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Derby closing directing career with ‘Annie’ By Rod King For Times Community Publications
For Matt Derby, New Haven High School math, physics and chemistry teacher and drama director for the past 30 years, producing “Annie” has been a bittersweet experience. The musical, which runs March 18, 19 and 20 in the school’s auditeria, will be his last production. Though he thoroughly enjoys doing the fall play and the spring musical (he minored in theater at Eastern Michigan University), Derby said it’s time to step aside. “This is actually the best part of the year for me,” he said. “It gives me the opportunity to work closely with the kids in a more relaxed, comfortable atmosphere away from the teacher/student relationship of the classroom. I relish the chance to be more right-brained and use my creativity. For the students, being
‘ANNIE’ Show times: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 20. New Haven High School, Green Road at U.S. 930, New Haven. Adult tickets $10, student tickets $5. involved in drama is something they choose and want to do.” The two theatrical performances a year also involve his wife, Kris, who makes costumes, organizes props and serves as mom to all the kids. “I plan to continue teaching here,” Derby said, “but my future in theater is up in the air. I might, however, try my hand on stage somewhere along the line if the opportunity presents itself.” Being director, producer, business manager, set designer and builder and sound
PHOTOS BY ROD KING
Longtime New Haven High School teacher and drama director Matt Derby will end his directing career when the curtain closes and the lights go off Sunday, March 20, on his production of “Annie.”
and lighting technician takes a lot of time – eight weeks, in fact. “It takes me three weeks to recover,” he said. “I’ve been blessed to have a
lot of parental help in construction of the sets. Jane Patton does a great job with our choreogSee DERBY, Page A17
Annie, played by junior Claire Moon, and Daddy Warbucks, played by senior Xavier Mueller, are the major roles in New Haven High School’s production of “Annie,” which will be performed March 18, 19 and 20.
Ukulele club entertains Saturday pizza patrons
Shopping for a mortgage?
By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
Mary Jane and Ray Casiano of New Haven warm up with the TRU Ukes Club. Mary Jane has been playing with the group since it began about four years ago. Ray has been playing for about a year.
for it and I thought I’d share it,” he said. McConnell, a Ball State University biology professor, has been playing with the TRU group since it was orga-
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TRU UKES The Fort Wayne Area Ukulele Club plays for the public at 11 a.m. the fourth Saturday of each month at Pizza Hut, 5735 Coventry Lane, Fort Wayne. The music is free.
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Times Community Publications/INfortwayne.com
A salad bar separated the lunch crowd from 21 idle ukuleles. Then the TRU Ukes Club strummed the opening notes of “All My Lovin’ ” to the delight of followers and surprised guests at the Village of Coventry Pizza Hut. Club members meet at the Fort Wayne restaurant at 11 a.m. the fourth Saturday of each month. Their music is free to the public. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” with a reggae twist was heard next. For 90 minutes, soloists, duets and the entire club played and sang songs from decades past. Tom McConnell offered a song from 2013. “The song is called ‘Be With Me’ by Suzie Brown, and I worked out chords
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