by Nathan Boddy
Theater fans will be a few steps closer to comedy and tragedy when they attend a show at the Hamilton Players. The community theater’s playhouse, located at 100 Ricketts Road, received a donation by local artists George and Vonnie Gulli last Tuesday, February 7th, the design of which couldn’t have been more appropriate for the setting.
George Gulli, who is a second generation totem pole carver, has maintained his family’s business in Victor for over 20 years. He and Vonnie’s involvement with the Hamilton Players goes back nearly as long.
“We just loved acting, and they (the Players) were good to us,” said George Gulli, explaining that an ongoing conversation between he and Hamilton Players Executive Director, Denise Rose, had toyed with the idea that he might be able to craft something for the playhouse. After giving it some thought, and considering the striking appearance of the iconic comedy and tragedy masks, the Gullis settled on a totem which would carry that image.
Several dozen folks turned out for the unveiling of the totem pole, which George Gulli says he carved out of tamarack, a wood he finds to be fitting for the playhouse since it tends to exhibit “a lot of character.”
Denise Rose was very pleased with the new installation, saying that she sees it as an appropriate merging of the theater arts and western culture.
“It’s made with love and skill from a local artisan,” she said. “It’s nothing that we could have ever afforded, but they made it and donated it and I’m totally in love with it.”
With several years of pandemic related slowdowns now behind them, the Hamilton Players will get many opportunities for people to admire their new totem pole while coming into the theater for a show. The 2023 season will include three major shows, beginning with “Little Shop of Horrors” which runs for the next three weekends (February 17-19, 24-26 and March 3-6). Additionally, the Players will be hosting a variety of Reader’s Theater programs, as well as youth after school and summer programs. For more information on tickets, auditions and times, visit the website at: https://hamiltonplayers.com.