Senior College Players on Stage This Weekend

"The Pie Ladies Make Bail” and other goodies will be on stage Friday, November 18 at 7 pm and Saturday, November 19 at 2 pm at the Gould Academy McLaughlin Auditorium.  Due to popular demand, the Players scheduled their first Matinee this year. 

Ray Leghart, facilitator, said the Players welcomed four newcomers this year. Gail Parent, Hanover, is one of “The Pie Ladies.”  Lainey Cross, Bethel, appears in "The Pie Ladies" but is also featured in one of the comedy plays, “Extra-Curricular Activity.”

The other two newcomers appear together in the play, “The Sweet By and By.”  It features Mary Hickey as Anne, from Rumford, and Lia Paliocha as Mary, from Newry.  Mary has lost a loved one, but through her faith she’s certain they’ll meet again.  Mary’s neighbor, Anne, is more concerned with how Mary managed to bury her husband in her backyard.  

Mary Hickey and Lia Paliocha.  Photo by Lainey Cross

Plan to attend and be prepared for lots of action and practical jokes in five comedies. Admission is free but donations are accepted to offset Royalty fees.  Masks are optional. 

Thanksgiving Fundraiser for the Bethel Food Pantry

Bethel Rotary and the GraceNote Inn & Spa are planning a fundraiser to benefit the Bethel Food Pantry. It's a Thanksgiving dinner (intentionally expensive) geared towards those who want an excellent Thanksgiving without doing all the work: visitors, those without family visiting, those with family visiting... All food and labor are being donated by Rotary and the GraceNote Inn so 100% of the ticket proceeds goes to the food pantry.

Seatings at 2 and 6 PM.

Adults $100. Children 12 and under $40.

100% of your ticket price goes to The Bethel Food Pantry, for western Maine residents in need.

To purchase tickets call the Inn at 207-530-4365

Online at https://tinyurl.com/bde597vv

And you don't have to be a Rotarian to help out! If you might be able to volunteer to help on Thanksgiving or before, contact Steve Smith (stsmith4041@gmail.com) and he can let you know the options for prep, serving or clean up. 

Senior Tax Stabilization Program

Have you heard about the newly announced tax stabilization program for eligible Maine senior homeowners? Applying for the program involves filling out a simple form due to your town offices by December 1. 

For full details go to https://www.maine.gov/revenue/taxes/tax-relief-credits-programs/property-tax-relief-programs/stabilization-program

Senior College Players Present Comedy Plays

Be prepared for lots of action and practical jokes as the Senior College Players perform five comedy plays at Gould Academy McLaughlin Auditorium on Friday, Nov. 18, at 7 pm and at a matinee on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2 pm.

Two of the five comedy plays are as follows:

“Extra-Curricular Activity” by Jay D. Hanagan features Lainey Cross as Jenn and Tim LeConey as Xenon. He’s out of this world. She just wants a quiet day in the park. Or at least that’s what it looks like at first glance. Are we going to have a romance or an intergalactic war?

Pictured: Tim LeConey and Lainey Cross. Jack Kuchta photo

“She With a Capital ESS” by Jay D. Hanagan, includes Jack Kuchta as Man and Ray Leghart/Lia Paliocha as God. When a man implores the aid of a deity, he’s very surprised when he gets a response. He’s even more surprised by the final revelation. God works in mysterious ways to be sure.

Pictured: Jack Kuchta; Lainey Cross Photo

Senior College Players are sponsored by Western Mountains Senior College. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted to offset Royalty fees. Masks are optional.

Healthy Eating Program Big Success

On October 18 and 25, Cathi DiCocco, Bethel’s popular professional chef, presented “Healthy Eating: Tune Up for Winter,” an interactive program of cooking demonstrations, samples of healthy foods, and practical information about saving time and money while eating well. On both evenings Cathi and her son, Graham, prepared a delicious Tuscan bean soup for 12 persons in Cathi’s home on Main Street, Bethel. Program participants described the event as “informational, fun – all at the same time - and delicious.”

Cathi recently retired after 26 years of operating DiCocco’s Marketplace and started “Gelato and Cookies” as a part-time venture in 2022. “I missed meeting the people,” she said. Cathi is no stranger to sharing her talents with others. She began teaching “Fearless Natural Foods Cooking Classes” in 1992 and has continued to hold classes over the years.

Cathi’s goal is to inspire and encourage people to “do what works best for them.” And the “Healthy Eating: Tune Up for Winter” program proved she succeeded in meeting her goal. Program participants reported, “Cathi is a wonderful presenter, so full of knowledge; I learned lots about handling vegetables; Cathi is very generous with her knowledge; lots of practical information about cooking and saving money. I loved hearing [about] all the food tips to try.

This free community program was sponsored as a community service by To Your Health of Western Mountains Senior College in collaboration with the Bethel Family Health Center and MSAD#44/Continuing Education.

Jan Stowell introduces the program.

Cathi DiCocco and her son, Graham, prepare Tuscan Bean Soup.

Senior Players Gearing up with Comedy Plays

Be prepared for lots of action and practical jokes as the Senior College Players present, “The Pie Ladies Make Bail.” Four other comedy plays will also be performed at Gould Academy’s McLaughlin Auditorium on Friday, November 18 at 7 pm and on Saturday, November 19 at 2 pm. Due to popular demand, the Players scheduled their first matinee this year.

Three years ago, “The Pie Ladies” by Sherry Prios, entertained us with their antics and decision to form their own country. Now they’re back and have landed in jail because they didn’t take kindly to their neighbors trying to take down the flag of their new country. They are bailed out, but they owe a lot of money and are seeking ways to raise funds. Cast members include Gail Parent, Rosabelle Tifft, Mary Hickey, Marianne Goff-Dumont, Tim LeConey, Lia Paliocha, Lainey Cross and Jack Kuchta.

“Extra-Curricular Activity” by Jay D. Hanagan features Lainey Cross as Jenn and Tim LeConey as Xenon. He’s out of this world. She just wants a quiet day in the park. Or at least that’s what it looks like at first glance.

“She With a Capital ESS” by Jay D. Hanagan, includes Jack Kuchta as Man and Ray Leghart/Lia Paliocha as God. When a man implores the aid of a deity, he’s very surprised when he gets a response.

“The Sweet By and By” by Jim Gordon, features Mary Hickey as Anne, Lia Paliocha as Mary, and Ray Leghart as Fred. Mary has lost a loved one, but through her faith she’s certain they’ll meet again. Mary’s neighbor, however, is more concerned with how Mary managed to bury her husband in her backyard.

The final comedy features John Reilly as Leon, Rosabelle Tifft as Mavis and a special guest star in “The Tooth Hurts,” by David S. Raine. Mavis really wants to retire as “The Tooth Fairy, but Leon might not be up to the task of replacing her.

Senior College Players are sponsored by Western Mountains Senior College. Admission is free but donations are accepted to offset Royalty fees. Masks are optional.

"The Pie Ladies Make Bond" features front: Tim LeConey and Lia Paliocha; Back: Marianne Goff-Dumont, Gail Parent, Mary Hickey and Rosabelle Tifft. Photo by Lainey Cross.

November Message from the Chair

Our new board is excited about the coming year and would like to invite you to help us make Western Mountains Senior College’s programs as fun and informative as possible. For that, we need your help.

Nature, crafts, projects or academic pursuits are all welcome. What course would interest you? What would you like to teach?

If there is a topic you would like to explore, but don’t feel confident leading a class, you are not alone. I volunteered to lead a course on economic issues and only realized how little I know after the program committee said yes. I’m happy to help with ideas on sharing leadership of a course, using existing curricula, or narrowing the topic to a manageable size.

Or maybe you’ve already taught a popular course. Could you repeat it in a new location with a new audience? We want to expand the geographic range of WMSC, and welcome classes in Rumford, Andover, Greenwood, the Norway/Paris area and anywhere in between. If you can help us in any of this, please contact Lucy Abbott at LuckyAbbott.1@gmail.com or me, Jack Kuchta at johnk82510@aol.com.

We’d also like to reach out to more people. We are revamping the communications committee to improve our website, expand our social media presence and simplify our ability to share the news and hear from interested members. Steve Smith is leading this effort and would like your help. He is at stsmith4041@gmail.com.

Join us and make WMSC as much fun as it can be!

Jack Kuchta, WMSC Chair

A Message from Maine Senior College Network

Don't forget we have reciprocal membership in the Maine Senior College Network!

As a member of Western Mountains Senior College, you can sign up for online classes at sister colleges. You do not pay membership fees, just the class fee!

Keep your eye on the MSCN website's "What's Happening?" web page.
This is our "breaking news" page. We post notifications about upcoming events and opportunities here.

Online Zoom Classes
Our online classes are top-rated, especially in the winter. There is no shoveling snow to get to your car, no scraping ice off your windscreen, no slippery roads, and no parking! Simply sign up for your class and click on a link to join at the appointed hour. Bring a nice hot drink and sit down with your fellow lifelong learners from across the state.

Advantages to Zoom? - Yes, there are some!
We know that everyone wants to get back to meeting in person as soon as they feel safe. In the meantime, consider taking an online class or sitting in on a lunchtime lecture. There are even some advantages to online courses! On Zoom, you can see everyone's face (not the back of their heads), you can hear clearly, and before you know it, you forget all about the technology and the geographical distance separating you from each other.

Need help with Zoom?
If you need any help using Zoom, send an email to the MSCN office, and we will do all we can to assist you.

Zoom Tipsheets
You can also find Zoom guides designed for MSCN members and instructors on our Zoom Tipsheet web page.

Support your local college
So, support Western Mountains Senior College, renew your annual membership, and keep an eye open for exciting learning opportunities from all across the state!

Don't Miss the Senior College Players Performance

Senior College Players are ready to entertain you with five quirky one-act plays at their performances on Friday, Nov. 19, and Saturday, Nov. 20, from 7-9 pm at the Gould Academy’s McLaughlin Auditorium. The Players missed performing last year due to COVID and are anxious to return and highlight their talents for their friends and neighbors.

Reservations are required for each performance as seating is limited. To make your reservation, call Jack Kuchta at 201-579-8822 or email him at j_kuchta@yahoo.com. Masks are required at each performance. Admission is free, but donations are accepted to honor Royalty fees. If you want more information, please call Jack at 201-579-8822.

Senior College Players: John Reilly, Jack Kuchta, Arita Zitoli, Ray Leghart, Marianne Goff-Dumont, Bill Schuellein and Rosabelle Tifft. Absent: Lorrie Hoeh and Tim LeConey. Photo taken by Peter Musso.    

Senior College Players Are Back with Performances November 19 and 20

 “We’re Back – with an evening of quirky one-act plays,” claims Ray Leghart, facilitator, Senior College Players. Due to COVID, last year was the only year the Players did not perform since they started in 2006. Performances will be held Friday, Nov. 19, and Saturday, Nov. 20, from 7 to 9 pm at Gould Academy’s McLaughlin Auditorium.

The Players, although “amateur thespians,” challenge themselves in the art of theater and are anxious to return and highlight their talents for their friends and neighbors.

One of the five comedy plays includes “Gin and Tonic,” by John Clifford with Rosabelle Tifft as Olive and Bill Schuellein as Stan. The dating service is down the hall, but that does not mean some sparks cannot start flying between these two characters.

"Gin and Tonic" with Bill Schuellein and Rosabelle Tifft
photo Peter Musso

“After the Ball” by Fred Stoppel, features Ray Leghart as Stewart and Arita Zitoli as Joanna. Their friend, Charlie, knew how to put the “fun” into his funeral. Stewart and Joanna, a married couple, share their reactions to the event and how it affected them, some of it good, and some of it not so much.

"After the Ball" with Arita Zitoli and Ray Leghart
photo Peter Musso

Jack Kuchta, as a client, and John Reilly, as the psychologist, perform in “Your Mother’s Butt,” by Alan Ball. Sometimes a belt is just a belt. Things happen when a man seeking help with his lack of joy in life, ends up finding a shopping trip might be all he needs.

John Reilly and Jack Kuchta in "Your Mother's Butt"
photo Peter Musso

“Chocolate,” by Frederick Soppel, casts Tim LeConey as a detective, and Lorrie Hoeh as Mrs. Colby. An investigation of a missing person leads to chocolate, of course.

Lorrie Hoeh and Tim LeConey in "Chocolate"  file photo

The final play, “Welcome to Acceptance,” by Terryl Paisdte, includes Marianne Goff-Dumont as Mrs. Melcher and Bill Schuellein as Sam. Sam robs banks for a living. Mrs. Melcher just started as a bank teller, but she’s got more tricks up her sleeve that Sam could possibly expect.

"Welcome to Acceptance" with Bill Schuellein and Marianne Goff-Dumont
photo Peter Musso

Reservations are required for each performance as seating is limited. To make a reservation, call Jack Kuchta at 201-579-8822 or email him at J_kuchta@yahoo.com. Masks are required at each performance. Admission is free but donations will be accepted at the door to honor Royalty fees. For more information, call Jack at 201-579-8822.