On Saturday, May 4, Elsie Morse passed away after a long battle with cancer.  Elsie was a founding member of The Players, deeply involved both on stage as an actress and off stage as a director, a member of the Board of Directors, a costumer, a lighting designer, and even a set designer, although she swore after Peter Pan she would never do that job again. She began the Kids’ Theater Workshop as co-director with Maye Hart in 2000, and was a master fundraiser when it came to the renovation and restoration of the Scenic Theatre. She climbed and shared the two story scaffolding with Maye to recover and spruce up the walls in the theatre during the interior renovations, and spent many Wednesday evenings cooking for Rotary for the Players.  Her directing credits include Night Watch (1985), Mame (Co-directed with Dennis Bunnell 1987), Witness For The Prosecution (1990), Something’s Afoot (Co-Directed with Dennis Bunnell) 1991, Steele Magnolias (1992), Best Christmas Pageant Ever  (1994 and again in 2007), Jake’s Women (1997), and A Charlie Brown Christmas (2001), and she was producer (and trusted advisor) of many more of the Players’ productions. She appeared on stage in many productions, including The Crucible (1974), Our Town (1978), No Sex Please, We’re British (1991), The Grass Harp (1998), The Cemetery Club (2002), and A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (2002), where she and her husband Art played two wonderful, not-so-still statues. In 2003, Elsie was named the first recipient of the Roland Charron Memorial Award, established in memory of the founder of the Pittsfield Players, to honor members who have demonstrated excellence in community theater. She will be sorely missed by those of us who worked closely with her.

 But her work with the Players was only a part of her contributions to the community. Elsie was a teacher, a quilter, Chair of the Trustee of Trust Funds, a member of the Pittsfield Budget Committee, Bicentennial Committee, PCDC, and Women of Rotary. She was also a member of the Dorcas Guild of the First Congregational Church.

 The Players extend sympathy to Elsie’s husband, Art, and her three children Ross, Dwight and her daughter Meggin Dail. Donations in her name can be made to Hospice House, Concord Regional VNA, 30 Pillsbury St., Concord, NH 03301-3502.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 11 at 10 am at the First Congregational Church, 24 Main St., Pittsfield.

Get set for an evening of unique, robust, fun entertainment when The Pittsfield Players present the Bodacious Babes on Saturday, June 1 at the Scenic Theatre, 6 Depot Street, Pittsfield, NH. Tickets are $10 per person, and and will be available soon. Check back her for ticket details.

Both Babe Kat and Babe Peg are blessed with larger than life personalities and booming voices, and they’re guaranteed to put a smile on your face as they sing their way through the decades. The Bodacious Babes have been performing all over New England for 10 years, and they are known for their bawdy humor, booming voices and sparkling personalities (okay, and a few strategically placed feather boas as well…) These ladies don’t hang back when entertaining their audiences. There will be Do-Wop numbers from the 50’s, songs from the 40’s, Broadway gems and some fabulous impressions of Patsy Cline, Reba, Tammy and Dolly all thrown in for a night of great fun.

Babe Peg Johnson has already delighted Players’ audiences when she appeared as Dame Sybil in last fall’s I Remember Mama, and more recently when she played the role of Julia in Lend Me A Tenor. Peg is a four time winner of the NHCMA Traditional Country Entertainer of the Year and winner of the Traditional Female Gospel Entertainer of the Year. Babe Kat Murphy has been named the NHCMA Traditional Gospel Vocalist of the Year and Traditional Gospel Entertainer of the Year. She is also an NACMAI National Gospel Entertainer of the year. These two ladies have great vocal credentials and will sing their hearts out for you. This will be a great show, so make your plans now and don’t miss it.

PLAYERS TO HOST PYW FIDDLE CONTEST

MAY 31

The Pittsfield Youth Workshop will hold their 11th Annual Pittsfield Fiddle Contest at the Scenic Theatre on Friday, May 31, from 5:30 pm to 9 pm. Their Silent Auction Fundraising event will begin at 5:30, and will be followed at 6:30 by the Beginner Showcase, the Youth Competition, and the Open Division Competition. Contest prizes are generously donated by local supporters. For more information, call PYW at 435-8272.