Summer Theater in Park Premiered With Delightful Musical “Two by Two”

By Betty O’Neal Giboney

Raintree County Opera House Guild’s Summer Theater in the Park premiered Tuesday night with the delightful Richard Rodgers musical “Two by Two.”

Presented in the Shelter House of Memorial Park, “Two by Two” will be repeated today and Saturday at 8 p.m. on Thursday, “Star-Spangled Girl” will have its premier performance of the season and it will be repeated on Friday.

The Shelter House, which lends itself admirably to theater-in-the-round, was well filled Tuesday as Noah’s story unfolded—or, at least Noah’s story as the author, Peter Stone, imagined it. At that, the play has good Biblical references as Noah studiously writes the chapters of Genesis which pertain to him and his family.

Then God steps in, in the form of lightning and thunder, and Noah, with specific directions from his Mentor , begins construction of the Ark with the help of—and some difference of opinion with—his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Well, it’s all al lot of fun, getting the imaginary animals on board, and particularly getting Japheth, the youngest son, married.

Dick Willis, director for the company, played again the role of Noah which he previously had played with First Nighters, Inc. His portrayal is a masterpiece.

But then, his sons, Phil Barr as Shem, the oldest son; Jim Baird as Ham, the Middle son, and Mike Fleming as Japheth, the youngest, were a good match for Willis as Noah.

The women were equally as strong with Vickie Willis as Esther, Noah’s wife; Vickie Horn as Leah, the vixenish wife of Shem; Diane Crisp, with a lovely voice, as the wife of Ham; and Kathy Thompson as Goldie, the luscious blond who appears just in time to get aboard the ark before the 40 days and 40 nights of rain. All but Miss Thompson are members of the regular repertory company.

Dick Willis directed the play with Della Mae Tronchuk directing the music and playing the piano. Bob Garner was at the organ and Chris Dudley played drums.

Special mention must be made of the colorful costumes. Theresa Gorenz, Diane Selvy and Vicki Willis are given program credit as costumers.

Besides tonight and Saturday, “Two by Two” will be repeated again on July 29 and Aug. 11.