This column was published in the Tribune & Georgian newspaper on Wednesday (11.30.2005).
With the holiday season full upon us, this week we will sample festivals, events, and activities available to readers in the immediate area. There’s something for just about every taste and preference on the schedule.
Coming up this weekend are local events that should be fun for all ages. Kicking off on Saturday (12.3) is the Search for the Yule Log, sponsored by First National Bank, the St. Marys Police Auxiliary and the St. Marys Tourism office. Children 12 and under begin their search for the elusive yuletide symbol at 2 p.m. and teens 13 and older undertake their mission at 3 p.m. The first seeker in each category to discover the Yule Log’s location will receive a $100 savings bond courtesy of First National Bank. Admission for all participants is a new, unwrapped toy or present for a boy or girl. The Police Auxiliary will distribute these gifts to local children whose holiday season needs brightening. You can get more information and details by calling St. Marys Tourism at 882-4000.
On Saturday evening (12.3) you can also enjoy the City of Kingsland’s annual Tree Lighting ceremony with music and a visit from Santa. Call 264-7333 for times and information.
Also on the docket for those seeking a unique dining and entertainment experience, Camden County High School’s Fine Arts Department invites you to A Madrigal Feast at the high school on Friday (12.2) at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday (12.4) at 1:30 p.m. You can feast on old-fashioned fare of roasted meats, hearty vegetables, seasonal fruits, and handcrafted desserts, then enjoy the talents of Camden County’s finest instrumental and vocal musicians, painting and sculpture artisans, and master thespians to cap the evening. Tickets are $20 per person for the evening and reservations are suggested; call the CCHS Fine Arts Dept. at 729-7463 for tickets and information.
Coming up on Saturday (12.10) is St. Marys annual Tour of Homes sponsored by Arts Camden and St. Marys Tourism. This year’s Tour features more than 21 homes and businesses in the St. Marys historic village, including some new sites that have not been featured in previous year’s Tours. You’ll be able to experience this year’s tour more conveniently by tram and bus. More details in next week’s column. Contact the St. Marys Tourism office at 882-4000 for more information about tickets ($10 in advance, $12 at the door) and Tour details.
Best bets for this week and next weekend: Great Russian Swan Lake by the Moscow Ballet at the Times Union Center, 11.30 (grand ballet); best new folk artist Caroline Herring at European St. in San Marco, 12.1 (traditional folk music); Inspecting Carol by Players by the Sea at their Studio Theatre in Jax Beach, Fri. and Sat.12.2-17 and Sundays 12.4,11 (hilarious holiday show); A Christmas Carole at Alhambra Dinner Theatre, 12.3-24 (a holiday tradition featuring Tiny Tim and Scrooge); free holiday music by the Southeast Navy Band at SeaWalk Pavilion at Jax Beach on Sunday, 12.4 from 4 – 8 p.m.
Hints: Find a performance of Handel’s Messiah to listen to or sing in; take a child to see the Nutcracker for the first time (lives will be changed!). We will find some locations and times for these events next week.
There are lots more fascinating holiday events; send me a note at pkraack1@tds.net if you think our readers would enjoy knowing about it.
11.30.05
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Monday, November 21, 2005
Artistic Winners Start Early
This column was published in the Tribune & Georgian newspaper on November 23, 2005.
Carolyn Cork (Greer) laughs a lot. Not just a giggle, but loudly, happily. She’s had that laugh since I first met her in 1982, when she was a student at Morrow High School in Clayton County, Georgia. Today, she’s a mom, a wife and a teacher. She wasn’t a quiet student then; she doesn’t perform any of the roles she has today quietly. She also likes to be in charge; has since she was a kid. When I mentioned her last week, I had no idea how significant it would be that I was thinking about her at that moment. You see, I was mentioning people in the arts that become winners because they search for and reach goals rarely reached by others. Carolyn has always been a winner, but now it is certified.
In 1984, when her beloved drama teacher moved away unexpectedly, Carolyn pledged she would keep their theatre arts program going, despite not having a really good teacher replacement. In the spring of 1985, when a twist of fate reconnected Carolyn and her teacher/mentor back at their high school, it turned out Carolyn had kept her word. All the talent and the commitment were still there. Those remarkable kids went on to perform a special play that won accolades across Georgia and created momentum in a program that lasted another decade.
That play was The Diviners, lovingly crafted by Jim Leonard, Jr. This folk tale is about Buddy Layman, whose soul and brain were damaged by an accidental near-drowning as a toddler, and the townfolk that loved him and cared for him. All who ever saw this show were changed by its message and by these young peoples’ performances. Four of those cast members are working professionals in the arts today, as teachers, performers and technicians. Carolyn Greer is one if them, a high school drama teacher in Owensboro, KY. Last week, a day or so after I mentioned her in our column, I received word that her students, competing in a similar competition to the one our high school drama students went to last week, were selected as the best show in the state of Kentucky. They will represent their state in Orlando, FL in the spring of 2006 at the Southeastern Theatre Conference One Act Play Festival. The play they performed? A special version of Jim Leonard Jr.’s newest play, Anatomy of Gray. Do you think maybe Greer and her former teacher, who now lives fairly close to Orlando, might share that experience together? If it were legal, I think I would take that wager.
Don’t miss local student artist Natalie Schulze’s one woman art exhibit at the Kingsland public library. Her paintings and sculpture will be on display for rest of the month of November.
Best bets for this week and next weekend: Swamp-funk soul band Mofro with the Jacksonville Symphony, at the Times-Union Center, 11.26 (Plugged In Music Series); The King of Western Swing, Bob Wills and the Original Texas Playboys, at the Florida Theatre, 11.26 (western/cowboy dance); 17th Annual Christmas Made in the South Arts and Crafts Festival, Prime Osborn Convention Ctr., 11.25, 26 & 27 (southern arts/crafts); Annual Lighting of the Tree, Jax Landing, 7:30 p.m., 11.25; 21st Annual Jax Light Parade and Fireworks Spectacular on the Riverfront, 11.26 (free/community holiday event); Gypsy, Alhambra Dinner Theatre, through 11.27 (musical/dinner theatre)
Upcoming events: Buckwheat Zydeco, Florida Theatre, Jan. 6; four decade chart topper Billy Joel, Jax Veterans Memorial Arena, Jan. 10; Movin’ Out, featuring music by Billy Joel and choreography by Twyla Tharp, Times Union Center, Jan. 17-22; Michael McDonald, Florida Theatre, Jan. 29; Arlo Guthrie, Florida Theatre, Jan. 31; Moody Blues, Florida Theatre, Feb. 27
Next week, we’ll sample a delicious feast of holiday festivals, events and activities to get you in the holiday spirit.
11.23.05
Carolyn Cork (Greer) laughs a lot. Not just a giggle, but loudly, happily. She’s had that laugh since I first met her in 1982, when she was a student at Morrow High School in Clayton County, Georgia. Today, she’s a mom, a wife and a teacher. She wasn’t a quiet student then; she doesn’t perform any of the roles she has today quietly. She also likes to be in charge; has since she was a kid. When I mentioned her last week, I had no idea how significant it would be that I was thinking about her at that moment. You see, I was mentioning people in the arts that become winners because they search for and reach goals rarely reached by others. Carolyn has always been a winner, but now it is certified.
In 1984, when her beloved drama teacher moved away unexpectedly, Carolyn pledged she would keep their theatre arts program going, despite not having a really good teacher replacement. In the spring of 1985, when a twist of fate reconnected Carolyn and her teacher/mentor back at their high school, it turned out Carolyn had kept her word. All the talent and the commitment were still there. Those remarkable kids went on to perform a special play that won accolades across Georgia and created momentum in a program that lasted another decade.
That play was The Diviners, lovingly crafted by Jim Leonard, Jr. This folk tale is about Buddy Layman, whose soul and brain were damaged by an accidental near-drowning as a toddler, and the townfolk that loved him and cared for him. All who ever saw this show were changed by its message and by these young peoples’ performances. Four of those cast members are working professionals in the arts today, as teachers, performers and technicians. Carolyn Greer is one if them, a high school drama teacher in Owensboro, KY. Last week, a day or so after I mentioned her in our column, I received word that her students, competing in a similar competition to the one our high school drama students went to last week, were selected as the best show in the state of Kentucky. They will represent their state in Orlando, FL in the spring of 2006 at the Southeastern Theatre Conference One Act Play Festival. The play they performed? A special version of Jim Leonard Jr.’s newest play, Anatomy of Gray. Do you think maybe Greer and her former teacher, who now lives fairly close to Orlando, might share that experience together? If it were legal, I think I would take that wager.
Don’t miss local student artist Natalie Schulze’s one woman art exhibit at the Kingsland public library. Her paintings and sculpture will be on display for rest of the month of November.
Best bets for this week and next weekend: Swamp-funk soul band Mofro with the Jacksonville Symphony, at the Times-Union Center, 11.26 (Plugged In Music Series); The King of Western Swing, Bob Wills and the Original Texas Playboys, at the Florida Theatre, 11.26 (western/cowboy dance); 17th Annual Christmas Made in the South Arts and Crafts Festival, Prime Osborn Convention Ctr., 11.25, 26 & 27 (southern arts/crafts); Annual Lighting of the Tree, Jax Landing, 7:30 p.m., 11.25; 21st Annual Jax Light Parade and Fireworks Spectacular on the Riverfront, 11.26 (free/community holiday event); Gypsy, Alhambra Dinner Theatre, through 11.27 (musical/dinner theatre)
Upcoming events: Buckwheat Zydeco, Florida Theatre, Jan. 6; four decade chart topper Billy Joel, Jax Veterans Memorial Arena, Jan. 10; Movin’ Out, featuring music by Billy Joel and choreography by Twyla Tharp, Times Union Center, Jan. 17-22; Michael McDonald, Florida Theatre, Jan. 29; Arlo Guthrie, Florida Theatre, Jan. 31; Moody Blues, Florida Theatre, Feb. 27
Next week, we’ll sample a delicious feast of holiday festivals, events and activities to get you in the holiday spirit.
11.23.05
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Winners Stand on Many Different Stages
This column was published in the Tribune & Georgian newspaper on November 16, 2005.
It is wonderful thing to live in a community of winners. Flush from a victory propelling our Wildcats into the next round of football playoffs, winning seems contagious. Look at some other winners on a different stage that are a part of our school and community.
Two weeks ago, at the Region One Act Play Festival, held at the Camden County High School Auditorium, the Wildcat’s Drama Department also propelled themselves and their production of Sing Down the Moon into the state competition, winning a third Region Championship in recent years. By the time you read this, this cast of almost 30 performers, along with its directors and a contingent of parents, will know its fate in the state One Act Play competition. They will have left last Friday, driven all day, eating pizza and sharing laughter all the way to Rabun County, GA, as far north in Georgia as we are south. This trip will be possible because local businesses and individuals were kind enough and smart enough to know winners when they see them. These generous folks made donations and contributions to rent a bus, pay for meals, and hotel rooms. The performers will know this and be grateful, but they will be very focused on another agenda. Because, on Saturday, they will have gotten up early, watched other shows perform, and performed their show by noon. The competition will end Saturday at 7 p.m., and no matter how they place, they will start their long trek home by bus. Tired and still laughing, they will arrive back home at around 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning. No matter how they did in the competition, these talented performers will be changed. Their passion and their education will have been infused with the electricity of this experience and with lessons that will never be forgotten. These winners will be stronger, smarter and more involved students and, eventually, adults. We are lucky they are part of our school and community.
Watching these students grow and learn, I was reminded of some other winners that I knew, talented youngsters that had similar experiences. There was Jamie Moore, with the most energy in a performer that I have ever seen. You’ve seen him, too. He’s the Dad-guy in all those zany Wild Adventure commercials. I also thought of Holly, a graduate of Rockdale County High School. That’s Holly Hunter, famous star of the silver screen. She just recorded a public service announcement for the new Atlanta tourism public relations campaign, giving back to her home city. Carolyn Cork Greer’s name came to mind. She was so fond of her high school drama teacher that she went to college, became a drama teacher too and is now the driving force for the dramatic arts training for youth in Owensboro, KY. I also recalled Trent Blanton, whose high school theatre experience so charged him up that he was willing to go to an International theatre conference four states away with a drama teacher and drama students from another high school that he didn’t know. Six weeks ago, more than 15 years after he graduated high school, I stood in Toronto outside the stage door of the Princess of Wales Theatre after his performance of the national tour of Les Misérables and watched as he hugged that teacher, thrilled to see her again after all those years.
All of these winners have a common thread in their lives. Their early lives and experiences were informed and expanded because of the artistic training they received as students. To a person, they credit their teachers and their school experiences for creating a space in which they could grow artistically and as people. Ask them, they will confess: for them, the arts were the stage on which they learned how to win.
Best bets for this week and next weekend: Annie, at the Times-Union Center, 11.15-20 (musical); Nickel Creek, at the Florida Theatre, 11.20 (progressive bluegrass); Blind Boys of Alabama, at the Fine Arts Center, UNF, 11.17 (gospel/blues); Chiara Civello, Church of the Good Shepherd, 11.17 (jazz quintet)
It is wonderful thing to live in a community of winners. Flush from a victory propelling our Wildcats into the next round of football playoffs, winning seems contagious. Look at some other winners on a different stage that are a part of our school and community.
Two weeks ago, at the Region One Act Play Festival, held at the Camden County High School Auditorium, the Wildcat’s Drama Department also propelled themselves and their production of Sing Down the Moon into the state competition, winning a third Region Championship in recent years. By the time you read this, this cast of almost 30 performers, along with its directors and a contingent of parents, will know its fate in the state One Act Play competition. They will have left last Friday, driven all day, eating pizza and sharing laughter all the way to Rabun County, GA, as far north in Georgia as we are south. This trip will be possible because local businesses and individuals were kind enough and smart enough to know winners when they see them. These generous folks made donations and contributions to rent a bus, pay for meals, and hotel rooms. The performers will know this and be grateful, but they will be very focused on another agenda. Because, on Saturday, they will have gotten up early, watched other shows perform, and performed their show by noon. The competition will end Saturday at 7 p.m., and no matter how they place, they will start their long trek home by bus. Tired and still laughing, they will arrive back home at around 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning. No matter how they did in the competition, these talented performers will be changed. Their passion and their education will have been infused with the electricity of this experience and with lessons that will never be forgotten. These winners will be stronger, smarter and more involved students and, eventually, adults. We are lucky they are part of our school and community.
Watching these students grow and learn, I was reminded of some other winners that I knew, talented youngsters that had similar experiences. There was Jamie Moore, with the most energy in a performer that I have ever seen. You’ve seen him, too. He’s the Dad-guy in all those zany Wild Adventure commercials. I also thought of Holly, a graduate of Rockdale County High School. That’s Holly Hunter, famous star of the silver screen. She just recorded a public service announcement for the new Atlanta tourism public relations campaign, giving back to her home city. Carolyn Cork Greer’s name came to mind. She was so fond of her high school drama teacher that she went to college, became a drama teacher too and is now the driving force for the dramatic arts training for youth in Owensboro, KY. I also recalled Trent Blanton, whose high school theatre experience so charged him up that he was willing to go to an International theatre conference four states away with a drama teacher and drama students from another high school that he didn’t know. Six weeks ago, more than 15 years after he graduated high school, I stood in Toronto outside the stage door of the Princess of Wales Theatre after his performance of the national tour of Les Misérables and watched as he hugged that teacher, thrilled to see her again after all those years.
All of these winners have a common thread in their lives. Their early lives and experiences were informed and expanded because of the artistic training they received as students. To a person, they credit their teachers and their school experiences for creating a space in which they could grow artistically and as people. Ask them, they will confess: for them, the arts were the stage on which they learned how to win.
Best bets for this week and next weekend: Annie, at the Times-Union Center, 11.15-20 (musical); Nickel Creek, at the Florida Theatre, 11.20 (progressive bluegrass); Blind Boys of Alabama, at the Fine Arts Center, UNF, 11.17 (gospel/blues); Chiara Civello, Church of the Good Shepherd, 11.17 (jazz quintet)
Sunday, November 13, 2005
The Crooked Rivers Saga Begins
This column is part of a series devoted to promoting cultural tourism in coastal Georgia. It was published in the Tribune & Georgian newspaper in Kingsland, GA, scheduled for publication on Nov. 9, 2005.
This past Saturday and again on Sunday, sitting quietly in front of groups of interested participants, Crooked Rivers director Jerry Stropnicky made it clear why this day and many more to follow will define the future of Crooked Rivers: Sisters Three. He told of his recent adventure helping a community in Harlan County, KY open their production about life in the hills, valleys, and mines of eastern Kentucky’s coalfields. He has told this story before, many times. His background includes working for four years in Colquitt, GA with Swamp Gravy and helping produce other community-centered, historically based shows in communities across the nation. The meaning of what he is saying is momentarily lost; the tenderness and commitment overwhelms it. The themes are repeated and celebrated: all are welcome on this stage, everyone has something to contribute; we have stories to tell and together, as a team, we are going to tell them.
Jerry shared a couple of historical moments from the Crooked Rivers script with his new cast members. The stories are funny, poignant and promise to be wonderful moments in the Crooked Rivers production. Jerry tells how 11 and 12-year-old youngsters, in time past, would blatantly drive about Camden County, with the blessing of county and city law enforcement. When the state authorities were in the area, however, local police passed the word and these pre-teen drivers disappeared from local streets. When the state police pulled out, the dirt roads would fill once again with kid drivers. Another story that Stropnicky shared was one sends a clear message to audiences about our community’s history. There was a time when a man, a white man, was convicted by a local jury and district attorney, also all white, of killing and robbing two black women. However, the sheriff at the time would not carry out the death sentence in a bigoted protest against the jury’s verdict. This standoff ended when residents voted this biased sheriff out of office and elected a man that would do the jury and the voters’ bidding to carry out the deserved sentence.
Jerry’s conversation with his cast reinforced the point I made last week in our column. I also found out that he hadn’t read it, so it turns out we are on the same page. The point I made was that in an endeavor like this one, you make new acquaintances and unlikely friends. For me that process has already started.
Lori was there with her sweet children, Brenton and Kayla. She is an arts patron, whose interested was piqued again by reading about the “gatherings” for Crooked Rivers. Lori and her kids were joined by Casey and Steve with their children Ben and Madison. This family has a history with Crooked Rivers. They (except for Ben who was too little then) were in the initial one-act scenes and can’t wait to share in the full-length event. Alicia, a high school drama student and a dancer, also can’t wait for Crooked Rivers to begin. She wants to get started on building sets for the show. Alicia was so enthusiastic; she brought her sister Chelsea to join. Marcie, an eight-year resident, likes theatre, read about Crooked Rivers and came to be a part of the whole process. And, finally, I got to talk to Margaret, a distinguished lady, who recently retired from her career with an Ohio school system. Her warmth and curiosity about Crooked Rivers made for a wonderful conversation.
Every one of these cast members brought their own personal story with them to these gatherings and they are all going to help tell the stories found along the Crooked Rivers, where they can be discovered around every bend.
This past Saturday and again on Sunday, sitting quietly in front of groups of interested participants, Crooked Rivers director Jerry Stropnicky made it clear why this day and many more to follow will define the future of Crooked Rivers: Sisters Three. He told of his recent adventure helping a community in Harlan County, KY open their production about life in the hills, valleys, and mines of eastern Kentucky’s coalfields. He has told this story before, many times. His background includes working for four years in Colquitt, GA with Swamp Gravy and helping produce other community-centered, historically based shows in communities across the nation. The meaning of what he is saying is momentarily lost; the tenderness and commitment overwhelms it. The themes are repeated and celebrated: all are welcome on this stage, everyone has something to contribute; we have stories to tell and together, as a team, we are going to tell them.
Jerry shared a couple of historical moments from the Crooked Rivers script with his new cast members. The stories are funny, poignant and promise to be wonderful moments in the Crooked Rivers production. Jerry tells how 11 and 12-year-old youngsters, in time past, would blatantly drive about Camden County, with the blessing of county and city law enforcement. When the state authorities were in the area, however, local police passed the word and these pre-teen drivers disappeared from local streets. When the state police pulled out, the dirt roads would fill once again with kid drivers. Another story that Stropnicky shared was one sends a clear message to audiences about our community’s history. There was a time when a man, a white man, was convicted by a local jury and district attorney, also all white, of killing and robbing two black women. However, the sheriff at the time would not carry out the death sentence in a bigoted protest against the jury’s verdict. This standoff ended when residents voted this biased sheriff out of office and elected a man that would do the jury and the voters’ bidding to carry out the deserved sentence.
Jerry’s conversation with his cast reinforced the point I made last week in our column. I also found out that he hadn’t read it, so it turns out we are on the same page. The point I made was that in an endeavor like this one, you make new acquaintances and unlikely friends. For me that process has already started.
Lori was there with her sweet children, Brenton and Kayla. She is an arts patron, whose interested was piqued again by reading about the “gatherings” for Crooked Rivers. Lori and her kids were joined by Casey and Steve with their children Ben and Madison. This family has a history with Crooked Rivers. They (except for Ben who was too little then) were in the initial one-act scenes and can’t wait to share in the full-length event. Alicia, a high school drama student and a dancer, also can’t wait for Crooked Rivers to begin. She wants to get started on building sets for the show. Alicia was so enthusiastic; she brought her sister Chelsea to join. Marcie, an eight-year resident, likes theatre, read about Crooked Rivers and came to be a part of the whole process. And, finally, I got to talk to Margaret, a distinguished lady, who recently retired from her career with an Ohio school system. Her warmth and curiosity about Crooked Rivers made for a wonderful conversation.
Every one of these cast members brought their own personal story with them to these gatherings and they are all going to help tell the stories found along the Crooked Rivers, where they can be discovered around every bend.
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