RUMFORD – It’s a really big shewww, right here, on our stage! And it debuts on Saturday, March 20.

Bob Bohren, director of the benefit variety show for the Rumford Historical Society, together with producer Burt deFrees, assistant director Duane Glover and technical director Craig Zurhorst have been busy during the past few months pulling together professional and amateur artists to perform on the Municipal Auditorium stage.

“It’s an Ed Sullivan-type show that will appeal to most,” said Bohren, director of the choir at the Mexico Congregational Church and a dancer and musician as well.

Holding the shows on the stage of the Municipal Building seems the perfect setting. In decades past, it showcased hundreds of musical acts and served as the center of entertainment in the community.

Finding talent wasn’t difficult.

“We found so much that we could put on five shows,” he said.

As it is, two benefit shows will be held, the first at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 20, and the second at 3 p.m. on March 21. Each show will have some of the same performers as well as a few different ones.

Each act is either from the River Valley area or by people who have roots in the area but have left and are performing in other parts of the state.

That includes people such as Alan Tachney, otherwise known as Charlie Who; Joe Perham, the Maine storyteller; and Randy Judkins and Barney Martin, a music and comedy duo who now work in the southern part of the state.

There are also dancers from Debbie Murphy’s Expressive Movements Dance Studio, the ‘Scoggin’ Cloggers, and John and Ginger Cunningham who will perform several selections from Gilbert and Sullivan.

Jim Roy will play a rousing fiddle and Scot Grassette will show his sleight-of-hand expertise. Classical flutist Boris Popovich will play, as will the Mahoosic Community Band, the guitar duo of Thea Dunn and Tim Cormier, singer/guitarists Jim Gallant and Noel Palmer, and the cast from Mountain Valley High School’s “Kiss Me Kate” production. Other acts are expected as well for at least one of the two shows.

Bohren and Glover will “razzle-dazzle” the crowd with a dance of the same name to the “Chicago” tune. The two will also share masters of ceremonies honors for the two events.

Although performers are sharing their talents for free, costs for putting on the shows are likely to be as much as $1,500. Most of this money has been contributed by area businesses and individuals. Town Manager Robert Welch has been instrumental with helping set the shows in the auditorium and many others have given their time and talents to the events.

Proceeds from the shows will go toward Rumford Historical Society projects, such as archival updates and the writing of a history of the town.

But equally important, Bohren said the two-hour programs are being performed in a historic venue.

“We would like to keep raising funds to improve the hall and see it used more,” said Bohren.

For now, though, it’ll be one show at a time.

Tickets, available only at the door, are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors citizens and students. The auditorium can seat up to 300 people.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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