Among the many losses this year was the chance for residents to shine on stage in the classic end-of-the-year theater production of Scrooge. This pandemic has crippled most live audience events. The performing arts sector has been hit especially hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, but something is happening in Sun City in the world of live theater. Debi Sieckman found an innovative way to weather the storm.
Sieckman was new to the theatre board in August. She said, “I knew this pandemic was only getting worse. It was going to be a while before we were going to be back on stage performing in Drendel.”
Sieckman went to Linda Davis the club president and proposed a virtual holiday series.
Sieckman said, “Few theatre companies have gone virtual. Virtual theatre cannot come close to what our residents are accustomed to. The Theatre Company of Sun City has professional staging, lighting, costumes, direction, sets and not to mention a live audience. There was an expectation our residents have.”
Sieckman had an idea, ‘What about holiday home movies? From our homes to yours.’”
Sara Tustin and Tom VanTilburg perform Did You Know, Mary? These performances were a part of the Theatre Company’s endeavor to bring the stage into Sun City homes.
Why home movies?
Sieckman said, “I took home movies of my children and when they were adults have forced a tradition of making them watch home movies each Christmas. Before presents. Still works.”
The idea took root and Sieckman presented it to the membership. “Using phones or tablets we can video a holiday song, reading, socially distant skit, instrumental or monologue. The objective was to film safely in their home and deliver entertainment safely to our residents in their homes,” she said.
The groups took advantage of the 70-day weather in October and filmed. White Christmas was filmed by the fountain with Dick and Judy Stage.
“It was such a nice day and so many residents walking stopped by and watched. One grandmother with three kids sat down and watched us go through five or six takes. We then post to our charter website or it can be accessed through our community eblast. They are 20 minutes long and we posted our first one.”
Following the link provided on the Theatre Company’s website you will hear some favorites like “Mary, did you Know?” The Home Movie ends with the reading of the story of Uncle Mistletoe. Uncle Mistletoe is a Chicago icon that was introduced in 1946 by Marshall Fields to compete with Montgomery Ward’s creation, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Sieckman said, “The goal was to bring some holiday cheer back to our residents who have always supported us. Maybe it was our time and our turn to reach out to them, at least for the short term.”
The next home movie will also include a little comedy with introduction given by Sieckman. Sieckman has a background of doing improv as a hobby. She attended classes at Second City for 52-week session.
Linda Davis, President of the Theatre company invites you to, “Sit Back, relax, enjoy From our Home to Yours.”
