Celebrating 15 years of community theater
MEEKER | At a time when funding for drama, music, and art programs has disappeared from many communities, the town of Meeker and its residents have pressed in and invested in the creative and performing arts in the school district and through external organizations.
In the spring of 2010, former residents Laurie and Gary Zellers, along with Shana Holliday and Kim Kummer, asked the Eastern Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park District (ERBM) about the possibility of adding a youth theater program to their lineup of offerings.
“They agreed, and we got to work,” said Holliday. The group’s production of “Annie, Jr.” was the following fall, with Laurie as director, Holliday on musical direction and costumes, Kummer as Laurie’s “right hand man” and Gary on set design. In 2011 the group produced Cinderella Kids, followed by Seussical Jr. in 2012.
In 2013 the Meeker Arts and Cultural Council (MACC) was formed and ERBM became a primary sponsor of MACC. Alice in Wonderland was the first MACC theater production.
Nancy Richardson joined the crew in 2014 for Hansel and Gretel and has remained on the team as producer.
“I remember I was a paraprofessional at the elementary school when I saw my first MACC junior musical. We walked the students up to see Alice in Wonderland Jr. and from the moment the curtains opened I was in awe. I knew I wanted my boys to be a part of something that amazing. My youngest son, Gage, tried out the following fall for Hansel and Gretel and the rest was history. He was hooked and is in college now still performing. My oldest son Gabriel helped me backstage for many years, and then performed in high school. I too am still a part of MACC, 12 years later — helping other students develop their love of performing,” Richardson said.
Laurie wrapped up her directorial role with The Little Mermaid in 2015 and passed the baton to Holliday.
“I grew up in a theater-rich environment and saw the good that it can do for people of all ages,” Holliday said, “So when the opportunity came to help create and then continue to grow a program in Meeker, I jumped at it. MACC youth theater program and for the past four years the summer program for adults has served as an outlet for people here to stretch their creative wings, do things that they didn’t know they could, and produce high-quality entertainment. Also, it’s fun.”
The Zellers remained on the MACC board of directors and continued to help with set design until they moved away. Shrek Jr. was Holliday’s first production as director in 2016.
Holliday and Richardson filled most of the backstage roles from 2016 to 2017, when Janelle Borchard came on as choreographer.
“Community theatre allows people to experience life through the eyes of a character. It can be personally and culturally empowering, leaving both the audience and actors with new perspectives,” Borchard said. “MACC builds confidence. Seeing both youth and adults have personal growth is worth every moment spent in that auditorium.”
In 2019 MACC started having high school-aged program alumni — Mason and Ruby Holliday and Averee Woodward — take on production roles like stage manager and choreography.
In addition to the youth performances, MACC has presented an annual adult musical theater production (not listed below) for the last several years, tapping into talents in the community that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“There are countless stories to be told about the years that we’ve been doing shows, but the thing that always stands out to me are the surprises. We were holding auditions for Mary Poppins, and in walks this little boy that none of us knew. He had personality coming out of his ears, and had us all laughing. Then he opened his mouth and sang (probably a Beatles song, knowing him) and walked out, leaving the adults in the room a little stunned, but mostly really excited about something brand new, something unexpected. This boy became and stayed an important part of the program for a long time,” Holliday said.
“We always have a new ‘catchphrase’ that organically appears through the rehearsal production. This brings laughter and unity throughout the entire program for cast members,” Borchard added.
The next MACC production is coming up in November, with a performance of Beauty and the Beast Jr., performed by 3rd- through 8th-grade students on Saturday, Nov. 16, at the Meeker High School auditorium.
“Newsies, Jr.” was the 2022 musical performance produced by the Meeker Arts and Cultural Council (MACC). The theater group is celebrating 15 years of community theater for youth and adults this year with the next performance, “Beauty and the Beast, Jr.,” coming up on Nov. 16.
MACC has provided a way for Meeker’s youth aand some of the young performers have carried that experience on into college and career.
