Members of the Northwest Missouri Master Gardeners, a chapter of the Missouri Master Gardener Extension Program, will deliver fresh produce weekly to cast and crew members of Western Playhouse’s production of “Mother Divine” at Missouri Western State University.
“Everyone here pitched in to welcome you to St. Joseph,” said Bea Dobyan, one of several master gardeners who delivered the first basket of flowers, herbs and vegetables to the Potter Hall Theater during a break in rehearsal for the July production. The basket included rosemary, frequently associated with remembrance, Dobyan said. “So you (cast members) remember the master gardeners, and we remember you.”
The produces is a Midwestern welcome to cast and crew, some of whom come from as far away as Florida, New York and Washington state.Many of the items in the first basket came from Garden ‘n Grow, a youth garden for volunteers ages 9 to 13, according to Tom Fowler, horticulture specialist at the Buchanan County MU Extension Center.
Cast and crew are from all across the country, including Florida, New York and Washington State. Dobyan and Laurel Klinger Vartabedian, who wrote the book and lyrics for “Mother Divine,” organized the weekly produce deliveries as a warm Midwestern welcome.
Cast members Betti O. and Randy Davis were among the first to make their selections.“Mother Divine,” a new musical that was one of 10 official selections of the New York Musical Theatre Festival’s 2013 Next Link project, is the second and final show in Western Playhouse’s third season. It will be produced on the Potter Hall Stage July 11-19. The first show, “The Music Man,” opened June 20 and has three more shows, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 26-28.
For tickets and show information, visit www.westernplayhouse.com.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.