RACING NOTEBOOK: Egan's growth shown in shift to Midwest Truck Series

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 26, 2016

Egan’s growth shown in shift to Midwest Truck Series

SLINGER — Nick Egan has good and bad memories at Slinger Super Speedway. The good, in his case, far outweighed the bad.

The last time he was at Slinger prior to the 37th annual Slinger Nationals on July 19, he walked out with a season championship trophy in the area sportsman division. He also walked out with a wrecked truck with the American Ethanol Super Truck Series.

This season, while a rookie with the Midwest Truck Series, the Slinger native is making better memories as he continues his ascension through local shorttrack racing.

Egan won a division-leading five features in the 2015 area sportsman division en route to the season championship, including three straight victories (June 7, June 21, June 28). He also set the fastest time six times, which also leads the division.

“It was pretty awesome,” Egan said.

After more than 20 years of racing, the Egan family also celebrated Nick’s accomplishment.

Mike Egan has never won a track championship. He did win the three-race Pepsi Challenge Series in 2010.

“It was a pretty proud moment,” Mike said.

Nick was proud to win against what he thought was a “good level of competition week in and week out.” He didn’t get to savor it for very long.

The next day, that car was gone. The focus quickly shifted to the next challenge.

“It hit me really quick when we got rid of the car the next day,” Nick said. “That was kind of the end of it.”

His new challenge was the Midwest Truck Series, which competed Tuesday during the Slinger Nationals.

“We wanted to get away from the weekly Slinger deal,” Nick said. “We wanted to travel and instead of get used to the shorttrack, high-banked, high-speed deal. It messes up all your lines and all your skills at other tracks.”

Outside of Slinger, he struggled. He wanted to change that.

There was consideration to move into a limited late model in 2016, but the Egans went against it.

That division runs on an 8-inch tire, while the trucks and the super lates are on 10-inch tires. The jump into a super late model was too much, at least for now.

“It just a way to learn and build and move on, instead of sticking with what you know, try to learn something,” Nick said.

He appears to have caught on.

Egan is fifth in the series’ championship points standings and leads the Rookie of the Year standings. On July 1 at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, he won his first career feature.

The Egans also liked the direction the Midwest Truck Series was going. Last year, there were 12 trucks on average at a race. This season, it’s up to 17. What also helped the decision was finances. It is an affordable series where almost the entire truck — engine, chassis, etc. — is near the cost of an engine in a super late model, about $25,000.

“I thought it would be better experience than race in one place every week,” Mike said. “It pays pretty well and it’s a well-run series.”

The Egans love Slinger. They spent years turning laps on the high banks. But the weekly grind got to be too much.

“It’s fun to go to all these different tracks,” Nick said.

He added it’s also fun to have some down time. He works three jobs to help offset expenses.

“Work, school, racing and a girlfriend,” Nick said. “It’s a lot of people to keep happy; it’s hard to keep (them) all happy at the same time.”

It is Egan’s first full season in a truck series. He finished 10th in last season’s championship with the American Ethanol Super Truck Series, competing in five events.

He finished fifth in the Slinger Nationals feature.

“We’re just shooting for solid, topfive finishes,” Nick said.

❑

Steve Apel ended his 12-race drought Sunday in the 60-lap super late model feature at Slinger Super Speedway.

Apel, the three-time defending track champion, last won a super late model feature Aug. 30. It was his longest drought since going winless in 16 races in 2010 – his second season in the super late model division.

It was also Apel’s 25th career super late model feature victory at Slinger.

Apel leads Dennis Prunty by 80 points in the standings. Chris Blawat is third, 98 points behind Apel.

Blawat was second, followed by Dennis Prunty, Alex Prunty and Mitch McGrath.

Ryan Farrell stayed hot in the limited late model division, winning Sunday’s. He also won the 35-lap feature at Slinger Nationals. Mike Held was second, followed by Ryan Gutknecht, Brian Holtz and Jordan DeVoy.

Held retook the points lead, and leads DeVoy by six. Kyle Chwala is third, 36 behind.

Paul Wagner won the area sportsman feature for his second victory of the season. Jakob Hassler won his second straight Slinger Bees feature. Rick Bruskiewicz won the Figure 8 feature, and Kyle Quella won the sport truck feature.

❑

Ty Majeski, who led the most laps at the Slinger Nationals, finished 12th in Friday’s ARCA Series’ Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 presented by Jive and Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Indiana.

Chase Briscoe of Mitchell, Indiana, won.

It was Majeski’s second career start in the series. The 21-year-old Seymour native finished fourth in his series debut June 19 at Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin.

❑

Hartford’s Jeff Courtney is set to compete in the Pirelli World Challenge’s GTS doubleheader Friday and Saturday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Courtney finished second in his last series race June 26 at Elkhart Lake’s Road America.

Kenseth extends record

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 21, 2016

Kenseth extends record

West Bend’s Dassow third to lead strong local contingent

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

SLINGER — West Bend’s Travis Dassow looked out his windshield and saw two drivers with a combined 972 NASCAR starts, 78 victories, a Sprint Cup championship, a Camping World Truck Series championship and two Daytona 500 titles.

It’s hard to be disappointed finishing behind them. There is some disappointment — only because he was that close.

But he’ll take it. Especially on this night, this setting.

Dassow was the highest-finishing Slinger regular in Tuesday night’s 37th SuperSeal Slinger Nationals presented by Miller Lite. The former ASA national champion was a career-best third place in his seventh Nationals start. His previous best was sixth in 2006.

“I can’t complain one bit,” Dassow said. “We’ve been running really good the last few weeks between here, up at Kaukauna and a couple other places. We’ve got a really good handle on it finally. It feels good after a few years of struggling.”

Matt Kenseth extended his record with a seventh Slinger Nationals title in a spirited battle during the final nine laps with Erik Jones, the reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion.

Brad Mueller was fourth and Steve Apel was fifth.

Apel, the three-time defending super late model track champion, led 35 laps. Ty Majeski led the most laps (79). Apel said his car was a “handful” for the last 80 laps, so he was glad to salvage a top-five finish. It was his second straight top-five finish at Slinger Nationals.

“I’m not too disappointed in that,” Apel said.

As it usually is, Tuesday’s race was one of attrition and patience. Kenseth, Jones and Mueller each came from the back of the field — outside the top 15 — at some point before they made their way to the front of the 200-lap feature.

For Mueller, who got as high as third, his performance might have been the most impressive out of anyone in the field.

He took a provisional qualifying spot after he struggled in both qualifying races. He started the feature 19th in the 23-car field. Mueller also had an additional 60 laps on his tires for the first 100 of the race.

At the lap 100 break, he was 13th.

“Fourth is a win from where we had to come from today,” Mueller said, adding he and his crew worked on the car seemingly all night.

He admittedly thought about pulling off the track because the car “wasn’t any good.”

“All of a sudden, we’re on lap 17, we’re up to 12th or something like that,” Mueller said.

Dassow often struggled at Slinger Nationals. Four times, he finished 19th or worse.

“Losing to these two (Kenseth and Jones feels like a win,” Dassow said.

A caution with nine laps to go bunched up the field as Kenseth and Jones pulled away from Mueller, running third at the time, Dassow and Dennis Prunty.

Kenseth and Jones, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, made contact with each other several times fighting for the lead. Twice, Jones got the nose of his No. 20 car underneath the No. 8 car of Kenseth, but couldn’t finish the pass.

A five-car crash with two laps to go set the stage for a green-white-checkered finish.

On the restart, Kenseth appeared to get a good jump. However, so did Jones.

The 20-year-old from Byron, Michigan, beat Kenseth down the back straightaway and took the lead as they crossed the finish line to take the white flag. Going into Turn 1 on the checkered- flag lap, Kenseth drove deep into the corner and made contact with the left-rear quarter panel of Jones’ car.

“I was just real tight on that last restart and I lost the lead to Erik there,” Kenseth said. “He had me beat on that last restart.

“My move wasn’t really a very good one. It was a little uncalled for. I definitely hit him too hard.”

“I don’t know if I would’ve just drove into the corner and almost wreck someone for the win,” Jones said. “I expected to get something back if he got back to us. He just kind banzaied in there and just jacked us up.”

Dassow had a front seat to the action, sitting in third.

“I thought I was going to win that thing there at the end with them two beating on each other,” Dassow said. “I was just waiting for my opportunity to get in there and try to make it happen.

“In a couple laps, they probably would’ve taken each other out and I would’ve been in good shape.”

From there, it was a drag race between Dassow and Jones for second. Jones won that bout by 0.029 seconds. He finished 0.333 seconds behind Kenseth.

If Dassow had won, it would’ve been his first Slinger Nationals title and his first career super late model victory at Slinger.

His only late model victory at Slinger was in a limited late model June 27, 2010.

“I knew we had a good, top-five car,” Dassow said. “It was just a matter of … don’t over-swing at it at the break and take my time in the second half and we did that.”

It capped a solid week for Dassow. He finished third in Thursday’s super late model race at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna during the white race of the Red, White and Blue Series.

“It just builds confidence,” Dassow said. “On Thursday, I lost to Ty Majeski and Casey Johnson and they both race 50 to 60 times a year. This was my ninth show of the year.”

Participating in spirit

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 20, 2016

Participating in spirit

Previous engagement prevented NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie Elliott from racing Tuesday

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

SLINGER — Donning a red T-shirt and blue jeans, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Chase Elliott heard it from multiple fans: “I wish you were racing.”

So did the 2014 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, he said.

Elliott did not participate in Tuesday’s 37th SuperSeal Slinger Nationals presented by Miller Lite at Slinger Super Speedway because a previous commitment prevented him from race preparation.

“This a cool place and I think it’s a neat race,” Elliott said. “I’ve always heard such high things about the race and all the people that have been here over the years.

“I had heard about it for years and years and I love racing late models. It’s something I have a passion for.”

Elliott committed to race in the Slinger Nationals for the first time about five weeks ago. A few weeks later, he backed out because of previous commitments.

Elliott wanted to honor his commitment, however, so he came to the track to sign autographs in the VIP tent moments after qualifying and serve as the event’s grand marshal.

“I would love to come and race,” Elliott said. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I have a lot of interest in it. It’s a neat race track. I’ve always heard great things.”

Elliott sat in the VIP tent next to six-time Slinger Nationals champion Matt Kenseth, who was in his full race suit. Roush Fenway development driver Ty Majeski, also in his full race suit, sat with them.

“I wish I could be racing this year,” Elliott said. “Obviously, it wasn’t meant to be this year. I’m glad to be here nonetheless. I think these guys will put on a good show. They don’t need my help.”

Of the guys in race suits, Erik Jones, the reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, was the event’s fast qualifier. He turned a lap in 11.221 seconds. Kenseth was second quickest at 11.253.

“It’s a great little short track,” Kenseth said. “I always have fun coming up here. … It’s fun to still come back.”

Nick Wagner was the highestqualifying Slinger regular at 11.281, third fastest. Majeski was fourth (11.306), Travis Dassow was fifth (11.343).

“I was thinking about skipping the Nationals to save some money,” Wagner said. “We had a couple guys throw in some of their personal money and that’s why we are here tonight. We needed this.”

The 12 fastest qualifiers made the 200-lap feature. The other 22 cars battled for provisional and qualifying races. Among those not in the top-12 included defending race champion Dennis Prunty, super late model Rookie of the Year contender Alex Prunty, 2016 two-time feature winner Rob Braun, former limited late model champion Ryan DeStefano and Bubba Pollard, a short-track stardown south.

Alex and Dennis Prunty were 1-2, respectively, in the first qualifying race, followed by James Swan and Braun. They all advanced to the feature.

In the final qualifying race, Jamie Wallace and Casey Johnson were 1-2 and advanced.

Elliott, who turns 21 on Nov. 28, is no stranger to winning highprofile late model races. He won the 2010 Winchester 400, the 2011 Snowball Derby, the 2012 World Crown 300 and the 2013 All-American 400.

Elliott made his NASCAR debut with the 2013 Camping World Truck Series. He made nine careerstarts, won one race and had seven top-10 finishes.

In 2014, he moved to the Xfinity Series and won the series championship. In 72 career Xfinity starts, he has 59 top-10 finishes, including five victories.

He is in his first full season with the Sprint Cup Series. In 24 starts, he has 11 top-10 finishes. He also has two pole positions, including this year’s Daytona 500.

Elliott stepped into the vacant seat in the No. 24 car made famous by future Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, who won four Sprint Cup Series championships. Gordon retired in 2015 after a career spanning more than 20 years.

“You’re never pleased,” Elliott said. “We’ve definitely had some ups and downs. We’ve had some rough races these last few weeks. A lot of it being my fault and that I need to do better. I, unfortunately, have learned that the hard way.”

He doesn’t believe there was pressure for him to live up to any reputation set by Gordon.

“For me, you just got to go and try to your job,” Elliott said.

Elliott hasn’t had many chances to race his late model in the Midwest, outside of Michigan and Indiana.

What appeals to Elliott about Slinger, and what captured his attention about the track, is what he sees from Wisconsin drivers when they come to events in the south, such as the Snowball Derby in Florida. One of the drivers Elliott referenced was Majeski.

“He’s been doing a really, really good job,” Elliott said of Majeski. “He’s been coming down south and kicking everyone’s tail. I think that says a lot about the competition level up here.”

He hopes in 2017 he will sit at the same table, but in a race suit rather than a T-shirt and blue jeans.

“I’d love to come back,” Elliott said. “We just have to play it by ear.”

❑

Ryan Farrell withstood a caution with 10 laps to go and a challenge from Mike Held to win the 35-lap limited late model feature at Slinger Super Speedway.

“We’ll take that,” Farrell said in victory lane. “We’ve been struggling with the super late. We’ll take it.”

It salvaged a rough start to the evening that saw Farrell qualify 33rd in the super late model division.

Ryan Gutknecht was third, followed by Steve Schulz and Scott Ascher.

Held attempted to become the first two-time winner of the 10th all-time limited late model feature at the Slinger Nationals. He won it last year.

❑

Chester Ace benefited from a front-row starting spot and won the Midwest Truck Series’ feature. “We struggled in the practice, same thing in qualifying, but this thing was on a rail (in the feature),” Ace said in victory lane. “I can’t thank my crew (enough).”

Mike Meyerhofer was second, followed by Michael Corvo III, Kevin Knuese and Nick Egan.

It was Egan’s first appearance at Slinger after winning the 2015 area sportsman championship.

RACING NOTEBOOK: Courtney drawn back to GTS racing competition

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 19, 2016

Courtney drawn back to GTS racing competition

JACKSON — For Jeff Courtney, the season is just beginning. So is his push toward a championship in 2017.

The 50-year-old Hartford native enters the next race in the GTS class of the Pirelli World Challenge on July 29-31 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, with optimism and confidence.

In his last race weekend June 23-26 at Elkhart Lake’s Road America, Courtney placed eighth and second, his best finish of the season.

“We expected to win,” Courtney said. “We did some testing up there and we felt like the car was really strong.”

Given how his season was up to this point, especially at the start, Courtney found a positive with finishing second.

Courtney drives the Maserati GranTurismo MC entry for Jeff Courtney Racing, with help from sponsors RecStuff.com, Kenda Tires and Speedseat Factory.

The 1982 Hartford Union High School graduate hoped for a better start than what he got.

“The Maserati program was a new deal and we got the cars from Italy about a week before the start of the season at (Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas),” Courtney said. “So basically they threw them on a container in Italy, sent them here … we virtually got the cars here in Jackson and we had three days to load them to go to COTA.

“So no prep, no development time. We really started off bad.”

He managed seventh place in the season’s opening round March 5 and 10th in the second round March 6 — both at COTA. Though managed is putting it lightly.

Courtney limped to a pair of eighth-place finishes March 11-12 on the streets of St. Petersburg in Florida. He missed the first race of the series’ doubleheader April 22 at Barber Motorsports Park inBirmingham, Alabama. He was 13th in the second race that weekend.

He missed the next two race weekends.

“It just didn’t make sense for us to keep running the way it is,” Courtney said. “In hindsight, we should’ve skipped COTA and St. Pete, went out and tested, developed the car and then start at Barber.”

“We didn’t expect to get the cars that late,” he added.

While disappointed to not win at Road America, Courtney believes the issues the team had in figuring out the new program are resolved.

“We think we have the cars dialed in to where they’re competitive,” Courtney said. “I’m pretty excited to finish off the season right now.”

Courtney hoped to challenge for the 2016 championship. But this season isn’t a complete wash.

Next year, some rule changes in the GTS class look to work in Courtney’s favor. The remainder of the season is focused on getting the best result possible, but also to collect notes and momentum for 2017.

“We have to kind of consider this a development year,” Courtney said. “Next year sounds pretty exciting.”

Courtney got into racing because of his family. His father is a former motorcycle racer. His brothers also raced.

Mixed in there was getting his professional life going. Courtney also owns Badger Tire and Wheel in the industrial park off Highway P. For about 10 years, ending in 2000, Courtney stayed out of racing.

When he returned, he dabbled with SCCA Pro Miata racing, and Panoz Racing Series and School, racing GT cars. He won the 2005 Panoz GT Pro winter series championship as well as the Miata Cup Sunoco Hard Charger award at Mosport.

“It was a lot of fun and I met a lot of cool people there,” Courtney said of his time at Panoz Racing Series and School.

In 2006, his first season with Pirelli World Challenge, Courtney won the Touring Car class Rookie of the Year title with four top-10 finishes. In 2007, he moved to the GT class and placed seventh in the championship.

He has made 102 career starts in Pirelli World Challenge, with 45 top-10 finishes and six topfives.

“Sports car racing has always been my thing,” Courtney said. “I also always liked racing something I could see on the road, a Corvette, a Ferrari.”

❑

Dale Nottestad, the points leader at Jefferson, won the 50-lap King of the High Banks limited late model feature Sunday at Slinger Super Speedway.

It was his first limited late model feature victory at Slinger.

Jordan DeVoy was second, followed by Ryan Farrell, Kyle Chwala and Kevin Kneuse to round out the top five.

Jay Kalbus won his first career area sportsman feature, Eric Lingford won the midwest sportsman feature, Jakob Hassler won the Slinger Bees feature and Scott Goetzke won the Figure 8 feature.

❑

Jeff Steenbergen rallied from a 10th-place starting spot to win the sport modified feature Saturday at Beaver Dam Raceway.

It was the second victory of the season for the 2010 and 2013 track champion and his second in a row.

Roger Lee won his fourth grand national feature of the season, Justin Pearson won his second career legends feature, Jon Schultz won the modified feature and Mike Winters won the street stock feature.

❑

Jeff Lammers won his first career grand national feature Saturday at the Plymouth Dirt Track.

Kenny Richards won the “B” modified feature, Tim Buhler won the late model feature and Tim Haddy won the 360 sprint car feature.

Kewaskum’s Donny Goeden was third in the 360 sprint car feature. The defending track champion and Hall of Fame leads the points standings by 62 points over Haddy.

Richards, Lammers and Buhler also won a heat race in their respective divisions.

Jones brings another showcase name to Tuesday's race

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 16, 2016

Jones brings another showcase name to Tuesday’s race

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

Rising NASCAR star Erik Jones has filled his trophy case with awards from some of the most prestigious late model races in the country.

There is one missing, though: The Larry Detjens Trophy, awarded to the Slinger Nationals victor.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to win some big late model races in the last few years, but Slinger hasn’t been one of them,” Jones said. “To add that race to my mantle would be pretty special to me, especially considering the history of the track and the race.”

Jones is one of 40 expected drivers who will compete in Tuesday’s 37th SUPERSEAL Slinger Nationals presented by Miller Lite at Slinger Super Speedway.

“Slinger is a track I’ve wanted to come to for a while now,” Jones said. “The Nationals is a prestigious event in the late model world, and it’s a race I’ve had marked down.”

Jones wanted to compete at Slinger since 2011.

“In my mind, it’s a fast-paced, high-action short track,” he said. “Things happen so quick there, there’s always something going on.”

Jones joins fellow NASCAR racer Matt Kenseth in this year’s field. Kenseth, a two-time Daytona 500 winner and the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, is an event-record six-time Slinger Nationals champion.

Another current NASCAR driver also appears at Slinger. Chase Elliott committed to compete in the race, but a prior commitment forced him to pull out. However, he will serve as the event’s grand marshal.

Slinger co-promoter Rodney Erickson believes this year’s race may be the most talented in several years.

However, he quickly pointed out an always unpredictable equalizer: equipment failure.

Dennis Prunty, the defending champion, dominated in 2014, leading 170 laps until an engine failure with 23 to go forced him to pull off the track and watch Chris Wimmer drive to the victory.

Last year, Prunty was barely challenged. He led 187 of 199 laps and collected close to $15,000 in prize money — a track record.

“The Nationals is 200 laps,” Erickson said. “Equipment failure is always a big risk.”

Plus, it’s a strain on tires.

In his career, Jones has enjoyed success on Wisconsin’s short tracks. He’s won at LaCrosse and the Milwaukee Mile. In 2014, Jones won the Howie Lettow Memorial at the Milwaukee Mile.

Jones also won the coveted Snowball Derby in Florida twice, and has won the Winchester 400 three times.

But Slinger is different. That’s why Jones tested there Wednesday.

“I think we got a good baseline to start with once we get up there next week,” he said. 'I learned a lot about the track and what I need to do, and I think we learned a lot about what we’re going to need the car to do.”

Jones is a rookie in the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series after winning the Camping World Truck Series championship last year. He is fourth in Xfinity, 57 points behind Daniel Suarez.

Out of the drivers competing for the championship, Jones leads the group with two victories. He won April 16 at Bristol and May 14 at Dover. This weekend, the Xfinity Series is in New Hampshire for today’s AutoLotto 200.

“I think it’s gone good,” Jones said of his season. “We have been disappointed a few times. I think we feel like we should have a few more wins. But regardless, we are locked into the Chase and gave ourselves the chance to win a lot of races this year, and that’s all you can ask for.”

Jones races for Joe Gibbs Racing, the same team Kenseth and Kyle Busch race for. Jones is racing a Kyle Busch Motorsports car at Slinger.

Busch won the 2011 Slinger Nationals.

“I’ll probably ask him a couple questions about it,” Jones said. “The track has changed a little since then, but I’ll pick his brain some.”

Unlocking the music takes 88 keys

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 15, 2016

Unlocking the music takes 88 keys

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

Dan Moldenhauer will get the opportunity most dream about: working with their idol.

Starting at 7:30 p.m. today at Concordia University’s Todd Wehr Auditorium, 12800 N. Lake Shore Drive, Mequon, Moldenhauer, a Hartford native, will be one of two pianists The Acacia Theatre in Milwaukee’s presentation of the Tony Award-winning musical, “I Do! I Do!”

After today’s performance, the production will continue at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. It will then resume July 2124.

He’s thrilled for the opportunity. But he’s more thrilled to play alongside someone he looks up to: Maggie Rebers.

As a student at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Moldenhauer, 23, was a music education major. Rebers accompanied him during recitals.

Rebers’ husband, Tim, will also be in “I Do! I Do!” as an actor.

“I felt very honored,” Moldenhauer said of being asked to perform in the show with Tim and Maggie Rebers. “I look up to both of them as performers. It’s cool to work with them and do something more professional.”

The musical is Moldenhauer’s first stage performance, at least of this magnitude. Otherwise, he’s accompanied people at several camps. He’s a choir teacher at Horicon High School.

“Not really,” Moldenhauer said when asked if he’s nervous for his professional debut. “More excited.”

For the show, Moldenhauer and Maggie will provide the music — the soundtrack — on piano. “The music carries the audience along with lovely and entertaining songs requiring two pianos,” said Janet Bouman Peterson, director of the production. “I’m particularly pleased in the very talented cast we have with Tim Rebers and Susan Wiedmeyer.

“But I’m also delighted to work with Dan Moldenhauer and Maggie Rebers, Tim Rebers’ wife, as the two piano accompanists.”

The Broadway production “I Do! I Do!” was originally released in 1966. It was nominated for seven Tony Awards in 1967 and won for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. The winner was Robert Preston, who got an Oscar nomination in the 1982 film “Victor Victoria.”

“I Do! I Do!” follows the marriage of Michael and Agnes, from wedding night jitters to the thrills of parenthood, through the threat of infidelity, culminating in a rich relationship worth fighting for. It is based on a book and lyrics by Tom Jones, and the music by Harvey Schmidt.

“At heart, it is still a musical comedy,” Bouman Peterson said. “And I think if people come they will be entertained, hear lovely music, a good story and maybe leave with something to ponder while humming a memorable tune.”

A New York Post review said, “At once amusing, astonishingly touching and truly endearing.”

Moldenhauer was contacted, with the encouragement of Maggie, about four months ago and was asked to be in the show.

However, he hasn’t attended many of the rehearsals, which started about two months ago.

Up until about two weeks ago, the rehearsals were held at a small church in Milwaukee. There wasn’t enough room for two pianos there, so Maggie attended most of the rehearsals. Then she’d meet with Moldenhauer separately, and they’d go over the rehearsal and practice.

“The main thing for not being at rehearsal is not getting the cues,” Moldenhauer said. “That’s been the main issue for me, figuring out when I’m supposed to be playing.”

The notes he’s gotten from Maggie have been good.

“I was always up to date,” he said.

Moldenhauer began playing piano when he was in third grade after watching his siblings take lessons.

“It is a part of me,” he said about why he plays the piano. He also plays organ.

He added that with everything going on in the world, playing the piano and music “is something that’s beautiful; what’s going right in the world.”

Be a guest at 'Beauty and the Beast'

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 14, 2016

Be a guest at ‘Beauty and the Beast’

Hartford Players’ take on Disney classic opens Friday

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

HARTFORD — Playing the role of a timeless Disney princess, Belle, is a welcome challenge for 17-year-old Grace Becker.

But, days before the Hartford Players Ltd. production of “Beauty and the Beast” takes to the stage at the Schauer Arts and Activities Center, the soon-to-be Divine Savior Holy Angels senior said she is beginning to feel the pressure.

“Absolutely,” Becker said. “It’s crazy to be the one that the little girls are excited to see and hear. It’s got its pressures because she’s so iconic and well-known. She’s an instant image that comes to everyone’s head.”

The show opens Friday and runs through Sunday before resuming July 22-23.

It is Becker’s first leading role.

“It’s definitely a challenge,” she said, wearing a black wig, white shirt and blue skirt.

Her father and the director of the production, Jerry, joked that Grace looks like Belle.

“It’s a wonderful challenge because I adore every minute of it,” Grace said. “It’s something that you have an immediate reference point — the movie of course. But it also presents its challenge as far as what people expect, what they expect to see and hear, expect you to act.”

Her voice will be an attentiongrabber and will take attendees on a classic Disney adventure in real life.

Right away, the audience, especially ones who saw the 1991 hit movie on the big screen, will get a flashback — maybe even sing-along to the opening number, “Belle.”

And who can forget “Be Our Guest?”

Grace has been in theater productions since she was 6 months old — she was held on stage for a role.

“One of the things I love about Belle is how relatable she is,” Grace said. “She’s not a mermaid. She doesn’t talk to fairies or anything. She’s just a regular girl that feels out of place in her town.

“That’s something I’ve always related to and makes her a wonderful role model for girls today.”

Three days before opening night, more than 250 tickets had been sold for that performance.

“It’s a popular show,” Jerry said when asked why he wanted to direct.

He added people will hear more of the story with an on-stage musical, rather than the music sort of dominating the big screen adaptation.

“Beauty and the Beast” on the big screen was during the Disney renaissance, which saw the release of 10 movies — starting with “The Little Mermaid” in 1989 and ending with “Tarzan” in 1999. Other movies in that period include “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” and “Pocahontas.”

Grace Becker never saw “Beauty and the Beast” in theaters. It was released more than 15 years before she was born. But her father saw it.

“It’s a classic,” he said.

“Everybody has an attachment to it. I have a soft spot for fairy tales.”

He said he is proud to see his daughter play the iconic princess.

“It’s really exciting,” Jerry said.

In a way, it wasn’t a hard role to prepare for.

“I spent a lot of time with the script,” Grace said. “I looked for what were her motivations, what gets her going, what gets her excited, what her hesitations are. What were her strengths and weaknesses.

“And I spent a lot of time with the movie. I’ve been trying to bring (Belle) back to life as much as I can.”

She added she watched the movie “a lot.” But Grace wants to put a little spin of her own on the character.

The first time she watched the movie was when she was 5 years old — or about 13 years after the movie was released.

The song, “Be Our Guest,” was her first memory.

“Belle was immediately my favorite Disney princess,” Grace said.

She’ll get to showcase that starting Friday.

“It’s amazing to be able to play her,” Grace said.