October 8, 2004

Villages Amateur Theatre celebrates 30th anniversary

By Tom Harney
Special to the Times

The well-dressed crowd, laughing and mingling, looked as though at any moment, they could break out in song, like costumed players in a Gilbert and Sullivan light opera.

The elegant affair commemorated an important milestone for this group of Villagers, filling the Foothill Center to capacity last month with 95 members and guests. And the celebratory feeling in the air was well deserved for anyone involved with the Villages Amateur Theatre (VAT) throughout its 30 years of existence.

It began with the dream of six people who sought to form a small theatre group to provide an opportunity for Villagers to develop their talents and entertain fellow Villagers. Today, the organization presents three major stage plays a year and a monthly Readers’ Theater Program.

The highlight of the anniversary celebration occurred when all members and guests stood and raised their champagne glasses to offer a toast to a surprised Jean Field Donovan, Villages amateur director, for her dedicated service to the group since 1974.

After dinner, Donovan thanked the planning committee—Connie Gast, Pam Casey, Nell Donovan and Marilyn Craig—for doing an outstanding job. “They worked so hard to make the evening the success that it was. The catered, sit-down dinner was excellent. The food and service was wonderful. The decorations were so lovely. The evening was a real celebration of our 30 years. It is hard to believe that 30 years have passed since we started. It was a truly memorable evening.”

Jim Cambell, who has directed three major productions, “Blithe Spirit,” “Dial ‘M’ for Murder” and “My Three Angels,” commented, “My wife Hope and I had a great time. I think everybody enjoyed celebrating the way we did. There was definitely a certain amount of elegance to the whole affair. All the men wore jackets. The ladies were quite dolled up and looked very attractive.”

“I thought it was just a great evening,” said Pam Casey, who recently appeared in the Donovan-directed “More Than Meets the Eye” and “The Caper at Whispering Pines. “The room looked beautiful. The decorations were very special.

It took a lot of planning, and it showed. Everyone seemed to have a great time. They were all dressed up. It just couldn’t have been nicer,” added Casey, who has also directed the Readers’ Theater “Meow.”

Nell Donovan, who recently appeared in the “More Than Meets the Eye,” Readers’ Theatre “Meow” and “The Caper at Whispering Pines,” commented, “Everyone attending really wanted to be there. It was great to see ‘the new-time actors’ and the ‘old-time actors.’ I was happy to be there, and so was my husband, Rick. It was an elegant evening, and it wouldn’t have happened without Jean Donovan’s vision of what an elegant 30th Anniversary dinner should be.”

Geri Zeri, who recently appeared in “Girls of the Garden Club” and the Readers’ Theatre “Meow” said, “My husband, Dennis, our daughter, Christy Zeri, who helped in serving the wonderful dinner and I thought it was a great evening.

The food was delicious. It was great to see all the people. It was fun to see all the photographs and play programs from the previous productions on the display panel. The decorations were very special. The different-colored, pastel tablecloths on each table created a rainbow effect across the room. It was a wonderful evening.”