Secrets of the Dead - A Smashing Success.

The Secrets of the Dead a Hit! 

The Town's People / Audience came dressed for their
parts. 

Well I told you it would be great and it was. We played to sold out houses every night. The audience had a wonderful time as you can see from the pictures and came in some remarkable costumes. Author Kathy Fehl created a musical that hit all the right spots and included two original tunes. A great time was had by all.

Laila Salins as Adella Hodges sings "Maybe This Time"

Laila Salins gave a spirited performance bringing joy and playful fun to the part of Black Widow Adella Hodges. She thrilled the audience with her voice, displaying the vocal flexibility to shift from popular ballad to operatic aria.

Eloise  Bailey (Amanda Loehrke)  chopped a hole in the wall to expose the skeleton while her Father Tobias Bailey (Dale Neuroth) and her mother (Melinda Neuroth) watch in horror.

The remarkable sets designed by Sabrina Loehrke and executed by Ian Teal we as much a character in the show as the actors. Ms. Loehrke designed and painted the sets while Mr. Teal added the special effects such as a break away wall. "See mom and dad, there was a skeleton in the wall!"

Craig Knitt as the Mayor talks with the audience while Gloria Emmens (Ava Loehrke) and James Emmens (Alex Lederer) examine the skeleton and Hermione Emmens (Suzanne Nabriski Dyer), Franklin J. Bowden (Matthew Bonikowski), Walter (Jaren Peters), and Mary Nesbit (Holly Martin) at the pub looks on.

Craig Knitt wins for Mr. Congeniality and World Peace. He was amazing as the mayor, greeting theater goers at the door and joshing with them during the performance. He was the people's mayor.

Magistrate Franklin J. Bowden (Matthew Bonikowske) Delights the audience with comic relief.

Yes! That's a jail cell on stage. We used the entire stage and house to recreate the town of Bakersville.

A lone trumpeter (Michael Kepler) plays taps after Elizabeth Bailey learns of her beloved Robert Berryman's death in the war. 

Desperate to find the killer of the body in the wall and free their father, the Bailey girls ( top right - Amanda Loehrke and Anna Kirk) gather their friends Mary Nesbit and James Emmens (top left - Holly Martin and Alex Lederer) to summon the ghost through a seance.

Gloria Emmens (Ava Loehrke) helps Franklin Bowden ( Matthew Bonikowski) find the evidence that frees Tobias Bailey and leads to the arrest of Abigail Bailey

We are so proud of our High School band members who provided some of the music for the show.
Noah Buhrow Tuba, Michael Kepler Trumpet, Jenna Macijeski Clarinet, and Sabrina Loehrke Flute. 

And here come the Ghosts! Former lover of Abigail Bailey, Arthur (Jaren Peters) Elizabeth Bailey's love Robert Berryman (Broegy Pease) and Abigail Bailey's former husband and skeleton in the wall Herman (Ian Teal) appear at the seance.

The ghost of Herman has given the evidence that Adella Hodges is a Black Widow murderer. Away to jail she must go while the audience chants Guilty! 

Enter the executioners with their electric chair. Hermione Emmens (Suzanne Nabriski Dyer) and Mary Nesbit (Holly Martin).  

Mayor Samuel Jameson (Craig Knitt)  consoles Elizabeth Bailey (Anna Kirk)  on the folly of love singing "As Time Goes By"

Thank you to all who came out to make Bakersville and Secrets of the Dead such a success.

"Secrets of the Dead" Ghostly Fashion

"Secrets of the Dead" Ghostly Fashion 

Ghostly apportions are part of the seance! Shhhh

As we work on "Secrets of the Dead", Wega Art's new production, I thought I would do a post on the fashion of the time. "Secrets of the Dead" in set in the early 1900s, before the flapper age. Since this production is immersion theater (the audience is part of the action of the play) and the audience will play the towns people, It might be fun to see what people actually wore back then.

Just a long skirt and a blouse make the right statement.
Don't forget the hat!

Ladies walking suit.
Easy to replicate.

Before I get to the fashion, I want to bring you up to date on how the production is going. Ian is researching the special effects we will be using to bring the 'spooky' elements of the play to life. I won't mention any specifics here but, it should bring a chill to your spine. I can tell you this, there will be ghosts and they will be chilling. I can hardly wait!





Now for the fashion: If you want to come in costume, it should be easy to do. A long skirt and a blouse will do the trick. These can be dressed up with large broaches and necklaces

Vests are always in fashion for the men. Straw hat is optional

For the guys a woven shirt (no tees or sweats) and pants will work.  Dress them up with vests, chains and stick pins.








Hair for men. Always slicked down with lots of grease, yup, grease guys. Remember Brylcreem?

Lady's hair. The bun. A lady's neck was a sensual thing.

Ladies, get out the bobby pins. Buns and twists were all the rage. It was the silhouette of a ladies neck that made the male head turn.
 

Tickets are now available online at www.wegaarts.org  $25 in advance. We are taking reservations for tables so you can sit with your friends! The dates are October 30-31 and November 1. The fun begins at 6:30 PM.

Busy Week - WAO Rehearsals -

The Waupaca Area Orchestra is in rehearsals for their upcoming concert, "Travel Through a World of Music". So the theater is filled with music stands and timpani. The featured group is the Kat Trio from Ekaterinburg, Russia. Audiances will find of interest that During 2011-2012, the Kat Trio was touring as artists-in-residence with Wisconsin Public Radio and the Chazen Museum of Art.

The Kat Trio will treat us to a pre-performance recital at 6pm with hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer. 

Concert Program: Saturday, September 27th, 7:30pm

Mendelssohn, Overture to “A Midsummers Night’s Dream, “ Op. 21
Gounod, “ Petite Symphonie, “ for winds
Whitacre, “The Seal Lullaby” newly arranged by our own Maestro Stephan Wucherer
Bruch, “Double Concerto for Violin and Clarinet,” Op. 88 featuring members of the Kat Trio


Children’s Concert, Sun. Sept 28th, 4pm
Featuring music of Disney Pixar Films
Haydn, Symphony No. 94 “Surprise,” Hob. 1:94

Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Available at The Coffee Klatsch, Weyauwega
The Book Cellar, Waupaca,
Mitchell Piano Works, Steven’s Point

Wega Arts Presents Secrets of the Dead - Craig Knitt

Secrets of the Dead is our Halloween Interactive Theater event. For those of you who want to know what “Interactive Theater”is, It just means that the 4th wall, the wall between the audience and the play is removed and the action of the play takes part among the audience members with them taking part in the action. Wow, a mouthful to be sure. We did this for the first time last year with “Tommy G’s” a speakeasy set in the twenties. If you attended you will remember how much fun it was. Anyway, Secrets of the Dead will be on the same order.

We are really excited to have Craig Knitt join the “Secrets of the Dead” family. Craig lives in Marion, WI so he’s a close neighbor for Wega Arts. What really excites us is that he is a co-founder of the Wildwood Film Festival and he has just completed a successful campaign on Kickstarter to launch his graphic novel, Kalemon, the Monster Hunter.  We can’t wait to see what he does with “Secrets”! 

Wega Arts Presents

Secrets of the Dead - Dinner Theater

A new Musical Mystery at the Gerold Opera House

October 30, 31 & November 1, 6:30pm

Seating is limited. 

Tickets to be available on line at www.wegaarts.org