theatre: not just on the stage

Happy World Theatre Day!!!

Actually, that was yesterday, but I wasn't able to see a live performance until this evening, so I'm celebrating it over a 32-hour span.

(smile!)

I began at the cinema, of all places, with me unaware that I had done so until after the credits had rolled.

The movie was "Forbidden Fruits", seen at the AMC, with only one other person at that 1:35 PM matinee, but she seemed to be laughing in all the same places I did.

Very nice, as I know my sense of humor can be a bit different!

Anyway, after the movie, I spoke to the other viewer and found out why she was there at this "Valley Girls gone bad" horror-comedy.

She was best friends, since college days 16 years ago, with the playwright whose work was the basis of the movie... say what?!

Yep, that's right!

Lily Houghton's play, "Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die', was first performed in 2019.

Last year, the play was deemed worthy of life as a movie, with that script co-written by Lily Houghton and Meredith Alloway, following closely the narrative of the play, but with fruits, not flowers, and set in a mall, not a single store.  

How very cool that, at the end, one of the characters wore a cropped t-shirt with the play's name emblazoned upon it! 

Nice way to pay homage to the play!

(smile!)

That gave me the impetus to look at other movies for their theatre.

So, when I got home, I watched "Wonka" again!

Comcast gave me a $1 Movie Night reward on Thursday and that's the movie I chose!

So, when I say "again", I'm referring to that night, not to the time three years ago when I first saw it.

Heck, I've seen this musical so many times since then!!!

However, I was incorrect in thinking that it had ever been on the stage.

No, this was an original story, serving as the origin of the character portrayed by Gene Wilder in "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" in 1971.

That earlier movie was based on the book by Roald Dahl... but was never performed on stage, either. 

That's not to say that stage adaptations were never done... but that didn't transpire until this century. 

Now, there are children's musicals, an opera, and even a musical that's appeared on The Went End in London!

Maybe I'll get to see one of those someday - but certainly not within my stated 32-hour timeframe allocated for celebrating World Theatre Day.

Next!

(smile!)

Peacock to my rescue!

It offered "Les Miserables", the 2012 musical film with Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman in the lead roles!

And what should I determine as I watched?

It's an opera!!!

How to tell the difference?

In an opera, every line, by every character, is sung, with no spoken parts.

Ta dah!!!

It's based on the 1980 'sung-through' stage musical, "Les Miserables", which is based on the 1862 book written by Victor Hugo.

Although the movie is technically not a filmed version of a live play, it does use the same musical score as the stage musical did.

The difference is the dramatic license taken with the setting of those songs in elaborate constructions that would be impossible for a staged show.

However, as the film follows the stage production and utilizes the same lyrics in the same songs, I'm regarding it as a legitimate creation to include in my celebration!

Yes, yes, I am!!!

(smile!)

That brings me to the only live performance in this grouping.

I had hoped to see the Savannah Children's Theatre's production of "Evita" yesterday, but the Friday Fiesta ran too long... so I went tonight!

I even bought my ticket last night, to make sure to have a seat.

See, this was held in their brand-new Black Box space at the Starcastle.

Most such spaces hold 50 to 100 seats, so I didn't want to miss the show!

Fortunately, this Black Box can seat about 250.

Surprisingly, this is actually an opera, though it's called a 'sung-through musical', which is a bit off as Hanna Richmond, who plays 'Eva Peron', clearly has several arias during the show!!!

She is on-stage almost nonstop, along with the narrator, 'Che', performed absolutely perfectly by Desmond Chaney.

Austin Bradley was there as 'Peron', and Trey Wilner as 'Magaldi', but they truly don't have many lines as those characters.

Austin does have an incredible courting dance with Hanna, who also dances with 'Magaldi' and 'Che'... but that dance with Austin is beautifully done!

Honestly, I was so impressed with the stage story that I wanted to know more about that Argentinian woman, the real Eva Peron.

What did I learn?

She moved to Buenos Aires as a 15-year-old determined to be famous, hence her affair with the entertainer, followed by future affairs with men who could advance her to where she wanted to be, a position of prominence.

She attained that by the age of 26 with Juan Peron, just a Colonel at the time, but encouraged him to further his career to become President of Argentina.

Then she died of cervical cancer in 1952, at 33 years old.

Incredible! 

So, was this play based on a book of her life?

Actually, it originated first as a concept album, of all things!

That was in 1976, and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice used that tactic, already proven successful for their show, "Jesus Christ Superstar", six years earlier.

How amazing!!!

I've truly enjoyed looking at the history of these works.

I'll have to do a bit more of that in the future!

(smile!)

gravy, y'all

"What's that? You had gravy with dinner?"

Why, yes, I did! Actually, for the last three weeks in a row! All of that brought to mind a "Star Trek: TNG" meme that Sherry Giddens posted. The Captain asks, "Gravity is powerful, do you know what you get if you remove it?" His First Officer replies, "Weightlessness, sir." In all seriousness, he hears the response, "Gravy. Number One, you get gravy."

"Hahahaha! Poor Riker! Having to put up with those puns from Picard!"

Well, that was a riddle, not a pun. But it sure was funny! And the last three Wednesday night suppers at Asbury have all had gravy!

"Oh, nice! I do enjoy that meat-derived sauce! We don't get that very often, since you don't know how to make it."

Truth. Tonight, it was turkey gravy, served on the mashed potatoes. Last week, it was gravy with mushrooms for the chicken Marsala. And the week before was beef gravy from the pot roast, also served on mashed potatoes. I prefer in on rice, but I'll take it however I can get it!

"That looks really good! Where are your veggies on that plate?"

I don't like peas and carrots, so I abstained. I do have a nice little salad, though! And I have two desserts!!! That's blackberry cobbler and a slice of something that tasted like bread pudding, but looked like cake. Quite tasty!

"Was Kathy Mayin there for these WNS meals? I recall she went to the first one with you and seemed to enjoy herself."

Sadly, she has not been back. We make plans, but then she backs out. I even tried to get her to come for the Sisters In Faith luncheon last week, but that didn't happen, either. I'm not going to push her. I know she'll be back when she's ready, right? She's grown, she gets to make her own decisions.

"I understand. I hope she will soon decide to make more ventures out of her apartment. It'll be good for her mental health and her spirits."

Agreed! I know I look forward to these social gatherings. Meals are nicer with others to share the food and conversation. Okay, time for "Scrubs"! I really am enjoying this continuation of the original series. 

"You mean the reboot of the old show?"

No, it isn't like that. It's more like a reunion. It's nice to see them rekindling their old friendships. That's a realistic approach for people who have lost touch while life interfered. You know: jobs, kids, moving to new locations. I can relate to it. So, later, chica!

"Hasta la bye-bye!"

one foot for the driving

"That's correct, if you have an automatic transmission. The right foot handles both the gas pedal and the brake, as only one of those is ever in action at a time. If you're using your left foot for the brake, you're driving wrong."

I'm so glad you're aware of that! It's startling to me how often someone will have a foot going on both the gas and the brake simultaneously. Don't they know they're burning up their brakes, wasting gas, and straining their engine??

"For sure. Is that why you put that title? And what's with the photo? Wait a minute... your room heater and the fan are both plugged in to the power strip! Now, that's wasting energy!!!"

Ah. It's only wasting energy if I have both engaged at the same time. However, I do not. Only the heater is on. See it's little light?

"Yes, now that you mention it."

Well, I turned it on earlier to take the chill off the bedroom.

Now, I've turned on my heated mattress pad to do the same for the bed itself. Here's the funny thing: last night I had to use the fan to cool off the room!

"Holy shiite! Look at that thirty-degree dip in the weather song!!!"

Exactly. Monday's high was almost 90F. That's right: 90!!! The heat in the attic came down into the house and made it nice and toasty, so much so that I needed a fan to cool my room down enough to sleep. Then the high today, barely hit 60F.  All that lovely heat I'd let inside yesterday has dissipated and the temperature inside is back to about 67F. Hence, I've turned on the heater to warm my room back up to 70F, thrown the extra blanket on the bed, and turned on the mattress pad.

"Wow. I guess that's why you told Yvonne that the weather is going through puberty. She had said menopause, with hot flashes, but those cold dips don't fit that theory."

Exactly. Plus, as I told her, the changes are much more in line with a boy going through puberty, complete with sperm sprayed all around! She and Cathy thought that was hilarious! and just look at this latest weather song, would ya? We'll have almost 90F again on Friday, then it'll drop back into the forties overnight!!! Crazy kid needs to get a handle on those raging hormones!

"Hahahaha! Yeah, I wish you luck with that, dear. At least these spring bouts of fluctuating hormones doesn't last but a month or so. Real puberty goes on for much longer. Your nephew Michael is getting a taste of that with his girls. Alyssa has already started menstruating, hasn't she? And Hope probably is having boy issues with Sebi."

Yep! If they didn't have gray hairs before, they will now. I'm so fortunate to have missed out on raising teenagers. Thanks, Dr. Pacifico in Okinawa, for granting me that tubal ligation when no one else would. It probably helped that we had a rash of unplanned pregnancies in the barracks at the time. That prompted all of us having to undergo education classes about sexual health and birth control methods. That's when I started asking for that procedure, and, after nearly a year, he agreed. Right place, right time for me.

"Indeed, it was. If you hadn't been in the Navy, I doubt that would have ever come to pass."

Oh, I know it wouldn't have. The rule was that a woman had to have already had two babies before she could be considered, and that's if she was single. If she were married, then her husband had to consent to the surgery before she could have it. How antiquated that all sounds! But we're only talking about the early 1980's. That's only two generations ago.

"Do you know if that rule has changed?"

I have no idea, but I hope so. A woman should always be able to control what is done with her own body, and that includes her reproductive body parts.

May 25th for eagle's landing

That will be just in time for my bday68 celebration!

We had real progress at the Two First Posts meeting tonight, and that was good, it was very good.

I felt vindicated in what I'd said at the last meeting.

We had all been asked why we wanted Mike and Kat here.

I'd been the only one to speak up.

"We're just glad that [Kozik and Hancock] want to take it on, because none of us want to do it and none of us have experience doing any of this."  

By the end of that meeting, it looked like we'd slid backwards toward an abyss of indecision.

Not so from the very start tonight!!!

I still feel that I've missed some talks somewhere along the way, but it was clear from the outset that the two Post Commanders - Doug Andrews and Eddie Patterson, Jr. - had been conversing and want Mike and Kat at the helm of the kitchen and bar operations.

Hallelujah!!!

They must have felt as frustrated as I had two weeks ago.

We've all been waiting so long for this place to open.

It's been more than a year ago that the remodeling began.

It's been right at a year ago that several of us came to check out the work and realized that an opening date was still months away.

Now, that date has been determined: May 25, 2026, just in time for the Memorial Day festivities.

Oh, and my birthday, too.

(smile!)

So, who all was in attendance at 1730 for this momentous progress?

For Post 36, there was Doug Andrews, Billy Cope, Michael T. Powers, and me.

For Post 500, there was Eddie Patterson, John Parker, and Brenda Pough.

Plus, we had Mike Kozik and Kat Hancock, ready to get this party started.

By the time those two departed at 1911, we had a rough draft of the contract, with them understanding and agreeing to paying a set monthly rental fee for the space and equipment in return for receiving 2/3 of the net profit for sales of food and beverages.

As Doug has said repeatedly, we are not in this to make money; we are here to provide a service to our military and veteran family.

Hooray for him!

Hooray, also, for Eddie and John spurring Post 500 members to supply circular tables ($173 each) and packs of chairs ($169/pack) for any functions to be held here.

Hooray, also, for Brenda for printing out sample lease agreements for any groups who are interested in renting our space for their functions. 

Hooray, also, for Mike fetching Post 36's stored items (six 6' tables, six bar stools, the Budweiser sign, and  'Iron Mike', and others) from Post 135 and bringing them here to Two First Posts at long last, with Michael T agreeing to be here for that long-awaited delivery.

Hooray for Doug for setting up a google group for Two First Posts.

Hooray for Eddie for making out the list of items to be accomplished to make this place ready (pouring the concrete pad outside the kitchen door; reversing the front doors and adding panic bars to comply with fire code; obtaining a lockable liquor storage cabinet).

Hooray for John and Doug for donating funds ($500 each) to be dedicated to stocking the bathrooms (wall mirrors at sinks, toilet paper holders, tissue holders, trash cans, hand soap, paper towel dispensers). 

And, last, but certainly not least, hooray for Billy for taking on the task of wiring the internet, security, and the entertainment systems, with him coordinating with Joe Cetti for the seven televisions to be purchased, the mounting hardware for six of those and A/V cart for the other (designated for training purposes).

Whew.

No one directly took on the elephant in the room, about the enormous debt (more than $800,000 already spent on the purchase and remodel of this building) taken on by one man: Doug Andrews.

We all need to work together to help this dream become reality for him.

He said we'll open on May 25 of this year - we can make that happen!

 

My odometer reading as I pulled into my driveway bodes well for that.

Such a nice, round, even number for the mileage: 245300.

Yes, I am glad to have been at that American Legion meeting tonight.

Most definitely right place, right time. 

(smile!) 

let them eat cake!

So spoke Danny Beam as he was leaving the stage!

He was talking about the enormous carrot cake waiting in Holliday Hall for all gathered to celebrate his 70th birthday.

That actually occurred on February 12, so I know what that means...

he has the same birth date as Abraham Lincoln!!!

Right place, right time for me!

I missed the first song at Asbury Memorial Church, but I was there for the other six that he'd chosen from his writings, as well as two penned by others. 

"I Wouldn't Know" was done solo, followed by the George Strait song that he sang for his wedding with Barbara, the one who set up this concert.

"God's Family Table" was the last solo from this once-Baptist minister, a song about communion open for all walks of life.

Doug Povie came up with his guitar after that, to join him for the next two.

"Go Forth And Set The World On Fire" was in memory of his dear friend, Dale Thornton, a fellow pastor who would end his sermons with that line.

My favorite song, "Forgiveness And Healing", came about after a request from Reverend Billy Hester, who needed something to go with his sermon some few years ago.

Here's the line that sparked my memory: "faith, hope, and love cut a hole in the ceiling, to make room for the man with forgiveness and healing". 

That actually made me tear up as I thought of the man's kin having enough trust in Jesus' ability to cure the man that they would deliberately damage their home for that chance.

Wow.

Bill Oakley was the next guest musician, on guitar, for two songs.

"In A Thin Place" was the result of a New Year's resolution that Danny made in response to one of Rev. Billy's sermons.

The last song, "Lord, Wake Me Up", was written in 2018 but based on something he heard at a 1988 Baptist convention.

The speaker was from China, if I have that right, and said we Americans tell our children the wrong prayer.

Instead of "if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take", we should teach them to say "Lord, wake me up before I die".

He said that one took its time coming to him!

Then we all went to eat cake!

Danny's older brother took the stage and said a few words, mostly hearkening back to their childhood, that reminded me of my brothers - nice!!!

Then, as I came over to wish Danny a happy birthday, he introduced me to his one-and-only sister, Mary, and her husband, Harvey, down from New York.

My guess is I'm the only other scientist Danny knows!

Why would that matter?

His brother-in-law is a marine scientist!!!

How very nice to be regarded so highly!

I had quite a nice chat with them, too.

(smile!)

Now, I'm going to watch "The Wizard Of Oz", mostly because I can.

Comcast gave the musical to me, as a reward, on Thursday.

Yes, being a Diamond member definitely has its perquisites!

(smile!)

netflix film fest with a dane

One of the perks of dogsitting is getting to watch movies I can't see elsewhere.

Fortunately, Laura has Netflix, which has come in handy before.

Mostly, I used it this time to catch up on the first three seasons of "Young Sheldon", which I didn't start watching until after I found out the little boy's grandma also attends Asbury Memorial.

That's been nice to have that link to Iain Armitage!

I've also used that streaming service to watch "The Closer", the crime-solving series with Kyra Sedgwick.  

I watch a few of each every evening, and a few with Sheldon in the morning.

I've also treated myself to a movie for the last three nights!

The first was "Rumor Has It", from 2005, on Wednesday.

Kevin Costner is 'Beau Burrows', who was her mom's high school crush, as well as the guy her grandma (Shirley MacLaine) seduced... all leading to a classmate's penning "The Graduate" about the tale... or so the story goes!

Now, the younger sister is getting married, 'Megan' (Jennifer Aniston) is engaged to a great guy (Mark Ruffalo), but things are not well.

'Megan' is sure her dad is not her biological father, so she goes in search of the crush that her mom ran off to Mexico with... and sleeps with him, too!

Hey, it's not as creepy as it sounds, and was actually quite fun.

 

Dane didn't care what I chose to watch.

I'd found a box of puppy ice cream in the freezer and he was happy!

He stretched out on his rug and slurped away for probably thirty minutes!

Oh, yes, the little things mean a lot!

Thursday, I had my luncheon, but returned to their house with laundry.

While the clothes and bed linens were washing, Dane and I had 'coffee on the porch' time, out back and up front.

He was sure happy about that!

 

Then, later, he was glad to be eating ice cream again!

I was happy to have found "The Thursday Murder Club" to watch... and on a Thursday, too!

This 2025 film must have been an inside joke for me from the Universe, as I didn't catch the significance of the day until later.

I was just thrilled to have something with such a stellar cast!

Dame Helen Mirren!

Sir Ben Kingsley!

Sir Jonathan Pryce (as the sundowning husband of Mirren)!

Plus Pierce Brosnan and Celia Imrie to round out the group of pensioners - i.e., retirees - who solve cold cases one day a week at the retirement home.

I just loved it!

What would I find for Friday's film?

That turned out to be "The Sting", starring America's version of royalty!

There's Robert Redford getting fancied up by Paul Newman, so they can con a cheating, gambling, mobster (Robert Shaw).

Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston, Charles Durning... what a cast!

That included Robert Earl Jones, the father of James Earl Jones.  

Very nice!

But one of the things that set it apart?

The use of artistic 'scene change' slides, with images reminiscent of those in "The Saturday Evening Post".

I just loved having a bit of art mixed in with the caper!

 

Dane liked that I was having a good time, especially as he was, too.

Yes, indeed!

Third movie for me, third ice cream treat for him!

I'm glad I had that to bribe him with, as he'd refused to eat his dinner this evening.

That was, until I told him no dessert until he did.. then he went to it.

Good boy!

I know he'll be very glad when Tony and Laura return tomorrow!

It's been a couple of years since he didn't travel with them.

Four days is about his limit for them to be gone.

(smile!)

friday fiesta, sans two brothers

That's right.

At this session of the S&K Friday Fiesta at Jalapenos, two brothers were not present, as one was in Orlando and the other was sick.

The photo has Smitty and Mark on the left, with the women - Robin, Mary, Betsy, and Becca - all on the right.

Well, except for one woman.

That would be me, as I stood next to Smitty.

(Remember, standing keeps me from having sciatica on Saturdays from those high chairs.)

Seven of nine, y'all.

(Inside joke for me, of the "Star Trek" flavor!) 

 

That meant one Smith brother was absent and one Kameron brother was absent.

Even so, the one traveling still checked in with a photo to each of us of him and Laura having a good time in Ybor City! 

That's where her oldest son, Josh, works at a very fancy restaurant.

I'm so glad she and Tony were having such a great time!

 

We had a great time, too!

Betsy had tale after tale of her hilarious run-ins with the parking police on St. Patrick's Day!

Well, they were hilarious to me, but not so much to her.

Add on that it was crazy cold downtown and she was worn out before the parade ended at 2 PM.

Honestly, being down there in the cold for four hours is probably why Jimmy was out sick tonight.

I'm glad I chose to stay home and watch!

He'll be getting chicken soup from Jalapenos.

I got my three crunchy beef tacos!

(smile!)

And Mark was thrilled to get his Gringa.

He says it's the best meal he eats all week!

He also felt like it had been two weeks since he last had it, but I reminded him that he'd only missed out last week.

On that Friday, he was the only absent one, as he was working overtime in Bluffton with his boss.

The local football team needed their stadium lights repaired.

Addison was still in town on spring break on that Friday the 13th.

I dined on something totally different!

Well, it was different for me... but the same thing that Mary and Robin chose!

Yes, we all had the cheese quesadilla, with rice and beans, that night!

Very funny!!!

Okay, let me wrap this up and get back to the Dane!

This will be our last night together, as Dood returns home tomorrow.

I'm so looking forward to being back in my own bed!

I did take my pillow over with me, but their guest bed is about two inches higher than I would like, so I have to crawl up into it.

Ah, there's no place like home!

Oh, what a lead in!

Comcast's reward to me yesterday was ....

drum roll, please!...

"The Wizard of Oz"!!!

Last Thursday, the reward was "Space Jam"!!!

Nice to have them both waiting for me at home this weekend!

I'm off to see the Dane now!