Mokena's Front Porch
This is THE Mokena podcast, with a focus on history and community! A Chicago Suburb of 20,000+, Mokena started as a farming community that grew up after the Rock Island Train line was built through the middle of what would become downtown Mokena in 1852. Follow our website at MokenasFrontPorch.com or on social media!
Matt is a lifelong Mokenian and local historian with 2 books about Mokena as well as a Mokena history blog, Matt's Old Mokena. Many of our episodes are based on the Matt's work collecting the history of our Village.
Israel grew up learning history and real life stories from his WWII grandfathers. His family moved to Mokena in 2016 and live in one of Mokena's Downtown homes that was built in 1916. Getting to know Matt along with Mokena and it's history, Israel worked to make the podcast a reality, through technical challenges and being a first time podcaster. He is a BIG fan of Mokena!
Mokena's Front Porch
Curtain Call Theater: A Shining Star on Front Street
Israel got to sit down with Suzanne Helwich, the Executive Director of the Curtain Call Theatre, as well as Ken Czechanski, who is a theatre board member as well as one of the stars of their upcoming March 2024 production, The Runner Stumbles.
The setting for our conversation was at the foot of the stage as they were preparing for the production. It was two hours before the first practice when the cast is expected to know their lines without their script. With that pressure, Ken was still nice enough to share some of his story, and talk about the improv nights he introduced and hosts.
When the lights go down, this 70-seat venue makes you feel like you're in a downtown Chicago neighborhood theatre. What was once a longtime neighborhood pharmacy, is now a hub where the magic of storytelling comes alive, fostered by the tireless efforts of volunteers.
This is a great community organization that is putting on some great productions and giving people a chance to live their dream of acting. I hope you enjoy our conversation and I hope you will go check out their shows!
The Curtain Call Theatre website can be found HERE!
https://www.ccctheatre.com/default.asp?iId=HILHG
The Emily McCabe Childrens Theatre Program Info HERE!
https://www.ccctheatre.com/default.asp?iId=LDJMK
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Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.
Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com
Welcome to Molkina's Front Porch. A Molkina History podcast with Mac Dalek and me, israel Smith.
Speaker 2:Because everybody knows that show. But also they were like oh, we'll go see you at a play. And all of them individually were like I can't believe that place exists. How have we lived here for this long and don't know about that place?
Speaker 1:The Curtin Call Theater has been on Front Street since 2016, but they've been around for a lot longer than that. I got a chance to sit down and talk with Ken Chansky, who is a board member of the theater, as well as Suzanne Helwitsch, who is the executive director. Suzanne's been around for quite a while with the organization and it was really great to get her background and her sharing what this great theater has meant to her and her part and what she's been able to do to grow it and make it more effective in the community. So, as I said, we got to sit down and talk. We sat right in front of the stage. They're in the middle of getting ready for a production, so the stage was empty. Part of the stage was gone. We just set up a table and talked and had a really good conversation. We really enjoy their shows. They've had some great productions and we're looking forward to going to this current upcoming one as well. So I think you will really enjoy getting to know Curtin Call Theater, getting to know what they're doing in the community. We've kind of had this thing in our nose that a lot of people just don't know are there. You'll hear them share my story, but we were walking down Front Street one night and happened to see the doors open and look in and you see there's a real theater in there. So after that went, enjoyed it immensely. You know Google Moquina's Curtin Call Theater. They're on Facebook as well and we'll put links in the show notes to their website, to their Facebook page as well as share that when we post on our stuff on Facebook. The current production is running from March 1st through March 10th, but if you're hearing this after, they have plays going on throughout the year different times. I think they say four times a year.
Speaker 1:They're doing productions like this as well as the kids program. You know this is not like a kids play that I expected. They really are high quality. So if you want to see that, look that up too. You can see when the dates are for that. This summer it's in July, mid July they do it hosted at the Lincoln Way Central High School. It's great. Kids are on a big stage. You know they really get the full feel of a professional play, great music they're doing Newsy's Jr this year as well, as they also host at the theater Improv Nights that they're doing every couple of months. So those are a lot of fun and I've gotten to go to a couple of those.
Speaker 1:So listen. At the end You'll hear me and Matt talk a little bit about the history of the site and the building. Enjoy this conversation with Ken Chansky and Suzanne Hellwish of the Curtin Call Theater and check them out. Go check out this play it sounds like it's going to be a great show and check out all their plays. They really do a great job and you can hear about if you've ever had the interest of trying out yourself and getting in there. So enjoy this episode, but please go enjoy this theater. This is a gem in our neighborhood and always a great time. Alright, ken and Suzanne, thank you both for sitting down and talking with me today. We're sitting in right in front of the stage of Curtin Call Theater here and you guys are getting ready for your next upcoming production, and that's exciting. We're going to talk a little bit about that. Ken, you're a director here, is that right?
Speaker 2:I am a board member, board member and an occasional actor and I guess also the lead of the improv programming at the theater.
Speaker 1:Great, and Suzanne, you're the executive director here. Is that right?
Speaker 3:Yes, I'm the executive director and a very, very occasional performer. Yeah, I've been involved for a long time, doing a lot, wearing a lot of hats, basically and I think any volunteer organization that's true of everybody involved, including he's probably been a lot more than what he just fessed up to. He's done a lot more.
Speaker 2:I don't want to brag.
Speaker 1:So can you talk a little bit about how the theater got started?
Speaker 3:Sure, so I've been involved since 2000,. But the group started in 1999. The original name was the Frankfurt Fine Arts Association. Over the years the name has changed a little bit and in 2004 we landed with Curtin Call Community Theater and we go by the name of Curtin Call Theater and that's our permanent name now. And we have been in Moquina since 2016 at the present location. We started more as just a one or two productions a year, no real space to rehearse, just kind of going to different venues and using space to rehearse and then using the high school, and about probably about 15 years ago we started renting space for rehearsals and then again use the high school or different community locations and we were really fortunate in 2016 to get the space here for the Front Street Theater.
Speaker 1:And what was the space like when you guys took it over?
Speaker 3:It was honestly just a blank rectangle. It used to be a long time pharmacy, so anybody in Moquina is familiar that this was the Moquina pharmacy for many, many years. So when we came in we weren't even sure that we'd be able to turn it into the theater because it had some challenges, but luckily the owner was willing to move some beams and do things to help us out and we turned it into our beautiful space. I think it's a beautiful space. Very intimate 70 seat theater right in the heart of downtown Moquina.
Speaker 1:Which is really I mentioned this before but we hadn't been in here until a couple years ago and we were walking by one night, walking our dog, me and my son and my wife out and went by and the doors were open and you see, and I'm like, oh my god, there's a whole theater in there. I just never really gone by the sign and everything, but I don't know what my expectation was. So, as we've come, you really see, it's an impressive space here and a very neat little theater.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you, we're really proud of it. It took a lot of volunteer hours to get it where it is today and it's an ongoing project. We're doing some lighting upgrades right now, and every year we try to add something new to enhance the theater experience.
Speaker 1:I found an article from 2016, when you were opening it, and you talk in the article about. The goal was four to six shows a year, and as well as different events, and so have you gotten to that place? Where's the annual number of shows?
Speaker 3:So we do four front street shows a year. But to that we've added some other projects. Ken can speak in a little bit to his improv program that he's added, that we're very proud of, which, I believe you may have been involved in a little bit too.
Speaker 3:Those are a lot of fun and we've also added some more children's programming In addition to the four shows that we put on here. We have a very robust children's program and some of it takes place here and some of it takes place at St Mary's in the high school.
Speaker 1:So we talk about the improv, and you also mentioned at that time possibly doing open mic nights. Has that been a consideration again?
Speaker 3:You know what? We haven't gotten there yet. I think that the improv has been our kind of testing ground. Maybe you could add to that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, open mic nights are interesting to me because you never know what you're going to get with an open mic and you don't know if people will show up for it. So yes, I would say the improv nights have been kind of a testing ground. That's the way they all started was to gauge the interest first in improv. Because in the city improv is so ubiquitous, it's everywhere and people are used to it, almost too used to it, but down in the suburbs it's not as prevalent. And so when I came up with the idea to do the improv nights, which were going to be for adults, we had already been doing some workshops for kids, and then I had this idea that maybe kids and adults didn't want to play together in improv because they're from different parts of their lives.
Speaker 2:So the improv night was created for adults, but also as a way to figure out if people were interested, and so far it's been a lot of interest.
Speaker 1:And how many of those nights have you had so far?
Speaker 2:Well, fortunately, we numbered them.
Speaker 1:That's the only reason I asked, because I know you numbered them.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, so we've done seven, seven improv nights and one of them we actually did a full improv show with my team from the city for the first half and that one sold out. So we're always tinkering with the format a little bit. For the most part it tends to be a come and see improv, learn a little bit about it and try it. If you want to, you don't have to. That's the biggest question people have about it. It's like do I have to do stuff if I show up and say no, I mean, if you pay to come in, you can just sit and laugh, you don't have to do anything. And we've had people who've come multiple times and just watched and then the third time or the fourth time they've gotten up. And that makes me very happy when people do that, because that means they're comfortable enough to do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, have you seen, since the first show, an increase in the number of people wanting to come back? Have you seen an increase?
Speaker 2:It's it seems pretty steady. I'll admit we were surprised by the first one, that we almost sold out the first one, and I didn't want to do them too often because I felt like if we did them too often maybe that would dilute the audience a little bit. They'd be like, oh, I'll catch the next one. So we've kind of settled on every two months. But we consistently get 40 to 50 people in a DC theater that are coming to something that is it's not a show but it's not completely a workshop, it's something in between, and we do have a lot of regulars. A lot of people come back.
Speaker 1:And so my story goes that we came to the one and I can't remember which, but it was probably for somewhere after it wasn't the first couple, but and I had a good time to not get up on stage and I came with my neighbors, so there were four or five of us out here and none of us left our seats, but had a great time. It was a lot of fun and went down to Al's afterwards and Garrett and somebody else ended up coming in and talking to us and talking more about improv, and I ended up going to see him in Orland at one of the shows he did there and now I've signed up for taking his adult introduction to improv, which was great. And so three of us came to the last improv night and he told us he said you don't have to get up, it's not required, but you really should get up, and I was really nervous about it myself. But we all three of us that were here from the class left saying it was the perfect atmosphere.
Speaker 1:It made us all feel better about the show that we do at the end of our class, and it's nice too, because once you're on stage you really can't see anything but feet. I feel like that as a plus. But it really felt like almost like you're in a class. We really felt like instruction pulling us, like it was a great first time on stage, I think, for all of us. I think everybody felt that same way. So for hearing that, anybody that likes it, enjoys it or is interested, definitely I think those are great venues to come and try it out.
Speaker 2:Well, that's the first thing I wanted about it. I sort of was trying to mimic something that I used to go to in the city all the time. It was called the mixer at the playground and that was for people with no experience, some experience or a lot of experience.
Speaker 2:The first time I went to it I was side by side, paired up randomly with someone who was performing at Second City, and I remember thinking I have no business being on stage with this woman and after it was over or right before we went out there, everybody started patting each other's back before we started to perform and I had no idea what that meant, because normally that's the thing you do after, like good job. But they were all doing it beforehand and we did our thing, got off stage and I just happened to sit next to her and I was like why was everybody patting?
Speaker 2:their back and she was like it means that we have your back, and I was like, wow, so that's taking that. I wanted to bring that atmosphere here, where it's just it's a safe space, but you don't have to do anything, but you can, and I want you to feel like you can, and I think a lot of people do. When they're here, they're like, oh, I could totally do it. I could totally do it.
Speaker 1:I'll do it next time and that's great, and you do a good mix of. You had some of the people that are of your troop that we realized.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I brought in some people from my team and a couple people who have just come to enough improv nights that they are more advanced than other people. So it's nice to have them there to demonstrate, or, if people are, because we never know what the audience. The audience might be timid. Sometimes they're very, very participatory, but we never know what we're gonna get. So I usually have them there. In the event that everybody's too timid, we can perform, we can show people things and then if they don't wanna get up, we can just keep going.
Speaker 1:Well, those guys make it look easier. So then you get up and be like oh, those guys are doing pretty good, I can get up and do that. See, is that it? I feel like you can go both ways.
Speaker 2:You look and you're like, oh, I'm not getting up there with them. But that's why I say we're always tinkering with what we do and I don't know. We're trying to figure out different things, like different levels of things, some sort of beginner stuff, but to me it's all the same. It's all the same principle If you get up there and you participate in the spirit of play, you're gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine.
Speaker 3:Well, it's interesting too, the people that came to. The first there was a number of performers that came, regular people that have been on stage, so they were really keen to get up. But then there was a lot of just people who have come and watched shows and they were a little more timid, and now some of those are what you're calling the Regulars. The regulars that are pretty advanced at this point because they've gotten so comfortable, and I love seeing that. I love seeing that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there was a great group of people that really knew what was going on and just jumped in and helped other people along.
Speaker 3:It was really great and they were our number one newbies, our number one show newbies, a lot of them. They'd never done it before. Now they're that comfortable.
Speaker 2:We had half the audience and the last one. We had half the audience on the stage at one point and that's never happened. That's never happened.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's good that night was. Seriously. All of us had so much fun. And then it was neat too, because those that were part of the troupe that had been here, we're all standing around afterwards and they're like, hey, here's tips and here's things to do, and so helpful, and wanting to help make us better, and it was just such a great atmosphere. And I mean Garrett's that way To Garrett's, one of the friendliest guys I've ever seen.
Speaker 4:He is.
Speaker 1:He is and you feel like you're his best friend after you do he's beloved by many.
Speaker 3:Well, it's community, and I think that's what's neat about community theater too, that that's how you feel when you're on stage with your fellow performers that they do. It's a great feeling when everybody has your back.
Speaker 2:Right, and it's funny because people always they'll talk about the difference between doing a scripted show versus doing an improv set or an improv show, and the only difference is the improv it's over. When it's over, it's over. And it all happens at the same time. But the same principles apply. Whether you're on stage with people that you've been rehearsing with for two months or on stage with them for 10 minutes. You have to be there for them and that is, yes, you have to remember your lines, but your job really is to be there, present, without thinking about, like you said, you can't see the audience, so it's really you're just there and that's. I love that. I love that kind of thing, that kind of focus and that kind of. That's why people meditate, and people meditate to get to the state of presence, and I think you can just do that when you're a performer, because you have to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the idea of active listening. You don't realize how foreign that is until you're standing on a stage catching a ball from somebody and it's very helpful.
Speaker 2:When you're talking to people and you're literally thinking about what you want to say to them and you realize you haven't heard a word, they said, yeah, no, that's what we fight against.
Speaker 3:Well and I think that's one of the things are directors of the children's programs. If you can teach a child to be present, everything else falls into place.
Speaker 2:Sure, yeah, so I mean adults too, actually, no, I'm going to say, though but the people who direct children, I mean, they are something else, different breed of people, but to be able to do that and get that out of kids is impressive.
Speaker 1:It's very impressive and we'll talk a little bit more about that program. But I want to know, Ken, what's your background in improv? How did you get into it? What's your background?
Speaker 2:I got into improv as an old man, at the age of 35. I hadn't done a play since high school, but I was very active in high school, in junior high and plays and stuff. But I never thought I didn't know that there was such a thing as community theater when I was 17. So I was like, well, this is it, I'm not going to be a professional actor, so goodbye stage. And I was actually going through, we don't have to get way into this. But I was going through a pretty rough patch in life and one of the things that I did was to finally always wanted to, always felt like the ship had passed me by, but I went and took an improv class and it clicked so much for me not necessarily doing it, but it felt right and so I just kept doing it.
Speaker 2:So not to interrupt your story, but talk about that Like you're 35 when you took your first class Right, and the reason I never wanted to take it was because no offense to all the 20-year-olds out there, but I was just like I'm not going to go and sit there with a bunch of 22-year-olds and be like we have nothing to talk about.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah. So what did that feel like? Walking into that class before your nerves Like what was going on? I was very nervous.
Speaker 2:I was very nervous, but the advice that was given to me by someone when they were trying to convince me to do it was it's an old, I don't know who the quote's by but it's that the cave you most fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek. And so I remember thinking about that, being like OK, so the cave is not guarded by anything except fear. And I was like, well, I mean, can't you just walk right through it then? And so I did. Doesn't mean it's not scary, right? Bravery is not the absence of fear. But yeah, I was very nervous, voice shaking, and but I knew I had to do it. I had to do this because it kept feeling right, and then eventually, it felt good.
Speaker 4:So that was it.
Speaker 2:But as far as if we're talking about hanging around when 20-year-olds, the only real difference between them and me at the time was just that, you know, I would say things like oh, I have to go home because my kid has to go to school, I have to take my kid to school in the morning, so I can't, you know, be out till two in the morning. That was really the only difference. Other than that, we were all there doing the same thing You're all flying without a net on stage together, and you have to be there for each other. So at that point it doesn't matter, and did you?
Speaker 1:do a Chicago improv class or where did you go?
Speaker 2:I went to IO, formerly Improv Olympic, until the Olympics sued them for them.
Speaker 2:They really yes they did A seasoned assist because they were worried that they were going to confuse them. Yeah, but so they call it IO. I took, I did, their entire training program and then I took another. I studied at the Chicago Improv Den, which I don't think exists anymore, and then I did the CIC, which is like a. They always talk about it as being sort of a graduate program, because you have to have done like another program before you can take that one. At least you at the time you had to.
Speaker 1:So so what was your hope in taking the classes? What were? What was your vision Like? Where did you think this was going to take you?
Speaker 2:Well, I didn't think it was going to be a career. I don't know anybody that's made a career out of improv. I really don't.
Speaker 3:But there's six guys out there. Six guys, aren't they? On whose line is it?
Speaker 2:Anyhow, I guess they've done it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's maybe eight, eight different people. Yes, that's true. That's true, that's it in the world. Six people in the world.
Speaker 2:Like you have to go and be like the legitimate actor if you want to make any, any money, and that's still difficult. But no, honestly it was. It was a way back on stage because that's where I wanted to be and I didn't think again, I didn't think that there was a way that you could do stuff outside of being, you know, going to auditions with a headshot and like, you know, for a commercial or something. I was like I just don't want to do that. I like performing and I don't want to perform with a bunch of people who are like that's, it sounds weird, but that's their livelihood, because that changes the way they approach it a little bit. Or I thought that was my perception. I wanted to just be with people who enjoyed it and did it. And then it wasn't until I moved down to Frankfurt, like improv was sating my desire to be on stage. I was like this is good, I'm performing and it's fun.
Speaker 2:But we moved down to Frankfurt and my daughter, who was nine at the time, 11, but she got involved with Curtin Calls Summer Program I think it was singing in the rain and we went to see it. I remember my parents were there too and we walked out of there we were just floored. We're like that's better than some high school productions and these kids are like eight, nine years old and she loved it and she's still this theater this day and I mean she was always kind of active in it but that really solidified it for her and she did the fall young performers program and she did the next summer program and then I'm sorry we were just getting into off into a tangent, but it was that one summer Molly, my daughter, came home and she said dad Curtin Calls doing Little Shop of Horrors for their musical and it is my favorite. I'm not like a big theater guy, which sounds weird. I don't know a lot of things about theater, but Little Shop of Horrors was my favorite movie. It was my favorite musical.
Speaker 2:I saw it multiple times professionally, like with my grandma, and it was like our thing. But I knew it by heart and I always said that that is something I wanted to do. I wanted to be eaten by the plant, but I also just love it because it's absurd. It's a love story set against the backdrop of a man eating plant. It's great, it's like an improv set. But she, she said I should try out for it and I said oh no, honey, I can't do that. Like there are people who do that, right, there are people who go in there. I haven't done it since I was 17 and she just looked at me and said so you're not even going to try.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, she landed on pretty thick.
Speaker 2:So I did, and I prepared probably more than I needed to for this and ended up getting cast as Mr Mushnick in the show. And that was, that was a dream come true. It was it. I got to be eaten, but I also got to perform here, and then I was just that.
Speaker 1:I fell in love with it after that, and is that how you ended up being on the board of the theater? I mean? Not quite that quick the short the short.
Speaker 2:No, I did more productions here and I don't know if I did. I think I was volunteering you were volunteering and yeah, and like with the kids shows and stuff too. And yeah, and I brought the idea of improv to the board fairly early. That's pretty bold. You know I've only done two shows here and it was just like I have an idea and Suzanne and the board, they were very receptive to the idea and then COVID happened, so we couldn't do it for a couple of years, but we did come back to it and I think just through that eventually.
Speaker 2:I mean, I don't know Suzanne can talk to why I was asked to be on the board, but I gladly accepted.
Speaker 3:Well, because, because you bring the community, you the sense of community everybody we have on our board. We're a very collaborative board and it's important. I mean it's a community theater, meaning that we need the community, we need the community of performers, we need the community to come see the show we need. And Ken, you know, through his volunteering and his performing and everything, just really exemplified that. You know, yeah, we were lucky to, we were lucky. You said yes when we asked you to be on the board.
Speaker 2:You've brought a lot to curtain call. Yes, but I wanted to actually, you said something earlier and this reminded me. When I was in Little Chappahore, I was a pretty tight knit group in our neighborhood, a large group of friends, which is weird, Unusual I guess, because it's very big and they all wanted to come see this Because everybody knows that show.
Speaker 2:But also, they were like oh, we'll go see you in a play. And all of them individually were like I can't believe that place exists. How does that? How have we lived here for this long and don't know about that place? I'm like, well, it's in the town right next to ours, you know. But they were just like, and they've come to see shows here, regardless of whether or not I'm in it, because they just love it. Yeah, it's like this hidden gem that I mean. It's not like it is hiding.
Speaker 3:No, excuse me, it's been a struggle. I mean, I've known people who, when tribes was open, frequented tribes frequented and I'd be like, yeah, we're two doors down at curtain call, we have a sign that's going this way, but it's just if it's not in your goggles looking, I guess I don't know. We've struggled with that, trying to figure out why some people don't know we're here because we advertise. You do, we've tried to do everything, so if you have any suggestions, maybe this is it.
Speaker 2:Maybe this is what's going to Hopefully, yeah.
Speaker 3:I mean not that we've to be honest with you. We're very proud because we do usually sell out almost every show. So, we do have a good following and that's been wonderful. But I am always flabbergasted when I run into somebody who's been in the community forever, who takes the train or you know because?
Speaker 2:we're directly across from the train station and they say huh, I didn't know, you guys were there you know the craziest thing is my friends from the city who come to see the shows or come to the improv nights. They'll take that train and they're like it lets out right at the front door Right. This is great, yeah, we've had a couple.
Speaker 3:we've had some, some performers. That you know, because not everybody is from the community. The, I would say, the preponderance of people are from probably the Lincoln Way area and a little beyond that, but occasionally when we have a show that somebody wants to be in, there'll be people from the city, and some of them have been, you know, taking the train together, which is so cool.
Speaker 1:So talk a little bit about the people that you get auditioning and end up being actors.
Speaker 2:I know, ken, you and your wife are kind of one of the stars of the upcoming one, and yeah, and I really the first time we were in a show together which was Death Trap because she was in the. Did you say you saw the Christmas Carol? You?
Speaker 3:saw.
Speaker 1:Miracle on 34th Street. The radio telling of.
Speaker 2:Christmas Carol we did too. And we did Christmas Carol and the following year we did Miracle on 34th Street. The music Miracle on 34th Street she had done. The year before. They did a Christmas Carol, same setup. You know it's a radio show and she hadn't been on stage since she was in high school and she did not do improv, so she was very nervous, but she absolutely loved doing that show. And then the following show was Death Trap and I was going to try out for it and she tried out for it and when we got cast it was like oh wow, you know we haven't been on stage together. We're high school sweetheart.
Speaker 2:So, we were on stage together then, but it's been you know a long time, so it's a big deal. Like it never happens. The stars aligned and then the following year we did a production in Lockport together and then this year we're doing the runner stumbles together. So careful what you wish for and how often does that happen?
Speaker 1:I mean, are you getting people out of the community that are coming and trying out and being part of it, or is it?
Speaker 3:It's a mix and it's, you know, people from diverse backgrounds. I feel like and it depends on the show Some shows bring so many people out and some shows not as many. I don't. We never can quite figure out the algorithm, because there's times that we think that we're going to you know they're going to be lined up around the building and we get enough people, but not what we thought. And then there's times it's just a small. Well, the runner stumbles had a real big turnout for auditions.
Speaker 3:It did, and I don't want to say I didn't expect that, but it really was somewhat unexpected. And how many of those people have never acted?
Speaker 1:before, do you think Usually with each production we?
Speaker 3:have a few people that come in that say you know, I've never done this before, or they haven't done it since high school.
Speaker 3:That's a big one, people say yeah, well, I mean a lot that. So we have a lot of people that come from their children performing and they decided to come, just like what you did, and sometimes they are so nervous and I just give them so much credit. It's fun being at the audition table and watching people, because even through the audition process they grow. You know, you can just see a sense of okay, you know what I can do this when they get up on stage and it's the best to watch. Yeah, that's really cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the first step is the hardest, it is.
Speaker 3:And the audition you see them do that and and in you know, and we do try to make it very, very comfortable for them and very inviting, because I have been in a couple things where you know and not here, but where someone isn't, as an invite, inviting, and it just is scary.
Speaker 1:it's scary when you're up there so somebody's interested in trying out for a future play. What is a? What does it try out look like for them?
Speaker 3:What depends if it's a musical or a called a straight play, where there's there's no music involved. Let's just say most of most everything we do here is is not musical. So usually they would come in and they would do a reading from the show. Some directors and the directors kind of have their different directors have different Processes. Some directors want them to come into a monologue. That's not as as usual, but they we do. We do have a few directors that do that, but they usually do, you know, a cider reading from the show and then usually we pair them up with other auditioners and scenes and they go through a number of scenes and we let them read for what they want to audition for. A lot of people come out and they put down any. They want any role. So it's it's really not as intimidating as it sounds and we really really Welcome anybody who wants to come to come and try it. I think we've gotten some people from from the improv because we have.
Speaker 3:Ken has done a great job saying See, look at your on stage coming coming, if this is something you're interested.
Speaker 2:Coming audition for our next show yeah, last, our last show had somebody who? Who came from the improv night, cool and and he was in the show and did a great job, by the way.
Speaker 1:Well so, speaking of the show, let's talk a little bit more about the runner, stumbles. So tell us about what's the idea of the story you tell the story okay, you're in it, so I'm gonna let you.
Speaker 3:I wanted to go without giving away too much, because it's a it's a thriller it is a thriller.
Speaker 2:I wanted to just go back to the audition thing for a second, and this is something that has, since high school, has been interesting to me. I didn't know what the term cold readings meant in high school, but they would always say that and it would consist of cold readings from the script. And when I asked what that meant, it just said, well, you won't know what, what scenes, we're gonna pick for you to read from. And I said, well, can, can I read the script beforehand?
Speaker 4:And they were like of course you can.
Speaker 2:I'm like, oh okay. But I'm always surprised that you get people who come to audition, who who say like why didn't want to read the script first, I wanted to go in cold. You know. It's like, oh okay. So maybe that's a little bit of a misnomer. Like you can, you can read the script. Most of them are at the library and I think it's. I'm just gonna say right now, I think it's a good idea. That's all I'm gonna say.
Speaker 2:I should be aware of what the show is about and the characters because it helps you. Even though you won't know what scene and you're not gonna be like oh yeah, I remember that. But it just helps to put you in the right time space and mindset when you're going up there, especially if you're auditioning for a specific part. A lot of people will write down a specific part but then they'll say they'll be happy with anything. You know if they're not casting that role, but Anyway, that's all you can.
Speaker 1:Did you take any formal acting trainer? Just the improv. No, just improv, okay.
Speaker 2:That's it, yeah, good.
Speaker 3:And our performers are all over the place in that respect. To me, we have people who have acted professionally and then all the way to someone who it's their first show, they've never done anything, nothing through high school and not even in high school, and and you know, sometimes it's crazy someone is just a natural and they get up there and yeah.
Speaker 2:I think I think we have an actor in the runner stumbles who is never, never acted before. Wow, and he's fantastic, like it's just. You know you, if you make somebody feel comfortable and make them feel like they can do it, they usually can and will do it, and so that's. It's been great to see that.
Speaker 1:So tell us about the, about the runner stumbles is based on a true story.
Speaker 2:in 1911 in the upper peninsula of Michigan, a, a nun, was murdered and the priest was put on trial for her murder. So that's all I can say about it. And what are you playing? I am playing the priest accused of murdering the nun. The nun is played by my real life wife, beth. So there's a natural chemistry there already, even though there shouldn't be between a priest and a nun. Is that what you're saying? Yeah, it's very believable, they do they. They do have a bit of a love interest which is sort of forbidden well, not sort of it is forbidden in the church. So there's that that element to it as well. But what?
Speaker 2:What I liked about this play particularly is the way it was staged. It's because it's told in the present, during the trial. But it also flashes back and you see the story of what led to the events of the trial and it's just very well. It unravels well. Like, as an audience member, you start sick oh, that makes sense. Oh, I see the connection there. And then it comes to a climax when you find out who killed sister Rita.
Speaker 1:Can you talk a little bit about the rest of the cast?
Speaker 2:It's a. It's a bigger cast, for you know, normally some of the straight plays we do are smaller casts, but it's like 10 people, I think, in total and you know, I I know some of them just from being around, but this, this one, actually has quite a few that I don't know. But they are active in other community theaters, like we. When we got together for the first time, we all talked about in our experience and what we've done and I've seen a lot of them perform other places. So they're, they're all they're. What's the word when somebody's season.
Speaker 2:So they got season, they're all, they're all nicely seasoned.
Speaker 3:And then I think, I think that one thing we do at curtain call is we really do welcome new people and I think that, you know, sometimes you hear from other other performers that come here that they've walked into an audition somewhere and they know it's already cast and you know it's kind of a waste of their time. We always I almost every show we have new people that we've cast because you know it's, it's the way it should be. You know, we we try to open it up, it's it's a community effort here and yeah, yeah. This is a perfect example, because I think there's at least three or four new people right.
Speaker 3:And we had a lot of it's. Casting a show is difficult because you know people think, oh, it's community theater, you're not going to get the cream of the crop. There are so many talented people and if you've come to see you know the shows, they are amazing. And so I think we had 35 come out for 10 roles. So you have to say you have to say sorry, this time we can't cast you to people. You know people who have been in several shows. It's not easy.
Speaker 2:Well, and new sometimes doesn't mean completely new to theater Right, it can be just new to curtain calls specifically, like they've never done a show here before, but it also just behooves a community theater to do that.
Speaker 2:You know you want to bring new people in, because those people come in, they have a good experience, they tell other people and so more talented people, more interested people are coming and auditioning and that raises the level of. I mean, that's one of the things I love most about curtain call because it is actually true I'm not just saying this it they do really really believe in this idea of quality. You know, it's, it's evident from the children's shows which, just like I said, blew me away the first time I saw it. But even here, where you can take people who who have experience acting or, in the case of some people, no experience acting and you put on a show here and people like it is high quality, from everything from the performers to the, the whole experience, the staging. But that's a testament to the directors and to curtain call and the, the atmosphere that that is created here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, cause you. I'm sorry but I think you definitely. I was surprised by you know, my first experience here and you do get a high quality. You know, you don't, I don't. People probably don't know what to expect with community theater. Exactly, you know the idea and so, yeah, I a hundred percent. A test. Every show is so well done and professional and very enjoyable.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you. Well, our motto is downtown quality at community theater prices, and you know it's true, it's well. First of all, it's difficult to go downtown anymore and we have a. We have a. We have a lot of regulars that probably would have a difficult time getting downtown and they just really appreciate that we're here for them to come and see a show. Parking is easy, they can go to dinner before or afterwards very easily and it's reasonable.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I, I think I think that's, that's our motto, and we really try to live up to it.
Speaker 2:And it's good. It's good. Community theater is good for just exposure to the arts, which I think is important, and community theaters in general make it accessible for people to do that. You know, if the only way you could go see anything is to go downtown or or spend hundreds of dollars to to see something like, yeah, that's wonderful and great, but not everybody can do that, and it's not even a matter of they can't do it, like sometimes you just want, you just want entertainment and art in your own backyard, and that's what this is.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean we walk down, you know, to the shows, usually when we can, and it's, it's great.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it's intimate. Yeah, I've had so many people tell me, especially some of the shows we've done, they're they're intimate shows and to be able to be, you know, 10, 15 feet back away from them. I mean I've, I've gone and seen some shows that are at some of the large theaters downtown that have no business being there, because they should be in a theater like this, definitely.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And so that's something that I think we really bring to the community.
Speaker 2:It's like seeing a standup comedian at the United center.
Speaker 3:Yeah, what's the point? Exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2:You're watching a TV anyway.
Speaker 1:So the runner stumbles starts. Beginning of March. Where right now we're, you know? Beginning of February, Where's the play in process right now? Like what's going on? What are you guys doing to get ready for the March 1st open?
Speaker 3:Well, obviously this is a podcast, so you can't see it, but we are in construction.
Speaker 2:Paint us a picture, Suzanne.
Speaker 3:The stage is set with platforms that they're in the middle of painting and constructing. It's a mess really right now in terms of construction, in terms of you could speak to where you're out in the process.
Speaker 2:While we're supposed to be off book this week. Oh, that's always a fun week, which means you, means you have to have your lines memorized by this week. Oh wow, You're soloing in two hours. So everybody's just a little nervous because, no matter how well you think you know your lines, the first time you try to do it without the book in your hand.
Speaker 3:You get in your head and you know it's hard, it's a difficult and all it takes is to get off beat a little bit and one person can cause another person and it just and you think you have it, and then just don't. But the first week of off book.
Speaker 2:Yeah. The directors are very, very supportive because they know right, they know it's not.
Speaker 3:They've all. Many of them have been in charge.
Speaker 2:You were talking about the platforms and stuff here, and that's probably something to say to just to speak to the idea of community, that everything here is done by either the people in the show or the board members or volunteers. You know, you can I made a joke, I think, at the last improv night or somewhere that volunteering is not, is not limited to just being a performer on the stage, because actors are technically volunteers, but you can work behind the scenes. We had we had people this last weekend I don't know if you know this, suzanne that came in. We had a set build day on Saturday and we had people from our last show, who are not in this show, who came in to help us paint.
Speaker 3:Bravo to them, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean that's great yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, and we were, as I talked to about earlier, we're doing a lighting upgrade and the person Katie, who's who's helping us with that is going to start offering classes for the tech aspect of it, because not everybody wants to be on stage but they want to be involved, and so we're going to try to, in the next year, work on getting some workshops for that for for probably two age groups, like a teenage, high school-ish age group, and then adults, because there is so much more that goes on behind the scenes and even like the show that's coming up, you have to have a person running lights, you have to have a person running sound, and it's a big commitment because they have to be here during the entire, you know, week prior to the shows and then commit to all the shows over two weekends.
Speaker 3:So it's a huge commitment and we have a yeah, we have an army of volunteers that help and you know we haven't mentioned family. I mean, Curtin calls a family. It really is, We've, we always talk about that and we really feel that way that we are all just a big family of people who are interested in theater, interested. That Curtin call continues on the path that's, you know.
Speaker 2:And we just keep adding members to the family.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, we're a big family.
Speaker 2:Yes, very extended.
Speaker 3:We're going to be on Bravo Network soon, or something that's right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Well, what else? What else do you want to say about the upcoming play?
Speaker 2:I would get tickets. I keep, I keep forgetting that. How short February is. I mean we opened two weeks from this Friday.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think that keep talking, kind of look up the tickets.
Speaker 4:I should have?
Speaker 2:yeah, you can get tickets at CCC theater with an r? E dot com. Typically our Sunday shows, which are matinees, sell out the fastest.
Speaker 3:And I believe one of them is one of them is almost sold out.
Speaker 2:But yeah, it's March 1st through 3rd and then the following weekend, march 8th through 10th, so please come out and see us. It will be a great show. The other thing we are doing after that we will. We will be having another improv night improv night, number eight on March 23rd, which is a Saturday, and then we will shortly after that, if not before, I don't know when when that's actually happening.
Speaker 3:It's not set yet for the next show, but it's going to be mid, mid to late March.
Speaker 2:Okay, we'll be the audition.
Speaker 3:So anybody who's listening, who wants to you, can take it with you A classic. A classic with a lot, of, a lot of roles, so a lot of parts.
Speaker 2:And I say I think I said that at the last improv night if you are thinking about getting on stage and want to give it a shot, there are parts in this that are. That are nice, small, medium, very large parts. So there's something for everybody in this show and they it'll be fun, It'll be a real crowd pleaser. So it'll be fun to be in and and tell people to come see you in.
Speaker 1:Yeah Great. So everybody's thinking of trying out and now's their chance. And then, before we go, I wanted to talk about the kids program, the theater program in the summer. You know, this is something that we got to go through with my son last year. He got to be the young prince and beauty and the beast. They opened the show.
Speaker 3:That's awesome.
Speaker 1:Very nice, and it was he. It was such a great experience for him. You know his, he really enjoyed it. He was telling everybody about it and it was just such a great experience. So I know, you know we haven't signed up again for this year and he's already telling his friends about you know, when he's going to, you know to come, come to the play. So tell, tell me a little bit about that program.
Speaker 3:So it's in its 22nd year. We have been doing this. You know we've been doing it for 22 years and the first, the first year we did it, I believe, we did Schoolhouse Rock and that is part of the reason I'm involved with Curtin Call, because my daughter was in that and she's going to be 34 soon and camp is just. Camp is amazing. I know a lot of kids who have lifelong friends because of camp and we do a two programs. So kids all the way from kindergarten through eighth grade have an opportunity to be in one of one of the two programs. So our junior program is for kids currently enrolled from K through three. Our senior program is currently enrolled fourth through eighth. This year we're doing the senior program is doing newsies, which is a really, really neat show. If you get a chance, just kind of YouTube it, because I think a lot of people aren't familiar with it.
Speaker 1:There is a movie. Yeah, we went back and watched it. It's on Disney plus. I think it was Christian Bale.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it's, it's, it's a pretty cool show, great music, great music.
Speaker 4:Great dancing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, a lot of a lot of roles. You know, one of the things we want to emphasize is when you, when you think of it, you think of paper boys, but back then there were paper girls too that actually did the same thing. So you don't have to be. You know it can be, it's going to be, it's not going to be all boys, nope.
Speaker 3:It's not going to be all boys, right? So there is a absolutely adorable show called Dino Stars and yeah, that that those two shows, those two registrations also can be found on our, our website. I would, I would register for them soon, just because sometimes one of the sessions we have morning and afternoon sessions Sometimes one of the sessions does fill up and a lot of times kids like, let's say, your son suddenly is talking to five of his friends and four of them decide to do it and we're we're already filled up for one of the sessions.
Speaker 2:The morning session is filled and then they have to go to the afternoon, so I would encourage people to sign up for it.
Speaker 3:That camp starts, I believe, june 16th and it will go up it. Well, first of all, it happens at the high school and it it happens July, do you remember?
Speaker 2:mid July.
Speaker 3:Mid July to the 14th yeah 12th to the 14th at Lincoln Way Central. So it's that's really neat too, because I don't know what your son said, but we we hear set St Mary's, which is a lovely, lovely place to rehearse, but the kids get so excited when we move to the big stage.
Speaker 2:It's a big stage. It is a big stage, it's a very big stage.
Speaker 3:It's so cool State of the art. I mean it truly is.
Speaker 2:Is this true, Suzanne? Speaking of the turns, you might have to edit this, but everybody who signs up is in the show.
Speaker 3:Everybody who signs up is in the show. They have auditions. So the first week is kind of getting prepped for the audition process which takes place on Thursday and Friday and everybody auditions for a role and then everybody's in the show.
Speaker 1:And what's your role? Are you involved in the camp?
Speaker 3:I'm. I'm basically just like the exact executive producer. You know, check in, I check in and stuff with. With the directors, we have a huge staff. This year. Our director is Marta Kunz. Not sure if you're familiar with Marta, but Marta has been involved with a lot of, a lot of directing of children's shows and adult shows. She's a former performer at the what's it called the American Girl Theater in Chicago and we have a. Our staff is already in there, excited and great choreography.
Speaker 1:You have some really high level staff as well. I know from the meeting last year. You just talk about who's who's running the program and some of the people.
Speaker 3:Well, marta, marta is director this year, so last year it was Ann Coatesy, who is amazing, but she couldn't do it this year. So, marta, and Marta actually has done it for several years prior to Ann coming aboard. Eric Reem is our music director. He's done a lot of different music directing throughout the area. He's currently the music director at Summit Hill Junior High, joe O'Brien is going to be the assistant director and Joe is a teacher at I believe it's Oakview in New Lenox.
Speaker 2:And Joe is also in the runner. Stumbles.
Speaker 3:Oh, she's in the runner stumbles and she also has a theater background, a theater degree. Marta went to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. I mean, I don't actually, I don't have something in front of me, but they all have.
Speaker 1:No, I don't mean to put you on the spot. No, no, no.
Speaker 3:They all have amazing resumes of stuff they've done in the past.
Speaker 1:I'm very impressed hearing it and so to know that these kids are. These aren't just putting high school kids together.
Speaker 3:Oh, no, no, no, this is a.
Speaker 1:This is a high quality show.
Speaker 3:Well, we take a lot of pride in our summer camp, but a lot of the high school kids come back to volunteer and help out which is that's also part of that family and the community that you're talking about.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we'll probably have one, two, probably four of the people on staff will be former campers. You know, so they come back and help. Some of them go and get theater degrees and then come back during, during college or after college to help or to to be on staff. So, yeah, it's a. It's an amazing program. I just can't say enough about it, because people really need to to. If you want to get your kids involved in something and they love theater or music or dancing, come and give this a try.
Speaker 1:In 20 years or 22 years has. What a great I mean to have a string like this, like that. There's gotta have been some great stories and things, those memories those kids made in those years.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's, it is amazing. Like I said, there's, there's. I have a son also who's graduating from college and he went all through camp, you know, all the way from junior camp all the way through through senior camp, and, yeah, one of his best friends he actually my son played truck and he, his best friend, played donkey and they they are a different. Yeah, they are they are different, different universities, but when they come home they're together hanging out Shrek and donkey.
Speaker 2:Shrek and donkey.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they, they kind of. They kind of well, I won't say I'm here what we call them, but it's a, it's a different movie that way.
Speaker 1:So, oh, that's great. Well, it is a great program and I'm going to be sure to share you know when that's coming up this summer as well as I'm going to include the link to your website where people can get tickets, you know, so people can know about this show. We're excited. We got our tickets already, so we'll be here at opening weekend and we're looking forward to anything else you all would like to say.
Speaker 3:Well, we also have a Facebook page, so everything's announced on our Facebook page. So that's a that's a good place for people to stay and Instagram and Instagram, and then our website has any upcoming shows or auditions, so that's a good way for people to stay in touch and to sign up for the, for the newsletter I was just going to say, or to sign up for for the newsletter that we sent out.
Speaker 2:We do not bombard you with things. It's really just a when, when things are coming up.
Speaker 3:I'll test to that, and it's great for the reminders when tickets are coming up, because we've tried and they've been sold out before, so so we tell, we tell our, especially our performers who haven't haven't, you know, been here before, like get your tickets, get your family needs to get their tickets. Or your friends need to get their tickets early.
Speaker 2:Cause it's such a disappointment. Every rehearsal we have, we get an update about ticket sales so that cast members can be like, okay, all right, gotta get, gotta get you know mom and dad ticket.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and tech week is the week prior to the show starting, right, and so usually there's a thread between the performers and then, like the production team and you know the producers and everything, and that suddenly becomes the. Does anybody have tickets for Sunday?
Speaker 2:or does anybody? I need your tickets. Yeah, because everything's so good.
Speaker 3:And someone, and you know, and and Irene just decided she wants to come, and it's like there's no tickets left and you can see that we can't add any more seats.
Speaker 2:It's a set number, but if we sell out, we can always add another performance, and that's what we end up doing.
Speaker 3:I mean that's, that's something that in in our since 2016, there's been, I'd say, only a few shows that we haven't added at least one performance and some we've added two or three performances to Wow, yeah, well, that's a, that's a good string. It is, it's a good string and it's a it's a good problem to have right and we have to try to figure that out.
Speaker 1:And can remind, remind us when the next improv show is.
Speaker 2:The next improv night, number eight, is March 23rd, saturday, march 23rd, and I don't know if tickets are up for that yet. I don't.
Speaker 3:I don't think they're alive yet.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't think they're alive yet, but they will be, um, certainly by March.
Speaker 1:What's the expectation of how often people could expect those the improv nights.
Speaker 2:Yeah, improv nights right now are we try to fit them around the programming that's happening here, like our main stage shows, cause we don't want to interfere. As you can see, if you look at the stage right now, it'd be very difficult to do an improv night, um, so it's roughly every two months we do them, um, and yeah, so we have. We have two more on the books already. March 23rd and May 18th are definite. After that we'll we have to work around all the summer things that are happening.
Speaker 3:Oh, I do have something else and we, we, we haven't announced the show yet, but we also have a summer stack show that we do.
Speaker 2:Um high school and it's up to age 23. Yeah, up to age 23.
Speaker 3:So last year we did um Percy Jackson the light and so that's.
Speaker 3:That's a way for us to you know what. What happened was the first. The first year, 22 years ago, we did the fourth through eighth grade show, right. Then people came and said, you know, but you know, johnny has a little sister that wants to do something. So then we, the next year, we included the, the junior program, then fast forward, I don't know, maybe 10, 12 years. People said, well, now I'm out of, I'm out of um grade school and I'm in high school, but during the summer I have nothing to do. And so we started doing summer stock. Uh, not consistently, but this is. This is here now, our second year of doing it, our third year.
Speaker 2:No, and we just did the lighting thief.
Speaker 3:Oh, cause of cause, we we did it prior to COVID, but um yeah, so that's really exciting.
Speaker 2:We've got a great turnout for the lightning thief, and I'm sure we can't say what it is yet because we don't, we don't know. But, um, it's between two things and both are great, great shows that people want to do yeah.
Speaker 3:They'll, they'll want to do, and it's a great way to, another great way to to keep them involved in, uh, that that age group just loves being together.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, you know, and you do that here in the front street theater. Yes, yes.
Speaker 3:We do it. We do it right after camp end, so like the end of July, so it's actually summer is very, very busy you know, because then we'll be right at that point auditioning for our fall show. So don't worry.
Speaker 2:I'll squeeze another improv idea in there, don't worry.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we can. We can count on Ken Yep. Well, if feel free, if there's anything else you want to share. If not, um, I really appreciate both of you guys taking the time to talk to me.
Speaker 3:This has been great yeah.
Speaker 1:And please, uh, thank you for doing the shows and for all the long time. You know, the commitment here is, uh, you know, as we see is a big commitment from you guys and the volunteers in that and, uh, you know, a true community effort.
Speaker 3:So thank you.
Speaker 1:Um and great shows.
Speaker 2:So, hopefully, hopefully, we don't stay hidden gem very long. Let's, let's, let's be out in the open gem.
Speaker 3:There we go, and we maybe we'll see you, not just at improv, but maybe at one of our auditions.
Speaker 1:We'll see, there we go.
Speaker 3:If it's you know, I heard you just walk down here, so that that always makes it for an easy so you're close, so you can't say traffic is an issue though We'll see.
Speaker 4:Well thank you guys.
Speaker 3:Thank you, we really appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Matt, I got to sit down with uh Ken Chansky I'm probably messing up how you say his name, but and uh, as well as Suzanne uh, who's the executive director of uh the uh Mokina's front street, uh Curtin call theater, yeah, and a great conversation. But I wanted to get a little background from you, uh, about kind of the site, kind of what was there prior to uh the theater and the building as we know it now. So what other buildings would we know from the past that have been on that site?
Speaker 4:Prior to the current building, which was built in 1966, there was at least one other building that was on that site.
Speaker 4:It was a 19th century building uh that for many years was the Zumstein general store of, uh, mr Zum Zumstein, lewis Zumstein and his family. And then, um, try to remember when they got off the scene Mr Zumstein died in the 1920s, early 20s I think, and then, after uh they were off, the Zumsteins were off the scene. Uh, mr Hensel, uh, who was a pharmacist, moved in and uh, uh kept his pharmacy there for many years and that wasn't the first place in town he had had his pharmacy. But uh, it's uh a lot of people are still around who will remember Hensel's pharmacy Uh, and he, yeah, he kept up the business there for uh for many years, I think, until the early 1950s and uh, when he retired at a very advanced age. And then there were a few other things um in the building after that, that old historic building, um nothing that was really there for a very long amount of time. But uh, the Kerber family acquired the property and uh had the the historic building knocked down to build the current building in 1966.
Speaker 1:Okay. Yeah, yeah, and uh, sorry, but you mentioned uh, you talk a little bit about the. There was an addition put on it as well, correct?
Speaker 4:Yeah, the current building was added onto the um, the part of the building that houses the art studio now and what was formerly the Mochino liquor store. Uh, that was added on. Oh see, I don't know exactly when that happened, probably like end of the sixties or into the into the seventies. Uh, was added on Um, but the? Yeah that when the building was first built it just had, uh, uh, the pharmacy, mochino pharmacy.
Speaker 1:Okay, and there's some pretty unique stone on the front of it. Any idea if there's any significance to that, or is it just kind of uh?
Speaker 4:yeah, it was, uh, California drift stone. What exactly the significance, why Mr Kerber wanted that, though? Um, I don't know. But, um, yeah, it is very unique. I can remember, um, when I was very, very young in the early nineties, my friends and I would kind of try to climb it, because it kind of little pieces of it stick out. Yeah, it's perfect for that. Sure, yeah, right.
Speaker 1:So interesting, Um, and so they had it. Do you know how long it was a pharmacy? When was the last time?
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, uh, the Kerber family kept the pharmacy all the way from 1966, when they opened Um, and of course they they also wasn't their original location. They first opened shop I want to say that must have been around 1960 on the uh, let's see, that would be the southeast corner of front street and Mokina street. They were there before they. They built the, the current building where Curtin call is. But eventually Mr Kerber uh, that was Daniel Kerber and his, his father-in-law at first, arthur uh Mielin, who ran the business down the line. Uh, mr Kerber's son, Daniel Jr, took over the business and they sold it probably, I want to say, towards the end of the nineties maybe, and then for a few years after that, it was Fagan pharmacy which, if I remember right, was a chain, um, but it wasn't. It wasn't Fagan pharmacy for more than maybe five years or so. It it ceased being a pharmacy in the 2000s Um, trying to remember when, exactly, I can't really place it in my head when the, when the Fagan pharmacy was off the scene.
Speaker 1:And the theater came in in 2016. So was there anything that you know of um between the pharmacy and the theater?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I remember there being a pretty short lived convenience store that was there, um, which wasn't around for more than a couple years tops, if that even Um and I feel like there, you know there had to have been other things in there, but I don't really remember Um. If there was, yeah, it wasn't anything that was, you know, very had any kind of longevity to it.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, uh, so yeah, and then 2016, the, the theater moved in, so have you? Have you been to a production there before?
Speaker 4:I have. I've been to many of them there. I was at their inaugural front street production back in 2016. And I think I've been to probably almost everyone they've had since then. Wow, that's a great record, yeah, yeah, I mean, I'm not a single one, unfortunately, but but, um, I'd say maybe like 75% of everything done since then, because I'm really happy that, uh, we have something, um of that quality in town. Uh, and uh, I like to support it and I like that it's on front street and that is right in the middle of Mokina and uh, Absolutely.
Speaker 1:No, all great things, and I mean all all things that as we've talked about, uh, and you don't get much more community than community theater.
Speaker 4:Right.
Speaker 1:I mean, and uh, you know it's unfortunate that uh tribes isn't there, but, um, you know it's a, it's a great piece in place already to to make some, you know, good things happen in downtown, oh, absolutely. So you have your tickets, yet for, uh, the the runner stumbles their upcoming show. I do, okay.
Speaker 4:I do as a matter of fact. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, no, it was great, it was great to hear about. I'm excited that we can kind of share a little bit, because so many people just say, uh, you know that we talk, just don't realize it's there, or you know, don't know that that theater is there.
Speaker 1:So well, great. Well, you know, as we said, the current play that's there runs March 1st through March 10th, but if you're hearing this after um, you know there's great shows going all through the year. Um, and then the Emily McCabe Kids Theater program. Check that on the on their website. Uh, they have the improv improv nights coming up. Uh, you know, as Ken says through in the interview, they're doing those about every every two months. Is their their goal to have the improv nights at the theater?
Speaker 1:So those are a lot of fun as well. Uh, so you know again, it's great to have live entertainment on front street. Um, you know, and then you know we have Zapp kind of doing the same thing with some live entertainment nights over there with comedy and quizzes, quiz nights, game nights and stuff. Yeah, exactly, great to see. That's definitely positive and going in the right direction.
Speaker 4:So yeah, I know it definitely is.
Speaker 1:Matt and I both really hope that you're enjoying the podcast and that you enjoyed this episode. We would really appreciate it if you would share our podcast with your friends or family, as well as leave us a review on Spotify or Apple music or wherever you hear our podcast. We'd love to hear your show ideas or your questions so you can send us an email at podcast, at Mokinasfrontporchcom, or on Facebook through Messenger or through our website, which is Mokinasfrontporchcom. You can send us a message there. We have some great things coming up and we're really excited to share with you. So thanks for listening and we'll see you next time on Mokinasfront Porch.
