Memories of MPC Theatre Company

Collected memories of MPC Theatre as posted on our Friends of MPC Theatre Company Facebook page. Please free to send us any anecdotes that you would like to share to. mpcboxoffice@mpc.edu

Who in the MPC Theatre Arts Department had the biggest impact on your life? And why if you feel like sharing.

“Maybe Peter (although the whole crew have been great). He lent me $ to buy my first car back when I was right out of high school, living on my own, and struggling. Of course, all the acting stuff helped too, but getting a genuine human connection established and realizing that's a huge part of the theater community made me realize I wanted to continue to be a part of it.”
- Mike Baker

“D. Thomas Beck, my Mentor in theatrical lighting”
- Greg Coleman

"Happy New Year! The person who had the most impact on my life was of course Morgan Stock. He hired me in 1974. Sure did change my life!"
-Constance Gamiere

"Dan beck. Gave me a chance to be part of the hardest working part of the theater."
- Zeek Gatica

"It's a 4-way tie becuz at one time or another, these guys stuck out their chins for me: Morgan Stock, Peter DeBono, Andrew Craig, and last but not least (my favorite lighthouse compadre), D. Thomas Beck!"

- Michael Lojkovic

"Well, for me it would be Michael..."

- Maria Larson

"Ana (Warner) oh, i guess i'm supposed to say why: How "often do you find a good female role model who wears boots and kicks stage managerial a**?"

-Tanya Sedgwick

"Dan Beck, who has always had faith in my abilities, and who treats me with respect and kindness."
- Ana Warner

Moments...

Opening night of Virginia Woolf (1976). At the close of the 1st act, in the SRO, I tripped over an ottoman and split my pants from crotch to belt loop, requiring a change in upstage blocking. In the second act, Ken (George) collided with ...Sheila (Martha) and bloodied her nose. A handkerchief miraculously appeared onstage, courtesy of a front row patron. In the third act, Honey dumped a drink in her lap and *almost* stifled a gasp at a very quiet and poignant moment. The show went on.
- Kevin Swehla

When Larry W. was playing Salieri in Amadeus, Opening night during the pastry monologue he cut a resounding fart that bounced off the back wall. Without missing a beat completely in character he looked at the audience, said "scusate" , and continued on. The house was absolutely silent but we in the tech booth were on the floor in stitches.
- Greg Coleman

Sad,... The night Louise Wilson didn't show up for a Sat. eve performance and they found her dead at her home before the Sunday matinee. RIP Louise
- Greg Coleman

Jerry DeBono's show "Goin' Hollywood" (1998). I met some people for the first time (and one in particular) who became important individuals in my life for ever after, and whom I cherish and hope I've been at least half as beneficial to their lives in return.
- Rob Foster

Most amazing memory during a production was during the dress rehearsals of "Tommy". The environment was electric with energy. A "natural high" so to speak. The funniest for me was in "Godspell" 1974 when Linda Sparks went down onto the trampoline in the pit with her pants on and came popping up from the trampoline with her pants off.
-Constance Gamiere

The saddest was during "Spoon River Anthology" when an actress died during the show.
-Constance Gamiere
 

Do you have a favorite Beck-ism?

"Paint it black and call it pretty" was the other
-Greg Coleman

My favorite 'Beckism'- "The art goes on top; until then it's engineering".
- Eric Maximoff

Another chestnut from Dan- "Cheap, fast, or quality- Pick two".
- Eric Maximoff

I could get really long winded here, though Greg reminded me of the BekTek dictum..."Bang it to fit, Paint it to match!"
-Lorraine Olsen

Ah yes, and the Beckisms continue with one of my favorites, "sounds like an acting/directing/lighting problem"...
- Ana Warner