Peter Mansell

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Jun 212022
 

As the Pandemic continued, Silver Stars created a second brand new video show. ShowStoppers ’21.
We are offering this to nursing and retirement homes. The video link, once downloaded, can be played as many times as the venue wishes.

When we put together our 2023 show, we hope to be LIVE and book ourselves into these venues, just like we used to do. When we are back on the road again, and we are all free of Covid, we will bring our link to this previous show along with our new live show as a bonus.

Hope to be back in action by the Spring of 2024.

 

Mar 122020
 

THE SPRING TOUR OF SHOW STOPPERS FOR 2024 IS IN THE WORKS !!
AUDITIONS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, 2024
WE WILL BE REHEARSING IN APRIL, 2024
FOR A TOUR IN MAY, 2024

WATCH FOR MORE INFORMATION LATER.

Jan 042020
 

STAY TUNED, WE WILL BE BOOKING START UP MEETINGS

FOR THE 2024 SHOWSTOPPERS TOUR

WHEN: IN MARCH, 2024

WHERE: most likely at the….

KITCHENER DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY CENTER

WHEN is the TOUR?  During the month of MAY, 2024

WHEN are REHEARSALS:  During the month of  APRIL.

ARE THE MARCH. MEETINGS AUDITIONS ?: VERY CASUAL, RELAXED – NO PRESSURE…
Bring an idea for a song, a comedy skit or poem.
Let’s discuss it. If you’d like to perform some of it,
bring a CD to accompany you, especially if we’ve never heard you before. If you’re not sure
what you want to do, come out anyway. We’ll give you a few ideas and suggestions.
WE WILL POST SPECIFIC DATES FOR AUDITIONS HERE SOON…. !!

 

 

Dec 122019
 

Silver Stars is a group of seniors who enjoy entertaining seniors – with songs and some short drama items.

Silver Stars does a one hour Spring Tour in May (rehearsing in April)  and continue with a Fall Tour of the same show in October.

Contact our Membership Chair Sue Frid  ksfrid@gmail.com  or our President, Peter Mansell  artsietoo@rogers.com  519-574-5455

We meet on the last Friday of every month at the 404 Wing on Dutton Drive in Waterloo for a Potluck and Karaoke fun.

Many of our newest members have come out to the Potluck, met us and joined there. In fact, one became part of our Fall Tour.

Email or call us to see if we are gathering when you can also come out.

There is a place for everyone !!

BTW, we plan to meet in January to see who wants to be in the 2020 touring show.

One way or another,….. See you soon,

Cheers from your Silver Stars friends.

 

 

Dec 092019
 

Vice President’s Report 2019

It has been my privilege to serve in the capacity of Vice President of the KW Silver Stars Executive Board for the 2018-19 year.

As Social Convener I have been hostess in my home for 2 meetings of the Board, and entertained the cast and their mates at our camper for a cookout after one of the shows in the spring.

 In an attempt to keep in touch with members who are unable to perform with us on tour and those who want to have fun performing without doing a “show”. we are having a potluck at the 404 Wing on the last Fri. of every month except July and August. This event has been well received and it has been my responsibility to plan the potluck at which I decorate the facility, purchase the paper plates, napkins, etc. and plan the entertainment.

Since we are trying very hard to build up our current membership it makes me very happy to say that I have brought in 3 new members including one of our performers in our show who has been a wonderful addition.

As the membership is down and we couldn’t do a big show this fall the Board members shared the responsibility of contacting nursing & retirement homes and put on our Road Show, “Show Stoppers” again this year.

I spent a considerable amount of time planning an overnight bus trip which we have decided to postpone until a time when hopefully our membership increases.

I have also, been keeping track of the birthdays of the cast members with cards and snacks to try to promote bonding among the cast.

I also, helped Ene Billings, our Costume Coordinator, in providing costumes for some of the cast.

My last task for the year was in providing refreshments for today, which I hope you all have enjoyed.

This years Board has worked well together and has made our time together very enjoyable.

Respectfully, submitted

Kathryn Heft, Vice President

Dec 092019
 

President’s Report: K-W Silver Stars 2019

THE SHOWS:

This was a year of rebuilding. At the end of last year we said goodbye to Heather Morris after 12 years of wonderful service as our President and our Music Director. Heather finished on a high note. The big show last year was Did I Tell You This Before?”. It included other performing groups and all of us together raised enough money to give a $10,000 cheque to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

It was a great time for the Silver Stars to shine and a lot of our success was because of Heather Morris and Brenda Schneider, our director. Behind the scenes, Ene Billings choreographed the show. I mention that show because it was a high water mark for Silver Stars and typical of the kind of season we had been doing for a number of years – a big show followed by a small tour to retirement homes.

In the months following that event, the Executive looked long and hard at our existing resources. It sas time to scale down our output. Ken Frid spent a day in the basement of the DCC and threw out sets that we would never ever use again. Recently we donated lots of costumes that were being kept at the home of the late Dr. Charlie Bateman, our long time supporter.

More especially, we looked at our membership. Currently we do not have the numbers to do another big show like the Alzheimer show. Our pool of active members is much smaller. Our backstage team is smaller yet. Fewer come out for auditions in recent years. And the membership is getting older. They love to see our shows. But a smaller group are able to perform in them any more.

The remedy? We decided to do a year of touring shows. A block in May and another in October. The shows are an hour long. Everyone in the show gets to do one or two songs, and some narration… For all involved it is a much smaller workload and a lot more fun.

Touring in the daytime eliminates our members who have jobs. That was a hard decision, but we had to shrink the mandate to something that works, given our present reality. Unless a large number of performing arts people in their 60’s retire and choose us over the local choirs and semi-professional theatre companies, this is our new season – two months on the road – one or two outings a week. And a public performance or two for charity. This year we donated to Kids Ability. Jerry has the numbers.

We are a small group: Seniors Entertaining Seniors. We have found a niche in the entertainment scene in the region and all things considered, we are well-received and popular. Except for juggling calendar dates with each other and with the retirement homes, we find both the spring and fall blocks booked. If you are happy with this plan, we are happy to continue.

The show is now using the generic title “Show Stoppers” and changes theme slightly every year. One year we feature the history of the song. The next, we look at the history of the singer. Next year we hope to add Show Stopper comedy bits like “Who’s On First?” and some Burns and Allen routines.

EQUIPMENT:

We purchased a new sound system this year. It runs on Bluetooth technology. It’s easy to set up and I can run the show off my phone. It’s already proven to be a valuable resource. In another year it will have paid for itself and the future looks bright.

SOCIAL:

Performing at Nursing and Retirement Homes prevents our Members who still have day jobs from participating. So to compensate, we’ve added a social entertainment element to Silver Stars on the Last Friday of every month. Kathryn will talk about that in her report.

MEMBERS:

We have 29 paid up memberships, plus 3 new members we picked up this spring. We lost 3 members this year, Good Double, who was a founding member of the Silver Stars, Sam Ducklow, and Dr. Charlie Bateman.

WEBSITE:

We are still active with a website: kwsilverstars.ca. Many of our members do not always go on-line to check out that site all the time, but the pictures from our shows are there. The history of the group is there. And notices of Upcoming Events are posted regularly. As far as our presence on Facebook, nothing is happening there.

CITY SUPPORT:

We enjoy the support of the City of Kitchener and the City of Waterloo. Without their help, our little company could not possibly afford places to meet and rehearse, photocopy our papers and receive the best in professional advice as a community group. Thanks to Sandy Hrubik for giving us her time, especially on a Saturday to conduct our elections. And for so many other helps and supports. At every Arts meeting I go to in the Region, storage and rehearsal space are the premium concerns. So, we are very lucky both cities take care of us. Thanks to the staff at the KDCC for always being there for us.

EXECUTIVE:

I am really blessed to have this Executive. In our first few meetings we agreed to divide up the work so no one person is saddled with too much. And they have kept to that all this year. And as far as I can see, no one is burned out. Around the Executive table or on the road, everyone shares the workload. It’s a real team effort and I have many helpers to remind me of stuff I forget. I’m very lucky.

Submitted by Peter Mansell. President. K-W Silver Stars. AGM 2019.

May 062019
 

MaggieOur beloved Maggie (Magdalena Viveen) has left the stage for one last time. Maggie was living at the Seaforth Long Term Care Home and passed on April 12, 2019 at age 93. She was such a bright light and such an inspiration to all of us in the K-W Silver Stars. From her first audition to her last big performance with us in 2017, Maggie bubbled with love and enthusiasm. Maggie sang. She tap danced. She acted. A triple threat as they say in show business. Maggie was always full of sequins, sparkles and smiles. Beginning in Europe as a child, she continued to entertain folks all her life. She won many awards, in Hamilton and elsewhere. Our audiences were amazed to see a lady over 90 tap dancing and enjoying her life to the full. Even a stroke did not prevent her from aiming for a spot on the stage.  Before she left us, her voice and legs came partially back – a tribute to her determination to overcome any obstacles. That’s why Maggie was such an inspiration to us all.  She embraced the positive and always looked to the bright side of things. Now, Maggie is dancing with the angels. And we will all miss her very much.

Apr 012019
 

Before there was a Silver Stars, the group was called the Over the Hill Gang. Herbert Johnson wrote the shows and our own Betty Pauli played every imaginable role and sang her heart out. The pictures in the 25th anniversary Power Point show tell the tale. Betty also kept binders of all the programs and pictures of all the shows. She was the historian and archivist for the group and without her, there would be no early record of the accomplishments of this amazing group of seniors performing in our community. She was one of the originals and a true supporter of all we do.
Now, Betty is moving – to Grimsby to be closer to her family. So, yes, we will miss her and we hope her new life is as happy as she has made us. Certainly, Grimsby is closer to Wine Country. Enough said.
Betty’s new email is     bjkmpauli@outlook.com . We will be in touch and hopefully, she will be in touch with us.
Farewell Betty, and thank you for all you have done here in K-W.