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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Walter Zelenenki - Still Remembered By: Roy Riedy |
Walter started his brilliant career at HLT as a waiter in Marian Dunham's Fourteenth Season Opener, Cabaret, in November, 1987. Two months later he had a leading part in Peter Pollard's revival of Barefoot in the Park as Paul Bratter. In June he appeared in another Neil Simon comedy, directed by Janelou Buck, California Suite, as Mort Hollender from Chicago. At the Third Annual Zenon Awards in late September, Walter received his first nomination for Best Actor for his role as Paul Bratter in Barefoot in the Park.
During the Fifteenth Season Walter worked on four productions: He played Lyman Sanderson, M.D.,in Tena Conyer's revival of Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize comedy Harvey, in January, 1989. He was Sir Edward Ramsey in Frank Oberhausen's Zenon winning musical, The King and I, in April. He served as Peter Pollard's Assistant Director and Stage Manager for the musical Sweet Charity in June, and stole the show as Ensign Pulver in Janelou Buck's reprise of Mister Roberts, in August. In September, at the Fourth Annual Zenon Awards Walter was nominated for Best Stage Manager for the Season for his work on Sweet Charity, presented the Best Costuming Award with Denise Blondin, and won the Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his outstanding performance as Ensign Pulver in Mister Roberts.
Mr. Zelenenki was involved with three more shows during the Sixteenth Season. In January, 1990, he was a Sound Technician for Peter Pollard's comedy On Golden Pond, a service he repeated in March for Frank Oberhausen's reprise of My Fair Lady. In August he played Axel Magee in Tena Conyer's reprise of Woody Allen's comedy Don't Drink the Water. At the Fifth Annual Zenon Awards Ceremony in early October, Walter delivered the famous monologue "All the World is a Stage" for the audience's enjoyment. Walter received two nominations that evening: one for a Production/Technical Discretionary Award with Joe Merritt for "outstanding achievement in sound operations, On Golden Pond," and the other, a Best Performance by an actor in a Leading Role, for his role as Axel in Don't Drink the Water.
The Seventeenth Season opened with Jet Hansen's musical Oklahoma! with Walter as a Sound Technician. In March, Frank Oberhausen directed the musical The Music Man during which Walter worked with the Kitchen Staff. In June he played the part of Seymour in Tena Conyer's howling Little Shop of Horrors; and in August he directed George Axelrod's comedy, The Seven Year Itch. At Zenon time in October, Walter received a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his role of Seymour in Tena Conyer's Little Shop of Horrors.
Walter worked on the Kitchen Staff during all five plays of the Eighteenth Season. During the first show of the Nineteenth Season he was also on the Kitchen Staff, but in January.1993, he directed Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, as the season's second show. He appeared in Marian Dunham's The Philadelphia Story in June as Macauly (Mike) Conner; and worked on the Kitchen Staff during Jet Hansen's Show Boat in August. At the Eighth Annual Zenon Awards Ceremony in October, Walter and Diane Juve reviewed the season for the Ceremony audience and Walter received four nominations for Zenons. The first was for The Best Set Design for the Season which Walter shared with Doug Dixon and Cindy Krempa for his Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean; the second, for Best Director, for his Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean; the third,for Best Lighting Design which Walter shared with Marian Dunham and Mac Byron for his Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean; and the fourth, a Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Walter's part as Mike in The Philadelphia Story. During the Twentieth Season Walter worked again with the Kitchen Staff during the season's five shows. After that season Walter left Highlands Little Theatre because of failing health and died a year later.
During his eight years with HLT, Mr. Zelenenki was associated with 30 plays and 6 Zenon Ceremonies, at which he won a Best Actor in a Supporting Role Zenon for his portrayal of Ensign Pulver in Mister Roberts. He was mentioned in 32 HLT Newsletters and 36 local news articles for a total of 104 Citations. His death was a shock to all, and I know I am not the only one who wondered what theatrical heights he might have obtained had he not been taken so suddenly and so young.
