Community Theatre actors just love to act

What do a gas pump jockey, a social service worker, an athlete advocate and a poet/teacher have in common?

They are the cast of the Sisters Community Theatre production of "The Last Rehearsal," playing this weekend in Sisters and next week in Bend.

Diana Redfield Kelleher, director of the local community acting group and one who has "loved theater all my life," said that this cast of characters has come together "remarkably well to perform a very good, professional play."

The actors in the current play are all local talent.

"We rehearse long and hard to make our performance as professional as possible," she said. The cast began rehearsing last February with twice-a-week practice performances for three months and "virtually daily rehearsals" for the past few weeks.

Earl Richards, an attendant with Sisters Oil Company at Cascade and Fir streets here, says he "has been hamming it up all my life," and acting is his avocation. He last appeared here in "Henry Cabot's Lodge," and plays the part of a much-of-the-time inebriated director of the play within a play. "A hologram," one of the crew said.

His stage wife, Carolyn Weir, is a first-time actress here whose full-time job is a social worker with Hospice of Bend/LaPine. Her son, Brian, is an actor in Los Angeles doing live theater and improvisational work. Son James is a commercial photographer also in Los Angeles.

"I've been watching Brian act since he was six (he's now 32)," Weir said," and when Earl called and asked if I'd like to be in a play, I thought the time was ripe for me too. I love it," she said. She plays the part of the playwright.

Antonietta Del-Guidice, who plays the part of an actress in "Last Rehearsal," is herself highly artistic, studying art and English at Chico State University and teaching a poetry class this fall at COCC. Several of her paintings are displayed at the Bliss Salon in Sisters.

"It's a lot of work, but a lot of fun also," she said the night before the opening. "My biggest fear is keeping this huge, blond wig in place."

Tom Harpham, the fourth member of the cast, went to Iowa State University.

"My dad was always in the theater," he said. "and I guess it's in my blood."

He and his wife Rachel have a son in Sisters High School. He manages a local company called Recruiting Inc., which works to help promote the talents of high school athletes.

"This is a very trying play for the actors," Kelleher said, "as with only four players, there are over 200 lines for each of them to learn. But, they have done extremely well. I am very proud of them and very pleased. It is a fine show and great entertainment."

Gil Martin, a local playwright, wrote the script which was produced by Eldridge Publishing Company in New York.

Kelleher said that she and her husband, Bill, started two years ago to attempt to get people in Sisters interested in the theater here. The first show they did was called "Chip of the Cascades," directed by John Sutton from Eugene.

They also put on "Sneaky Fitch" and "Henry Cabot's Lodge" with all productions at schools in and around the Sisters area. "Our hope," she said, "is to one day have our own theater building. In the meantime, we're most appreciative to the local school district for use of their facilities."

"The Last Rehearsal" will continue Friday and Saturday nights at 7 p.m. at Sisters Athletic Club and July 5 and 6 at the 2nd Street Theater in Bend. Tickets are $8 and $3.50 for children at the door.