CIVIC STORIES: A South Bend Civic Theatre podcast with Alex Peek

On today’s episode we have Bill Svelmoe, who is starring in the South Bend Civic Theatre's upcoming production of Vincent.

We discuss the show Vincent and what it means to him to be doing this show again. Then we dive into Bill’s past growing up in the Philippines as part of a Missionary family and then his journey into getting into theater. We also talk about what it is like for him to be teaching at St Mary’s during the COVID-era.

Bill is also the author of Spirits Eat Ripe Papaya, a novel about a young missionary based in the Phillipines.

Living in COVID times, I was bound to have a guest cancelation — and that time is now. In anticipation of that happening, I knew I wanted to host a show featuring my wife (because she is stuck in the house with me and I can put a microphone in front of her face very easily). 

In Episode 9 of CIVIC Stories, tune in to hear me and Lindsey discuss RENT. We discuss where the show stands in the history of musical theatre and some factoids about the show.

First factoid: RENT was the first and only show that Lindsey played at the South Bend Civic Theatre.

2020 was a hard year for everyone, but the performing arts industry was hit particularly hard. When we let the curtain fall back in March due to COVID-19, we had to reimagine how to continue to create and enrich community without the “live” aspect of theatre.

We are happy to report that the South Bend Civic Theatre is entering 2021 with no debt and big plans for the future. We realize not all community theatres or arts organizations can say the same. Thank you, CIVIC family, for sticking with us through a tumultuous 2020 and into a brighter 2021.

In Episode 8 of our CIVIC Stories podcast, host Alex Peek talks with Executive Director Aaron Nichols about how the CIVIC responded to the pandemic and what we have planned for 2021.

On today’s episode, host Alex Peek welcomes his first CIVIC couple. Abigail and Jordan were on different acting paths and somehow those paths met at the South Bend Civic Theatre. Hear their stories of before and after marriage and all the in-between. One of the ‘after marriage’ stories is that Jordan is co-owner of the new DTSB restaurant ‘Fatbird’. Listen in as he tells how that came to be!

This may be host Alex Peek's most selfish episode, but it's still worth a listen! In our sixth episode of CIVIC Stories, Alex interviews his former band teacher, Dennis Gable. Dennis, who also performs as a pit musician for the CIVIC, recently retired from teaching band in public schools after 35 years. While he may be done with public school teaching, he hasn’t slowed down. 

Hear about how Dennis’s journey starting as a 5th grade trumpet player turned into a long-lasting career teaching music to many of us in the community. 

Today's guest is CIVIC Production Designer Jeff Barrick. Podcast Host Alex Peek chats with Jeff about his winding career path -- one that started with graphic design and manufacturing factories in Elkhart County to making SBCT his home.

Episode 4 of CIVIC Stories features Leah Tirado. We start the show by discussing Leah’s first experience with South Bend Civic Theatre, which was directing ‘In the Heights’.  Then, we go back to the beginning and hear about how she wanted to be a swimmer but ended up in theatre.  Leah also pulls back the curtain on her continuing battle with mental illness, particularly Bipolar Disorder, which brought her to the lowest level in her life and her journey back to the stage. 

Links discussed:

https://bigpaybackmusic.com/home

https://www.iwassunshine.com

On today’s episode we have the ‘volunteer wrangler’ herself, Grace Lazars. Community theatre's life force is driven by volunteers and Grace’s main job with the theatre is to gather volunteers when needed, and SBCT is no different; we depend on volunteers! Anybody who has wanted to be involved with SBCT in some manner has had Grace be their first point of contact. But Grace is also an actor, director and educator at SBCT and we get hear her story of how it all started for her in the 4th Grade. If you would like to volunteer at SBCT please contact Grace at [email protected]. 

In today’s episode we get to meet Dee Dee Batteast. We get to find out her ‘full circle’ story with Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, her many college travels to get where she is today and even though she wears many hats living in Chicago, hear her talk about her greatest passion ‘Teaching’.  Dee Dee will be directing Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, with auditions happening Oct. 19 and 20, please go to sbct.org to find out more! 

Links from the Show:  

https://www.storycatcherstheatre.org 

In today’s episode we have the Executive Director of South Bend Civic Theater, Aaron Nichols. We start off by giving an introduction into the Podcast and how it came to be. Then we move into Aaron’s story in which we discuss how he went from acting to running a theatre! In the episode Aaron also lets his heart for the CIVIC really show. Tune in if you want to know how the theatre is handling the COVID-19 pandemic and what’s in store for the theater in 2021.