Newcomers recruited for latest Ilwaco show

Published 2:47 pm Sunday, March 8, 2026

By Patrick Webb/For the Observer

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Jury foreman Tim McDonnell, left, and Juror 2, Denise Cox, are given instructions by the courtroom guard, played by Ann Erickson, in “Twelve Angry Jurors,” a drama being produced by the Peninsula Players. It opened March 6 and runs two more weekends at the River City Playhouse in Ilwaco. (Patrick Webb photos)

ILWACO — Director Ed Ahlers saw talent potential when casting “Twelve Angry Jurors,” which opened at the River City Playhouse in Ilwaco March 6 and runs two more weekends.

Four of the actors, Tim McDonnell, Daneka Ewart, Don Young and Matthew Shirley, are new to the group — and some are taking their first steps on the stage.

“We are really happy to give some new actors a chance,” said Ahlers. “We all started out that way, not knowing how to act. That is one of the important things about community theater.”

McDonnell, a retired businessman who plays the jury foreman, is delighted he stepped up.

“I have always wanted to be in a play, and never had the courage to do it,” he said ahead of a rehearsal just before the show opened.

“I was getting a cup of coffee across the street and noticed that there were auditions here that night and I said ‘I am going to go in there and audition for this play.’ They chose me — and I am having a ball.”

Was it what he expected?

“It is challenging, in the way that new things are always challenging, having never done anything like this before,” McDonnell said. “It is learning new skill sets, but it exceeds my expectations, especially the professionalism of the cast and the director.”

Ewart operates the Bold Gallery in Long Beach, so has experience in another facet of the arts.

“I am a big supporter of the River City Playhouse and thought I would have a peek behind the scenes,” she said. “I honestly thought I would have a supporting role, somewhere behind, but I just thought I would come see how it was done.”

She was cast as Juror No. 4.

“It has been more fun than I expected,” she said. “It has been quite challenging — memorization is something that I have not done for a long time, so that has been my biggest challenge. I am enjoying it very much. This is a great group of people.”

Shirley, Juror No. 11, isn’t entirely new to the theater world. He was lured to audition after attending a recent Peninsula Players comedy.

“I saw ‘Ripcord’ and had a lot of fun watching that,” he said. “I have been helping at the middle school as an assistant director and thought it would be fun to get out front and be on stage myself. I did some theater in high school and college, so it is coming back. I am having a lot of fun.”

• Show times are 7 p.m. Fridays, 4 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Ahlers said the Saturday curtain time is an experiment, in response to audience members wanting to avoid night driving.