Season ticket holders will have an exclusive two-week period in which to make reservations for Mixed Emotions which will be performed at the Russell Elks Lodge on August 5 - 9. The exclusive reservation period for season ticket holders will begin July 7 and end July 19. Thereafter, reservations will be open to all. Dinner reservations cannot be accepted after August 2.

Dinners will be available all five nights of production. Whether or not you are joining us for dinner, reservations are required for all seats. Seating per show will be limited.

All requests for reservations, except non-dinner season ticket admissions, must be accompanied by check payable to Russell Community Theatre. The dinner charge is $8.50 per plate. General admission to the show is $6.00.

Richard Baer has written a script that is dinner theatre perfect.

Come with friends, have a good dinner, and perhaps a libation and then set back and let Mixed Emotions complete your evening.

It is a delightful and unusual story of a widow and widower who find "togetherness" after a wacky, high speed courting process. Two moving company employees observe the courtship while in the throes of packing Christine’s possessions for her imminent departure for Florida.

Herman arrives on Christine’s doorstep with marriage in mind. He finds that she does not share his ardor and his manipulations and subtle conniving to capture her provide a hilarious story-line. The reactions of the movers to Herman’s machinations provide parallel humor that will keep you in stitches.

 Don’t miss this warm, funny and lovable show about newfound love in the later years.

Our 1997-98 season opens October 7 - 11 with The Imaginary Invalid, a classic farce written by Moliere in 1673. Pranks, tricks, subterfuges and all-round outrageousness in Louis XIV costumes confirm why this play has remained a theatrical standard for 350 years.

Spring finds us doing Richard Cory, a drama based upon the poem of the same name, April 28 - 30, May 1 - 2. Vignettes and interrelated scenes provide a theatrical background for the story of the life and death of a perfect man.

Dinner theatre at the Elks Lodge July 7 - 11, 1998, gives you the chance to see Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple (female version) directed by Carol Dawson. Simon is the American master of comedy and needs no introduction. This female version of The Odd Couple contains all the elements of a Simon hit.

Season tickets will be available at the door of our next production—Mixed Emotions—at $13.00 per ticket. And tickets can also be ordered by using our season ticket brochure which will contain detailed information on the season and will be in the mail to you later this summer.

Marvin’s Room provided a touching and reflective moment on what’s really important in our lives for 430 theatregoers. We were gratified by the plaudits the show received and were very pleased with the evenness of the performances of our actors and actresses.

Theatre is an art form and not mass entertainment. Therefore, anytime we can touch a heart, open eyes or cause reflection with our plays, we believe we’ve fulfilled our purpose. Marvin’s Room did all those things and more.

We hope to bring you more theatre of the same caliber in the future.

Our thanks go out to the 46 people who assisted in presenting Marvin’s Room in one way or another.

A lot of people labor in the vineyards and never get to taste the wine. One is Jamie Shank. A number of years ago, she had roles in Blithe Spirit and That’s Not My Mother. Since then, she has become a regular on our make-up crew. Her infectious laugh, good spirits and reliability make her a favorite backstage; and, she’s a lot of fun at the cast party, too.

Another is Dan Krug who, since he returned to Russell, has become one of our light and sound experts. It’s no small chore to light a show and develop the sound effects. Scores of hours are needed for each show. We’re really glad Dan is a part of our theatre.

Our March newsletter included a wish list for RCT. Our thanks to ABCO Wire and Metal for donating approximately 50 gallons of waterbase paint and to Harry Hunsley for 20 gallons.

If you have building materials or supplies you wish to donate, please call our RCT office (913) 483-4057 and leave a message.