Former Galesburg choral director behind 'Hello, Dolly!' planned at Ellisville Opera House
ELLISVILLE — Cast members will step onto the Ellisville Opera House stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 26, to perform the musical "Hello, Dolly!"
"Hello, Dolly!" (music by Jerry Herman, book by Michael Stewart) was first performed in 1964, is based upon Thornton Wilder's 1938 farcical play, "The Merchant of New York." According to director Paula Helle, Wilder revamped it in 1955, giving it the title, "The Match Maker."
Its origins extend back even further, beginning with the 1835 one-act farce, “A Day Well-Spent” by British dramatist, John Oxenford, Helle explained. In 1842 Austrian playwright Johann Nestroy developed the story into a full-length comical play entitled, “He’ll Have Himself A Good Time,” from which Wilder was inspired to write his version.
"The humor is timeless, the music is infectious and the show is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!" Helle said.
Helle, a life-long resident of Ellisville, is directing the show. She retired from the Galesburg District 205 in 2017 where she was the high school choral director. Since then, she has operated Hilltop Music Instruction Studio from her home, offering voice and piano lessons. Helle has also directed multiple musicals and plays at the Opera House, located on Main Street in Ellisville.
"This marks 20 years since the inception of the Spoon River Rascals. What started as a one-time performance opportunity for my piano students and a few of the neighborhood children somehow turned into two decades of performances! Of course, as the first elementary school children grew older, we had to add a high school-aged show as well. We hope to add an adult-aged production as well, but we need additional volunteers to direct," Helle said.
There are 20 cast members acting in this musical, including veterans and newbies to the Spoon River Rascals.
Members include:
• Aaron Taflinger and Maddie Young, Bushnell
• Aimee, Addie and Ashley Howerter, Smithfield and Cuba
• Brenna and Bailey Chatterton, Reece Stenger, Benton Janssen, and Alex Hefler, Avon
• Braydon DeCounter, Good Hope
• Naomi Roberts, Prairie City
• Curtis Chamber and Joel Featherlin, Ellisville,
• Ryan Walker, East Galesburg
• Belle Hardy, Ben Crock, Olivia Krohn, Taylor Tinsman and Xander Fields, Canton
According to Helle, The Opera House was almost ready for demolition in the 1980s. At that time Historical Ellisville Restoration Organization (H.E.R.O.) was formed and they restored the building to where it was once again functional, but it sat empty and was rarely used for nearly a decade.
"So, I wanted to take advantage of our local theater and thought it would be a great opportunity for local kids to perform on a stage, as well as learn a little more about their community’s history," Helle said.
In the 1890s when the building was first used, the tradition was for performers to sign the stage wall at the close of a show. The kids have continued that tradition. Now that there are second generation Rascals, parents proudly show their children where they once signed their names."
"For me, motivation to continue year after year is two-fold. I love seeing the kids recognizing that they are a part of history. So many children don’t feel a connection to the past, but these kids do. And when you know you’re a part of history, it’s much more likely you’ll want to contribute to the future. I also love seeing our audiences enjoying the shows and connecting with neighbors and old friends. The 'age of communication' has isolated us more than ever before. Live theater brings people together. We need these kind of experiences more than ever!" she added.
The theater has received many modern improvements over the last 20 years, including air conditioning and indoor restrooms, however, there are still aspects of performing in the Opera House that are similar to the experience that the original performers would have had, such as slide-in scenery screens and the original advertising curtain that is rolled up on a log before each performance, the director explained.
There are also fundraisers held to improve the building. June 25, a fried chicken dinner will be available at the Opera House from 4 to 7 p.m. with all proceeds going towards the Opera House Lift Project. This summer, the Opera House will host regional artist Chris Chris Vallillo’s Hickory Ridge Concert Series, with performances July 16 and Aug. 20. July 23, the Opera House will host a cabaret night, featuring former Rascals singing songs of the 60's with a house band. This is also a fundraising event for the lift project, something that is much needed as the building is not yet currently ADA compliant.
Tickets to see "Hello, Dolly!" are available at the door for $12 for adults and $6 for students kindergarten through 12th grade.
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: "Hello, Dolly!" to be performed at Ellisville Opera House — here are the details!
