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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2012 WWW.ARLINGTONTIMES.COM 75¢ 2011 GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER
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Blue Stilly Players debut in Terrace Park BY KIRK BOXLEITNER kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com
SPORTS: Lakewood Cougars return to the gridiron. Page 10
SPORTS: Arlington ready to tackle the Tomahawks. Page 10
ARLINGTON — Terrace Park was abuzz with entertainment for all ages from Friday, Aug. 24, through Sunday, Aug. 26, as the Blue Stilly Players finally made their debut public performances over the course of the weekend. Half a dozen actors brought the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel to life in an open-air setting, and worked around the absence of a theatrical backstage or curtain by making audience members feel like members of the cast. “We have a hit on our hands, according to our audience,” said Bridget Clawson, founder of the Blue Stilly Players. “We’ve had a great deal of work and fun bringing Arlington quality live theater to enjoy
for free in this gorgeous park.” “Even after seeing this play about 30 times, I still laugh,” said Sue Weingarten, the group’s creative director. “The actors are so energetic and inventive that new bits have appeared daily. Their dedication and the joy of playing have successfully launched the Blue Stilly Players.” The Blue Stilly Players presented Hansel and Gretel as a play within a play, staged by a theatrical family whose members took on the familiar roles of Hansel, Gretel, their parents and the witch who lives in the gingerbread house. Hailey Kelm Thomas, a junior at Arlington High School who played Gretel, adjusted to the learning SEE PLAYERS, PAGE 12
Kirk Boxleitner/Staff Photo
Hailey Kelm Thomas as Gretel, left, and Matt Glazener as Hansel, right, are tormented by the witch, MacKenzie Mott, during the Blue Stilly Players’ Aug. 24 performance in Terrace Park.
Community looks to save Olympic Theatre BY KIRK BOXLEITNER kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com
INDEX CLASSIFIED ADS 15-18 9 LEGAL NOTICES 4 OPINION 8 OBITUARY 10 SPORTS 14 WORSHIP
Vol. 123, No. 41 Kirk Boxleitner/Staff Photo
Nikki Fee, left, listens as Norma Pappas, owner and operator of the Olympic Theatre in Arlington, explains the difficulties in keeping the movie house running.
ARLINGTON — The community members who met at the Local Scoop Restaurant to “Save the Olympic Theatre” on Tuesday, Aug. 21, were able to agree on one thing; they have much more work ahead of them to do before they can proceed. William Frankhouser manages the online promotions for Norma Pappas, owner and operator of the Olympic Theatre in Arlington, and he’s set up a website, a Facebook page, an email contact and a phone number for community members to learn more or get in touch with the organizers of the campaign to save the theater. In the meantime, Frankhouser facilitated the Tuesday evening meeting at the Local Scoop, which received input from concerned citizens of all ages.
“I would love for someone to finally take over the theater,” said Pappas, who’s run the Olympic for nearly 36 years. “I’ve tried to train people, but it hasn’t worked out. I’m there every single day for each showing, and it’s exhausting. I’m ready to retire.” With movie theaters converting to digital film, Pappas is facing as much as a $100,000 upgrade fee for new equipment, which would require her to dispense with the old equipment in which she’s already invested more than $50,000. Coupled with an absence in standardization in the digital format and the destruction of old films to make way for digital, she’s caught between an old format that will no longer exist and a new format that remains nebulous and well out of reach of her budget. SEE OLYMPIC, PAGE 11
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