Magic
Circle Players
Remembering the early years
by Carol McDermott
Special to the San Juan Silver Stage
Copyright San Juan Publishing, all rights reserved
(This is
part of an ongoing series published in the San Juan Silver Stage, in
print and online, and celebrating the MCP's 50th anniversary in 2009)
 MONTROSE,
Colorado— "We're going to do a play," Bette Dustin Spiro told some
friends in 1959, and she organized the Magic Circle Players. Since
then,
the Montrose community theatre troupe has performed over 200 plays, in
a variety of venues, to thousands of people. Green
Grow the Lilacs
opened in August 1959 at the Colorado National Guard Armory. But it
wasn't the first theatrical production in Montrose or the first to be
performed at the old armory. In 1919, Annie Gray, one of the daughters
of Judge John Gray, early Montrose pioneer having arrived in 1884,
staged The Taming of the Shrew
at the armory. (The armory is gone now, the and donated to the city and
laetr turned into the city's first industrial park.)
"I did research and
found myself enjoying it," said Gerree Nash, who
helped with costumers and along with her husband, Vern, performed in
many of the productions. "But sometimes it was embarrassing, like when
Paul's (Dickerson) pantaloons came off during a dance number." Gerree
and Vern owned a fabric shop and stored the costumes for the theater.
In 1969-70, Doris
Chamberlain led the long list of volunteers in charge
of costuming. Actors combed the Salvation Army store, estate and yard
sales for period pieces, and the wardrobe department grew. Stage sets
were designed, built, and customized by another troop of volunteers,
including Bob DeJulio, local artist extraordinaire, whose work can also
be seen in the John Wayne movie True
Grit.
"Membership
in the theatre has no boundaries, whether an usher, stage
manager, wardrobe seamstress or as a thespian on stage," said Tammy
Theis, currently marketing committee chair.
 In the early years, many of the actors and
directors came from the
medical community, having enjoyed theater arts while in college. Such
was the case with Tom Chamberlain, who toured big cities back east
while a member of the Michigan University Opera Club. "We were a men's
organization who staged plays, with women's roles portrayed by those of
us who could dance," Tom said. "I was very nervous. But, you can hide
in the chorus."
Tom
portrayed twins in The
Best Laid Plans, 1977. Sue Clair
was the
lead and Tom remembered how he developed a role for her in My
Fair
Lady,
1986, to showcase her talents as a character actress. Tom's
directorial debut came in 1984 with Most
Happy Fella, an opera. "I
like music with a very heavy story, like Man
of La Mancha," he said.
"We've never had problems with musical talent in the whole valley."
Today, Magic Circle presents five plays a year, and two of them are
usually
musicals.
Tom's
favorite role as an actor was that of Marvin Michaels in California
Suite,
1983. As director his favorites are Little
Shop of
Horrors,
Sound
of Music,
My
Fair Lady,
Most
Happy Fella, and Die
Fledermaus.
"Magic Circle
provides a theatre venue," he said. "So many other
benefits are there, too. It develops people. They may be self-conscious
or uncomfortable in crowds. In the theatre they grow as people. We are
essentially a family. Magic Circle is a tremendous way to make close
friends, and it's a terrific hobby."
Another actor active
in the Magic Circle's first quarter century is Don
Barnett. "What Magic Circle does is give people with the proclivity to
display their talents as actors and actresses the outlet to do that,"
Don noted.
Gerree Nash agreed,
"Every bit of it was just a hoot!"
Magic Circle is
dedicated to the presentation of quality live theatre
in the Montrose community, according to the group's mission statement.
"Through the efforts of volunteers, the Magic Circle Players strives to
entertain, educate, and involve the residents of the community, young
and old, and to imbue in them a love and appreciation of the dramatic
arts."
Even before the
"Annie Gray Theatrical Company", plays were performed
by Montrose County High School students, at least in 1911, according to
a photo provided by Tammie Walker to the Montrose, Colorado Centennial
book in 1982.
Gerree Nash, who
performed in Green
Grow the Lilacs, remembered shows
and revues staged in Montrose during the 1950s by the American Legion
and Auxiliary. Venues included a stage set up in the Rainbow Garage on
North Townsend Avenue, the small stage at Western Colorado Power
Company on Main Street, now the Children's Museum Park between Brown's
Shoe Fit and Bank of the West, and the old Montrose High School gym,
now a field on the Pomona Elementary School campus.
"We did Three
Men on a Horse at the old Arcadia
Ballroom, down by the
river," Gerree said. That was in 1962. The Arcadia burned down in 1996.
Magic Circle Players
Community Theatre moved into its location on South
Twelfth Street in 1974, following an extensive campaign to raise funds.
Magic Circle owns the building, and pays $1 per year rent on the land.
The structure seats 220.
Twice, to allow more
theater-goers the opportunity to attend, Magic
Circle performed at the 602 seat Montrose Pavilion. for Die
Fledermaus
in 1996 and The
Student Prince in 1991, both
operas under
the direction of Tom Chamberlain.
Magic Circle is a
volunteer organization. The first actors provided
their own costumes. "We did with what we had," said Gerree. Then Bette
went to the City Council and received $50 for programs and costumes. "I
got into costumes by accident," Gerree said. "In 1965 we were doing
'The King and I' and the woman in charge left on vacation. Costuming
was extreme. I had to dress everybody, and it was fancy, with
headdresses."
Magic Circle Theatre
is currently in it's 48th Season. For information, or to purchase
tickets, contact the Box Office at 970-249-7838.
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