The Northwest Senior Theater ( NST ) is a group of experienced (55 and older) performers, comprised of retired performers – professional and non-pro - not yet ready to put our voices and bodies out to pasture. We are singers, dancers, actors, musicians and production folks who love to perform. We still love the challenge of building a character, stretching our limbs and strengthening our voices. The ultimate joy is the delight we see in our audiences.
NST has been around for over 30 years, 20 of them at the Alpenrose Dairy Opera House. The Opera House closed at the end of 2019, then Covid hit in March 2020. Over the next two years of lockdown, we lost about half our members, so that when we were able to start up again in the fall of 2022, we were faced with re-creating and re-building the company. But we were determined to keep NST alive and thriving, and our determination is paying off. We’re so happy to be back. We invite you to watch and to offer your thoughts and ideas as we re-create our company post-Covid.
Each new member brings something valuable and unique to our productions which makes for varied and entertaining productions. Broadway, the movies, television, radio and vaudeville have influenced our shows.
Our artistic directors, Lennon Smith and Paula Wenzl, develop each show and, along with Music Director Tracey Edson, put us through our paces at each rehearsal to create something we are all proud to share with our audiences. We do two shows a year, three performances of each, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Our spring show is mid-May and our holiday show is the week before Thanksgiving. All performances are matinees at 2:00 p.m.
Originally we drew audiences primarily from retirement communities bused in for an afternoon of entertainment. However, word is getting out that NST offers a unique and entertaining afternoon that doesn’t break the bank.
We are a company of, and for, seniors. Our mission is to provide opportunities for seniors to participate in the performing arts, to share these performing arts with other seniors and the community at large, thereby developing positive attitudes towards aging.
