NEWS LETTER
"THE BACKSTAGE PASS"
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SOMETHING ROTTEN SUCCESSFUL OPENING FOR NEW SEASON
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It was a HIT! Compliments flowed for PW’s opening show for the 2025-2026 season. Something Rotten brought laughs and entertainment to those who saw it, as a stellar cast give 100% to this joyous romp through Elizabethan England. Congratulations to cast, directing team, all crews, and any others who contributed to the success of this season opener.
CHRISTMAS PLAY COMING UP!
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Players Workshop’s second show of the 2025-2026 season is the Christmas offering, Miracle on South Division Street by Tom Dudzick, a heartwarming and hilarious tale about a family secret that challenges the family’s reality and beliefs.
Meet the Nowaks of Buffalo, NY. Clara and her three grown kids have always known they were special, ever since the miraculous Christmas Eve in 1942 when the Blessed Mother appeared to Grandpa in his barbershop! Then, one day, daughter Ruth unveils her plan to write and star in a one-woman Christmas show about the family miracle so the "whole world will know!"
However, as her plans for theatrical immortality unfold, the entire family's faith is shaken to the very core when a deathbed confession causes the family legend to unravel.
The cast for the show is as follows: Michelle Huppenbauer of Burlington plays Clara, the Nowak family matriarch. The Nowak children are portrayed by Mediapolis’ Amy Ford as Beverly, Fort Madison’s Alicia Rodroguez as Ruth, and Lomax, IL’s Hayden Roberts as Jimmy.
Three Players Workshop veterans will helm the production. Mary Fox will direct the show, assisted by Sally Price, with Carol Hinkle producing.
Miracle on South Division Street will be presented at the Workshop, 1431 Grove Street, on Dec. 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, and 14, 2025. All shows are at 7;30 p.m., except for the 2:00 p.m. matinees on Dec. 7 and 14.
For more information, call the Workshop at 319-753-6623, go to the Workshop’s Facebook page, or go to www.playersworkshoptheater.com.
Miracle on South Division Street is produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.
AUDITIONS SET FOR​
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Players Workshop will hold open auditions for the winter show, a comedy called Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses by Michael Parker and Susan Parker, which will be directed by Workshop veteran director Libba Flores.
The play is set at The Lovers’ Landing Beach Hotel, a popular wedding destination. Audrina Brown has recently inherited the property, which comes complete with chaos, would-be bridal parties, and, of course, Uncle Bubba, the hotel manager who is running a variety of “extra-curricular activities” on the property.
Parts are available for four adult females, ages 25-70, and three adult males ages 30-70.
For information about the specifics of the different characters, please see the Players Workshop website, www.playersworkshoptheater.com, under auditions.
Auditions will be Sun.-Mon., Dec. 14-15, at 7:00 p.m., at the Workshop, 1431 Grove St., Burlington. No experience or special preparation is necessary.
For more information. or if you have questions about the auditions, contact Libba Flores, director, at 319-750-3533.
Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses is presented through special arrangements with Concord Theatricals.
A BIG "THANK YOU" FROM THE
COSTUME CREW
Cyndy Fabel, chair of the Players Workshop costume committee, reports that the surplus costume sale held on Oct. 10-11 at Unity Lutheran Church was a huge success, bringing in a whopping $2,233!
Cyndy would like to give a “huge ‘thank you’” to all who contributed to this endeavor: “To the volunteers who loaded the 70 totes of costumes into the trucks, transported the totes to Unity, set up and organized the costumes, worked the sale, cleaned up afterwards and transported leftovers to Goodwill, Hetta Gilbert and the dumpster, we couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you to Unity Lutheran Church for the use of their facility. A special thank you to Christine Claeys and Nikki Crister who put hours into this endeavor. The success of this sale was a result of the wonderful volunteers at PW.”
Congratulations to Cyndy and the costume committee for all their hard work in cleaning out the costume closet, ending in a successful and memorable sale!
DON’T FORGET SMUGMUG
SmugMug is an online platform (website) for photographers to store, share, and sell their photos.
This includes longtime PW photographer DAVID BECKMAN, and he has many PW production pictures available. David is also donating any proceeds from the sale of his pictures to PW.
If you would like to view or purchase photos of any of our recent plays, scan the QR code above and go to www.davidbeckman.smugmug.com. If you would like photos from an earlier performance, send your request to pw6623@gmail.com, and we will see if we have photos from that show.
Please remember that these photos are copyrighted and not to be shared. Proceeds help Players Workshop.
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PW SUPPORTING CAST 2025-2026
Players Workshop invites you to join the Supporting Cast for 2025-2026 season.
This one-time financial donation runs for the theatrical season, contributing significantly to the financial stability of PW.
All those who join will have their names listed in each play program and newsletter, as well as on the PW website, for 2025-26.
You may join the Honorary Supporting Cast for 2025-2026 by completing the form at the end of this newsletter or the form in your play program.
Donations may be made in one of the following categories:
Usher $25-$99 Stage Crew $100-$249
Supporting Actor $250-$499 Star $500-$999
Director $1000-$2499 Producer $2500+
The following have already joined for 2025-2026.
Director
George & Clara Klein
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Star
Tonja & Tim Binder
Lillian Robbin
Supporting Actor
Carolyn Dorting
Bonnie Downes
Barbara Drozdz (in memory of Jim Drozdz)
Dr. Amy Groeltz -- The Smile Shoppe
Jon & Peggy Hart
Brian & Sara Sink
Duane & Bev Sherbondy
Kathy & Kevin Wolfskill
Stage Crew
Cindy & Darrell Bachtell
Connie Bowen
Dan & Kathy Cahill
Lois Close
Carol Copeland
Robert Haines
Dean & Karen Hurliman
Carol Janosik
Mike & Kren Johnston
Cynthia Leonard
Donna & Jan Logan
Keith McNeil (in memory of Maxine)
Ralph Parish
Lori Moore
Prugh Funeral Service
Jim Raudabaugh
Chip & Dana Readinger
Carol Reed
Marlis Robberts
Tim Roberts
Kathy & Kevin Schneider
Matt & Mary Shivers
Peggy Stott
Olive Sullivan (in memory of Mary Krohlow & Rod Reeves)
Henry Villareal
Kay Wilson
Merry Wiseman (in memory of Rod Reeves)
Tammy Kimmel-Wunderlich
Usher
Judith Bartachek
Jill Baumert
Sally Bird
Jacquelyn Edwards (in memory of Dave Edwards)
KC & Beth Fleming
Barara Hahn
Zachary Hall
Pat Mayle
John & Lisa Pomberg
Scott Hartje
Karen Hassel
Melinda & Dave Hentzel
Linda Hoenig
Marleen Holsteen
Katherine Hoth
Maureen Hutchcroft
Jessica Irish
Ladonna Kitch
Faith Krause
Shylah Lenahan
Pat Mayle
Linda Messer
Kenneth Morris
Linda Peitz
Pamela Pinkston
Connie Quee (in memory of Rod Reeves)
Jeff Rucker
Jane Sanford
Kathleen Schier
Dorothy Schulte
Anita Stapleton
Lora Turner
Kathryn Waterhouse
Calley Yaegar
PW wants to thank these additional patrons for their financial donations since the last newsletter: Robert Critser, Jay Leasch, Darrin Wright, Jackie Welch, and Shirley Hopson.
SPECIAL THANKS TO George & Clara Klein, Sperry, IA, for their generous donation to help cover the costs of the costumes for Something Rotten.
For past newsletters click here