Morris Theatre Guild announces cast for Tribute

Morris Theatre Guild is happy to announce the cast of the final show of the 2021-22 Season, “Tribute,” by Bernard Slade. Show dates will be May 5-8 and 13-15. Rehearsals are underway on this wonderful show.

“Tribute” tells the story of Scottie Templeton, a charming, irresponsible fellow, played by Joe Baima of Marseilles. A sometime Broadway press agent and former scriptwriter, he’s everyone’s friend, nobody’s hero and a great womanizer who’s managed to live more than fifty years without taking anything seriously including love, marriage and fatherhood. Life’s been one continuous gag, with his friend and boss, Lou Daniels, played by Bill Gillespie of Morris.

At fifty-one, he learns from his doctor, Dr. Gladys Petrelli, played by Dawn Brunker of Plainfield, that the script’s been rewritten as a tragedy; he is fatally ill. His son Jud, played by Keenan Bigg of Coal City, alienated by years of neglect, comes to visit. Scottie’s one concern is to make friends with his son. Everyone else adores Scottie including his ex-wife, Maggie Stratton, played by Jen Ketchum of Sandwich, his girlfriend, Sally Haines, played by Marley Hennessy of Shorewood and his good friend Hillary, played by Paula Schramm of Morris. After a bitter, revealing confrontation, father and son are reconciled, and it is Jud who gets Scottie to agree to be re-hospitalized for treatment and then organizes a giant tribute to his father in a theatre.

Director Jim Welch is particularly pleased to welcome back to this cast actors that appeared when he did this show some years ago, including Joe Baima and Paula Schramm. His stage manager will once again be Kevin Schramm of Morris, serving in the same capacity as last time.

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 5-6 and 13-14, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 7 and 15. Tickets are available online at morristheatreguild.org for $15 with senior and student rates offered. Tickets purchased at the box office on show nights are $20.