June 28, 2019 Issue, Page 9 of 20

Page Text

See Historical page 7 See Community page 12 News 4 —~ WEEKEND Wye = ceao Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 EDITION Friday, June 28, 2019 Review: ‘Noises’ a hit for theater By Don Munsch Editor Dying is easy, comedy is hard, someone once said. So where does physical comedy play into that adage? In “Noises Off,” a farce written by Michael Frayn that continues its run through Sunday at Elk City’s Red Carpet Community Theatre, actors have to manage their blocking while handling what appears to be an ax commonly used by a fire department. ‘The ax in question is being wielded by the actors in an attempt to feign harm to others in the production of “Nothing On,” a play being staged in Weston-super-Mare in England. One actor after an another pulls the ax from another before it is used on someone. All ofthis action occurs backstage as the actors - some of them anyway - have personal conflicts that boil over. Watching the RCCT actors pull off physical comedy backstage — including the The Red Carpet Community Theatre needs funds to pantomime - is impressive and the show’s major feat. replace its roof and fix some wood siding.The theater A play within a play, “Noises Off” features three acts, group, which moved into the building around 45 years with the first act revolving around director Lloyd Dallas ago, has had the same roof for about 20 years, said (Marc Moyer) trying to manage his performers’ technical former RCCT board member Basil Weatherly. Staff photo rehearsal the night before the play’s opening. The second by Don Munsch. act centers on the what occurs backstage, with a physical movement of the set that occurs at intermission, and the third act documents a showing of “Nothing On,” which is an absolute disaster because Lloyd loses control ofhis Red Carpet asking actors and there exists major ad-libbing and poor or missed execution oflines, cues, movements and, well, everything. While there are funny bits in act one, especially with the exasperated, hapless Lloyd trying to work with too many feckless performers, “Noises Off” hits its apex in act two, when the energy is especially high and the actors are for donations at their best in doing the physical comedy aspect of the production while being mindful they are doing a play and have to be quiet backstage, if that is possible. Allof the actors bring verve to the roles, but Becky Ross, playing Belinda Blair, has a couple of scene-stealing lines By Don Munsch said the theater group seeks building,” Jay said. He said RCCT wants to and or reactions, and Steele Cobb, playing the aging actor Editor about $18,000 to cover roofing The roof has endured years keep the arts alive in the Selsdon Mowbray, prompts laughs by playing a man who expenses. The main portion of normal wear and tear. A community and give people likes to hit the bottle, including at inappropriate times. A The Red Carpet of the building is shingle- recent storm that brought the opportunity for another sequence involving a bottle being passed around by actors Community Theatre seeks based, while the adjoining heavy winds tore shingles off form of entertainment in Elk provokes the best, most well-earned laugh in the show. donations to keep aroofover _ portion is a metal roof. the roof. Also, the building City. “Noises Off” is directed by Denise Harris, who does a fine its head. First National Bank and has damage and a hole in the “We can maintain the job with her cast, including between acts two and three Literally. ‘Trust has already made a wood siding on its north end. building for the most part,” he said. “But this is a huge See Review page 2. ‘The building needs a donation of $2,500, according Birds like to enter the hole. expenditure that we're going new roof, for both the main _to the playbill from the ‘The roofing job would patch to have help.” portion of the structure, current show “Noises Off.” up the hole. Donations are tax- which houses the theater, and “If we don’t get it re- “The metal roof, we've deductible and RCCT the adjoining side portion roofed, we're going to start got to get it resealed,” Jay wants to pay for the roof that houses dressing rooms _ having other problems that and backstage area, including we're going to have to try said, adding it has had a few leaks. “We've got quotes, by donations. RCCT could borrow the funds, but it Two oil and gas the areas where the sets to maintain, and we really and we've already got some are built. Scott Jay, vice don’t want to have leaks on donations and some donation prefers not to follow that associations merge chairman of the RCCT board, our equipment and inside the commitments.” See Donations page 2. By Don Munsch Editor Anyone who lives in Oklahoma knows the importance of Paramedics set to graduate the oil and gas industry here, and representatives from a trade organization were in Elk City on Tuesday to discuss the industry and the merger of two trade associations. Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association and the Oklahoma Oil & Gas Association [OKOGA] merged last test Wednesday and the final year to create OIPA-OKOGA.. skills checkoff will be today And then two weeks ago, OIPA-OKOGA announced its in Poteau. new name and brand: The Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma, “When we first started this which strives to speak for the oil and natural gas industry - class and working with the an industry that represents 25 percent of the economy and vo-tech and everything, one where one out of every five Oklahomans work, according of the students was employed to the Petroleum Alliance, which says it is the only trade with us; now, four of them association in Oklahoma that represents every segment of are,” said Chervenka, EMS the oil and natural gas industry. director at Elk City Fire Chad Warmington, president of the Petroleum Alliance Department who teaches who is based in Oklahoma City, and Cody Bannister, vice students in the program. president of communications with the Petroleum Alliance, “Ithas really boost the also based in Oklahoma City, stopped by The Elk City News numbers. For us, it’s hard to office Tuesday. draw medics into Western “OKOGA is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year Oklahoma because if they live and the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association was in the city, they want to stay celebrating its 64th,” Warmington said. “They have real in the city. long histories of advocacy in Oklahoma City and joined “Our theory behind this forces and this June they elected their new joint board of whole thing is to grow directors and executive committee and a new chairman, students out in this area that David Le Norman.” like it out here and want to The Petroleum Alliance seeks to unify the oil and gas live out this way. And then industry under one name and one mission. Because of the we can build up the mass of two previous organizations had common aims, there was medics in the area. Because no longer a need for two associations in the state anymore, Photo left to right: Nathan McPherson, Erica Monroe, Catelynn Spieker, Dylan Pollard, ight now it’s almost just Warmington said. Demerie Pool and Savanna McClellan. Not pictured is Jaitton Balcom. Photo submitted impossible to get medics “What we hope comes out of it is will be a better, more by Sarah Hirschman. to come out from the city ~ unified voice that represents the industry, that when we're quality medics that we can talking to the legislators or the governor or the regulators By Don Munsch openings. in southeast Oklahoma depend on to hang out and that we have a single voice that represents the entire Editor ‘The school recently provides a 16-month distance _ stay out here.” industry,” Warmington said. “We have the biggest producer honored the charter learning Paramedic Program One of the students in the in the state and we have the smallest producers in the state Kyle Chervenka said paramedic class for Western _at its Emergency Responder _ program is Catelynn Spieker, | that are members of our trade association.” . Western Oklahoma needs Oklahoma with a special Training Center in Elk City. who works at the Elk City The Petroleum Association also has the membership of quality paramedics. reception. The first class of seven Fire Department. Students in midstream companies and the refiners, and the association A program at the Western Western Technology paramedic students will the program represents a good chunk of the service companies, Technology Center in Center in partnership with _be finish their training this Elk City seeks to help fill Kiamichi Technology Center month. Students took a final See Graduates page 2. See Merger on page 2. IHL Ml Mtl INN Weather e /7(e) Vol. 117,No.52 Home delivery View online ‘ sores aot » tomorrow 75 cents,12 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com