The cast of “No Compromise” are hard at work memorizing lines and getting their placements solidified on the Dinner Theater stage at the Antwerp Global Methodist Church. This fundraising mystery dinner theater is set to take place on April 14-16, 7:00 p.m. (2:00 p.m. on 4/16). This interactive dinner theater was written by area historian and “No Compromise” Playwright, Jane Nice and is directed by Renee Boss of Paulding. All the inter-actors are community members who were cast in the original performance that was in 2018 as well as Antwerp Chamber members and Antwerp residents.
Local Playwright, Jane Nice, wrote this interactive play about the Six Mile Reservoir several years ago, and it has been performed in Paulding before. Nice did hours of research with the assistance of the John Paulding Historical Society for the original play, and collaborated with Antwerp Alum, Jerrett Godeke, for historical updates that were discovered during Godeke’s own research about the Reservoir War of 1887.
The Six Mile Reservoir was located just outside of the Village of Antwerp, an historical marker is posted at the intersection of Rd 180 (Canal Rd) and Rd 77 (High Rd.). Ever wonder about those names? The High Rd was one of the banks of the infamous Six Mile Reservoir, and when you are driving on Canal Rd., you may notice an extra wide ditch along the south side of the road. About the time that this play begins it is the year 1887 in early spring. The good folks of Antwerp were fed up with the mosquitoes that permeated the area every year due to the stagnate waters lying just outside of their little town. The mosquitoes caused sickness to the residents of the area, and the stagnant waters carried an unpleasant aroma when the winds were just right. The canals had all but been shut off at this point in history as the railroads were expanding and becoming the preferred means of industrial hauling for materials across the area. The only part of the canal still being used regularly was between Antwerp and Defiance [Ptooey] to haul the timber for the furniture factories there at the time. A bill had gone through Ohio Congress to disband all of the canals in Northwest Ohio, but a lobby group from Defiance [Ptooey] influenced the Senate enough to kill the bill. A band of Antwerpians — Champions, Applegates, and Zubers (the dynamiters) — decided the reservoir had to go, and devised a plan to do it.
Make plans to see this entertaining evening full of mosquitoes, history, murder as well as good food, and lots of talk about those “bad people” from Defiance [ptooey]. Contact The Antwerp Chamber of Commerce or stop in at West Bend News, Petals & Vines, or Paulding Chamber office today for your tickets. This dinner theater is being catered by Grant’s Catering and will take place at Antwerp Global Methodist Church at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 14 and Saturday, April 15, and at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 16. Antwerp Chamber will use the funds raised at this event for the downtown mural being commissioned for the summer of 2023 on the wall of Friend Flooring building.
