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Officials call Founders Day celebration a success. — Page 3
September 22, 2021
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WABASH, IN PERMIT NO. 233 Vol. 44, No. 28
Rafael Camaras (top left phtoto), Gary Norman, Cage DuBois and Lauren Myers rehearse a scene from “Sister Act.” Rehearsing another scene are (top right photo) Madeline Dazey, Molly Dazey, Kennedy Watson-Haynes, Madison Waldon and Myers. Ruth Reed (right photo) is the “Sister Act” director. Photos by Joseph Slacian
‘Sister Act’ coming to Wabash By Katelynn Farley
Huntington native Ruth Reed has been busy the last few months, preparing the Wabash Area Community Theater (WACT) for their rendition of the musical “Sister Act.” The musical comedy, which is based off of the hit 1992 film featuring Whoopi Goldberg, will open at the Honeywell Center Ford Theater on Friday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m., and will show again on Saturday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 26, at 2 p.m. This show tells the story of a nightclub singer named Delores who is forced to take refuge from the mob in a convent. The singer ends up turning the convent choir into a soulful chorus complete with a Motown repertoire, until the sudden celebrity of the choir jeopardizes her identity. Reed says that the 28-person cast ranges widely in age, with the oldest being 82 and the youngest being just 16, and that the cast also varies widely in background. Teachers,
athletes, choir students, theater directors and more have all poured their time and talent into this performance. “We’ve had a lot of fun,” Reed says. “It’s exciting to see what they’re capable of !” Auditions began in May and rehearsals for the show began in August. Four times a week, the actors and actresses for the show gathered, some of which had to double up on roles to fill the needs of the show. Now, with time waning down, Reed says that the production is nearly ready. Reed recalls some of the time the group has spent together and some of the work they have put in to perfecting the show. “I have told them we need to work on facial expressions, we need to work on gestures, we need to work on bodily movement,” Reed says. At one point, a suggestion went to Dustin Huddleston, of Kokomo, who plays the role of Eddie. “(Eddie) kisses Delores in the church and the nuns gasp and they start praying,” Reed says. “When he
“You have to shimmy, shimmy, shimmy!” -Ruth Reed
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goes off, I said, ‘Honey, you’re excited! You just kissed Delores! You have to shimmy, shimmy, shimmy!’” Reed feels that the message of the show is relatable to current-day situations. “This show explains how Christianity can be an important part of your life and it can make your life far more exciting,” Reed says. “Those nuns, at the very beginning – yes, they’re doing everything they were requested to do – but by the end, even Mother Superior says that what Delores has done helps inspire people and helps them to know that (Christianity) is exciting and rewarding and, yes, fun. I think that the message in this show is so beneficial.” A few changes have been made to the show to make things more family-friendly, including changes to choreography and some of the script. Tickets for the show are on sale now at honeywellarts.org. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Currently, guests are no longer required to wear masks at Honeywell venues. The Honeywell Center Ford Theater is located at 275 W. Market St., Wabash.
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Dr. Kevin Funk and Deb Schenkel go over a scene.
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