Park District Recognizes SPT for 50 Years of Service

Octet from the "50 Years" Show Responds in Song

At the June 9th Board Meeting of the Naperville Park District, Mike Reilly, board president, recognized the Summer Place for its 50 Years of Service.

"Tonight we welcome representatives from another community organization that is celebrating its 50th anniversary - Summer place Theater.

"The Naperville Park District is proud to partner with Summer place Theatre to bring high quality, affordable community theater to Naperville. Summer Place actors have presented Ghost Stories in the park...in the Dark for many years, which is a favorite fall program for the park District. Summer Place provides opportunities for local actors - both kids and adults- to use their talents to enrich our culture and to grow artistically themselves. Community not-for-profits such as Summer place Theatre work together with the Park District to support our Core Values of Community Enrichment and personal Growth.

"Naperville has come a long way since 1966, when we had a population of approximately 18,000 people and only one high school. Congratutations to Summer Place Theatre on your 50th anniversary! Thank you for all you do to enrich the arts in Naperville.

Don Gingold, publicity director for the Summer Place, thanked the Park District and offered this in reply:

"I am honored to receive this recognition on behalf of the Summer Place, Naperville’s community theatre since 1966, and the thousands of people that have gone before me: past board members, producers, directors, musicians, actors, stagehands, sound and lighting designers, ushers, and the many many people who’ve entertained our community over these past 50 years, starting with Don Shanower, who we dedicate this season to. He passed away just last year and we’re so sorry that he couldn’t be with us for the golden anniversary of the group he founded. He attended many of our shows throughout the years and i’ve had the honor of introducing him in the audience on numerous occasions.

"The Naperville Park District has been our partner and our host for these many years, arranging for rehearsal space and coordinating with the school district so that we could hone our craft and present it to Naperville. Special thanks goes to Brittany Malatt who I work with very closely. She’s always friendly, on top of schedules, and on occasion when we make mistakes and need to make changes, very understanding and accommodating. And to the unsung heroes, the custodial staff at the Rubin center who have arranged our rooms for us and made last-minute changes so things ran smoothly.

At that point, Don introduced the remainder of the octet who would be singing "Another Opening, Another Show" which Don said to the group "epitomizes the theatre experience."

Singing the song were representatives, sopranos Tracy Kay and Grace Politowicz, altos Elizabeth Nysted and Lisa Wukitsch, tenors Bobby McNeilly and Daniel Ewan and joining Don in the base section Chris Roe.

Don quipped, "For expediency sake we did not bring our full orchestra. "

Special thanks to the octet who took time out of their work on "50 Years of Musicals" to rehearse for this presentation.