Wausau Morning Report with Chad Holmes: Wednesday, November 26

And good morning.

It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings with Pat Crite Low on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app.

I am Chad Holmes joined once again by Ian Welsh.

Ian good morning.

Good morning Chad.

I tell ya, I mean, ever since you came on board, I am just bringing on all these folks that are on stage, and I know that you are, what are you up to, like 70 what?

I just finished my, with Sweeney Todd, I just finished, that was my 77th.

Alright, well, these young ladies, I think I have to have a lot of work to do to catch up to you and all your productions, but coming up,

this weekend on Friday and Saturday, four productions, four different chances to see it as the Central Wisconsin Children's Theater is continuing its long running post Thanksgiving holiday tradition as its Madagascar, a musical adventure junior hitting the stage this weekend at the Venega Theater at the UW Center for Civic Engagement.

Two shows on Friday, two shows on Saturday, and we are very happy to welcome into the studio three

of the performers of this outstanding production.

We have Ayla Dunn, who plays King Julian.

Ayla, good morning.

Good morning.

We

have Sophia Volpe, who plays Marty.

Sophia, good morning.

Good morning.

And we have Amy Schneeberger, who is Skipper.

Good morning.

Morning.

And we have Cindy Strobel, who is the director as well, Cindy.

I will say good morning to you as we are completely

filming.

Good morning.

Well, we're going to start with the ladies.

First of all,

For each of you, are you experienced thespians?

Have you been on the stage previously?

How many shows have you been involved in?

We'll go around the table.

We'll start with Ayla.

What for this, what is the number of shows you've been in?

This is my 14th show.

Well, you are coming up on Ian pretty quickly here.

Sophia, how about you?

How many shows have you been in?

This is gonna be my sixth show.

And Emmy, how about you?

This is my sixth show as well.

For each of you, what is it about performing that has first got you involved and has brought you back all these different times?

Again, let's go around starting with Ila.

What is it about performing that you so enjoy?

I

think it's the chance to make people laugh on stage.

Like I love making my character funny and hearing people laugh in the audience is just like, oh my gosh, they're praising me.

And Sophia, what about you?

What is it that you love?

Well, one thing that I love about the theater community and being on stage is everyone you get to work with because everyone has different characteristics, even the audience.

You can see that different people like to see and hear different things.

So going along with Isla, I like to make people happy no matter if they are just in tune with the musical or even if they don't know.

You want to make a good impression on them and just being able to perform is like a whole different world for you to do something on.

and Emmy as the third one to get that answer this.

So what is it that you love about the theater that's brought you back?

Well, I really like just being on stage and singing and dancing.

It's so much fun.

But mainly the reason I keep doing theater is because of all of like the people.

and the friends that I've made and the directors that I've met along the way, and I just love it so much.

I'm gonna ask each of you about your roles, but I'm gonna bring Cindy in for a moment here because I just wanted for folks to understand the Central Wisconsin Children's Theater and this production specifically.

Could you talk a little bit about what CWCT is about the length of time?

This is kind of a quick turnaround, isn't it, for a production?

Not really.

A typical production, whether you're working with kids or adults, takes about two months to throw together from auditions to the show.

Children's theater has been around, I believe, like 30 years longer than I've been in the theater world here.

And what we really want to do is show that kids can perform.

Just as well as adults and it gives them an opportunity to kind of get outside themselves a little bit The other thing I think that is really important about theater is that they they learn to create something bigger than themselves and They do it as a team and those are just awesome lessons for kids to learn

how many kids are involved in this production

64

64

kids yeah plus 20 tiny dancers unbelievable and how many people tried out I mean did you have did you have more than that even come out or do

you yes I might have had like 80

90 tryout.

Is it something that is growing?

Is it continuing to grow?

I mean, because that's a lot of folks to be able to fill into a production.

Yeah, it's a lot of kids to put in a spot.

And one of the things I love about theater is that I kind of think of it as a puzzle where I find the right spot for each kid.

And that that is a really exciting thing.

And I got one more question for you.

You've been around, you know, the theater and been able to be around younger and older performers.

What is it special about working with the kids?

What's special about working with kids is that you kind of have a blank slate.

The things that, when I work with adults that they already know are things that they've learned as kids in theater.

You know, when you say, five more minutes, the kids are supposed to say, thank you, five.

When you, you know, are done with your mic tape, it goes in the garbage.

When you're speaking, you need to cheat out.

When you're, you know, those little things, and I like being able to teach those things.

Very, very good.

And let's get back to the kids here and the performers.

Let's talk about the the roles that each of you are playing.

Isla, you are King Julian.

Yes, could

you tell us a little bit about actually before actually specifically about the the characters.

For folks who are saying, hey, I'm not familiar with the show.

Madagascar, a musical adventure junior again.

It's coming Friday and Saturday.

How would you describe the show itself?

Well, it's...

Well, where do I start?

There's a lot of dancing and a lot of singing that all the songs are very happy and it's all like it'll bring you up and when you're down It's just a very good heartwarming thing about friends and family and it just it makes me very happy And I love it

and we will have more with the cast of Madagascar a musical adventure Junior coming Friday and Saturday from the Central Wisconsin Children's Theater again the shows will be two and seven p.m

on Friday and Saturday at the Venega Theater at UWSP at Wausau.

More to come with the cast at 722.

More to come with Pat Crite Low coming up next here on 98.9 WXCO, online at wxco.fm.

Both devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app.

WXCO Morning Report.

I'm Chad Holmes and this morning we are talking to cast members from the Central Wisconsin Children's Theater as coming up on Friday and Saturday it is Madagascar, a musical adventure junior.

And we're talking to cast members Ayla Dunn, also Sophia Volpe and Emmy Schneeberger.

And we continue by asking Ayla about playing King Julian.

What is the character King Julian?

He is an arrogant, slightly dumb party king who doesn't really care about this one tiny lemur named Mort, and he likes to move it, move it, I guess.

I hope that it's a real stretch for you.

Oh, it is.

Yeah, I have never played a role like this before.

Well, let's go to Emmy next.

You are Skipper.

I mean, the only Skipper I know of is from Gilligan's Island.

It's not like that, is it?

Um...

I don't know what that is.

It shows how old I am.

Oh man.

But Skipper, what is your character?

Well Skipper the penguin is like a leader of his little group of penguins and I think he very much enjoys being the leader and he's a little bossy and he has big dreams of going to the wild and even when they come true they realize that it

Maybe it wasn't the best idea.

Sophia, what about you?

You are Marty.

Who is Marty?

So Marty is this guy who has a really good attitude and he loves to have fun and he has these four friends or three, sorry, Gloria, Melman and Alex.

Alex is his best friend and he is a lion and he tells his three best friends that he wants to go to the wild and they are just like, that's the worst idea and they don't believe.

that that's a good idea whatsoever.

And then when that dream that he's had for so long comes true, he realizes that it was never the paradise that was the dream.

He just wanted to be together with his friends for so long.

I forgot to ask, what grade are each of you in and where do you go to school?

I love what grade are you and where do you go to school?

I am in fifth grade and I go to remount and elementary.

Okay.

And Emmy, how about you?

I'm a sixth

grader at John Muir Middle.

School

and Sophia.

I am in seventh grade and I go to Newman Catholic Middle and High School.

Very, very good.

Again, we are talking about Madagascar, a musical adventure junior, which is hitting the stage on Friday and Saturday.

2pm and 7pm shows at the Venega Theater at the UW Center for Civic Engagement.

I'm going to ask each of you what's been the biggest challenge of this production for you.

Again, we'll start with Isla.

I think the biggest challenge of being King Julian is definitely the accent and the attitude.

He is so bubbly and like he's so light on his feet It's so hard

to

act that way and do his little Indian accent.

It's it's very hard

and Amy what about you how getting into the mindset of being a penguin

Well the penguin we have to do a penguin walk the penguin walk is very difficult and I think I'm

a little bit like Skipper in his like personality of wanting to be like a leader but I feel like his voice the way he acts is a lot different for me and that's acting and it's like I really have to like get into

him when I'm like on

stage.

And Sophia, what about you?

Has there been any big challenges as part of your role?

Well, with Marty, I can relate to him in a lot of different ways, trying to always stay positive and hard times, being a little bit crazy even when you're not supposed to.

I think one of the biggest challenges is switching from some of the songs that you'd say that we sing all together, which are like more connected, where in some different songs

I sing by myself with ensemble, but it's my solo So at different times I would have to belt and at different times we would all blend together So I think definitely switching from different song and vocal types is a little bit tricky and then also kind of going along with Ila said Marty has a little bit of like rasp in his voice and the fact that like ours are more pure It's a bit difficult to try and like have a rasp but also not take it too far

It's like a voice crack or something like that, but I think it's been really fun to play this role and

I feel like I can just relate to him in a lot of different ways.

And on the other end of the spectrum in terms of maybe a favorite either song or a favorite moment, a favorite part of the show.

Is there a favorite moment in this show for you?

It's definitely the song I like to move it.

There's so much energy in the song.

It's just so woo.

And everyone, everyone in the crowd is going to know what this song is.

So we really got to bring the punch and I'm, I'm very excited to show people what we can do.

And Emmy is.

Is there a favorite moment for you during the show?

Well,

I'm not going to spoil the show, but there

is

one scene where we're in crates, and the set for that is just awesome.

And I love that part so much, because it's just so cool.

And so that's probably my favorite part.

One of my favorite parts in the show is also move it move it like I said there's just so much energy and so much like kaboom that just goes into it and like she said just everyone this is like the breakout song because everyone's gonna know it and You just got to bring energy and have fun

And also one of my favorite parts in the show that I do in one scene we land in Madagascar and Melman is like this very touchy and he's very sensitive and at one point He's talking about his back because he says he has sciatica and then once he says my sciatica is acting up He's hunched over and I hit his back so it straightens

and it's

funny in my opinion because like his back is hurting and I'm over here

listening to him complain about like first world problems and then I just come in and bust the mood and hopefully I'm hoping to get some laughs but I really like that part.

Fantastic.

Sounds like it should be a lot of fun.

Again there's four different chances for people to see it on this Thanksgiving weekend.

You got Friday at 2 p.m.

and 7 p.m.

Saturday at 2 p.m.

and 7 p.m.

at the Venega Theater UW Center for Civic Engagement.

Tickets are available online.

We will have a link to be able to get

the tickets online on our show page where you can get the podcast and all the other information about this show, but it's cwct.bookticks.com.

And again, we'll give you all the information in terms of pricing and everything else by going to our show page.

Again, just go to wxco.fm at the end of the show today.

It will have the podcast and all this information as well.

Well, young ladies, break a leg, have a lot of fun this weekend.

Thank you all for coming in and really thank you all standing job.

Thanks so much and Cindy.

Thank you as well.

So thank you.

Always happy to be here.

Absolutely.

So again, that is Central Wisconsin Children's Theater and their performance of Madagascar a musical adventure junior at the UW Center for Civic Engagement Vinegar Theater both on Friday and Saturday 2 and 7 p.m.

We'll be taking a quick break and then coming back with more.

It is the WXC old morning report part of mornings with pack right low on 98

8.9 WXER

Hey everyone and welcome to the WXCO morning report on Bull Falls Radio 98.9 FM and a 1230 AM online at WXCO.FM and on the Civic Media app as well.

Well, I think we can say that winter has hit us pretty hard right now.

It's not quite heavy snow yet, but driving into work this morning.

had to make sure I was testing my brakes, make sure I left a little bit early because it wasn't quite how you see out there, but it is getting a little slippery out there.

So just keep that in mind while you're driving this morning.

I am your engineer slash producer Ian Welsh, but the show is not about me.

No, it's about me.

No, no, no, it's not about me.

Team up.

Thank you Ian.

I stepped out for a moment, but I am back in.

It is 754.

Temperature is 31 degrees.

Some of that light snow is falling, but the thing that's kind of jumping out right now.

when I was just outside, is it's windy.

There is a wind advisory that's in fact, in effect, going on today until 6 p.m.

So in addition to the snow, it's going to be blowing snow.

So it's not gonna be a lot of snow somewhere in the maybe one, two, three inches, maybe even two to four inches before all is said and done.

But the thing that could cause some issues later on as we continue into this Wednesday is

how the snow is going to blow and so if you're driving if you're heading out for your Thanksgiving holiday a little bit early here before tomorrow make sure that you give yourself a little bit extra time and as you said

When we get out there for the first time with some snow and with so many climate weather, you may forget, because it's been a number of months since we've had to drive in snow, that you need to give that little bit of extra buffer that do not tailgate, because if you do have somebody that stops suddenly in front of you, maybe a deer will pop out.

That could lead to an accordion effect and lead to a significant accident.

I

actually did

see an accident.

I was driving past the courthouse on the way to work today.

some police sirens over there.

I saw a truck that had had well I'm not sure if it crashed but it was it was on the side of the road and there was a tow truck over there so just keep in mind people that you know driving in winter weather is very dangerous and you just you need to be cautious and you need to be considerate of everyone else around you saving a few extra

Second is it's not worth you, you know hurting yourself or anyone else just Be cautious out there there, please because the temperature is definitely going to drop as the week

and

if

we get more snow, there's a good chance that

it'll get even more slippery.

35 to 45 miles per hour.

That is something to keep a

definite ion resulting in blowing and drifting snow.

This advisory is for us here in Marathon County, also Portage County and Wood County as well.

So if you're heading south, that this advisory is in effect.

But as we talked about yesterday, if you're heading north, it could be even tougher in terms of the snow because as you go further north, more and more snow, you got the winter weather advisory here in this

area.

You've got a winter storm warning in effect up in Onida County and points north.

You have a blizzard warning up in the far northwestern part of the state and into the UP of Michigan as well.

Yeah, we talked about that yesterday.

I didn't just say it was about 13 to 16 inches up up like really far

north upwards of 30 inches way up north.

So yeah, it is really going to be a massive.

Major and you see it when you see the term blizzard warning that says it all right there, so I mean I mean here we have the winter weather advisory that is very tame Compared to everything else, but you have that blizzard warning that means it again.

This is a holiday I mean tomorrow is Thanksgiving and people do travel and we had a number of the day just last week talking about the amount of people that do a travel more than 50 miles for when it comes to

to the holiday so if you're one of those folks that is traveling either today or tomorrow make sure that you do take that little bit of extra time today is the day that really is the the main weather issue tomorrow

a slight chance of snow showers in the afternoon, but mainly mostly cloudy.

And as you said, it is going to be a start of a cold stretch hiding your 26 degrees and those Northwest winds continue to gust up as high as 31 miles per hour.

So that means the windshield factors will be a factor.

Then the sunny skies return on Friday, but Black Friday, chilly 25 degrees.

And for the weekend, snow on Saturday, more snow.

And I was looking in.

it looks like it could be significant.

We'll have to keep an eye on that as we get, when we come back on Friday we'll talk about it, but snow on Saturday at a high again at 25 degrees.

Well, it's definitely good to get a little snow.

Just a little bit of time.

Well, that's the thing.

It's not the big ones we're looking for.

You don't need those snow drifts quite

yet.

a shovel with and that's not fun.

Exactly.

At least for me, it's

not.

No, it is not.

It's not fun for very many people.

That's for sure.

Coming up top of the hour, it's almost eight o'clock and we have an information update news, weather and sports coming up and then we'll be back.

Pat will be back in 806 and will be back at 822 for the WXCO morning report here on 98.9 WXCO.

Good morning.

The time is 822 some light snow Crazy conditions in downtown Wausau 29 degrees is the temperature It is the WXCO morning report part of morning the pack right low on 98.9 WXCO Well last night the Wausau City Council voted to override Mayor Doug Denny's veto of the 2026 city budget by a 92 vote and

I want to talk a little bit about what this veto means in terms of how the mayor is working with the council and working as mayor so far in his term.

Because even beyond the discussion on why the mayor felt like he had to veto it or why the council felt as though it was not a good veto and they had to override it.

The thing that it says again is that this mayor has very little political capital right now in City Hall He is somebody that Threatened a veto and then he did veto and the council is saying so what?

It says to me that the mayor of Warsaw needs to take a long look in the mirror and say how can I be most effective in this job?

He has some priorities obviously

And in order for him to be able to accomplish what he would like to accomplish in this term He is going to have to go about things I think significantly differently than he has in the first less than two years of his administration because when you have a veto that is slapped back

this emphatically, it says he's got very little in terms of political capital right now with this council.

And I don't get a sense that the community is going to be outraged because this veto was overridden.

The mayor, when he vetoed this budget, talked about the looming financial challenges.

He talked about the

potential of a tax increase, that he would not accept any tax increase at all.

He noted that staffing has grown and that he feels as though that the city could reduce its staffing, not through Laos, but through natural attrition.

City Council President Lisa Rasmussen disagreed.

She was somebody that supported the budget.

and said that basically that this crisis that the mayor is talking about when it comes to the budget and the need for cuts and the like is not there right now that the 2026 budget and the 2027 budget are two different things that some of these issues that the mayor talks about are problems that will exist.

in the next budget.

It should not bring this year's upcoming budget to a complete halt.

So yes, that is a fair point that there will be discussions but the veto this budget is not the right thing to do.

And obviously a great majority of the board agreed.

The only two dissenting votes to override the veto came from Terry Killian and Victoria Tierney.

Killian

Had been the only council person who had voted against the 2026 budget earlier this month Tyranny supported it.

So basically it was a flip by her because She basically said well, I voted for the budget the first time and now I'm voting against it the second time and one of the interesting political stories out there.

I think in my mind is the political alignment

the Killian family and Mayor Doug Denney I don't understand it I I don't I've never thought that Tom Killian would have been somebody that would have been as close to the mayor that in some areas that he is and His mother Terry on the board has been

Probably the most steadfast supporter of Mayor Denny so far this administration So again, that's one of the interesting political questions I see out there and I don't really have any answers to it at this point But the big story from last night again is that the city council on a nine to two vote

did override the veto of Doug Denney.

And again, I just think that one of the stories that needs to be acknowledged is that there is a definite political weakness within the mayor when you have a veto that is slap back so emphatically.

And it's something that we'll talk about when we discuss political news with Marathon County Democratic Party Chair Nancy Stencil Monday morning.

She usually comes in every other Thursday, but tomorrow we are off because of Thanksgiving.

So we've rescheduled Nancy for a Monday.

morning and she'll be with us at 7.22 and I'm sure this will be one of the political stories that we do talk about when she comes in with us coming up on Monday morning.

So interesting again it's not surprising I think that the veto was overridden but again it is significant when a chief executive has a veto that is overridden by such a massive majority of a legislative body.

Mm-hmm.

All right.

Time now for our number for the day quiz.

Yes.

Ian is two for two so far this week.

So it's doing pretty well.

Doing very well.

All right.

The Wausau City Council now has a budget.

They over at the veto.

So now the Council's approved 2026 budget will go into effect.

The number of the day is what is the total city budget in terms of dollars?

What is the city of Wausau?

budget in terms of dollars your choices are all right one hundred and forty one point seven million dollars one hundred and seventy one point seven million dollars two hundred and one point seven million dollars so one forty one point seven one seventy one point seven two one point seven million dollars

Okay Okay, I'm gonna say Final answer I'm gonna say 171.7 a million dollars final answer one with the middle

number all right the 2026 budget is projected to be around 171.7 million

dollars

Oh

my gosh, this feels good.

Well, we'll come back Friday and see if we can wrap up a perfect week.

Oh my gosh, that would be awesome.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

You too, Chad.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

And everybody, safe travels out there.

Please.

Stick around.

Warpack right low next on 98.9 WXC-O.

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