3232 on Kleber Kaserne.

“It will open around Halloween which is perfect because the story is
all about ‘creepies’ and dead bodies,” said Laurie Ellington, the 415th
BSB entertainment director. “The subject matter is rather macabre, but
it’s very, very funny.”

“Arsenic and Old Lace” is a stage play written in 1941 by Joseph
Kesselring and made into a movie by Frank Capra starring Cary Grant in
1944.

Briefly, the story is about a frazzled drama critic Mortimer Brewster
who has two aunts who ply lonely geezers with poisoned wine, one
sociopathic brother who looks like Boris Karloff, another brother who
thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, one impatient new bride and only one night
to make it turn out all right.

“I chose this story to open the season because when people hear the
premise of it, they are very intrigue so I’m hoping it will be a show
everybody would want to come and see,” said Ms. Ellington.

The next show of the season for KMC Onstage is “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” with performance dates Dec. 2 to 18.

This stage play is based on Barbara Robinson’s 1972 best-selling
children’s novel which was made into a TV movie starring Loretta Swit
in 1978.

The story is about a community church’s child production of the
Christmas play and the most feared neighborhood kids, the Herdman
children, who bully themseveles into the lead roles.

“It’s got an incredibly positive message, and it’s a good Christmas story,” said Ms. Ellington.

Auditions will be Oct. 19 and 20, after “Arsenic and Old Lace” opens.
 For more information, call KMC Onstage at 483-6626.

***image1***Razz-Ma-Tazz Family Theater
Razz-Ma-Tazz Family Theater is back with “Hansel and Gretel” Sept. 23
to 25 and Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 at the Ramstein Community Center.

This is the classic fairytale of a boy, girl, dad, evil stepmother and
a wicked witch originally written in 1889 by The Brothers Grimm. RMT’s
version is written by Stan Gill, the artistic director of the Second
Story Repertoire
Theater in Redmond, Washington.

“His work includes great songs, and it teaches a moral in a fun way.
And, audiences loves the chase scenes,” said Paula Fairbrother,
Razz-Ma-Tazz Family Theater producer, director and technical director.
“This style of theater has become synonymous with RMT.”

Every Stan Gill show has a chase scene, where the villain chases the
good guys. In “Hansel and Gretel,” it is the witch chasing Hansel and
Gretel.

Ms. Fairbrother said that this scene is not written in Mr. Gill’s
script, instead it is written by her, with additions created by the
cast as they rehearse it.

“They are my favorite part. Each chase scene incorporates slapstick
comedy, near misses and silly things occurring on stage,” she said.
“The audience gets to cheer, laugh and interact by helping the heroes
escape by pointing, yelling and screaming.

“You never know what the audience will bring to the show,” she said.
For more information on the “Hansel and Gretel” show, call the Ramstein
Community Center at 480-6600. For information about the Friends of Razz
Booster Club, call Amanda Collins at 0162-757-5881.

Playhouse Theater
Ramstein Youth Center’s Playhouse Youth Theater opening show is “Anne
of Green Gables: The Musical” Oct. 28 and 29 at a location yet to be
determined.

This musical is based on the classic novel  series by Lucy Maud
Montgomery. It tells the life drama of Anne Shirley, an orphan who is
full of hope of a new life at the home of brother and sister, Matthew
and Marilla Cuthbert in Green Gables.

“This particular show is near and dear to my heart because I used to
read it as a little girl,” said Shanna E. Klutts, Ramstein Youth
Playhouse Theater director. “It’s about a young girl who has a
wonderful imagination and a love for life and for the people around
her.”

After directing five shows for Ramstein Youth and Teen Centers, Mrs. Klutts will say goodbye to the KMC with this final show.

She said the rest of the Ramstein Youth Playhouse Theater season will be announced in December.  

For more information, call the Ramstein Youth center at 480-6444.


Act One

Relatively new to the KMC live theater realm is Act One Sembach Community Theater.
“We will be holding auditions for “Christmas Carol,” but we haven’t set
those dates yet,” said R.J. Garrison, Act One Sembach Community Theater
proforming arts director.

He said that this performance will take place in December before school lets out for winter break.
Members of the Vogelweh Youth Programs will be able to audition at Sembach for “Christmas Carol.”

“At this point, we are going to combine the theater program with Sembach,” said Jacki Proctor, Vogelweh Youth Programs director.

For more information, call the Sembach Youth Programs at 496-7687 or
Vogelweh Youth Programs at 489-6504.