ow HOME MLRA 2010 Employee Holiday Show |
photos by Margery
Rubin
text
by Maggie
Heineman based on the 2010 Holiday Show script
2010 Slideshows and Albums |
Other Holiday Show Slideshows and Albums
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Viewing Technique for Slideshows Start a slideshow. Pull your mouse to the bottom of the screen. If the show is already playing, press the pause button. Proceed at your own pace. |
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Scroll down for the photo essay about the 2010 show,
but first ... |
Gerry Stride became the chair of the Holiday Show Committee in 1992. Mark Wick has been playing in the shows for over 30 years. |
“In former years one resident used to send bribes to Mary McGlone to be let in on the secret of the plot.” On the morning of December 15, 2010 Gerry Stride received an email request for some “history of the show and the process of script development.” Gerry responded to this last-minute request at 6:45 pm that evening, the night before the Really Big Show! |
Then --- A Little History Gerry
wrote: Mary McGlone was in charge of personnel and she headed the committee. We all helped her develop the script and rewrite songs but she was the director-producer of the show. In those days lots of times we were finishing the script 24 hours before the performance. It was in the day before we had computers. We researched material in the library, fake books and did not have the resources we have now. When Mary left I inherited the job. I think that was 1992. P.S. A fake book is a collection of music with one line of music and the chords. Keyboard players use it. Mark likes it better than notes and written chords. editors
note: wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_book
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And Now --- How It’s Done Gerry
continued: We meet biweekly at first and then weekly until we’ve worked everything out. I have about four additional faithful committee members who brainstorm with me...and we develop the script, change words to songs if needed and finally share the ideas with each department. There are usually one or two people in each department we can depend on to organize their group for practice and what they will wear. Most departments practice on their own and then we rehearse with music for the first time the week of the show. Mark has been playing in shows for over thirty years and does a superb job with musical support. The Committee: Donna Coonley, Susan DeJacomo, Eddie Ellis, Tammy Gerhart, Marcy Smith, Jane Weston, Mark Wick and me. Marcy Smith did all of the scanning, artwork and props with some help from Craig Gower. She also put together the PowerPoint with some help from Russell Pepe. Donna Coonley and Susan DeJacomo worked behind the scenes getting together the favors, programs and arranging rehearsal times. Jane Weston organizes the ticket distribution. Mary Calabrese was working the curtain and ordering props before I came on the scene. Dave Wagner burns CDs of the music so each department can hear what their musical number sounds like. This year we also had some resident elves working behind the scenes to put the favors together: Mary Toda, Sally Klos, Wilma Fitzpatrick, Liliane Reynolds, Ro Wilson and Christa Irick. All staff are very enthusiastic about participating and look forward to knowing what their role will be. They are always good sports about doing whatever is asked of them. It has been a standing tradition that we keep the program a surprise from the residents. In former years one resident (name withheld) used to send bribes to Mary McGlone to be let in on the secret of the plot. My role is that of the orchestra conductor. I try to put all the pieces together and make it work. Our first full dress rehearsal is the first performance of the evening. |
Wall Photos
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Photographs of residents and staff, taken at various times of their lives, lined the hallway. In the Theater the opening number was a marvelous slideshow quiz featuring childhood pictures. Guess Who? Then, with sophisticated computer graphics, a recent photograph swooped onto the screen answering the question. |
Guess Who
Photos
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Infancy,
childhood, adolescence, maturity. However different our journeys,
aging is universal.
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As the curtain opened Heath Center personnel were singing a lullaby to newborn babies. Then Dr. K entered pushing Dr. Q in a carriage. The baby began to wail. |
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 Dr. K and Dr. Q |
The bawling baby that Health Center/Outpatient personnel tried to Rock-a-bye with a Dixie Melody turned into a bratty toddler that wouldn’t share, leading Nursing staff from Estaugh and Woolman to conclude, “I Don’t Want to Play in Your Yard.” |
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| Administration’s Twelve
Rules of Seond Grade began with the imperative to “Always
Raise Your Hand.” Throughout the song’s 12-verse repetitions
the second graders were busy breaking rules – chewing gum, throwing
spitballs, etc. When the child urgently waving his hand was finally noticed,
he dramatically
exited, obeying rule #12 – “Walk, don’t run.” |
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Try It With These Words On
the 1st Day of second grade my teacher said to me - Raise your hand
and wait to be called on. |
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“Hello Muddah, hello Faddah, here we are at Camp Dark Waddah” was sung by the 12-year-olds of the Maintenance Staff.
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 “All the counselors hate the waiters, and the creek has alligators.” |
Nonetheless CEO Jeremy Vickers returned to camp for a second year as a 13-year-old ”And this year the food’s improving, cause the little black things in it are not moving.” Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah |
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Paul Evans’s biggest hit was “Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat” In 1959 it reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. In this 1960 black and white video, Evans is the driver and puppets are in the back seat. The male puppet “Fred” resembles Evans. |
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Seven
ltitle girls sitting in the backseat “All together
now, one, two, three -- |
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Peggy Giles’s granddaughter Taylor and the Assisted Living Cheerleaders led residents in the Med U Fight Song. Cheer, Cheer for Old Medford U |
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Bill Murphy gave his off-key advice on “Love and Marriage” which go together like a horse and carriage. Laughter began as soon as Bill was spotted in the wings, continued through his solo, and got louder as Dolores Redner read the “Good Wife’s Guide” to the Receptionists, who pampered Bill in accordance with advice that allegedly appeared in a magazine in 1955. Love and Marriage - Sinatra |
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Tea Time
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Tee Time
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--Waiter,
I’d like to know if you serve crabs here? |
“Yesterday was a good day on the course for Al Pfeifer, he hit a ball in one.” “Wil Britten was caught in a sand trap the other day and kept flailing at the ball. His partner overheard one ant say to the other, “Quick get on the ball before he kills us!!!!” “Why does Ben Paradee always carry an extra pair of trousers in his golf bag?” In case he gets a hole in one!!! It
Don’t Mean a Thing - Duke Ellington 1943 or |
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Gerry
Stride: I just bought a new hearing aid.
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I Hear Half of What I Used to Hear Gerry: I
hear half of what I used to hear Geri: You
don’t need analyzin’, |
We heard a trumpet but there was not one there. It sounded like a live trumpet, not a recording. Where was the trumpeter? It was Joe Pantano at the keyboard! Despite a medical emergency that kept him from his rehearsal, he played for the show. Gerry Stride tells the story: “Joe Pantano is a keyboardist. All of our music was live except for Seven Little Girls. He has been working with us for the last 6 years. His keyboard has a lot of different sounds. He usually plays the openings and numbers Mark is in and for selected departments. This helps get the burden of all the music off Mark’s shoulders. This year he came in the auditorium two hours before he was scheduled to rehearse and said he was going to the hospital. Since he couldn’t reach me because I was practicing in the auditorium he actually drove to Medford Leas to tell me he had to go to the ER. The situation turned out to be less than he anticipated so by that evening he called to say he could do it. Meanwhile Mark had agreed to play all the songs except for the two acts he was in. Danielle played for Administration and we used a CD for Seven Little Girls. Since he hadn’t rehearsed with anyone we just had him do the opening, finale and fill in on some numbers. We found him years ago through the sports committee who used him at their Holiday Sports Day programs.” |
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Environmental Services -- The Complaint My arms are so weak I can hardly hold my coffee cup
Well, it’s not too bad, thank God we can all still drive. |
Environmental Services -- The Advice
Get
out from that kitchen, put away those pots and pans
Well, join your friends and laugh while you still can I said Shake, rattle and roll Just plan a little
fun to put life in your soul. I said Shake, rattle and roll Shake Rattle and Roll - Elvis Presley in his first appearance on national TV |
More
Holiday Show photos by Margery Rubin
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