Local talents

In the midst of the Hollywood award season, members of one group in Cape Girardeau have recognized the talent of their peers with the annual Abbott Awards, held by the River City Players community theater group.

They give out awards for most of the same categories as the Academy Awards or the Golden Globes. They even throw a party and award ceremony in the dead of winter.

These yearly honors remind those in the group -- and me -- of their hard work.

Their performances may not rival James Franco's introspection in "127 Hours" or Natalie Portman's breakdown in "Black Swan," but they pour their heart into the scripts and stories each time River City Players dims the lights in the Yacht Club at Port Cape. And they do it while holding down full-time day jobs.

The actors, directors and set designers put weeks of rehearsal and planning into the shows, and it usually pays off. When I sit down at the table to review the shows, I'm always bordered by veterans who either never miss a show or just love when they can get the time to see one.

These actors and actresses need reminders of how much entertainment people get from their work. Congratulations to them all.