THEATER REVIEW: Fiddler on the Roof

This weekend, Bald Eagle Area Drama Clubs demonstrated all that I believe in when it comes to high school productions. The choice to do FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is always a stretch for high school talent, but the story has so much to offer that it is worth doing.

The first obstacle is casting the lead role of Tevya. The show rests on his shoulders and his time on stage requires pages of memorization. Cody Mandell captured Tevya’s joy of life, his deep faith, as well as his pain and confusion as his daughters went against his beloved traditions. Cody has been such a presence on the stage at Bald Eagle that I was very surprised, but happy, to read that he is a junior and that we will see him next year.

My favorite part in Fiddler is Tevya’s wife Golde, the mother of his five daughters. Meghan Shiels was a loving nag. Her duet Do You Love Me? with Cody was very touching.

Although it is impossible to give credit to everyone in such a large cast, there are several seniors who will be missed next year. Kaitlyn Laird was a charming Hodel, the first daughter to leave home. Richard Spicer has been such a delight over his 15 productions. His solo Miracle of Miracles was full of the joy of a newly engaged young man. Benjamin Leskovansky as Perchik showed us that jocks can act. Lazar Wolf was well handled by Clifford Smolko. Also leaving Bald Eagle this year will be L. J. Flood, Billie-Jo Friedline, and Jared Maurer. It will be interesting to see who takes their places.

One of the outstanding scenes of the evening was The Dream scene. This was in a large part thanks to Alice Statham and Katie Snyder. This also was a great showcase for the excellent work of the chorus.

The chorus, the dance ensembles, the sets, and costumes all were so well done and captured the spirit of the people who lived in Anatevka.

Good job everyone. Thank you Mr. Brinser and Ms. Allison for a show that was genuinely moving.

BOOK REVIEW: Short Straw

Stuart Woods has been on best seller list consistently for a long time. He is usually compared to David Baldacci, one of my favorite action writers. So, when a copy of SHORT STRAW fell into my hands, I felt that it would be a good book to take on vacation with me.

Successful Santa Fe lawyer Ed Eagle wakes up on his 50th birthday with a hangover. He is expecting the day to deal only with the local dignitaries at a reception to celebrate the opening of his new downtown offices. Not only has he overslept, but he discovers that his wife Barbara has disappeared along with the contents of all of his financial accounts.

The same morning he is called to the judge’s office where he “draws the short straw" and is assigned the job of defending a man accused of murder. His schedule demands that he call in some favors, so with the help of two private detectives, an ace ex- IRS agent, and an accused murder the search for Barbara begins. As the reader follows this unlikely group around the southwest and well into Mexico, we learn that Barbara is a true Black Widow. I was disappointed with SHORT STRAW. It lacked the tension that I expected. What should have been chase scenes that put me on the edge of my seat fell flat.

Character development is important to me and though sometimes inconsistencies can make a character more human, there were times in this book that behavior was more important to the plot then to the person. An example was how quickly good guy Ed Eagle went from still loving his wife to being involved with someone else.

SHORT STRAW was a disappointment. From other reviews, it seems that this is not Woods at his best, so I guess we will give him another try. Sometimes a popular author does his best work at the beginning of his career so I will check some earlier books. If you are a fan and have suggestions, let me know what I should sample next.

TRAVEL: Trains

Vacations should be learning situations. Here is what I learned on our recent vacation:

1. If you are in a hurry, do not go by train.
2. If you want to relax, visit with other people, and be treated royally, go by train.

Our first trip west was in 1992 with my brother and his wife in their RV. Since then we have flown several times, but more recently we have been taking our van. For two or three years it was out route 40 and back Interstate 80. We really got to see the beauty and range of terrain of the United States. The last five trips have been just 40 (Old Route 66) both ways. When we got home last year, Jim said that he did not think that he wanted to drive that far again. I was terribly disappointed, but, being the good wife that I am, I told him that I understood.

Again my brother came to our rescue. He is a regular train buff and so his solution was that the four of us take the train across the country. After weeks of planning…..an old family trait, we left Bellefonte at 1:00 to catch a 5:06 train out of Altoona. That allowed time to eat in Altoona, another old family trait.

Going around the Horseshoe Curve is still a thrill. It seemed much shorter to these adult eyes than it did to my childhood eyes back in the 1940’s, but it still made me aware of the history involved.

We had ridden in coach from Altoona to Pittsburgh, and after a short wait we boarded our sleeper to Chicago. I suffer from a slight case of claustrophobia and my expression must have given me away. The sight of the two bunks in that tiny space was intimidating. I got very little sleep that first night.

We arrived in Chicago at 8:45 A.M…a good time to appreciate their beautiful skyline… and spent a seven hour layover in a very well planned waiting area with free drinks, free snacks, large upholstered furniture, televisions everywhere, and strangers to get to know. By the time we were on our way again, not only had I adjusted to my snug bedroom, but I had learned to appreciate the privacy and coziness of my own space. It was great to be able to walk to the observation car and talk to people and then go back “home” and read.

On this trip not only could I watch the scenery unfold, but Jim could relax and look for wildlife. Side note: on our train trip in Alaska the only “wild life” that we saw were two young boys who mooned us as we went by. I kept watching for them through Kansas. No luck.

To me one of the most beautiful drives in our country is the trip from Kingman, Arizona to Laughlin, Nevada. I was excited for Jim to really get to see it. The trouble was that we left Kingman at midnight and there was little to see until the lights of Laughlin filled the front window.

The arrival times were a little inconvenient but we slept well in our tiny bedroom. Other than the two layovers, it was a very relaxing way to go. I did get several books read.

The food was much better than I expected. In fact, two of the best meals I had the whole three weeks were in the dining car. Our car attendant saw that we had water, coffee, and juice at all times. Our room came equipped with most of the amenities that would be found in a hotel room, including towel and washcloth.

Will I do it again? You bet I will. I learned some of the tricks, comfy slippers and easy on/off nightwear for example, and will be ready to go as soon as the gang says, “We leave next week”!

Oh, and the price was a little less than driving, a fact that my husband liked very much.

THEATER: South Pacific

High school drama departments blow my mind with their talent, dedication, and the maturity of their play choices. Bellefonte Area High School’s Drama Club and Fine Arts Department presented SOUTH PACIFIC this past weekend and you have my sympathies if you missed it.

SOUTH PACIFIC requires a large cast and it is impossible to cover everyone, but I will give it a try. The sailors and nurses were so full of energy and I liked the fact that individuals stood out. They may have danced and sang as a group, but the audience also was aware that there were personalities involved with the story. I loved the guys’ tribute to Bloody Mary.

Speaking of Bloody Mary, where has Emily Martell been during her years at BAHS? Her Bloody Mary was excellent. She has a voice that is perfect for musical comedy, great stage presence, and seemed to be having fun doing it all. She almost stole the show.

The opening number featured Keri Carroll, a 4th grader, and Ryan Carroll, 6th grade. These youngsters could sing out and were a big part in making the audience aware that it was going to be a great evening.

Luther Billis has always been my personal favorite part in the show and Christian Hopple was enjoying every second on stage. Question Mr. Hopple; did the track team know how well you could move those hips? Good job.

The young lovers, Liat and Lt. Joseph Cable, were charmingly played by Cat Rokavec and Sean Connelly. These two young actors have shown us their acting skills in the past, so it was no surprise that they made these ill-fated lovers real.

The weight of the show falls on its two leads, Ensign Nellie Forbush and Emile de Becque. These two roles are so associated with the original cast that we old timers have trouble not making a comparison. Not to worry!  Jessica Brown has grown as a musical comedy star, and she is only a junior in high school. She moves well on stage. In fact I felt that the director had to hold her back when she danced with the ensemble. She handled the growth of Nellie very well, going from innocence to maturity nicely.

The hardest role for a high school student is that of Emile, the mature, sophisticated Frenchman. Sean Gipson was up to it. He carried himself with a dignity that was impressive and was very believable in his more dramatic moments. Sometimes I worry when high schools attack favorite shows. I hate to see favorites butchered. Our local schools are proving that they are loaded with talent and courage. If you are not including the local drama clubs on your schedules, you are doing yourself a great disservice.

It good show; I liked.

BOOK REVIEW: Started Early, Took My Dog

Allow me to set the scene for Kate Atkinson’s STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG. 

 

In 1975, rookie policewoman, Tracy Waterhouse and her partner Ken Arkwright knock down a door in a shoddy apartment building to find a youngster alone with a decomposing body. 

 

Thirty years later, retired Tracy is working as a security guard in a large shopping mall. She watches a little girl being horribly mistreated and ends up buying the child.

Also a witness to the child’s mistreatment is Matilda, an actress currently playing the mother on a popular television show and suffering from early stages of dementia. Tilly has problems remembering her lines for the show, but can quote passages from the plays that she had done in her youth.

Private eye Jackson Brodie has been hired by a woman living in New Zealand to find her natural parents. While walking through a park he rushes to protect a small dog being abused by a large man. As a result, Jackson ends up with a small friend that he has to hide in his bag in order to get the animal into hotel rooms.

It is to Kate Atkinson’s credit that these stories all come together. That is not to say that all problems are successfully solved at the end, but we have learned so much about what really happened back in that apartment thirty years ago.

This was my second suspense novel by Kate Atkinson and there will be more. Her books are full of characters that I want to know more about and her plots are full of twists that are not usually found in your run of the mill whodunits.

I love her style of writing. She has a literary feel that never condescends to her reader. Tilly especially makes use of quotes that are appropriate, sometimes off the wall but fitting. I am flattered that the author did not feel obligated to explain the sources to me. Because the author and the setting are British, there were references that I did not “get”, but that did not slow the story for me.

Jackson Brodie is a reacurring character in Atkinson novels, but the books are not really a series. It is not necessary to read them in order, but I plan to pick up the earlier ones because Jackson is so intriguing.

If the title sounds familiar to you, it is also the title of a poem by Emily Dickinson. It is the perfect choice for this book. One reviewer said that “… my brain starts fizzing like a glass of bubbly even before I crack the cover”. I could not agree more. Treat yourself to this literate, witty, intelligent author.

AUTHOR REVIEW: Victoria Alexander

It is no secret that my “drug of choice” is a Regency Romance. The Regency era in England was the time of Jane Austin, so keep Pride and Prejudice in mind. Some of today’s authors can hold their own with the highly regarded Jane. As in any genre, there are some good writers and there are some bad writers. From my vast years of experience, I have narrowed the field to a choice few; Mary Balogh and Mary Jo Putney are standouts. I am here this week to introduce you to a new favorite, Victoria Alexander.

Strictly speaking, Ms. Alexander sneaks out of the Regency time period and has been known to visit Victorian England as well, but that is fine with me; I am not a purist when it comes to my drugs. I just want them to be good as well as entertaining.

I will warn you that her titles are provocative and sometimes misleading. The Virgin’s Secret is a good example. (It deals with an archeological study of an ancient society and the goddess that was worshipped). Now this is not to say that her books do not contain romantic scenes that can be a little sizzling, but they are always romantic.

The Regency and Victorian periods were very restrictive times for women. Alexander’s heroines are always independent and willing to fight the system. Frequently, the heroine of the book is a widow; this gives her more freedom. I just found out that Victoria Alexander’s husband is named Charles. This is important because in each book the widow’s husband, if it was a happy marriage, is named Charles. 

 

This is an author who can do variations on old themes. At times it is easy to recognize classic favorites. In an Alexander book the girl loses an earring in the bed, not a shoe on the palace steps.

You get the idea. This is a charming series of books and worthy of a rainy afternoon by the fire with a cup, or glass, of your favorite beverage. You will not cry at the ending; you will not be ready to go out and change the world. You will, however, be reassured that there are happy endings, romance is still alive, and there are authors who have an intelligent sense of humor.

If romance novels are not your “drug” you may still want to give Victoria Alexander a try.  Find out more about Victoria Alexander on her website:  http://www.victoriaalexander.com/

BOOK REVIEW: The Twelve

To say that I have been eagerly waiting for the sequel to Justin Cronin’s The Passage would be a gross understatement, so I am happy to report that THE TWELVE is here. Now all I have to do is tell you about it. This will be no easy task!

First of all, do not try to read THE TWELVE if you have not read The Passage. In fact, you might want to refresh your memory of characters if it has been a while. That proved to be a problem for me. My brain needed some time to keep everyone straight. Both books are fairly long, so be prepared to make a commitment.

The original story followed a group of people in a world made almost uninhabitable by a government experiment that went horribly wrong. By trying to find the secret to longevity, twelve virals with vampire characteristics have been created. One hundred years in the future, man has learned to live in well protected camps with daily survival a hardship, not to mention the horrors of the night when The Twelve’s ever growing band comes out to feed.

THE TWELVE opens with the introduction of Lila, a doctor and expectant mother, a teenage girl taking care of her younger brother, a young man who is very proud to be a school bus driver, and a man who is known as “The Last Stand in Denver”. Each of these people is trying to understand how his world has fallen apart, but finding each other gives them at least a chance.

The story then picks up characters from the end of The Passage. I have to admit that I had to do some re-reading of the first book to help get names straight. The author did include a list of dramatis personae, but I wish that it had given some information on their earlier involvement with each other. I refuse to mention who was important in this section for fear of spoiling your enjoyment of the earlier book. Some of the questions that I had were answered, but I guess we have to wait for the third book in the series for a good conclusion……….or so I hope!

It was a little difficult to keep some of the time lines straight. Even though the action takes place one hundred years after the virals escaped the laboratory, there are some flashbacks to that time. I also felt that my “voluntary suspension of belief”, necessary when reading this type of book, was strained at times. Admittedly, Cronin does a great job of tying ends together and then leaving some threads dangling keeping the reader intrigued.

So far this has been a great read. I love the story, the characters, and the author’s fast pace. I would warn the faint of heart that some of the scenes are violent and you will mourn the death of some favorite characters. Also, do not read these books out of order and, if you have my problem of keeping names straight, you might want to wait and read all three books together.