Ogdensburg Showtime seeks performers

Showtime, the iconic Ogdensburg amateur musical stage troupe, is in need of more members for its chorus as its annual spring show nears.

Rehearsals have begun for the April 21 to 23 presentation of “Thanks For Being Our Friend” at Ogdensburg Free Academy. There are about 30 people in the chorus now, but organizers can always use more.

“We’re looking for anybody who’d like to help,” Showtime board member Jason E. Sovie said Wednesday.

Mr. Sovie is sounding no alarms. Showtime is in no danger of folding its traditional Christmas and spring benefit musicals. But the numbers in the crucial chorus line have gone down over the years. It has been holding in recent years, but Mr. Sovie remembers as many as 90 members when he joined the group in 1996 as a singer, comedian and stage hand.

And he recalls more members before then.

“I can remember when there were 100, 200 people,” he said.

Mr. Sovie said the low chorus numbers aren’t tied to a belief that Showtime is old hat and people who once embraced it have moved on.

He prefers to believe that they have families and other responsibilities and cannot find time to participate.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” Mr. Sovie said. “People can only be stretched so thin.”

The shows cost about $1,000 to put on, but reap thousands more in ticket and ad sales. The December show’s sole beneficiary is the Ogdensburg Neighborhood Center. The spring presentation, according to Mr. Sovie, has between 20 and 30 local and regional charities to serve with its proceeds.

Mr. Sovie said that in spite of the difficulty in dealing with lower number of chorus members, the word still goes out for more and there is never, ever any discussion of packing it in.

“It’s hard to say we’re not going to do a show,” Mr. Sovie said.

Rehearsals are held Sundays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 721 Hasbrouck St. Those interested in participating may sign up then.