Curtain call
7/3/2024For many people, public speaking is their worst fear. They recall suffering from butterflies in the stomach or worse before stepping out on the stage for their elementary school programs and the terror of having to speak in front of their peers in high school speech class. For them, the thought of performing before the public in a stage production sounds as appealing as being tarred and feathered. Others actually seek the spotlight, volunteer to memorize lines and create play props, and eagerly await the day the curtains are drawn back and the show begins. Some of these people share their reasons why center stage is the place they want to be.
Molly Longman
34 productions and counting
Molly Longman, Adel-Desoto-Minburn English teacher and drama director, has overseen theatre for 17 years. She has directed 34 shows on the ADM stage, with two productions each year.
“Theatre brings together so many of my favorite things in one place: storytelling, creativity, visual art forms and collaboration with like-minded people,” she says.
She adds theatre can be a transformative experience that can change lives.
“When new individuals start to connect with the passionate theatre community, the rest is usually history,” she says.
Longman’s favorite moments as a director are hearing from parents that their students never really “found their place” or “found their people” until they got involved in theatre.
“I treasure working where everyone is welcome, valued and can contribute something essential to the final product,” she says.
Some of the best parts of a production are the aspects the audience never sees, Longman says.
“I love the collaboration, the risk-taking and bravery, the problem-solving, the mentoring, the communication, and everything else that my students have learned to do alongside learning their lines, lyrics and dance steps,” she says.
Source: Adel Living, June 2024; by Chantel Boyd
Brent Roske
Theatre buff
Brent Roske’s involvement in theatre and film started in elementary school when he began acting. By high school, he was already directing and soon set out to pursue his dreams in Los Angeles, California.
“I made a low-budget movie when I first got to L.A., which got me a job offer from NBC Universal where I was the creative director for the NBC stations group for 10 years.”
He’s currently producing shows and films for his Flamingo Network on Roku, including the feature film, “Diana In Love,” starring Shanti Fiennes as Princess Diana, which was a contender in last year’s Golden Globe Awards. Roske wrote and directed the film about the spring of 1997 when Princess Diana found herself in Los Angeles starting a whirlwind romance with an Oscar winning movie producer named Dodi Fayed.
Now, the television and movie producer splits time between Grimes and California, where he still works as needed.
“I’d like to do more Midwest theatre and hoping to find time, and when I’m not in L.A., I live in Grimes and love it here.”
Source: Grimes Living, June 2024; by Ashley Rullestad
Joel and Deb Hade
A tale of two Hades
“Theatre allows people to explore their creative and artistic side,” Joel says. “For those folks not athletically inclined, it provides another group activity that gives a sense of belonging.”
Joel and Deb Hade both found their way to theatre arts at different times in their lives. For Joel, it started when he was in high school where he was in multiple plays and competitions. He took a break from theatre during college and his professional schooling but found his way back after moving his family to Indianola in the early 1990s.
Joel and Deb played so many roles over the years that they say there are too many memorable ones to list. They say social media has helped in finding more high-quality performers, but getting good directors and technical people for lights, sound and set design is always a huge need.
“These people are the unsung heroes in staging a show, but it takes a lot of work and skill,” Joel says. “Board members step in to help in these capacities a lot, but we’d love to find more people to step into these roles.”
Source: Indianola Living, June 2024; by Becky Kolosik
Lindsay Amundson
From dance to theatre
Lindsay Amundson of Norwalk participated in theatre at school in the West Des Moines Community School District, the Des Moines Playhouse, and the Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre.
Dancing piqued Amundson’s interest in theatre.
“I started dancing when I was 2 and loved the attention. I thought dressing up in the costumes and performing on stage was fun,” she says.
Her parents met while participating in a play and were involved in theatre when they were young adults.
“They got both my brother and I interested in the arts,” Amundson says. “We both danced, did commercials and school productions and sang in choir.”
She was a dancer and choreographer with the University of Northern Iowa Orchesis Dance Company from 2019-2023 and assistant choreographer for “Heathers” with the Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre in 2022. She acted in school productions between 2012-2019.
It’s the little things that Amundson says stick out in her memories.
“The inside jokes, silly dances, backstage shenanigans, and bonds with others stay with me as my favorite memories,” she says.
Source: Norwalk Living, June 2024; by Chantel Boyd
