Miller Minutes

On Friday, I received a call from a dear theater friend. She informed me that the man who directed us in our first show together had passed away. The two of us, and the rest of the theater community, lost a lot with the passing of Gordon Cavalero. In the midst of rehearsals for a production of “Grease” that premieres this weekend, dozens of teenagers and volunteers will also mourn the loss of their director. Navigating the pressures of tech week is hard enough without grief, so I hope you will keep everyone involved in this production in your prayers.

My stories of Gordon will echo others shared these past few days, which prove the consistency he showed in his character and his works as a director for the Summer Dramatics Project. The only reason my musical theatre career started was because Gordon allowed me to audition for “Peter Pan” at 9 years old. Though I was technically too young for the program, he saw my passion for the stage and opened the door for a lifelong love of theater.

“Peter Pan” remains one of my favorite musicals because of him. Over the years, Gordon entrusted me to play bit parts in “Bye Bye Birdie,” “The Music Man,” “Grease,” and cast me in lead roles in “Annie” and “Seussical.” Many others can say they perform because of Gordon’s encouragement, or felt a sense of pride when they saw his cast photos of them in the paper.

Gordon inspired hundreds of students to chase their theatrical dreams. For those of us who were lucky enough to be directed by him, I hope we can carry on his legacy and encourage the next generation of performers.

For the cast of “Grease,” I will say this: I have never been more sure that Gordon would have wanted the show to go on, and for you to have the time of your lives while doing it. Break a leg, and make him proud.

If you can catch “Grease” this weekend, I would encourage you to do so. Here are some other events going on in Butler County as well.

Dutilh Church Flea Market lasts all weekend, starting at 10 a.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday on the church grounds, 1270 Dutilh Road, Cranberry Township. Shop household goods, toys, clothing and more! For more information, visit dutilhchurch.org/flea-market.

Cranberry Township is celebrating Christmas in July from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday at the market at the municipal building, 2525 Rochester Road. There will be craft vendors, food trucks, children’s activities and fun for the whole family. For more information, visit cranberrytownship.org.

Shakespeare in the Park continues! Bring a fold out chair to Hobnob Theatre Company’s production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” this weekend in Preston Park, 415 South Eberhart Road. This is a comedy you won’t want to miss. Shows run at 6:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with tickets costing $10 on hobnobtheatre.com.

Support All Saints Parish and scholarships for Butler Catholic School when you participate in the Twilight 5K and Fun Run at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Conrad Church, 125 Buttercup Road. The event is rain or shine. To register or find more information, visit allsaintsbutler.org/5k.

Performances of a new local history play, “The Roeblings of Saxonburg” are this weekend at the Freeport Theatre Festival, 2492 White Cloud Road, Leechburg. Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For tickets, visit freeporttheatrefestival.org.

See the Summer Dramatics Project’s production of “Grease” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Succop Theater on Butler County Community College campus. This show is chalk full of hits you recognize, and you won’t want to miss it! For more information, visit summerdramaticsproject.ludus.com.

The 24th Annual Rube’s Run 5K is back, with the race starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Presbyterian Church of Prospect, 383 Main Street, Prospect. Early packet pickup is at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the church and race-day registration and packet pickup begins at 7 a.m. Saturday at the church. The run is followed by an “old fashioned baseball breakfast.” Register for $25 and find more information at runsignup.com/Race/PA/Prospect/RUBESRUN.

Celebrate the Bloom of the blazing star prairie flower at Jennings Environmental Education Center, 2951 Prospect Road, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Walk the state’s only prairie, enjoy outdoor activities for all ages, vendors, food and so much more! For more information, visit celebratethebloom.com.

Lancaster Township’s Community Day celebration starts at 9 a.m. Saturday and includes a 5K, coffee, Amish doughnuts, barbecue and so much more! All proceeds benefit Four Springs Park, 1004 West Lancaster Road, Harmony, which is where the event takes place. For more information and signups for the Four Springs Sprint, visit lancaster-township.com.

It’s officially Christmas in July, and you can celebrate by walking the circle of Preston Park and shopping from local vendors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. For more information about his free event, visit experiencebutler.com.

The Taste of the Symphony concert series is for the enjoyment of all! Enjoy a free concert every Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. this summer in Butler’s Diamond Park thanks to the Butler County Symphony Orchestra. This week’s performance is brought to you by Amy Baker and David Sinclair. For more information, visit experiencebutler.com.

If you are interested in your event being featured in Miller Minutes, please email information to news@butlereagle.com.

Molly Miller is an Eagle correspondent.