September Production: "FOOLS" by Neil Simon
Leon Tolchinsky is ecstatic. He's landed a terrific teaching job in an idyllic Russian hamlet. When he arrives he finds people sweeping dust from the stoops back into their houses and people milking upside down to get more cream. The town has been cursed with chronic stupidity for 200 years and Leon's job is to break the curse. No one tells him that if he stays over 24 hours and fails to break the curse, he becomes stupid, too. Why doesn't Leon leave? He has fallen in love with a girl so stupid that she has only recently learned how to sit down. Of course, Leon breaks the curse and gets the girl.
Led by the directing talent of Tanya Duncan and her daughter, Samantha Barrett, performed by top names in entertainment in this area, The Excelsior Springs Community Theatre presents Wayne Day, Laura Foster, Ernie Snyder, Robert Copeland, Kat (Sena) Brintzinghoffer, Hazel Day, Kerri Brock, Patti Buhler, Brian Shewell and Carolyn Vogler in Neil Simons "Fools." In cooperation with The Community of Christ Church, located at Milwaukee Street and Plummers Road, September 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th at 7:30 PM and September 17th at 2 PM will be the place to find yourself rolling in laughter at this Comic Fable.

New Home Elusive But The Search Continues
With the help of real estate agents, real estate brokers, neighbors, friends and family, The Excelsior Springs Community Theatre continues to turn over rocks looking for a home. Although several buildings are available and have been explored by the Board of Directors, a purchase has yet to be made.
The former Flack Memorial Church at 220 Excelsior Street in historic Excelsior Springs is still for sale, but though offers and counter offers have been made, the owner, the real estate agent, the real estate broker and ESCT have come to a stopping of communications. We are hopeful, and prayful, that this lack of communications will end soon and we can once again start talking about the purchase of the building.
However, the search for a building has not stopped. Several buildings in the historic Excelsior Springs area have come available and the ESCT board continues to look. One such building has a history of its own as it was in the early days used as a house of pleasure by some of the more needy men in Excelsior Springs. Stay tuned for further updates. If you know of a building that might be used as a theatre, please call us or contact a Board member and pass on the information.

The Presidential Proclamation
ESCT is still without a permanent home, but we have been making progress. Finding a property in which we feel we can create the magic of the theatre is not easy and one that we can afford is even more difficult. However, the Board has been most diligent in the pursuit of a building and with your help we may be able to realize our dream within the year.
Despite the lack of home, ESCT remains busy and committed to producing quality entertainment for the community. "Fools" by Neil Simon is our next offering and we are most excited about this venture. Mounting one of Neil Simon's plays is always a joy, not only does he tell a great story, but his mastery of the language contains a rhythm that is a delight to perform as well as entertaining for the audience. "Fools" differs from other Neil Simon plays in that it is a Russian fable, chocked full of zany characters and humor that can be appreciated by the entire family. It will be a special production for me, as I will be sharing the directing credits with my daughter, Samantha Barrett. Sam began performing with ESCT when only six years old and continued performing in ESCT productions through high school. This will be her directing debut with ESCT. We hope you will join us!
-- Tanya Duncan, President of the Board

Director's Notes: ESCT Has New Web Site
After losing our home, we lost our web site. In the hustle and bustle of moving all our property into nooks, crannies, spare bedrooms, closets, garages and basements, somewhere in the process we lost the ESCT web site. "Oh where, oh where has our web site gone, oh where, oh where can it be?"
Well the answer: it has been adopted by Morgansites.com. With the ideas of Kevin Morgan, who rescued the domain name from the brink of non-existence, then gathered together the information from the old web site and the design genius of Sonya Morgan, who designed the web site and turned an idea into web pages, our web site is back from near death. The web address is much like the old so you will want to visit our new site and take a look. Just point your browser to http://esctheatre.org and have a look. If you like what you see, send an email to Kevin and Sonya at kevin@morgansites.com and say "Thank you."
But that is not all. The Board members are going through all the historical data that has been collected for the web site. Soon you will be able to check the web site for copies of "On With The Show." But that is not all. We are working to get the web site set up so that you can purchase tickets right off the web site. We may not have a home, but we are making progress. So look at our new and improved web site and bookmark it for easy access. Set it as your home page and look at it often, because as we change, our web site will change and you will want to keep up.

Thanks to our New Members
Special thanks to the people listed below who accepted our plea of $10 and became members of The Excelsior Springs Community Theatre. Membership comes with priviledges and in just a few months these people will be asked to vote on the new members to the Board of Directors.

B.J. Allen Greg & Patti Buhler E.A. (Tony) Fanska Tim Glenn Larry & Paulette Lake Dorothy McCoy Paul & Marcella Raulie Janice Trautloff

Melinda Barrett Wayne & Hazel Day Jinx Fisher Larry & Cheryl Greim Valerie Lake Kevin & Sonya Morgan Troy Snelling Molly Whipple

Kathleen Brintzinghoffer Tanya Duncan Robert & Marilyn Gerdes Margaurite Hawkins Greg & Candace Martin T.J. Powers Ernie Snyder

Focus on the Board
Every year the members of the Excelsior Springs Community Theatre elect six people to serve on the Board of Directors. This issue will focus on two of the new Board members.
Kevin Morgan is an Excelsior resident. He and his wife, Sonya, are web developers who own and operate Morgansites.com. Kevin's background is in printing and photography. In 1992, after the sale of Morgan Printing, he and his partner wife went into social work with Sonya doing public relations and Kevin as a caseworker. Then seven years at Good Samaritan Center and two years at The Salvation Army. In 2001, Kevin and Sonya returned to their commercial art/advertising background and began Morgansites.com.
Tim Glenn has been an Excelsior Springs resident of six years, but is not a stranger to Excelsior Springs. He has been the owner of Subway here in town for the last 17 years and has recently opened a second Subway location inside of Wal-Mart. He's always enjoyed the theatre, but what started it all was playing two parts in his high school play "Arsenic and Old Lace." Going to the theatre is one of his ways to relax and get away from the real world for a brief couple of hours. When not at work he spends time (un) winning with the horses and riding his ATV.
We welcome both Kevin and Tim to the Excelsior Springs Community Theatre Board of Directors.

ESCT Looking for Members
Each year The Excelsior Springs Community Theatre looks for interested community members to join our team of supporters. The tax-deductible contribution the members give to ESCT help us produce quality entertainment for the Excelsior Springs community. In return, members receive preferred seating at all productions, discounts on tickets to all productions, early email notification of our next production and special recognition in our publication "On With The Show." To join this special team of friends, mail $10.00 per person, along with your name, address, city, state, phone number and email address to: ESCT, P.O. Box 575, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024-0575.