25 Year Participant - Bob Deyo

Bob Deyo Main

Our fourth and final 25 year member we would like to introduce to you is a very special man, Bob Deyo.  Bob is the only person who has been on stage in every production LPI has done.  Anyone who knows Bob knows that he is a wealth of knowledge and his life experiences are always worth listening to.  Bob has also kept track of every single person who has been involved with LPI for the past 25 years!

  • Bob Deyo Joseph Cover
  • Bob Deyo shorts
  • Joseph Potiphar
  • Bob Deyo Emperor
  • Bullfrog
  • Andrew Carnes
  • Mayor Shinn
  • Navy Pilot
  • Eugene Fodor

Do you remember how you found out about LPI?

It wasn't LPI yet.  It was advertised in The Sounder that the Random Lake Booster Club was sponsoring a play, "The Wizard of Oz", to be directed by three 19-year olds.  I thought that I would audition because being on stage is a hoot.  I first got started on stage when my wife and I were missionaries with Operation Mobilization.  Our first nine months were in Zaventem, Belgium.  I was the base cook and my wife one of the bookkeepers.  Then we were transferred to one of the mission's two vessels, M/V Logos, where I was needed as the chief cook.  My wife was a bookkeeper onboard. The ship had a bookstore, with books on multiple subjects as well as books about the Bible and Bible Commentaries.  Every port we would have various conferences onboard, as well as evangelism teams onshore six days a week and Sundays would also find us preaching in churches.  With people onboard from 25-35 different countries, we would also have an International Night featuring cultural song and dance from many of those countries.  We would make a gospel presentation using pantomime and Naval Signal flags.  I was in the American Square Dance, wore a kilt in the Scottish Dance and put on white face for the mime. We were on Logos for nine months before being shipwrecked in the Beagle Channel in South America on Jan. 4-5, 1988.  The mission purchased a 20-year ship in October of that year, and we joined it, in March of 1989, spending 14 months living on board M/V Logos II, in Amsterdam before sailing.  We've been in 41 countries: Eastern Europe, Western Europe, West Africa and Central and South America.  I've performed in the International Night in many different venues from bull fight rings to basketball courts to movie theaters to being in the national theater of at least eight countries.  "The Wizard of Oz" gave me an opportunity to perform again, scratching that itch that was sparked by being a missionary.

How were you involved in LPI’s first year?

A member of the cast: Professor Marvel, singing guard of Emerald City and the Great Oz.

What do you love about LPI?

I enjoy being part of the "family" atmosphere; the word, team, could also be used. It's been fun watching the younger cast members grow up and mature as actors and as people.  I've enjoyed meeting tons of people that I can now call: friend.

How has your involvement with this organization changed throughout the years?

I've always been allowed to be on stage.  I joined the Board of Directors in 1999. Since 2002 (I think) I've prepared the spaghetti dinner for our final dress rehearsal.

How has LPI changed your life?

I feel that I'm a contributing member of the local community.

What is your favorite LPI memory?

There are many!!  But my favorite would have to be that, while rehearsing the tornado scene in The Wizard of Oz, we were forced to stop and evacuate to a protected hallway due to an actual tornado siren going off!  We continued to rehearse that scene until the all clear was sounded.

What is your favorite LPI show?

Whichever one that I'm currently in.

Where do you hope to see LPI in the next 25+ years?

Allowing 90-year-old actors to be on stage, even if we can't remember our lines or even our own name.  It would be nice to be ahead financially.