Feature Article December 18, 2003
LAND O' LAKES NewsWeb HomeThe Silver Screen Seniors at Pine Meadows
Back in September a group of workers and volunteers with Land O Lakes Community Services (LOLCS) and Pine Meadow Nursing Home in Northbrook decided to begin getting together weekly at Pine Meadow for a recreational theatre program. Immediately, it was clear the group had strong chemistry, and it was subsequently decided to put a performance together to bring to Seniors gatherings in the area around Christmas time.
The show they put together, a musical entertainment, Twas the Night before Christmas, is a funny, irreverent half-hour version of the famous story, set in a Seniors home. The narrator, Pam Lemke, could hardly keep up to the improvisational antics of the performers, particularly Cathy Ballar, an LOLCS Board member who played a drunken resident who dearly wanted an encounter with dear old Saint Rick (played by Pine Meadow Volunteer Rick Lobb), and Pine Meadow resident Isobel Stewart, who played her disapproving neighbour. All of the performers joined in for several musical numbers, which were doctored versions of well-known Christmas songs, such as All I want for Christmas is my two front plates, Im getting nuttin for Christmas, which features the memorable line the nurse and my daughter are mad, and Grandma got run over by a reindeer.
The Silver Screen Seniors deal with various complaints and ailments the afflict seniors in a humorous way, and, judging from the audience reception by the residents of Pine Meadow, they hit the mark more often than not.
Margaret Palimaka, a program coordinator at Pine Meadow, who started the group with Pam Lemke, was another one of the performers, along with Ruth Peck, a volunteer at the Nursing Home, and Colleen Levere, another staff member at Pine Meadow.
In the past week or so, The Silver Screen Seniors have performed at Spencer Place, at the adult Drop-in in Northbrook, and at the Sharbot Lake Seniors Home. A spring production is anticipated, although the subject matter and performance dates will come later.
We might at some point get into some more serious topics, Pam Lemke said, although we will always keep our performances light and try and make them funny.
All in all, the Silver Screen Seniors is a good idea that has turned into a venue for the performers to have a great time, and the audience to enjoy themselves as well.
