Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, August 16, 2012

"We Are Family” is the theme for the fifth annual Princess Theater Gala to be held Saturday, Aug. 25, and Sunday, Aug. 26, at the Princess Theater in Mount Ayr.

Tickets are on sale at the Mount Ayr Record-News and the Princess Theater for the event, which sold out last year.

Those performing this year will include the Tracee KNAPP family, Jane THOMAS and family, Drew INGRAM, Judy CUNNING, Sherri HYMBAUGH and Nancy SACKETT.

Mother Beulah HUTCHINSON will be doing her rendition of "Rinda-cellar" (Cinderella all mixed up), a comedy monologue, and another comedy monologue about football by daughter Karla.

Lew and Reas KNAPP will perform on the piano and drums, Lindsay will be singing an inspirational song and Tracee KNAPP will be clogging.

"America The Beautiful" is among the numbers that will be performed.

Jane THOMAS and her children and grandchildren will be performing for the gala as well.

THOMAS played for many events in this area for lots of years, had her own small band, played solo organ for dances, reunions, weddings, receptions, dinner music and the like and gave 20 family Christmas concerts over a 22 year period.

"I am especially proud that my children and grandchildren now carrying forward three generations of the love of music in their lives," she said.

Sean and Jennifer THOMAS have degrees in vocal music and studied voice for several years. They are now living in Minnesota and are parents of 12 year old twins, Aria and Austin THOMAS. Aria will be dancing as her parents sing and Austin will be playing his electric guitar.

The family will entertain the audience with selections like "I Have Dreamed" from "The King and I," "Autumn Leaves" and "The Star Spangled Banner."

THOMAS and her husband Robert also have a daughter, Angela PEARL. Angela and her husband have two children as well -- Alyssa and Caleb PEARL.

Drew INGRAM, son of Dwight and Julie INGRAM, grew up in Mount Ayr and graduated from high school in Winterset. He attended the University of Iowa, where he received his bachelor's degree in vocal performance. Following his time at Iowa, he attended Indiana University School of Optometry in Bloomington, IN. He now resides in Waukee with his wife Natalie INGRAM, son Trenton, and daughter, Cadence. He is now a licensed optometrist and practices in Des Moines at Whylie Eye Care Centers.

Two selections of Drew's performance will be "Me and You" by Kenny Chesney and "Your Grace Still Amazes M” by Steve Green and Michael English (performed with his father Dwight IMGRAM).

Judy CUNNING has appeared in many musicals which she has loved, the Nunsence plays being her favorite. Area residents may remember her in her part as Mother Superior.

She has directed and co-directed many Moonlighter productions including "The Sun Shine Boys," "Smoke on the Mountain" and other mysteries and comedies. She has been a member of Ringgold Singers for many years.

Judy is married to Dan CUNNING and has two grown children, David and Stacey.

She will be singing many favorites including "God Bless America," arrangement sang by Sandi Patti, and selections from "The Sound of Music."

Nancy SACKETT and Sherri HYMBAUGH will be playing a couple of piano duets for the show this year -- "Waltz in A Flat" by Johannes Brahms and "I Write the Songs."

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Good crowds shared with five county families that performed live at the Princess Theater for the theater's fifth annual gala Saturday and Sunday. The gala helps raise funds for the theater and its many projects.

The fifth annual Princess Theater Gala was held Saturday and Sunday at the Princess Theater with five families participating in the show with the theme "We Are Family."

Tracee KNAPP and family entertained at the Princess Theater Gala "We are Family" over the weekend. Lew and Reas performed on the guitar, piano and drums. Tracee did a dance number and Beulah HUTCHINSON did a comic monologue. Tracee's sister, Karla HINES, also did a comic reading and her niece, Lindsay, sang in the show. Tracee KNAPP left on Saturday for Tampa, Florida where she will attend the Republican National Convention.

Top, the Beulah HUTCHINSON family took the stage to share comedy routines and drum, piano, guitar and vocal numbers. Sherri HYMBAUGH and Nancy SACKETT combined to play four piano duets for the program. Judy CUNNING sang selections from Broadway shows and ended with a Sandi Patti arrangement of "God Bless America." Drew INGRAM sang several songs by Steve Greene and Kenny Chesney, including a duet with his father, Dwight. Jane THOMAS played the piano and accompanied her son Sean and his wife Jennifer for several numbers. Her grandchildren Aria and Austin THOMAS also had parts in the show.

Photographs courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012