Home Photo Galleries   • 2000-2009   • 1990-1999   • 1980-1989   • 1979   • 1978   • 1977   • 1976   • 1975   • 1974   • 1973   • 1972   • 1971   • 1970   • 1960-1969   • 1950-1959   • 1949   • 1948   1979 The Old Dark House The Thirty-Second Year: April 27 and 28, 1979 Steering Committee Chairman: Charles Whitesell Ad Sales: Michael Gleason Producer: George Benz Writer/Director: Jill Benone Musical Director: Bob Adolphe Choreographers: Yvonne Rodriguez and Jackie Larson Singers: Jim French Set Design: Liz French Stagecraft: LeeWeismeyer Program/Poster Art: Keith McConnell By Jill Benone: I purely loved this show. The production group was fantastic, the set was incredibly good, the cast was enthusiastic, the dead wood had been weeded out, and the entire ambience was positive. I discovered how to make the story clear in the program notes, and listed inspiration and sources, hoping someone might actually want to check it out. It was one of those "dark and stormy night" stories, where the kids are gossiping about the mysterious house they can see from Mike Lichtman’s back yard. After a stop over at a disco for a "Star Wars" dance extravaganza and an encouraging song, the kids make their way into the Old Dark House. In the meantime, principal Steve Smith and sixth grade teacher Gary Good have a cross-talk conversation about mice and peanut butter. (There really was a mouse problem at VW and the exterminator really did bait the traps with peanut butter. Steve and Gary never really forgave me for that cross-talk act. They were very funny, though.) This year, it was easier finding participants for a scripted song/dance number; "Witch Doctor". It was as popular as the onions and the dancers began to think I knew what I was doing. We had a monster, a mummy, a wolfman, ghosts, a moving Suit of Armor, a talking mastadon head, some determined tailors, a couple of inferior jewel thieves, Superman, and, of course, the PTA ladies with Steve Smith and Gary Goold to the rescue.