There will be plenty of sentimental moments, and even more laughs, when 60th annual Kiwanis Kapers show hits the stage Nov. 9, 10 and 11 at the Bradford Area High School auditorium.
The 2017 benefit show, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Bradford, will celebrate six decades on stage with this year’s production titled “60 Years in the Spotlight.”
The show will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 and 10 and 3 p.m. Nov. 11 with general admission $5.
Taking a break after watching the Kiwanis Kuties and teenager Ellen Collins rehearse their numbers on stage, director Kristin Asinger said the performers are all doing well with their scenes in the variety-style show.
“Everything is coming along really well,” Asinger said before clapping and cheering on one of the young performers on stage. “It’s all coming along very smoothly, and we’re right on check. Sunday will be a long day (of rehearsals) and we’ll start wearing costumes on Monday.”
Asinger said the performers have been able to rehearse in the high school auditorium for a longer period this year, which has helped with staging and building sets.
“It’s a blessing that the high school has given us three weeks to have the stage,” Asinger said. “In the past it was only two weeks – and way before that it was only one week.”
Asinger said the audience will likely enjoy seeing a number of past performers in familiar skits and numbers. There will also be the regular acts, such as the Kapers Kids, the Glow Dancers and the percussion act to delight the audiences.
She said a tribute in honor of Veterans Day will be sung by Brie Lara, choreographer for the show, who will sing the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of the evening.
In addition, the audience will be entertained during intermission by John Kearns, who will play a number of songs about memories.
Shelley Wright, longtime musical director, said students with the high school stagecraft classes have helped with the sets, the sound and lights.
“They’ve been doing what they can to help,” Wright said of the students.
“What we’re doing (with the performance) is showing how we get a show ready,” she said. “We have auditions, we have rehearsals and building a set” as part of the plot.
She believes the audience will enjoy going down memory lane with the performers as well as viewing old photos from bygone years that will be displayed on a suspended screen. She noted the stagecraft students will put together the old photos in a Powerpoint presentation on the screen.
“I think they’ll like the show because it’s a lot like shows from other years with more variety in keeping with the 60th anniversary,” Wright added.
On a final note, Wright said she enjoys the annual show as many of her grandchildren have performed in it over the years.
“At one time I had eight (grandchildren) in the show,” she said with pride. “I now have five grandkids in the show. The oldest one is dancing in it.”
As always, proceeds from the reasonably-priced show will help fund a number of charitable causes in the community, reports Randall Durner, president of Kiwanis Club,
“Last year, proceeds from the show helped fund almost $20,000 in charitable projects,” Durner stated.
