Rialto theater to present On Golden Pond

The Rialto Community Arts Center will present On Golden Pond on Nov. 4-6 and 11-13. Members of the cast include, clockwise, from left, Rowan Blanchard as Billy Ray Jr., Len Schlientz as Norman Thayer Jr., Stephanie Atkinson as The Operator, John Hopkins as Charlie Martin, Desiree’ Phillips as Chelsea Thayer Wayne and Jeannie Denniston as Ethel Thayer. Not shown is Shane Atkinson, who appears as Billy Ray.
The Rialto Community Arts Center will present On Golden Pond on Nov. 4-6 and 11-13. Members of the cast include, clockwise, from left, Rowan Blanchard as Billy Ray Jr., Len Schlientz as Norman Thayer Jr., Stephanie Atkinson as The Operator, John Hopkins as Charlie Martin, Desiree’ Phillips as Chelsea Thayer Wayne and Jeannie Denniston as Ethel Thayer. Not shown is Shane Atkinson, who appears as Billy Ray.

MORRILTON — This may be the first time On Golden Pond has been presented at the Rialto Community Arts Center, but this timeless love story has been performed countless times, both on the stage and the silver screen.

On Golden Pond debuted on Broadway in 1979 and enjoyed a brief revival in 2005 with an African-American cast, including James Earle Jones and Leslie Uggums as Norman Thayer Jr. and Ethel Thayer. A movie by the same name was released in 1981 with Henry Fonda and Katharine

Hepburn starring as the Thayers, and Jane Fonda as their daughter, Chelsea Thayer Wayne.

“We’ve never done it here,” said Jonna Gibby of Morrilton, director of the local production that will be presented Nov. 4-6 and 11-13.

“I have never directed before, either, but I am really enjoying this. I’ve been an assistant director, helped with costumes and acted, but I’ve never really directed,” she said.

“I am blessed with a great cast,” said Gibby, who is director and family-service coordinator at Save the Children Head Start in Perry County. “Most of the cast members have been on stage before and know how it’s done. That’s made my job a lot easier.

“We are dedicating this show to the late Cathy Hoelzeman-Bond. She had been with us since 2008 and was so involved here at the Rialto. We lost Cathy a few months ago. She had been sick for a long time, and she always wanted to direct this show. So this one is for her.”

On Golden Pond, written by Ernest Thompson, is the love story of Ethel and Norman Thayer Jr., who return to their summer home on Golden Pond for the 48th year. During this trip, their adult daughter, Chelsea, comes to visit with her fiance, Billy Ray, and his son, Billy Ray Jr. The play explores the father-daughter relationship and the trials and tribulations the Thayers face as they grow older.

Norman and Ethel are played by the husband and wife team of Len Schlientz and Jeannie Denniston. Both are veteran actors, Schlientz primarily with the Conway Community Arts Association at The Lantern Theatre in Conway, and Denniston with the theater troupe at the Rialto, although she, too, has performed at The Lantern Theater.

In fact, they met two years ago during auditions for On Golden Pond at The Lantern Theatre and were married in 2015. Schlientz played the role of Norman in that production as well.

“I auditioned and was hoping for the part of Ethel,” Denniston said. “I did not get that part but did get the part of The Operator. I also helped with props and set changes.

“I did not get to kiss him in his first role [as Norman], but I’m going to kiss him this time,” Denniston said with a laugh.

“I’m a curmudgeonly old man in this play,” said Schlientz, who works part time for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the Standardized Patient Program, in which he portrays patients with certain symptoms or illnesses so medical students can “practice” their skills.

Denniston, who is a part-time district judge in Conway County and a part-time attorney in Morrilton, said she is enjoying playing opposite her husband.

“I love it,” she said. “I’m going to retire as a judge at the end of the year, and we are going to move back to Conway. They now live in Morrilton because of her job requirements.

“I think it’s neat that we’ve come full circle with this play,” said Denniston, 65. “We’re getting older. Len is 70. This may be our last time together on stage; this may be our swan song.”

However, Schlientz was quick to point out that he will be appearing in a production in December at The Lantern in Conway, and he also will be a “day player” in the upcoming feature film Antiquities, written and directed by Arkansans and set to begin production shortly.

Rounding out the cast of On Golden Pond are the following:

• Desiree’ Phillips of Conway appears as the Thayers’ daughter, Chelsea Thayer Wayne.

“I was really not familiar with this play before I read for it,” she said. “I never saw the movie.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve done a drama. It’s very intriguing.”

Phillips most recently appeared in Father of the Bride and Rex’s Exes at the Rialto. She is the lead teacher at Save the Children Head Start in Perry County.

• Shane Atkinson of Morrilton portrays Bill Ray.

Atkinson has been a supporter of the Rialto Community Arts Center for several years, in both acting and directing roles. He has also appeared in several productions at The Lantern in Conway.

Atkinson works in the information technology department at L’Oreal in North Little Rock.

• Rowan Blanchard of Morrilton plays Billy Ray Jr. Blanchard, the 12-year-old son of Maranda Stumo and Dane Blanchard, both of Morrilton, is making his acting debut in On Golden Pond.

A student at Morrilton Junior High School, he said a classmate encouraged him to audition for the part.

“I got it,” he said, smiling. “It’s a lot of fun, but there are a lot of lines I have to learn.” Blanchard is a member of Beta Club, the jazz band, the chess club and the book club at his school.

• John Hopkins of Morrilton portrays Charlie Martin, the mailman.

He has acted in previous Rialto shows, including The Christmas Story, Father of the Bride and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.

“Charlie’s a pretty funny guy,” Hopkins said of his character in On Golden Pond. “He’s the mailman, the not-so-bright mailman.”

Hopkins is an occupational therapist at CHI St. Vincent Morrilton.

• Stephanie Atkinson of Morrilton plays The Operator.

“I was familiar with the play,” she said. “I had seen the movie. I play The Operator, who gives Norman a hard time when he calls to ask me to call him back to see if his phone works.

“He gives me a hard time right back,” she said, laughing.

Stephanie Atkinson is the business manager for the Arch Ford Education Service Cooperative. She has been in productions both at the Rialto and at The Lantern.

“It’s definitely good to be back here with friends at the Rialto,” she said.

Members of the crew for On Golden Pond are Jennifer DeGroot, assistant director; Debbie Thompson, costumer; Michael Childers, lighting; and Lindell Roberts, sound.

On Golden Pond will be presented at 7 p.m. Nov. 4, 5, 11 and 12; and at 2 p.m. Nov. 6

and 13. The Nov. 12 performance is a dinner theater, with a spaghetti dinner prepared by Theresa Paladino of Morrilton being served at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only or $25 for the dinner theater. Tickets may be purchased online at www.rialtonmorrilton.com, or by calling or texting (501) 288-9259. Reservations must be made for the Nov. 12 dinner-theater production; tickets for the show-only performances may be available at the door.

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