Rotary 13 members and guests gathered in The Kill Devil Club at 14th and Main with select individuals participating remotely via Facebook Live. President-Elect Tom Davis brought the assembly to order at 12:12pm with an explanation of his filling in for President Eric Bubb. (Eric had shoulder surgery this same day.) Charlie Huffman and Carl Bolte led the group in singing Welcome to Rotary and God Bless America with attendees joining in from their seats. President-Elect Tom continued with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by Cara Hu expressing gratitude for food, faith, and friends as an invocation.
Mandy Sheldon acknowledged Visiting Rotarians Nikki Privitera (Grove, OK), Josif Bojovic (Evanston, IL), and former member Courtney Brooks (Kansas City, KS). Club 13 observed two member anniversaries this week: Jerry Cooke, 30 years; and Nick Pryor, 2 years. Sick Bay roster included Al Tikwart who has relocated to Addington Place in Prairie Village—Al welcomes afternoon visitors—and Eric Bubb as mentioned earlier.
P-E Tom noted that the door greeters today were members of the International Committee and indicated his thanks. He further shared that a meeting schedule change in response to 5th Thursdays would begin later this month. Since this calendar feature occurs about 4 times a year (who knew?), it creates an opportunity to mix up the format and place of our gatherings to overlap with the Satellite Club meeting time. The first instance of this will be on 30 March. In lieu of the lunch meeting that day, the Club will gather at Minsky’s Pizza at 5105 Main Street between 5:30pm and 6:30pm.
Tom Woolwine and Past President Tony Andresen spoke from the front of the room for updates on Greater Kansas City Day and the Rotary Regatta. Club 13’s support of the KC Monarchs continues with sponsorship opportunities, team hat sales, and vouchers for tickets at games this season. The home opener is 19 May, so please mark your calendars. This year’s regatta on Lake Jacomo will expand to three days, September 22-23-24, per the suggestion of our partner organization the Jacomo Sailing Club. The goal for count of participating boats is over 20, and the net earnings target is $25K. If you know someone who loves baseball or loves sailing, please let them know about these activities to support the budget of the Rotary Youth Camp. Detailed information about GKCD and RYC Regatta appears on the table handouts in the room.
Past President Sally Bibb rose to announce that the club is planning a trip to the New Theatre Restaurant to see their production of Million Dollar Quartet. This dramatic recreation of the 1956 meeting of Elvis, Jerry Lee, Johnny, and Carl Perkins in Sun Studios is an audience favorite. Dinner and performance cost $53 per person for the 23 May event, with a ClubRunner message coming out shortly.
Next week, the Ramblin’ Rotarians head to Independence, MO on the 28th. As noted above, the lunchtime meeting on the 30th is replaced by Minsky’s in the evening. The Sleep in Heavenly Peace build day still needs about 8 more volunteers for 1 April. Lastly, the district conference in April includes a membership dinner on 28 April at our Rotary Youth Camp.
At 12:28pm, P-E Tom invited PP Tony Andresen to introduce the day’s guest speaker to the group. Owner-Operator Dennis Hennessy formed the New Theatre and Restaurant in the early 1970s and grew it into a formidable institution now operating in Overland Park. Owing to pandemic complications, today was the third—and finally successful—scheduling of Mr. Hennesey’s presentation. He attended Ruskin High School here in Kansas City, then UMKC, and continued his studies at The Goodman School of Drama and Harvard University. While showing some interest in performances as early as kindergarten, it was Patricia McIlrath of UMKC that solidified his interest in things theatrical and set him on the trajectory that he has since followed.
During the early 1970’s dinner theaters were the rage, and Hennessy and his coworker Richard Carrothers were ambitious young men. They left their positions at the Jewish Community Center’s theater program and with the help and financing of their families, set to work converting an old laundry facility South of the Plaza into a space called Tiffany’s Attic. It was a success out of the gate, with 3 months of performances filled by the time the first show opened. This momentum allowed them to acquire and re-open the Waldo Theatre and operate it concurrently into the early 1990s.
Over time, Hennessy observed his core audience base moving into the suburbs outside of Kansas City, and he elected to follow them. The renovated Glenwood Theatre became their new, sole home from which they have operated over the last three decades. While they maintain production shops in the Crossroads and performer lodging in the vicinity of the theater, their public visibility is owing to the 600-seat performance and dining space that hosts their annual subscribers. The pandemic wreaked havoc on their business model, for both assembly spaces and eateries could not conduct normal business for many months. Additionally, underlying costs changed, staff became harder to find and train, and some patrons showed apprehension about gathering again. But the New Theatre team has worked to rebuild their audience base and are again filling most seats for most shows in 2023.
Mr. Hennessy responded to a range of audience questions, including war stories about select performers (high praise for Don Knotts and Morgan Fairchild), the number of season subscribers (about 25,000), the usual show production schedule (3 weeks of rehearsal, a preview week, then run of show), and how his time producing in Hollywood gave him the income to re-invest in The New Theatre. When asked if he would ever retire, he noted that as a sensible 81-year-old, he has a succession plan already in place. P-E Tom then thanked Mr. Hennessy for his informative remarks.
Upcoming club meetings include next Thursday night at Minsky’s, our 6 April lunch with Katherine Holland of the KC Sports Commission, and our 13 April lunch with Sean Putney of the KC Zoo.
At 12:55pm, P-E Tom shared the following with the group:
“Each new day is a new scene with new acts and roles to portray. The sets always change. You come across new dialogue and lines to exchange with others. Scripts are improvised. But the beauty is in that every day, you are constantly learning who you are and how others around you are.” Melody Joy, choreographer, writer, and actor
The 4-Way Test closed the session.
Please join the Rotary Book Discussion Group for the discussion of the book Booth by Karen Joy Fowler. The book is available at Rainy Day Books and the discussion will be led by Vivien Jennings. All Rotarians and guests are welcome. The group will meet at Rainy Day Books, however, Zoom will be available for those you cannot attend in person.
@rotaryclub13
@rotary13
@rotaryclub13
