today, i went to a 1st-ever play festival

Have I even been out to Savannah Country Day School this year?

I have not, for one reason or another, be it related to weather conditions or a preponderance of American Legion meetings.

 

Time to rectify that situation, and what better event than the inauguration of their very own festival of short plays?

"Spring Shorts" is what that 10-minute play festival has been dubbed!

Doesn't that title encourage one to get out of the house and partake?

Yes, yes, it does, and I must declare it a rousing success!

They put out a call to professional playwrights to submit their works, hoping that a few might actually do so.

James Venhaus, the teacher/director/producer for theatrical shows at this school, told us that they were overwhelmed by the response: 350 plays were submitted for the festival!!!

Wow!!!

Of that gracious plenty, six were chosen, and those were directed by various students in the theatre program.

The festival also showcased five plays written by various students, with those all directed by James Venhaus.

So, there were eleven plays total, some longer than ten minutes, some shorter, with a brief intermission during the two-hour program.

Wow!!!

These were all performed as theatre in the round, with both actors and audience sharing space on the stage.

That made for a more intimate setting, which really helped with the message in these short stories.

The actors would cart onto the stage whatever props were needed, including furniture, for their piece, then cart it off after.

What types of things were used?

Well, this manual typewriter on the desk, as well as several chairs and a table.

The typewriter actually worked, too, and the whole tone brought to mind the play set in the Vietnam era.

As this short play began, a man is sitting and typing, reading aloud his words.

"I regret to inform you that you son has died."

Letters to parents of soldiers lost in the war.

Wow.

After a day of typing such letters, he goes home and needs to recover, but he has a teen daughter waiting and he is her only living parent.

She suggests they listen to some music to ease the mood...

but when she turns on the radio, she gets Don McLean...

carrying on about "the day the music died"...

and her dad gets up and turns it off.

Here's the thing: after he leaves the room, she turns the radio back on...

and "American Pie" is still playing.

That's because it's almost nine minutes long.

Of course it would still be on!

Bravo to Kharis Ott for writing "Bad News On The Doorstep"!!!

[That's a line from the song, too - nice that others listen to lyrics.] 

By the way, not only did she write that play, but she directed another one ("Surprise", a comedy about a 2-minute psychic going through yet another breakup), and acted in two others.

Wow!!!

She wasn't the only one to do such a feat.

Hannah Smith wrote "Walls" [about the drama unfolding in three neighboring apartments], directed "Kung Foolery" [comedic physical fighting between husband and his mother-in-law], and acted in two others.

Kensie Glass acted in one and wrote "Cast Party", which reminded me of all the fun and drama of those I've been to over the years!

(Shout-out to the 'Hugh Mongus D' that crashed the party!)  

Samantha Hendrix acted in three plays and directed two plays, a comedy ("Party Princess" who wore wrong-colored dress for 4-year-old's birthday party, to mother's chagrin) and a more serious piece ("Blocked", about a 26-year-old who is missing her birthday because she is trying to write).

Anna Sapere wrote "Love At First Sight" (a failing romance after girl has memory loss) and acted in two plays, one of which was "Blocked".

Her costar in "Blocked", Suri Desai, also directed a play called "Finding Time" (a sweet romance of two friends who keep running into each other in scavenger hunts).

Jack Lerch was the only male student to act and direct.

He acted in two plays (featured as "Hugh Mongus D" - that's got to be a pun!) and directed "Baby Charging Station". a comedy about a guy who takes care of a robotic baby in a Child Development class in order to meet a girl.

That brings me to Caroline Bergmann, who acted in two plays and wrote "Voices In The Hall", my other favorite tonight.

'Maeve', a freshman is waiting for her sister to get stitches in the hospital and chats up the guy sitting in the same bank of chairs. 

His name is 'Callum' and he's waiting for his friend to get out of surgery.

He and 'Jonathan' are senior football players and were in a car wreck.

He goes off to find a doctor to ask about his friend.

That's when 'Elise' comes out, bandaged head, and 'Maeve' starts telling her about 'Callum' and 'Jonathan' and 'Elise' thinks her sister is playing a prank.

After all, the family knows that 'Elise' says she can see ghosts and that's how she ended up bumping her head!

But 'Maeve' insists 'Callum' is real... 

'Maeve' doesn't believe in ghosts...

right?

Only she has to now, as 'Elise' tells her that car wreck was real a year ago and both of the football players died.

Really good!

And guess who played 'Callum'?

Jack Lerch.

Very nice... and a very nice evening out for me!

perfect inauguration at the starcastle!

That's what I told Vivian Orrel-Ryals, the house manager, during intermission.

That's what I told Kelie Miley, the director, during intermission.

That's what I told Danielle Houston (who had a variety of roles that included Mrs. Mops) after the show.

I meant it, too, every time I said it.

"A Christmas Carol" was the perfect musical to showcase all the talent, regardless of age, of the folks at the Savannah Children's Theatre.

I can only name a few of the actors, as there was no program at the event.

That had to wait until I came home to the computer so I could access the link.

(I made sure to complain about the lack of a printed program. How am I to thank the sponsors if I don't even know who they are? How can I follow the actors in their career if I don't even have their names? Not to mention how wonderful it would have been to have a souvenir of this inaugural event at the new home of SavChTh?) 

That said, I want to applaud Joel Altherr for yet another stunningly well-done portrayal, this time as Ebeneezer Scrooge. 

That's him in the middle of a group of chain-rattling buddies of the ghost of Jacob Marley (also played well by Galen Schneider, as both the young man he had been and the miserable miser he became as a spectre).

Here he is in his top hat and coat, with the indomitable JinHi Soucy Rand and the almost-40 Danielle Houston to his left.

(Her birthday is next Saturday.)

I know the woman in white next to him is Jaden Hathaway, the Ghost of Christmas Future, as well as a blind beggar.

Then, near the end, when 'Scrooge' is dancing around gaily in his nightgown, having just awoken to it being Christmas Day, Joel is superb!

His joy was contagious, as is evident in the faces of the crowd around him!  

I'm so glad I went today.

I got to see Al Williams onstage again, enthusiastically portraying old Fezziwig!

I got to see Jack Webber again, this time as Bob Cratchit, a role much different from the Scarecrow I'd loved!

Kudos to young Braeden Wright who rose to the challenge of Tiny Tim!

(See what I did there? I made a pun from the photo!)

And the set... the set was beautiful.

It easily went from Scrooge's apartment to the cramped home of the Cratchits, from Scrooge's bedroom to the open plaza of town.

Such a versatile design!

And, at the end, there was Christmas Day snow falling on that stage.

What a wonder!

Children in the audience came by and touched it on the stage, perhaps expecting it to be cold.

I'm so glad it could simply be swept up and reused for the next show.

I've had enough of the real thing to last the rest of my life!

(smile!)

I do hope I get the opportunity to see "A Christmas Carol" again, here at the Starcastle - it truly was one of the best musicals I've ever experienced!

farewell, Olivia

Fare thee well and sweet dreams, Olivia.
I would have liked to have had the opportunity to know you better. Sadly, that will only occur through the stories told with love by those you left behind.
I would have liked to have held your hand in mine as we ran back and forth in the living room of your home. My bfe shared that story with me. Your Uncle Patrick, my former student and present honorary nephew, shared a similar story with me.
Your funeral today was quite lovely and was just right. Nothing over the top, not too subdued, with plenty of people who either knew you or knew someone your life had touched.
I hope you don't mind that I came. I know you did not know me at all. But you knew my bfe and you knew your Uncle Patrick and they are both dear to me.
I was there in lieu of my bfe, as he is away in Canada, tending to his research, and will not return until mid-June.
I was there in support of my friend Patrick, especially after he had helped carry your small coffin out of the church and to the waiting hearse.
Such a sad sight, that small coffin.
Such a sad reminder of a life lost too soon.
Thankfully, I was also there for your dear honorary grandmother, Sara Georgialis, the mother of your mom's best friend from her college days. She is a sweet person that I know through our common friend, the peace Guy. I spotted her in the church, downcast after the service, and even went to the burial to be with her, to stand beside her and lend her my emotional and physical support.
I very much enjoyed the song your mom had requested. "I'll Fly Away" is a lovely spiritual about rising above current troubles on the hopeful wings of future. I can ceratinly understand your affinity for the song.
I think it helped everyone feel a little better, to have an emotional release, to sing the song you had so loved.
After the burial, to my surprise, I suggested to Sara that she join me for an arthouse film. She had accepted, to the surprise of both of us, and we will even meet before the film for lunch.
I hope that will lend her a sufficient emotional buffer this afternoon. I think it was more than coincidence that led me to be at your funeral and burial today, that allowed me to be a surrogate daughter for someone else's mom.
Thank you for helping me to be right where I needed to be today.

You can fly away now, oh, glory, hallelujah.
No more seizures, no more slippery tubs of bathwater, no more struggles.
Just peace, love, and understanding.

* * *

For those who wish to help autistic children like Olivia to have a helpful, hopeful, holiday from school, please consider a donation to the Summer Therapeautic Enrichment Program of Savannah (S.T.E.P.S.). My first niece volunteered with the group for several years when she was younger and can vouch for its usefulness.
I find it quite a coincidence that the local news had shone a spotlight on S.T.E.P.S. less than two weeks before Olivia's death. Timing is important. Let's hope that others will benefit.

the evening of the first day

We visited the Festival of Lights this evening, the final night to do so. When I say "we", I refer to my first niece and her two little ones.
Although this was the second trip for each of us to enjoy the seasonal display, this was a much different experience. I had gone with my bfe, early in the season: December 12th, a chilly, rainy evening. She and the children had gone about a week later, on a very cold, very blustery night, with other family and friends in tow.
This first night of the new year was perfect. Slightly cool, warranting light jackets, but clear and calm. The cruise of our vehicle on the darkened racetrack allowed us ample time to "ooh" and "ahh" and snap photos to aid our memories. How nice to be able to stop along the way and roll down the window without fear of a wintery gust of freezing air or blowing rain!

The infield was best for all of us! No soggy ground, no bone-chilling wind, and the lights were on - yeah! The children could walk at their leisurely pace, drinking in the many sights, and we could as well. Oh, look! Those children are riding a camel! Over there! There's a pony pulling a carriage! And bonfires! Yeah!

First stop: the petting area, of course! No alpaca this time, but the two camels were riding herd on the menagerie of sheep, goats, and a Shetland pony. My niece and I took turns distracting the camels with food, so the children could get in close to the smaller animals for touches and feeding. Fun! I even threw handfuls of food into the enclosure, so the more timid sheep and pygmy goats would have some goodies to forage. The children enjoyed petting the pony, the braver sheep, the warm-horned yak, the many types of goats, and even the huge camels. So many different types of fur and horns!

Then we all washed our hands and made s'mores. That's right: s'mores! The concession stand not only had hot chocolate and warm cider, but the family pack of s'more fixin's. That meant 4 marshmallows and enough graham crackers and chocolate to complete the melty, crunchy goodness. Yum! Oh, and long toasting sticks, too. We taught the children to toast marshmallows, but they didn't really get the concept of s'more-making. That's okay, we all had a good time there by the fire!

Afterward, we went to the tent with the endangered animals. Lions, and tigers, and red-bottomed baboons, oh my! The big cats were sleeping, nestled around each other, but the baboon was alert and pacing, barking out orders on occasion. Fierce!

The parrots were squawking! The lemurs were luring us with their big eyes! And one of the four spider monkeys was entertaining himself, and us, but swinging back and forth on the jungle gym of bars in their cage. I even managed to snap a few photos of him in motion!

I don't know which of the four he was. Peter? Parker? Davy? Jones? Whichever, he was the only one with a waistbelt, so perhaps he is the celebrity who worked with Steve Carrell. Maybe!
We closed down the festival. We were the last to leave, and no one was even trying to hustle us out, they were allowing us to fully enjoy the experience and our company. But the lights of the displays on the racetrack had all been extinguished, save those few bidding us a "good night to all!" as we steered toward the exit... and straight on 'til morning.

picasso

Today, when I was going through some old papers, I found a free-verse poem an artistic friend had sent some time ago. Here it is:

"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe,
a moment that will never be again.

And what do we teach our children?

We teach them that two and two make four,
and that Paris is the capital of France.

When will we also teach them what they are?

We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are?

You are a marvel. You are unique.

In all the years that have passed there has never been another child like you.

Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move.

You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven.

You have the capacity for anything.

Yes, you are a marvel.

And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?

You must work, we all must work, to make the world worthy of its children."

- Pablo Picasso