Show full of heart

Michele Marr

Valentine’s Day is still two weeks away. Roses are ordered. A day’s

wages has been spent on a red, heart-shaped box of Godiva chocolates.

They are safely tucked away until the big day. But the question still

prevails, “Isn’t there something else I could get her?”

Put the question to a handful of hams at Calvary Chapel Huntington

Beach and their answer would be, “Yes! Dinner and a great, funny night of

theater.”

On Feb. 15, the Friday after Valentine’s Day, the church will present

its fifth annual Sweetheart Dinner Theatre. The idea was originally the

brainchild of the church’s Women’s Ministries Committee.

The first year’s production was simple. It combined dinner with a

handful of five-minute skits. Dinner was catered. No sets were required.

It sold out.

“I think the first one was put together to celebrate Joy and Bill

Welsh’s 25th wedding anniversary,” Lynn Bender said.

Bill Welsh is the church’s pastor, an accomplished musician and

one-time worship leader at Calvary Chapel. During that first dinner he

performed a song titled, “The Best” for his own sweetheart and wife Joy.

Bender is the set designer for this year’s production, three scenes

from “The Honeymooners” -- the 1950s sitcom hit that began as skits on

the “Jackie Gleason Show.” Her husband, Doug, will portray New York City

bus driver Ralph Kramden, played by Jackie Gleason in the original

episodes.

“The first year I thought I could help out moving props,” Doug

recalled. Then he brought a friend of Lynn’s to audition for the skits

and was lured into auditioning for a part himself. He has been acting in

the Sweetheart Dinner plays ever since.

“The Honeymooners” episodes were chosen this year for their high

quality, for their ability to make people laugh and for their honest

glimpses at human nature.

“‘The Honeymooners’ is a great old show about two couples that are

really funny,” said Kris Langham, the church’s high school and college

pastor. He will play Ralph’s neighbor Ed Norton in the scenes.

Langham, who is also an engineer for Boeing in Huntington Beach, has

been acting since the fourth grade. He met his real-life wife Andrea, who

will play Honeymooner-wife Trixie during a staging of “The King and I” at

a community theater in a San Diego church 10 years ago.

Their preschool-age daughter Daisy and almost-toddler Caleb played

quietly while mom and dad rehearsed each Honeymooner segment. Then at the

end of each scene Caleb flashed a mouth-wide-open grin, clapped and

laughed, as good as if on cue.

“They are a great audience,” Mary Jo Fouche nodded toward them, then

laughed. “They have been at every rehearsal. I don’t know what we are

going to do without them on the 15th.”

Fouche is Alice Kramden, the unflinching wife of big, and big-mouthed,

play-the-tough-guy, “One of these days, Alice, Pow!” Ralph Kramden. She’s

a community theater and Sweetheart Dinner veteran.

As the actors blocked the plays, discussed the mannerism of their

characters, tried various inflections of their lines and worked out

entrances, exits, set and costume changes, Fouche pointed out that the

production is team-directed.

“Most plays have one director,” she said. “Here, we all get to say

what we think works best. It’s really unique.”

Three scenes from “The Honeymooners” series, each 10 to 30-minutes long will be presented. Between scenes, the audience will be treated to

song and dance by the New June Taylor Dancers.

Based on past years experiences, the actors expect the 224 available

seats to sell out quickly when tickets go on sale this week. Church

members buy many, but not all of the tickets.

Church members sometime invite non-Christian friends to join them at

the dinner theater. They discover that Christianity isn’t always Bible

thumping, Fouche said.

Brief scripture verses will be presented at the conclusion of each

episode, but the dinner theater does not aim to be preachy, Kris Langham

explained. The point is to entertain.

“We want to be a blessing to the couples who come. We really want to

give them a beautiful date night,” he said.

To that end the whole church goes all out. The sanctuary is

redecorated with a dinner theater ambience. Sunday seating is removed and

replaced with dining tables and chairs. The dinner is professionally

catered.

The church members, typically single men from the congregation, act as

maitre d’ and waiters. This year diners will be served salad, roast beef,

baked potato, vegetables and dessert.

“It’s a chocolate dessert,” Lynn Bender said, “with swirls and

raspberries.” Her dreamy face said more than her words.

What: “The Honeymooners” at the fifth annual Sweetheart Dinner Theatre

When: Friday, February 15, 7-10 p.m., doors open at 6:45 p.m.

Where: Calvary Chapel Huntington Beach, 5772 McFadden Ave. (between

Springdale and Graham)

Cost: $40

Information: (714) 891-9495, for tickets