Over-55 theater troupe gives seniors creative outlet

Gail Romero made subtle gestures with her hand as she sang the old pop standard "Blues in the Night" into the mic in front of other members of Speeding Theatre — Over 55.

"My momma done told me, when I was in pigtails," she crooned to karaoke accompaniment, using Ella Fitzgerald-style inflections.

About 20 members attended the Oct. 6 rehearsal inside a training/meeting room at Rebel Automotive, 975 American Pacific Drive, in preparation for planned performances over the next several months.

"Right now, we've got outreach shows coming up with the veterans and at senior living facilities," said Phil Randall, artistic director. "At our performances, we do monologues, we do jokes, we sing, and we've got a magician."

The all-senior troupe shows no signs of slowing down with such shows, but it has put the brakes on mounting plays due primarily to financial concerns, said Sandy Runkle, founding member and former president of the group.

The rising cost of renting a venue combined with paying for costumes, royalty fees, props and other expenses has made it cost-prohibitive to put on plays, Runkle said.

"I have looked throughout this county," said Runkle, who left the group in January after helping start it in 2011. "I have researched every place. There's no place that we can afford to rent or that's available for us."

The troupe has received grants and donations since gaining nonprofit status in 2012, but the funds would not be enough to cover the anticipated expenses for a play, Runkle said.

The group hopes to ultimately find a venue so it could perform "The Cemetery Club," a dramatic comedy by Samuel French, Randall said.

Paying for rehearsal space is not a concern because the group is able to use the Rebel Automotive room free, members said.

The Speeding Theatre's board formed in 2011 with five members after UNLV's senior theater department was discontinued due to funding cuts earlier that year, Runkle said. She and other founding members of Speeding Theatre had participated in the department's programs and were saddened when they ended because they offered a creative and a social outlet, Runkle said.

"Many of our widows and widowers, this was their life," she said.

But Speeding Theatre offers a social component, too, one that is appreciated by members, whether they have a spouse or not. One couple said participation in the group was a fun way to spend time with each other.

"The best part is we do this together as seniors," said Debbie Lindemann, referring to her husband, Bob Lindemann, a fellow member of the group.

Bob Lindemann, who was a computer programmer for 30 years, said he used to only attend performances until he noticed that the troupe needed technical assistance.

"Some of the shows they were doing, I realized they really needed someone dedicated to sound," he said.

Now he helps in that capacity and also tailors karaoke music to suit members' needs.

Marian Michaels, the board's vice president, said for her, being a member is a way to finally live her childhood dream.

"I've always wanted to sing when I was a kid, but then life happened," she said. "I wound up working in corporate America (for 25 years); I was a salesperson. After I retired, I started pursuing performing."

For Romero, entertaining an audience helps her get centered, she said.

"The one thing that I find about singing and acting is that if you do it well, you get to stay in the moment, which is really difficult in life," she said. "Once you're in the moment, nothing else matters. It's like the best feeling in the world."

Speeding Theatre holds workshops and rehearsals at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Rebel Automotive. People who join the group can perform or lend a hand with behind-the-scenes work, said Howard Shapiro, president of the board. Volunteering in either capacity has its perks, he said.

"We show people their life doesn't end after 50; it's a whole new beginning," Shapiro said. "There's people who are sitting at home not knowing what to do with themselves."

There is no fee to join the group, but members can make a $10 monthly donation if they choose.

Speeding Theatre's upcoming performances include: 3 to 4 p.m. Nov. 6 at Silver Sky Assisted Living, 8220 Silver Sky Circle; 6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 11 at Pacifica Senior Living, 2620 Robindale Road; 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at Montara Meadows, 3150 E. Tropicana Ave.; 6 to 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at Atria Sutton, 3185 E. Flamingo Road; 10 to 11 a.m. Jan. 18 at Nevada Adult Day Healthcare, 8695 S. Eastern Ave.; and 6 to 7 p.m. Feb. 26 at Las Vegas Meadows, 2900 S. Valley View Blvd.

Visit speedingtheatre.org.

— To reach Henderson View reporter Cassandra Keenan, email ckeenan@viewnews.com or call 702-383-0278. Find her on Twitter: @CassandraKNews.