 | Book, Music, and Lyrics by Story by Presented through special arrangement with |
| To Benefit Support Dogs Inc. |
| July 22, 24, 2005 July 29-31, 2005 |
Jerome J. Matejka
In Memoriam
May 5, 1950 - March 23, 2005
On March 23, 2005, FMT lost one of its original founding members when Jerry Matejka, our Music Director, passed away.
Jerry was the Music Director for several different groups presenting summer Broadway musicals to benefit local charities. Jerry, along with Mike and Diane Hesser, founded Marquee Players, which started this journey into community theater over 30 years ago and forged a long and wonderful friendship.
Jerry held a Master's Degree in Music Education from SIU and taught at both elementary and high schools in the St. Louis area. He was also the organist/choir director for several Catholic parishes, with his longest tenure at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Jerry married his high school sweetheart, Mary Jane Wigand, and was the father of Tim and Dan.
Jerry played several instruments, most notably piano, organ, and harp. He taught music lessons and voice lessons. For anything related to music, Jerry was always the one to call. He put together orchestras for all of our musicals. Each year, there would be some new faces in the "pit" but old reliable faces that came back at Jerry's request year after year. They became faithful friends to Jerry and FMT and many of them are playing again this summer as we dedicate The Music Man to Jerry's memory.
At the beginning of each past production, it was always so very reassuring to see Jerry sitting in the conductor's chair with a smile on his face for his orchestra and for the cast on stage. We could count on Jerry to "mouth" the words to all the songs, just in case those of us on stage had a lapse of memory.
Even though Jerry will not be raising the baton to start this production, we know he will be there "in the pit" in spirit with a smile on his face, giving us all the encouragement we need to give you, our audience, a great show.
Thank you, Jerry, for all you gave. We dedicate this production of The Music Man to our one and only true Music Man, Jerry Matejka. We love you, we miss you, and we will never forget you.
A Very Special FMT "Thank You" to the following:
- Bayless School District
- St. Stephen Parish
- Russel Bettlach
- Colleen Moning, Bishop DuBourg
- SIU Edwardsville
- St. Louis County Library, Weber Road Branch
- St. Raphael Parish
- D-B Marketing
- Patricia Rice, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Thank you to marching band members from Webster Groves High School, Mehlville High School, and Oakville High School.
Thanks to WGHS for use of band jackets.