June 7-16, 1974, The Little Theatre of Northern Wells presented the musical comedy, Li'l Abner, based on the Al Capp comic strip. Along with a cameo appearance as the President, I starred as Pappy Yokum.
As I browse through the program and script notes and newspaper clippings in 2023, I am impressed at how much about this show I have forgotten. For example, I have always thought that Denny Bechtelheimer directed this production, but it turns out he was going to direct, and did advanced planning and auditioning and the casting with that intent, but scheduling issues led him to step down to being "only" the Musical Director, leading the orchestra and choreographing the dance numbers. Don Stewart functioned as the show's Director: "Dewey, I want to thank you for being in the cast of 'Li'l Abner'. I thoroughly enjoyed you and your characterization of Pappy. You have good stage presence and a lot of talent. Keep up the good work! -Don"
Things I DO Remember:
- Filling in for a missing castmate in a minor role during one rehearsal and having everyone in stitches and the director wishing I could do that bit in the performances
- Abby Dormire (Mammy Yokum) getting sick between weekends and her part being taken over by Denny's sister, Cheryl
- Cheryl making a circle with the forefinger and thumb of her left hand and inserting the forefinger of her right hand on the line "That's the time between when the gal sez 'Shore do' and the preacher sez 'Go to'!"
- "A wiry Pappy Yokum was created by Dewey Roth of Markle" [Laura Pipino - News Sentinel]
