leader of the pack?

Without a doubt, that would be Trey Wilner!

 

"What's going on? Who did what?"

 

I'm talking about that much-needed musical today and the young man who played the lead role at the Enrico Fermi High School, that's what!

 

"Enrico Fermi? That's the physicist behind the first artificial nuclear reactor, right?"

 

Funny you should mention that device. 'Jonny' rides his motorcycle into the nuclear power plant near the school after 'Toffee' dumps him. Her parents didn't approve of the orphaned newcomer and of his dropping the 'h' from his name. That kind of rebel was not who they wanted their one-and-only daughter hanging out with.

 

"I see. And he, of course, rode a motorcycle and wore a black leather jacket, I bet. He probably talked back to the principal, too, didn't he?"

 

You got it, sister! The chemistry nerds - 'Joey', 'Josh', and 'Jake' - took his side after he was kicked out of school, but 'Miss Delilah Strict' refused to let him finish out the school year and graduate, all because of the missing 'h'. Then 'Toffee' dumped him, and that was all too much for the teen. So he committed suicide. Pretty dark for a rom-com.

 

"Yikes! Holy shiite!!! What was the name of this???"

 

"Zombie Prom: Atomic Edition". There's even a Director's Note that was both humorous and factual. "While Jonny driving his motorcycle into the nuclear plant is a silly idea for a musical, it's a colossally bad idea in real life. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you can call or text 988 to reach the National suicide & Crisis hotline, or you can chat with a professional at 988lifeline.org 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, free of charge. No reason is too big or too small." 

 

"Wow. That sounds like the Director, Jenn Doubleday, took this very seriously as a 'teachable moment'."

 

Well, it is a Savannah Children's Theatre production, and it was performed on school grounds at the Kennedy Building at Savannah State University. I thought it was to their favor that they stepped in at took it so seriously, rather than laughing it off. Teen romances are just as egocentric and intense as adult romances. All the same chemicals are involved, but the persons lack the experience and knowledge to deal with them rationally. Not that adults do that good a job of it, but...

 

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

 

The musical itself was fabulous! It also dealt with teen pregnancy, baby abandonment to the foster system, the media's sensationalism of stories in all forms, and xenophobia. That's quite a lot packed into a two-act that the students had two weeks to learn!

 

"Two weeks?!? That's all the rehearsal they had?!?"

 

Yep! This was one of the Summer Camp shows! The players had to submerge themselves into the material, then perform it three times. Just amazing!!! And Jada Banks was there, too, as one of the cheerleaders! Maya Kendrick, as 'Toffee', was the head cheerer, and the squad was filled out with Megan Borges and Elle Gibson. Great fun they all were! As was Braidyn Riggsbee as the principal and Carmen Titus as 'Eddie Flagrante', head reporter of 'Exposed'. But it was Trey Wilner who was front and center in every scene 'Jonny' had!

 

"That name sounds familiar to me. What else has he been in?"

 

Well, he was the assistant to 'Mrs. Lovett' in her pie-making venture. But that's not where I remember him best. That would be from his role as 'Jesse' in "Tuck Everlasting" last fall. When he came out into the lobby after that show, he made a beeline for me and gave me a big hug for being so responsive in the audience. That was wonderful!!!

 

"Do you think he might have recognized you from then?"

 

Actually, I think he did! I was sitting right there in the front row, as I like to do, so the actors can see my reactions for their lines and characters. I know very well that he saw me, and that he kept looking at me, as did some of the others. I tried to telepath that I knew who he was, too. And I think he might have hugged me again, had I hung around a bit longer. I did stay for a few minutes, lurking in the lobby, but there were so many parents waiting for their stars to come out... so I left.

 

"Oh! You should have been more patient! I am sure he would have loved to talk to you and get your perspective on this play!"

 

Well, then, I will be sure to stay and see him the next time I go to one of the SavChTh productions. I will, no matter the crowd.

let's have a musical: part 1

Ever since my triumphant return from the bday67 girls' trip, I've consciously sought out free events for the evenings.

That's partly because of money spent during the trip, but mostly because this is the time of year when property taxes are due. 

So instead of events, I opted for meals out with friends.

I have ended up spending almost $200 on those outings.

Ouch.

Then, on Wednesday, I found out my application for Medical Assistance (i.e., Medicaid to pay my Medicare, Part B, premiums) has been denied.

That's after finding out the teeth cleaning and bite wings are going to be hitting me for $300 instead of being covered by my plan, as that was also to have been paid by Medicaid instead of my Medicare Dual Advantage plan.

Ouch.

I have spent far too much time on the phone about that.

Now, it's Saturday, and I vowed to treat myself to a musical.

 

So I did, with Savannah Children's Theatre having a 5 PM that was perfectly timed.

Their middle school summer camp put on "Disney's Descendants: The Musical" and I was fortunate enough to get one of the last tickets!

i thank You, God.

Plus, it was at the Kennedy Building at Savannah State University, so there was no problem with parking.

i thank You, God.

I really needed this today.

It was a two-act show with lots of sassy children of both the "evils" over on the Isle of the Lost as well as the children of the "goods" in the Kingdom.

i thank You, God, that I was paying attention when the four little blondes ever talked about the TV series this was based upon.

Even so, I had to pay attention during the first act to know who was who.

That made it a perfect distraction from my life.

(smile!)

Kudos to both Tenley Wright and Jamie Doubleday, as 'Mal' and her mother 'Maleficent', both of whom where in full-tilt boogie mode!

Kudos to Ethan Brandon, as 'Ben', son of 'King Beast' and 'Queen Belle', soon to be coronated and wanting to join the Isle back to the Kingdom!

Kudos to Finley Ylisto as 'Evie', bff of 'Mal' and daughter of 'Grimhilde'! 

Kudos to Emily Broom and William Johnston, both playing 'Jay' and 'Carlos', the sons of 'Jafar' and 'Cruella'!

Kudos to Wyatt Williams as 'Jane', the not-so-good daughter of the Fairy Godmother - she was a real rebel rouser!

I'll look forward to seeing them in future productions!

Now, to get home and change shirts before I'm off to a party.

I managed to slop motor oil all over myself when I gave my Saturn a drink.

Arrggghhh!

(smile!) 

dear dead mom

In the movie, the focus had been on 'Adam' and 'Barbara', the couple who died when their vehicle went through a covered bridge and into the river.

Then the movie proceeds to show their "life" up until the house is sold.

That's when 'Lydia' enters the scene.

However, in "Beetlejuice, Jr.", the musical version launches in a cemetery with the funeral of the teen girl's mother.

Angst to the max!

And the lament the girl has is in the form of an oral letter to her mom.

 

"hey mom, 

dead mom,
i need a little help here,
i'm prob'ly talking to myself here,
but dead mom, i gotta ask
are you really in the ground?
'cause i feel you all around me.
are you here, dead mom?

Dead mom
dead mom
i'm tired of trying to iron out my
creases
i'm a bunch of broken pieces
it was you who made me whole

every day dad's staring at me,
like oh hurry up get happy
move along
forget about your mom.

'cause dad is in denial
daddy doesn't want to feel.
he wants me to smile
and clap like a performing seal.

ignored him for a while
but dad has lost it for real,
you won't believe the mess that we've become.

you were my home, my destination,
and i'm your clone, your strange creation.
you held my hand and life came easy.

my jokes don't land and no one sees me.
nothing seems to fit." 

Let me tell you, I was hooked after that.

Tomorrow will be the 25th Mother's Day that I've spent without Mama.

It totally feels like a quarter of a century, too.

I'll make sure to check in with the mothers I have on fb, wish them well, as I have done ever since joining that site in 2007.

Some will even wish me a happy day, too...

but that won't be the same.

 

As for the musical, it truly was delightful and I laughed in all the right places, as did the young woman behind me, seated with her mother.

I was fortunate to have even gotten a seat, as it was a sold-out show.

But as I waited by the check-in table with five others who'd also arrived without tickets, waited and waited as dozens and dozens came after I'd entered, a little miracle happened.

The very last group in the line checked in and realized they'd mistakenly purchased too many tickets for this Saturday matinee.

The father asked, "Could we transfer the other tickets to the Sunday performance?"

"Absolutely," was the reply, "How many are to be transferred?"

Six.

Amazing.

Right place, right time... for all of us waiting.

 

I'd known of this performance ever since my volunteer shift at the SMF36 Pop-Up Shop.

Noelle Westmoreland, the boss there, knew of my love for theatre in general and musicals in particular, and she'd told me.

I was telling her about the last Rambam musical, the take-off of "Mary Poppins", and how much I'd enjoyed it.

"They'll be doing 'Beetlejuice' in May," she told me.

How had she known about it?

She was the music and stage director!!!

Right place, right time.

 

This musical was a combined effort by the Jewish school and the Savannah Children's Theatre, a necessity as Rambam would not have had enough for the large cast.

Special kudos to Constance Zaller ('Lydia') and McKinley Tate ('Beetlejuice') for being the heavy lifters and making it seem effortless!

Charlie Karpf and Louisa Corbell were wonderful as the dead former owners of the house, as were Hayes Culver and Juliette Delcroix as the teen's dad and counselor/fiancee.

Three more of special note: the ever-delightful Emmett Witchel as 'Otho'; Olivia Gosden as 'Juno', the gatekeeper of the underworld; and Maryn Meece as 'Miss Argentina', who was captivating with her song of how she ended up in that waiting station.

 

If not for the upcoming trip to Florida with Christina and her girls, I might have decided to attend again tomorrow...

but I'm saving that $16 for fun with them!

So, no "Peter Pan, Jr." tonight... but I saw the SavChTh version several years ago, as well as the GOB performance last fall.

No "Plaza Suite" down at Tybee Arts Association, either... that was performed by the Asbury Memorial Theatre in 2018.

No Tybee Ballet this week, right near there at the Tybee Post Theatre...

and quite likely no "Cinderella" musical next week...

or "Sleeping Beauty" ballet in two weeks.

I'm working on saying "No" to these events I'd otherwise attend, but the struggle is certainly real in my heart.

No fear, I do have several free events lined up.

I have to keep my cultural calendar busy...

busy, like me, the busy, vibrant woman.

(smile!) 

the road to hell is a railroad track, umm hmm

 

I knew right away that the Savannah JEA, for "Hadestown, Teen Edition", was where I was meant to be!

Just look at that WSAV weather song: up in the 80's for the days, lows of almost 70 at night - pure bliss!

Absolutely perfect for gallivanting at night without a jacket!

 

Plus, I found myself the best seat in the house by just walking up to it.

Yes, indeed, front row, slightly right of center, with no one to block the view.

i thank You, God!

I felt like I was part of the action as all those teens sang and danced!

This production by the Savannah Children's Theatre was from the Junior Company and encompassed high schoolers from all over town!

Austin Bradford, clad all in silver, starred as 'Hermes', the storyteller extraordinaire and our conductor for this tale of love gone wrong.

Who were to tragic lovers?

None other than 'Orpheus' and 'Eurydice', meeting aboveground of Hadestown, just as the train was pulling in to bring spring with 'Persephone'.

Josiah Williams had the clear, high voice of an angel and was perfect as the distracted boy who loved writing songs; Nikki DeCubellis was perfect as that girl who was looking for someone to keep her warm and well-fed during the cold winter months.

Then there's Carmen Titus, brightly clad in brilliant green, bringing excess and joy and making folks forget the hard winter just past... until her departure brings it back.

Sadly, her return this time to Hadestown was early, as her husband - played incredibly by Truman Nash - came to fetch her before the six months' time was up.

The 'Three Fates' - Maya Kendrick, Hanna Richmond, and Ella Rodgers - didn't help anyone with their sassy, Southern-belles-from-Hell, attitudes.

I was entranced the entire time with this age-old story from Greek mythology!

My hope had been something dark and tragic, like the tale of the berserk barber or the one about the ghost of the opera... and this was right up there with those!

Oh, I do wish I had some photos to share of this 21st century musical, I do.

No snapshots were allowed, though, as the show is still on Broadway.

I'm just grateful to have been able to experience all that energy here without having to travel to New York City!

Right place, right time!

why this 'new year's start' is better

The Weather

On this 3rd day of the rebooted 2025, I've had a high in the mid-70's, with the night going to the low 50's.

The highs will remain in the mid-60's to mid-70's well into next week.

Hallelujah!!!

How had it been for the original start of 2025?

That had also been on a Wednesday, just as this was.

The lows were in the 30's each night, as the days would struggle to warm into the low to upper 50's.

That first Friday reached the upper 50's before crashing into freezing.

Evening Events

On this 3rd day of the rebooted 2025, I've been out to the AMC-11 for a foreign film for the second time this week.

The first was on the Chinese New Year for an actual film about San Francisco's Chinatown- such fun!

That was followed by lunch - and dinner! - courtesy of Applebee's and AARP.

Today, I was there again, this time for an Irani film set in Tehran: "The Seed Of The Sacred Fig".

No one would ever call that one 'fun', as it was a family drama involving the missing gun of the government-employed father.

I knew which female in the family had stolen it early on, but the story was well crafted.

That, also, was followed by lunch - and dinner! - courtesy of Texas Roadhouse and Melaness.

They gifted me the Tater Skins for belonging to their loyalty club, a gift I'll also enjoy for several coming breakfasts.

Melanie's Christmas gift supplied another $10 toward my grilled shrimp meal, half eaten there, half here at home.

Next up was the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, si?

While that's what I had done that first 2025 Friday, that's not the way it played out on this 'first' Friday.

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced it into being gone from Savannah since 2021, One Hundred Miles has returned!

Tonight was the grand opening of its new office on Bull Street, just north of the public library.

Excellent location!

The place was packed, but when I met Megan and Beth and Cate, each one already knew my name!

I very much appreciated that!

I did step out for a while, as the space was very loud with so many folks talking.

When I did, I stopped to admire this graffiti on the back wall and was joined by Gabriel, who is a blues pianist who lives in Darien, where OHM also has a new office.

He asked what I thought it was and I pointed out the base of the flower stem and that it was "Unplugged".

That was a nice pun for the musician!

We both wondered why it was left unsigned, but I postulated that perhaps the piece was not yet completed.

Gabriel thought that might be true.

Perhaps we shall meet again some time.

(smile!)

Home Movie Night

On that first Friday of 2025, I'd watched a rented, Christmas-themed, movie for a second viewing.

On this 'first' Friday of rebooted 2025, I saw a movie that was 'new to me' that I recorded when it showed up on Bounce two days ago.

I liked the premise of a young fan of kung fu movies getting transported back in time to ancient China to return the Monkey King's staff.

Altogether, "The Forbidden Kingdom" had a foursome of misfits on that quest: a failed monk (Jet Li), an old drunk (Jackie Chan), a lost traveler ('Jason'), and an orphan girl.

A foursome?

Like in "The Wizard Of Oz"?

Misfits, like in "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"?

Of course I was captivated by this 2008 time travel adventure!

Plus, with its setting in China, it was a perfect way to continue the new year celebration.

I hope to see this Chinese fantasy wuxia again someday!

Yes, I am so glad I choose to reboot 2025!

Now, I'll need to find more ways to celebrate for the twelve remaining days.

That's right, the Chinese New Year has 15 days of celebration, culminating in the Lantern Festival.

Hmmm... I wonder who will have that event?

(smile!)

colorful as a Chinese parade!

Not that it was, of course.

That regal lion is Asland, King of Narnia, with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, as well as the Unicorn and other enchanted talking creatures that inhabit his kingdom.

Sadly, it is a place where it is "always winter and never Christmas".

That phrase was oft-repeated in "The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe".

I'm sure it held an additional meaning for this cast, crew, and staff.

The first play for Savannah Children's Theatre had met with winter-caused disaster at their home space, causing the cancellation of their first weekend's run.

As they tell it, the White Witch was to blame for the snow that shut down Savannah...

for the heavy, white, mass that taxed the strength of their aged roof...

for the subsequent slow melt that sought out every tiny leak of that roof...

and for the closing of the structure as unsafe by the city.

My thanks for their perseverance in seeking a new place for the performances.

My thanks to the Savannah JEA for opening its doors to the troupe.

My thanks to the hard-working thespians for their three months of rehearsals that resulted in a spotless performance in the new space.

With no wings on the stage for the large props, the floor space had to converted into areas of hidden pieces waiting for their time in the spotlight.

I wasn't very familiar with the story before, but I am now.

Again, my kudos to the cast, crew, and staff!