This page is a conglomeration of information that has been acquired since Sam Hampton has taken over as president of Encore Players Inc.
Current board members are:
President - Sam Hampton
Vice President - David Cornwell
Secretary - Tina Cornwell
Board Member - Gary Hampton
Board Member - Myra Osterbuhr
At the moment this is all we have. Any new information would be greatly appreciated.
Encore Players entertain large crowd
Presentation of George M. Cohan show
RAYMOND- Encore Players scored another success Friday and Saturday nights at Lincolnwood High School auditorium with their presentation of the George M. Cohan musical, “Give My Regards to Broadway,” where an appreciative audience viewed the show in air-conditioned comfort. The scene was the rehearsal stage of an off-Broadway theatre where a group of actors, singers, and dancers were preparing for a new play, but had no heat in the building, no leading lady, and no funding for the production. The “mob” gets into the act when a shady bookie, Legs Ruby, played by Mike Plunkett, takes refuge in the building where his girlfriend, Trixie, played by Carol Burke, is working as one of the chorus girls. Two hit men from the mob arrive and search for Legs, but he is hidden from them by the cast. Dick Foster, director of the show, played by Tim Price, is working hard to provide for his troupe, and think he has a Broadway star, Mona Monroe, played by Teresa Watters, for the starring role, but when Mona learns how bad the situation is at the theatre, she declines. In the meantime, a young aspiring actress, Mary Collins, played by Donna Price, arrives, proves she can act, dance, and sing, and is hired for the part. But funds have run out by this time and the show is about to close when they are saved by an anonymous donation of $100,000. Director Foster believes that Mona was the benefactor and again gives her the starring role, which she accepts when she sees that circumstances have greatly improved. Mary is devastated by the news, but being a real “trouper,” she accepts the inevitable. However, the cast finds out that Legs was the “angel” who saved the production with his funds, Foster fires Mona and hires Mary, and they both realize that they are in love with each other. The show will go on! The cast obviously enjoyed playing their characters in the show, and the music was lively and well done. Several well-known Cohan songs were in the production, including the title song, Give My Regards to Broadway, Only Forty-five Minutes From Broadway, Yankee Doodle Boy, It’s A Grand Old Flag, So Long, Mary, and Mary’s A Grand Old Name. Another tune, When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again, written by Louis Lambert, was also featured. Elaine Walch is pianist for Encore Players. Singing solos were Tim Price, Donna Price, Becky Bishop, Mike Plunkett, and Carol Burke, and, as in previous Encore Players’ productions, their talents were obvious. Cast members in addition to those already named were Paul Hampton, Sheri Morris, Tonya Payne, Kristy Harper, David Cornwell, Darin Harms, and Derek Floyd. Darin Harms directed the show, Patrice stock was the music director and Ceil Moore was choreographer. Jim Wreath is president of Encore Players.
The Montgomery County News
Vol. 126, No. 70
Monday, June 12, 1995
Journalist not listed.
Previous Shows
(If you know the month/year for any of these shows, please let us know so we can update the page. Email to shampton@litchfieldlive.com or voicemail at 217-710-8200)
May 1967 | You Can’t Take it with You |
August 1967 | Picnic |
August 1968 | Bye Bye Birdie |
December 1968 | Come Blow Your Horn |
February 1969 | 12 Angry Jurors |
July 1969 | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum |
December 1969 | The Christmas Carol |
June 1970 | Annie Get Your Gun |
October 1970 | Tom Sawyer |
February 1971 | You Know I Can’t Hear You When the Water’s Running |
July 1971 | Greasepaint |
November 1971 | Aladdin & The Wonderful Lamp |
August 1972 | South Pacific |
November 1972 | Never Too Late |
February 1973 | Snow White [For the Schools] |
March 1973 | Spoon River Anthology |
July 1973 | Guys and Dolls |
November 1973 | Harvey |
February 1974 | You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown |
March 1974 | Night Watch |
July 1974 | Damn Yankees |
August 1975 | Little Mary Sunshine |
March 1976 | Plaza Suite |
November 1976 | Ten Little Indians |
March 1977 | 6 RMS RIV VU |
October 1977 | Anybody Out There? |
November 1978 | Last of the Red Hot Lovers |
May 1979 | Mousetrap |
November 1979 | Butterflies are Free |
May 1980 | The Burning Man |
October 1980 | California Suite |
June 1981 | Wait Until Dark |
1980 or 1981 | Chapter 2 [Good Times Troupe] |
October 1981 | Arsenic & Old Lace |
October 1982 | Blithe Spirit |
April 1983 | No Sex Please, We’re British |
October 1983 | Cocktails with Mimi |
March 1984 | I Ought to be in Pictures |
August 1984 | Godspell |
November 1984 | The Creature Creeps |
May 1985 | Catch Me if You Can |
August 1985 | Grease |
August 1985 | Double Deal at the Dirty Dog Saloon |
March 1986 | Beginner’s Luck |
August 1986 | Saints Alive |
September 1987 | Same Time, Next Year |
March 1988 | Bell, Book, and Candle |
June 1992 | Vaudeville Tonight |
August 1992 | The Miner’s Daughter [Evil Reaps its Reward] |
December 1992 | Christmas Tea [Holiday Walk] |
March 1993 | Sagebrush |
June 1993 | Here Comes the Showboat [A Minstrel Show] |
October 1993 | Done to Death |
June 1994 | Slow Down Sweet Chariot |
June 1995 | Give My Regards to Broadway |
May 1996 | Everybody Loves Opal |
May 1997 | First in Line |