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PITTSBURG —
The comedy “Moon Over Buffalo,” written by Ken Ludwig, enticed Carol Burnett back to Broadway after 30 years. It has also brought Buddy Gorentz back to the Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium stage after a gap of 13 years.
Pittsburg Community Theatre will present the show at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with a 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday.
“My last show was the PCT production of ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ as the Scarecrow,” Gorentz said.
He also played a role offstage in assisting with arranging financing for a special appearance by the late Meinhardt Raabe, who portrayed the Munchkin coroner in the 1939 hit movie “The Wizard of Oz.”
“The little kids are still talking about that, but that most of them are in college by now,” Gorentz said.
His other roles have included Brother Clarence in “Monky Business,” in which he plays a devil disguised as a monk who is trying to sabotage a fundraiser designed to save St. Bernard’s Monastery,” the captain in “Sound of Music,” a telephone repairman in “Barefoot in the Park” and Mr. Sowerberry, an undertaker in “Oliver” who employs the boy as a mourner for children’s funerals.
“My first show was ‘Camelot’ in 1990,” Gorentz said. “I played Sir Lionel, who was killed in a joust with Lancelot and brought back to life. The captain in ‘Sound of Music’ is one of my favorite roles, and Clarence was fun, too.”
But, for 13 years, he devoted himself primarily to helping start a business and developing a following for his work. Gorentz does residential and commercial interior and exterior design, and is now employed at Moore’s Furniture.
“I’ve done a lot in Joplin,” he said. “I got familiar with some developers in Joplin and they’ve contacted me for a lot of projects. It’s very rewarding.”
He’s also active in his church. So is Michael Doue, who is directing “Moon Over Buffalo” with Tony Sanchez and Faith Paoni.
“Michael and I have been working on a project at church and he asked me what I was doing this summer,” Gorentz said. “I said, ‘You’re casting a play, aren’t you?’ and he invited me to try out for the role of George Hay.” He and Hay and his wife, Charlotte are an acting duo, a couple of has-beens who never quite made it in the first place.
“It’s a very physical comedy, a once-in-a-lifetime role, and that’s kind of what enticed me,” Gorentz said.
The comedy “Moon Over Buffalo,” written by Ken Ludwig, enticed Carol Burnett back to Broadway after 30 years. It has also brought Buddy Gorentz back to the Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium stage after a gap of 13 years.
Pittsburg Community Theatre will present the show at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with a 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday.
“My last show was the PCT production of ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ as the Scarecrow,” Gorentz said.
He also played a role offstage in assisting with arranging financing for a special appearance by the late Meinhardt Raabe, who portrayed the Munchkin coroner in the 1939 hit movie “The Wizard of Oz.”
“The little kids are still talking about that, but that most of them are in college by now,” Gorentz said.
His other roles have included Brother Clarence in “Monky Business,” in which he plays a devil disguised as a monk who is trying to sabotage a fundraiser designed to save St. Bernard’s Monastery,” the captain in “Sound of Music,” a telephone repairman in “Barefoot in the Park” and Mr. Sowerberry, an undertaker in “Oliver” who employs the boy as a mourner for children’s funerals.
“My first show was ‘Camelot’ in 1990,” Gorentz said. “I played Sir Lionel, who was killed in a joust with Lancelot and brought back to life. The captain in ‘Sound of Music’ is one of my favorite roles, and Clarence was fun, too.”
But, for 13 years, he devoted himself primarily to helping start a business and developing a following for his work. Gorentz does residential and commercial interior and exterior design, and is now employed at Moore’s Furniture.
“I’ve done a lot in Joplin,” he said. “I got familiar with some developers in Joplin and they’ve contacted me for a lot of projects. It’s very rewarding.”
He’s also active in his church. So is Michael Doue, who is directing “Moon Over Buffalo” with Tony Sanchez and Faith Paoni.
“Michael and I have been working on a project at church and he asked me what I was doing this summer,” Gorentz said. “I said, ‘You’re casting a play, aren’t you?’ and he invited me to try out for the role of George Hay.” He and Hay and his wife, Charlotte are an acting duo, a couple of has-beens who never quite made it in the first place.
“It’s a very physical comedy, a once-in-a-lifetime role, and that’s kind of what enticed me,” Gorentz said.
The cast also includes Alice Hilt, Mark Johnson, Christina Parsons, Austin Cutright, Susie Lundy, John Mazurek and Micah Black.
“The cast is just amazing, I can’t say enough about them,” Gorentz said. “The three directors are really good. Sometimes it’s like the “American Idol” judges, they have to confer with one another before they tell you what they want you to do.”
He said that the show is ready to go.
“It deserves a good audience,” Gorentz said. “I hope we have good crowds. They’ll really enjoy this.”
He said that it may not be another 13 years before he appears on stage again, if another show with a good role comes along.
“I love to sing and I love to make people laugh,” Gorentz said.
Ticket information for “Moon Over Buffalo” is available by calling Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium at 231-7827.
