A History of the Melodramas performed at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park
1994
On May 26, 1994, the second season at Mahoney State Park began. We had learned several important lessons during the inaugural season, and these were incorporated into our second one. For instance, the schedule of two shows per night, six nights per week was considered a little too ambitious. The cast and crew all felt that fewer shows would keep them fresher, and after consulting with Park management, it was decided to drop the Monday shows. The result was a schedule of approximately 140 performances over the summer as opposed to the 180 we did in 1993. Our supply of seven person shows of approximately 1 hr.15 min. duration was running low, so two melodramas written by local authors were produced. Some personnel changes were made to both the cast and staff, since most of the cast were students at the University of Nebraska and some had left after graduation. The plays selected for production were old standard "Dora, the Beautiful Dishwasher" by Wilber Braun (publisher: Samuel French), "Goodbody's Gold" by local writer D. Chapelle and "The Ghost of Mystery Manor" by Producer John Burkhart. During the run, cast member Dean Houser was cast for the movie "To Wong Foo With Love, Julie Newmar". He played a police officer. Tony Heffner stood in (with distinction) for one evening while Dean was at a movie shoot. We encountered a lot of trauma, as we never new the exact shoot schedule, so we didn't know which performances Tony would have stand-in duty for. A request for a melodrama for the Lincoln "Haymarket Holidays" during the winter season resulted in a production of "She Was Only A Farmer's Daughter" (published by Simon French, Inc.) at Barry's Outback Bar & Grill in the Historic Haymarket in Lincoln. We ran four shows daily for two consecutive days with fair attendance. We were tired, but had a lot of fun!

"Goodbody's Gold"

by Wilbur Braun











The cast of "Goodbody's Gold, Left to right, Ignatz B. Fowler (Jeremy Kendall), Teddi Bustier (Shannon Marple), Grant Cash (William M. Cover II), Grammy Grumpree (Jennifer Walker), Sara Goodbody (Julie Fitzgerald), Sugar Goodbody (Meredith Gardner Morgans) and Bob Faithful (Dean Houser)

"Ghost of Mystery Manor"

by John Burkhart











In "Ghost of Mystery Manor" villainess Lucretia Lovesabuck (Meredith Gardner Morgans) and villain Rancid B. McFoul (Dean Houser) are being interviewed by nosy reporter Melissa Slander (Julie Fitzgerald) while Morris Prosper (Jeremy H. Kendall) and neighbor Sarah Silverspoon (Jennifer Walker) look on. pitches woo to smitten Sara Goodbody (Julie Fitzgerald).

"Dora, The Beautiful Dishwasher"

by Wilbur Braun











"Dora, The Beautiful Dishwasher" Heroine Dora Horn (Julie Fitzgerald) is smitten by hero Hector Hyacinth (Jeremy H. Kendall).

The Production Staff for the 1994 season

Producer/Director .......John Burkhart
Music Director ...........Lynette Forney
Costumes .........Donna Himmelberger
Set Design ....................... Cindi Zuby
Makeup Design ........... Paul Pearson
Technical Director.......Tom Curtright
Set Construction .........Mark Matulka, Nick Robinson, Scott Eppenbach
Special Effects..............Paul Pearson,
William M. Cover II

The Cast of "Dora, The Beautiful Dishwasher"

Esther Barlow..........Shannon Marple
Andrea Morgan........Jennifer Walker
Mrs. Malvina Hyacinth.......................
.................Meredith Gardner Morgans
Hector Hyacinth....Jeremy H. Kendall
Loren Chillingsworth...........................
............................William M. Cover II
Dora Horn.................Julie Fitzgerald
Arnold Wise...................Dean Houser

The cast of "Goodbody's Gold"

Ignatz Bramston Fowler.....................
..............................Jeremy H. Kendall
Sara Goodbody........Julie Fitzgerald
Grammie Grumpree............................
..................................Jennifer Walker
Sugar Goodbody................................
...............Meredith Gardner Morgans
Bob Faithful..................Dean Houser
Grant Cash........William M. Cover II
Teddi Bustier...........Shannon Marple

The cast of "The Ghost of Mystery Manor"

Lucretia Lovesabuck...........................
................Meredith Gardner Morgans
Modesty Prosper.....Shannon Marple
Rancid B. McFoul.........Dean Houser
Morris Prosper.....Jeremy H. Kendall
Sarah Silverspoon....Jennifer Walker
Steve Stalwart...William M. Cover II
Melissa Slander.......Julie Fitzgerald

The Lincoln Haymarket Holidays Melodrama, "She Was Only A Farmer's Daughter"

Cast

Mrs. Ella Smithers...........Barb Biffle
Aunt Sally .................Marilyn Harker
Millie ........Melissa Madison Wiegert
Alice Smith....................Kerry Keelan
Mulberry Foxhall...............Gary Hall
Harvey Smith.........Robert DeAngelis
Melissa Slander........Julie Fitzgerald

Staff

Producer/Director .......John Burkhart
Music Director..............Linda Laessle
Lighting Design ..........Tom Curtright
Set Construction.........Forest McMeen
Box Office........Connie Cross-LaFont

Additional Pictures

In "Goodbody's Gold", Villain Ignatz B. Fowler (Jeremy Kendall) is not proposing to Sara Goodbody (Julie Fitzgerald)..he is asking her for daughter Sugar's hand in marriage!

Teddi Bustier (Shannon Marple-Hespe)is making friends with Grant Cash (William M. Cover II) in "Goodbody's Gold".

Morris Prosper (Jeremy H. Kendall) is attempting to disengage himself from determined reporter Melissa Slander (Julie Fitzgerald) while neighbor Sarah Silverspoon (Jennifer Walker) doesn't seem to notice in "Ghost of Mystery Manor".

In "Ghost of Mystery Maanor" Maid Lucretia Lovesabuck (Meredith Gardner Morgans) shows butler Rancid B. McFoul (Dean Houser) who's boss.

Andrea Morgan's(Jennifer Walker)amorous advances are not appreciated by hero Hector Hyacinth (Jeremy H. Kendall) in "Dora, The Beautiful Dishwasher".

In "Dora, The Beautiful Dishwasher", Mrs. Malvina Hyacinth (Meredith Gardner Morgans) forgets her ladylike manners long enough to dispose of villain Loren Chillingsworth (William M. Cover II) before hero Hector Hyacinth (Jeremy H. Kendall) gets injured while attorney Arnold Wise (Dean Houser) looks on.








































































































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