On April 17, we lost Mary Ann Saunders, our friend, our colleague, and a champion of Theatre Lawrence.
Since the late 1990s Mary Ann has probably touched every show and every volunteer coming through the Theatre doors. A talented master painter, she could use a feather to turn a surface into marble and a broom to woodgrain a floor. Her rocks, her clouds, her colors were true works of art. In her years at TL she painted, but also directed, stage managed, did hair, make-up, props, and engineered concessions. She “mothered” volunteers with stews and water bottles and ice packs and band-aids.
In 2003 she took over the directorship of the Vintage Players and shepherded that group through performances and activities ranging from grade schools to retirement homes. In 2008 Mary Ann was inducted into the Theatre Lawrence Volunteer Hall of Fame. Her partnership in doing shows with Piet Knetsch spanned 24 shows, with the 25th, CLUE, still in rehearsal.
She was tireless in her commitment not only to the Theatre as an institution, but to the people with whom she played, performed and worked. She loved her sons, her grandkids, her dog Samson and Theatre Lawrence. We will all miss her enormously.
A memorial service will be held at Theatre Lawrence beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.
