WTC Holds 10th Annual Toy Drive

Watonga’s own playwright, Amy Adams, has done it yet again by completing the trilogy of Shenanigans at the North Pole. However, this year Elfira isn’t at the North Pole, she’s visiting VEGAS, Baby! Under the direction of Patt Ward Curtin, Watonga Community Theatre will debut Elfira Goes to Vegas Dec. 10 for two performances at 2:30 and 7 p.m. and again Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.

Ten years ago, the WCT Board of Directors had a vision to give back to the community that had supported them for so many years. They decided to offer a Christmas performance to get everyone into the holiday spirit and allow a way for local donations to be made. Admission for the Christmas show is an unwrapped toy. Each year the donations go to Blaine County DHS to help foster children in the county. The number of donations received has continued to increase through the years.

“The Christmas Spirit is always so strong in Watonga,” said Marie Tech, WCT president. “We knew people wanted to give, so we decided to provide a way. I don’t think we could have ever dreamed the response we would receive. ” As we celebrate the last decade, we have heard some amazing Christmas songs, learned how elves function at the North Pole, sat on Santa’s lap, had Dancer’s language interpreted, ate delicious sugar cookies, laughed until we cried, and made many memories. We accomplished all this while giving back to our community. The past three toy drive performances featured Shenanigans at the North Pole. The characters Adams created and developed have provided much entertainment. All ages will laugh watching Elfira get into trouble.

“What started as a brainstorm session at the Mexican restaurant, turned in fun community project that has developed into a three-time adventure,” Adams explained. “I hope it has inspired the community through laughter. I never could have imagined such a great response. I am truly blessed. ”

Adams worked tirelessly to write this last script. Finishing touches were being written during rehearsals of The Good, The Bad, The Ugly in October.

Elfira, played by Adams, is a mischievous elf always causing commotion and shenanigans. You can only imagine the trouble she will get into in Las Vegas. With a large cast from the community, you will see many new faces. Most of the library staff is in the play. Karrie Beth Little, city manager, also makes her debut at Liberty Theatre.

Elfira Goes to Vegas will continue the tradition of laughter and Christmas spirit. You won’t want to miss this show Dec. 10 and 11. Please make reservations by calling 580-623-9666 during box office hours, if possible, from 4-7 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8 or an hour and a half before each show.

After four decades of laughter, entertainment and even a few tears, Watonga Community Theatre is still going strong. Volunteers, fundraisers, time and money made this stage what it is today. Generations have graced this building, making it a pilar in our community. 2023 is a special year for Watonga Community Theatre. This year the theatre celebrates 40 years of bringing quality performances to Watonga, and the December 10 -11 performance of Elfira Goes to Vegas marks the 10th annual toy drive.

With the first performances in the old middle school auditorium, Patt Ward Curtin and George Ann Bordelon started what has been a constant in Watonga. In 1983, Watonga Community Theatre was born through creativity, passion and hard work. Margie Hursh and Nadine Pearson joined in the vision and worked to make WCT successful. Rick Silk directed the opening show, Plaza Suite, while Bordelon managed lights and Curtin acted on the stage.

“For those of us who were involved, it was so exciting. We were doing this amazing thing in this tiny town, and the whole town got together and behind us,” Bordelon expressed. “It’s awesome that we are still here 40 years later. Many of the towns we competed against have closed their doors, but through lots of work and our community support we are still going. It’s so great!”

Creativity has been the theme of WCT for 40 years. From advertising to making a director’s vision into a reality, the theatre group consistently delivers outstanding performances. Vanities was a show performed in 1984 with a cast of three including Bordelon. She explained that for publicity the three ladies spent the day modeling in the window of a store downtown called Clothes Out West.

Moving to the Liberty Theatre was a big project. The Rook Building hadn’t been used since it showed its last movie in 1969. WCT held luncheons in the back of the Watonga Republican for community leaders from clubs and businesses trying to persuade them to support the renovation of the building. These supporters presented before a city council meeting how the building could be used. After approval from the council, WCT went to work fundraising to pay for the renovations. The community showed its support by purchasing plates on the back of chairs. The members of WCT put each seat together.

“There were 22 screws in each chair,” Curtin said. “We were putting them together at the Testco building and lost power. We had to finish so we lined our car headlights up to shine in the building to finish.” Fred and Joyce Lucas and Karlyn Dobbins Ingram spent much time putting chairs together and getting the building ready for use.

Funds totaling $40,000 were provided from the Oklahoma legislature via Tom Stephenson. Watonga Public Schools allowed the carpentry class to come to work on the theatre as well. They built the stage that we now enjoy. JC Scott and his sister Beverly Scott worked on the design and construction of the entire building.

“Here were these guys, my students, who knew how to work,” Bordelon said. “They were not your typical theatre crew, but they worked so hard for Mr. Scott. I remember standing on scaffolding while these teenage boys lifted me up to paint. This place would not exist without those boys. They were great!”

Jim Coleman, the physics teacher, had to help determine the rake of the theatre. When the chairs were pulled out, no one realized how important the rake was, so they couldn’t get the chairs to work right. Coleman came in and calculated it for them.

To add to the fun, WCT held a competition to name the building. Bordelon sponsored a drama club at the time. The students researched and discovered there was a theatre years before named Liberty. It was in a different location, however. The drama club won the contest naming the building Liberty Theatre.

History was made in 1987 with the grand opening of the Liberty Theatre with the musical Oklahoma. Watonga became accustomed to familiar faces on stage. Chris Bordelon, Danny Gilliland, Joyce Ivins and many others made each show memorable. Since the start, Curtin directed three national award-winning actresses, Nadine Pearson, George Ann Bordelon and Karen Gilliland. Waiting for Parade placed fourth at a national competition. Local businesses sponsored WCT to help get this play to that level of competition. It was named outstanding production for the state of Oklahoma and the Outstanding Production for the Southwest Region of American Association of Community Theatre 1993. In the same year, WCT received Oklahoma Theatre of the Year.

Gilliland remembered that rehearsals for this competition were intense. Rehearsing nearly five times a week, it was no simple task to receive all the awards.

“We worked so hard,” Gilliland said of the cast. “My daughter, Katy, would come to rehearsals and play in the back of the theatre. She basically grew up in the Liberty.” Katy Gilliland continues to spend time back-stage helping as stage crew, while her daughter plays in the back.

In the 90s the Tech family joined the production. Marie was tasked with costuming and James worked tirelessly learning about the lighting and how to make it better. He loved to make the impossible possible.

“James had such a flare for the lighting,” Curtin said. “He was constantly adding to our lights. He even set up a computer to make it digital.”

Marie is the person behind the scenes that truly makes everything come together. She ensures everyone looks their best on stage and helps carry out the director’s vision with set designs. Serving as the WCT Board president for 26 years, she has been dubbed a miracle worker, always making the productions a success. You will see her working in the costumes, props, make-up and hair, light and sound, publicity and any other thing that needs to be done.

“Marie started in a show called Nunsense,” Curtin said. “She was actually on-stage but started helping with the costumes. We quickly saw that we needed her involvement. What an asset she has been for our theatre!”

Curtin explained how much improvement everyone has made through the years. New people joined in and the theater benefitted from new tricks for lighting, sound, costuming and publicity. Old members have moved or passed away, but new members are continuing to get involved. Amy Adams joined the community a few years back and is now WCT’s own threetime playwright. Kim Coney directed many of the first shows for the toy drive and plays Mrs. Clause in the Elfira trilogy. Curtin is pleased to direct the 10th Annual Toy Drive with Elfira Goes to Vegas. She explained that there is a third generation, Tristan Dobbins, playing Elvis in this show. His grandmother Karlyn Dobbins Ingram has been active from the beginning. This is the final in the trilogy of Shenanigans at the North Pole. It will be at 2:30 and 7 p.m. on December 10 and at 7 p.m. December 11 “I can’t even begin to tell you how delighted I am to be able to direct again. It is just wonderful to be back after my health battle,” Curtin said. “God has been good.

“The reason we keep doing it is because of the community. If it weren’t for the community, we couldn’t do any of this. Some of the members on our membership list are original members. They have been with us through it all and continue to financially and physically show up. We are so grateful for all the years of support.”