Ryan Ostry
Bugle Reporter
@RyanOstry_BR18
rostry@buglenewspapers.com
(Photo by Ryan Ostry)
The 42nd “Festival of Gnomes” show premiered last weekend at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre, attracting hundreds of Gnome advocates from all areas.
Auditions occurred in the early weeks of October, culminating in actors and actresses from all different age ranges to perform in the yearly play.
Rehearsal took place twice a week until last week, where in the final week of preparation, four meetings were held.
“When you get this many performing, what goes unnoticed is the clean up and all the behind the curtain things that take place,” said Reg McReynolds, Director of the play. “Props, costumes, parents driving the kids back and forth and many other factors which sometimes lead to adversity creating a play.”
This play, which lasted 90 minutes with no intermission, that had singing, dancing and background stories about Gnomes, also featured around 40 actors and actresses.
Before the play, Gnome paraphernalia was displayed for the visitors, along with musical sessions and more Gnome background fun facts.
With the main idea that Gnomes are magical and mystical creatures that bring forth all positive aspects in life, Jan Novotny, also a director, said that she has seen the evolution of the play over the years, which keeps her participating every year.
“At first, there were single digits for the amount of people were in the play which obviously isn’t the case at all anymore,” Novotny said. “A lot of these kids who started at a very young age are still coming back and performing each year, as they get older and older and more experienced, they will be taking over our jobs as directors one day.”
Even though that there was countless hours and preparation work in order to deliver a inspiring performance, Novotny added that collaborating on times for rehearsal and getting everybody to practice at once, was a lot harder than it might seem.
“The first time we see all the Gnomes on the stage at the same time is the day of the show,” Novotny said. “Every time we have a rehearsal some one can’t make it with people being sick, going on vacation, etc. When it gets to the day of the show you almost don’t know your lines because you fill in for those in rehearsal when they aren’t present.”
Limacher, the park’s namesake, and Georgeann Goodsoon, who facilitated the idea of a Gnome play, had the first play with just seven performers on stage.
With the first year of the play being in 1977, all of the performers were adults who originated the play getting ready for the holiday season, not expecting it to transform into what is currently is today.
“Starting off with seven people and seeing what it has turned into today, I don’t know if anybody ever expected that,” Novotny said. “My daughter who is the park manager now, found the Gnome show and after she got into it, I did as well.
“It has grown where scenes have been taken out, changed scenes, added scenes and so much innovation to make it as wonderful as it is today.”
McReynolds also said that this play is so important to him and others, because they want to get the point across of what is truly important in life, which is something that he said needs to be talked about more.
“Money is important and we need money, but that should not be the only driving goal,” McReynolds said. “Friendship, family and being successful are all things that we want to bring to the attention of our kids in the play and the audience, because that’s what Gnomes are known for and that’s the point we want to deliver.”