P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525
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P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525 |
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Betty Adler - A Quintessential Volunteer By: Roy Riedy |
Betty started waiting tables at the Lakeside Playhouse at the opening of the Fourteenth Season with Marian Dunham's musical Cabaret, in November 1987. During the first three plays of that season she also helped in the Box Office, but essentially, she became an institution as a waitress.
She waited on patrons through the five shows of the Fourteenth Season and, at that time, food was served at the Zenon Ceremonies, she waited the Zenon show as well.
She reprised her efforts during the Fifteenth Season and once again served theater patrons during that season's five show season.
Betty remained a waitress during the opening show of the Sixteenth Season, Marian Dunham's The Unsinkable Molly Brown, but she also extended her experiences at HLT by being involved in that production and appearing as a singer and dancer in the show's chorus. Betty waited the entire season but also appeared in Frank Oberhausen's March production of My Fair Lady, as Mrs. Higgins' maid, and a Bystander. At the Fifth Annual Zenon Ceremony, Betty won her first Board of Directors Service Award "for outstanding contributions to the theatre as a volunteer in Gourmet and Box Office."
During the Seventeenth Season Betty waited for all the shows but one and also served on the Construction Team for Jet Hansen's Oklahoma, in November, on Peter Pollard's Stage Crew for Steel Magnolias, in January; on the Set Construction and in the chorus for Frank Oberhausen's The Music Man; on Set Construction for Tena Conyer's Little Shop of Horrors and Walter Zelenenki's August production of The Seven Year Itch. At the Sixth Annual Zenon Awards Betty received her second Zenon "for outstanding contributions to the theatre in the construction of the new wardrobe room, set construction during the season, gourmet and the box office."
Betty was a waitress during all the shows of the Eighteenth Season and was also involved in all the plays. She worked on Set Construction for Jet Hansen's Mame in November; Peter Pollard's They're Playing Our Song in January; and Frank Oberhausen's Funny Girl in April. In June she appeared as Mrs. Loomis in Janelou Buck's Inherit The Wind, and was Miss Keora in Marian Dunham's August reprise of The Teahouse of the August Moon, and a member of its Set Construction Team. At the Seventh Zenon Awards in early October, Betty was nominated for another Board Service Award.
Once again, Betty worked as a waitress during all of the shows of the Nineteenth Season and was additionally involved in the last three plays of that season: she was part of the Set Construction Team for Frank Oberhausen's Camelot in April, 1993; she played Elsie in Marian Dunham's The Philadelphia Story, and also was on her Set Construction Team; and in Jet Hansen's August Show Boat, Betty played the Landlady and also worked on its Set Construction.
During the Twentieth Season, besides being a waitress for all five shows, Betty worked on Set Construction for Tena Conyer's Nunsense II and Frank Oberhausen's South Pacific, and did the Video for Tammie Pollard's Lend Me A Tenor and Marian Dunham's Meet Me in St. Louis.
Betty waited on tables for all five shows of the Twenty-first Season and in addition she was a member of the Stage Crew for Jim Lanier's Gypsy; also a Dresser for Tena Conyer's and Andy Conyer's Same Time Next Year, and Marian Dunham's Gigi. At the Tenth Annual Zenon Ceremony, Betty received another Board Service nomination for her work in the Box Office, Gourmet, and Building Maintenance.
Once again, during the Twenty-second Season, Betty waited on tables for all five major plays and also worked on Mac Byron's "Extra" play, Greater Tuna in December as part of his Stage Crew. For Frank Oberhausen's March reprise of Fiddler on the Roof, Betty did the Video and in August, she was a Dresser for Mac Byron and Marian Dunham's The Secret Garden.
In the Twenty-third Season, Betty not only worked in the dining room during all of the plays but also in the Box Office. Besides these two permanent posts she also played Miss Stephanie in Melanie Boulay's presentation of To Kill a Mockingbird in January, 1997. She was a Dresser for Frank Oberhausen's La Cage aux folles in April, and was on the Stage Crew of Mac Byron's George Washington Slept Here in June.
During four of the five productions during the Twenty-third Season, Betty worked as a waitress and as a worker in the Box Office, the fifth play not only included her help in the dining room and Box Office but also saw her on stage in Peter Pollard's January, 1998, presentation of My Favorite Year in which she played the part of Aunt Sadie.
The Twenty-fifth Season at HLT saw her working in the Box Office for every play and as a waitress for three of them. In the Twenty-sixth Season Betty worked in the Box Office for two of the shows presented that season.
During the Twenty-seventh Season, Betty was involved in Mac Byron's second "Extra" play A Tuna Christmas, as a member of its Stage Crew, in December, 2000, and Jim McCollum's Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, in April, as a Wardrobe Assistant.
The Twenty-eighth Season was the last time Betty's name is recorded in the seasons programs. Her name appears in Frank Oberhausen and Kathy MacNeill's Guys and Dolls and in Peter Pollard's Foxfire program as one of the House Managers. The last entry is in Joe Willis' program for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, where it is also listed as being a House Manager.
Betty was associated with 68 plays during her 15 years at the Lakeside Playhouse, she attended 5 Zenon Ceremonies, won 2 Zenons and was nominated for two others. She worked on 3 Christmas programs and was mentioned in 29 HLT Newsletters and 11 local news articles for a total of 117 Citations. A record that proves that Betty was - and remains - one of the few quintessential volunteers that Highlands Little Theatre is proud to call a member. Bravo Betty!
