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One of my fond memories is from the WBR 25th, A Dickins of a Carol . Scott Parr playing a disgruntled old teacher insults his young student teacher, Patty Lind, for her enthusiasm about participating in the " Waste-bas-ket-re-vue ." The voice he used for that one line pops into my head on occasion, as does the irony about the show: as hard as the day-job portion of my career can be, putting out more time and energy to do Wastebasket Revue somehow always gave me more enthusiasm toward my work. I hope the spirit of WBR past and present carries on into the future!
Jody Seppala ... Elementary Teacher
There have been many great skits over the years in WBR. My favorite skits were the duet If I had a Million Dollars from a few years back , the Dentist Skit a number of years back, and the Boot Camp Amy Skit from way back. I always appreciate all of the work that goes in to WBR and hope to see some of the favorite skits again. My husband Grant and I enjoyed participating in the show years ago.
Tracy Felton ... Elementary Teacher
Lee Warner ... BP Resident
1st memory: I started in the District in 1999, at
2nd memory: just a quickie: I met my husband because of the WBR Banquet and a bet that occurred between myself and Jennifer Leslie. Could I get that cop to dance with me? Well I did, and he made me promise to let him introduce me to his friend John F. A blind date??? I was a little skeptical, to say the least, but I agreed and the rest is history! Again, not sure how he figured we would be a good couple, but I am sure glad Jennifer L. thought of the bet! We were married in May of 2006, and our first baby is on the way…
Thanks WBR!!!!
Patti Farmakes ... Elementary Teacher
I grew up in the
Jenna Diem ... Elementary Teacher
Many years ago, before Sue Audette became a district employee and a part of the WBR cast, I had a frantic call from her. As usual, I was handling tickets and the call went something like this:
Sue: I have a terrible problem - my house burned down last night - and my Wastebasket Revue tickets were in there!
Me: I'm terribly sorry, but you shouldn't be concerned about your tickets, your house is a big enough worry.
Sue: But you don't understand - I had GREAT seats!
Me: Those I can replace - we keep track of the seat numbers issued on your order form.
After the conversation I wondered what this person was like who had such a great love for the WBR that she was so concerned about her tickets. A few years later, I got to know Sue when she became an employee of 279 and part of the Revue.
Another recollection from the Box Office:
In about 1990, Dianne Malewicki and I were working the box office together (big surprise there!). It was the day my family and I were going to attend, and we had great seats since I had gotten my patron order in early (section II about 6 rows back, on the aisle so I could slip in easily when the box office rush subsided). With our family tickets in my shirt pocket, I came ahead of the family to open the box office and sell tickets; Sue and the kids were going to come later. The box office was absolute chaos - the performance was sold out, so Dianne and I had a waiting list for tickets. As people would arrive, we would often get a few seats returned that we could re-sell. When we would get tickets back, we would stash them out of sight until we could organize them and match them up with people on the waiting list. As we were frantically calling names and matching people with tickets, Dianne spotted the tickets in my shirt pocket and asked what they were for. In the panic, I forgot they were my family's tickets and we sold them. A few minutes later, when Sue and the kids arrived and wanted their tickets, I remembered why those tickets were in my pocket. My wife was not too happy with me when she found out what had happened. Fortunately, my butt was saved 5 minutes before show time when a patron came in and turned in 4 tickets in section III that they weren't going to need.
Dick Weaver ... Retired
I started teaching at
Carol Rowan ... Elementary Principal
Another great memory deals with the same skit. Dave Causton was the lead "marcher" and had the honor of pretending to play the trumpet with his belly button mouth while it was held up by another marcher. Well, at the last show, the trumpet mouthpiece was soaked in ice for an hour preceding this "solo". Needless to say, Dave did a new dance that night.
Duayne Malewicki ... Retired (esteemed initiator/instigator of WBR)
As a senior at Osseo Senior High, I had the good fortune of being awarded a $150 Wastebasket Revue Scholarship. The year was 1970 and while that may not sound like a lot of money, it paid for a full quarter of tuition and books at
Upon completion of my fall student teaching experience at Zanewood Elementary, I was reminded on my last day (by more than one staff member—Bonnie Capper-Eckstein, Judy Nelson, Duayne Malewicki, and Pat Kasperson ), “remember to come to Wastebasket Revue next spring.” Henceforth, my introduction to WBR was sitting in the audience the spring of 1974 thinking to myself that looks like fun and I hope I get a teaching job in this district so I can be in Wastebasket Revue. Luckily for me I was hired by the Osseo Area Schools the following school year and not only began my teaching career, but my ‘WBR’ career began, too. Dance lines, jug band, skits, committees, riding in a school district truck to deliver folding chairs for the WBR Awards Banquet, WBR board member, leadership positions, and Swinging Eds., are just some of the experiences my ‘WBR’ career has included. However, the most important WBR experience has been the friends and friendships I have been lucky to formulate these past 32 years. Many of these relationships continue to be my most important friendships and for that I can thank Wastebasket Revue.
I used to sing in the Brooklyn UMC choir with Diane Denkmann and she always tried to "recruit" me to try out for Swingin' Ed's, so 7 years ago I did. I remember being a little nervous singing for Annibel Christiansen, but I did make it and found out later that if you were a guy, it was pretty much a cinch you'd make it! I've loved singing and 3 years ago I decided to try skits so I could get to know some more people and boy are they fun....I really enjoyed doing "Rollem, Rollem" and am so glad that I tried something a little different. By the way, I'm the guy who sang with Tim Hollis in the Duluth Boy's Chorus in the early 60's!
As I was new to the district in 1996, (coming from
I started in the district in 2001, and I happened to be working at a school with Gerri Wilson, so it was virtually impossible to not get involved in Wastebasket Revue. I have hacked my way through 6 years of dance, and I have even picked up a few steps. Somewhere along the way, I developed a knack for picking up skits parts during the run of the show that I never have practiced and rarely get right, but have loads of fun doing. My favorite WBR memory happened at a wedding of a friend. She had come to the show since 2001, and unbeknownst to me decided to play Car Wash at her wedding dance. This was the Men’s danceline number for that year, so Derek Johnson and I grabbed bar towels and chairs and nailed the routine 3 months after the show! Every year, I am amazed at the dedication and the commitment of the cast to this show. It leaves me speechless……..
Peter Pearson ... Elementary Teacher
I was a young teacher at Osseo Elementary in 1967 when I was told that some teachers were getting together to produce a show. I went to the first meeting and I've never stopped. I fell head over heels in love with Wastebasket Revue. (Later on, I fell for Mike Odell and Ross Young, too!)
Gerri Wilson ... Retired (Gerri has been involved with WBR for all 40 years!)
I grew up in the district and had gone to several shows with my mom, who was a district employee. I enjoyed many of the skits and loved watching my teachers. In 1987, a good friend of my mother, Bob Bradshaw asked me to do the choreography for the dancelines. Well 20 years later I am still here and enjoying every bit of it! The friends and life long relationships have been the greatest gift! The best part is I now share the stage with some of my childhood teachers, and they are my students!! I feel very proud to be able to use my talents towards such a fabulous cause! It has been great “Growing up” with all of the cast for the past 20 years!
Natalie Kaliszewski ... School Nurse
When I started in the district in 1985, my new friend, Phyllis Rither, suggested that I come to a Jug Band meeting with her. I had never heard of Wastebasket Revue, but I trusted her good judgement and went along... In those days, besides the writing team, there was a small group of people called the Jug Band that came up with comedy skit ideas, sort of improvising all the way through dress rehearsals. The skits usually evolved from the first show through the last. You kind of never really knew what was going to happen on stage. Sometimes we were funny, and sometimes we weren't. It was pretty scary, but it was always fun.
Rojanne Brown...Technology Integration Collaboration Teacher
As a student in the Osseo district, I had heard of the WBR, but never attended. Then in 1976, during my first year of teaching, my grade level "told me" that participating in the WBR was an "expectation" of first year teachers. I didn't question what my colleagues told me. I joined skits and the danceline and had a blast! Like Deb Will, I also dated my husband Mike during the revue. I have continued to "come and go" as an on stage participant throughout the years. Some of my fondest memories include: bringing my toddler daughter Annie to danceline practice, giving Ken Lundgren bear hugs during intermission, dancing as Wonder Woman with Tom Greve; and singing "Step to the Rear!"
Deb Odell...Behavior Intervention Teacher
I heard about Wastebasket Revue and the Swingin’ Eds during my “new teacher” training. When I went to my S.E. audition, the person before me (Ross Young) was so handsome and talented that I figured I had better try harder! Well, we both got into Swingin’ Eds and ended up meeting, dating, marrying, and having children. We got to sing the duet in Friendship a few years back with trick canes, which is one of my show highlights.
