THE THEATER OF THE ILLINOIS VALLEY SINCE 1968
"All The King's woMen"
Performed April 15-24, 2016
Directed by Ellen Marincic
Produced by Larry Kelsey
The story of Elvis Presley told through the eyes of 17 Women! Some Enthralled! Some Appalled! ALL OBSESSED!
A fast paced series of 5 comedic plays and 3 monologues based on the Life of Elvis Presley.
Cast:
JIll Marti
Leah Metcalf
Marie Pinter
Kelli Montgomery
Bobette Roberson
Matt Pursell
Crew:
MEET THE CAST
Here is a look at the hardworking artists who work on and off-stage to create our production.
ALL THE KING’S WOMEN told the stories of women, and their connections to Elvis Presley. Now you can learn a little about the people behind the characters and what kind of an impact Elvis had on their lives, personally.
JILL MARTI, Cast Member
ABOUT JILL:
Jill is no stranger to the 212 stage. Having done numerous productions at Stage 212, Jill has added costuming to her resume, having helped costume this production!
ELVIS’ IMPACT ON JILL:
Jill was drawn to this show because she did not know much about Elvis. She always recognized his music, but was a little too young to be a fan when he was sweeping across stages and movie screens. The stories in this play have made her a fan of the man, not the celebrity, for his generosity, his love for his country and his humble ways. It is wonderful to present this side of Elvis with a small group of talented, versatile actors who switch costumes and characters quickly to show the audience the "real" Elvis.
MARIE PINTER, Cast Member
ABOUT MARIE:
Marie is in her second production here at Stage 212, previously working with producer, Larry Kelsey and director Ellen Marincic in our Fall 2015 production of Fox On the Fairway . She had such a great expirience, she decided to come back for more! Marie works as an administrative assistant for Clover Technologies in Oglesby, and her husband, Derek Pinter, and her raise their 2 kids together in Oglesby. Marie adds that she greatly enjoys the new friendships she’s made here at 212. Glad to have you back Marie!
ELVIS’ IMPACT ON MARIE:
Marie remembers listening to Elvis a great deal as a child. Originally from Georgia, Marie recounts her grandpa having (most likely) every little Elvis trinket you could imagine. Elvis' movies and music were constantly playing in the background, so much so that, at a very young age she learned to do the lip snarl Elvis was so well known for. Marie sides with the rest of the cast previously posted, saying her favorite song by Elvis is still 'Can't Help Falling in Love.'
BOBETTE ROBERSON, Cast Member
ABOUT BOBETTE: Another performer that is a new face to Stage 212, but no stranger to the stage! Bobbie has had her time in the spotlight performing, recently at Engle Lane Theatre in Streator playing the onstage “stage manager” in Noises Off. Bobette has also performed at Morris Theatre Guild and at Old Town Commons Theatre. Bobette makes the journey from Ottawa to join in the fun at Stage 212. We’re so happy to have her onboard!
ELVIS’ IMPACT ON BOBETTE: Bobette breaks from the mold of the rest of her cast-mates! Her favorite Elvis tune is “Peace in the Valley.” She also notes that her favorite film of the King’s is Viva Las Vegas. She would like to dedicate her performance to her mom and her floor to ceiling velvet Elvis artwork. Now thats something I think we would all like to see
MATT PURSEL, Cast Member
ABOUT MATT: Matt begins, what we are sure will be a long career onstage with ALL THE KING’S WOMEN. Matt came to ‘212’ during our Winter production, lending his talents to our audio team. When Matt is not rehearsing his lines (as of recent), he spends his free time as an artist, musician,and investigating/ working on paranormal research. As his day job, Matt works as a web developer at All Web Promotion in Oglesby. Matt resides in Spring Valley and has two children, Alyssa and Cole. Welcome to the 212 Family, Matt!
ELVIS’ IMPACT ON MATT: As an avid listener to the classics and standards, Matt spends his time listening to the crooners of yesteryear. Artists such as Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett are definitely in his music collection, so this show was right up his alley. We’re sensing a connection between Elvis and Matt since Elvis had actually passed away just a few months before Matt was born. Some songs that you might find in Matt’s catalogue are Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog and, a song that we’re finding to be a cast favorite, Can't Help Falling in Love.
KELLI MONTGOMERY, Cast Member
ABOUT KELLI:
Kelli come to 212 from Ottawa. Her parents are Frank and Barbara Youngblood and she is married to John Montgomery, with whom she has two grown boys with. Kelli works as a tax preparer at the H&R block in Peru- so if you don’t have your taxes done yet- you know where to go! If you are a frequent visitor to local productions, you may have seen Kelli in shows at Engle Lane in Steator or the Morris Theater Guild. This is Kelli’s third appearance at Stage 212, being involved in our Winter production, as well as working with Director, Ellen Marincic in our 2013 Spring production of “The Dixie Swim Club.”
ELVIS’ IMPACT ON KELLI:
When Kelli was growing up, her mother, Barbara, was a big Elvis fan. She was raised on his music. One of her favorite memories with her mom was watching Elvis movies together on Saturday mornings. However, Kelli’s very best Elvis memory is from when she was dating her husband, John and he would serenade her with the King’s rendition of "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You.”
LEAH METCALF, Cast Member
ABOUT LEAH:
Leah is making her Stage 212 debut this spring in ALL THE KING’S WOMEN. Growing up in Ohio, Illinois, Leah went on to study at Loyola University in Chicago. Leah currently works as a nanny while commuting and taking classes at Second City Training Center in Chicago. Welcome to the ‘212’ family, Leah!
ELVIS’ IMPACT ON LEAH:
While Leah was born long after Elvis died, she has always listened to his legendary music. Some of her favorite tunes include 'Jailhouse Rock' and 'Can't Help Falling in Love'. Leah’s father was raised in Tennesee and has always been a big fan of Elvis Presley's music, which she credits to being a big part of her knowledge and appreciation for the king of rock ‘n roll.
LARRY KELSEY, Producer
ABOUT LARRY:
Larry is a fixture of our 212 family. As an active board member, he donates his time and takes care of all our publicity needs. During office hours, he works at the NewsTribune in LaSalle. Larry is married to Chris Kelsey (another occasional performer at 212), and has two children, Katie and Bryan. Larry was last seen onstage at 212 in GODS FAVORITE.
ELVIS’ IMPACT ON LARRY:
Larry first became aware of Elvis musically in the very late 60s and early 70s when the big sophisticated production sounds of “In the Ghetto,” “Suspicious Minds,” “Burning Love” and “Moody Blue” easily captured the attention of his young ears.
As he grew older and his tastes grew more expansive, he traced Elvis’s steps backwards, through gospel, country and rockabilly. Along this path, he found music that rewarded his exploration on many levels. There were catchy numbers like “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “All Shook Up” and “Jailhouse Rock,” that never failed to get his feet moving. Larry also found powerful love songs like “Love Me Tender,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” that induced him to stop and listen, no matter what he was doing.
He still listens to all of these songs and many other Elvis classics today. He does remember Elvis fondly, not so much for the interesting life he led, the impressive showman he was and the cultural icon he became, but for the wonderful music he made. It will always have an important place in his collection.