40th Anniversary show opens at Sixth Street Theater
Dian Springer-Griffin (seated center) goes through her book of 'Old Memories' during a recent performance of the Sixth Street Theater's 40th Anniversary Reunion Show. The emotional performance details Springer-Griffin's parents' involvement in the creation of the theater four decades ago.
Josh McDonald
WALLACE –– This past weekend marked the opening of the 40th Anniversary Reunion Show at the Sixth Street Melodrama and Theater – a show rooted in memories and nostalgia.
The show leans into the theater’s history and features a revolving cast of current actors as well as many former thespians from the past four decades.
“We specifically designed the show to allow people to come in from different eras and perform,” director Norma Douglas said. “The show will look the same each time in terms of how it’s laid out – but the performers will all do something different depending on who is there that night. So, people who see the show multiple times will see a lot of different things.”
Douglas, who also is one of the show’s stars, has been involved with Sixth Street since 1992, but took some time away when her kids were in grade school – when she found out that she was going to be in the director’s chair for the 40th-anniversary show, she wasn’t sure what the show was going to be, but she knew that she wanted to get as many folks as possible from the theater’s different eras.
“I was a little nervous at first because people weren’t returning my calls, but once one of them did it was like everyone did,” Douglas said with a laugh. “We have so many strong personalities in this show, but when we get to perform it’s all worth it.”
In a show that pulls a lot of influence from past shows and performances, Douglas’s favorite part of the show is the performance of Dian Springer-Griffin, the daughter of one of the founders of the theater.
“Dian’s dad bought that building and paid all of the insurance on the building until his death and then he sold the building to the theater group for like a buck, because he wanted the community to have that building,” Douglas said. “Her parents were so integral to the theater, there’s no way that we could’ve done a show like this without including them – her ‘Old Memories’ part of the show is my favorite part.”
Douglas also wanted the show to be something the audience could also participate in, so she grabbed music from other shows, songs that would be recognizable and take the listener back to the first time they heard them.
“We tried to make sure that the songs included were ones that would mean a lot to the audience,” Douglas said. “The familiar songs from the past are a lot of fun for everyone – and they really show how diverse we’ve been over the years.”
Joining Douglas and Springer-Griffin are cast members Tina Trecker, Mallorie Flynn, Paul and Carol Roberts, Cody Sweat, Lisa Siri, Tonya Vaughn, Casey Duncan, John Rowe, Johnny Turner, Fred Bentley, Sue Hansen-Barber, Terri Robinson, Tony Underdahl, Ken and Cheri Bartle, and accompanist Carl Rowe.
The theater is also selling raffle tickets for a handmade quilt from Bonnie Farmin, tickets can be purchased at the theater.
The Sixth Street Melodrama and Theater’s 40th Anniversary Reunion Show will run through the next two weekends (Friday - Sunday through March 17) with the Friday and Saturday shows starting a 7 p.m. and the Sunday shows beginning at 2 p.m.
For more information, or to purchase tickets please visit www.onthestage.tickets/sixth-street-melodrama.