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Giving 'Love' to the YMCA

With the help of Ascension Productions, Sumner Rotary organizes first of several fundraisers to raise $250,000

By Avani Nadkarni/of The Herald

Petra Karr understands that people may be a little doubtful of her production company’s newest performance.

“Love Conquers All” isn’t a known mega-hit play. It’s an Ascension Production original, penned by Karr herself, and there’s no set, minimal costumes and no glitz or glamour. But she hasn’t been this excited about a production in a while.

“It’s a radio-show style performance, a radio drama,” Karr said. “It’s kind of a dying art, but it’s sort of making a resurgence because you can do it for cheaper.”

Unlike a traditional performance, “Love” actors simply stand stationary while delivering their lines, while members of the sound crew make realistic noises to describe what is going on, similar to radio broadcast performances of yesteryear. For example, Karr said, they have a walk box where the sound crew stomps and treads to make walking noises appropriate for the scene. In another scene, coconuts are used to impersonate running horses and shoes on broken glass are used to make the sound of walking in snow.

“Love” takes place in late 19th-century Sumner, at a time when the town is buzzing with preparations for the annual Valentine Social and Box Sale Dinner. Using real historical Sumner figures, like the Ryan family, mixed with characters from Karr’s imagination, the melodrama follows the cast of characters planning the event.

“It’s very tongue-in-cheek,” Karr said. “The audience can hiss and boo and cheer and even sing along.”

The play will debut at the Rotary Club of Sumner’s fundraising gala on Feb. 6, during which all proceeds will go to the proposed Sumner YMCA. It’s the first of what gala chairperson Robyn DeLorm promises to be a series of fundraisers.

“(The Rotary) made a commitment for the new YMCA ... of a quarter of a million dollars over a seven-year period,” DeLorm said. “This is our first fundraiser to go toward that (so) we wanted to do something different.”

The event, which is $95 per person, is designed to be a fun night-out for couples or groups of friends.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” DeLorm added.

Rotary members, who are sponsoring the play, were also thrilled by Karr’s use of historic figures.

“That excited them,” Karr said. “Families who have been in Sumner for a long time will recognize names like the Ryans.”

With time for only four rehearsals, Karr said she went without the traditional audition process and handpicked actors she knew would work for this unique production style. One was Matt Griffis, who has worked with Karr before and who plays a newspaper editor of the fictional Sumner Herald. Griffis’ character moves the play along through clips from newspaper stories. Since the play depends heavily on the animated faces and voices of actors, Karr also chose Abel Kellam, who has done voiceover work.

The result has been pure, often impromptu, fun, she said. The cast had so much fun, they’re planning four subsequent performances, all benefiting various Sumner High School groups.

“I’m just cracking up the whole time (at rehearsals),” Karr said. “With this type of play, in your mind, you can go anywhere (the actors) go and they’re so quick.”

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‘Love Conquers All’

The Sumner Rotary Gala and debut of “Love Conquers All” is being held from 6-11 p.m., with dinner being served at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6 at Petersen Brothers Construction (Old Dieringer School), 1808 East Valley Highway in Sumner. Tickets, which include the cost of dinner, dessert, hosted bar, show and parking, are $95 per person or $920 for a premium table of eight. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Robyn DeLorm at robyn@daffodilfestival.net or 253-826-0275. Additional performances of “Love Conquers All” will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 19 (proceeds benefit Sumner High School jazz band), Feb. 20 (benefiting Sumner High School FFA), Feb. 26 and 27 (benefiting Sumner High School drama program on both evenings). For information about those performances, call 253-334-6048.