By Dedra Cordle
Staff Writer
Genny Cline (far right) gets a side-eye and other incredulous reactions thrown her way from her fellow choir members when she fields a phone call during a performance. But before many think her rude for her faux pas, she and the rest of her Showstoppers Acting Group are really rehearsing a scene from their holiday play, “The Christmas Choir,” which will take place on Dec. 7 and 8, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
The members of a shall remain nameless church choir were feeling rather good after singing what they believed to be an amazing rendition of the popular Christmas carol, ‘It Came upon the Midnight Clear.’
“That’s the best we’ve ever done,” said one member.
“Sterling, if you ask me,” said George.
But those big smiles after that tricky carol soon turned to big frowns when they realized that Michelle, their choir director, had slumbered throughout their performance.
Fearing that their vocal showcase did not have quite the impact that they had hoped, the once exuberant bunch soon found fault with those in different rows.
“You have a tin tongue,” said Laraine after accusing a fellow choir member of pitchy verbal sounds.
A rejoinder comparing Laraine’s vocal prowess to a bloodhound with its tail caught in a blender followed.
Though thankfully no punches were thrown nor were air bites met with the skin of an unsuspecting choir member, a volley of insults continued to fly across the room like food during a rough holiday dinner.
“We normally don’t quarrel this much,” said Genny Cline later to much laughter.
The explanation for this wild and out-of-character behavior is this: Cline and those fellow squabbling church choir members are actually members of The Showstoppers, a noted acting group from the E.L. Evans Senior Center, who were doing a rehearsal of their upcoming holiday performance of “Christmas Choir” by Pat Cook. The play, which was last shown by the Showstoppers in 2005, tells the tale of a clearly dysfunctional group of choir members who try to get it together in time for an upcoming performance in front of their congregation.
Adrian Jahn, the director of the play, said she has a sneaking suspicion that the normally pleasant and even-tempered members of the acting group are relishing the words spewing from their characters a bit too much.
“They get to say whatever they want and get away with it,” she said with a grin.
Connie Price, who has been performing with Showstoppers for eight years, said “Christmas Carol” is very enjoyable but she loves the ending where, spoiler alert, they manage to get it together and give a beautiful rendition of ‘It Came upon the Midnight Clear.’
“That’s my favorite part,” she said, “where they put aside their differences and all come together in the end.”
She said she hopes that the audience will find as much humor, meaning and joy in their upcoming holiday show as much as the cast already does.
The Showstoppers Acting Group will be presenting “Christmas Choir” on Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. The performances will be hosted at The Evans Center, which is located at 4330 Dudley Ave. in Grove City.
Admission to the performances is free to the public, but donations to the Grove City Food Pantry are accepted and encouraged.
