By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
In Salina, senior citizens continuously participate in community events, from sewing classes at the local Senior Center to spreading laughter through theater.
The Salina Senior Theatre Project, founded by director Bob Sears, began in 2021 after Sears approached a creative writing group at the Salina Senior Center for some script ideas.
There, one of the writers in the group, Carol Bragg, met with Sears and joined the project the next day after meeting with Salina Senior Center director Rosie Walter.
"I've met some wonderful people that I would never have had the opportunity to meet," Bragg said.
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Sears said from a young age, older adults positively impacted his life, often providing support and encouragement through his early career.
While studying at Barton County Community College, during Sears' first year, he took a directing class requiring students to pick and direct a show.
"My first show was a seniors show called 'Spirit,'" Sears said. "It was about a restaurant and people who enjoy holding seances, throwing pizza parties, doing anything against the rules and driving the management crazy."
The show focused on comedy, which Sears said most of the shows he directs usually have a humorous twist. The project's upcoming production, "Feeble Fables," continues this trend.
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Sears described the show as a twist on classic fairy tales like "The Three Little Pigs" and "Red Riding Hood," where the adventures put characters into new, comedic situations.
One of the production's actresses, Taffy Speilman, who will portray the Straw Pig, described acting with the Senior Theatre Project as a release for her and the audience.
"We have so much fun together," Speilman said. "(It's great) when you can sit there and laugh and have fun."
Bragg agreed with this sentiment and said one of her favorite aspects is causing joy for her audience.
"I like making people laugh," Bragg said. "If I can make somebody forget about their troubles for a half hour to 45 minutes, then I feel fulfilled."
Bragg will portray the grandmother during the "Little Red Riding Hood" tale in "Feeble Fables."
For actress Terry Levin, who will portray Little Red Riding Hood in the production, the Senior Theatre Project impacted her personally, allowing her to follow a long-waiting passion for the stage.
Levin said in high school, she often acted in school plays and even studied theatre in college before switching to social services. She described some of her best memories from school happened in connection with the stage.
"I'm 61, and I didn't think I'd ever act again or do anything like that — so this was just a real treat," Levin said.
The Salina Senior Theatre Project will perform "Feeble Fables" by Bob Naquin at 7 p.m. on Oct. 27 and 28 at the Salvation Army, 1137 N. Santa Fe Avenue.
Tickets for the show will go on sale Monday, Oct. 16, starting at $8 for advance tickets purchased at the Salina Senior Center. Tickets will cost $10 at the door on show nights.
The Cast
** SSTP Debut
Narrator#1-Jennifer Sutton **
Red Riding Hood- Terri Levin **
Big Bad Wolf- Wally Hitchcock **
Butterfly-Marion Duer
Nana/Giant-Carol Bragg
Narrator#2- Bob Hunter
StrawPig/Narrator#3-Taffy Speilman
Stick Pig-Laurie Moravec **
Brick Pig /Narrator#4- Kala Hurde
Wolf/Fire Chief/Building Inspector-Dennis Kresin **
Jackie-Connie Gibson **
Horse-Don B **
Jackie's Mom-Matilda Stauffer**
Maggie-Tammy Conner**
Ant- Mary Yarnall**
Grasshopper-Shirley Toney**