The performers of the “Those Were The Days” Radio Players of Lake County gave two patriotic performances on June 28 during the day’s theme of the “250th Anniversary of Our Country” at Resurrection Church, Woodstock.
Emotions were high amongst the 40 attendees when hearing a re-enactment of the United States forefathers’ debates about signing the Declaration of Independence during a historical “You Are There” production. Then, there were plenty of giggles listening to the antics during the “Our Miss Brooks Takes a Vacation” radio play.
The group has performed before at Resurrection Parish at the invitation of the Senior Club’s coordinators, Kris Rogers and Penny Kirchhoff. The added bonus is that one of their fellow parishioners, Linda Hardeland, is part of the ensemble of the “Those Were The Days” Radio Players.
Hardeland says she has been a member of Resurrection since 1984, even before the current church was built. “This is really a very special and small parish family,” she says.
As far as being a performer with the group, Hardeland said she’s an amateur and did some performing back in college and with the Old Town Players in Chicago. “I’ve been performing with this group for about 20 years and really have fun with it.
Better yet, it’s great to be reading the scripts.”
Just before the June 28 performances began, performer Steve Dillie, a member of the group since 1992, shared historical information about what the audience was about to hear.
“In 1947 after World War II ended, the CBS radio operations created an entertaining historical drama show called ‘You Are There’,” said Dillie. “Real CBS news reporters would present an old news story as if they were reporting at the scene of the historic event.” He added that, sadly, last month, CBS shut down their radio operations after just shy of 100 years.
“Our show is the vote for the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, and the show originally aired July 4, 1948, almost 78 years ago. They present interviews with people on both sides of the Declaration of Independence, as well as some people who are caught up in the events. There are 29 parts in this show and only 9 of us, so some performers will have multiple roles.”
Regarding the “Our Miss Brooks Takes a Vacation” episode, Dillie said, ‘Today’s show is entitled ‘July 4th Trip to Eagle Springs’ that was originally broadcast on July 3, 1949.”
It seems likely that future Senior Club events will include the performers once again. The club extended an invitation: “We welcome all parishioners to attend our events every other month on Thursday afternoons,” said Rogers. “Jim Hall presents music from all eras and we have a lot of fun.”
Sandy Stillings Seehausen attended the patriotic performances, and she says she enjoys the senior group, too, when she can attend, explaining, “I try to get to some of the lunches, but that’s the same day I work at the Crystal Lake Food Pantry, which our parish supports.” In addition, the senior group meets once a month on Wednesdays for lunch at an area restaurant.
For more information on Resurrection Parish’s Senior Club and its events, visit https://resurrectionwoodstock.church/index.php/senior-club/ or email [email protected]
