To say Dean's contribution to live theater is outstanding does not even begin to scratch the surface. He has participated on our production team in a number of ways over five years. He's gone way beyond pushing the "GO" button behind our sound board. Dean has composed music and created sound cues for a number of shows, most notably Bike America, for which he composed the full soundtrack as his senior project. Our 2018 summer production required Dean to commit countless hours of composing, editing, and working with the rest of the cast and tech crew through rehearsals and performances. Missi Smith, the show's director, was thrilled with Dean's artistic interpretation through music, and she loved how his work enhanced the production.
Though he has typically remained behind the scenes in the tech booth, Dean recently went in front of the audience in our Reader's Theater production of A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Adding another whole level of risk, and stepping even further out of his normal comfort zone, he became a strong advocate for those living with autism while teaching his fellow cast members about his own experiences with it. His participation on stage, for the first time ever, greatly enhanced the production. The guy can act, too! Our founders, Carolanne and Egon Steinebach took huge risks to begin The Merc Playhouse Society. They committed to building a theater that has grown into a community gem over the past 20 years. Without their countless hours of work, their dedication to live performing arts, and their inspired vision, we wouldn't be the organization we are today. We are happy to honor people in our theater community who show the same type of dedication to live performing arts, and Dean could not be more deserving of the award this year. Dean is graduating from Liberty Bell High School in May. He will be greatly missed at The Merc while he bravely ventures out into his future, but we are certain he has many successes ahead of him. We just hope he comes back to see us once in a while, and maybe work on some more shows...  Lillian Cooley, 8th Grade, Medieval Manuscript Letter Student art is on display at The Merc for the run of our Children's Theater Production of As You Like It. Robin Neslon Wicks, art teacher at Liberty Bell Junior/Senior High School, curated student work with contributions from eighth graders through seniors. Showcasing a variety of mediums, the work compliments the time period and genre of Shakespeare's play which is currently onstage.
Also on display in The Merc's window is a mural painted by Ashley Watson, senior at LBHS. Ashley's senior project aimed to create an installation for The Merc using only acrylic paint. Her project portrays many of the talented people who represent The Merc's community and recent productions. Ashley invested over 50 hours of studio time planning, drafting, and then painting the mural in order to have it installed for Opening Night of As You Like It. Join us for the final weekend of As You Like It to view the art. The weekend starts with Pay What You Can Night on Thursday, March 12th and goes through Sunday, March 15th. Thurs - Sat, show starts at 7:00. Sun matinee starts at 2:00. Tickets available online and at the door. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime. Bring your nickels for Nickel Shakespeare scenes performed in the lobby before the show starts. |
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The Merc Playhouse | 101 S. Glover Street | PO Box 425 | Twisp, WA 98856 | 509.997.7529 | [email protected]
The Merc Playhouse is a registered 501(c)3.
The Merc Playhouse is a registered 501(c)3.