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thePeorian.com
M
ary Ellen Ulrich is a
transplant to Peoria,
being a native of
Quincy. But today she believes
she owes her happiness — and
her life — to all that is available
in Peoria.
“
A year ago today we weren’t
sure how much longer I was
going to be around,” said Ulrich
during an interview a few weeks
before Christmas. “If it wasn’t for
the doctors and the great facilities
we have here in Peoria, I don’t
think I would be here right now.”
Ulrich suffered from a heart
valve problem and had to
undergo 13 hours of surgery,
then weeks in the cardiac
and intensive care units at a
local hospital, then months of
rehabilitation.
Serious illness was the only
thing that would keep her from
attending to her real love —
outside of Mike, her husband of
47
years, and their four sons. That
is community theatre, in which
Mary Ellen has been involved
since she hit Peoria to attend
Bradley University in 1964. She
has directed a myriad of shows,
all of them musicals, averaging at
least one show a year.
When she took ill the show she
was directing at Peoria Players
Theatre was “Annie.” She was
not well enough to attend any of
the performances, the first time
that had happened. “I came in to
tell the cast good luck and that I
was thinking of them, but then I
had to go home before the curtain
opened,” she said.
That wasn’t the case in
December, when she directed “A
Christmas Carol The Musical” at
Peoria Players. She said she felt
better than she had in years and
looked forward to directing again
next season. She also wants to get
back on stage in some musical
soon, whether it’s at Peoria
Players, Corn Stock Theatre or
Eastlight Theatre. She has graced
at the stage at all of them at one
time or another.
“
What town this size offers this
much in community theatre? And
look at the medical community
we have here. There’s also all the
sports here, which my husband
and kids love. It offers some of
everything and still it has that
little hometown feeling, with the
river and all the beautiful parks
and wonderful neighborhoods.
“
This is home and I love it,”
said Mary Ellen, affectionately
known as “M.E.” in community
theatre circles. She noted that
one wall of her Peoria home is
filled with nothing but pictures
depicting Peoria.
In her spare time — which in
her case is her full-time job —
Mary Ellen works to help others;
in particular, homeless children.
She is liaison for those children
for the Regional Superintendent
of Schools.
Mary Ellen performed
community theatre in Quincy
before coming to Bradley. She
quickly hooked up with Peoria
Players Theatre and it was there
she met Mike. “I fell in love with
him, I fell in love with Peoria and
well, I never left. And I never
regretted it,” she said.
ME Ulrich
Peoria
