The Stars

Ron Pugh

Ron has been a “theater junkie” since going to high school in Lakeview OR, where he grew up.  In school, he tried sports.  That didn’t work.  He tried band. That didn’t work.  He tried being cool.  He says that DEFINITELY didn’t work!  Then he auditioned for a play.  That’s where he found his niche.  He realized he could finally be ALL those other personas, and loved it!

Ron explained, “I love acting. Unlike real life, you get to keep practicing over and over, until you get it right!  Or at least, until you get it the way you want it.” 

Ron continued his love of theater in college, when he attended Southern Oregon College in Ashland (now Southern Oregon University).  That’s where he became more involved in the technical aspects of theater production.  One of his classes included the opportunity to volunteer at The Shakespeare Theater, located in Ashland. 

After graduating from college with a degree in Criminal Justice, Ron launched a 39 year career with the US Forest Service, as a criminal investigator.  “That job consumed most of my time,” Ron says.   But he still found time for theater.  From 1986 to 1991, Ron was very active at then “Community Theater of the Cascades.” (Now Cascade Theatrical Company).  He was onstage in five plays there, and served off-stage (set construction, light/sound booth, props, etc.) for dozens of others.  He also served as an Assistant Director and on their Board of Governors for four years.

One of Ron’s favorite theater experiences was playing the role of, “Wally,” in CTC’s production of “Angry Housewives,” in 1988.  Wally ‘s character was a fairly simple minded, clumsy nerd, who’s only claim to fame was catching a 4’ fish in a derby that netted him a $1,000,000.  In that play, Wally sings and tap dances.  Ron does neither.  “That was by far my biggest theatrical challenge.  Fortunately, it was a comedy and I was supposed to make a fool of myself,”  Ron explained. “I think maybe I was type cast,” Ron added.  “At the cast party, after we closed, the cast collectively presented me with a pair of dancing shoes.  Both were for the left foot,” Ron added.

Ron served 20 of that 39 year career in Central Oregon.  He oversaw the Central Oregon Arson Task Force from 1987 until he moved, in 2003.  “One of my proudest career accomplishments is knowing that there are a lot trees still standing out there, that we saved from the hands of arsonists,” Ron said recently.  “I chose my career with the Forest Service because I absolutely love the outdoors and all they have to offer.

Ron left central Oregon in 2003 and moved to the Portland area, where he was promoted into a management position.  He served as the “Assistant Special Agent in Charge” for the Forest Service’s Oregon and Washington Region.  In that capacity, he supervised eight special agents scattered around those two states.

In 2006, Ron transferred to Vallejo, CA., where he served as “Special Agent in Charge,” for California, Hawaii and Guam.”  That position supervised nearly 200 law enforcement officers and special agents in California.  “Until I worked there, I didn’t realize that 18% of California is National Forest land.”  Ron said the two years he worked there were like living in a blizzard, hurricane, a forest fire and earthquake, all at the same time!  “Actually, all those things did occur while I was there.  Best job of my career,” he added.

Ron explains that he used his theater experience as a form of personal therapy.  As a federal agent, his job was often very serious and filled with many of the negative aspects of people and life.  “When I’m on stage, everything is OK and the good guy always wins.” 

Ron retired from the Forest Service in 2009.  He then fulfilled a lifelong dream of building his own house on a river.  He now lives with his two little dogs, in that house on the Little Deschutes River, about 6 miles south of Sunriver.

Once that home was built, Ron started a part time private investigator business.  Ron also went back to one of his first true loves, theater.  He got involved with a fairly new theater group, at the time, “Sunriver STARS Community Theater.”

Ron recalls going to his first audition for STARS, in 2012.  That’s where he met the Matriarch and diva of the Sunriver STARS, Victoria Kristy.  Ron was cast as “Jonathan,” in the upcoming show of “Arsenic and Old Lace.”  That audition and meeting formed a bond between the two that continues  today.  “Without Victoria, there would be no Sunriver STARS,” Ron says.  Southern Deschutes County is a wonderful place to live.  And because of Victoria and the STARS, it’s even better.” Ron shared.

Since then, Ron has performed onstage in several plays.  Ron misses being onstage, and hopes to get back at it, when theater returns.  He has so many amazing experiences with plays, it’s difficult to say just which are his favorites.  “I know it will sound like a cliche, but my fondest memories are the friendships I’ve formed.  More like family, actually,” Ron explained.

Ron has also directed three plays for STARS.  He has found directing to be a lot more work than he anticipated.  And, he loves the challenge.  Watching actors grow from the first night of rehearsal, to the final curtain, is an amazing experience.  Especially for new actors.  “When I see one of them, “Get the bug for the first time, and glow with delight,” it just doesn’t get any better than that,” Ron describes.

He also served as Vice President of the Board of Directors for about three years.  Ron hopes to continue both onstage, and off, in the future. 

In his spare time, Ron now enjoys going to Church at The DOOR, spending time at home with his two little dogs, whitewater rafting, snowmobiling, serving as the neighborhood litter patrol guy, being “Santa,” at the Sunriver ACE Camp Abbot Hardware store each Christmas season. and hanging out with his close friends at The Mountain Jug.  He also recently started helping a local band.  They all met at the Mt. Jug (hence, they call themselves, “The JUGULARS.”).  Last summer was their first time performing in public.  It went very well and they are anxious to get back at it this spring/summer. (For bookings, call 541.480.7483)

Amy and Doug Griffin

In addition to Amy’s extensive collection of Flintstones™ memorabilia in their kitchen, there is another collection in Doug and Amy Griffin’s Bend home: Over 14 framed posters of past Sunriver Stars Community Theater (SSCT) productions cover a living room wall.

While a lot of actors have souvenir posters of past productions, the posters in Doug and Amy’s home represent not only their contributions for acting but for set design and building as well. Brooklyn apartments, western towns, London slums and 11 other SSCT sets have been designed and built by the Griffins in their home shop.

Victoria Kristy, Artistic Director for SSCT has only praise for the Griffins’ contributions: “Amy and Doug are the ‘Dream Team’! Not only do they brighten up our stage every time they take on a role in a show, but they are every director’s dream off stage as well. They listen to the director to get his or her ‘vision’. Then they spend weeks coming up with creative ideas to enhance the show and THEN they bring it all to life by building it!”

The Griffins relationship with SSCT began when Doug auditioned in 2014 for a part in a production at the encouragement of Ron Pugh, local director and actor, as they built Ron’s home on the Little Deschutes. Doug’s only previous acting experience was as a 10-year-old doing a Boy Scouts radio spot on KBND Bend. Once Doug began working with SSCT, Amy would often accompany him to rehearsals, observing the play develop and how much Doug enjoyed being in a production. She volunteered at performances, helping in the snack bar and landed a minor part as a shill in the audience in “I Love Mystery”. After attending a theater workshop sponsored by SSCT, Amy and Doug “had the bug”.

What started as an interest in acting for Doug grew to include the development of sets. Doug designed and built sets for “The Wild, Wild, Wildest West”, “Drinking Habits” and Give My Regards to Broadway” with each set offering more technical features. The most complex/technical set to date was “Nana’s Naughty Knickers”  with its hidden panels and merry-go-round of lingerie that popped out of a closet. For “Oliver!”, Amy joined him for the first time as the set designer, being involved in the design discussions with the director and production team. With Amy’s love of researching ideas and design, the sets took on more depth and realism.

Doug was born in Southern California and his family moved to Bend in 1966. He graduated from Bend Senior High School in 1977, worked in construction in Portland, and was a contractor for over 20 years in Bend. Amy was born in Kansas and was 5 when her family moved to Gresham. She grew up in Sandy, met and moved with Doug to Bend in 1990 where they raised their two sons. She was a career waitress and currently works in nutrition services for the Bend-La Pine School District. Doug currently works for Parr Lumber (which generously donates materials used in the SSCT productions’ sets).

The challenge both the Griffins have dealt with is trying to learn and develop a part while designing and building the set at the same time. Doug’s favorite role to date is George the Gardener in “Drinking Habits”. “It wasn’t my first role, so I felt more confident with the part and with building a deeper personality for my character. Plus, the play was hilarious. Until “Nana’s Naughty Knickers” came along, I felt “Drinking Habits” was the Stars’ blockbuster production.”

Amy’s favorite (and most challenging) role was her hilarious turn as the octogenarian secretly making and selling sexy lingerie to her senior neighbors in “Nana’s Naughty Knickers”. “I honestly felt like a deer in the headlights while working on this lead role. I was new to acting so I was trying to memorize all my lines, trying to take direction, trying to remember all the suggestions – I was SO scared. I wanted to throw up every time I went on stage. I would come in the door of the theater, go right to the bar and immediately down a Sierra Mist to settle my stomach. The most important thing I learned: NEVER look into the audience while performing. The only time I missed a line was when I looked into the audience one evening and saw my book club looking up at me and then I couldn’t remember where I was. Now I only look into the lights, make a bubble for myself and stay in it.”

While the scripts for theater productions provide suggestions for the stage or props in a production, the actual design and execution for Stars’ productions is often a collaborative effort between the director, production team and the Griffins. Doug’s knowledge of the stage platform and dimensions enables him to immediately advise the production team if an idea or suggestion of the production will work (or not). What looks like random scribbles put down by Doug as the cast moves through the initial reading of the play emerges as a working stage in a few weeks.

An additional challenge to designing and building a SSCT set is that it is not stationary; it is first built in the Griffin’s shop at their home in Bend, then dismantled and hauled to Sunriver and reassembled in the venue. Doug clarifies: “It’s not a permanent stage – that’s the challenge for the Stars. It’s a mobile set. It’s only ‘permanent’ for two weeks. I designed a foundation of separate panels that rest on a platform. We then add doors, windows, stairs, secret panels – whatever is needed (depending on the set requirements of the play).” The final sets have been assembled for productions in a ballroom at the SHARC and at The Door in Sunriver. “In my dreams, we would have our own theater where we could have two months to focus our efforts and build a permanent set and not have to move it multiple times. Thankfully, everyone at The Door is very accommodating with us taking over their space – they are very easy to work with and we appreciate it.”

For some productions, the cast rehearses with the partially completed set in the Griffin’s shop to get a feel for the layout and nuances. The stage crew for “The Secret Garden” had to learn how and when to swing the entire back wall of the stage to switch the scene from rooms inside the manor house to the outside garden. Once it’s complete, the Griffins and a crew dismantle the set into manageable pieces, load it in several trucks and trailers and haul it to Sunriver. The Griffins work as a well-tuned partnership putting the final set together – they sometimes do not even speak as they move together about the stage, connecting the various walls and pieces.

Doug’s years of experience in contracting and construction enables him to not only execute Amy’s designs, but the technical aspects of the set as well: the position of the stage panels, lights, placement of audience seats, hidden panels and doors, windows, and specialized props. The set for “Nana’s Naughty Knickers” is Doug’s favorite set, with panels triggered by an actor touching a coat rack onstage and backstage crew making racks of clothes and shoes appear and disappear while watching the action from a peephole.  From a visual standpoint, both Doug and Amy like the set for “Oliver!” with its dingy shipping crates, worn brick walls, and a smoky London skyline.

While the Griffins agree the most technically challenging set was for last year’s “Nutcracker” and its many components, they enjoyed creating the grandfather clock that was also a secret passage for actors to enter the stage and the cannon that used compressed air to shoot a confetti bomb at the Mouse King.

“I enjoy the research,” Amy added. “I am always trying to make things authentic, as real as I can make them. For his part as the villain in ‘Wild, Wild, Wildest West’, I took Doug to my beauty parlor and had his (fair) facial hair dyed black. But set designing is a lot easier than acting. You can have a bad day while designing and building sets, but if you have a bad day while acting, the whole world gets kind of turned upside down!”

Once the set is reassembled in the venue, the production team (and often the cast) work with Amy and Doug to add props, to touch up spots of the stage dinged in transit, and add safety measures: stairs to access the stage, handrails, and background lights to allow the cast to see in the dark of the backstage during a performance.

During the final play rehearsals, the director is often watching the actors while the Griffins are watching the stage – looking for where light from backstage shines through, if doors are hung and are moving smoothly, how easily the actors interact with the set, if spots are missing paint, and if specialized features work correctly.

Once the production is over, the Griffins and a crew must reverse the process: disassemble the stage, reload all the pieces into trucks and trailers and return everything to storage for the next production.

In their spare time, the Griffins enjoy overlanding in their Jeep with their family who have helped in SSCT productions as well: their son, Cody, often helps with set-up and dismantling, Doug’s mother made all pillows and bed covers for “Nutcracker”, their grandson, Ethan, played an orphan/pickpocket in “Oliver!” (in the same show, Doug and Amy played the mortician couple, the Sowerberrys) and most of their family has helped paint more than one set.

Whether it’s acting or set designing, Doug enjoys seeing the actors (especially young people) when they step on the stage for the first time on the finished set and seeing them come alive in what is a make-believe place.

Once the next SSCT season begins, the Griffins will be involved as actors, stage designers/builders (or both) and most assuredly be adding new posters to their collection.

Mandy Davis

Dancer, mom, fashion producer, and business owner; Mandy Davis is a woman of many talents and hats. Her passion for the arts blossomed at an early age when she began dancing at the tender age of four. Mandy’s passion for music and the performing grew as she danced and performed in musicals, plays, show choir, and dance through high school, college, and beyond. Mandy minored in Fine and Performance Art from the University of Nebraska. Mandy continues to dance one hour every day.

Mandy is also a former Producer for Portland Fashion Week. “Fashion is art, and I believe it should always make you feel something.” After having children, her dream came true when her life turned into a real life musical. “Someone in our house is always singing, dancing, or playing an instrument. I love it!” Mandy’s girls, Clara and Emma, have both performed since they were 4. They nearly stole the show, along side their mom, last December in Sunriver Stars Community Theater’s production of The Nutcracker. Mandy says she loves watching her daughter’s personalities shine through the arts.

When she is not performing, Many runs all business operations for her husband’s company More Roofing Life. She is also busy teaching her girls from home and has created the online resource, www.homebuilteducation.com. The site is dedicated to the idea that education beings in the home. Mandy is a Doctoral Student at The University of Nebraska in the practice of Innovational Technologies in Education.

Culley Calkins

Culley Calkins found his love for performing early on, during his sophomore year of high school. He auditioned for a comedy and had the crowd in the palm of his hand, he was hooked. After his initial run he was in every performance the high school staged, being named actor of the year three years straight. Calkins was the first sophomore to ever win the award. His passion for performing arts was only just beginning.

Calkins soon began working professionally, performing improv and comedy work for festivals, birthdays, and corporate events. He would go onto write and performed a one-act play. One-acts, scenes, and other full length plays were written by Calkins at this time.

Between writing and performing, Calkins found time to pick up a guitar, his fingers quickly remembered the chords his brother had taught him years earlier. Guitar became his passion and he devoted hours upon hours to learning the craft.

This continued into college where Calkins attended the University of Oregon. Tabling his passion for performance art, Calkins instead focused on music. He started writing songs and played in several bands. Some of Calkins original compositions are still plated by him 30 years later.

Family became Calkins main priority after college. His son, William, was born. Soon after, followed a daughter, Isabella. Love also came calling and Calkins met and married his wife Heather in 2018. This would add two stepchildren to Calkin’s family, very close in age to his own children. When they were all older Calkins found more time to devote to his true passion, music and performing arts. After reviewing his collective works, Calkin’s began to record, edit, and perform music live. As time went by, he still remembered the stage.

It was the Sunriver Stars that got his creative juices flowing again. Calkins auditioned for a musical western comedy. The Wild Wild Wildest West. “I intended to try out for a smaller role but was instead cast as the lead, Sheriff Wayne John. It was a lot of hard work but so rewarding and incredibly fun. I even suckered my stepkids into joining me in the piece. I met a lot of wonderful people and forged lasting friendships,” Calkins fondly remembers.

His work schedule made it difficult to rehearse for another play but several years later he was able to audition for another piece: Let Him Sleep…’Til It’s Time For His Funeral, once again landing the lead role in another Sunriver Stars production. “My daughter played my daughter in the play as well which was hugely rewarding in so many ways. An intimate and hilarious comedy about the fears of growing older, this was regrettably the last gathering before COVID. Like everyone else, I am very anxious to be able to get back to some sense of normality. The Sunriver Stars and local theater in general are such an integral part of our communities. The love, support, and camaraderie are unparalleled.”

Since then, Calkins has continue to grow his original compositions. He has been putting the final touches on his first musical release. It will be a four song EP that will be available on all streaming sites. He is also in the early stages of developing music videos for several compositions that will be posted on YouTube.

Susan Quesada

What makes this month’s story so different is the extraordinary way in which Susan became a STAR. Susan and her husband, Jim, moved to Sunriver in 2016 and in the winter of 2017, she took a leap and auditioned for a part in the Stars’ “Nana’s Naughty Knickers” production, with her only previous onstage experience being the lead in the 4th grade Christmas play. She not only scored a secondary role, but charmed the audience with her facial and verbal expressions onstage. And she has performed in numerous Stars’ productions since then.

Susan was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area and graduated from California State University, Chico with a degree in English and technical writing. She has worked as a technical writer, web designer, and systems analyst in the ensuing years. After the move to Sunriver, Susan worked remotely for the same company she worked for in California while Jim landed a job in the IT department at the Sunriver Resort.

When asked what she enjoys about the theater, Susan explained: “It is when you are on stage and the audience responds. There is an energy that the audience brings to the play, and when it ‘clicks’ with the energy of the actors, the fun begins. You can feel the audience is ready to enjoy the play and is on your side, and wants to encourage you. With young actors it is so fun to see them blossom and open up – to see them get better and better, to have more confidence – not only within the current play, but from play to play.” Susan made mention of the different personalities of each audience, and also how help from veteran actors is so important to her improvement and is greatly appreciated. They help her to present her character in the very best light and to learn all the “stage etiquette” that is important, like not standing in front of others on stage, crossing behind other actors, and using your upstage hand for gestures.

Susan has the most appreciation for Ron Pugh (who directed “Nana’s”) who took a chance on a newcomer like her and gave her a lot of encouragement and direction in her first play. To this day, Susan consults with Ron about parts, how to play a character, and input on auditions.

Susan then listed the other plays in which she has performed. These include “Seniors of the Sahara”, stage crew for “Secret Garden”, “Oliver”, “Suite Surrender”, and finally “Let Him Sleep ‘Til It’s Time for His Funeral”. She states that she likes playing villains (” Oliver”) and what she calls “Second Banana” roles – like Ethel Mertz in “I Love Lucy”, playing a secondary role to the lead. She certainly shined in this role in “Let Him Sleep” with her facial expressions, cigarette smoking, and caustic comments.

“Nana’s” was her favorite role because it was all new and her first play. She did everything necessary to prepare for that show, including finding her own costume, learning about make-up, hair, comedic timing, and of course, memorizing all those lines. She acknowledges that the younger actors memorize lines more easily and they are a great help when someone forgets a line and or they need a cue while onstage. She also enjoys the camaraderie of the team of actors in each play, both in rehearsal and during performances. It becomes a team, helping each member to be the best they can, with encouragement and helpful suggestions.

She admits that while preparing for a role and memorizing her lines and cues, she always asks herself: “Why do I put myself through this?” and “This is the last time!”. But she knows she will keep an eye on the Scene for announcements about an upcoming audition, and wait for when the theater “bug” bites her again. We are so appreciative of Susan’s talent, both in acting, but also in her expertise in administering our webpage. Thank you, Susan, for all you do. To see more on Susan check out her monologue on our YouTube channel, our website at www.sunriverstars.org and on Facebook.

Dave Schmerber

This month the STARS recognize one of the veterans of our theater.  He has performed in eleven  productions, taking parts in comedies, and musicals. His name is David Schmerber. 

Dave was born in the Salem OR area approximately 66 years ago as the eighth of 9 children.   Dave’s father was an architect, farmer, and cattleman.  Dave grew up on a 400 acre farm, but in 1966 the family moved to Central Oregon, because his father purchased a cattle ranch in the Paulina area.  Dave states that he lived about halfway between Paulina and Brothers OR.  It was very remote. They owned 11,000 acres of land, and leased 16,000 from the BLM.  Needless to say, Dave became a cattleman and farmer at heart.  He attended grade school in Paulina and high school at Crook County High School in Prineville, where he was very active in 4H, and FFA, going to the national FFA convention, and elected Chapter president. At Prineville High School he performed on stage for the first time as Pishtush in the “Mikado” by Gilbert and Sullivan.  He also participated in choir and singing groups, including a folk group.  In his senior year Dave played Curly in “Oklahoma”.  He graduated in 1972 and attended Oregon State studying crop science. 

He did no theater at Oregon State, but he did meet Sheila there, and after graduation and marriage they lived in Dallas OR, where he took a job as a fertilizer and chemical sales representative. He then managed an Ag. Chemical  distribution warehouse along with farming on acreage in the Salem area, raising blueberries and nursery stock.  He and Sheila worked this farm for about 16 years until it was productive enough to farm full time.

During those years in Dallas, and Salem, the Schmerbers often attended theatrical shows at Pentacle Theater in Salem.  Dave states they saw some wonderful shows there, and he and his son Greg were both inspired to do more in personal performance.  His son Greg eventually went to Webster University and studied Musical Theater.  The Schmerbers sold the Salem farm in 2008 and moved to Central Oregon.  They lived a couple of years in the Sunriver Resort proper, then bought another property south of Sunriver on the Deschutes River on Merganser Dr. in 2010.

In 2013 Dave performed in the SSCT production of “O’Henry” – which was a series of skits.  The stage was like a split screen computer, with the left side being a book club, reading a story, and the right side being performers acting out several stories  from the book being read on the left side.  He also did “Arsenic and Old Lace”, playing Teddy Brewster.  Ricki Gunn and Nancy Foote played his aunts.  Also in this play were Ron Pugh who played Teddy’s brother and career criminal, and Ray Abanto, an early SSCT actor.  Dave’s experience with Ron encouraged him to audition for plays that Ron was directing.

Some of the 11 plays including Readers’ Theater where Dave performed along with those mentioned above are: “Let Him Sleep ‘Til It’s Time For His Funeral”, “Drinking Habits”, “Nana’s Naughty Knickers”, and “Oliver”, where he played the very difficult part of Fagan, with several songs to sing with fast lyrics.  In the future Dave hopes to do another musical, because he enjoys singing (check out Dave belting one out on the Stars’ YouTube channel!) and working with young actors which is an important part of SSCT   “Fiddler on the Roof” is one of his favorites, and he can see himself as Tevya.  He would like SSCT to expand into some more serious drama plays like “On Golden Pond” in the future..  In talking with Dave it is clear that he will be around for a long time enjoying the art of stage performance, and SSCT will be honored to include him in the future.

SSCT thanks Dave and his wife Sheila not only for the performances, but with behind the scene tasks like building the pipe and drape structures, hauling props from the storage sheds and hanging posters in the Water Wonderland area.

Tom Kelley

We begin with Tom Kelley. Tom was born and raised in East Hartford Connecticut. His father Bill Kelley was a Tool and Die Foreman at Pratt and Whitney Aircraft during the war and his mother taught first grade until the couple started their family. Tom was one of 3 sons born to this couple, 7 and 9 years younger than his brothers. Bill Kelley died when Tom was 7 months old, and his mother had to become the breadwinner.

Unfortunately, his father did not leave a revised will, so his first wife sued and collected half of the estate. Tom stated that his mom was pretty tough, and provided for the boys until she died when Tom was 13. He lived with his uncle for a while, and then moved to Boston to live with a married brother and his wife from a large Italian family who “took him in”.
So the move to Boston made Tom a Bostonian, and he matriculated through high school participating in a few theatrical productions, and some summer productions with some friends who were doing the same. Tom enrolled at Boston College majoring in Chemistry with the idea of becoming a physician. The opportunity to start medical school did not materialize so he got a teaching degree and became a high school chemistry teacher in the Boston area for several years.

Tom then states that he got the travel bug, to seek adventure around the country. He ended up in Portland, OR in 1978 and met his future wife Ann 2 weeks later who was volunteering with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. He taught high school chemistry at Centennial High School for 11 years, and their children were born in the mid 1980s. The family then moved to the American School of The Hague in the Netherlands where he continued to teach chemistry. During the time in Holland the family enjoyed traveling all around western Europe, and Tom did some shows acting and playing in the orchestra.

Tom and Ann had decided that Tom should retire when he turned 60 in 2013. They had purchased a vacation home in Sunriver in 2001 knowing that Portland was much like Holland, cool and wet. They decided that 35 years of damp was enough and they returned to that house and remodeled it into a very comfortable home. This met their desires much more and they love it here.

When Tom and Ann had settled in Sunriver, Ann still had some business dealings in the Netherlands and had to travel there occasionally. This left Tom with free time. He decided to audition at the Cascades Theatrical Company (CTC) in 2014 on an impulse and got the lead role in “Funny Money” and that started a career of many more performances at CTC. Unfortunately his most recent one was cancelled due to COVID-19. Tom did relate to this writer that he had mostly done comedy at CTC, but surprised the audience in a murder thriller based on an Agatha Christy novel called “And Then There Were None”. It was very dramatic and in the end he turned out to be the killer. After the last person left was a woman who hanged herself in the closet – he shot himself —-And Then There Were None.!!! Tom stated this particular performance stretched him greatly both in character development and memorization.

Low and behold the SSCT artistic director Victoria Kristy was in the audience for the “Funny Money” show, and when she encountered Tom at Costco, she invited him to audition for a show in Sunriver. So Tom debuted in “Drinking Habits” where I think he played 5 different characters, and then starred in “Suite Surrender” as manager of a hotel where two rival divas were mistakenly booked into the same suite. What makes theater magic for Tom is the camaraderie of the cast as they grow in their characters as well as the bond of teamwork, encouragement and challenge. He has made many new friends including yours truly over these last 6 years, and everyone knows that the show is going to be great if Tom is in the cast.

So, we thank Tom for his participation and look forward to more performances by this seasoned veteran once the ban is lifted, and Sunriver STARS Community Theater begins it’s next season. Stay tuned. Visit us on Facebook and our website www.sunriverstars.org.

---

Susan Inman

When the war ended the family moved back to Palo Alto where Susan finished the fifth and sixth grades. She then attended Jordan Junior High and Palo Alto High School, finishing in 1953. She participated in children’s theater and performed in high school productions. She also participated in tap and ballet dancing, and acrobatics.

Jerry Lou Inman moved to Palo Alto in 1950 and Susan invited him to the Sadie Hawkins dance and this started their romance. During those years she took voice lessons with a private coach.

About this time an exchange student invited Susan to come to her home in Denmark. While there she took fencing lessons, plastique (combination of modern dance and gymnastics), and voice lessons from a member of the Royal Danish Opera.

Susan and Jerry, who was still in the United States, found out they could not get married in Denmark due to some of the laws there, so Susan moved to Rome to live with friends in March 1954. Apparently marriage laws were much less strict in Italy. Jerry finished his junior year at Stanford and flew to Rome where they were married in June 1954 in St Paul’s Within The Walls church (not to be confused with the more famous Basilica of St. Paul Outside The Walls church). The minister was a man who had come to Italy from Stanford. The couple honeymooned in Europe, including Copenhagen and other western European countries.

Jerry had thought he might like to be a geophysical engineer, but on this trip he was drawn to diplomacy because of all the interesting places they encountered and experienced. Upon returning to Palo Alto Jerry and Susan both studied at Stanford. Susan was busy with school and a job with no time for the theater. Their first son Todd was born while Susan was still a student in April, 1955. Jerry graduated in 1956 and was immediately hired by the US Information Agency. (USIA) The couple moved to Washington DC where their second son Eric was born in December 1956.

In Sept. 1957 Jerry was assigned as a Junior Officer Trainee to Manila, The Philippines. In early 1958 he was temporarily assigned to the island of Cebu where he represented the Embassy as the Acting Branch Public Affairs Officer. In Cebu they had a home on the beach and Susan’s job was to create receptions for visiting dignitaries. World renowned Ambassador Chip Bolin came for a momentous visit. While in Cebu Jerry distilled some Tuba which is a liquer made from the sap of coconut trees. The sap ferments in 2-3 hours. At one party the son of former president Sergio Osmena Jr. wondered why this distillation of Tuba sap was not an industry in the Philippines. This post was for one year, and then they were directly transferred to Taegu , the apple capital of South Korea. Jerry was named Branch Public Affairs Officer in Sept. 1958 and was to be the only US Embassy person in Taegu.

Unfortunately, before they could move to Taegu, their assigned house was washed away in a flood. Susan was expecting their third child so they temporarily lived in Tokyo in the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Imperial Hotel. When they could move to Taegu they lived in an apartment above the garage of the USIS library and office. The only toilet was shared with 17 local employees. They finally moved to a beautiful home built by the Japanese during their occupation of Korea. They had electricity most of the time. The home had mat floors made of Tatami, but the kitchen floor was dirt. Their daughter Martitia was born in the Presbyterian Missionary Hospital in Dec. 1958. Susan hostessed parties at this home which was quite large, with a nice yard.

The Inmans were treated nicely by the Koreans, and it was a good home. Their youngest son Chris was born there in July, 1960 in the US 8th Army Hospital in Seoul. During that time Jerry became acquainted with many high ranking Korean civilians and military persons. President Syngman Rhee was exiled to Hawaii after a revolution started by students in Masan and Taegu. Chang Do Yang headed up a military coup. Then his second in command, Pak Jung Hee orchestrated a 2nd coup and sentenced Chang to death. But because Chang was so favored, Pak let Chang go to the United States.

In 1962 the Inmans came home to the US. Jerry went to language school again for 6 months learning Spanish. Then it was off to Venezuela. Jerry was named Assistant Cultural Attache. They lived outside the city for three years. The terrorists were very active at this time. Susan and her children were threatened to be shot if they did not leave the country. There was a very anti-American atmosphere, but the Inmans did not leave the country. Susan taught ESL, and again engaged a voice coach to pursue that passion. In Caracas, Venezuela Susan got very involved in theater. She performed in “Teahouse of the August Moon”, “South Pacific”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, “Kiss Me Kate”. She was also a member of the board of the Caracas Theater Club.

In 1965 Jerry was assigned to Japan, so he and Susan studied the Japanese language for 6 months, for 6 hrs per day, 5 days a week in Arlington VA. The grandparents took care of the children for the 6 months of language school before they moved to Japan. Then once in Yokohama they studied for 1 and 1/2 more years. This period is when Susan concocted her famous sourdough starter.

Upon graduation Jerry was assigned to the Embassy so they moved to Tokyo. The children were enrolled in private schools. In June of 1969 after only a brief time in Tokyo, Jerry was assigned to DC. The family enjoyed returning to the states on the USS President Cleveland.

In 1970 Jerry was assigned to The White House Conference on Children and Youth. Then in 1973 he was assigned to the National War College where John McCain was his classmate. During this year Jerry earned his Master’s Degree at George Washington University. From 1974 to 78 Jerry got his favorite assignment. It was the Cultural Affairs Attache of the US Embassy in Mexico City. He brought many famous Americans to Mexico from the cultural world of the United States and Susan entertained through all this along with teaching ESL. In Mexico she performed in several musicals, one of which her son Chris photographed and won 1st prize in an international contest. She and Chris also performed in “Of Thee I Sing” by George Gershwin.

In 1978 the Mexico assignment ended and the Inmans were again assigned to DC and the family lived in Arlington VA from 1978 to 83. In 1983, since their children were all grown, only the couple returned to Yokohama Japan for what Jerry referred to as “retreading” in the Japanese language for 6 months. Then Jerry was assigned to the US Embassy as the Deputy Public Affairs Officer. During these 3 years Jerry and Susan learned to fly. Susan was also very involved with the Tokyo Theater for Children. In 1986 Jerry retired from the US Foreign Service. During the time following his retirement the Inmans worked in DC. Jerry was the president of the Japan-America Student Conference. In 1992 he received a surprise telephone call from the Asia Foundation based in San Francisco. They asked Jerry to be their US Representative to Japan. Jerry accepted the 3 year assignment but it was 8 years before the couple came home.

In these years with the Asia Foundation in Tokyo Susan resumed her participation with the Tokyo Theater for Children that traveled extensively to schools and Army bases doing shows for children. Susan was on the board of this Theater and at one time the rest of the board resigned due to other assignments and she was left with a dying theater. However, the theater has lots of money and so Susan determined to have one last hurrah. She organized the production of Cinderella. She was the Fairy Godmother, and the show was such a success that other people picked up the torch for the theater to Susan’s credit, and it was saved.

In the years before Jerry’s retirement the Inmans were introduced to Sunriver when visitors from Seattle came to Japan and told them about the skiing on Mt. Bachelor. They came on an exploratory visit and stayed in a Wildflower Condo. This caused them to decide not to retire in California where they had previously purchased property, but to come to Oregon where they bought a Wildflower Condo in 1994. They were still living in Japan, but in 1996 the purchased acreage and a home on Gatehouse Lane off of Big River Drive. In 1998 Jerry re-retired and they returned from Japan and moved into the home on Gatehouse Lane and started raising alpacas. In 2005 the Inman’s purchased a farm northeast of Bend. Jerry passed away in July 2015 and Susan continues to live and work on the farm.

This history gives the reader a detailed rundown of the pre-Sunriver life of this woman as she supported her husband in the jobs and adventures they took. Once Susan and Jerry arrived in Central Oregon she got involved in Second Street Theater where she performed in “Voices ” directed by Sandy Silver, and “Working”. At the Cascade Theatrical Company she performed in “Oliver” and “The Spitfire Grille”. At the Tower Theater she performed as Yente in “Fiddler on the Roof” and she was Benjamin Franklin in “1776” with the Obsidian Opera, along with other Central Oregon productions.

Susan is a Great Great Grandmother, who calls herself a “Certifiable Knit Wit” because she is incessantly knitting Alpaca Lace Shawls and Acrylic Chemo Caps. She always makes time, however, for her love of the Performing Arts, both as a supporter and a participant. In 2011,she and Jerry met with Victoria Kristy and the dream of the Sunriver STARS Community Theater took shape. She was the Vice President of the Board for a while, and most recently the Corresponding Secretary. For the SSCT, she has performed in, or directed 22 of our 27 productions. To say the least, Susan Evans Inman has given theater in Bend, Sunriver, and far away places her talent, time, and resources. We are so pleased to have Susan contributing her expertise to the Board as well as performing in our plays, and we are proud to include her in our STORIES OF THE STARS.

Renee Anderson

It’s hard to argue with the idea that Central Oregon is home to some of the most talented artists in the state. Really, some might say, in the country or beyond. Sunriver Stars Community Theater (SSCT) has been lucky enough to draw some of these talented artists into their orbit through the years. And, so many of these artists are not just gifted in acting or performing arts, but so often in many other classifications of art.

Renee Anderson is one such artist. First introduced to SSCT in 2014, Anderson has been involved with this community theater group in a variety of ways, first as the Marketing Director, later as an actor in a starring role, also a production director and most recently as the Interim President of the SSCT Board of Directors. Her most recent role with SSCT was the lead in the last live show before the pandemic shutdown, “Let Him Sleep Til It’s Time For His Funeral.”

In the Fall of 2020, Anderson was asked to fill a vacancy on the SSCT Board of Directors as the Interim President. “I was missing live theater terribly and had the idea to produce a virtual show with actors filming performances from the safety of their own homes,” Anderson shared. SSCT’s “Virtual Holiday Spectacular” was the first virtual show produced by SSCT and shared on their YouTube channel. “This first virtual show as such a hit that the Sunriver Stars Board suggested producing a virtual children’s show for Valentine’s Day.” Anderson’s range of talent is evident as she served as video editor, producer and graphic designer for both SSCT virtual shows.

From her earliest memories, art has been the center of her life. “I began drawing obsessively at a very young age, communicating my feelings through art even before I could fully speak… which didn’t take long,” Anderson shared. “I started singing and acting when I was about four years old.” Anderson continued performing in many ways throughout her youth and adolescence. As a child, Anderson began doing little runway shows in malls (it was the 80’s and mall shows were a big thing, Anderson explained). She also modeled for Osh Kosh B’Gosh when she was about six years old. In middle school, she joined band and theater.

Once in high school, Anderson played saxophone in the marching band and joined the Speech team. “I lettered 16 times in academics, mostly in theater, speech and band,” Anderson said. At age 16, she was scouted for a Disney TV show called “That’s So Raven.” Although not chosen for the show, Anderson was accepted into the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. “I had been in over 100 shows by the time I was 19, performed at 2nd Street Theater, Cascade Theatrical Company, COCC and was an Usher for Keller Auditorium in Portland,” reflected Anderson.

Anderson took some time off from theater for about 14 years to work in the food and beverage industry, specifically in breweries. “I managed McMenamins in Oregon City and helped develop spirits for Rogue Ales,” said Anderson. In 2009, Anderson’s daughter, Niko, was born. “It was during my pregnancy that I began taking up my old love of painting,” she shared. Soon her artwork was being showcased in downtown Bend, featured in such places as Silver Moon Brewing, Velvet, Astro Lounge, The Box Factory and Cosa Cura.

Currently, Anderson is taking some time off to assist her daughter with hybrid schooling and to focus on her health. Anderson said that most people do not realize that she is an avid hiker and has logged 200 miles since January 2021. “It’s a big part of getting back to prime health,” Anderson said, “there’s no place I’d rather be right now than outside with my dogs!” Currently Anderson is focusing on her photography and writing, some graphic design, and will still pull out her paintbrushes from time to time.

“Although this last year has been a challenge for many, I believe it is this shared struggle that grows art and brings people together,” Anderson stated. “I have great hope for the future of the Arts in Sunriver. I hope to return to theater someday, when audiences are live!”

Although Anderson is currently rebranding some of her websites, one that showcases some of her photography and writings can be found at www.naybeline.com