Local actors headline playhouse production of ‘The Broken Statue’
By: Alyssa Gregory
Published in The Newkirk Herald Journal (Volume 120, No. 48) on July 25, 2013
“You have to be careful about bankers, Charles. They want your money back at the most
inopportune times.”
After losing everything in the Panic of 1907, E.W. Marland relocates to Ponca City,
Oklahoma, and so begins the legacy of not only a successful oil baron but the growth of a city.
His story is retold in the fictitious play “The Broken Statue” performed at the Ponca
Playhouse by local actors and runs from July 18 – 28.
“I portray E.W. Marland,” said Newkirk resident Kevin McIntyre. “A man who really put
Ponca City on the map by discovering oil in early 1900’s, creating tens of thousands of jobs for
people, giving benefits to employees, and genuinely caring about the town he was in and the
people around him.”
Like a spotlight, the play has drawn many local performers.
“I’ve been acting for two years and all of my experience is at the playhouse,” said Ponca
resident Matt Stolhand. “I am Daniel Craigan who is a fictitious business rival to E. W. Marland.
He is a successful oilman from the east coast who came out well during the financial panic of
1907. He is also an alcoholic with little patience who really does not like kids too much and
enjoys watching his competitors struggle while he has success.”
The play provides an opportunity for young stars to shine.
“I like putting on plays for my family and became interested in acting when the Ponca
Playhouse was doing “The Broken Statue” and they needed kids,” said Kevin McIntyre’s
daughter, Lauren. “I’m Cricket, a fictional boyhood friend of George, Lydie and Walt, who is
funny because he will want to fight if you laugh at him and is afraid of cemeteries.”
Kevin McIntyre used the play as a bonding experience with his nine year old daughter.
“It’s great that my daughter is also in the play!” said McIntyre. “We travel from Newkirk
every day for rehearsal and get to spend time with each other in the car and then practice.
Sometimes we even stop for an ice cream cone too.”
Having family in the cast of 26 members has it perks.
“Having my dad in the play with me means that my dad and I get to practice our lines
together,” said Lauren.
Even after rehearsing for nearly two months the fear of mistakes is still there.
“For me, the hardest part of acting is memorizing the script,” said Stolhand. “I am a
perfectionist so I am concerned about messing up my lines or forgetting them completely,”
The anticipation overshadows the fear.
“I’m looking forward to watching the audiences grow and seeing more people come and
see history reborn,” said Lauren.
The challenges of acting differ for each actor.
“Even though I know my lines, I like to read over them each night before the various
scenes,” said McIntyre. “The toughest part is not mixing up scenes and learning how the director
wants the character portrayed.”
When you go out there, you should be your character and everything is new (to that
character) each night says director Kelli Graves.
“My favorite part of acting is getting to be someone else for a little while,” said Stolhand.
“Craigan is about as different from me as possible. He is just a bad guy and that makes this role
quite fun.”
For some, being someone else brings them closer to who they once were.
“For a little while it is like I am a kid again,” said Stolhand. “Like when I was three or
four years old and was at my Grandma and Grandpa’s, Leonard and Louise Engle, house running
down the hall in slow motion ripping my suit off to reveal that familiar red and yellow S of
Superman.”
Previously working at Halloween attractions, Kevin McIntyre likes creating something
seeable from an idea.
“My favorite part of acting is taking something off paper and transforming it to make it
realistic for the audience,” said McIntyre. “Also the satisfaction of the audience getting to
experience and see a character brought to life.”
For first time actor Lauren, it’s all about the excitement of being on stage.
My favorite part of acting is hearing that I did a good job and meeting new people and
friends,” said Lauren. “This play has been a great opportunity to show people that I love acting
by being good at it and it’s a great way to spend some time with my dad.”
Marland relatives will watch the play on July 25.
“I’m honored to be able to bring such a historical character to life by portraying E.W.
Marland,” said McIntyre. “I am proud and looking forward to giving a great performance for
them.”
On July 26 Bob Perry will be there to view the show he wrote.
“I am excited to see this play come home to Ponca City, because I always want the
Marland story to be told in a respectful way and know The Ponca Playhouse understands his
legacy,” said Perry.