|
|
|
Business News
PITTSBURG —
This is a good week for Dianna “Dee” Timi, Joplin. On Monday she and husband Jeff Timi welcomed their 18th grandchild, and on Friday will be the premiere performance of Timi’s first play.
“It took a while for my dream to come true,” Timi said.
“The Downtown Gym” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Joplin Little Theatre.
A graduate of Pittsburg High School who holds a degree in speech and theater from Pittsburg State University, she is the daughter of Bill and Wilma McQuade, longtime Pittsburg residents.
She’s been involved in theater for a long time.
“I’ve done a little bit of it all, stage managing, directing, lights, sound, props when needed, helping people dress when needed,” Timi said.
And she has wanted to write.
“This story has been running around in my head for several years, and finally a friend said, ‘Why don’t you just do it?’ so I started it on New Year’s, 2010,” Timi said. “It’s set in the not-so-fancy workout room in any gym, USA, and there are these two retired gentlemen, Hank and Abe, who go there every morning of the week.”
The one-act play is a comedy, but the playwright has worked to make well-developed characters.
“You have to get the characters established,” Timi said. “You can’t just go into silliness and expect people to laugh.”
There are four scenes to the play, each opening on the day after a holiday.
“There’s New Year’s Day, the day after Easter, July 5 and the day after Halloween,” Timi said. “Jim, our own personal trainer, sweeps up all the holiday stuff at the start of each scene, which gives the actors a bit of a break.”
She said that she entered the play in a competition.
“I got shot down because 500 other people also entered plays,” Timi said. “Then I discovered that they want dramas, and I thought, well, I have an idea that would work. I wrote a short scene and let it rest, then I wrote another short scene and let it rest. That play wants out so bad, it’s begging, and we’re ready.”
But first she’s got to get through “The Downtown Gym.” Her cast includes Chet Fritz as Hank Farris, Bill Welsh as Agustus Bryce “Abe” Ellington, Kevin Nolte as Jim, Lindsey Hayes as Annie Mays and Angela Flowers as Marge Wells. There’s also Betsy Stone as the “female extra.”
This is a good week for Dianna “Dee” Timi, Joplin. On Monday she and husband Jeff Timi welcomed their 18th grandchild, and on Friday will be the premiere performance of Timi’s first play.
“It took a while for my dream to come true,” Timi said.
“The Downtown Gym” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Joplin Little Theatre.
A graduate of Pittsburg High School who holds a degree in speech and theater from Pittsburg State University, she is the daughter of Bill and Wilma McQuade, longtime Pittsburg residents.
She’s been involved in theater for a long time.
“I’ve done a little bit of it all, stage managing, directing, lights, sound, props when needed, helping people dress when needed,” Timi said.
And she has wanted to write.
“This story has been running around in my head for several years, and finally a friend said, ‘Why don’t you just do it?’ so I started it on New Year’s, 2010,” Timi said. “It’s set in the not-so-fancy workout room in any gym, USA, and there are these two retired gentlemen, Hank and Abe, who go there every morning of the week.”
The one-act play is a comedy, but the playwright has worked to make well-developed characters.
“You have to get the characters established,” Timi said. “You can’t just go into silliness and expect people to laugh.”
There are four scenes to the play, each opening on the day after a holiday.
“There’s New Year’s Day, the day after Easter, July 5 and the day after Halloween,” Timi said. “Jim, our own personal trainer, sweeps up all the holiday stuff at the start of each scene, which gives the actors a bit of a break.”
She said that she entered the play in a competition.
“I got shot down because 500 other people also entered plays,” Timi said. “Then I discovered that they want dramas, and I thought, well, I have an idea that would work. I wrote a short scene and let it rest, then I wrote another short scene and let it rest. That play wants out so bad, it’s begging, and we’re ready.”
But first she’s got to get through “The Downtown Gym.” Her cast includes Chet Fritz as Hank Farris, Bill Welsh as Agustus Bryce “Abe” Ellington, Kevin Nolte as Jim, Lindsey Hayes as Annie Mays and Angela Flowers as Marge Wells. There’s also Betsy Stone as the “female extra.”
“Betsy plays several roles, including a bimbo, a little old lady and a female cop,” Timi said.
Her production staff includes Susi Yust as master set builder, Chris Ferguson as assistant, Lindsey Hayes as costumer, Karen Eckhardt doing hair/make-up, Mary Burns on props, Cleo Copeland on lights and Heather Haar-Briley doing the workout routine.
“I have a wonderful crew, good friends who have been with me through many shows,” Timi said. “The cast is wonderful.”
She still does an occasional turn on stage herself.
“You really can’t be good director if you don’t get up on stage now and then,” she said.
Timi said she has even dragged her husband into theater.
“Between us we have seven kids, and now 18 grandchildren,” she said.
“The Downtown Gym” is being done as a fundraiser for Joplin Little Theatre.
“Tickets are a flat $10,” Timi said. “There are no royalties to pay, I’m not at that point yet, but maybe someday. Right now it’s just a thrill to see it go from the page to real life.”
Tickets can be purchased by calling JLT at 417-623-3638 or online at joplinlittletheatre.org.ey will also be available at the door.
