Grey Lite Theatre re-opens with locally-written "And the Next President Is....?"

Write what you know.

Local playwrighting couple Monte and RaeAnn Fortney took this age-old advice when they co-wrote their first play AND THE NEXT PRESIDENT IS…? premiering at Founders Hall, Taylor University on Rudisill Boulevard, by the Grey Lite Theatre June 24, 1999.

"I grew up in a political family," says Monte, "and I've gotten to the point -- especially the way politics is run in America -- where I don't take anything seriously."

Don't look for a lot of cheap, tawdry references to sexual scandals of our current president, however. "I don't want to say that so much of theatre is filth," Monte says, "but we wanted to write something that anyone could come to. It's clean, but it's not a sickening sweet little kid's show. It's just funny and entertaining that all ages will like."

Obviously this play isn't about the Monica Lewinsky affair. "It's not about Clinton," Monte promises. "It's not about anybody [in particular]."

Nevertheless, the play does contain one scene that may seem referential to the Lewinsky story. "We have a scene where a dress gets switched," he says. "We had the play in a contest in Indianapolis and one of the adjudicators said, 'You shouldn't have written it about Clinton.' Well, we wrote it two years before that ever happened. We didn't even have that in mind."

Instead, the "campaign comedy," as Monte calls it, is about a governor (played by Tad Atkinson) who is tied in the polls with the incumbent president. "This is going to be his big day," says Monte. "He's having a lavish dinner at his house and a press conference, and then that night he's going to debate the president. It's his chance to really show himself."

Not only does he hope to impress the nation, he hopes to impress his visiting in-laws and his brother Jimmy -- played by Monte Fortney himself. Monte says he did not write the part for himself, however. He's merely filling in for an actor who had to drop out.

Nevertheless, Monte was a good casting choice. Nominated for an Anthony Award with his first role (Lt. Keith in the Civic Theatre's production of THE CAINE MUTINY), he has also appeared in local commercials and public service and training films. An especially memorable role for him was as Private George W. Squires in a presentation given for the opening of the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne. In the audience for that production were former president Gerald Ford and Indiana's then-governor Evan Bayh.

In addition to stage and television work, Monte and his wife RaeAnn were featured extras in the Sandra Bullock film WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, although Monte says, their big scene ad libbing behind Bullock ended up on the cutting room floor.

But perhaps Monte's largest role to date will be in the Mark Archer film AMERICAN REEL, starring David Carradine and Mariel Hemingway. In it, he has a four-minute scene with the two stars. "I had like five lines," he says. "I played Carradine's old friend and employer, and he comes back to see. It's supposed to be released in the fall."

As difficult as landing acting gigs can be, Monte contends that getting a play published is an even bigger challenge. He and RaeAnn have submitted it to several publishing companies since 1996, but no one would publish it until it had been produced. So their next step was to submit it to the local theaters in Fort Wayne for production. "They liked it," says Monte, "but because it's new and unproven, they don’t want to put it on. So you're caught between a rock and a hard place, unless you do what we did."

What they did was to contact Sue Nelson, president and director of the Grey Lite Theatre, whom RaeAnn had interviewed for a 1996 WHATZUP article. Grey Lite has probably the best track record in Fort Wayne for producing "alternative theatre" productions. "We love Sue," says RaeAnn gratefully. "She's an angel!"

If the Fortneys are grateful to Nelson for giving their play a chance, they are equally so to any director who gives inexperienced actors their first opportunities onstage.

"Civic theatre is the chance to give people the chance to act," Monte asserts. "And Sue has that approach."

The cast of AND THE NEXT PRESIDENT IS…? certainly has a wide range of onstage experience. "We've got people who have never acted before," says Monte, "and we've got people like Tad [who has appeared in hundreds of productions]."

Perhaps these fledging actors, like the Fortneys themselves, will one day be inspired to try their hand at playwrighting as well. Monte contends that his past theatre experience definitely helped in the technicalities of writing a play. "I knew where to do the entrances and exits and how to set the stage," he says. "And I knew how to set up the characters."

RaeAnn discovered her love of writing while taking some general writing courses at IPFW. "They were just classes I had to take to get my degree," she says, "but I found that I loved it."

The couple thanks Fort Wayne Youtheatre director and former Broadway and television star Harvey Cocks for finally persuading Monte to begin writing the play that had been brewing in his mind for some time. RaeAnn recalls that the three of them were discussing over dinner the increasing profanity and violence in theatre, even locally. "I guess you could say we were complaining," she laughs. "But Harvey said, 'Well, write something yourself.' So we went home and Monte stayed up all night writing an outline. In the morning he showed it to me, and I was like -- 'OK!'"

Once the surprise wore off, RaeAnn was ready to help her husband tackle the arduous task of creating humorous and interesting dialogue. "It helped to have both of us [writing it]," she says, "because we could bounce ideas off each other. A lot of times we'd go get a cup of coffee and laugh our heads off trying to come up with stuff."

From start to finish it took the couple nearly a year to complete, including holding read-throughs with friends. The play was finally copywritten in March 1997.

The Fortneys are pleased with the results, and say that watching the characters they created come to life is a unique experience. "It's one thing when you act, and it's already been written," says Monte. "You kind of create the characters out of the script. But this is completely different."

RaeAnn has no acting experience, but agrees with the sentiment. "It's just a fabulous feeling! I've had these characters' voices in my head for so long, and to hear them out loud through these actors almost brings a tear to your eye."

The multi-talented writer, who also has an extensive background in vocal performance, is studying X-ray technology at St. Francis, and her husband has worked for sixteen years in the medical field, working now as an ortho-technician at Parkview Hospital. Will they be putting their collective medical experiences into another play? "Oh, definitely. Absolutely!" says RaeAnn without hesitation. "We're already working on our second. We'll start writing it in July. Our goal is to write one comedy a year, and Sue has already expressed interest in producing them. I just can't say enough good things about her!"

"We want to see how this one works before we write it," her husband says a bit more cautiously. "Then we'll know what to avoid the next time. I think the next one will be easier than this one. "

Rae Ann acknowledges the learning curve that these brand-new playwrights have already experienced. "The actors are adding so many things that I'll put into the final draft that we'll re-submit for publication," she says. "For example, there's a chef named Miguel, who plays a huge role in the play but never says a word. The actor playing him [Rob Jackson] has never acted before, but he's added so many facial expressions and actions to the role that will be added in the script."

Part of the reason the actors have been able to add so much to the production has been the relaxed atmosphere Sue Nelson has brought to the rehearsal hall. "She's there to direct, but she also makes sure everyone is having fun," says RaeAnn. "I mean, the actors are all volunteers, so they want to have fun while they're doing it."

Her husband concurs. "Everyone is really getting along, and laughs and seem to really love it, so we're happy," he says.

Inspired by the directors and actors who fostered their dreams of performing and writing, the Fortneys encourage others to follow their dreams, crazy as they may seem. "If there's something you really want to do in life," Monte says, "don't sit back and wait twenty years, and say, 'I wish I would have tried that.'"

His wife of twelve years agrees. "If you'd told us when we got married that we'd be doing this, we'd never have believed you," she says. "But look at us now!"

"I think that's kind of a key to life," Monte concludes. "If God gives you the ability and the power to do something, then you'd better at least attempt it."
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AND THE NEXT PRESIDENT IS...? runs Thursday June 24 at 7:30 (tickets $5)*, Friday June 25 at 7:30 (tickets $7), Saturday June 26 at 2:00 (tickets $5) and 7:30 (tickets $7)

Tickets available at the door or by calling (219) 456-9704.

*incorrectly listed as $7 on the posters