They're back
BUTLER TWP — A show being billed as “A Reunion of the Singing Stars from the Butler Musical Theatre Guild” will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Succop Theater at Butler County Community College.999
The stars are performers who have worked together before on shows: Jay Goettler, Paula Baptiste, Suzie Olszewski, Robin Kriley and Tom Della Santa.
Admission to the Sunday show is free, thanks to Goettler, who is covering the costs. Donations won't even be accepted.
“It's free to the public,” Goettler said.
Those attending can expect an hour or so of singing fromt.
“I'm not announcing the shows because I want it to be a surprise,” Goettler said.
Goettler has performed nine leads in musicals over the years, three in Youngstown, one in Glenshaw and five for MTG.
These days, he brings his baritone voice to Natili's South restaurant and St. Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Kittanning, from time to time.He said he must have sung at more than 100 weddings over the years.“I guess I'vebeen singing in Butler since I've been big enough to walk,” Goettler joked.Some of his favorite shows are “Brigadoon,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Carousel” and “Oklahoma!”Baptiste has performed in various MTG productions, including “Brigadoon,” “South Pacific, and “Grease.”During the past 20 years, she has focused the majority of her singing at area churches, directing church choirs and participating in other community projects.She is a sixth grade teacher in the Butler School District. She holds a bachelor's in communication, a bachelor's in education and a master's in curriculum and instruction.
Olszewski started doing shows with MTG in 1983. She was cast as Meg, the comic relief in “Brigadoon.”That's when she met Goettler, who was the male lead in the musical. Since then, they have shared the stage in two shows, “Annie Get Your Gun” in 1986 and “Carousel” in 1990.Other shows she has performed in since 1983 are “Sugar,” “1940s Radio Hour,” “They're Playing Our Song,” “Man of La Mancha,” “Oliver,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Music Man,” “Once Upon a Mattress” and “Children of Eden,” among others. Most recently she played the role of Bloody Mary in MTG's 50th anniversary production of “South Pacific.”For her day job, she is an English teacher at Mars High School.“It's always a thrill to perform with friends I've made through MTG over the years,” Olszewski said. “When we work together, it's like time is erased. We enjoy the memories, and we especially enjoy the music.”
Kriley began performing with MTG in 1977, playing the role of Laurey Williams in “Oklahoma!”She has performed in 35 shows and worked backstage on a dozen others.“I've had the opportunity to work with so many talented people, including those involved in this show,” Kriley said.She has appeared with Olszewski in numerous shows, including “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Chicago” and the 2012 production of “South Pacific.”She worked with Baptiste in “South Pacific” in 1987 and several musical revues produced by MTG.She and Goettler performed together in 1977 in MTG's “Oklahoma!” and with the Glenshaw Players in the late '70s in “Carousel.”“I've played the part of Grace with Tommy Della Santa in the role of Daddy Warbucks in MTG's 1984 production of 'Annie,'” Kriley recalled. “Tommy also appeared as Luther Billis in the 1987 production of 'South Pacific.' Since then we've worked on numerous MTG revues.”
Kriley serves on the MTG board of directors as the public relations chairman.Della Santa has been a member of MTG since it organized in 1962 and has performed leading roles in “The Music Man” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”He three times received the Best Actor award at Butler Little Theatre for the shows “Tribute,” “The Gin Game” and “The Odd Couple,” in which he twice played Oscar Madison.He is a 50-year member of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, and he is still active in quartet singing.
