GALLERY: 2025 at the Masquers
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months AGO
Colonel Mustard (Dave Stearns) left, and Professor Plum (Justin Martin) hold the dead body of the cook while talking with Wadsworth (Rebecca Grommesh) in the Masquers Theater production of the mystery-comedy “Clue! On Stage” in February.
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Rona (Cassie Nelson, right) unloads her anger at the disaster that took her child’s life on Revlon (Tanya Sheelke, left) and Sian (Kristina Allman) in a rehearsal of the Masquers play “The Revlon Girl,” opening April 25. “The Revlon Girl” looked at the lives of four women who lost children when a mountain of coal slag slid onto the mining village of Aberfan, Wales in 1966.
Cave people dance, sing and evolve in the Masquers Theater production of “Firebringer” in June. The musical broke some new ground for the Masquers, with live musicians and a younger cast.
The Masquers Theater finished off 2025 with “Christmas with Little Women,” a holiday adaptation of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel, in December.
From left: Urchins Ronnette (Kylie Youngren), Chiffon (Lydia Harris) and Crystal (Rachel Bresee) sing about life on Skid Row in the Masquers production of “Little Shop of Horrors” in October.
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | January 2, 2026 1:20 AM
SOAP LAKE — The Masquers Theater brought laughter, drama and joy to the stage in 2025. Here’s a look back at the troupe’s productions for the year. The theater continues to be a big draw for visitors to Soap Lake and puts on a variety of productions throughout the year, including dramas, musicals and comedies.
Rona (Cassie Nelson, right) unloads her anger at the disaster that took her child’s life on Revlon (Tanya Sheelke, left) and Sian (Kristina Allman) in a rehearsal of the Masquers play “The Revlon Girl,” opening April 25. “The Revlon Girl” looked at the lives of four women who lost children when a mountain of coal slag slid onto the mining village of Aberfan, Wales in 1966.
Cave people dance, sing and evolve in the Masquers Theater production of “Firebringer” in June. The musical broke some new ground for the Masquers, with live musicians and a younger cast.
The Masquers Theater finished off 2025 with “Christmas with Little Women,” a holiday adaptation of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel, in December.
From left: Urchins Ronnette (Kylie Youngren), Chiffon (Lydia Harris) and Crystal (Rachel Bresee) sing about life on Skid Row in the Masquers production of “Little Shop of Horrors” in October.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Space Burger booth open March 13-15
MOSES LAKE — Those who can’t wait for the Grant County Fair can get their Space Burger fix next weekend, according to an announcement from the Lioness Club of Moses Lake. The iconic Grant County sandwiches will be available at the Grant County Fairgrounds March 13-15, according to the announcement. There is no admission fee to get into the fairgrounds that weekend.
SENIOR EVENTS: March 2026
COLUMBIA BASIN — Plays, art shows, auctions and more await seniors in the Columbia Basin this month. Here are some opportunities to get out and about in March.
Valentine’s Day cards flood Brookdale Hearthstone with love
MOSES LAKE — Residents at Brookdale Hearthstone Assisted Living in Moses Lake got Valentine’s Day greetings from across the country last month. “I believe that the only states we have not received (cards from) yet are Vermont and Maine,” Lifestyle Director Imelda Broyles said Feb. 24. “We keep receiving new cards every single day. They have not stopped. My residents are in awe with every single one of the cards that we’ve been receiving.” The Hearts Across America project started as a way for children in school classrooms to exchange Valentine’s Day cards with classes in other states or even countries, but the idea has expanded to senior living facilities, according to the project’s social media.