Women’s Health CLINIC MAY 2014 SEASON | YEAR A NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS AND FRIENDS OF THE FIRESIDE THEATRE An Unforgettable Theatrical Experience! TAKE ONE OF THE GREATEST NOVELS EVER WRITTEN. ADD A RICH AND BEAUTIFUL MUSICAL SCORE. STIR IN A CAST OF SOME OF CHICAGO AND NEW YORK’S MOST TALENTED MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMERS. COMBINE ALL THE INGREDIENTS IN THE FIRESIDE’S UNIQUE ARENA THEATRE. ADD A PINCH OF THEATRICAL MAGIC AND WHAT YOU GET IS A RECIPE FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE IN THE THEATRE. LES MISÉRABLES is the world’s longest I’m really excited about this one, folks! I running musical and one of the best. just got back from Chicago and New York Based on Victor Hugo’s classic story, where I saw over 800 auditionees who it is a moving tale of redemption filled each want to be one of the 20 exceptional with drama, adventure, humor, romance, talents who will appear in our production tragedy, comedy, music, and love. It has of LES MISÉRABLES. I will have a cast been seen by tens of millions of people of remarkable singers and actors who will in over 42 countries and now, at long bring to life this epic musical in a way that last, I get the chance to present it at The is guaranteed to move you, enchant you, Fireside. delight you, surprise you, and inspire you. I can’t wait to see “I can’t wait to see audiences audiences experience experience this exceptional and this exceptional and important production!” important production! – Ed Flesch, Artistic Director Scene from the Broadway production of LES MISÉRABLES. ANOTHER SHOW EDUCATING THE NEXT 45 YEARS OF FABULOUS ADDED TO OUR GENERATION OF CUSTOMER FALL COLORS P22014 LINE-UP! P3 THEATRE LOVERS P4 SERVICE P7 JUST FOR YOU Hospitality never goes out of style! THIS IS IT - THE SHOW YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR AND THE PREMIER SHOWPIECE OF OUR 2014 ANNIVERSARY SEASON - LES MISÉRABLES. WILDLY POPULAR SINCE ITS FIRST PUBLICATION IN 1862, VICTOR HUGO’S TIMELESS STORY OF INJUSTICE, HEROISM, AND LOVE IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY PARIS IS ALSO THE WORLD’S LONGEST-RUNNING MUSICAL. THIS AMAZING SHOW HAS BEEN SHOWERED WITH OVER 100 INTERNATIONAL AWARDS INCLUDING EIGHT TONY AWARDS FOR ITS RUN ON BROADWAY. Personally, I’ve seen the production yet, we can hardly wait to share it with you. If you’re show at least five times not already booked - you really should call Jean today! including productions in London, New York and We’re also pleased to announce Milwaukee and have been the addition of one more show waiting for many years to this season. Gary Richardson be able to present it at The and Danny Hamilton will Fireside. return for six show-only performances of their musical The story is incredibly DAVID from September 5 - 7. moving and the music is so Our kitchen will be undergoing powerful as it celebrates some renovation at that time the unassailable strength so no dinners will be served, of the human spirit. Just however the bar and gift shops remembering it brings tears will be open. Presented with a to my eyes. I’d have to say combination of storytelling and it’s one of my all-time favorite shows, one of those that touches all live, acoustic music, DAVID is of your emotions and takes you on a bit of a roller coaster ride with a hit for the whole family. If you its highs and lows on its way to a very uplifting ending. represent a church group, please share this information with your youth director as this would be an excellent opportunity for them LES MISÉRABLES is musical theatre at its best and seeing it as well. All seats are just $29.95 per person plus tax so tickets up close and personal in the intimacy of The Fireside’s theatre- are sure to go fast. We hope you can join us for both of these in-the-round will make this epic tale so much more meaningful inspirational productions! than you’ve ever seen it before. Possibly our most ambitious GROUP LEADER PROFILE “Hopefully when we retire someday the community will feel we gave them our best.” – Tom Stepanek Learning from each other TOM STEPANEK AND HIS WIFE, MARY ARE THE ENTIRE MUSIC DEPARTMENT FOR THE WILD ROSE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS AND WE LOVE IT WHEN THEIR STUDENTS COME TO VISIT. Wild Rose, Wisconsin is a village of about dining out. It costs about the same as a from his friend Forrest Tucker where he 750 people who value their quiet way of field trip to Great America would but the is reported to have written the Libretto for life, their community, their children, their educational benefits far outweigh anything THE KING AND I. While Mason City, Iowa schools, and their support for fine arts. they would get there. We’ve also found it might be home to Meredith Willson who Tom Stepanek, a 37 year veteran music helps our own theatre program. They see wrote THE MUSIC MAN about a traveling teacher responsible for the Middle School things at The Fireside and they want to try salesman promoting boys’ bands, it was Band and both Middle School and High them out.” Wild Rose resident Ward Jeffers that was School Choir, likens it a bit to Brigadoon, the actual traveling musical instrument calling it “a magical little place where the Tom directs a musical each year at Wild salesman the story was based on. It arts flourish.” They flourish, in large part, Rose. Recent projects include LITTLE seems Meredith Willson was in one of Mr. due to his and his wife Mary’s contribution WOMEN, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE Jeffers’ bands in 1903! to music education. SOUND OF MUSIC and OKLAHOMA, which was done in conjuction with the As with most of our school field trips, Tom’s Tom grew up in Highland, another small school’s 100th Anniversary and included students participated in an educational Wisconsin town committed to music members of the community in the cast. seminar prior to enjoying lunch and the education. He graduated with honors from matinee of MARY POPPINS. There a UW-Platteville and has been teaching in The Wild Rose schools are blessed with member of the cast explained background Wild Rose ever since. Mary joined him a amazing community support. Fifteen years on the show, theatre-in-the-round, the year later and teaches 5th grade and High ago they built a $1.3 million auditorium with production process we use at The Fireside School bands. Just as the teachers did in seating for 400. The school was hoping and more as well as facilitating a question Highland, Tom has been bringing field trips to include the purchase of a new grand and answer session with the students. of students to The Fireside for many years. piano and started a separate fund-drive Tom’s middle schoolers were engaged, Curious to see if his thoughts on field trips but the administration went ahead and well mannered and attentive as they matched our own, we asked him why. purchased the piano so they could have it absorbed the information and found out right away, confident that the money would just how it was we made Mary Poppins “It’s educational, they learn things, it’s come in, and of course it did. The current “fly.” Tom does what he does for the love cultural, they’re having fun, they get to commitment to the arts isn’t unique to Wild of the kids and feels very fortunate to work experience something different, it’s Rose, however. They have a rich and in a district that values the students and high quality theatre, and it’s also a safe fascinating history that includes some of a community that supports the arts. He environment for the students,” he replied. America’s musical theatre “royalty.” hopes that when he and Mary are ready “It’s cross curricular, too. Through our to retire the community will feel they gave Family and Consumer Education classes In the late 1940’s, Oscar Hammerstein them their best. We are absolutely certain we actually tie it in to etiquette lessons on rented a cottage on one of the area lakes that will be so! A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES Wait Staff Supervisor Ginger Kammer Celebrates 45 Years of Hospitality 50 and they are well trained, fact the servers might say that Ginger has seasoned professionals ready an uncanny way of being right there when to take care of your every need! you need her to help serve soups or run to the kitchen for salads or desserts so they Ginger’s training includes can stay on schedule. Remember, dining making sure a new server at The Fireside isn’t like some restaurants knows their way around the where you can take as much time as you facility and where everything is need. We know you all have someplace kept in the kitchens, the proper special to be and that’s in the theatre by the way to set, serve and clear a time the show starts! table, explaining the menu and how to accommodate special It’s been a busy 45 years for Ginger. She needs like food allergies, use and John have raised three boys and of the computerized ordering now enjoy five grandchildren. What’s the system for both drinks and best part about working at The Fireside? dinners, and the most difficult “Everyone who comes in the door wants to task of how to manage the be here and is ready to have a good time,” timing for each table’s multiple remarked Ginger.