Anthem Opinions

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

What's It Like to Create a New Sun City Anthem Amenity (Part Three of Three)

Creating a New Sun City Anthem Amenity

"The Mark OToole Variety Show"

(Part Three of Three)

After all the planning and fingernail biting, the day finally arrived.

It was...

Steve Anderson, our Sun City Anthem President...

...welcomed all to the theater that included Ward One Henderson City Council member and current candidate for Henderson mayor, Michelle Romero...

Executive Board member of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce and candidate for Ward 3 Henderson City Council , Trish Nash...

Former President of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce and owner of Emerald Island Casino and the Rainbow Club in downtown Henderson, a man who played a major role in the downtown Henderson development, Tim Brooks...

...who also graciously donated 4 certificates for dinner for 4 at the Emerald Island as well as Rainbow Club restaurants for the free raffles at both the March 2nd and March 16th shows, as well as, inviting Mark OToole and I to be a part of a live radio broadcast at Emerald Island casino a few weeks prior.

And so the show began...

...not only with scheduled entertainers, but with others who stopped by to wish Mark OToole and Sun City Anthem the best !

The first, and I might add most surprising, was my dear friend and Star of The Dennis Bono show, Dennis Bono, the "King of Afternoon Entertainment", who recently celebrated his show's 22nd year, and is at the South Point Hotel every Thursday afternoon, at 2:00pm.

Who else came by to say hi? The "electric" Zowie Bowie...joining Mark OToole in a duet !

Zowie Bowie and Mark OToole

...and Las Vegas music icon, Bill Fayne...

...and The Tropicana's magician and Pawn Stars Murray Sawchuck...

But we can't forget the scheduled entertainers.

There was comedian, Geechy Guy, formerly a semi-finalist on America's Got Talent...who brought the house down with laughter.

...the beautiful and talented Ashley Fuller....

...and last but not least, the best of The Bronx Wanderers, Vinny, and his son, Vincent John....

...who not only sang, but participated in a "Jeopardy" contest of who knew each other better !

Followed by a duet with Vincent John and Ashley Fuller that rocked the hall !

Well, it all ended 2 hours later, 30 minutes past the scheduled time, but despite that length, the crowd didn't seem to mind .

Mark closed the show with a heartfelt song and a sincere thank you to all who made it possible, and as he left the stage saying to the audience:

"Did you have a good time?"...

...the audience gave him a standing ovation...

...a fitting tribute to a "job well done" by one of the most entertaining performers in Las Vegas.

Next show is scheduled for March 16th and tickets for the April 6th and April 20th will go on sale March 17th on the Sun City Anthem web site at 8:00am.

Well that's about it. Did you attend the show? Did you enjoy it?

Let us know.

Send your thoughts to us at:

scaoopinions@gmail.com

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Monday, March 7, 2022

Goin' to the Candidate's Debate

What Came from the SCA Candidate Debate?

A Need to Revise an Election Committee with New Blood

An Anthem Opinions Editorial

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What's It Like to Create a New Sun City Anthem Amenity (Part Two of Three)

Creating a New Sun City Anthem Amenity

"The Mark OToole Variety Show"

(Part Two of Three)

In Part One, we discussed the initial thoughts !

Now it was time to....make a plan !

Mark OToole was then contacted and asked if he would be like to be considered as the show's MC.

And so...

Mark and I (we both had worked together for two years with the Vegas Voice's "An Afternoon Affair" shows at Sunset Station in 2014 and 2015, as well as, the 2015 World War II spectacular "Spirit of '45" show in the former Henderson Pavilion in front of 1,200 people), drew up our plan and subsequently met with the three Board members previously mentioned along with Sandy Seddon, Activities Assistant Allison Gray, and Doug Bradford, the SCA Communications Director.

They amazingly said ...

...and then the serious planning began to take shape.

And so...

I became the highest "unpaid" producer in the Las Vegas valley...

...a dream I have had for years to bring local and Strip entertainment to Sun City Anthem as an amenity to enhance the value of properties and lifestyles to our residents at a cost low enough that all seniors could afford and enjoy, while possibly enhancing an eventual restaurant with patronage for lunch prior to and/or dinner following the show with no cost or profit to SCA.

And so...

I quickly realized there was a lot to this commitment; that it was far from Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland's saying "Hey kids, let's do a show"!

And so...

Months passed, and the help and cooperation from so many people suddenly appeared to assist us.

There was Richard Pope who was ALWAYS THERE to lend a helping hand in just about every way possible.

To do what he has done for this production in addition to his many other duties as a member of the Sun City Anthem Board, made him in my mind, "Superman". His workload averages 60-80 hours each week!

Allison Gray, the Sun City Anthem Assistant Activities Director, had taken on the "paperwork" responsibilities, and believe me, there are MANY !

As a matter of fact, I have asked her to now refer to me as her affectionate "pain in the _ _ _".

Then there was the need for something called a "piano shell" where a synthesizer is placed in order to create the illusion of a Baby Grand Piano!

"What do I do now?"

I thought !

Who do you call when you need something constructed?

Who else but SCA's Mr. Fix-It, Forrest Fetherolf, with his reputation of years always helping those in need of something repaired or built.

Forrrest, along with two other Woodchips members, Allen Weintraub and Paul Simpkins, came to the rescue that AT THEIR PERSONAL EXPENSE AND TIME, not only built one, but donated it to Sun City Anthem for any club or entertainment venue to use as they wish.

We took a few photos of what these guys accomplished !

Following all of this, it was now time to design the show and its format.

And so...

Mark OToole and I, with the help of Sandy Seddon and Allison Gray, proceeded to somehow find what we needed to create a set for the show, searching all over SCA in order to find furniture and other items in order to hold the cost of the production to an absolute minimum expense...and....with the incredible help of the Sun City Anthem Maintenance Dept. who would be setting up the stage, that too was accomplished.

With that, we had to then find the right individuals to assist us in the actual show itself, and in that search, needed to find the best musicians possible, as well as, experienced persons who would control the lighting and sound.

No artificial music tracks...just real music from professional musicians.

And so...Mark OToole did just that!

Mark recruited Vita Corimbi-Drew as his Musical Director. (Vita is the longest running member of "Menopause the Musical" at Harrahs, and she in turn, along with Mark, hired John Plows (drums), Aaron Fuller (guitar), and Frank Fabio (bass).

Vita Corimbi-Drew

Musical Director

Can't forget two other integral parts of the puzzle, Jim Presley (sound) and Ryan Patridge (lighting).

Ryan Patridge on Lights

And...we got a volunteer Stage Manager in resident, Paula Roth, a lady whose resume included working with the late Garry Marshall as a script writer for "Happy Days", "Laverne & Shirley", and "The Love Boat", before becoming the head writer for TV's "Perfect Strangers".

And so...

It was time to have a rehearsal that we held at Freedom Hall on Sunday, February 27, 2022 from 9:30am to 5:00pm.

This was no "Dog & Pony Show" !

This was serious business watching Mark OToole and his staff of "pros" spend hours in preparation...

...while under the watchful eye of Allison Gray, SCA Assistant Activities Director, whom I caught doing a mean "boogie" while working at her laptop at the back of the auditorium.

And so...

It was finally showtime on March 2nd and we all held our breath praying the residents would enjoy the fruits of our labor !

And so...

They apparently did !

In our final Part 3, well talk about the actual show itself !

Sunday, March 6, 2022

What's It Like to Create a New Sun City Anthem Amenity (Part One of Three)

Creating a New Sun City Anthem Amenity

"The Mark OToole Variety Show"

(Part One of Three)

It's been an experience that few are ever able to enjoy...being a part of the latest Sun City Anthem amenity, "The Mark OToole Variety Show" that will be held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

I thought I would share with you just what it takes to present a Sun City Anthem production, as well as some of the moments the full house of 300 individuals experienced on March 2, 2022.

It all started with an email to Steve Anderson, Sun City Anthem's President, following an eblast about 4 months ago stating that Freedom Hall was considering a new lighting system. I mentioned to Steve that the real problem with Freedom Hall was the sound; that depending on where you sat, the sound was great in some seats and horrible in others.

Being a former Entertainment Editor for The Vegas Voice a number of years ago and having been at numerous entertainment venues since my wife, Marla, and I arrived in Sun City Anthem in 2005, I realized that Freedom Hall was a "gem"; but that "gem" greatly needed to be brought into the 21st century, especially the sound system.

Enter SCA Board members Richard Pope and Barry Rubinson along with Steve Anderson !

These individuals greatly supported the renovations; but at that point, it went a step further....

...that to do things right, we started by asking a number of entertainers who had previously performed in Freedom Hall for their opinions and suggestions as to what it would take to achieve making Freedom Hall the "Carnegie Hall of Las Vegas HOAs".

And so...

They came to a private meeting in Anthem Center that was coordinated with Richard Pope, a 2.5 hour session where Richard got writer's cramp with all their thoughts.

We summarized our thoughts and then met with Richard, Barry Rubinson, Steve Anderson, Sandy Seddon, Danielle Bartle, and Allison Gray , and during that meeting, through a casual conversation with them, I brought up the idea of having a bi-monthly Sun City Anthem variety show in Freedom Hall, and that if feasible, I had the perfect individual to act at the show's Master of Ceremonies, Mark OToole.

To many in the Sun City Anthem community, Mark has always been there for charitable events, as well as providing entertainment to various clubs over the years, especially the SCA Women's Club.

And so...

In pursuing the idea, both Richard Pope and Barry Rubinson personally contacted Mark OToole; who in turn, invited them to his home, where they were treated with his singing a couple of songs for them while eating donuts, followed by his taking them to Sun City Summerlin to examine their theater in order to give them a better idea as to what might be accomplished in Sun City Anthem.

And so...

Following all of this...they told Mark and me to give them a...

And so...I did.

We'll talk about that in Part Two !

Bernie HortonMarch 6, 2022 at 12:21 PM

And what a fantastic job done in getting this program. It was the best Wednesday afternoon I can recall if a very long time and for $8 never have I had better entertainment. Thank you so much for all the work it took and the first show was knock your socks off great!