Arts & Entertainment
St. Alphonsus Variety Show Brought Community Together
Former cast members and participants will hold a reunion, which is open to the public, at the church Sunday, Sept. 29.
Greendale residents and members of St. Alphonsus Church back in the 1970s might recall the church’s annual variety show, where parishioners sang, danced and acted like the stars of the times.
On Sunday, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. in the church’s community room, variety show members will hold a reunion of sorts, not only for the surviving participants in the shows – nearly 500 total played a role in the shows over the years – but also for the show’s fans.
The celebration is part of the church’s 75th anniversary, which of course, coincides with the Village’s storied history. The reunion is free and open to the public.
There will be film clips, pictures and cast members, as well as light refreshments.
Cindy Ahrens said the annual variety show was a way for the church to bring people together, and even made St. Alphonsus stand out among its peers.
“We developed a reputation; everyone knew when we were putting on our next show,” Ahrens said. “It was a fun thing to do. It was cheap, weekend entertainment, but people enjoyed it.”
The actors would do songs, dances and skits, often from popular Broadway shows of the time. Parishioners not only made up the cast, they made the costumes and did the actors’ makeup.
“It was all amateurs – some of them had great singing talents – and it ran on Saturday and Sunday night,” Ahrens said. “We’d do a show on Thursday or Friday, a dress rehearsal, and way back then we charged maybe a buck or two.”
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