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Thursday afternoon, August 20, 1998, Kansas City, Missouri -- Hallmark's 25^th Anniversary Celebration. 70 Hallmark Local Collector's Clubs were to audition, three clubs would audition per room in four rooms simultaneously every 30 minutes. KOCC staff members would choose 12 finalists, which were announced that evening. After the announcement of the finalists Thursday evening, one previously designated member from each club met backstage for instructions related to their performances Friday night. They were told which side of the stage they would perform on. They received a letter to be admitted to the hall at 5:00 PM Friday to bring props in, set them up, and to store costumes. Two dressing rooms had been set up behind the stage, and the contestants would set up for their performance on the "dark" side of the stage as another group performed on the opposite side. Celebration attendees voted, by written ballot, for the winner. After KOCC staff tabulated those votes, the winner would be announced at Saturday night’s Winter Wonderland Dinner Party.

Three participating clubs share the anticipation and excitement of the skit contest.

Motor City Roadrunners
When the Motor City Roadrunners of Detroit, MI first received their 25^th Anniversary packets and learned that they would be given an opportunity to compete for prizes in the Talent Show Contest, most, at first, were opposed to the idea. Having competed in skits at the 1997 Detroit AOT, they knew that it would require a lot of time and effort. They wanted to go to Kansas City and enjoy the celebration!

Seventeen members participated in the skit. It was titled "Maxine’s Ornament Nightmare." The "star" of the show was Maxine, that lovable, cantankerous old blue-haired broad from Shoebox. The skit was written by Cheryl Adams, the member of the club who played the part of Maxine. Cheryl got the inspiration for "Maxine's Ornament Nightmare" from the musical, "Annie." Instead of Miss Hannigan singing "Little Girls, Little Girls," she had Maxine complaining about the other 1998 ornaments in the song entitled "Ornaments, Ornaments".

The last proclamation got a big "reaction" from the audience! There must have been a lot of Barbie "haters" out there!

Initially, they wanted to create "shelves" for the live ornaments, but had to drop the idea and hope the audience would just use their imaginations.

Cardboard was used to create most of the props. The large props were done in sections and assembled in Kansas City.

Their goal was to make every costume look as "authentic" as possible, and included an "ornament hook" on each costume.

Three members made their entire costumes: Princess Leia, Mop Top Wendy, and Scarlett. Everyone felt that Scarlett's costume was the most authentic-looking one of all. Even Patricia Andrews commented on how much it looked like the real ornament.

The Three Stooges wore rented tuxedos. With their wigs and authentic-looking musical props, everyone thought our Three Stooges looked just like the Dream Book ones.

Rodney Reindeer was the only "miniature" ornament in the skit. Even though he was a miniature, his head was so big (approximately 3 feet), it had to be carried onto the plane in a garment bag. You should have seen the puzzled looks on the passenger's faces. You could tell that everyone was really curious about those big ears sticking out the sides of the garment bag!

Because the ornament isn't even out yet, Barbie's costume was perhaps the most difficult to replicate, but no one seemed to have a problem recognizing "Holiday Barbie."

The costume that got the most laughs was the "Munchkin Mayor" from the Wizard of Oz.

The contest was the most memorable experience for the club at the 25^th Anniversary Celebration! To be selected as one of the 12 finalists was such an honor. Even though they didn’t win, to know that so many people recognized the tremendous amount of work that went into the props, the costumes, and the skit routine made them proud. The great sense of camaraderie they felt toward one another, and to the other club members, made it all worthwhile!

Gateway Collectors Guild
The Gateway Collectors Guild of St. Louis, MO said that rehearsals three or four days before had gone terribly. Adrenaline must have helped, because the audition went well and they had a really good feeling as they walked off stage. Their judges seemed to be genuinely enjoying it by the smiles and laughter coming from their corner. They were selected as one of the 12 finalists and then knew they would perform before a huge crowd Friday evening. One of the club members was so nervous that she could not eat before the performance, and the loss of sleep Thursday night was taking its toll. Everything seemed to finally come together as they began their final performance. The skit was titled "25 Years of Excitement," and began with Santa and Mrs. Santa pantomiming and dancing to the lyrics, "tonight's the night we're gonna make it happen," and continued with pantomime and lip sync to the Pointer Sisters' "I'm So Excited" song. The scene depicted a typical Hallmark shop, complete with checkout counter and shelves full of ornaments significant to 25 years of Keepsake history. The gigantic Gold Crown bag seen in most Hallmark windows was also part of the scene. Eight shoppers made their selections and turned the large pages of a 25-year calendar while two shopkeepers bagged and "rang up" purchases, all to the rhythm of the music.

After showing a giant Gold Crown card, shoppers made their way across the stage in semi-chorus line fashion as Santa directed them toward a fireplace and Christmas tree where velcro was used to attach the large, dated, cardboard ornaments to the tree. The chorus line of customers showed their enthusiasm at the "I'm so excited; I just can't hide it" lyrics by raising their Hallmark shopping bags high into the air and shaking them. The purchase scene, along with the "boogie" across the stage was repeated several times. When the music ended, they shouted, "Happy Anniversary!" Santa and Mrs. Santa were in costume and the shoppers wore 25^th Anniversary convention T-shirts. Props were extensive. When the club members left the stage and walked back to their table, several Hallmark/Event group people shook their fingers at them in the same way that Santa had done during the "I want you, I want you" part of the song. It felt good for them to know that they'd been watched and remembered. Someone on a shuttle that evening remembered them too, and told them they felt their biggest competition was going to be the guy from Utah who recited the poem. Little did they know…………….

Bay Dreamers Collectors Club
The Green Bay, WI Bay Dreamers Club put together a skit loosely based on WOZ. Two of the club members barely made the time schedule due to airplane delays and were breathless when ushered on to stage. This may have helped because there was no time to get stage fright. A solo, sung by Diane, was belted out with gusto (although slightly off key, she said). Clad in men's altered brown pajamas, a pair of oversized gloves, straw hanging out all over and topped off with a one of a kind straw hat complete with a "Ken" Crow, she danced and flopped about.

At the end of the five-minute skit, they quickly disassembled their props, breathed a well-deserved sigh of relief and watched the other 2 clubs perform.

Friday night, the Bay Dreamers held their collective breaths, hoping that they had qualified for the final round. This, however, was not meant to be. They were not discouraged though; they have gone back to the drawing board and are currently rethinking and redesigning their "battle plan" for next time. The use of recorders, background music, and audience participation was duly written down as ways to improve our small-town act. Inspired by teamwork and camaraderie, the club states, "Watch out KC…..we’ll be BACK!!!!!"