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Women’s Health CLINIC JANUARY 2014 SEASON | YEAR A NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS AND FRIENDS OF THE FIRESIDE THEATRE Celebrating A Fireside “Tradition” WHENEVER I MEET PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN MY WORK OVER THE YEARS, ONE QUESTION INVARIABLY POPS UP IN THE CONVERSATION. “WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SHOW?” I GENERALLY DEMUR AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE “I CAN’T ANSWER THAT. IT’S LIKE ASKING A PARENT ‘WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE CHILD’” (ALTHOUGH I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT PARENTS GENERALLY DO HAVE A FAVORITE.) BUT IF MY QUESTIONER PERSISTS THEN I AM FORCED TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS ONE SHOW THAT STANDS OUT FROM ALL THE REST; A SHOW THAT IS FUNNY AND WARM AND HEART-RENDING AND LIFE AFFIRMING AND IS, QUITE SIMPLY IN MY OPINION, THE GREATEST MUSICAL EVER WRITTEN. THAT MUSICAL IS FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. I first saw FIDDLER on see or hear or perform Broadway very soon after FIDDLER ON THE ROOF it opened in 1964 and from it is as exciting and fresh that moment I have been as that very first time. passionately and inexorably That’s when you know a tied to this remarkable show show is truly great. about a people and their traditions and a man who is When I played Tevye in “ A show that is . quite simply struggling to hold on to his 2007 I said it was my last in my opinion, the greatest culture as his children test time. But we wanted to musical ever written.” the boundaries between the include the show in our – Ed Flesch, Artistic Director past and the future. Since that 50th anniversary season first viewing I have seen at and so I’m performing least 20 other productions and it one last time before I have been involved in eight retire the role for good. productions, playing the lead role of Tevye in seven of them. If you have never seen FIDDLER ON THE ROOF you owe it to yourself to experience You’d think that after doing the show and this unforgettable masterwork and if you have seeing the show as many times as I have seen it before you’ll experience all the joy and that I would be tired of it. Nothing could be excitement again as I doo everyevery timetime I walkwaw lk out farther from the truth because every time I on that stage. NEW HEARING LOOP THE JOYS OF MEETING JANE - DECORATING SYSTEM INSTALLED OWNING YOUR OWN RICK KLOPCIC’S IN BLUE! P2IN THE THEATRE P3 TRAVEL COMPANY P4 “BETTER HALF” P7 Hospitality never goes out of style! WHEN WE OPENED THE THEATRE IN APRIL OF 1978, ED FLESCH PLAYED THE ROLE OF EMILE DE BEQUE IN OUR PRODUCTION OF RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S SOUTH PACIFIC. BUT IT WAS HIS TEVYE IN FIDDLER ON THE ROOF AT WILSON STREET EAST DINNER THEATRE IN MADISON, THAT I FIRST SAW HIM PERFORM. MY FATHER HAD RECENTLY HIRED HIM TO RUN OUR NEW THEATRE AND I KNEW WE WERE IN GOOD HANDS! I’m sure our whole family remembers that I also want to share some exciting news night when Mom and Dad took us all to about an addition to the theatre itself that see Ed in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in will assist patrons with hearing loss. We Madison. Ed’s portrayal of Tevye was recently installed a hearing loop system fabulous and we were all very excited to that works with the know that he was coming to work for us to telecoils in many types get the theatre up and running. If you’ve of hearing aids as well never seen him play this role you owe it as cochlear implants to yourself to do so. We’re very glad he’s to “loop” people right willing to reprise the role one more time! into the sound system. This is the latest The evening was memorable for another technology in assistive reason, too. Dick had recently lost a credit listening systems. It uses a universal card and reported it to the bank but later magnetic signal and does not require found it. When he tried to use it to pay the use of a receiver so it’s easier to use our bill for the evening, it didn’t work! Ed and less conspicuous. We will continue had come to our table after the show and to have our headset units available as the waiter pulled him aside to explain that well for guests whose hearing aids don’t our charge had failed and neither of them contain the telecoils. Be sure to share wanted to tell Dick. The waiter eventually this information with your travelers in case got up the nerve and Dick realized he’d they’ve been hesitant to come thinking given him the card he’d reported lost, they wouldn’t be able to hear well enough. settled up with another, and all was well. We expect this new system will make a It’s made for a good laugh many times over big difference for a lot of people! See you the years when anyone asks about the first soon! time we all met Ed. GROUP LEADER PROFILE “My advice? Put your faith in the Lord and he’ll take care of everything!” – Linda King LINDA KING HAS OPERATED Learning KING OF THE ROAD TOURS OUT OF HER HOME IN WOODRIDGE, ILLINOIS, SERVING THE HEART OF from each other CHICAGO FOR 24 YEARS. Thirty four years ago, Linda King took a The last few years have been difficult for Linda King is a woman of remarkable job with Ben Franklin Savings Bank in Oak the tour and travel industry in several ways. faith which seems directly responsible for Brook, IL with their travel program. Little The economic downturn left travelers with her positive outlook on life. This job that did she know it would become her life’s less discretionary income at a time when became a career wouldn’t have been work and give her, for the last 24 years, rising fuel costs were affecting motorcoach possible without the blessings of God. She her own business to love and care for. She costs as well. “It’s been a challenge to believes that her success as well as The has always worked out of her home and maintain the integrity of our product and Fireside’s are prime examples of what faith wouldn’t have it any other way. not lessen its value but yet so important,” can do. Linda felt in regard to both her business After a few years with Ben Franklin she and ours. The Fireside is on the high end While Linda loves working from home and was hired away by former Illinois Governor cost-wise for a day trip for her because of being in charge the thing she loves most Dan Walker when he got into banking. Six the distance but the spectacular product about her job is the customers. They laugh years later that bank was sold and the with the ambiance, decor, service, shows and cry together, go through the good and travel program discontinued. Linda felt she and shops make it worth the price. Even the bad together, and they certainly rallied had no choice but to start up a company of so, it just got hard for people to afford it. around her as she fought through the her own. She had ten years experience, battle with cancer. She has a small family, although “you never stop learning,” she If tough economic times weren’t enough, never married and has no children so they adds, the ties and connections in the Linda has spent the last few years caring truly have become a second family. industry, and the following. King of the for her mother whose health was failing Road Tours was born! which led to things like moving her and These circumstances of the recent past renovating her home after a water pipe have meant that we haven’t seen as much Linda has kept her company small on disaster. Then she received what she of her lately but were thrilled to have her purpose. She knows all her customers amazingly referred to as the blessing of back for A FIRESIDE CHRISTMAS in by name and face and outside of a couple a breast cancer diagnosis. A blessing, December. She tried running her Fireside of special anniversary trips to Savannah, because even though it was already stage trip as an overnight to Lake Geneva and Georgia and South Dakota she stays in the four, it was treatable. So treat it she has while taking the first quarter of the year Midwest running one to six day trips. She and other than getting a little sleepy from off to regroup (because she can!) she’ll has no desire to tackle the international her pain medicine the cancer is under finish planning for 2014. “As long as I can market and as she’ll be turning 70 in control and “all is well.” This last revelation physically do it, I’ll stay in business,” says March proudly reports, “The older I get, the has made Linda understand and better Linda. “My advice to others: Trust God. more I’m entitled to slow down a bit.” She appreciate why some of her travelers Period. I’ve got my hair back, the Lord is in certainly isn’t slowing down much! would tend to fall asleep on the bus! charge, give Him the glory, and move on!” A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES Jane Klopcic peeks out from behind the scenes! greater role in things at The Fireside.