My Thanksgiving Philosophy

Pics, Blithe Spirit

A Review for Blithe Spirit

Economy, story make this play a difficult sell
By Joe Scott, Special to the News & Record

GREENSBORO - With two minutes before the start of Open Space Cafe Theatre's production of "Blithe Spirit," I realize that with the exception of my date and the 12 other audience members sitting in the room, no one else was coming.

That's when Open Space's founder and artistic director Joe Nierle took on the difficult task of greeting such a paltry audience.

"As you can see," Nierle said, "the economy has begun to affect us also."

Then the play began, and I realized that even if the economy weren't in a downswing, the low turnout would have been just as well. With no less than two intermissions, the three hours and nine minutes it took to sit through "Blithe Spirit" was a gauntlet of endurance. There were few instances where this stuffy comedy about members of the British upper class dealing with a supernatural calamity gagged with signs of life.

For the most part, it was painfully dead.

The focus of writer Noel Coward's play is married couple Charles (Fred Nash) and Ruth (Cheryl Ann Roberts). A widower and widow, they open the play discussing their former marriages.

Meanwhile, Charles, who is a writer, is planning to take part in a seance so he can do research for his upcoming mystery novel. Add Charles' discussion of his late first wife Elvira to this scenario and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess that she will soon materialize and create all kinds of chaos on the married couple's lives.

It was Nash who delivered the most well-crafted performance of the show. His refined British accent sounded real enough to fool the Queen.

By the second act, he made it clear that he was the measuring stick by which all of his castmates should be compared. Co-stars Roberts, Betsy Brown and especially Jane McLelland fared well, but the rest of the cast was woefully lacking.

As the show's other wealthy British couple, Mary Janca and especially Michael Henry Carter, changed their accents more often than they did their costumes.

But the show's biggest sore thumb was actress Shelly Segal. For starters, Segal didn't seem too convinced with what was happening on stge. As the titular spirit, Elvira, she seldom made eye contact with her co-stars and continued to wave her nightgown back and forth like a small child in a Christmas pageant.

Was this a case of misdirection? I couldn't say, but Segal also was cheating towars the audience so much during the play that it encroached the fourth wall.

As I suffered through one of the more difficult scenes, I started to think that perhaps this was simply a case of a company doing the wrong play at the wrong time.

After all, with unemployment on the rise, it's truly difficult to sympathize with a character who says, "Servants are awful aren't they? Not a shred of gratitude."

Indeed, if local theatre is to survive an impending recession, arts groups would do well to seek out stories that will engage the rising number of groundlings hard-pressed to afford tickets.

Sneakers

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY!

Four years ago today a dream became a reality as the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem opened its doors.

Now, nearly 85,000 guests visit the Museum each year for story times, birthday parties, facility rentals, field trips, group tours, outreach programs, and summer camps...that's something to celebrate!

Cade Lost a Front Tooth!

I Got Flowers Today

Aren't they beautiful?

Special Comment by Keith Olbermann on Prop 8

As tears stream down my face, I applaud Olbermann's Special Comments from last night's "Countdown" broadcast, the top-rated show on MSNBC.

It's six minutes and thirty seconds of poetic, emotional television. Hundreds of thousands of people saw this last night. Now's your chance. Please press play.

Boobies

I'd Love To See This...

Bell, Book and Candle by John Van Druten. Triad Stage at the Pyrle Theater, October 19-November 9. 7:30pm Tuesday - Thursday and Sunday; 8pm Friday, Saturday; 2pm Sunday. 232 South Elm Street, Greensboro. 336-272-0160.

Back in the early 90's I read the script while serving on the playreading committee for Kernersville Little Theatre. I remember thinking it was a very cute story. KLT didn't want to produce it because one of the "characters", Pyewacket, is a cat.

Spooktacular

I'm thinking of taking Cade...

October 31, 6pm. At Downtown Winston-Salem Arts District, Trade Street 5th-7th Trade Street, Winston-Salem. Dress up the kids, pets and yourself for a night of trick-or-treating, costume contests, prizes, art activities, spookatacular entertainment, and lots and lots of candy. Cost is free.

We Got Dogs!

Okay, so they aren't really our dogs. We are dogsitting Jazmin (the blonde) and Cosi (the black) for a couple of months while Gigaboo plays Santa in Here's Love.

Cade is beyond excited. He's been following them around as they explore their new home. Mallorie has responded in true teenage fashion - a shoulder shrug and a grunt. (I think that means she's excited.)

Just Finished

And I have to say that I am hooked! Thank goodness I have the next book. I can dive into that one immediately!

After reading the book I was very curious as to what others (of all ages) thought about the book. So, I read some of the reviews on amazon.com. (I especially loved the review by gaimangirl.)

True, Twilight is no literary masterpiece, but it is wonderful fluff entertainment. If you're over the age of 20, and as long as you remember that the book was written for young adults (with the emphasis on young) I think you'll enjoy it.

Now, on to the next saga.....

The last time I used one of these was 1988 for a college term paper. I don't believe I've used one since. Well, I had to use one at work today.

As I sat before the relic, I vividly remembered taking Typing 101, taught by Mrs. Barney in high school. Ah, the memories...

Typing 17 labels caused me quite a bit of frustration. The poor little machine just could not keep up with me! When typing double letters I actually had to wait for it to reset the key in order to type the letter again. This I figured out when Tennessee came out looking like Tenese.

Causing me to express more of my frustration verbally, was the fact that, while this typewriter had built in correction tape, it would not completely clear the incorrect letter. After some choice words, I searched the office for some White Out. We didn't have any.

An hour later, I finally finished my 17 labels. My computer now knows how much I appreciate it.

Monday Funny

A Michigan woman and her family were vacationing in a small New England town where Paul Newman and his family often visited.

One Sunday morning, the woman got up early to take a long walk. After a brisk five-mile hike, she decided to treat herself to a double-dip chocolate ice cream cone. She hopped in the car, drove to the center of the village and went straight to the combination bakery/ice cream parlor.

There was only one other patron in the store, Paul Newman, sitting at the counter having a doughnut and coffee. The woman's heart skipped a beat as her eyes made contact with those famous baby-blue eyes. The actor nodded graciously and the star struck woman smiled demurely. "Pull yourself together!", she chided herself. "You're a happily married woman with three children, you're forty-five years old, not a teenager!"

The clerk filled her order and she took the double-dip chocolate ice cream cone in one hand and her change in the other. Then she went out the door, avoiding even a glance in Paul Newman's direction.

When she reached her car, she realized that she had a handful of change but her other hand was empty. Back into the shop she went, expecting to see the cone still in the clerk's hand or in a holder on the counter or something! No ice cream cone was in sight. With that, she happened to look over at Paul Newman.

His face broke into his familiar, warm, friendly grin and he said to the woman,
"You put it in your purse."

Yes, He Certainly Does

KLT on the Air!

If you were tuning in to Murphy in the Morning this morning at 8:20am, I hope you heard Myla O'Brien talking about The Queen of Bingo.

Myla is the VP of Marketing for Kernersville Little Theatre and she used this morning's WKZL remote broadcast to promote our current production. Tiffany Joyner and Jean Wentz were on hand for a live teaser performance.

I've know Myla for many years, and I cannot tell you how proud of her I am. To have arranged for an interview during the live broadcast was extraordinary. But to hear Myla talk about KLT - amazing! She was very articulate and very professional. I was smiling and clapping as I listened to my radio.

Outstanding job, Myla!

Kudos

Saw You Can't Take It With You Thursday. Loved it!
~Becky Mo
**********
Cheryl Ann...Essie is fabulous. You're so great in this show. You are so funny!
~SB
**********
We had a fun time watching your “acting” (but was it really acting, or just acting naturally?) in You Can’t Take It With You on Friday night!!! Bravo!
~B & KC
**********
Enjoyed the show Sunday. You lit up the stage.
~GG
**********
Thanks so much for all that you did to make “You Can’t Take It with You” a success! You and your fellow cast members were great! Your energy and dedication is vital to the success of the Little Theatre and we appreciate everything you do.
~Carrie Collins
President
The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem Board of Directors

Love and Support

Becky, Mom, Liz, Rodney and Marie, Bill and Kathy, Mallorie and Cade, Dick and Carolyn, and Myla...

I am once again so very honored for your love and support. Thank you so much for seeing You Can't Take It With You. I hope you had as much fun watching as I did dancing.

A Society Column

by Leigh McMillian

I've been writing this column for 10 years now, and I must say, I've never attended a gala quite like the one last week. I was invited to join Paul and Penny Sycamore as they celebrated the engagement of their daughter Alice to Mr. Anthony Kirby, Jr..

Things definitely started off on the wrong foot when Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Kirby, Sr. arrived a day early, interrupting Essie Carmichael's ballet lesson with renowned Russian ballet instructor Boris Kolenkhov.

I've got to hand it to Penny Sycamore. She did her best to piece together a last-minute dinner, sending the family's devoted maid Reba out to the store for frankfurters, Campbell's soup and canned corn. The menu changed dramatically when Reba came back with pickled pigs feet instead. I've heard that, since the party, the family has made the acquaintance of Duchess Olga Katrina. Too bad she wasn't on hand to make her famous blintzes.

Would-be actress Gay Wellington, invited to audition for one of Mrs. Sycamore's latest plays, added a little impromptu entertainment with her drunken rendition of "There was a young lady from Wheeling."

The evening wound down early when things got a little tense during a game of Forget-Me-Not. The Kirby's were on their way out the door when three officers from the Department of Justice arrived to arrest Ed Carmichael for distributing anti-government propaganda. Further investigation in the basement revealed a very entertaining but highly illegal fireworks operation run by Paul Sycamore and his partner, Mr. De Pinna.

Martin Vanderhof, Mrs. Sycamore's father, attempted to smooth things over but when I left to file this column, the whole group was being loaded into a paddy wagon, leaving several shipments of Love Dreams, an unfinished portrait and a jar of uneaten pickled pigs feet.

Which just goes to show, sometimes you can't take it with you.

Sad Day...

for fans of this wonderful Hollywood legend.

The Journal Review......

What Fun: A lot to take away with this
By Ken Keuffel
JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: September 20, 2008

The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem's current production of You Can't Take It With You is very funny.

But it manages to get a serious message across about values and priorities -- and one worth pondering as the show's many cast members astonish us with their eccentricities on the Reynolds Auditorium stage.

You Can't Take It With You was written by the famed team of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

It conquered Broadway in the middle 1930s, running there for more than 800 performances before being made into an Academy Award-winning film. It's of another time but remains remarkably relevant to ours.

The plot revolves around the Sycamores and the Kirbys, two radically different families that are brought together because Alice Sycamore (Ashley Davis) and Tony Kirby (Ben Palombo) have fallen in love.

The Kirbys are strait-laced, normal and consumed by the Wall Street culture of building wealth.

The Sycamores are just the opposite. Each real or adopted member of that clan zealously pursues his or her own interests.

Some of their hobbies are mundane, but many others are truly bizarre and include evading the taxman for years, making fireworks in a basement, writing plays about war and sex and circulating candies wrapped in paper on which incendiary messages are printed.

The contrasts between the happy Sycamores and the (initially) unhappy Kirbys are vividly drawn in director Stan Bernstein's attractive staging. We get a palpable sense of the wacky disharmony into which the two families fall.

There are a number of fine individual performances. I found that of Mikey Wiseman particularly memorable; he plays Kolenkhov, the ballet instructor who wears his Russianness on his sleeve in exaggerated-but-endearing fashion.

And David Westfall plays Grandpa Vanderhof quite convincingly, teaching us why it's sometimes important to quit the rat race, relax and live a little.

■ The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem will present You Can't Take It With You through Sept. 28 in Reynolds Auditorium. Evening shows will be at 8 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Friday and next Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee Sept. 28. Tickets are $18, $16 for seniors and $14 for students. Call 725-4001.

Aside from the physical toll the role of Essie took (constantly dancing around on tippy-toes is exhausting!) I had a great time!

It's My Bro!

Vote For Me!

Look who's in the latest SETC newsletter!

40 Tips for A Better Life

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'
5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did last year.
7. Make time to practice meditation, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a life time.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUES away.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Remember, time heals everything.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Do the right thing!
36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!)
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass.
40. You only have the one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

My Girl!

Creating Hollywood in North Carolina
By ROBERT C. LOPEZ
News & Record of Greensboro

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Rebecca Clark knows just how a dirty a job film making can be.

The director of the Piedmont Triad Film Commission was showing Anthony Minghella a property near Belews Lake in 2003 when he was scouting locations for re-shoots on his movie "Cold Mountain." She came to a puddle of mud in the road and thought her Honda Civic could make it across if she drove through it really fast. Instead she got stuck, and the Oscar-winning director of "The English Patient," along with his producing partner, got out to push.

"It was the most embarrassing thing ever," Clark said. "His feet were dirty and mud was flying. I was like, 'You don't have to do this; we can call a tow truck.' I was mortified. But, being the gentleman that he is, he said in his beautiful English accent, "Rebecca, this has made it a complete adventure."' That's why he'll always be my hero."

Most of Clark's adventures aren't quite that exciting. But she has played host to many of Hollywood's elite as she has helped facilitate productions such as 2002's "Cabin Fever," 2005's "Junebug," and "Leatherheads," which was filmed here last year.

The News & Record of Greensboro reported that Clark has worked at the commission for about 15 years and has headed it for eight, recruiting film, television and commercial shoots to the area. It is an industry that generated about $33 million worth of revenue in the Triad last year. The commission recently drew up a five-year strategic plan to increase film production revenues, host more networking events and put on the commission's Web site a PDF version of its production directory. As Clark sees it, her job is part economic development, part boosterism.

"We're a film-friendly community. We have fabulous locations, all kinds of different looks," she said. "We have some swampy areas in the region. We have mountains and flatlands and cities. We have big city looks. We have beautiful and quaint small towns. And we have crew here. They don't have to bring everybody in from L.A."

A winning personality

On the wall behind her L-shaped desk in the film commission office, Clark has a poster for "Junebug," the Phil Morrison picture about family dysfunction and outsider art. In some ways, Clark is like Amy Adams' chatty mother-to-be in the movie but without the naiveté (or the bun in the oven). The 42-year-old is outgoing, eager to please and, acquaintances say, quick to make friends.

"There isn't a door she can knock on and not expect to see a smile on someone's face in 60 seconds," said director Aaron Schneider, who came to the area in 2001 to shoot his Academy Award-winning short film "Two Soldiers."

"I remember when we were shooting, we'd see a location we wanted to use, and we'd have her knock on the door while we hid behind a tree. And you could tell just by the body language that they'd be talking about some recipe or a relative. Or she'd be petting their dog. She was very helpful in interacting with the community."

Clark, who lives in Winston-Salem with her husband of two years, Jeff Mills, is a native of Kernersville and was a movie buff growing up. Films such as "The Sound of Music" and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" were among her favorites. After graduating from High Point's Wesleyan Christian Academy in 1984, she postponed college for several years because, she said, she was uncertain what she wanted to do and wanted to make sure she was truly ready before spending the tuition.

She eventually went to UNCG, majoring in psychology (but also taking many classes in cinema, theater and broadcasting) and graduating in 1992.

"Once I got out of school, I really didn't know what I wanted to make a living at," she said. "I enjoyed psychology and sociology and thought maybe I could be a guidance counselor and work with kids, but you pretty much needed a master's degree if you wanted to pursue something like that."

While working as an office manager at a music store in 1993, Clark was contacted by Steve Montal, then assistant dean of the film making school at the N.C. School of the Arts. He told her the film commission needed some freelance help, and she was soon taking pictures and scouting locations for the organization. In 1996, she was hired full time. Four years later, she became director and is now the commission's only paid employee.

Though she has worked with a few overly demanding personalities (she won't name names), she said many people from Hollywood can be surprisingly easy to work with.

"You can't have a thin skin or be easily offended to be in this job, that's for sure," she said. "But generally speaking, people are very nice. You have to be. You have to be outgoing and cordial, or otherwise you're not going to get very much done."

She acknowledges she has been a little star-struck from time to time (she said she was a bit intimidated by "Leatherheads" star George Clooney at first, though he turned out to be very easygoing), but those who have worked with Clark say she handles herself around stars as she would with any other business acquaintance.

"She has magnificent interpersonal skills, and she's able to promote the region to folks who most people would be tongue-tied around or would swoon over," said Jerry McGuire, chairman of the board for the film commission. "Rebecca has the ability to articulate in a professional way and interact with those folks in a very, very effective way."

A developing business

Clark spends a good deal of time explaining what the film commission doesn't do: It doesn't produce films, it doesn't showcase films, and it doesn't take money from filmmakers. It's not an arts organization in the traditional sense of funding local artists or venues.

"What we are doing is recruiting businesses," she said. "But instead of trying to recruit a manufacturing plant here, what I'm doing is recruiting production companies who might hire a pool of 200 people - people that live here that rely on freelance opportunities working in feature films and in commercials for their livelihoods. And those production companies are spending money here. On 'Leatherheads' they spent about $7 million here in the Piedmont Triad alone. They didn't even film the whole movie here. They only filmed here a couple of weeks."

The Piedmont Triad Film Commission was founded in 1993, conceived as a way to keep film school graduates from leaving the area. In its early years, it focused mainly on Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. In 1996, however, the state's Department of Commerce announced its desire for each of North Carolina's seven economic development regions to be represented by a film commission, and shortly thereafter Clark's organization expanded its reach throughout the rest of the Triad.

The commission closed its offices for a short time in late 2002 and early 2003 because of a lack of funding but reopened after UNCG provided money to pay Clark's salary. A fundraising campaign the following year secured the organization's future. She also has drawn the support of a number of community leaders.

"What Rebecca and her team are doing - and in all fairness, what people across the state are doing - is exactly where we should be headed to transition from what has been traditionally a manufacturing economy," said Keith Holliday, former Greensboro mayor and current CEO of the Carolina Theatre, where Clark was scouting recently. "You have crews here, they're spending money, they're staying in hotels, they're eating. The other perspective is our citizenry should be able to appreciate the creative side of making films. It sets off a little spark inside to see a place like War Memorial Stadium in a movie like 'Leatherheads.' "

The organization now has an annual budget of $134,000, provided by various private foundations and city and county governments. Its operations are located alongside the Piedmont Triad Partnership in an office complex off Gallimore Dairy Road.

Last year, 11 films were shot in the area, in addition to commercials and catalog photo shoots, with which the commission also helps. No feature films have shot in the Triad so far this year, but Clark did mention the possibility of a reality series, centered on Bowman Gray racers, coming to the area (though it's still in the early stages).

She hopes to hire a full-time assistant in the near future. In addition to scouting locations and courting production companies, Clark keeps busy updating the commission's production directory, which has listings for local prop houses, construction companies and other technical services that filmmakers might need. Her job requires her to act as a liaison between production companies and the community, helping secure cooperation on matters such as closing roads and crowd control, as well as getting permission to shoot at the locations themselves. Sometimes that can be a bit difficult. Clark recalled one woman who let a film crew shoot in her house and then insisted afterward that they clean her bathroom.

But that was a unique situation, and Clark finds that many others are just excited about the exposure the cameras afford the area.

"'Two Soldiers' is a good example of that," she said. "The film wins an Academy Award, and he (Schneider) thanks us in his acceptance speech, and he thanks the School of the Arts, which gave him interns. So, right away, bam, we've got worldwide recognition and acknowledgment."

Monday Funny

FIVE THINGS TO SAY IF YOU GET CAUGHT SLEEPING AT YOUR DESK:

NUMBER 5: "They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen."

NUMBER 4: "This is just a 15-minute power nap they raved about in the time-management course you sent me to."

NUMBER 3: "Whew! Guess I left the top off the White-out. You probably got here just in time!"

NUMBER 2: "Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?"

Number 1, The best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk: (Raising your head slowly) "... in Jesus' name, Amen."

First Day of a New School Year

The kids (finally!) went back to school today. Mallorie's been grumbling for a week at having to go back to a realistic sleep schedule. (No more television surfing at 3am.) As much as she hated getting up to an alarm this morning, I'm sure she was excited to see all her friends again.

Cade also has been grumbling all week. He doesn't want to be a first grader. He said he'd much rather stay in kindergarten.

Monday Funny

She was in the kitchen preparing to boil eggs for breakfast.

He walked in. She turned and said, "You've got to make love to me this very moment."

His eyes lit up and he thought, "This is my lucky day."

Not wanting to lose the moment, he embraced her and then gave it his all, right there on the kitchen table.

Afterwards she curtly said, "Thanks", and returned to the stove. More than a little puzzled, he asked, "What was that all about?"

She explained, "The egg timer is broken."

You'll Be Able To Hear Me Now

Today I headed to the WXII TV studio to do another voice commercial for Paragon Advertising.

Triad Appliance Center is now selling the new Maytag Epic Z washers and dryers. After the national commercial airs, you'll hear me telling you where to buy these fabulous new appliances.

Bob, Ken and I reviewed the national Maytag commercials for the new washers and dryers. Neither one of us liked the new Maytag tagline.

I then stepped into the booth and recorded three 7-second tags for Triad Appliance Center. Bob only had to remind me once that I was selling washers and/or dryers and not breathy sex!

All in all, it took less than 30 minutes. Not bad at all for a week's worth of pay!

I feel empowered.

It was circled in pink ink, this specific June date. Pink to signify a celebration-an indication of life given-though no reminder was really necessary. She was aware of the date, as she had been the previous year, and the year before that, and the 17 years before that.

Over the years, she had developed a ritual. As soon as the monthly calendar was turned, she began increasing her time spent in the greeting card aisles of a myriad of local merchants. She scoured Hallmark cards, American Greeting cards, even Shoebox cards, in a futile search for the one containing the perfect sentiment. It had been so much easier for her when the girl was 3, and 8, and then 13.

She picked up many cards that caught her eye, especially those with the impressively colored embellishments. The poems were always thoughtful, though rather generic, and thus the pretty cards were replaced. She tried to stay away from the relationship specific cards, but she was always drawn to that section. It was the love that threatened to overwhelm, more than biology, that allowed her to consider the special cards. And while the sentiments were more accurate, ultimately she did not feel she was deserving of the defined relationship. Years before she had willingly, and legally, relinquished that right.

She always departed the stores feeling increasingly saddened. She desperately wanted the girl, now a young lady, to know she was thought of on this pink-inked day. Once again, the perfect card was not discovered. And, for yet another year, the mailbox remained empty. For many nights following the circled date, she would escape to a quiet corner and allow the tears their freedom. She felt an absolute failure; she abhorred being the cause of possible disappointment.

Recognizing the importance of shattering the defeating routine, she recently visited the stationery aisle of a well-known department store. She felt a smile playing at her lips with the self-scanning of the items she selected. Hope was blooming.

KLT Award Nominees and My Predictions

Kernersville Little Theatre just announced their nominations for the 2007-2008 Season Awards. Nominations are voted on by season ticket members. Results will be announced during the Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet on Saturday, August 2. My predictions are in pink.

Best Leading Actor
West Stowman (Oscar Madison, Oscar and Felix)
Landon Stamper (Charlie Bradley, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Stephen Swoap (Calvin Rogers, Just Kidding)
Jimmie "JJ" Jeter (Ugly, Honk!)

Best Major Actor
Randall Morris (Felix Unger, Oscar and Felix)
Tyler Canada (Ralph Herdman, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Scott Spencer (Wayne Maybrie, Just Kidding)
Joe Boles (Cat, Honk!)

Best Supporting Actor
Jim Lehman (Murray, Oscar and Felix)
Scott Spencer (Vinnie, Oscar and Felix)
Danny Scruggs (Bob Bradley, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Macon Shirley (Jeff Jones, Just Kidding)
Eric Dowdy (Drake, Honk!)

Best Character Actor
Luke Van Hine (Todd Maybrie, Just Kidding)
Chuck Powers (Chris Gentry, Just Kidding)
Mike Lopp (Bullfrog, Honk!)

Best Leading Actress
Sarah King (Beth Bradley, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Karen Price-Crowder (Jessica Finch, Just Kidding)
Christina Rodriguez (Ida, Honk!)

While Christina is deserving, I'd love to see Sarah win. To be so young, she has extraordinary natural talent.

Best Major Actress
Faith Jeffers (Imogene Herdman, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Kaye Ward (Sandra Rogers, Just Kidding)

Best Supporting Actress
Kelly Wallace (Grace Bradley, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Jean Burr (Monique Smith, Just Kidding)
Marilyn Bledsoe (Maureen, Honk!)
Liz Townley (Queenie, Honk!)

Both Marilyn and Liz were outstanding in their respective roles. I am going with Marilyn because she took on the role of Dot during Tech Week, and created two very different characters.

Best Character Actress
Tana Albright (Ynez, Oscar and Felix)
Rebecca Clark (Hooyla, Oscar and Felix)
Ruth Jeffers (Gladys Herdman, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Morgan Robbing (Jenny Finch, Just Kidding)
Amanda Seibert (Lowbutt, Honk!)
Jean Wentz (Grace, Honk!)

This was the most competitive category, I thought. Ruth was absolutely adorable as Gladys and Jean really impressed me with her characterization of Grace. I'm going with Amanda because her singing was impressive and her comic timing was hysterical.

Best Costume Design
Robin Raines (Oscar and Felix)
Sherri Thornton (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Cast (Just Kidding)
Chris Hughes (Honk!)

While Chris did a wonderful job outfitting ducks, frogs and a cat, I've got to give props to Sherri for the angel costumes that included wings and halos.

Best Set Design/Dressing
Jim Lehman (Oscar and Felix)
Mark King and Cathy Marion (Just Kidding)
Jan Burwick and Cathy Marion (Honk!)

Best Sound Design
Raymond Ruttle (Oscar and Felix)
Ben Wagner (Just Kidding)
Fred Kreig (Honk!)

Best Light Design
Ben Wagner (Oscar and Felix)
Ben Wagner (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)
Ben Wagner (Just Kidding)
Ben Wagner (Honk!)

Best Production
Oscar and Felix (Juan Fernandez, director)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Ken Ashford, director)
Just Kidding (Katie Jo Icenhower, director)
Honk! (Robin T. Rich-McGhie, director; Mignon Dobbins, music, Mindy Hudson, choreography)

While I think that Honk! will, most likely, win this category, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever packed in the community.

Random Posting

Inscribed inside the Nicholas Sparks novel I picked up at Edward McKays.

Birthday Flowers for You, Mom

Happy Birthday, Mallorie!

Here's the birthday cake I would make you, if I was a baker. It's too cool to even eat, isn't it?

Need To Relieve Some Stress?

click here.

An Evening at the Circus

Thanks to Gigaboo's generosity, Cade and I attended Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey's Boom a Ring at the LJVM Coliseum tonight. Cade and I watched the circus from the stadium seats. Mallorie watched from the spotlight operators stand - 100 feet in the air!

While certainly the circus is entertaining, there are some boring moments as well. I'm not as big on the performing animals. If you've seen tigers, elephants, dogs, etc. well, you've seen all the tricks before. Cade apparently agreed with me; he got a bit restless. There were some death defying acts, and the performers held mine and Cade's attentions.

The best performer, and one who tickled Cade to no end, was Justin Case. Cade was captivated watching Mr. Case ride various sided bicycles.


Mallorie enjoyed the experience as well. She wasn't as much into the circus as she was listening to the stage manager calling spotlight cues over the headset.

Happy Birthday, Hannah

First Day

Today was my first day as the Weekend Manager. And how did I celebrate this momentous occasion? By locking my keys in the office.

That's right. There's no better way of exemplifying responsibility or ensuring a promotional decision.

I frantically called Ally and then AJ. Neither were available to swing by to unlock the office. I had to call my boss, who had been at the museum this morning for a training session, and who had just pulled into her driveway in High Point. She was none too pleased with having to return to the museum.

I'm still employed. And I'm still the Weekend Manager. First thing on Monday I'm getting one of these keychains:

I Got Carried Away!

With the help of GB, I was able to see Sex And The City on opening night. The movie theater was absolutely packed! Luckily we got there early and got good seats. I spend two hours in a constant state of euphoria. I laughed and cried with the other women in the theater. The movie was absolutely wonderful! I was so happy that it stayed true to the HBO series. I loved every minute of the movie. (So much so that after the show I immediately purchased the soundtrack!)

Cade's Field Day and End of Year Party

Allan and I volunteered to help with Field Day at Cade's school. So, we reported to the gym at 8:15 this morning. Mr. Davis, who has to be the best PE teacher ever, went through all the different stations. Half of the 8 stations involved water. As it turned out, Allan and I were assigned to the Squirt station.

The rules of the game were rather simple. One team of kids held the squirt bottles, the other kids had to keep from getting wet. If a kid got sprayed, he had to freeze. Another teammate had to come by and give a high-five which would unfreeze the kid. Within the 15 minutes they were at the station, each kid had to be given a turn at being a sprayer. Very easy and simple, I thought.

Five minutes into the first class and I realized organized play would not be happening today. Girls and boys were screaming at the top of their lungs. Some of the sprayers would stand in front of frozen kids just waiting for someone to come unfreeze, only to squirt them again. Kids reported so-and-so not freezing when being squirted. And none of the kids really wanted to give up their turn at aiming the squirt bottles. By the end of the field day day Allan and I were running around chasing the kids, laughing and screaming along with them, alternately squirted and getting squirted. We were soaked, but boy did we have a great time!

After field day the kindergarten class had their End-of-Year party. Allan and I stayed for that too. Allan got drafted to help with the sand craft station and I ended up being a face painter. We all had a picnic pizza lunch, and then Ms. W gave out some awards. Allan and I were both pleasantly surprised that Cade received a certificate for perfect attendance.

We all had so much fun, I can't wait for next year's field day.

An Evening at the Theatre

Earlier tonight Ken and headed down to Charlotte to the Belk Theater. We were going to see Twelve Angry Men. I knew Richard Thomas was in the show, and for some reason I thought George Wendt was also in the show. I had read the play last year for the KLT playreading committee and I wondered how the show could be staged. As such, I was excited to be seeing the show.

The ushers immediately made me feel right at "home". I wasn't allowed to bring in my just-purchased-at-their-concession-stand Skittles into the auditorium. So I did what any decent person would do. I put the bag in my purse, snuck them in, and ate them while reading the playbill. How appropriate that I felt a little criminal before the show started.

The set was as you'd expect. A large room containing a table and chairs for twelve, a water cooler, a window, etc. The lights changed as the jurors filed in. Richard Thomas received a round of applause when he entered. And then the play began.

At some point during the show I realized that I was sitting, literally, on the edge of my seat, leaning forward. I had totally forgotten I was watching a play, and became completely wrapped up in the jurors voting on the fate of a young, black boy. I was absolutely enthralled!

On the way home I bored Ken to death by peppering him with questions about trials, courtrooms and jurors. I've never served on a jury, but if Richard Thomas served with me, I'd volunteer!

Love This Song!

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love

An Afternoon at the Theatre

Yesterday at the KLT Volunteer Appreciation Picnic, I was able to catch up with Michael Carter, who has played my on-stage husband more times than I care to count. I was initially thrilled to learn that my current favorite script Almost, Maine was being produced. When I told him how much I loved the show, and how much I wanted to be in the show, he smiled slyly. He was in the show, in fact had a performance that night! When he saw my disheartened look, he quickly offered me a comp ticket.

I've just returned from the Open Space Cafe Theatre where I saw the closing performance of Almost, Maine. All in all I loved the show.

Michael Moore and Michael Carter played the male roles. Stephanie Gray and Shelly Segal played the female roles. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with Moore and Gray, especially the "Story of Hope". Segal wasn't as strong an actress, though she and Carter did well in "Seeing the Thing". Carter's performances in this show, especially in "They Fell" has been the best I've seen of his work.

I was pleasantly surprised that Juan Fernandez directed the show. I've not seen Juan since he directed me in The Curious Savage in 2004. When I asked him what was his next project he told me he was directing Blithe Spirit for Open Space in the fall. Since that's another favorite show, I told him to keep me posted on auditions.

Yard Sale and Picnic

This year we decided to hold the annual KLT Yard Sale and Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on the same day. We figured since most KLT supporters help out or attend the yard sale, they could head over to Harmon Park after for some hotdogs and fun.

I actually attended my very first KLT yard sale and I did manage to get a few items at great bargain pricing. After securing my treasures, I headed to Wal-Mart to shop for the picnic items. Since this was an appreciation picnic, I had requested our volunteers just bring themselves instead of potluck food. I had a planned menu, so shopping was fairly easy. We received a gift card from Lowe's so I headed there to get the hotdogs.

Glenn was the cook, and Mikey and I were the event servers. I had planned on 75 people and about 50 of our volunteers attended. We had plenty of food, though none left over. We chatted about Honk!, our upcoming production, and introduced the new season. We raffled off several items donated by local businesses. And I made sure every volunteer received my personal "Thank you" and KLT's appreciation.

The entire day was a huge success.

Quick Eye Test

Can you find the Bs? (Hint: there are 2 of them)

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Now find the 1...

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Locate the 6...

9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999699999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999

Do you see the N? (This might take longer!)

MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMNMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM

Lastly, find the Q...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Call your optometrist if you couldn't locate each letter in less than a minute!

Cade's Kindergarten Class Picture

Chicken Ranch: Theatre Alliance Has Rousing Season-ender

By Mary Martin Niepold
Published: May 12, 2008

Its storyline practically guarantees the fun: A whorehouse in Texas, circa 1976, is about to be shut down through no fault of some of its own customers: a governor, a senator and longtime friend, Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd.

Affectionately called the Chicken Ranch, this particular establishment is also where most of the action unfolds in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, a musical being put on by the Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance that opened Friday night.

Best Little Whorehouse is a big-number production with snappy choreography and a large cast, most notably 15 or so prostitutes, their madam, some townspeople, various politicians, local choristers, the Texas Aggies football team and -- at the center of the storm -- troublemaker Melvin P. Thorpe, a flamboyant TV personality who is determined to shut down the Chicken Ranch and fulfill his destiny as "watchdog" for the local TV market.

According to the show's own admission, this whorehouse had been around for more than a century. Now, Miss Mona (a former prostitute and current madam) has inherited it, and people can remember the days when the "ladies" began accepting poultry for payment, "one bird, one lay."

And so the evening goes: Ribald language, profane language, partial nudity and some very suggestive vignettes of coupling in the chicken house. Laughs and live music also spark Best Little Whorehouse, even though the pacing is sometimes slow on a show that's known for its spitfire and rapid delivery.

This show opened on Broadway in 1978 with choreography by Tommy Tune. Its book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson with music and lyrics by Carol Hall went on to garner multiple Tony nominations and won Drama Desk awards for music and lyrics.

In Theatre Alliance's show, the music can fill the house at times, with two numbers in particular. One is a solo in which Jaye Pierce plays a gum-snapping waitress named Doatsey Mae who wishes she'd had a more exciting life. When she sings a hauntingly beautiful ballad, "Doatsey Mae," we also wish she'd not been quite so respectable.

At the other end of the musical spectrum is one of the show's best big-ticket numbers. "The Aggie Song" is a robust, full-bodied press from a chorus of football players getting ready to visit the Chicken Ranch, their prize for winning the Thanksgiving game earlier that day. It's pure fun, and director Jamie Lawrence successfully pulls in other cast members to deliver the song's punch -- raunchy athletes and prostitutes dressed in long satin gowns and corsages.

Two standout roles include the Sheriff played by Mikey Wiseman and the TV anchorman played by Gray Smith. Smith is never at a loss when taking center stage, as he frequently does at Theatre Alliance productions, and Wiseman, last seen in The Little Theatre's production of The Foreigner, has another hit with his role as Ed Earl.

Best Little Whorehouse is a good-time ending for the Theatre Alliance's season and its home at SECCA. A new home is expected to be announced in the fall.

A Weekend at the Whorehouse

Yes I spent the weekend working at Whorehouse. What? No, I wasn't doing that kind of work. I worked box (office), sold treats (at intermission) and passes (season tickets). Come on, now. Get your mind out of the gutter.

After and in between all that working, I was able to watch the show. The guys in this production clearly outperformed the girls. The Aggie Song was the best dance number, by far. Mason Reich, the guy in the promo poster, owned this number.

Gesh Metz was Mona, the proprietor of the Chicken Ranch. While she is a very talented singer, I just didn't get the sense that she really understood her character. There was no rapport between her and her "girls", nor with Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd. (And it's Mona's relationship with the Sheriff that allows the Chicken Ranch to remain open!)

I'm not a prude by any means, but even I was shocked at the gratuitous sex act simulations leading into the act one finale. Jamie threw out the theatre adage that "less is more" and went classless and tawdry. I'm pretty sure I was witness to how some of the actors' kids were conceived.

Mark Armstrong, as the Bandleader and other characters, was fabulous. (I've come to expect nothing less from him!) Ken Ashford's Governor number was rousting and energetic.

It was Mikey Wiseman's "Good Ole Girl" number that brought tears to my eyes. He is a very talented singer and he absolutely nailed the song and the Sheriff's emotion. I kept wishing Gesh could have risen to the same occasion.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was certainly an entertaining show. Unfortunately, I was left disappointed.

Celtic Festival

Cade, Mallorie, Mikey and I spent the day at Bethabara Park celebrating our Scottish heritage at the annual Celtic Festival. We all had a blast.

This year you could rent, for free, an entire Scottish outfit. Cade and I were the only ones game. He had no problem wearing a skirt!

Love This Song!

Local Actor Makes His Debut

Allan, Mallorie and I attended Cade's theatrical debut tonight. His kindergarten class performed in the school's spring musical, Bugz.

We arrived at school early so I could help the kids getting into their costumes. The kids were funny; greeting their schoolmates as if they hadn't seen them that very day! With 10 minutes to curtain I gave them a performance pep talk. I really didn't have to, none of the kids seemed to be suffering from stage fright. I did have to explain that "break a leg" was a positive sentiment.

The show was so very cute. Each class represented particular bugs - ladybugs, fireflies, army ants and butterflies. The other kindergarten classes would sing, while the spotlighted bugs performed a little dance routine. Cade gave a great performance, even though he had to watch his neighbor to keep up with the choreography. Allan and Mallorie were laughing and clapping; I was crying with pride. Overall, I thought Cade's class gave the best performance. They were a very organized and energized group of Army Ants!

A Fun Job Interview

Earlier today I went down to the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem for a group interview. They were looking for museum guides. I figured being around kids would keep me young and active. I was a little disheartened to see all the other applicants were teenagers. I quickly took charge of our table assignments, in an effort to show that I was a good leader.

We sang a few songs to get started. One song I hadn't sung since I was in Girl Scouts! Next, we had to go to an area of the museum and come up with a creative commercial for that particular exhibit. I'd never been to the museum before but luckily Ana had. We went straight to the Food Lion exhibit and with Casey's help we came up with a poem.

We met the museum staff and I was pleasantly surprised to see Ally there. It was actually her first day as the museum's new Director of Programming. Now I'm really hoping I get hired. While it isn't the greatest pay, I know I will have fun working there!

Love and Support

Bill and Kathy, April and Jacob, Kathy C., Norm and Reba, Kenny and Amanda, Kaye, Mikey, Ken, Dick and Carolyn, Clara and Dawson, Mike, Michael, Mom, Liz, Myla, Jeff, Randy and Barbara, Mark, Stephanie, Gregg, Mallorie, Charis and Anne, and Norman...

Thank you so very much for coming to The Cemetery Club. I am so very honored by your love and support.

Monday Funny...Real Friendship

Are you tired of those sissy "friendship" poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship. You won't see cutesy little smiley faces here, just the stone cold truth of real friendship.

When you are sad,

I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew.

When you are blue,

I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

When you smile,

I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in.

When you are scared,

I will rag on you about it every chance I get.

When you are worried,

I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.

When you are confused,

I will use little words.

When you are sick,

stay away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever the heck you have.

When you fall,

I will point and laugh at your clumsy butt.

Now, send this posting link to 10 of your closest friends, then get depressed because you can only think of 4.

More Quotables

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about the one's who don't.
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Believe everything happens for a reason.
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Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.
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