Community Theatre - Joseph Ennenbach intro
- Kathy Missel (ITA Board Member)
In a week when the spotlight has been on the icons of the
Olympic world, it’s great to have this opportunity to come together
and celebrate the icons of Illinois theatre.
I’m honored to be here to present the community theatre award of
excellence to a true icon in this division, my good friend and
theatre colleague Joe Ennenbach. The dictionary defines an icon
as a person worthy of veneration. Here are some of his many
contributions to theatre over the years that make him worthy of
this honor.
Joe has been involved with Stage 212 in La Salle, Illinois since
that community theater's inception in 1968. In the early years, as
a University of Illinois communications major and subsequently as
a working journalist, he wrote publicity press releases for the
organization's productions. In 1973 he was elected to Stage 212's
board of directors, and last year marked his 50
th
year of
continuous board service. During this half century he filled many
roles, including president (for a total of nine terms) and the chair
of numerous committees (particularly those involved with bylaws
and policy, following his change of career to the practice of law in
the 1980s). He also continued to utilize his journalistic skills,
overseeing the production of the show programs for every Stage
212 season production from 1985 to 2019.
His work on the management side of community theater led him
to became involved on the artistic side, first as an actor, then as a
director. I first met Joe when we were both cast in a local
production of Arsenic and Old Lace. We became good friends
because after all, there’s nothing like theatre friends, right? I’ve
also worked under his direction in Lost in Yonkers, Lend Me a
Tenor and The Fox on the Fairway. He has acted at numerous
venues, portraying such varied characters as an insane genius