El Cajon Historical Society
THE SPOTLIGHTERS
El Cajon’s Home-Grown Theatre
By G. Carroll Rice
In the summer of 1947, a group of Grossmont High School
students decided that El Cajon needed a theatre program of its own. The
San Diego area had a half dozen excellent amateur theatres; La Mesa was
well represented, but El Cajon had nothing to compare. The first seeds
of the concept grew out of a group of us who had gathered about every
two weeks at the home of Charles Lentz at his home off Chase Avenue to
listen to music. Initially, the group consisted of Charlie, who had an
excellent collection of classical records, Ralph Peterson and me. We
were joined by Charlie's sister Barbara and several of her friends who
also enjoyed the music.
We hit upon the name Spotlighters for our little troupe, and we went to
work at once. I had written a play presenting the Rumpelstiltskin story
and suggested that we perform it for the children of El Cajon. From
there the idea grew, and Charlie even composed music to accompany the
play. We invited friends to join us and Mr. John Montgomery, the School
Superintendent, was kind enough to allow us to use the Cajon Valley
Elementary School auditorium and the scenery.
Almost everyone has heard the story of the miller who brags that his
daughter can spin straw into gold. You'll recall that the king hears of
it and puts the girl to the test. She is apparently rescued by a dwarf
who spins gold three times, but demands payment each time. The ultimate
payment is to be her firstborn child. It seems a safe bet, but the king
is so delighted that he marries the girl and sure enough she has a
little boy. The dwarf returns and demands the baby, after many tears,
he agrees if she can guess his name...you know the rest. His name is
Rumpelstiltskin, etc., etc.
The play was too short so we also made arrangements to also present The Ugly Duckling by A.A. Milne.
The cast was quickly assembled and went into rehearsal. Ralph Peterson
played the Miller, Brenda Peterson, the Miller's Daughter, Ray Gastil,
Rumpelstiltskin, and John Springer, the stranger who discovers the
dwarf's real name. After all these years, the production still stands
out in my mind. Adrianna Jones as the Jester, Ralph Brown as the King,
and the soldiers, townspeople, courtiers, etc. were played by a group
of loyal friends. Anne Geiberger and I played the Princess and Prince
in the Milne play and Grossmont drama teacher, Ray Kniss, helped with
the directing and technical assistance. Many of the community
businesses encouraged us by buying advertising on the program.
The plays were presented three times, with only a few glitches.
Glitches? Well, one evening a soldier's sword poked through a 'rock'
wall;' on another, the lights went out during The Ugly Duckling,
and my father and others shined flashlights on the stage so we could
continue. The children never noticed and nobody called the cops, but on
opening night, Rumpelstiltskin's costume failed and created an exposure
bordering on the indecent. Visible to only the first three rows, the
potential disaster caused a few parental gasps, more after-performance
chuckles, and some significant costume changes. All in all it was a
success. The children of the audience were delighted and their parents
were amused, it was theatre, it was live and it was an experience.
As a group, we offered our services to other theatres as ushers, making
ourselves known and seeing the best shows that came to San Diego at no
charge.
The following year, we decided to do it again, without the emphasis on
children's plays. Some of the original group dropped out, but their
places were filled by an influx of theatrically inclined Grossmont
alumni and students in a production of The Saturday Evening Ghost; Wilde's Canterville Ghost
as adapted by Tom Taggart. The play went well; Clifton Kirk, who later
had a TV career, played the ghost who is redeemed by the love of
Virginia, played by Valerie Thorne. The word of the quality of the play
spread, and the Altar Society at St. Louise de Merrilac Catholic Church
asked us to play as a fund-raiser at the Crest Community Center. [This
involved the discreet borrowing of the curtains out of one church to be
used for the benefit of another. The pastor was a good friend and
co-conspirator who endorsed a bit of quiet ecumenism!]
The photographs and programs have long since been lost, but I recall
especially the dedicated performances of Clifton and Valerie as well as
those of Everett Mann, Dick Dunlop, Kathleen Walker, and Carolyn
Walters.
The following year, I was deeply involved in the joint San Diego State
College/Globe Theatre Shakespearian program, and the left the
Spotlighters in the capable hands of Everett Mann. Their production of
Sidney Howard's The Late Christopher Bean was also successful, but school commitments and the usual attritions of youth marked the end of the Spotlighters.
The members of that theatrical effort went on to excel in other fields.
Of those whose careers I am aware; Clifton Kirk was a noted television
personality until his early death. Dick Dunlop taught at Grossmont High
School, directing the Christmas Pageant and three original plays before
moving on to get his Ed.D and teaching at the University of Missouri at
Kansas City. Everett Mann became in officer in the army and followed it
with a teaching career. Ray Gastil is an internationally recognized
sociologist, working for freedom, democracy, and human rights,
worldwide. John Springer taught for many years in the Lutheran school
system and became a Lutheran Pastor in Minnesota. Ralph Peterson taught
history in the Sweetwater school system, and I pursued a spotted career
of presenting school assemblies and technical writing. Dorothy Madden,
whose sword went through the 'rock' wall, became a surgeon at
Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago. The other women too, went
on to serve as teachers and career business women as well as wives and
mothers.
For three summers, the Spotlighters contributed to the arts and culture
of El Cajon as well as providing a constructive theatrical outlet for
some talented young men and women. It would be a shame if it were
forgotten.
El Cajon Historical Society
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