That idea eventually morphed into the Young at Heart Players, an intergenerational theater troupe that’s been entertaining audiences of all ages ever since. In addition to staged dramas, the group also performs as outreach entertainment at venues throughout the Miami Valley.
To celebrate its silver anniversary, YAHP is presenting “The Wild Women of Winedale” at the Dayton Theatre Guild June 13-22.
“Because this year is special, I wanted to select a play with a fairly large cast,” said Pesch. “This comedy celebrates new beginnings, friendship, and forgiveness. It follows three wild women who are all at a crossroads in their lives: Fanny, Director of Outreach at The Museum of Virginia, is feeling anxious over a milestone birthday; Willa is finding unique ways to cope with the stress of her nursing job and Jef has had an unfortunate encounter with a sinkhole.”
Pesch said these extraordinary characters come up with delightful and surprisingly unorthodox ways to declutter their lives, their homes and their relationships so they can move on, proving it’s never too late to start over.
“Throughout the play, we also meet a series of women who are being interviewed by Fanny for a video project on defining moments that changed the women’s lives,” Pesch said.
The acting experience
Actor Barb Jorgensen has performed in at least 10 YAHP shows and said all her experiences have been positive.
“There are fewer meaty parts for older women these days and Fran has give us a voice and a platform,” she said. “At the first read-through of ‘The Wild Women of Winedale’ I was surrounded by women I’ve known and worked with for years. There was a warm, comforting feeling among us. Thanks to Fran, we are being given another opportunity to do what we love to do.”
Jorgensen admits she hates to audition and likes the fact that Pesch doesn’t hold auditions for her plays.
“The rehearsal and run times are really shorter and I’ve been giving some amazing, challenging roles that have allowed me to grow and to stretch myself as an actor.”
Becky Howard would agree. She is relatively new to the group and notes its fierce independence and desire to provide a theatre experience that spans generations.
“Fran always chooses fun, yet challenging works,” said Howard. “She is also an excellent dialect coach and never shies away from a play with very specific accents. And she puts great trust in an actor’s instincts, making each production a real collaborative effort.”
The youngest person involved in the troupe is Pesch’s granddaughter, Emma Meyer, a rising senior at the University of Dayton. She will be designing and running lights and has worked on three other YAHP productions.
Appearing in the upcoming production are Adee McFarland, Barbara Jorgensen, Becky Howard, Gail Andrews Turner, Gayle Smith, Jackie Pfeifer, Kathy Campbell and Pam McGinnis and Kerry Simpson.
Among the challenges
Pesch said the troupe looks for plays with substance, oftentimes dealing with issues affecting seniors, “although love, loss, insecurity and friendship are issues affecting us all.”
Adjustments are required. Pesch said seniors may have a harder time with memorization and need more time to learn their lines.
“Hearing and/or vision difficulties are not uncommon, and patience is a virtue that needs to be practiced by all. Every effort must be made to help keep those individuals active and involved as long as possible.”
One case in point was well-known actor Virginia Garcia.
“When her vision deteriorated, we provided her with extra-large print scripts and gave them to her very early, so that she could be familiar with her lines before the first rehearsal,” Pesch said. “She was usually off book by that time since it was not easy for her to find her place in the script in a timely manner during rehearsals.”
She said life imitated art for the several years Jerry Pesch, Fran’s husband, chauffeured Garcia from her home in Spring Valley to rehearsals, mimicking the the role she played in “Driving Miss Daisy.' Fortunately for Dayton audiences, Virginia was able to perform with YAHP for five years.
Another challenge over the years has been finding a stage for performances. YAHP has no permanent home.
“It is rare when we know when or where our next production will be,” said Pesch. “For several years, we were able to perform in theaters rent free or at reduced prices ... we would donate any set construction supplies purchased to the theatre and a percentage of our profit to both the theater and non-profit organizations.”
But these days, she said, in addition to rental prices being high and extended theatre seasons, performance spaces are limited. “When they are available, we usually only have one to four days to put up a set, program light and sound cues. At non-theatrical venues, we’ve had to carry in our own lighting and sound equipment.”
Other challenges over the years have included:
- Having to rent chairs for a theater two days before opening because the old seats had been removed so the new seats could be installed.
- Conducting a final dress rehearsal via a conference call due to an ice storm and no electricity in the theater.
- Being locked out of Wegerzyn’s Dayton Playhouse due to tornado damage less than a week before opening. The troupe had to receive special permission to go into the theatre to get costumes and props.
Happy audiences
Dennis and Kathy Turner of Dayton are among those who are great fans of the company.
“These actors have years of experience and wisdom and the ability to produce fascinating characters,” Dennis said. “It would be a shame if all that talent was not available to the play-going audience. The productions are also inspiring for us older folks who liked the message that life still holds possibilities.”
A retired University of Dayton law school professor, Dennis said seeing the plays has benefited him personally by introducing him to actors he was able to use in some of his law school programs.
“The actors portrayed witnesses and clients and did a magnificent job of bringing reality to our law students.”
Finally, said Turner, many of these actors have worked together previously, and their ability to make an exciting ensemble is amazing."
Pesch said her company helps dispel the myths of agism.
“Theater is meant to enlighten, educate and entertain. This is our hope for our audiences — that they have benefitted from their time with us. It is hoped that YAHP has positively affected people of all ages in addition to providing theatrical opportunities for seniors.
“It may sound hokey, but I try to live by my two favorite sayings: ‘I will pass this way but once...’ and ‘Go for it, Life is not a dress rehearsal.’”
HOW TO GO
What: “The Wild Women of Winedale” presented by the Young at Heart Players
Where: Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Ave.
When: June 13-22. There are 7:30 p.m. shows on Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. matinees on Sundays
Admission: $15 for adults; $12 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the door. Cash or check only. Open seating.
Other: “The Wild Women of Winedale” is not a Dayton Theatre Guild production. For reservations or additional information, contact Fran Pesch at (937) 654-0400 or visit youngatheartplayers.com.
About the Author
