Local talent shines in the spotlight

Theater Scene column by Carol Moore

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Friday, October 29, 2004 12:05 AM CST

Dear Times Readers,

My name is Carol Moore, and I'm your new theatrical reviewer. Let me tell you a little bit about me. I've been a communicator for many years, working in advertising, marketing, public relations, and writing. I've represented beauty queens and recording artists, as well as lots of businesses. My hobby is photography, and I love the arts! I don't remember when I fell in love, maybe in a (mercifully) brief appearance in "Cheaper by the Dozen", or an Art Appreciation course. It might have been the first time I listened to Mozart, the first time I saw a Monet, or the first time I understood the nuances of a play. Now I'll be sharing that love with all of you.

Visiting performers have told me how tough region audiences are. Many of the people in the audience are more talented than those on stage. We are lucky to have such an incredible pool of talented people right here in northwest Indiana! I hope to profile some of these people, and their work.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation's 12th Annual Awards Night, a glittering, black tie event, held in the LaPorte Civic Auditorium. Members of twelve theatre companies gathered to honor their best performances. To lead off, Karl Berner, Donna Blanchard, Robin Childress, Kathleen Dominiak, Larry Hinken, Gary Jones, David Long, Gary Mion, Steven Spanopoulos, and NIETF president Lisa Woodruff sang and danced through an original sketch saluting the features and foibles of all of the theaters. I'll be writing more next week about the plays and award winners.

Today I want to spotlight the Outstanding Achievement Award presented to Bonnie & Dan Quigley. According to their bio, the Quigleys have been involved in LaPorte theatre since 1970. In her acceptance speech, Bonnie made some remarks I thought should be shared with all of you. "The arts - especially theatre - in my opinion are being dangerously neglected by Indiana Schools. Sports programs offer experiences for kids, but arts programs are being eliminated through budget cuts. It is becoming more and more obvious to me that our community theatre family has a responsibility to offer exposure to the arts and specifically theatrical opportunities to young people." After recounting some of her children's experiences growing up in the theatre, Bonnie said, "As adults, they now have the ability to present themselves before an audience, large or small, and speak without throwing up or losing it. They understand how to depend on others and be dependable. They can think on their feet. They understand the concept of commitment. They learned to communicate. They did not learn these things on the football field or basketball court. They learned it at the theatre." Enough said.

Please send information about your upcoming theatrical events to Carol Moore by using the email form on the Contact page.

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