Tulsa World: 'Little House' helps Habitat Musical's cast pitches in on project

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'Little House' helps Habitat Musical's cast pitches in on project

"Little House on the Prairie" actors Melissa Gilbert and Steve Blanchard chat with the news media outside a Habitat for Humanity home that the cast was helping decorate Wednesday. JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World

By JAMES D. WATTS JR. World Scene Writer
Published: 11/12/2009 2:26 AM
Last Modified: 11/12/2009 4:20 AM

A chance remark at a backyard cookout in Tulsa brought the cast of the musical "Little House on the Prairie" to a little house in west Tulsa on Wednesday.

Nine members of the cast spent a part of the morning helping Shirley Castro work on the house she is building with the help of the Habitat for Humanity program.

"I always miss tinkering around my home when I'm on the road," said Steve Blanchard, who plays Charles Ingalls in the musical, which opened its weeklong run Tuesday at the Tulsa PAC. "I mean, you could tinker with the coffee maker in the hotel room, but it's not quite the same."

Ed Payton, the vice president of Celebrity Attractions, which is presenting "Little House on the Prairie" in Tulsa, came up with the idea of having cast members take part in a Habitat for Humanity project.

Payton saw it strictly as a one-time, Tulsa event. But when he presented the idea to his brother, Celebrity Attractions President Larry Payton, it didn't take long for this local idea to take off in a big way.

"I spoke with Bill Franzblau, one of the show's producers, and he went to the national Habitat for Humanity," Larry Payton said. "Now, in each of the 25 cities that the tour will visit, the national producers and the local presenter will donate at least $1,500 from the proceeds in that city to the local Habitat for Humanity."

Castro said she was "incredibly honored" that cast members from the show were working on her house.

"I know they have a very busy schedule, and for them to take the time to come out here and help promote what Habitat for Humanity does is really something special," she said.

Castro and her family have been working on the house for about five weeks, although the family's involvement with Habitat for Humanity goes back to March 2007, when they were accepted into the program.

Those who are accepted are required to put in 450 hours of "sweat equity" — helping build other houses, among other tasks — before they can select a lot. The new homeowners must still take on payments of a no-profit loan to pay for the house, and help construct it.

"But it's worth it," Castro said, smiling. "And I've been learning to do things I never imagined — like using power tools. Shooting a nail gun was pretty frightening the first time."

Tickets

The Tulsa run of “Little House on the Prairie” continues through Sunday at the Tulsa PAC, 101 E. Third St. Tickets are $20-$65. Call 596-7111, or go online at tulsaworld.com/mytix.

James D. Watts Jr. 581-8478
james.watts@tulsaworld.com By JAMES D. WATTS JR. World Scene Writer

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