Theater Troupe Entertains RM Women's Club
Jan 09, 2025 05:31PM ● By Gail Bullen River Valley Times Reporter
Theater founders Connie Mockenhaupt and Mike Jimena portray real-life business leaders from Folsom in the late 1800s: she as the town madam and he as the newspaper editor. Photo by Gail Bullen
Theater Troupe Entertains RM Women's Club [5 Images]
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RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - The Rancho Murieta Women’s Club kicked off the holiday season with a performance by the Sutter Street Theatre at its Dec. 4 luncheon held at the Rancho Murieta Country Club.
The musical theater troupe presented a shortened version of their “Holidays in the Hills” production, which is set in the late 1800s on Sutter Street in Folsom, where the town folk get together for a festive seasonal party.
The luncheon also marked a milestone for the club, drawing the largest attendance to a luncheon since the pandemic.
The short program preceding the entertainment featured notable moments, including a tribute to longtime member Pat Lytle, a discussion about potential complications with future blood drives, and announcements of two upcoming events: a magician’s performance in honor of the club’s 33rd anniversary and the return of the popular fashion show.
Club President Bonnie Kirschman welcomed six new members and shared that 75 others had renewed their memberships.
“I also want to thank Vickie Joyner for these gorgeous centerpieces,” she added.
Pat Lytle Tribute Kirschman fought back tears during the tribute.
“On a sad note, most of you knew Pat Lytle. She was one of our past presidents, and we’ve lost her,” she said.
Lytle was a longtime member who co-chaired the blood drives for several years, continued to make snacks and supported subsequent drives. She also served as the Sunshine Chair and hosted the garden tour.
After moving to Rancho Murieta in 1996 to be closer to family, Lytle quickly became involved in community clubs. She later met and married Billy Lytle, who preceded her in death. Their home became a hub for family gatherings, filled with laughter and celebration. Not one to shy away from new challenges, Lytle took up golf at age 70.
Lytle passed away at home on Oct. 14. A celebration of her life was held Dec. 14 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on.
Blood Drive
Patti Keating, who co-chairs the club’s quarterly community blood drive, shared encouraging results from the most recent drive on Oct. 28. Of the 66 people who registered, Vitalant collected 43 whole blood donations and nine Power Red donations, totaling 61 pints of blood. Keating noted that 65 people had scheduled appointments, 10 others were walk-ins, and seven missed their appointments.
“We will have even a bigger event in January,” she promised.
Keating also addressed a logistical challenge affecting future blood drives.
“We also want to give you a heads-up that the Rancho Murieta Community Church is going through a major remodeling next year,” she said. Once it begins, we will have to relocate our blood drives until they are finished.”
She added that the club hopes to provide updates about a temporary location during the final blood drive at the church on Jan. 27 before construction begins.
“In the meantime, feel free to come to one of us, and we’ll tell you what we know,” she said. “Also, keep volunteering and helping. We appreciate you so much.”
Upcoming Events
The crowd applauded as Kirschman announced that Erin Bailey and Janell Rogers have stepped up to chair next year’s fashion show.
“We are super excited to bring back the fashion show on May 7, and we know we have very big shoes to fill,” Bailey told attendees. “We are looking for models, or if you would like to join our committee, please let us know.”
Kirschman shared additional exciting news that was first announced in the club newsletter.
“Toni Anania has decided to take the vice president position, so she will be in charge of setting up the luncheons and the entertainment for 2025,” Kirschman said.
Anania expressed her enthusiasm for working alongside the board members.
“They do so much all year long,” she said, asking for applause for their hard work. She encouraged members to provide feedback on the luncheons.
“We are open to ideas because these luncheons are a wonderful opportunity for the entire club to get together, and we want to make it as enjoyable as possible within our means,” she said.
Looking ahead, Anania reminded everyone about the next luncheon on Jan. 29.
“We will be celebrating the club’s 33rd anniversary,” she said. We will have a fabulous and world-class magician, Andy Amyx, and his wife, who has now joined the act.”
Anania then introduced the day’s entertainment: the Sutter Street Theater’s performance of “Holiday in the Hills,” a holiday celebration set on Sutter Street in the late 1800s.
“This production has been performed over 300 times in various forms over the last 19 years,” she said. “The founders and directors, Connie Mockenhaupt and Mike Jimena, guarantee to get us in the holiday spirit.”
Sutter Street Theatre
Jimena introduced Mockenhaupt as the entrepreneurial Emma Spencer. Known as Folsom’s madam, Spencer legally operated a business called a bathhouse. Jimena also highlighted her philanthropic side.
“She gave a brand-new organ to the church,” he said. “By my calculations, that makes her the first organ donor.”
Mockenhaupt then introduced Jimena as Peter J. Fox, the editor of the Folsom Telegraph.
“He was one of the most important people in town,” she said.
Jimena accepted the recognition with a playful remark to the audience: “It is my duty to tell you that every song sung today, every story told, every word uttered is based on historical fact … given a lie or two.”
The production featured vignettes ranging from comical to touching, and the music spanned contemporary and traditional styles.
Two production numbers had the audience laughing. The first was a medley of eight well-known tunes with rewritten lyrics poking fun at Christmas shopping.
“Happy Days Are Here Again” became “Shopping Days Are Here Again,” “Oh, Christmas Tree” turned into “Oh, plastic tree, where are the instructions,” and “We Will Rock You” transformed into “We Will Flock You.”
The troupe also delivered a riotous parody of the traditional “Twelve Days of Christmas.” Sample lyrics included:
“The third day after Christmas, my mother caught the croup; I had to use the three French hens to make some chicken soup. The four calling birds were a big mistake, for their language was obscene. The five gold rings were completely fake, and they turned my fingers green.”
Later in the program, Jimena shifted the focus back to the meaning of Christmas. A heartfelt performance of “Mary, Did You Know?” followed, posing rhetorical questions to Mary about whether she fully understood the divine identity and future mission of her baby, Jesus.
Near the end of the production, the performers brought the party into the audience with a German Christmas tune sung in English. Many women in the audience joined in the fun, laughing as they mimicked the choreography onstage: raising their arms to resemble a Christmas tree or playing patty cake.
After the troupe concluded with “Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas,” the audience rose in a standing ovation.
“We thank you for a marvelous time,” Jimena responded.
For more Sutter Street Theatre photos. visit therivervalleytimes.com .