Stefani Bishop Receives Suzanne U.D. Parish Award

Saturday evening, The Civic held their annual Volunteer Celebration; a night where people who have given their time and talents to the theater are honored. The accumulated hours donated by 1,080 volunteers over the 2014-2015 season equated to 91 full-time employees. Think about that for minute. 91 full-time employees.

These people do more than perform; they sew costumes, build sets, paint backdrops, usher, stage manage, operate sound equipment, lighting equipment - all in the name of live theater.  The Volunteer Celebration is a night to congratulate, as well as a night to say thank you.

So first things first, congratulations to Elizabeth Stone and Mitch Voss for not only winning the Excellence in Performance Awards, but also the People's Choice Awards, for their performances as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and Richard Plantagenet in Richard III, respectively.

Congratulations to Rob Jollie for being recognized for his hard work and many talents, on stage and off, by receiving The Unsung Hero Award.

And so many congratulations to Ben Zylman, this year's Larkin H. Noble Award winner, who has dedicated his talents to The Civic for 37 years.

Now for thank you.  Thank you to those who voted for me to win one of three 2014-2015 Suzanne U.D. Parish Awards, given to members of the Civic family that have stepped up to perform duties in last minute situations, showing the true spirit of “the show must go on." I am truly overwhelmed to be recognized for stepping in during tech week of Stepping Out.

Thank you to the cast of Stepping Out for facing the last few rehearsals with a new cast member without flinching.  Thank you Marcus Bechek (also a Suzanne U.D. Parish winner) for taking over my backstage duties at the last minute.  Thank you Kathryn Bishop, Sarah Roddis, and Max Brown for taking the time out of your days (and being patient enough) to teach me the choreography.  Thank you Tiffany Frances, Sara Sherman, Sandy Davis, and Shelby Grace for not yelling at me when I would have to be reminded nightly where we were in the play and what scene was coming next. Thank you Toni Jones and Carol Zombro for picking up what I dropped.  Thank you Dixie Edwards for sharing a dressing room AND hilarious stories I cannot repeat.  Thank you to everyone who helped out backstage. Thank you to Barbara B. Moelaart and Emily Brink in the costume department for fitting me quickly.  And thank you to my director Sandy Bremer, Stage Managers Mike Artis and Kim Boysen, Director of Volunteers Preston Misner, and Managing Director Kristen Chesak for having faith in me.  You all had to step up just as much as I had to. This award is for us. Cheers!