I managed to get an interview with Mrs. Cecilia Schmidt (who will eventually be known as Ceci Proctor in 1998). Mrs. Schmidt just finished a successful run in January’s production of Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse’s Life With Mother as the maid Mary and is currently working props for The Devil’s Disciple. (In 1998, Ceci is currently working on her role as Madame Angelo in Comedy of Errors which is set to open April 24th).. When asked about The Devil’s Disciple, Ceci confidingly said that the parishioners of St. Michael’s Evangelical Lutheran Church are all atwitter because their pastor, Reverend Bell, is playing the devil and will be running around the stage in a pair of red tights. He’s been the talk of the church for weeks. Reverend Bell, however, is apparently reveling in his role and sees nothing wrong in exposing his legs for the sake of art.

When asked about HCT’s Director, Robert Seymour, Ceci giggled charmingly and said "Now there’s a honey!" It seems that Director Seymour has dark, curly brown hair, gorgeous brown eyes and is quite the ladies’ man (Ceci likened him to a George Clooney lookalike). Ceci stated that Bob Seymour is a very good director and is especially imaginative (very much like the current Artistic Director, Tom Hostetter). Seymour is a tireless promoter of the theater and is constantly encouraging the theater guild (which no longer exists in 1998) to plan dances, benefits and press conferences to get the theater’s name out to the general public. Ceci states that the atmosphere generated by Seymour is busy, light-hearted and very theatrical. Ceci laughingly related a story where Seymour had to fill in for one of his actors after the man fell down an elevator shaft and injured himself. One would think that the director would be upset by such a situation, but apparently Seymour wasn’t worried. In fact, he didn’t even learn his lines, he just made them up as he went along and was constantly telling jokes sotto voce to the other actors on stage, trying to make them laugh. Obviously, the important thing to Bob Seymour is to have fun.

The one negative thing Ceci did have to say was that apparently Seymour has no head for the business aspect of the theater, which he also handles in addition to the artistic side (unlike today in 1998) and has managed to run the theater into thousands of dollars worth of debt. It will take careful financial management and tight production budgets to recoup the theater’s losses (which is exactly what the succeeding Director managed to do since Robert Seymour remained at HCT for only a year or so after 1958. He divorced his then wife and married a prominent tv personality. He died tragically shortly thereafter, having had a blood clot reach his brain during routine dental surgery. He was only thirty-five. Ceci said that his death was such a terrible shock to everyone that she still has nightmares about it to this day.)

Mrs. Schmidt states that in the future the theater hopes to add a junior league room in the front of the theater and a scene shop to the back for their Scenic Designer, Jerome Giddings. (Both goals were achieved through the efforts of HCT’s theater guild. The scene shop is now the home of HCT’s current Scenic Designer, Curtis Smith.) Ceci states that Jerome’s sets are always "accurate and beautiful….just right" and are achieved more through cunning suggestion and minimalism than overpowering physical presence. She did state, however, that Jerome has a reputation of being extremely temperamental and has been known to throw hammers on occasion. Hopefully, the theater's insurance is paid.

Mrs. Schmidt stated that the rest of the theater season will be filled out by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel and their usual original productions in the summer. The theater school, at which Ceci teaches, was started by Robert Seymour and is also offering classes for children. She states the classes will teach the kids basic acting and a final production at the end of the session for their parents will be staged to display what they have learned. The high school theater competitions will also continue to be held at HCT with prizes going to the winners for the best twenty minute production. (The HCT theater school is still going strong today with classes for all ages including adults.)

So, if you’re looking for something to do and don’t want to watch The Price Is Right again, even if it is in color, give Harrisburg Community Theater a call at 232-5501. (HCT’s 1998 schedule is Comedy of Errors April 24-May 10 and H.M.S. Pinafore June 12-28.) It’s a great night out for the whole family. See you there!