Love & Light

As I sit here going through footage of all that has gone into this year's production and the fact that the last show is rapidly approaching this weekend I can't help but smile. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know the Monsignor Schnacky Community Players (MSCP) while watching the show since 2016, and being in the production since 2019.

The first show I watched made me fall in love. Music, Memories and Mayhem. For at least a year I was referring to the actors by the names of the characters they played. Rena Faulkner was Rose from The Golden Girls, Janine Hellems was Blanche, Bonnie Toomey was Sophia and Chris Radi was Dorothy... I could go on, but I'll spare you. I sang the songs for weeks after the show was over and I wanted to see it again and again. There was something special about this group of people, I just didn't quite get to see what it was yet. The next year was the USO Show To Go, and it was hysterical. I can't tell you how many times I went to see it that year. And of course, I did sing the songs for weeks just like the year prior. I eventually went away to college and found myself coming back on a Greyhound bus so I could see the show, Shakespeare Comes to Calamity Creek. There was always something bringing me back to it, and I don't think it was just the songs getting stuck in my head.

Now, after participating in the show for two years, I am just as in love with it as I was when I was 17 and watching from the back of the room.

The group has been together since 1981 and will celebrate its 40 years in 2021 and it is amazing to not only be apart of this group, but to be able to tell the MSCP story.

Since I started working on the documentary, I have been eager to learn more about why each person seems to be just as in love with the group as I, if not more (if you can believe it).

Every time I sit down to do another interview I am excited to learn about what part of MSCP is special for each person. Its funny that when we are together everyone always says its the food, but when I listen to people I get to learn about what MSCP really does for their hearts.

So far, I've conducted seven interviews, and in them I always ask what their favorite Schnacky ritual is, (Lord knows we have TONS), and some how I have been getting the same answers. At this time, I can't share these, because I still have many more interviews to conduct, but I thought I would tell you about some rituals the Schnackys have.

The Prayer Circle: This is where the entire cast and crew come together, hold hands and pray not only for themselves and that the show goes well, but also for the loved ones of our group members, and for the audience that they arrive safely. While the players are constantly there for each other throughout the year, the prayer circle really puts their connection into one moment. The Schnackys are there when you need them.

Dick Shone & YOU: Just after The Prayer Circle, when hearts feel a little lighter, Dick Shone takes the center of that circle. He looks around, smiles, and says, "Who makes this show work?" and in response everyone starts chanting "You" as he goes around the circle and points at every person involved and says "You." After that, the Schnackys are ready to head upstairs for the opening number, but not before they stop and receive a hug, high five and an always giddy "good luck," from Dick waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

The Food: A fan-favorite Schnacky tradition is the food. For each night of the performance cast members take turns making their favorite dishes and bringing them to share. The food is just one of many ways that the Schnackys show each other they care. They make sure everyone has had enough to eat, though it is VERY easy to over eat with all the good tasting stuff around. Ask any member, and they'll tell you Maricia Nashburns' chocolate chip cookies are a HOT COMMODITY. Mitch DeWaters used to make the most MARVELOUS bread and that tradition is now carried by members using Mitch's recipe to keep his memory alive.

Set Construction: The set takes one...maybe two long days to put together. The cast, crew, and anyone who knows how to work a screwdriver all come to put the stage together again. At lunchtime, of course, there is a family meal. Everyone brings their favorite thing to make and all of the Schnackys enjoy spending time together as opening day for the show nears.

I am sure that there are many traditions that the Schnackys have had in years past, but one thing is for sure, the feeling stays the same. One thing each new Schnacky learns pretty quickly, is that they are there for you, always. The Monsignor Schnacky Community Player family is filled with so many feelings including those of love, light, warmth, and always some healing.