Revamped Lions Club show ready for audiences

| November 7, 2019

The 62nd Warsaw Lions Club Music & Comedy Show will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, at River View High School. Tickets are $12 each and a pre-show meal, provided by the River View Music Boosters, will start an hour and a half prior to each show. File | Beacon

WARSAW – The saying, “The show must go on,” is one Audrey Phillips and Donovan Rice took to heart.

Phillips and Rice are the new co-producers of the Warsaw Lions Club night of entertainment that many weren’t sure would happen again this year.

“There was a lot of discussion of what we were going to do when the main core of the show decided to step down,” said Dairel Kaiser, president of the Warsaw Lions Club. “They had all been involved in the show for over 40 years and happened to all decide to step down at the same time. As the incoming president I was quite concerned because this is our main fundraiser for the year. There was talk that last year was going to be our last one. Audrey and Donovan decided it couldn’t be our last one and several members of the chorus felt the same. Audrey and Donovan said they’d take care of it and I thank them very much for that.”

The show was known as the Warsaw Lions Club Minstrel Show for 61 years, but with new leaders comes a new name. The 62nd Warsaw Lions Club Music & Comedy Show will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, at River View High School. Tickets are $12 each and a pre-show meal, provided by the River View Music Boosters, will start an hour and a half prior to each show.

“The minstrel show was around for 61 years and it was a wonderful show,” Kaiser said. “I’m grateful for those who worked so hard on picking a theme, picking music, and planning the interruptions/comedy parts of it. It was an incredible amount of work, but with so many stepping down in leadership roles now was a good time to make changes.”

This year the master of ceremonies will do introductions in the being and end, but the comedy crew will introduce the featured talent.

“The men who tell jokes up front are called the comedy crew,” Kaiser said. “We only have two back from last time and we have a female involved this year. It’s a little different than we’ve had in the past, but it’s going well. We keep it a family show (with the comedy). We want this to be a show you can bring the kids to and grandma and grandpa. That is one of our aims.”

The theme for this year’s show is “Memories in the Making” and the music was very familiar to most of the chorus.

“At the first rehearsal I heard people saying they remember the songs,” Phillips said. “They are toe tapping, sing-a-long songs, that everyone knows and enjoys.”

There are 47 people in the chorus and with everyone behind the scenes there are close to 65 people working to make the show happen.

“The chorus is predominantly non-Lions,” Phillips said. “We so appreciate them coming back year after year and participate. This year’s group has been a lot of fun. Anytime I ask for anything they jump in and are willing to help to make this a success. We enjoy being together.”

Both she and Kaiser have been in the show multiple times and look forward to it each year.

“It’s like a family reunion,” Kaiser said. “Half of these people I don’t see until practice starts. They are good people and fun to be around. The mutual support we give to one another is fantastic.”

Proceeds raised from the show help the Lions Club support a number of causes including: Ohio Lions Eye Research Foundation, diabetes research, the Ohio State School for the Blind, Lions Club International, Echoing Hills, River View FFA, River View’s Leo Club, the River View Community Park, Walhonding Valley Historical Society, the Walhonding Valley Fire Department, scholarships for River View students, United Way, and different scout groups.

“Last year there was a family who had a house fire,” Kaiser said. “It was deemed a total loss and we were able to provide them with a little financial assistance.”

The Lions Club also accepts old eye glasses and Phillips said they will have a collection box at the show.

Tickets will be available at the door, but Kaiser recommends getting them in advance. They can be purchased at www.wlcmusiccomedyshow.weebly.com or by calling 740-824-5048. Those wanting to see River View High School’s Certified Gold choir need to make sure they get Saturday tickets.

“Come see our Lions show family and support this fundraiser for the Lions Club,” Phillips said. “It’s a good time.”

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Category: Clubs & Organizations

About the Author ()

I started my journalism career in 2002 with a daily newspaper chain. After various stops with them, I am happy to be back home! I graduated from Coshocton High School in 1998 and received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2002 from Walsh University. I also earned several awards while working for daily papers, including being honored by Coshocton County’s veterans for the stories I wrote about them. I am honored and ready to once again shine a positive light on Coshocton County. I also am the proud mother of a little girl named Sophia!

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