“The Calamity Kids”
Presented in 1955 in the Bussis Implement Building, Borculo, MI
(This story is contributed in 2018 by Alice (Zuverink) Stowie, one of the participants in the play.)
I have no idea who got the idea to have a play, probably our directors, Mrs. Henrietta Koop and Mrs. Beatrice Overweg. They must have picked out the play and got permission from the company that published it, as well as permission to practice at the School House, and then also got the Bussis Bros. to agree to let us use their building to present the play for three nights!
I remember getting a phone call asking me if I was interested in being in a play to be presented in Borculo. I said I would definitely enjoy doing that. We all met at the schoolhouse. It seemed the parts were already planned, because we just tried out for a part and if they approved of our performance and we wanted the part, it was ours. There were eleven of us and we started practicing already in January, once a week for quite awhile, but toward the end much more often.
The play was presented on May 17, 18, and 20, according to my photo book. The first night the place was filled up. We all got pretty nervous, but the directors calmed us down and most of us remembered or parts, when to go on stage, when to get off, etc.. There were a few mistakes, but we did better the next night. The play was definitely a very funny comedy and the audience enjoyed it, at least it appeared that way to us!
The Calamity Kids were twins, Micky and Midge Starr, (Glenn and Marilyn Geurink), being cared for by Uncle Hez Hoskins, (Bill DeWys) and Aunt Em, (Alice Zuverink). Also Brad Rivers, (Harvard VandenBosch), a college student, and Bonnie Blue, (Gladys Bussis), a hitch hiker, are being cared for by the Hoskins. Clara Clagg, (Alma Geurink), a gossipy spinster, also lives with them. The twins had an uncle Gideon Garvey, (Herschel Weaver), an aunt, Opal Ludlow, (Duetta Luurtsema) and her two teenagers, Lorraine Ludlow, (Gayle Bussis) and Elmer Ludlaw, (Lee Gebben).
These relatives were from the big city and they wanted to adopt the twins and make them their servants, each taking one. The twins did not want to be separated and were very leery of these rich relatives.
The Hoskins invited them all over for dinner and after dinner the decisions were to be made. Uncle Hez knew about the twins dilemma and encouraged the twins to put their wits together and come up with some tricks to play. This they did very well. Some very funny mean things happened and eventually the relatives decided they did not want the kids at all. They could stay with Uncle Hez and Aunt Em, which made them very happy. There were lots of funny scenes with Brad and Bonnie, always fighting and bickering, but then along comes Loraine, who thinks she is going to get Brad!
In the end Brad and Bonnie find out they really love each other and want to get married some day.
Clara Clagg kind of had her eye on Gideon Garvey, but he wanted nothing to do with her, a sworn bachelor.
I think we all had a very good time and enjoyed being in the play. It was a very good experience and we had lots of fun. Maybe sometimes our directors wondered what they had gotten themselves into, but most of the time they seemed to enjoy it too.
The following year I received another call asking me to be in another play, but I turned it down knowing I was going to be for too busy to take it on. I surely would have liked to. I do remember attending that play, but can't recall what it was all about.. As far as I know there was never another play done in Borculo.