2014-OUR PREMIER PRODUCTION

 

 

FOND FAREWELL CAST

  
 
Our premier production and the "Fond Fareweil" cast
2014 Fond Farewell Cast from (L-R): Scott Sample as Donnie Deits, Betsy Yaccarino as Sheriff Sam Stickleman, Rob Michael Lasky as Rex Rhodeman (and the director!), Rachel Benoit as Rachel Fullman, Paul Lasky as J.J. Bachmeister, Post Commander Ed Phillips as Benjamin Fullman, Mandy Danberry as Dawn Fullman, Deb Lasky as Victoria Fullman, Robert Reader as Roger Starkes, Steven Lerner as Phillip Fullman and Deidre Voss as Margaret Fullman
  
In 2012, the newly formed Ways and Means Committee at American Legion Post 455 decided to put together some bigger entertainment fundraisers. One of the members — Past S.A.L. Commander Rob Lasky — was a professional DJ as well as a community theater director and actor. A few years earlier, we had an Elvis-impersonator — Sammy J — perform with much success. We invited him to come back, but he had since become under the management of Memphis Memories Productions of WOGL’s Rockin’ Ron Cade. So, we decided to go big and made this an outdoor event with a rented stage hosted by Rockin’ Ron himself! Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and we did not have as big of a turnout on the rain date. The following year, we invited Sammy J back (sans Rockin’ Ron) for a smaller, inside show. It went well, but again, it was not well attended. Finally, in 2014, Rob Lasky proposed that we hold an interactive murder mystery event with dinner. Using his past directorial experience, he gathered a mostly inexperienced cast comprising of some local community theater actors and a few post family members — including the sitting Post 455 Commander! IT WAS SOLD OUT and thus was born: The MTM Players at Post 455! “Fond Farewell” became the first of several productions under the moniker “MTM Players” and the infant production company got bigger and more popular each year. It had its kernel of a beginning with Sammy J and a rainy day in 2012 and grew to doing complete plays off site as well as in our post hall. We thank the performers who worked for weeks to rehearse for a one-shot performance for our first foray into community theater.
  Fond Farewell Flier  

Our promo video produced and narrated by our friend Michael Schuimo. Enjoy!