Category: News Article

I was nervous when I stepped onto the stage to audition for Seussical the Musical, but by the time I hit the last note of my audition song, I felt like a Broadway performer. What a rush! Now I know why the actors love being on stage with Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc.

I’m Joan Koehne (AKA Mrs. Mayor in Seussical). I haven’t been in a show for 20+ years, not since I
performed with my kids in the first ASPI shows. ASPI founder Nancy Byng would be amazed by the
transformation. The theater has come so far! Instead of performing at the Abrams Town Hall, ASPI has a newly renovated theater facility. Instead of performing shows written by Nancy Byng, ASPI performs intricate Broadway shows, with talented singers, dancers, and actors.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the opportunity for community members like me to participate in a
show. I am having a lot of fun. I leave behind my everyday life and become someone totally different. I get to sing, dance, and interact with “theater people” of all ages.

Since 2003, ASPI has presented so many amazing shows for the community to enjoy. None of these
performances would be possible without our valued volunteers and generous sponsors. Thank you for your generosity in the past. You have helped ASPI produce remarkable shows and upgrade its facility. In 2024, ASPI repainted the theater a stunning midnight blue, installed an outdoor, lighted ASPI sign, purchased a lawn mower, and worked on foundation and landscaping projects.

ASPI is run 100% by volunteers. The theater plays an important role in the community, offering
involvement and entertainment opportunities not found in other rural communities. So, I earnestly ask for your sponsorship, so ASPI can achieve its goals in 2025 and beyond. Please make a tax-deductible donation as a Silver, Gold, Platinum or Corporate Spotlight Sponsor. Simply complete the portion below or donate securely online by going to www.abramstheater.com and clicking “Support.” Thank you!

Sincerely,
Joan Koehne, ASPI Volunteer and Performer

Twenty-five years ago, Nancy Byng had a really big think! She thunk of a theater here in Abrams. It
started out impossibly small in the town hall with sheets and wires for curtains and Nancy writing her
own scripts. But a theater is a theater no matter how small.

Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. grew and grew to where we are today. Who knows where our theater
thinks can take us next! ASPI has been through a lot of transformations, especially the last couple of years. This year, you
probably noticed our building changed colors, and we have a lit sign facing the street. Less obvious are
the improvements we completed to the building’s foundation and exterior staircase. Plus, we now own
a super-sized, commercial riding lawnmower.

But wait, there’s more! ASPI is going beyond just a theater and shows to becoming an arts campus! Our
future is as bright as a spotlight, and it shines on us, the community. Let’s work together to really make
it shine! We invite you to be part of our theater family. Your support and generosity are what turns a
simple think into something grand.

Thanks to all of the ASPI supporters in 2024. Let’s make 2025 even more spectacular.

Bill Koehne
ASPI President

Calling all actors, actresses, and thespians! With the announcement of ASPI’s upcoming 2025 season, you must be itching to know when auditions will be held!

Here is a preview to keep you off the edge of your seat: 

• Godspell
  • Director: Elizabeth Jolly-Haslitt
  • Performances: March 13-23, 2025
  • Auditions on 12/18/2024 or 12/19/2024

Did we mention that there will be nine performances instead of the usual eight?!

• The Play that Goes Wrong
  • Director: Mike Eserkaln
  • Performances: May 8-18, 2025
  • Auditions on 1/28/2025 or 1/29/2025

A Ghost Tale for Mr. Dickens, Jr.

• Director: Bobby Buffington
• Performances: December 4-14, 2025
• Auditions in August 2025

More information regarding auditions will be shared on ASPI’s Facebook page. Be sure to follow Abrams Spotlight Productions, Inc. so you don’t miss any important announcements!

If you have any questions please call the Box Office at 920-826-5852 or visit abramstheater.com!

Woo hoo! It’s time to unveil a new season of shows for Abrams Spotlight Productions. How exciting! But how did we get this pivotal moment in the history of the universe? (I mean, the history of the theater.) Well, it takes a small community to select the shows for the large community who then presents the shows to the broader community. This is “community” theater times three!

Role of the Production Advisory Committee

Let’s look closely at the role of one of the small communities at ASPI, the Production Advisory Committee, comprised of a group of seven theater experts. The Production Advisory Committee (PAC) researches and selects the shows for ASPI to produce. Kelsey Steeno is one of the PAC members. “It is great to serve on this committee because I like to do research on shows to see what would be a good fit for this theater,” she said. “We work together as a team to put together a great season. Everyone’s input helps.”

Director Submissions & Brainstorming

The PAC, which meets in the spring and summer, helps determine the structure and schedule of the upcoming theater season, which is announced in the fall. The committee asks directors to submit their ideas and reviews the scripts that directors suggest. They also brainstorm ideas for other scripts that would be a good fit for ASPI. “There are a lot of shows that I would love to do, but the show has to fit with the theater mission and talent and audience type,” Kelsey said.

How ASPI Chooses its Shows

When selecting shows, the PAC considers a lot of different elements including director availability, cast size, number of roles for each gender and age group, royalty availability and costs, revenue calculations, and the cohesiveness of the season as a whole. One of the shows on the PAC’s “Wish List” is Mamma Mia. “This show is performed a lot, so it is harder to get rights. Plus, now it is touring again,” Kelsey said. While Mama Mia waits in the wings, ASPI unveiled three other amazing shows for the 2025 season: Godspell, The Play That Goes Wrong, and Dickens Jr. We can’t wait to see how these shows unfold.

Gathering Your Input for Community Theater

What show would you like to see performed at the Nancy Byng Community Theater? Let us know, and the Production Advisory Committee will add it to their list of possibilities.

ASPI is thrilled to announce their upcoming 2025 season! We are sure the productions will dazzle and delight cast and audiences alike!

Drumroll please…

The Productions

Godspell

Director: Elizabeth Jolly-Haslitt

Performances: March 13-23, 2025

Godspell is based on the Gospel of Matthew, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Yes, the same composer for Wicked and Pippin! This timeless tale of friendship and love is demonstrated by an eclectic group that teams up with Jesus. Using a blend of parables, songs, games, and dare we say tomfoolery, Jesus’ life is played out onstage. In this new age production Jesus’ message of kindness, tolerance, and love shines vibrantly!

And did we mention that there will be nine shows instead of the usual eight?!

The Play that Goes Wrong 

Director: Mike Eserkaln

Performances: May 8-18, 2025

The Play That Goes Wrong begins before the curtain has even been raised! After benefitting from a large and sudden inheritance, the inept and accident-prone Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society embark on producing an ambitious 1920s murder mystery, ‘Murder at Haversham Manor’. 

With the audience present while the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society prepares to stage their new production, the set is unfortunately not yet complete and there is no time to finish it off…..the show must go on!

However, the props start to disappear, actors go missing, and the set begins to collapse around, and often on, the cast. Mayhem ensues, the acting gets worse, and the set becomes increasingly dangerous. But the company struggles on regardless! The question is whether any of the cast and crew will remain standing, or conscious, by the final curtain?!

A Ghost Tale for Mr. Dickens, Jr.

Director: Bobby Buffington

Performances: December 4-14, 2025

A Ghost Tale for Mr. Dickens JR. is an adaptation of book number 44 in Mary Pope Osborne’s award-winning fantasy adventure series Magic Tree House. The book series has sold more than 100 million copies and is available in more than 100 countries around the world!

In this holiday-themed story, Jack and Annie’s tree house takes them to the foggy streets of Victorian London where they will learn the importance of charity and kindness through their friendship with legendary author Charles Dickens, who is suffering from a severe case of writer’s block. While Jack and Annie witness the hardships faced by the poor, and Mr. Dickens is haunted by sad memories of his own, they inspire Mr. Dickens to write one of the greatest holiday stories of all time! This musical puts a unique twist on a famous holiday tale!

Tickets

Ticket Prices Per Show:

Adult – $19

Senior/Youth/Veteran – $17

Season Tickets:

All 3 shows!

Adult – $51

Senior/Youth/Veteran – $45

To purchase tickets, please call the Box Office at 920-826-5852 or visit abramstheater.com!

Stay Connected

Follow ASPI on social media and don’t miss a single update on our 2025 season!

Abrams Spotlight Productions is thrilled to announce our 5th Annual Silent Auction and we need your support. This exciting event is a crucial fundraiser for ASPI, and a portion of the proceeds will go towards our “Light the Way” Capital Campaign. Our goal is to upgrade the theater’s lighting system and give our theater building a fresh new look. Your contribution will make a real difference!

In 2020, the ASPI Silent Auction was introduced as a response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. With the inability to stage live shows for the community, there arose a critical need to find alternative means of generating funds to sustain the theater operations. Thus, the Silent Auction was conceptualized and has since garnered increasing interest and support each year!

During the initial weekend of December 2023, the production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr. coincided with the auction that raised an impressive $5200 from more than 165 donations. The event was bustling with numerous bids and exciting bidding wars for the most sought-after items.

Brigette Finger, the volunteer coordinator for the auction, is eagerly anticipating this year’s event. She has been involved with ASPI for 11 years. “Almost everyone in my family has been onstage at one point or another, and we’ve all helped behind the scenes-ushering, cleaning, painting, building- just general volunteer work. I love that we can enjoy ASPI as a family, and I value the friendships that I’ve built over the years.”

Brigette mentioned that some popular items in the past included a charcuterie board, a sunset sailing excursion, and her “famous” chocolate-covered peanut butter balls (which sold for $125 last year!) Gift cards consistently sold at face value or even more, and there were intense bidding wars for memorable props from previous shows, such as the Haynes sisters’ blue peacock feathers from White Christmas (she is still a little sad she didn’t win this coveted prop). When asked about the importance of donating items this year, she said, “it’s really easy! If you have an item that you’d like to donate for the auction, contact us and we will arrange a time to pick it up. If you want to donate something, but aren’t sure what or don’t have time to figure it out… we also accept cash donations to help offset the fees charged by the online auction website.”

ASPI is currently accepting donations for this year’s auction. We are in need of baskets, gift cards, and various services. If you are unable to put together a donation, you can contribute money which will be used to purchase gift cards. For inquiries or to donate items, you can contact the theater at theater.aspi@gmail.com or by calling the box office at 920-826-5852. We will gladly arrange for the pick-up of any donated items.

The 5th annual Silent Auction will open on Wednesday, December 11th at noon and close on Sunday, December 15th at 8 pm. Please mark your calendars!

CANCELLED: October 25 & 26, 2024

24 Hour Theater is an exciting collaborative creative event. Within 24 hours, we will write and produce a 60 – 90 minute performance from scratch. The production will consist of a series of short plays. Length and number of plays will be determined by how many people participate.

This event is for anyone interested in participating in theater creation.

No experience is necessary.

In fact, this offers the perfect opportunity for people to try something new.

Never acted before? Learn 10 lines in a short play!

Never written anything before? How about writing a short play in a time limit, surrounded by a group of creative folks around to support and inspire you!

Never directed anything before? Practice with a short 10-minute play!

This is a collaborative event. We need writers, actors and directors. Anyone can do any of these things, you can even do multiple things if you want. Want to write and direct? Great! Want to act and write? Awesome? Want to try all three? Go for it!

Here’s the schedule:

Friday October 25th 7:00 p.m. Everyone gets together at the theater. We randomly assign writers with 2 – 5 actors and a director. Ice-breaking activities will kickstart the creative process, after which the writers work on crafting short plays. They have until 7:00 a.m.

Saturday October 26th from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. we’ll be doing all the rest of the things that need to happen for a play to be produced. Rehearsing and memorizing lines, finding props and costumes, and managing technical aspects like lighting and sound cues.

Saturday 7:00 p.m. we present what we’ve created.

The crowd loves us and we’ve all grown as artists. Cheers!

ASPI Launches ‘Paint and Perform’ Fundraising Campaign

Volunteers have transformed the look of the Nancy Byng Community Theater from a quaint country church to a contemporary theater venue. Repainting the former church building was a momentous task, requiring a group of hardworking volunteers, 30 gallons of paint, a boom lift, and favorable weather. All of these elements came together in late June. As a result, the white building at 5852 Maple St., Abrams, turned a stunning midnight blue.

Home of the Nancy Byng Community Theater

The Nancy Byng Community Theater has been home to Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. since 2007. The former St. Louis Catholic Church was built in 1927 and has been fully renovated into a community theater venue. The white exterior siding was showing its age, so the nonprofit theater organization decided to repaint the entire building and replace the vinyl siding on the steeple.

A Long-Term Asset to the Community

Bill Koehne, President of the ASPI Board, said the transformation does more than just beautify the theater’s exterior.

“The new paint not only makes the theater look good and establishes our brand, it also lets people know this is a long-term asset to the community. The theater is not just somebody’s short-term hobby,” he said.

Volunteers Undertake Momentous Painting Project

The Church had been white with blue trim, but now those colors are reversed for a contemporary, nonchurch-like look. Volunteer David Jolly coordinated and supervised the painting project over multiple weeks.

“A project of this scope requires a lot of time and hard work, and we’re grateful for the volunteers who spent long days working in the heat to get the theater repainted,” Jolly said. “The theater looks great, and we’re excited to welcome people to this beautiful place to experience live entertainment.”

Paint Job Involves Multi-Step Process

Jolly and his volunteer crew strategically planned the painting project to avoid multiple rain storms. They completed the work in stages. First, volunteers removed the gutters and hardware from the theater. Next, they used long-handled brushes to scrub the exterior with a mix of vinegar and dish soap to break down the chalk residue of the old paint on the aluminum siding. After pressure washing the exterior, they covered and taped off the soffits, trim, a dozen windows, doors, and other parts of the building they didn’t want painted blue. This prep work took several days and several volunteers to complete.

Adam Surber, an ASPI parent volunteer, provided the painting equipment and 14 hours of labor to paint the building. Sherman Williams generously discounted the paint to about half-price.

Re-Siding Steeple & Painting the Trim

Once the painting was completed, volunteers removed the tape and plastic covering. Local contractor DLE Concrete and Remodeling came in to re-side the steeple area with midnight blue siding to match the rest of the exterior. The final step will be to scrape, sand, prime, and paint the trim. The white trim creates a bright contrast to the midnight blue exterior. Oftentimes, one project leads to another. The next theater improvement projects will involve landscaping, gutters, and foundation work.

‘Paint and Perform’ Fundraising Campaign

To help cover the costs of the repainting project, ASPI launched a “Paint and Perform” fundraising campaign. ASPI hopes to raise $10,000, and a generous donor who will match the first $1,000 that ASPI receives. Donors can give a financial gift by clicking the support tab.

“Ticket sales alone don’t cover the costs of operating a theater,” Koehne said. “That’s why we’re so thankful to people and businesses that support the arts and enable us to bring great performances to the stage.”