Hello all, welcome to WFHR's Rapids Report, probably brought to you by Crockett Sceptic for
this June 16th, 2025.
Have your host James J. Mailoff here, and we're welcoming to this studio some of our favorite
people who ganged from Wisconsin's Rapids Community Theatre.
First we have Executive Director there, Gretchen Powers, Gretchen, who is good to see you.
Hello.
I always feel weird when I call you Gretchen and not Gretchen.
It's weird for me, but it's good to see you, thanks for being here, and you brought
some friends.
We're here to talk about Dare to Dream Junior and we have a couple of the cast members
here.
Ladies, I want to let you introduce yourselves to the audience, put a name to the voice.
Go right ahead.
Hi, my name is Claire Malooley.
Hi, Claire.
My name is Arya Olson.
Hi, Arya, thank you both for being here.
It is so great to have some actors here to talk to and work with.
I'd like to talk about method acting, but no.
We're going to talk about the play and have some fun with this one, and Gretchen, if
you don't mind, I'm just going to go ahead and ask them a couple of quick questions about
the show.
Oh, actually, before we do, can we tell the audience about the show Dare to Dream that
is going to be premiering coming up on June 19th?
Yep, it's June 19th through the 21st Thursday and Friday at 7 and Saturday at 2.
Do you want me to give a little synopsis of the show?
If you would like, sure.
It's a Disney.
It's a very vague.
It has Disney's Dare to Dream, Jr., and it's actually about, back in the day, we would
call them Disney Imagineers, right?
Do you remember those days?
Yes.
Like the Nicki Mouse Clubhouse days?
Yes.
And so Imagineers.
And so players, one and two, are the two lead characters, and they play the teachers
that are trying to teach all these kids how to become Imagineers.
And they're going around and they're talking about their dreams.
And one girl says, oh, what if I don't have a dream?
I don't have one.
And so then, basically, they spend the whole show trying to get her to realize her dream
or figure out how to navigate through all that.
And so Wade explores different songs that are just kind of fitting, different Disney songs
from different Disney shows, from Be Our Guest to Hakuna Matata, lots of fun songs and
dances, and the way we kind of do it, I think, is pretty nice with our color groups.
That's pretty cool, right?
That's fun.
And one other quick note about this, and just the way that you guys are going to be doing
things this summer, that I...
Really, I love highlighting.
You've really broken this down into age groups for the kids and young adults and everything.
And it just feels like, not only do we get more people on stage and more kids involved,
but it just seems like a really fun, creative thing for the community as well.
Yeah, we get to actually break it apart into age groups.
And so this group is, I think, eight to 12.
And then teens are doing West Side Story, and it's just nice because you get to actually
focus on something that age group is going to really just show their skills.
And the teenagers would be bored with this show, and then the little kids would really
want to West Side Story.
And it should be noted, I think, as well, because I know that I've heard this from the
community.
The fact that we're able to pull this off, that is impressive, too.
Not just that we're doing it, but that this theater has the amount of people that can
do something like that, both, you know, running these things as well as, you know, getting
cast members for it and everything.
And certainly to the parents out there that are helping and guardians and everybody that
are helping these kids get to rehearsals and be a part of this, a big shout out to everybody.
It takes a whole community to make these things happen, and it takes the whole community
to attend them, too.
We want you all to show up for these great events.
So girls, I want to ask you guys just a couple of questions about your characters and
stuff.
Are you?
What can you tell me about your character?
Um, while my character, uh, well, I don't, uh, it's okay.
So are you plays an ensemble member who has a solo, do you want to tell him what song
you're solos is?
Yeah, what solo?
Uh, I have a solo and let it go.
Oh, oh, that's a big one.
That's a big, you enjoying it?
Yeah.
Yeah, is that a song you already liked, and you knew?
Hmm, cool, cool.
So that probably helps a little bit, huh?
Yeah, cool.
Very cool.
Thank you for sharing that, uh, and Claire, uh, what, what solo will you be doing?
Um, I have a solo in, um, it's just around the river bends, and my character is a curious
student.
Cool.
Cool.
And yeah, did you enjoy, are you enjoying the song and enjoying what you're doing?
Yeah.
Good.
Very good.
Very cool.
Now we like to do something around here, Gretchen, and I, when we're talking theater,
letting the audience know what it's like behind the curtain and what's going on.
So how, uh, has rehearsals gone?
How often you guys are rehearsing?
How, how is it?
It's really fun, because we just do a bunch of like random stuff, and sometimes it'll
be just like, one moment, it'll be super serious, and the next moment everybody's just laughing.
Yeah, it's really fun, and, um, there's one song called The Nonsense Medley that, um,
I'm pretty sure we all really like, because at the end we have to all fall on the floor
and laugh.
That sounds great.
Oh, that's fun.
That sounds like a really good one.
Thank you for including that, Claire.
Appreciate it.
Do you want to tell them a little bit about some of the theme days that we've had, and some
of the things that have happened during rehearsals?
We've had a theme day where it was like, dress your best day.
We've had, um, there was like a water day, so we had like, some people dressed up in swimsuits
or something that they could get wet in.
It was really fun.
And then I sprayed and went with a squirt gun when they did bad, just kidding.
That's not what happened.
I just kind of turned into a free for all of you.
Yeah, yeah.
Um, but it sounds like the rehearsals have been a lot of fun.
And that's, that's really important, and it's great for the audience to know that, too,
if there's any kids out there that are listening or parents that are listening and they want
to be involved in this and knowing how much fun that could be, and you guys just helped
me out a lot, too, because I'm going to be directing soon and I'm taking notes.
I want to make sure my crew has a good and fun time, too.
So water balloon flight, I've got it, uh, and other great things, um, Gretchen, when, when
it came to, uh, putting this together, uh, how, how much, um, how much, uh, fun have
you had doing this and working with the kids and everything.
I know this is a bit of a throwback for you.
Yeah, but it's always been one of my favorite times of the summer and it's been, I don't
know, a little bit more of a joy to work with the really little kids because it's, it's,
it's like you could still, they're still magical.
They still believe in it a little bit and they want to just do a good job and it's not
just about everyone's trying to get the lead part or something like that and they're
not, they're not, they're not caddy children.
They don't, they're not mean to each other, um, and they all just want to put on a good
show and have fun and I'd say that everybody's part is pretty, you guys get a lot of stage
time, right?
So none of you feel like you guys have small parts?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Gretchen, let's get into the details of the show, uh, when it's going to be performed
and where people can take it in.
Yep.
So we will be performing on Thursday and Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm at the Wisconsin
Rapids Community Theater on the main stage.
We will also be making an appearance at lunch by the river on the 19th.
Our, our, another group is doing a, a show called Snow White and the Seven Endings at
the beginning of lunch by the river and that shows about an hour long and then for the
last half hour or so, um, both there to dream and West Side Story.
We'll be doing a couple songs from there, um, shows to help promote and we'll be handing
out brochures and stuff.
So we'll, we'll be there, um, tonight we're going to actually be at the Rafters game,
um, doing the 50-50 Raffle and a group of our kids will be singing the National Anthem
there and in their costumes and it'll be a lot of fun.
How exciting are either of you going to be a part of that, uh, part of the National Anthem
right there?
I will.
I've been practicing.
Great.
Oh, really good.
And it, it really helps the practice.
Sometimes it makes us feel a little more confident going into those things, uh, that I'm really
impressed.
I could never do that.
I could not, no matter what.
I couldn't do that.
I'm very impressed by that.
That's really cool.
Good night, guys.
You know, do you know if you're coming, Arya?
I don't think so.
Okay.
I was asking mom.
Maybe next time.
And, and you guys are so young, you'll probably be in a lot of shows and have a lot of chances
like this.
Yeah.
And we're having a really fun day on Wednesday for our final dress rehearsal.
Hmm.
Do you guys, anybody want to tell them what we're doing?
Um, we're having like a breakfast dinner and everybody's going to bring at least like
a little thing to just like have our last rehearsal to be super fun.
Yep.
So we're going to have breakfast for dinner before.
We're going to come in our pajamas and have like a pajama day.
And then they're going to get, and you guys get to each bring a stuff, the animal from home
to sit in the audience.
Well, so that they are, um, so that they're best friend from their childhood, who, who
they always told their dreams to, gets to be sitting in the front row.
Oh, that's fantastic.
And then, um, after that, we're going to get into our costumes, do the show, and then
we're going to change back into our PJs, listen to the long bit of notes that Ms. Gretchen
has for them for the final dress, and you'll go home late, but you'll have already been
your PJs.
So that's okay.
My heart, you guys.
I can't take all the cute.
I can't take it all.
It's so cute.
That's great.
Thank you for your saying that, Gretchen.
Thank you for that.
So before we wrap up, and we just touch on the other show that wanted to mention, also
showing up a lunch by the river, I did want to note to the parents out there, two kids
out there that are, maybe on the fence, are thinking about being a part of things with
the theater.
Um, there has never been a better time, I think, than being a part of, uh, WRCT, and,
and being, uh, seeing, and a part of things going on over there, for, from young to old,
no matter who you are, uh, your experiences or anything like that, and when it comes to
kids, uh, specifically being involved in theater, I know this is something that, uh,
you and I, uh, champion quite a bit, and the life experiences and the different ways
it can help them, no matter what they do in their lives.
And I, I can prove that I have, uh, maybe the prime example sitting right across from
me, in somebody who did this stuff at your guys' age and look where she is now, she's
running the thing, uh, and, and very, very, very well, um, and it is very noteworthy.
And I think that any kid out there encouraged you to be a part of things at WRCT, and, uh,
adults as well, by the way, you know, and we like to have you guys down there too.
Again, Dare to Dream, a Disney musical review, uh, they said the right review.
I always wonder if I'm saying that right, uh, is going to be coming up Tuesday, June 19th through
the 21st, uh, shows will be, uh, going on then.
Well, you can find out more and get your, uh, tickets, if you'd like, uh, at a time at
WRC theater.org and then keep in mind that there's also going to be a performance going
on on, uh, Thursday's lunch by the river.
They'll be having, uh, there's no white in the seven endings that will be going on again,
at lunch by the river this Thursday.
Be sure to check that out and stick around afterwards.
You'll have some songs, uh, from the kids, uh, from this show.
Yep.
And please note that that's a free show.
So you won't have to pay anything to get to that.
So free theater.
Oh, yeah, yeah, that's take that in everybody.
And it's a very cute show.
It's not your typical snow white in the seven dwarves.
It actually is the dwarves rendition of what happened, what really happened.
And so they go through seven different tellings of each person.
And my daughter is actually in that show.
Um, she plays Twinkle Toes and she's the ballet dancing dwarf that tells
everything through interpretive dance.
Oh, so all the, all the great roles are for kids.
I'm just, I'm realizing this right now, like all the great roles are for kids.
Uh, I don't know what it's doing as an adult actor.
And I also don't know what I'm doing directing adults.
I've changed my mind.
Gretchen, I don't want to direct a main stage show.
What a direct a kid show now.
Can't back down.
It's so much fun.
And there's going to be so much fun.
And as much fun as we're having here and everybody has had the rehearsals
and are going to have for these shows, you as a crew as an audience, uh,
I don't think there's better theater than kids theater.
There, it just doesn't get much better than that.
Take it in everybody and be a part of these shows and find out more by going to
W or C theater or you can find out not only all this information about these
things, but also finding out ways that you can be a part of things at W or C T
volunteering or maybe filling out an audition form or a lot of their kinds
of cool things.
And be sure to follow them on social media, share their page, their posts on
your page.
You just never know who might see them otherwise.
Thank you all for the time today.
Really do appreciate it.
Thanks for being here and break a leg.
Have a great run and I'll talk to you soon, Gretchen.
And thank you all for joining us for another edition of WFHR's Rapids Report.
