Cleaning ladies reprise roles

OKOBOJI-Jackie Carpenter and Barb Worth had a hard time narrowing down selections for their original music review.

"Blue Moon," "Tea for Two," "It Had to Be You," "Mak'in Whoppie" - they all sounded good.

Especially when the music of the 1930s and 1940s made lasting impressions on the two.

Both Jacki and Barb have been involved with the Lakes Community Theatre for 22 years.

"At the beginning of each show, when we would go out and do promotions, we would dress up as cleaning ladies and pretend we were cleaning up after a show," Jackie said. "We would ask the audience why they were still there, because we were told to come out and clean then. That's how we would promote some of the other shows we've done."

Jackie's husband, Bill, had an idea.

After developing a script for an original music review, deemed "Music and Memories," Bill still needed a way to introduce each song in a way that would take audience members back to the 1930s and '40s.

"He said, 'Why don't you two become the cleaning ladies?'" Jackie said.

Jackie and Barb agreed, also taking on director, producer and costume designer roles.

The review, which will take the stage Friday, May 1-Sunday, May 3 at the Pearson Lakes Art Center, will begin with Rosie and Aggie, played by Jackie and Barb, coming on stage following a present day punk rock concert.

"We will come out and complain about how dirty the ballroom is," Jackie said. "While we're busy complaining and cleaning up, we will begin thinking about the way it was when we were young."

Cue the music.

While romance is the main theme of the review, Barb said to expect a compilation of 19 "cutsey" songs.

"it was so hard to narrow it down," Barb said. "So much beautiful music came out of that time period."

This article appeared in the April 25, 2009 edition of DISCOVER! Magazine.