Prestigious Marquee Club welcomes new member
Jane Deitrick of New Philadelphia will receive the Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County’s most prestigious award when she is inducted into the Marquee Club on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at Union Country Club. Deitrick will be honored with a dinner for theater members, family and friends.
Involvement and time in the theater are the prerequisites for the Marquee Award. Deitrick began her involvement during the 1979 production of “Look Homeward, Angel,” directed by Lynne Tschudy. Since then she has served as treasurer, wardrobe chair and box office co-chair and worked on lighting, concessions, poster design, set dressing, props, stage managing and costumes.
While serving as wardrobe chair, she designed the current costume room layout and built many of the shelves and racks.
“When we first started in this building,” she said, “the wardrobe was in the basement. It was almost impossible to store things efficiently. When members decided to build on the addition that we now have, I convinced them to put in a second floor, which gave us a great deal more room than we had ever had. I worked in the electrical industry for years, so I was also able to wire the dimmer cabinet. I feel so lucky that I was able to work with and learn from those talented and experienced people.”
Deitrick is a graduate of New Philadelphia High School. She has been active in theater since she was a junior, working at the Little Theatre, Trumpet in the Land, KSU and Berea Summer Theater, as well as in the drama programs at a number of local schools.
She currently works part-time at the Kent State Performing Arts Center and is operations manager for the Tuscarawas County Philharmonic.
“I worked in computer-aided design at Horne Engineering for 28 years,” she said, “and since its retirement, at MJK Engineering. I always liked art, and this gave me the opportunity to design electrical plans into the architect’s drawings.”
Deitrick said her favorite experience at the theater is any time she is able to participate in set decorating for a production. This past season she and co-worker Michele Davis dressed the set for the theater’s production of Neil Simon’s “Rumors.” It won four awards at the state Ohio Community Theater Association competition.
Veteran Director Rex Huffman said the Marquee Award was established as a way to honor members who deserve recognition but don’t crave it. They volunteered their time because of their love of theater. These were mostly people who spent their active lives entrenched in the theater. “Awards were the last thing on their minds,” he said.
Huffman said a number of Marquee members are from the same families. “The desire to serve the theater runs that way,” he said.
Included are Bart and Wilma Herman, Kenn and Sally Holmes, Melody and Robert Liberatore, Mike and Mim Rapport, Tom and Allison Morris and Pat Potter, Andy and Marjorie Hanson, and Rex and Karen Huffman.
Other members honored for their service include L. Thomas Albury, Susan Brothers, Robert Button, Iona Croft, Debi DeVore, Pam Douglas, Lucilla Flora, Dorthy Goodman, Doris Hofacker, Rich Jagunic, Paul Jarvis, Don Kirk, Edith Whitehouse-Lewis, Roxie Long, Jerry Marlowe, Betty McCreary, Doug McIntyre, Isabel Miller, Machelle Miller, Mark Mitchell, Vickie Stocksdale, Gerry Stoughton, Delbert Walker and Penny Zurcher.
“This theater would not be standing today were it not for the likes of Penny Zurcher, Betty McCreary and Vickie Stocksdale,” Huffman said.
Cocktail hour for the dinner will begin at 5 p.m., with dinner starting at 6 p.m. The cost is $25 per person and includes a side salad, pasta bar, standard beverage (soda, coffee, tea) and tip. The pasta bar will include a gluten-free option of zoodles, both red and white sauces, choice of proteins, and cake provided by Litty’s. A cash bar will be available.
RSVP to Machelle Miller at 330-243-5393 or fill out the form at www.thelittletheatreonline.org/marquee-club. Reservations are due by Sunday, Oct. 15. Union Country Club is located at 1000 N. Bellevue Ave. in Dover.
