Highlands Little Theatre

P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525

Mike Fuller - Set Builder and Designer, Building Maintainer, and Chef
By: Roy Riedy

Mike Fuller made his first appearance, not backstage, but in the kitchen of The Lakeside Playhouse in November, 1991, during the production of Jet Hansen's musical, Mame, which opened HLT's Eighteenth Season . His second appearance was a month later when he was a part of the Stage Crew for Carol Thurow's Christmas Salute to the 1940's, given the weekend of December 13, 1991. In January, 1992, he returned to his kitchen duties during the production of Peter Pollard's musical, They're Playing Our Song. In April, Frank Oberhausen directed the musical Funny Girl and Mike was listed as one of the members of the Set Construction Team and also as a member of the Kitchen staff. In June he was a part of Janelou Buck's Stage Crew for her production of Inherit The Wind, and also listed as working in the kitchen. For the last show of the season, Marian Dunham's famous revival of Teahouse of the August Moon, Mike helped with the construction of the set and then returned to the theatre kitchen for the duration of the show. At the Seventh Annual Awards Ceremony in October, Mike received two nominations: a Production/Technical nomination for "outstanding achievement in set construction and stage crew for Teahouse of the August Moon and Funny Girl;" and a Board Service nomination "for his outstanding contributions to the theatre in gourmet and building maintenance" which he won.

Mike worked on all the shows of the Nineteenth Season. In November, Tena Conyer brought Nunsense to HLT and he helped construct the set before putting on his apron for his kitchen obligations. In January, Walter Zelenenki directed Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean for which Mike wore many hats. He was the play's Co-Stage Manager with Eddie DeLoach, he helped design the set for the play, he and Eddie were the Set Construction Managers and he still found time to work in the kitchen during the run of the play.

The program for the Walter Zelenenki play had this to say about Mike: "Mike Fuller (Stage Co-Manager) Mike, who has a strong aversion to appearing on stage, has been generous in lending his much-appreciated talents behind the scenes. He is responsible for many of the great prime ribs served at HLT, and has been working hard in Gourmet for several years. Mike built the set for Jimmy Dean and lent his construction talents to the award-winning set for Teahouse of the August Moon. He is Chairman of Building Maintenance at HLT and is responsible for many of the much-needed improvements at the theater."

Frank Oberhausen brought Camelot back to the Playhouse stage in April and Mike was a member of his Stage Crew. A job that did not seem to interfere with his production of prime ribs in the kitchen. In June, Mike helped Marian Dunham with her set for The Philadelphia Story and was a member of her Stage Crew and still managed to work in the kitchen during the show's duration. Mike performed the same assistance for Jet Hansen's presentation of Show Boat in August. At the Eighth Annual Zenon Awards Ceremony in October, Mike received a Production/ Technical Zenon for "set construction and stage crew during the 1992/93 season."

Nunsense II, The Second Coming . . . directed by Tena Conyer opened HLT's Twentieth Season . Again Mike helped with the set construction of the play before returning to his post in the theatre's kitchen. Mike is not listed on the Production Staff of Peter Pollard's program for The Odd Couple (Female Version) but his name is found on the Gourmet Staff as part of the Kitchen crew. Frank Oberhausen reprised South Pacific in April and Mike's name is shown as helping with the Set Construction and on the Stage Crew and, as usual, working in the kitchen. In June he worked on the Set Construction for Tammie Pollard's Lend Me A Tenor, and in August designed the set with Marian Dunham for her production of Meet Me in St. Louis, during both shows he did his customary kitchen work. At the Ninth Annual Zenon Awards, Mike won his third Zenon with Larry Wollangk and Eddie DeLoach for "outstanding achievement in set construction for the season."

The Twenty-first Season at HLT was also a busy one for Mike. He worked on the set construction of Jim Lanier's Gypsy in November; he was Roy Riedy's Stage Manager for And the World Goes Round; he worked again on set construction for Frank Oberhausen's 1776; Tena Conyer and Andy Conyer's Same Time Next Year, and Marian Dunham's Gigi, and still kept the roast beef cooking in the theatre's kitchen. All this activity earned Mr. Fuller two nominations at the Tenth Annual Awards Ceremony. Mike was nominated for a Board Service Zenon for "Gourmet and Building Maintenance; and a Production/Technical Discretionary Zenon for "set construction for the 94/95 season."

The Twenty-second Season was Mike's last season with Highlands Little Theatre. He worked with the Gourmet Staff during Peter Pollard's season opener, The Goodbye Girl, and he was Mac Byron's Stage Manager for his December, "Extra" show, Greater Tuna. In January, Mike worked on the set of Roy Riedy's production of The Foreigner. The comedy opened on Friday, January 19, 1996, and on the following Friday, January 26, Mike suffered a fatal heart attack and died.

His sudden and unexpected death was a great shock to his friends at the theatre and on February 6, 1996, a memorial service was held in the Lakeside Playhouse conducted by Rev. Andrew C. Conyer to honor Mike's departure from this world. The service was crowded with his friends, a fitting tribute to Mike who had done so much to make their organization so vital to their lives and our county.

During his time with HLT, Mike worked with twenty-four plays, one Christmas show and two "Extra" plays and was honored at four Zenon Ceremonies at which he received three Zenons and four other nominations. His name appeared in fourteen HLT Newsletters and seven local news articles for a total of fifty Citations. All that knew him recognize that he was a great and enduring asset for Highlands Little Theatre.