Unsung Heroes
Every theater group has them—the unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes for very little recognition. We try our best to acknowledge them and make them know how much they are appreciated, but you can never say thank you enough. So this #TheatreThursday, we’re highlighting the active people that make it happen for the Bobcat Players!
- Alex Andres: Many of you may know Alex from his recurring role as Archie Oblonski from Unexpected Gifts and A Very Oblonski Valentine. But what you might not realize is that he is great with power tools and really delivers for us in the set construction arena! Alex is the type of guy to show up early, stay late, and brings tools & trucks.
- Rozan Antonetti: Besides being one of the Bobcat Players' biggest fans, Rozan is a dedicated ticket seller for our box office. She commits to giving us an evening of her time for nearly every show and we have come to depend on her consistently for this. We are also thankful that she lets us steal her husband, Jere, who is a board member!
- Robert Eric Armstrong: A regular both on and offstage, Eric contributes to our theater in any way he can. From lending his musical talents to underscore performances to producing and house managing, his involvement has grown over the past few years and we are thankful to be able to rely on him.
- Bill & Helen Byrnes: This power couple tries to attend every show we produce and their support is invaluable. The Byrnes are also always willing to sell tickets for us, so we're sure you've seen them at the front of house before!
- Ken Depenhart: Always willing to help and there to greet you with a smile, Ken is the husband of board member Pat Depenhart. He volunteers as a house manager for each show and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty with the Bobcat Players. Ken also helps with set construction and painting, as well as having lent us his truck on more than one occasion for hauling.
- Fred Hamilton: Husband of our Treasurer, Patty Hamilton, Fred is a consistent supporter of our shows. In fact, he can always be found in the front row! But more than that, Fred helps by allowing us to use his truck for hauling and lends us tools & other items needed for staging.
- Rebecca Hetzell: You may recognize her face from her stage debut in Decision Height! Rebecca is a constant in our audience and also a member of our Publicity committee. She previously wrote a blog entry for us and will head the online publicity for our next production, Red Herring.
- Joyce Hoellein: Joyce possesses the great quality of being willing to help in any way possible. She is a member of our Stage Management committee and she has helped us to locate props for previous shows. You may recognize her from the many productions she has done with the Bobcat Players--and you'll see her again onstage in A Streetcar Named Desire this November.
- Carey Hutch: Carey has been a great addition to our Tech committee, working both sound and lights for at least one production a season for a few years now. She is ambitious and self-motivated, easy to work with and knowledgeable. Never one to back down from a challenge, Carey is taking on the tech for A Streetcar Named Desire this season after coming off last year's colossal Blithe Spirit.
- Keith & Stephanie Sevy: You probably know these two already--and we certainly couldn't sell tickets like we do without them! As the owners of The Hostess Gift Shoppe in Beaver, these two help us reach our audience and promote our presence in the community.
- Liz Zagorski: Most of you already know her, too; for years, she was the “First Lady” of the Bobcats as wife of former President Keith Zagorski. But her dedication to the group did not end with his presidency. Liz is a dedicated member of the Publicity committee and runs the box office phone line for four shows a year. On top of all that, she always sells tickets for each show and is an integral part of our daily operations!
We would also like to take a moment to thank the janitorial staff and maintenance crew of the Beaver Area School District, who make our presence there possible. They faithfully clean up after every show--usually late at night and on the weekends--and their work does not go unnoticed.
On a personal level, this was one of the most terrifying blog entries I've written for the Bobcat Players. We are fortunate to have people who consistently help us behind the scenes each year, and we would hate to have forgotten any of them. Hopefully, that has not happened, but if you are one of those people, please reach out to us and we will make it right. (Of course, this particular entry is focusing on the people who are currently active; there have been many others over the years who have contributed to growing our theater. We were blessed to have them and truly hope to focus on them in another blog post down the line.) Furthermore, if you are feeling inspired to get involved after reading about these wonderful volunteers, drop us a line--we'd love to have you!
