Community Theatre in rehearsal for Valentine’s Day performance
BY BECKY UEHLING
GRANT TRIBUNE Correspondent
From the musicals put on by Perkins County School students, to the Perkins County Schools Foundation’s Community Dinner Theatre fundraisers, to melodramas put on by community members during the Perkins County Fair, Perkins County is familiar with theatre productions. In 2026 another community play production will be added to this list when “Long Live Love” by Don Zolidis is performed by community members.
Under the direction of Grant resident Tyler Mahnken, “Long Live Love” is a romantic farce full of silly and ridiculous moments and sweet and romantic ones, Mahnken said.
“It takes place in 1930’s New York City, where actors for the new show called ‘Long Live Love’ are going through final rehearsals on opening night. There are sword fights, cases of mistaken identity, long-lost children, and of course finding true love,” Mahnken said. “Everything is going great until the two playwrights’ marriage problems threaten to change everything.”
Mahnken was contacted by Tim and Ashley Colglazier requesting he direct the play, with the intent to start a regular community theatre group in Perkins County.
“I jumped at the opportunity, and we started brainstorming with our small committee consisting of the three of us and Brandon Lehl,” Mahnken said. “We chose this play because it is endearing, but also ridiculous and really funny.”
In high school, Mahnken was a part of the fall musical, one act play, speech, and spring plays, and he was also a member of the band and choir.
“I loved performing, and went to Doane College with the intention to be a music performance major. Within a year I fell in love with the theatre program and switched to theatre performance,” he said.
Mahnken said he acted in several plays at Doane, and directed a musical cabaret for his senior project. Shortly after he graduated, he returned to Grant and directed a version of “Robin Hood” for the 100th Anniversary of the Perkins County Fair.
“I love directing and acting because it’s really fun to put yourself in another person’s shoes and their situations. Whether it’s a comedy or drama, all humans have so much in common while being completely unique to their own story,” he said.
“Long Live Love” is set to be performed on Valentine’s Day weekend 2026 at the Perkins County Fairgrounds, he said. The cast consists of Mahnken, Holly Cornelius, Madie Kemling, Denise Johnson, Margarita Mahnken, Devon (Holoway) Schnorr, Pastor Spenser Johnson, Jordan Mahnken, Andrew Mahnken, and Brandon Lehl. The group practices Monday and Tuesday evenings in the Methodist Church basement.
The Community Play Committee is searching for 1930s attire to use in the play, and also sponsors.
“We don’t have any official sponsors yet,” he said. “The Colglaziers have been amazing and got us started with scripts and the performance rights for our show. There are several things that go into a production that will require funding.”
Mahnken asks people to put the event on their 2026 calendar. “If you don’t have any set Valentine’s Day weekend plans yet, put us in your schedule,” he said.
Mahnken said the hope is for this play to be the first of many in the future.
“We have yet to name our community theatre group, but we want it to be something that continues,” he said. “We need the whole county to continue to support art, theater, and music education in our schools so that our young members grow with the appreciation of doing something just for the fun or beauty of it. We should all aspire to continue those things into adulthood.”
For more information on the play or the newly created community theatre group, email Mahnken at tcmahnken@gmail.com