The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 88

2 THE COURIER-JOURNAL SUNDAY. JANUARY 16, 1553 SPEAKING OF PEOPLE First it's onstage, then it's off in the Caseys' theatrical life i Timothy Casey tells a story to sons Matthew. 4. and Mark. 1.

in their home. A 1 Toan Kay 1 Courier-Journal columnist Broadway pros," says their teacher. "I like working with this age group (ninth through 12th grade)." She is also directing a workshop production of "Crease" for February, and in May she'll direct the all-school musical, which will be "South Pacific." Mrs. Casey, a native of Elkhart, Ind started piano lessons at 4, violin in the fourth grade and vocal lessons as a ninth-grader. At Elkhart High she was the orchestra's con-certmlstress and a choir singer.

She pursued all three interests at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, figuring she would "take the concert stage by storm," she recalls with a laugh. But musical comedy claimed her attention once she won the title role in "Little Mary Sunshine" as a freshman. She went on to do other leads in school productions, though continuing as concertmistress of the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony. tures, and their latest one Is set in Louisville. Last fall Marifran began teaching at the Youth Performing Arts School, while her husband was performing at Derby Dinner Playhouse.

As they talked in their family room about their various dramatic endeavors, their latest production, son Mark, 1, burst into tears. "Cool it." his mother said firmly. "Dont be Casey Invited son Matthew, 4, to put on his "best E. T. face," which he did on cue.

This semester at the Youth Performing Arts School, Mrs. Casey teaches piano keyboard. Acting I and American Musical Theater, which has a touring group. She puts together a show of tunes from Broadway musicals, going back to the 1920s. The revue Is performed at elementary, junior-high and high schools and also at clubs and parties for business firms.

The 20 boys and girls in the troupe are very talented "real H.f' UU. Vfr Wuifraa tod Timothy Casey met ts ftcton at Houston's prestigious AI-Uj Ttotre. His tint gift to ber was Twwet Williams' autograph, Uat did not augur an obsta-tMrM path to a career in theater tot JIM two, who were married in 1171 la between acting and produo te tttats, Casey has loaded trucks fee United Parcel Service and man-tgH a condominium. Bis wife has wwted a newspaper. 9ut they don't seem to mind their forced exits from stage.

They say they're always ready for new adven v-- 1 jj "The old phone call comes when you least expect it," says Casey. Last June one brought him to Derby Dinner Playhouse to play the role of the art critic in "Can-Can." One of the dancers was David Thurmond, chairman of the dance department at the Youth Performing Arts School Thurmond happened to mention one day that it would be nice to add someone to the faculty who had professional musical-theater experience coupled with a vocal and keyboard background. Casey asked, "What if I knew someone to fit the bill?" After an Interview on a visit here, his wife was hired to teach. At Derby Dinner Casey played the English ambassador in "The King and and he was Merlyn and Sir Lionel in "Camelot," which closed last Sunday. "I'm back to looking for a job," he says.

"I'm in the traditional mode of all performers." The reason the family settled here is because he felt there was more opportunity in this part of the country for his talents. Mrs. Casey welcomed the chance to expand her horizons, too "Florida is hypnotic You've got all the things here ballet, opera, YPAS. A neat riverboat which we've been on." Young Mark had been spending the day at a baby sitter's home, but last week his father took over his daytime care. Matthew, who goes to a nursery school, has seen all his father's shows at Derby Dinner and watched his parents' revues in Florida.

"He thinks he's a dancer," says his mother. "He loves top hat and cane. He does a neat number with that." She'd like to start him in dance lessons next year, just for the discipline, not to turn him into a performer. Whatever career Matthew chooses Is OK with Casey, too. Children "are not cookies.

You don't bake them. I just want the boy to be happy." 1 I Staff Pfwta ky BIN Lntar Fla, where Casey's family was living. When another Alley contract did not materialize, Casey worked In construction and his wife became woman's editor and arts reviewer for the Naples Daily News. Through an ex-vaudevillian in Naples, were put In touch with the owner of a dinner theater in Sarasota who offered a contract for the following summer. The couple bought a house In Sarasota as their base for the next eight years.

They performed primarily in dinner theaters both in Florida and other states. In between engagements, Casey worked for a circus and once did promotion for wrestling "If that isn't show biz, what is!" After Matthew arrived on the scene, Mrs. Casey beaded up the music department at the Out-of-Door Academy, a Sarasota preparatory school Her husband took care of the baby during the day and worked for UPS from 3 a.m. to 8 or 9. "If I had a show, I'd work at night," he says.

"It was never dull," remarks his wife. After leaving UPS, Casey went on the dinner-theater circuit for 18 months. For one period his wife was resident musical director of The Players of Sarasota, a community theater highly regarded in the area. During those Florida days, the couple also put together their own revue with a varying number of actors, touring to churches and organizations. They gave free shows sometimes at nursing homes and hospitals.

After graduation and a year of teaching, she performed for four months in a USO tour of the Orient, doing research on Japanese theater along the way for her master's degree from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. With degree in hand in 1971, she joined the apprentice company of the Alley, a regional repertory company. Casey was In the main acting company, and they met in a production of "El Camlno Real" by Tennessee Williams. When Williams attended one of the last performances and visited backstage, Casey asked for an autograph. "After all, the man is a legend in our business," says the actor.

Marifran was bowled over by the playwright's praise of her performance as an 80-year-old woman, but Casey noticed she looked disappointed because she hadn't thought to ask for an autograph. Later on, long before the couple began dating, Casey handed over the prized signature. They still have it framed. Casey, a native of Nebraska, Is a graduate of the University of Texas, where he got good training in supporting his love of theater. He had a grant for tuition and helped earn his living expenses by cleaning up the laboratory theater after rehearsals.

The day after graduation, he began rehearsals at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and stayed there for two full years. "I thought, 'What's the trick to this Then I had my first bout with unemployment" before landing at the Alley, he says good-naturedly. In September, 1972, two months after the Alley season closed, the couple were married in Naples, i it ii fn: LL- Staff PtMtt by Ci st show, "Broadway Melodies," at the Youth Performing Arts School. Marifran Casey rehearses her American Musical Theater touring group In their new "TT torewide Clearance 50to60Mfebrics 1 in touch with you in touch with today yy Wools, polyesters, cottons, silks, imported and domestic. Choose from many other sale fabrics in prints and solids.

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