Skip as he appeared opening SPAO's
"The Mousetrap"as Rod Serling (1990)

1949 - 2001

Most of the original group that formed SPAO back in 1989 give credit to Skip as the prime reason for the success of our theatre. After all, when we needed a director to show us the ropes and couldn't seem to find one, he brought in Vicki Wolfe. Vicki was our resident director and theatre mentor during our first five years. He and Vicki were instrumental in conning "Grandpa" Willis White to come over from Saratoga and star in our first show, "You Can't Take It With You". Skip and Willis were the only actors out of the eighteen cast members that had any real stage experience. Skip jumped in late as Henderson the IRS agent when the original cast member was unable to perform the role.

Skip always seemed to be around when we needed help and had no idea of what to do. He stepped in as our standup comic when "Grandpa" starred in "The Sunshine Boys" thus leaving us without an opening dinner theatre act. He wrote and narrated the opening of "The Mousetrap" and played it as "The Twilight Zone's" Rod Serling. Tall and slender built Skip took the complicated comedy role of Henry, the old actor who comes out of a box, in our first musical, "The Fantisticks"and performed the title role in our tongue-in-cheek version of "Dracula" falling through trap doors and diving over chairs.

As an actor, humorist, songwriter and story-teller, he performed throughout the area. Saratoga's "Homemade Theater", The Schuylerville Community Theater, Mop and Bucket Players and The Adirondack Liars Club shared his talent. Skip was a regular performer at the nationally famous coffee house "Cafe Lena" in Saratoga.

Skip Penk wrote and narrated the humoresque opening, "Beyond the Fourth Wall" for our original "Steel Magnolias" production back in 1991. And now, due to modern technology, Skip will be able to delight yet another audience with his "Beyond the Fourth Wall" narration opening this spring's SPAO presentation.

We of The Stillwater Players Among Others community theatre, welcome Skip's distinctive voice back to our stage as we dedicate this production to his loving memory.