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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John Lovelette - An Organization's Dream By: Roy Riedy |
John Lovelette arrived at HLT seven years ago in time to be in the great Zenon winning production of Frank Oberhausen's second revival of Fiddler on the Roof in March of 1996, in which he played one of the residents of Anatevka. Two plays later he play Captain Albert Lennox in Marian Dunham and Mac Byron's venturesome musical The Secret Garden.
Jet Hansen opened HLT's Twenty-third Season with the retro-musical Forever Plaid for which John worked as a member of the stage crew. The musical was followed by Melanie Boulay's touching To Kill a Mockingbird and again John was part of the stage crew and had the walk-on part of Link Deas. In April Frank Oberhausen changed the theatrical mood by presenting his flamboyant production of La Cage aux folles and John had his first experience with being part of the production staff by serving as Mr. Oberhausen's Assistant Director. Mac Byron's comedy George Washington Slept Here followed and John served as Assistant Director for Mr. Byron too. During the run of the final play of the season, Tammie Pollard's revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, John worked with the Kitchen Staff of the Gourmet Division of the theater. At the Twelfth Zenon Awards Ceremonies John was nominated for a Production/Technical Discretionary Zenon for his two Assistant Director efforts during the season.
The Twenty-fourth Season at HLT was just as busy for John as the previous one; again he participated in all five main stage events. The season opened with Sue McCollum's virtuous Godspell and John could again be found working with the kitchen staff. He was the stage manager for the second play, Peter Pollard's musical My Favorite Year, a job he managed so well that he was awarded his first Zenon for Best Stage Manager at the end-of-the-year Awards Ceremonies. For the third play, Frank Oberhausen's revival his earlier success Annie, John served as the production's Assistant Director. John worked in the kitchen during Beverly Brando Gillilan's Paint Your Wagon, but reappeared on the stage to play the part of Ken Gorman in Tammie Pollard's production of Neil Simon's comedy, Rumors. It was during this season that John was elected to the Board of Directors of HLT.
Melanie Boulay's The Wizard of Oz opened HLT's Twenty-fifth Season in November, 1998 and John worked in the kitchen with the Gourmet staff during the duration of the play. In January, 1999, Peter Pollard's successful Miracle Worker opened with Frank Oberhausen and John providing the Lighting Design and serving as the technicians. Frank Oberhausen reprised The Sound of Music for the third show of the season and John Lovelette was his Producer and Assistant Director. During the run of Beverly Brando Gillilan's revival of Arsenic and Old Lace, John once again worked with the kitchen staff. At the Fourteenth Annual Zenon Awards in October, John received three nominations: Best Producer for The Sound of Music; a Production/Technical Zenon for his work as Assistant Director of The Sound of Music; and a Best Lighting Design with Frank Oberhausen for their work on The Miracle Worker, which they won. It was John's second Zenon in as many years.
Mr. Lovelette's three years of theatrical apprenticeship at the Lakeside Playhouse resulted in his production of the play One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, based on the novel by Ken Kesey, which he directed for the opening of HLT's Twenty-sixth Season. It's success can be measured by the four Zenons it won at the Awards Ceremonies which included: Best Producer, Best Lighting, Set, and Sound Design. John continued to work in the theater's kitchen the entire season and still found time to handle his duties as Vice President of the organization and to collaborate with Director Frank Oberhausen on the Lighting Design for his revival of the hit musical Annie Get Your Gun.
During the Twenty-seventh Season John worked on the set of Jet Hansen's reprise of On Golden Pond in November, 2000, and Frank Oberhausen's triumphant remounting of The King and I in January, 2001. During the April presentation of Jim McCollum's Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, he worked in Anthony's Lounge, and during Tammie Pollard's musical West Side Story he worked with the Master and Sous Chefs in the theater's kitchen.
John spent the entire Twenty-eighth Season with the exception of helping work on the set of Frank Oberhausen's revival of Guys and Dolls, working as a chef in the kitchen of the Lakeside Playhouse.
Most recently John's name appears in the playbill for Frank Oberhausen and Kathy MacNeill's revival of Man of LaMancha, presented in November, 2002, again in the section devoted to those that work in the Gourmet Division.
All told, John has been associated with 31 plays and 4 Zenon Ceremonies, 1 Christmas Show and 1 First Nighter, since he joined HLT in 1996. He has been on the Board of Directors and Vice President of the organization and been recognized with two Zenons for his many stage activities. His name has been mentioned in 27 HLT Newsletters and 26 local news articles for an impressive total of 90 citations.
John Lovelette is the type of member that every organization dreams of having have as a worker and Highlands Little Theatre is a better organization for having his name on its rolls.
