NEW COMPANY
Gay Lynn Owens has started a new real estate company in Creston. What’s the name of this new company? More in BUSINESS, page 5A. >>
UPHILL BATTLE
The No. 13 SWCC men’s basketball team was defeated in an “uphill” battle by NIACC in the regional opener on Tuesday. More in SPORTS, page 8A. >>
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016
CHS production of ‘Meet Creston Fire the Creeps’ opens Friday Department to buy new brush truck city council
Performances of “Meet the Creeps” will be 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the CHS auditorium. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. ■
By KYLE WILSON
CNA managing editor kwilson@crestonnews.com
By KELSEY HAUGEN CNA staff reporter khaugen@crestonnews.com
Fans of the 1960s TV series “The Addams Family” may enjoy Creston High School’s production of “Meet the Creeps,” a farse about an eccentric family living in a dilapidated mansion. “We refer to it as a spooky comedy. It’s campy, kind of over the top and ridiculous,” said Laura Granger, CHS speech and drama teacher. “The whole thing is similar to ‘The Granger Addams Family,’ so it’s kind of a spoof on that. It’s got similar characters.” Performances will be 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the high school auditorium. Tickets, which are $5 for adults and $3 for students, may be purchased in advance in the CHS main office or at the door.
The plot The CHS production of “Meet the Creeps” involves a fairly large cast, as its 25 characters are each played by a different student. T h e m a i n roles are Sinbad C r e e p s Peters (Tyler Peters) and Tarantula Creeps (Angel Stow), an eccentric married couple. “I think the most challenging part is me having some lovey-dovey feelings toward Sinbad, which is another student, because it’s just really hard to portray somebody who’s in love with somebody else,” said Stow, a sophomore. The Creepses have a nosy neighbor, Flora Limetree (Lydia Gortman), who doesn’t like their house, which is a dilapidated mansion. “There are some other kooky characters; one is Billie (Cat Daily), a butler/ billy goat,” Granger said. “Then, Mortimor Weird (David Qualseth) comes to stay with them.”
CNA photos by KELSEY HAUGEN
ABOVE: Creston High School drama students Lydia Gortman (Flora Limetree) is offended by an off-the-wall joke told by Tyler Peters (Sinbad Creeps) during a “Meet the Creeps” rehearsal Monday evening at CHS. Performances will be 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the high school auditorium. BELOW: Creston High School drama students Angel Stow (Tarantula Creeps) and David Qualseth (Mortimor Weird) perform a scene.
Every year, there’s a street contest, and the road the Creepses live on, Pilgrim Road, always loses. As the Creeps’ neighbor, Limetree is upset their street never wins and is convinced it is because of the Creeps’ mansion. This year, she is determined to win. “So, she’s trying to get rid of the house by buying it from them (and) getting it condemned,” Granger said. “There’s just a lot of little characters, and they’re trying to get the house out of the contest so Flora can finally win. There are some shenanigans that happen along the way.”
Choosing “Meet the Creeps” In her first year at CHS, this production will be Granger’s first time directing a full-length play. “I chose ‘Meet the Creeps’ because my mother used to direct plays, and she did this same show in ’96, and I remember it being a cool set and a fun play,” Granger said. “Having the play production classes, I also thought it would provide a lot of cool projects for the stu-
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The CHS cast, made up of grades nine through 12, has been rehearsing three times per week since Feb. 2. “I love this show; it’s
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dents to create. For example, there’s a painting on Sharkstooth Scrim fabric. We’re going to put pastel chalk over it, and when the light’s shining on it, you’ll see the painting. When the light’s shining from behind it, it’s going to illuminate the actress behind it, so she can talk and it looks like the painting is alive.” She plans to have other special effects, including a fog machine. So far, directing “Meet the Creeps” has been a good learning experience, Granger said. “It’s been a little hectic, but the kids have been great, and they are really coming into their characters,” Granger said. “Everybody’s working as a team to learn and figure out the process as we go. Some of them who have experience have been really helpful in knowing what should be done. It’s been nice to have their input and help with it.”
Volume 132 No. 195
2016
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“We refer to it as a spooky comedy. It’s campy, kind of over the top and ridiculous. The whole thing is similar to ‘The Addams Family,’ so it’s kind of a spoof on that. It’s got similar characters.” — Laura Granger
CHS drama teacher
so funny,” said Qualseth, a junior. “There’s a lot of stuff that goes back to ‘The Addams Family’ that you can draw connections to, which is really cool. My character, Mortimor Weird, as the show progresses, you’ll realize, ‘Oh, he’s Uncle Fester’ – that’s who I am, basically.” While there are a few scenes in which the lines are still rough, Granger said she foresees the play coming together by Friday. “I think the play is really good,” Stow said. “I have fallen in love with all of the parts.”
He started raising funds about two years ago. And Tuesday, Creston Fire Chief Todd Jackson presented bids to Creston City Council for the purchase of a 2016 Dodge cab and chassis. This new truck, which replaces two aging Jackson vehicles in the department, will be used primarily for brush fires and emergency medical calls. “It will also be used for extra transportation for rural fires,” Jackson said. The two vehicles being replaced are a 1985 Chevrolet brush truck and 2002 Ford Excursion. Jackson said this move from two vehicles to one will also free up space at the crowded Creston fire station. No city money will be used to purchase this new $29,900 four-door vehicle from M&M Motors in Creston, which presented the lowest bid for the truck. Jackson gathered grants from Volunteer Fire Association ($20,000), Schildberg Foundation ($5,000) and South Central Iowa Community Foundation ($5,000) for
this purchase. Jackson also has a letter of intent from Afton Fire Department to purchase the 2002 Ford Excursion for $5,000. All total, he’s raised $35,000. Jackson said the new truck will need emergency lighting, siren and accessories. Money for that will come from the remaining funds raised along with some money from either the current budget or the FY2017 budget. Jackson told the council he expects the new truck to have a life expectancy of about 15 years. In other city council news: • The council unanimously approved a letter of support for Creston Library Board to proceed with an 8,995-square-foot expansion at Gibson Memorial Library to be known as Creston Area Library and Cultural Center. This project is expected to cost $2.9 million. “ T h e library has come up with a good, w o r k able plan that gives them a White chance to grow. I think it’s time we get behind them,” said Randy White, ward 1 councilman CITY | 2A
Greater Regional welcomes new doctor Greater Regional Medical Center announces Matthew Bolinger, Doctor of Medicine, certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, joined the medical center’s staff in March. Bolinger specializes in ear, nose and throat (ENT) procedures and clinical care and treatment. “We are excited to be moving back to the Midwest. I chose to come to Greater Regional because we loved the community and Greater Regional. We are excited about the growth the medical center is experiencing,” Bolinger
said. “I am excited to start a new full t i m e ENT, sinus and a l l e r g y Bolinger practice on campus.” Bolinger attended Northwestern University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences. He next attended Ohio State University, College of Medicine, DOCTOR | 2A
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