Miller Minutes: ‘Help us finish our season strong’
Whenever I find myself cast in another play, I am always asked the same question:
“How do you memorize all of those lines?”
The truth is, I’ve been doing it for so long, I really don’t know how it happens. It’s a skill I’ve developed over so many years that I find it easy to memorize my lines AND my co-stars’ lines.
Now we find ourselves at the threshold of another show, the last one of Butler Little Theatre’s season. It’s called “Hay Fever.” Surrounded by such a star-studded cast, I can’t help but feel humbled and grateful.
This 84th season has been an insane run. New faces, new attendance records, new concepts and new backstage help. A lot of us are tired from all the work we’ve put in over the past five shows, and we have yet to see our final batch of audiences.
We will end on a high note. We will make people laugh and question and gasp. And then we will turn it around and start memorizing even more lines for summer shows, and welcome our 85th season raring to go.
Most of the theater community has been in this busy rhythm for so long, it doesn’t phase us. But all of the work memorizing, rehearsing, costuming and lighting mean nothing without an audience.
So, I hope you’ll help us finish our season strong by attending a show (or two). If not, please peruse the other events Butler County is serving up this weekend.
Cranberry Township’s Town Square Market will be in full swing starting at 3 p.m. Friday at the municipal center, 2525 Rochester Road. Take home farm fresh produce, homemade goodies and hang with your neighbors. Visit cranberrytownship.org for more information.
What happens when every member of an eccentric British family invites a guest over for the weekend without telling anyone? Find out at “Hay Fever,” by Noël Coward, the final show of Butler Little Theatre’s 84th season. Shows run at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, and the rest of next week, except Monday. Tickets are on sale for $18 at butlerlittletheatre.com.
Mars Farmers Market lasts from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Woodland Valley Church, 225 Crowe Ave. Locals will be selling their wares every Saturday this summer. Visit experiencebutler.com for details.
Visit the Rodfather’s CERT Team Car Cruise at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Fairground Market, 1138 New Castle Road, Prospect, to support the Community Emergency Response Team. Visit therodfathers.com for details.
Enjoy a free concert series by EchoPointe Choral at 3 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 120 Sunset Drive in Center Township, or Sunday at Hope Lutheran Church, 8070 Rowan Road in Cranberry Township. Visit butlersymphony.org for more information.
The Guys Who Grill fundraiser is back at 5 p.m. Saturday in Preston Park, 415 S. Eberhart Road in Butler Township. This is a fun-filled community event complete with food and games in support of the Kids’ Weekend Backpack Program. Tickets are $25 presale and $30 day-of. Visit butlertwp.org for details.
Interested in shows like “Man of La Mancha,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Nunsense?” You can audition for those, and the rest of the season’s shows at The Strand Theater, 119 N. Main St. in Zelienople, on Saturday and Sunday. Sign up for a time slot by emailing pagestrand@gmail.com, bring a headshot and resume, and prepare 32 bars of two contrasting musical theater pieces. Visit the Facebook page for more information.
Support the Butler Farm Show’s Junior Board by attending a night of dancing Saturday in the green building grounds, 625 Evans City Road. Square dance lessons start at 7 p.m., the dance starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $5. Visit the Farm Show Facebook page for details.
Toss for Tomorrow is a cornhole tournament unlike any other: it’s got the game, petting zoos, food and more. Teams can sign up for $60 and start playing at 1 p.m. Sunday at SonRise Community Church, 130 Lucas Lane in Buffalo Township. To sign up, call Kevin at 724-882-4735. Find more information at experiencebutler.com/events/toss-for-tomorrow.
Interested in directing at Butler Little Theatre? Applications are open to help shape the five shows of our 85th season! Visit butlerlittletheatre.com for more information.
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.
