April 28, 2004
Rotary rolls out rollicking show
Rotary Show opens tonight at Lars Hockstad
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Rollicking, entertaining and boisterous are just a few of the adjectives that describe the annual Rotary Show.
Tonight for the 62nd year, the Rotary Show will kick off its four-day run at the Lars Hockstad Auditorium, offering the unique combination of humor, hijinks and hilarity that make it a sell out every year.
Featuring 15 skits and the renowned Rotary Chorus, the show will skewer social and political events from the local, state and national scene. People are not exempt from ribbing as this year's show will feature an appearance by presidential contender John Kerry as well as his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry.
TJ Kroupa will portray Kerry and helped write the skit as well as later duet between the husband and wife team. Every year, Kroupa mines the Internet as well as other satirists' works, reworking the words a bit, to create his material.
Acquiring a reputation as a presidential specialist, Kroupa played President Clinton and the first President George Bush in previous shows.
"The greatest challenge with Kerry is that I don't look anything like him and I don't think anybody does either," said Kroupa, a longtime Rotary member. "I don't know how much I'll sound like Kerry, but I pay attention and he usually wears a pink tie. The little details are important so that even if you don't look like him you personify him."
The Rotary Show is a fund-raiser for the Rotary Good Works fund, which funds a wide variety of community activities.
Last year, for example, the $70,000 raised provided a new timing board for the Traverse City Swim Club, funded new tutor training workshops for the Grand Traverse Literacy Council, allowed some World War II veterans to visit Washington, D.C., and helped grief support programs at Michael's Place.
"A lot of the focus [of the Good Works fund] is on young people," said Marsha Smith, executive director of Rotary Charities. "The show is a great opportunity for us to have a good time, to build camaraderie in the community and to spread some good works amongst good causes in the community."
Once again Bryan Crough is in the director's chair - though this year he termed his title production organizer - and Don Fraser will keep things moving as the emcee.
Nearly all members of the Rotary Club get involved in the show, many meeting on Saturday mornings for months to create and refine skits and write music and songs.
"Everybody does their part, I don't really have to write anything," said Crough, who has directed the show for eight years. "We have an idea meeting and they go out and write it up and bring it back. Then we look at it and tear it apart."
However, even after a skit gets the thumbs up, Crough is notorious for pulling acts at the last minute. The final line up for the show will be determined by Tuesday evening at the latest.
"I've been known to leave stuff in until the night before," said Crough, who serves as the executive director of the Downtown Development Authority. "I think it's a good show, between moving the zoo and the discussion about Bata, there's plenty to talk about in this community."
The 62nd Annual Rotary Show will be held April 28-May 1 at the Hockstad Auditorium, each show starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 and are available at the door or in advance at American Spoon Foods and Petertyl Drugs downtown, the Terrace Shopper on Munson Avenue and Holiday Shopper in Acme. For more information, call the Rotary Club at 941-5421.