Welcome, everyone, to Midday magazine for this aug, uh, but I almost said August,
Gretchen, you threw me off.
It's working with you and it throws me off sometimes a little bit.
I get excited to talk to you.
Uh, it is December, everybody.
Just a reminder, it's December, December 8th, actually.
And I know this pre-recorded, I could erase all this, but I'm not going to, uh,
we're going to keep it in because it's real radio.
That's what we do around here.
We are so happy to welcome into our studio.
Our last guest for the week at Midday magazine, the best one we could ask for.
Gretchen Powers Executive Director, Wisconsin Rapids Community Theater.
We're going to talk about a couple of things with Gretchen today, but I do want to send
a shout out to our great friend Meredith and the people over at Visit Wisconsin Rapids
Bureau that do such great work and give this half an hour to a local, uh, non-profit
usually and, uh, gives us a chance to hang out and talk a little bit.
We love that.
We appreciate all of our friends at Visit Wisconsin Rapids Bureau.
Thank you so much for having me and inviting me Meredith.
This is a great opportunity for us.
Uh, Gretchen, I know that, uh, tonight is opening night for a candle in the window.
Our holiday season show, uh, this is going to be going on tonight at seven over at the
O W R C T as Auditorium, the theater.
Um, I want to get into that with you a little bit, but should we kind of discuss maybe community
theater, rapids community theater, W R C T, I was thinking about this, um, when I got
the notes, uh, from Meredith and, and I was thinking, you know, we talk about so much
about the theater, but I don't know if we've really talked about the history of the theater
in years.
Really, uh, we, we, we are so in the moment we have to be, you know, we're trying to
promote a low, uh, current show or something.
So we don't really get a chance to go down the path and, and look at where we, how we got
here.
Um, do you mind if we do a little of that?
I would love that.
Actually, it's been a little bit, um, fun for me.
I mean, I've always known things about the theater and it's where it came from and who
started it.
Um, but as I've been in this position, you know, I go through old file cabinets and
I find envelopes of photos and see, um, previous shows we've done or, uh, old fundraisers
that we used to do and it's like some of them are memories and some of them are like
treasures and relics because they are kind of what made us us.
So, um, it's, it started in 1975 and they actually used to be called, um, the community
players of Wisconsin, but yeah, yeah, I didn't know that.
I didn't even know that.
Yeah.
Um, I know that, um, like Kathy Miles and Ellen Reisler and then a bunch of other people
were founding members and, um, we don't have many founding people still, you know, participating,
but we do still have them come to shows.
Um, I kind of run into people like I joined Rotary, um, just to try to get, you know, be
more involved in the community and everything and I've, I've met some people who were in
the early shows or at least their mother was or something and it, it's been very interesting.
Um, and so back in the day, I, I get to say that now I, yeah, my son actually will
ask me things like, what did you do for groceries in the 80s?
They didn't have stores back then and he's, he's in the play that they're doing right
now and then he has to pull out a dollar and the play that they're doing takes place
in the 80s and he's like, mom, I can't use a dollar bill.
I got to use a coin because you could guys didn't have bells when in the 80s, I'm like,
oh my goodness.
How old do you think I am?
I did it out of the bells to babe.
So I just, it's seven.
Um, but yes, um, back in the day, um, we used to actually just perform our shows over
at the library and we would only, we just with the schedule of other community events,
we'd only be able to do three shows per year.
I remember, and then we wouldn't practice at the theater because we didn't have a space.
Like, um, I remember being over at the Girl Scout Camp, we would do rehearsals there
or in church basement, the, the old cultural center's basement.
It was right.
Yeah.
Um, it was kind of everywhere and it wasn't until, um, Walmart moved or they built the
new Walmart that that space was vacant and, um, that's when we were lucky enough to take
that space.
Um, the city was kind of able to throw together at least for us and it's become our home.
We, there was, I was quite young.
I was probably only 15 or so when they were doing all the campaigning for the, for the
new theater, but I was part of the fundraisers, um, I remember having to dress up like Dorothy
for some things.
Cause it was like, look, slogan was like, there's a place to be cute, oh, that had to be
cute.
That's awesome.
That's a smart move.
Whoever thought of that.
That's a smart move.
There was a slogan about like no place, there's no place like home.
Oh, okay.
That was a lot of our like fundraising stuff.
So I, I recall the red slippers and they're still in the costume area and walking around
with a basket and handing out flyers.
I, I wanted back then for the theater to succeed so much that I was, I was, I was like,
I would put myself in whatever, um, volunteer position I could and it's kind of probably,
probably would help me get this position today, but it's, it's the symmetry.
It's the beauty of this and stuff.
We've talked about this and directors cut some other spots.
Um, I, you're mentioning and I'm immediately brought back on some of these moments and
uh, I, my first, I would say six or seven shows with WRCT were at the library and, uh,
having to do rehearsals in different locations and everything.
It, uh, gives me this, uh, great warm feeling when I think of current, uh, actors and writers
now and going forward have this beautiful studio, this, um, it's not just the stage, but
the studio itself, all that room for props for costumes, different things like that, uh,
the, the side stage, if you will, that is able to have more independent, you know, works
and things.
Um, where this company has come, even in the short time I've been around, is just cool
and beautiful to see.
I can't imagine for you, Gretz, where you grew up in this theater, you know, what it's
got to feel for you.
I know how much it impacts me and hits me.
I can't imagine for you what it must feel like to be able to not only see all these things,
but now to be a key hand in the future of it.
Uh, I, I feel like it's, it's always been a second home to me and air lately this week,
especially if I live there, but um, but that's another story.
Um, but it's, it's really just awesome what we've, what we're able to do now.
I mean, we are able to build some really amazing sets just because we have access to the
stage all the time.
And so we tear down the walls for one show and start building them the next.
Um, I've had some discussions with like maybe, you know, holding off a couple weeks before
we start building our sets or our silver foxes can use the, the main stage a little bit
more frequently or if the children have a project they want to do, but I mean all in
all they, they get the set, a good set belt within two to three weeks in our set builders.
Incredible.
Especially Pete and Jim.
They're just amazing.
They had taken an idea and roll with it.
They do research or, or current, our current show is a train station and, um, I was never
been in a train station, but, you know, I'm, yeah, yeah, you never had to be, I wouldn't
know what one looks like and they, they did research.
They looked in books and, um, they Google searched everything and found, they're down to
how the clock on the wall is hung is, is how they've, um, built and dressed the stage.
It's really awesome.
Gretchen, I had a meeting last, uh, this Tuesday.
I stopped by the studio to say hi to the stage.
I mean, Gretchen, um, and, uh, I just, uh, I got a chance to get, just take a peek at that
stage.
And I, I spent a lot of my youth and train stations and that and everything.
And it's the, I, I got it right away.
Not only did it as a train station, but it was old school.
Like, I, I felt like I was literally at a train station, not just that I got what it was,
but I felt like I was at one.
The, um, we've been very fortunate.
I've never done a show at WRCT that didn't have a great stage, didn't have great props
or any of these things.
And a, um, you know, got your part of Dark of the Moon, right?
Uh, my brother was, uh, I think I did some stage back stage work or at least I was watching
a million times.
So yeah, I remember you in that one, so with that small stage, we had a mountain on
that stage at the, at the library.
That was one of the cooler sets that I've ever seen back, back at that place.
That and the Anne Frank set was real cool.
Oh, yeah.
They had an entire annex on there.
So it's, it's, uh, it's nothing against it to say that our stages haven't always been
great, but this, it's a whole different ballgame now.
It is the last two years, the way that our sets have been built and designed.
They are, uh, must see alone, let alone the great characters and actors that we have created
on those stages.
It's been really cool to see.
I want to send a, a real shout out to all of our, our great stage builders out there.
Yeah.
And with, but like you said, like I don't know that I've ever seen a bad set, um, I feel
that there's always just a lot of thought that goes into them.
Yeah.
If our directors stuck our set designers are able to come up with something awesome.
Um, we've, we've done a lot and it's really cool to just kind of say, I want to see what
we're going to do for this set, you're so right about that.
Um, um, you mentioned, uh, that we're, as we're talking about the history of WRCT, that
there used to be three shows a year, uh, that they would do.
We've gone on to four now.
We have four seasonal kind of shows, if you will.
Um, but it's not just that WRCT is a year round thing now.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So now we have, like, I mean, it feels like forever that we've been doing, but, um, but
yes, we do, we kind of focus on, um, children for the summer, but we are using the theater
space all year.
And when we put on the shows, we don't just do one show.
It's most of the time, you know, we do six shows, six performances over, over the course
of two weekends.
And I, I feel like it just gives people a good variety of different things if, if a drama
isn't their thing, they can go see the comedy in the spring or whenever it may be.
Um, I feel like our play selection committee is really scratching their heads.
What to do next is because what we've done some really great things, we don't want
to repeat anything.
So if anybody out there, listeners have, um, seen shows and other community theaters
and they're thinking, man, that would be really cool to do here.
Feel free to send me an email or call me, um, you don't have to direct it, but you couldn't
put it to our play selection committee and they'd find someone to direct it.
Um, Gretchen was even nice enough to listen to me talk ramble about my one man stage show
of, uh, doing every Simpsons character.
It's really bad.
It's not very well done.
And I'm not very good in impressions, but she was nice enough to hear me out on it.
We're not going to do it.
She was nice enough to at least hear me out about it.
So she'll let you show, listen to your ideas.
I'm an idea person.
I will definitely brainstorm, um, and if, if you have interest in directing or stage managing
or running props or being in the show, don't be afraid of coming out.
It's, it's, it's, we're not a scary group.
And I feel like, I feel like people who have kind of stepped away from the theater for
several years have been starting to inch their way back because they knew who I was.
And, um, I, I, I don't know.
I like it when people come and talk to me.
So, yeah, um, when, as we're talking about WRCT and we're going to give, uh, give you
guys a preview and touch on a candle in the window, premiering tonight, uh, at seven
o'clock at the WRCT auditorium, I want to, um, also use this opportunity like we do
anytime we're talking to you guys to encourage people out there to be a part of the theater.
Um, we can never have, there's never going to be a point not only in our community
theater's existence, but any community theater, well, woo, we got enough people.
Like, you can never have too many people.
If every person in town here wanted to be a part of WRCT, we'll find room, we'll, we'll
make it happen.
Um, we want that.
That's, that's the essence of what community theater is is to get more and more people
involved and the show more and more people that, hey, you don't have to just be entertained.
You can be the entertainer.
There is no us without you.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
So, we want to encourage you, uh, whatever it is.
And, you know, you can dip your foot in the water, you can go ahead and maybe you want
to do props, maybe you want to hand out pamphlets in the beginning of a show or something.
It doesn't have to be, you know, doing a hamlet on stage.
You can do some of the smaller things and kind of find your way in your, what, what speaks
to you.
Maybe you are an actor.
Maybe you're somebody who excels in props.
Um, you and I have known many people, uh, that have, uh, over the years who have made
a career backstage working props or doing different things, uh, some of our favorite
people have been doing those kind of things.
I, I 100% agree with you that some of our favorite people are the people doing that, um,
I really could not think the people that work backstage enough because they are treasures
and I adore them all.
And we can always use new friends and new people to be a part of these things and, um,
we, one of the things that I think WRCT has done so well that not every community theater,
in fact, I, I can't think of many that have done this is community theater theater in
general.
It's great.
A certain play is going to have a certain age range though.
These characters of 20 to 30 or something like that WRCT is so inclusive is so representative
of not just this area, but at the times.
And hey, if you're a kid who wants to be a part of something, well, we have hope of productions.
If you're a senior, want to be a part of something, we got to silver foxes like we, no matter,
no matter what your age is, there's no excuses to not be a part of things if you want to
be.
And it's not just even about age or anything.
We're also inclusive when it comes to like abilities.
Like if you get up there, you get a part and then you're finding out that you are struggling
with, you know, lines or something like that and it's just not going to happen.
We're going to find a way to make it happen.
Even if it's not the ideal way, we're there for you and we, there, there's so much grace
and so much, um, acceptance that we're, we're community.
I mean, I want to put on really great semi-professional shows, but community comes first and the people
in the show come first.
So, um, and I know firsthand that she means every word of that.
She's showing me it in many different ways and sometimes in ways that probably weren't
easy for Gretchen, but she, she, she means every word of that, everybody and, and that's
part of the reason why so many of us are excited to see you in the help of this.
It's fitting, it's deserved, but it's also pretty dang cool.
It's also, you know, it's great.
We're looking forward to seeing not only as you get more and more in tune with the job
and comfortable within everything, but knowing that, um, we can breathe easy, you know,
that, okay, WRCT is going to be all right.
We, you know, we, we know that now, uh, as, as these positions get filled, as we, you
know, have different people come into it, not just with this, but any of our nonprofits
out there.
There's a concern there with that, uh, the, the community was relieved immediately when
they saw that you were attached to that position.
So we were in good hands, um, we're in great hands tonight, we've got a great show going
on tonight.
I know hard you and the team over there have been working.
What was, uh, today, like this morning, like you were over at the theater, I imagine doing
a ton of things and I, I'm basically, well, today I made sure that everything for the
concession stand was, uh, well, stalked and all the drinks were in the fridge and everything
because I would hate for them to have warm soda or warm beer.
We sell beer and wine and, and water and soda at our concession stand and, um, that's
actually become very popular, especially now that we allow it in the theater as long
as you bring the little twisty.
Yeah.
Yeah, definitely.
So you won't spill.
Um, and I, I, I'm very thankful for anybody who buys those concessions.
They really help our theater.
We have a lot of random costs and like, uh, this week alone, we, what, we, um, had a couple
donors who helped us get our grand drape, um, we still had to cover a giant cost of it,
but it was, it's a beautiful, beautiful curtain, you saw it in your, you saw it when we
were hanging it up.
Yeah.
Um, and the funny thing is, is that after we hung it up, but I sent, you know, talk to
the guy who got the thing from me, he's like, oh, well, you should let us let me know.
I would have helped you guys.
Oh, my God.
Thanks.
Thanks, Terry.
That's great.
Now you tell me that it's, it's, um, these, uh, things, these touches are, are only going
to enhance the theater experience for the goers, for the people on the stage.
Um, it may not seem like something will occur, and okay, it's a, to a curtain.
This curtain actually stands out.
It's a lot lighter and there's a lot more to it that makes it a lot easier for the team.
I think my favorite part about it is that it doesn't smell like dust.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Wow.
When the balance dropped after we were removing it, I just, this giant clouded dust went
up and I'm like, well, that's cool.
Yeah, right.
Yeah, that's something.
I, I dust for lunch.
So that was, that was fun.
Yeah, you're full.
Yeah, you got enough of that.
Um, and not a lot of vitamins in that either.
Um, this show that's premiering tonight, a candle in the window, uh, Seth and I were touching
on this in the morning show a little bit.
Um, it's, it's a popular show, but I don't know if it, the storyline, the subject matter
is, is, is common knowledge.
Uh, can we touch on that just a little bit to give people a bit of a preview of what
they're expecting?
Sure.
I, I've had a couple, you know, different people come in and misname it.
You know, I think it's called candle in the wind and, oh, sure.
Yeah.
It's not an Elton John, right?
Um, and, you know, I mean, it's, it's, you know, it's just word of mouth gets there
and nobody knows.
Telephone.
Um, what was the question?
A little bit of the preview of, of what the show is.
So yeah, um, I actually, I feel like this is a story that a lot of people can relate
to.
I feel like, um, well, it's about people who are trapped at a train station on Christmas
eve.
They're just going somewhere, they're all going through something on the negative side.
Like, it's, it's, it's dark, it's not dark, but it's deep and, um, getting stranded on
Christmas eve when you're supposed to go there when someone in your family is sick and
dying, someone, you've got to get somewhere and deal with a problem or you're running
away from a problem and, um, you know, what do you do when you're, when you're stuck
in a building and so it's like, um, they kind of find help within each other, but, you
know, they also still kind of bugging each other and it isn't until children come stumbling
into the train station, um, in the middle of the night dressed in their nativity costumes
because they were headed over to the, they snuck out of their homes to go practice at
the church and saw lights on at the train station and they wanted to, to give it a try
to an audience to see if it was, quote unquote, L-succo, that's what one of the kids said.
Yeah.
Um, or else Stinko or something like that, whatever, anyways, um, they put on the
chill for the grownups, but then they stick around and have some hot cocoa and have some
conversations and kind of find out that these kids are a lot wiser than the grownups and
there's a twist ending at the end, which will give you chills, so it will, um, this one
is a bit more of a feeler, I think, you know, um, it's, it's a little more, uh, realistic
of a Christmas tale. Um, and, and I think audiences want that more, uh, you know, not to
say that they don't love the classics and those things, but I think people are looking
for something like that in this day and age and it's great to bring them classics, but
to bring them something like this, uh, a, maybe if forgotten classic, if you will, uh,
it's nice and it gives something, uh, these people something different this time of year.
So that, that is a really nice opportunity to give people too. And it's a fun show.
I, I, because Deb is directing this and she is one of my theater moms, like a lot of
us out there. I really was tempted to audition for this, so I hadn't read the script before
I read the script. I was blown away by how red, well, written this is, uh, it's a very
well written script.
I did a little research on the, um, on the public, but I was looking through the publisher
and stuff. I'm like, clicked on it and it was like, why, why did you write this play?
And he said that a good amount of his, um, inspiration came from talking to strangers
over the years and he had been in a similar situation as, as this and so I kind of sparked
the, the idea for it. So, and you, you hit it on the head. It's such a relatable play.
Even if you've never been stuck somewhere on Christmas Eve or Christmas week or something
like that, I think almost all of us have had the fear of that happening and, and put
ourselves in that moment and stuff. You're, your, uh, tire, uh, pops on the way to go
see grandma or something like that. That's what happened to me. So that's a poll and that
out of it, uh, and immediately thinking, oh, God, I'm, I'm going to miss, uh, my, my,
grandmother's Christmas or something and the guilt of that and everything, uh, that kind
of thing is very universal. And then a loan, I think, brings people in and at a certain,
when you get to a certain age, it's almost impossible to be in your mid 20s or 30s and
be celebrating Christmas and not missing somebody, not thinking of someone. A lot of us are
doing that. Uh, I know my family and I are, are really heavy with that this year and we
weren't really looking forward to Christmas. We weren't really even thinking of celebrating
it. Um, it was, uh, it was talking about this show with my mom and dad. It was similar
things like this going on in town with the lights and everything that have geared us
and pushed us a little bit towards more like, no, you know, not a pop, they love this
holiday. Uh, we don't must be, it almost be insulting not to celebrate the day and not
to get into it and join the community and in celebrating and everything. These things
go a lot deeper than I think we realized sometimes. You know, uh, not only having these
things for the community, but having something to, to not, not distract us in a bad way,
but distract us in, in a positive way. Um, the show itself is going to be premiering tonight,
seven o'clock. You've got shows on the eighth and the ninth this week and then they're coming
back the 14, 15th and 16th, seven o'clock shows for all of these that Saturday, December 16th
show has a two o'clock matinee. Yes. Um, as we're wrapping up here, Gretchen, I do want to
real quickly touch on the schedule and, and that it's been this way for a little while now,
where we don't have the Sunday shows anymore. Uh, how is that going from you and the,
and the board's perspective and how is it going from the communities that you're heard?
Well, I, we are in back in discussion with it. I mean, I was served on the board for six years
before I was in this position and I, I feel like we've gone around and around with, um,
what our, what our show schedule is going to be because it's not everything is going to work
for everyone. Um, Sundays don't really work real great, but then again, we still have people
calling and saying, I wish yeah, that's Sunday matinee. Um, and we, we've been currently doing
this two shows on the last Sunday thing. And that's just hard on the actors. I've had a few
actors just say doing two shows, especially the really long ones. And that's just a little bit hard.
So we are talking about everything and kind of looking into what's going to work best for
the majority, um, for the future. So is it tight? I can't talk about it too much.
Oh, no, we figured it out, but no, no, no, no. Um, I think that, I think that there are some
positive changes that are going to be happening in the next season. So, uh, just, uh, as, you know,
it's like you're an actor too. Uh, we'll do whatever we, you know, is, is the schedule says we're
going to do it. Um, but I was curious because of, um, hearing from community people that they
were enjoying a lot of this. And, and certainly we all love the two o'clock matinee. So that isn't
going anywhere, whether it's a Saturday or a Sunday, I imagine that sticking around. And that's a
good thing. Yeah. Um, and I mean, it's, it's my biggest, I mean, I'm one of the grateful things I'm
grateful for, um, is that, um, with this, with this cast, she cast, there were enough kids to audition.
Double cast the show. Um, so she split up the cast and one group of kids is doing three performances.
One is doing the other three. And it almost got put where the first weekend would perform the
Saturday, Sunday, and then the Thursday, and then the kids would have the rest. I'm like,
wait a minute, hold the bus. That means that one group is going to have to do two shows in one day.
Let's, um, group one, do the matinee and group two do the Thursday Friday. It's Saturday evening. So
it's like, I would have hated to see those kids have to sit there and do two shows. That's a lot. So, um, I,
I always am looking out for the kids. I, um, they kind of come first. Right on. And that's another
reason why we're very thankful for you in that position. Uh, we need people thinking that way.
We want to encourage people to not only attend this show, take in this show, but take in as much
theater as you can locally here at WRCT and be a part of things at WRCT, technical actors,
hospitality, facility, anything. We will find a place for you and you will find a new group of
friends, a new home with WRCT. I guarantee it. Um, Gretchen, if people have other questions,
if there's businesses out there that want to work with you or any of the above, how can they
contact you? They can either call me. My phone number is 715-421-0435, but then weeks like this,
where I'm in the theater and running around, it's easier just to email me and my email address is
cdwrct. That's hilarious.net. Um, or you can just stop in and hope you get me. Uh, usually I'm sitting,
sitting in the box office every, but at least Monday through Friday, but there are all box offices
closed on Monday, but I'm typically usually there. So if you're calling me and saying, hey, are you
there? Uh, I'll let you in. So when I send a shout out to our friends at the Visit Wisconsin
Rapids Bureau, got a lot of great things going on locally in town here this weekend. The 7th annual
Christmas tree walk at the South of County Historical Museum, check that out. Uh, the, our River
Kings are in town, taking on the Minnesota Moose. That's going to be a great set of games,
get on over to the South of County Rec Center. And of course, by local support, local theater,
a candle in the window Wisconsin Rapids Community theaters holiday show premiering tonight at seven.
They're going to have a show tomorrow and at seven o'clock, then the 14th, 15th and 16th seven o'clock
shows with two o'clock matinee on the 16th. Get your tickets and find out more at wrctheter.org.
Always good to talk to you, Gretchen. We'll talk soon. Thank you. We'll have more midday magazine
for you next week. Want to send a shout out to our own friend, our good friend Pam Hilke, the
heart of this station. Great scheduling week in a week. I'll Pam, we appreciate you. Talk to you
soon and later right here at WFHR.
