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Posts Tagged: Iowa
Pete Espinosa
Posted December 10, 2020 by Inspired Media in Community Builders, Current Issue, Today
By Sara Friedl-Putnam • Originally published in the Holiday + Winter 2020-21 Inspire(d)
Pete and Kari Espinosa (and dogs) / Photo courtesy Pete Espinosa
It's 1964, and Pete Espinosa is five. He's riding in the car, a little boy accompanying his mom and older brother Paul on the 80-mile drive from Mason City to Decorah, Iowa, to drop Paul off at Luther College. The trip, as Pete recalls, was bittersweet – as the trio hauled bins of possessions into Olson Hall, first there was laughter, and then there were tears.
"When you are five, nothing is more important to you than your mom, and I can remember my mom being so sad on the way home because Paul was her first child to leave for college," he says. "That is impactful when you are that young."
That visit would be the first of many. Pete returned to Decorah again and again through the years to visit Paul and then older sisters Pam and Ann at Luther. "Decorah was ingrained in me early," he says with a smile. In 1977 it was Pete's own turn to enroll at Luther, where he majored in speech communications and political science and, as a senior, met his future wife, Kari Tollefson, then a Luther freshman.
"When I graduated, I took a job with IBM in the Quad Cities, but came back to Decorah a lot over the next three years to visit Kari," he says. "I spent a lot of time in Decorah for someone who did not live there."
Pete steadily climbed through the ranks at IBM over the next 18 years, eventually serving as executive assistant to the company's chairman and CEO. In 1999 he left IBM and went on to hold senior executive leadership positions at a handful of software companies before landing at Mortgage Cadence, where he currently serves as CEO.
As jobs took him literally all over the country – "I have lived in New York, Boston, Kansas City, the Quad Cities, Omaha, the Twin Cities," he says – Decorah remained a constant, as he and Kari returned for Luther Homecoming and other events throughout the years even as they raised their three children, Josh, Justin, and Rachel. There was just something about this scenic small town.
In 2013, after spending a fun and memorable long weekend with Kari's siblings and family in Decorah, the couple was inspired to put down roots in town, and join the community on a more tangible level. They bought a lot and built a house on Iowa Avenue. "We chose Decorah, and because of that we very much want Decorah to be successful," says Pete. "We are not just rooting for it but want to do something positive."
That has been their mantra time and again over the last six years. In 2014 the couple purchased and renovated Bottle Tree laundromat on College Drive, an investment that, while not necessarily very profitable, served the Decorah population in an important way. Then in 2015, Pete, teaming up with a few family members and friends, opened Pulpit Rock Brewing Company. The brewery was one of the reasons – Toppling Goliath Brewing Company being the other – that Decorah is on the map for craft-beer connoisseurs worldwide. "I am not even a beer drinker, and there was no financial plan that made any sense when we opened," he says. "But we want to do good things for Decorah, and we thought this would be a good thing for Decorah."
Pete and Kari at Pulpit Rock Brewing Co. in Decorah, Iowa / Photo courtesy Pete Espinosa
And it has been. As it turned out, says Pete, head brewers Bob Slack and Justin Teff, make great beer: "I was blown away. We started winning awards, and we were getting more and more requests to rent out our taproom, next door to the laundromat." Those requests inspired another change. When he received an offer to buy the laundromat, he accepted it, contingent that the laundromat would stay on the West Side of Decorah to serve that population. The move left the former laundromat space available to remodel into an event venue, which has been popular from the start.
In 2019, the Espinosas created another anchor for the community. Pete and Kari had long had their eyes on 211 College Drive, a spacious (11,000 square feet) building next door to Pulpit Rock that housed a furniture business. When that business closed, Pete and Kari bought the building to, once again, do something good for Decorah. "We wanted to build an establishment unlike anything else in town," says Pete, "It was important that we didn't put anyone out of business."
The Landing Market opened in July 2020. Modeled after the Lynhall in Minneapolis, it offers a range of food and drink options, from fresh-brewed coffee sourced from Impact (also in town) and other items from distinctive wines to grab-and go sandwiches (made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients) as well as what Pete calls "the best French toast around."
French toast at Jusin's at the Landing Market in Decorah / Photo by Sara Friedl-Putnam
The French toast is a featured menu item at Justin's, an eatery in the Landing Market named after Pete's son, who has cognitive disabilities. Providing meaningful work opportunities for adults engaged in the Spectrum Network (which serves adults with cognitive disabilities) has been an integral part of the mission of establishing the food hall. "There aren't a lot of employment options for Spectrum clients in Decorah right now," says Pete. "But here they can help make yummy, reasonably priced food in a cool setting. That is a home run."
The Espinosas are also supporters of the arts. Pete and Kari purchased the former Wonder Bread store on Broadway Street in Decorah to ensure ArtHaus, a space for visual and performing arts, had a home in which to grow and thrive in the Decorah community.
Pete, center, with some of his family outside Pulpit Rock Brewing / Photo courtesy Pete Espinosa
"My wife and I believe that the more people you can help in a community, the better everything else turns out. That is the essence of the laundromat, the brewery, the Landing Market, and ArtHaus," says Pete. "And it all goes back to the fact that we chose to be here so we want to do what we can to make this a special, unique place."
In 2016, Pete was honored with the Luther College Distinguished Service Award. And in 2017, he joined the Luther College Board of Regents. "I said, sign me up, when asked," says Pete. "I felt like I could help."
Delivering Pete's Distinguished Service Award, Eric Runestad, then Luther vice president of finance, summed up his essence thusly: "Pete is the kind of person that makes you think 'I could do more.'"
That he is.
Sara Friedl-Putnam has tried the French toast at Justin's in the Landing Market and can attest to the fact that it is the most delicious French toast in town, if not the region.
Q&A with Dr. Michael Osterholm
Posted November 22, 2020 by Inspired Media in Current Issue, Driftless Stories, Today
By Aryn Henning Nichols • Originally published in the Holiday + Winter 2020-21 Inspire(d)
Dr. Michael Osterholm / Photo courtesy Stuart Isett
Perhaps you've seen his name in the news: Dr. Michael Osterholm. The nationally renowned epidemiologist has been quoted or published in media outlets across the nation – from New York Times to Oprah – in regards to COVID-19 and other epidemics and disease-related news. He's one of the many scientists who have been busy studying, researching, reporting facts, and trying to help the world deal with this outbreak.
And he happens to be from Northeast Iowa.
Dr. Osterholm is a Waukon native. He graduated from Waukon High School in 1971, and got a degree in biology – and a second in political science – from Luther College in Decorah in 1975. He then went on to earn two master's degrees from the University of Minnesota and, finally, a doctorate in environmental health in 1980. After working at the Minnesota Department of Health as a graduate student, then as Minnesota's state epidemiologist for 15 years, he eventually founded the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in 2001, which he continues to lead.
But how does one follow that path from Northeast Iowa? Epidemiology isn't a profession you see on a regular basis around here.
According to Dr. Osterholm, epidemiology is basically "medical detective work," and it's something that has intrigued him ever since junior high (you'll hear more about that below). Despite his fame in the field, and now, in the nation, he's maintained his Midwestern accent and mannerisms – he even thanked me for my time, when he was clearly the one with a tighter schedule. He only had 15 minutes to spare for this interview before Zooming in on at least three more talks that day.
Read on to see all the topics we crammed in to that quarter of an hour – Dr. Osterholm's background, Zoom sessions, thoughts on COVID-19, and how he likes to keep in touch, even through a pandemic.
Q&A with Dr. Michael Osterholm:
Why did you decide to get into epidemiology?
What happened was I had a close relationship with the woman married to the owner of the Waukon Newspaper, Laverne Hull. She was a real renaissance of a woman. She worked at the newspaper – really, she was part owner too – was multi-lingual – spoke French and English – had a masters in journalism, and subscribed to the New Yorker. She was someone who had a major influence on my life. She would give me these New Yorkers when she was done reading. There was a series of articles in there called the "Annals of Medicine" by Berton Roueché. And Berton Roueché was someone who was a constant storyteller. He would take these outbreak investigations and write them up as kind of "who done it" stories. I loved reading these, even when I was in seventh and eighth grade. Whenever she would get done with a copy, I would quick run and get it. So I even knew back in junior high that I wanted to be a medical detective. So that's what I pursued.
Has it been as exciting as you thought it would be in seventh and eighth grade?
I had no idea – it was one of those things. It's like me asking you what your life's going to be like when you're 60. It's just one turn after another. The thing that was most remarkable is that Berton Roueché actually wrote up an outbreak investigation that I led in Southwestern Minnesota back in the 1980s. A thing called thyrotoxicosis, and it was his very last story he wrote before he died. I was able to tell him how he influenced my life, and say "thank you" for all he did for me.
And now we have COVID-19, a type of virus you predicted would happen in our lifetime in your 2017 book, Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs. Realistically, how long do you think we've got to go before we can be together again, COVID-19 carefree?
We just don't know yet – clearly it's going to be challenging in the coming months because we don't really understand yet how well vaccines will work, we don't know when people will actually get a vaccine, and how durable the immunity is, meaning will it last for a certain period of time. We just don't know yet.
What are some things we can all do in order to get there faster?
So, it's all about distancing, which is a very hard thing to get across to people. You know, it's basically sharing the air with someone, someone who could be putting the virus out into that air. When you're indoors, it's very difficult to distance. Outdoors is easier, but it's still a challenge.
And masking?
Masking is something everyone should do. I think anything we can do right now to minimize the risk of transmission, we should consider. We still don't know how well it works; it's likely just a thing that's another layer, in effect. Distancing is still by far the most important thing you can do, but also just being aware of being in crowds – in the sense that it's not just how far away you are from someone, but if I go and spend three hours indoors and I'm more than six feet away from someone, that doesn't mean that I'll be safe there. We have many outbreaks right now – bars and restaurants, funerals, weddings, family reunions, school-based activities that are indoors. All of these have led to big outbreaks, right here in the Midwest.
Do you think any number is safe? Less than 25? Less than 10?
There's nothing magical about 10. It's more about who your bubble's with. For example, my partner and I are very bubbled together. So, you know, we can do whatever we want. People who are living together in one building – they can get together pretty routinely if they don't have outside contact.
You've said numerous times you prefer to say physical distancing instead of social distancing – because we still must remain social through COVID-19. We love that. What are your favorite physical distancing activities that still allow you to be social?
I don't think there's been a time in my adult life when social closeness has been more important. So I make sure I see my kids on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and be with them outdoors. I'll give them each a 30-second hug, then back away at that point, and maintain at least a 10-foot distance outdoors. I go out for walks with my partner frequently in a park near where I live, and feel very comfortable holding her hand as we walk around the park and just staying, you know, at least 10 feet away from everybody outside and I don't have any concerns at all.
Along those lines, how do you keep in touch with your relatives who are far away? Do you Zoom with them?
I Zoom with them a lot. And for work, too. I work with more than 30 people with our center, and we have our routine Zoom calls. I will often spend eight to 10 hours a day on Zoom.
Whoa, that's got to be exhausting.
Yeah, it is. I mean, I'm giving a talk here in just a few minutes, and this will be my third talk of the day. And I've got three more to go yet before I'm done.
Yeah, you are highly sought after, I imagine.
Well, I can't say that (laughs). Everything is virtual for me now. I haven't left Minneapolis since March, which is a big change for me. I'm usually a 200,000-mile-a-year flier, but I haven't been on a plane since March.
Do you miss it?
Ah, you know… I don't. I miss the contact with all my friends and family that I once had, but I think travel is something you realize – once you're not doing it – what it feels like to get off the gerbil wheel.
The theme of this issue of Inspire(d) is "Look for the Bright Spots". Have you found some bright spots to these past months? Any you could share?
You know, I do a weekly podcast, The Osterholm Update: COVID-19. And with that, we have many thousands of people who download it and listen to it each week. The response we've gotten from this podcast… the feedback has been nothing short of remarkable. And it's been a really positive thing to see all the acts of kindness that people do and follow up on. So I have to say that has probably been one of the really special things. There have been so many people that have done so many kind things. I think that we must not forget that despite what's going on with this virus right now, there's a tremendous amount of good in the world.
Find the Osterholm Update: COVID-19 podcast at www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play or on YouTube.
GrandPad
With one swipe, GrandPad allows seniors to stay connected with family and friends / Photo courtesy GrandPad
The GrandPad tablet delivers telehealth for homebound, and creates an innovative spark for rural entrepreneurs.
By Maggie Sonnek
When Scott Lien and his family traded in one adventure for another, leaving behind their beloved sky blue Victorian house in Wabasha, Minnesota, they silently promised they'd be back.
And 25 years later, they were. In March 2020, the Liens shuttled back to the Midwest from Silicon Valley, where Scott had taken the leadership helm at a handful of corporations. Returning with a newfound perspective gained from travel and experience, he was surprised to find storefronts along the town's main corridor empty and boarded up. That's when he decided to combine his love of rural America with his knowledge and innovation for entrepreneurship.
Scott and Isaac Lien (far left and far right) with two of GrandPad's oldest employees,
another father-son team, Elmer and Richard Thill / Photos courtesy GrandPad
In 2013, Scott and his then-college-aged son Isaac wanted to stay connected to Marlys Lien, the duo's mother and grandmother. While Scott and Isaac were in Silicon Valley, Marlys lived 2,000 miles away in Decorah, Scott's hometown. GrandPad, a tablet sans complicated features, was born. Designed specifically for seniors, the tablet has fun games, customized music, and apps, plus large buttons paired with an intuitive interface to make chatting with friends and family a breeze. But, Scott, who now splits his time between Silicon Valley and Wabasha, learned that in the Midwest, attracting funding from investors is anything but a breeze.
"The Midwest is quite risk adverse," he says. "And, because nearly 90 percent of startups fail in the first three years, local investors don't jump on board right away. The majority of capital comes from the coasts."
The data backs this up. According to the Center of Rural Development, less than one percent of all venture capital goes to rural startups. And, in 2017, five metro areas (San Francisco, New York City, Boston, San Jose and Los Angeles) accounted for nearly 80 percent of all venture capital investment nationwide. While innovation has concentrated in major urban hubs, rural economies have lacked the entrepreneurship to spark economic growth.
But, with remote work on the rise – this trend has grown by 173 percent since 2005, according to the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), a national non-profit that aims to foster sustainable economic success in rural America – more families are swapping crowds and congestion for chickens and country roads.
Families like the Olsons. Two hundred miles straight north of Wabasha, Jon and Hallie and their three kids spend time playing in their rugged, homemade treehouse and feeding their cluster of chickens. In 2019, Jon, an engineer, began working remotely. That allowed the Olsons to trade in their Minneapolis bungalow for a custom-built home in northern Minnesota that sits on five acres of wooded beauty.
"We feel so lucky to be where we are. The kids can spend hours outside," 38-year-old Hallie says. "And, with COVID-19, we don't feel as restricted in what we can and can't do."
Mark Rembert, Head of the Rural Innovation Network at the CORI, says while it could be months before we know the pandemic's impact on urban and rural areas, COVID-19 is fundamentally changing the appeal, necessity, and feasibility of living in a big city.
"We don't know yet if an increase in remote work will result in people leaving big cities," Mark says. "But, surveys have shown that many people who live in metro areas would actually prefer to live in rural spaces. Remote working could create opportunities for more people to make that move."
Obviously, it's much easier to bring a job with you – like Jon did – than to hang out a shingle. But entrepreneur and business leader Scott says now is the time for innovators to open up shop small towns.
"This is an opportunity for rural America to shine. We need to ask what we're doing to make our small towns attractive," says Lien, who, during his career has held leadership roles at Best Buy, Bank of America, and Intuit. "In Minnesota, we can't change the weather, so instead, we celebrate it. Let's soar with our strengths and try to turn the downfalls into positive attributes."
Taking risks and forging ahead with entrepreneurship and innovation, especially in rural areas, is key to creating dynamic, progressive small towns.
"There is a fantastic labor force in rural areas," Scott says, noting that even though GrandPad was founded in California, he specifically engages employees from Midwest towns. "Lots of the employees we've hired have been out of the workforce for a while and aren't necessarily looking for a job; think empty nesters and stay-at-home-parents. They've made the assumption that fulfilling, well-paying jobs are only available in large cities. And, because they don't want to commit to a long commute or relocate, they assume their choices are limited."
That's where GrandPad really shines. Employees are hired – by referrals from current team members only – to work a flexible schedule from home.
Member experience agent Lori Lechtenberg, who lives outside of Decorah says, "I can be in my home chatting with people across the globe. It's the best of both worlds."
"We're creating long-term, durable, high-paying jobs," Scott explains. "And, most importantly, these positions are family-oriented."
Indeed, family is the main reason why Anna Arens applied to GrandPad after receiving a referral. Anna worked in healthcare at Mayo Clinic for 12 years when her husband, a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army, learned he'd be deployed overseas to Syria for one year. With three young kids at home, Anna knew her current schedule wouldn't adhere well to her husband's absence.
GrandPad Member Experience Agent Anna Arens works from her home office / Photo courtesy Anna Arens
"I needed to find a job that offered flexible hours without a commute," Anna says, noting that the options are limited in a small town. Since accepting her role as member experience agent at GrandPad three years ago, she's been encouraged to put her family first.
"Scott expresses to us that when we're able to take care of our homes and families first, we do our jobs better. Because of that mentality, I'm able to be more present in my life."
Anne Meurer, also an agent at GrandPad, accepted her job just before the global pandemic surged across the country in the spring of 2020.
"I was able to be home with our kids and help them with online learning," she recalls. "I would sit at my desk and they'd sit on the floor next to me."
After working in government administration for several years, Anne craved a job that better aligned with her life. More than just a steady paycheck and paid holidays, she wanted meaning and mission from her employer.
"I wanted something more rewarding. When I learned about GrandPad, I was all-in," says Anne. "I was born into a family of five living generations and was fortunate enough to grow close to my Great Grandma Jean. I truly learned the importance of our elders and grandparents."
GrandPad Member Experience Agent Anne Meuer works from her home office / Photo courtesy of Anne Meuer
Member experience agents like Lori, Anna, and Anne develop deep and substantial relationships with GrandPad users. Like, calling seniors on their birthdays type of exchange.
"Our clients rely on us when they need help with a specific app on the tablet or when they're lonely," Anne says. "And, there's always someone there…always a friendly voice on the other line."
Throughout the global pandemic, several home health agencies and healthcare companies have turned to GrandPad to facilitate video visits. The company began offering expanded capabilities, like GrandPad Daily Connect. This remote care solution delivers data – like blood pressure and heart rate – to remote caregivers who can detect abnormalities and coordinate further care.
GrandPad Daily Connect, a remote care solution, delivers data to remote caregivers / Photo courtesy GrandPad
Meanwhile, GrandPad users – and their families – continue to express their gratitude to agents for this tool that not only keeps them connected during COVID, but staves off loneliness too.
One family member notes, "Mom could no longer use her computer with passwords. The GrandPad allows her to stay in touch with her contacts. It has been a lifesaver for our family!"
We asked Scott how other entrepreneurs and innovators can take hold of this pivotal moment for small towns.
"Keep investing in your communities," he encourages. "Read the local paper. Talk to your neighbors. Be kind."
Investing in his own community, Scott leased a space, bought some paint and fresh carpet, and hung a bright, shiny GrandPad sign in the window. Used for demos, videos, training sessions, and as an optional shared workspace for employees, this is Scott's way of shining a light on rural America. In the small town of Wabasha, in the Midwest, in the U.S., GrandPad is open for business.
Maggie, her husband Eric and their three kids love living in their small town of Wabasha. When she's not writing, Maggie is packing lunches, helping kids with homework, or (after bedtime) binge-watching shows on Netflix.


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Tis the Season for Auditions
Omaha, NE–The Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) is holding in-person, youth and adult auditions for A Christmas Carol at the Omaha Community Playhouse, located at 6915 Cass St. Omaha, NE 68132 and Pear Tree Performing Arts at 4801 NW Radial Hwy Omaha, NE 68104. To schedule an audition, please visit the website here.
Through upholding high ethical standards, demonstrating respect for all and consciously working to provide diverse representation, OCP is committed to creating an inclusive and safe environment in which all community members feel a sense of belonging, and does not discriminate in casting practices on the basis of an individual's ethnicity, age, gender, physical and cognitive ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, country of origin or other factors. Omaha Community Playhouse is committed to diverse and inclusive casting.
Youth Auditions: Saturday, August 13, 11:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m. (taking place at the Omaha Community
Playhouse)
Adult Auditions: Those who wish to audition may choose one of the following two audition dates:
Sunday, August 14, 6:00-9:00 p.m. (taking place at the Omaha Community Playhouse)
Monday, August 15, 6:00-9:00 p.m. (taking place at Pear Tree Performing Arts)
Youth Callbacks: Wednesday, August 17, 4:00 p.m.
Adult Callbacks: Thursday, August 18, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Both callbacks will take place at Omaha Community Playhouse.
Please Bring: Please bring and prepare to sing 16-bars of a song from a musical. Dress comfortably for the dance portion of the audition.
Roles: Click here for character breakdown.
Posted in theatre news
Tagged A Christmas Carol, auditions, Bob Cratchit, Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge, Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Jacob Marley, Omaha Community Playhouse, Pear Tree Performing Arts, Tiny Tim
Legal Dose of Love
After being dumped by her boyfriend due to not being perceived as serious enough for the political career he has planned for himself, Elle Woods hatches a plan to win back his love. She decides to follow him to Harvard Law School. Initially disdained by her classmates, Elle eventually shows them she's got what it takes to be Legally Blonde which is currently playing at Lofte Community Theatre.
I had neither seen the movie nor read the original novel, but after seeing this show, I might now do so. The character of Elle Woods is a fictionalized version of the novel's author, Amanda Brown, who was inspired to write the book based off her own experiences as a blonde law student at Harvard.
It's actually a really great tale that reverses the traditional "fish out of water" story. In this case, the fish is already a highly popular student, but that popularity doesn't follow her to Harvard due to the highly competitive, ultra-serious nature of her fellow law students. The show also touches on themes of self-respect and not to judge a book by its cover. A lot of Elle's early troubles at Harvard are the result of her bubbly personality and obsession with fashion leading her peers to think she's an idiot, conveniently ignoring the fact that she was admitted to Harvard which means she is smart (she had a 4.0 grade average as an undergrad). But when she finally applies herself, her peers' eyes finally open to that reality.
Kevin Colbert's direction is truly marvelous in this production. Energy starts at a fever pitch and manages to be maintained throughout the show. Pacing was right on the mark and Colbert knew how to merge the serious with the funny, expertly following those beats as those two elements were often in the same scene and, sometimes, the same moment. Colbert has molded a wonderful set of performances from his actors that were utterly believable and just a load of fun to watch.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, an invested ensemble adds so much to a large scale production and I was extremely impressed as to how much the ensemble was into this show. In bigger scenes, I kept my eyes on them just to see what little reactions and touches they would add and it really helped this world to blossom.
Some great performances in the supporting/featured cast include Wade Mumford who nearly got a standing ovation mid-show for the way he simply walked into a salon to make a delivery and let the women ogle him. Peyton Banks is shallow as the status chasing Warner Huntington III and has a nice falsetto with "Serious". Zoe Tien exudes a great superior than thou attitude with her take on Vivienne Kensington, a rival of Elle's who has a rod up her backside which had a rod up its backside that I strongly suspect had a rod up its backside. Max Antoine is very convincing as Professor Callahan, a popular law professor who is predatory inside and outside of the courtroom and classroom.
It was great seeing Anna Rebecca Felber grace a stage again as the theatre community has sorely missed her talents. Felber shines as Paulette Buonofuonte, the hairdresser with hutzpah who befriends Elle. Felber has comedic timing which can't be taught and does more with a look or expression than some can with multipage monologues. Felber has the loyalty and "take no guff" attitude needed for the hard as nails New Englander. Felber can also belt out a tune like few can with a stirring rendition of "Ireland".
Alex Rownd makes for a fine everyman as Emmett Forrest. Normally, he would be the traditional "fish out of water" as he came from the poor side of town and had to make it to Harvard based on grit and grades. But it's his "fish out of water" nature that allows him to support Elle as he recognizes that same out of placeness in her and helps her to find that "chip on her shoulder" needed to succeed and quiet the naysayers. Rownd brings real decency and an honorable nature to the dedicated student and he has a pristine tenor which he can use to humorous effectiveness in "Chip On My Shoulder" to a sweet sadness in "Legally Blonde".
I rather hope Lofte qualifies for OEA nominations because Olivia Sis' portrayal of Elle Woods not only deserves a nomination for Leading Actor in a Musical, it was also, for my money, one of the best performances of the season.
Sis just exploded onto the stage and had energy that would light up New York. She perfectly captures Elle's essence with that supreme self-confidence, enthusiastic personality, and devotion to fashion. Most importantly, she doesn't play her dumb. Elle is smart, but not always a dedicated student unless the subject matter interests her. Sis laid out a beautiful arc for Elle as she actually starts this show with a lack of self-respect, though she may not be aware of it as she follows (almost stalks) her ex-boyfriend to Harvard to win him back. But when she realizes how vapid he is and the joy of using the law to help the underdog, she really begins to peak personally.
Sis also has an incredible singing voice as she consistently knocked balls out of the park with "What You Want, "So Much Better", "Bend & Snap", and "Legally Blonde".
Benjamin Pettiford and his band nailed the peppy score to the floor and I give them bonus points for an item I'll discuss shortly. Becca Schmucker has crafted the new best piece of choreography I've seen on a metro stage. It's fun. It's exciting. It's inventive. And the dancing in "Whipped Into Shape" is easily the best dance number ever performed locally. Mark C. Koski at Sceneographics designed a very ambitious three tiered set with columns painted by Linda Dabbs whose rotations and incoming and outgoing properties of Shila Hansen & The Cast changed locales. Kevin Colbert's lights help add some ambiance with the almost pinkish light in Elle's room to the use of focused spotlights on more serious moments.
For all the great things this show offered, it had one powerful thing working against it and that was microphone volume. I had a very difficult time hearing the cast during Act I and they would sometimes be drowned out by the music of the band. And here's where the bonus points come in as the band picked up on that and lowered the volume in Act II so the actors could be heard more easily and the issues finally cleared by the climax of the show.
That being said, this is still a virtually perfect night of theatre. It's a fun story with some surprising depth fueled by a high powered cast more than up to the challenge. Take advantage of its last weekend and see a fantastic production.
Legally Blonde performs at Lofte Community Theatre through July 31. Showtimes are Fri-Sat at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets cost $24 and can be purchased at www.lofte.org, visiting the Box Office, or by calling 402-234-2553. Lofte Community Theatre is located at 15841 Manley Road in Manley, NE.
Tagged Amanda Brown, Cambridge, Elle Woods, Harvard Law School, Harvard University, Legally Blonde, Lofte Community Theatre, Manley, Massachusettes, Nebraska, New Englad, Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards, Reese Witherspoon
The Candy Man Can
From L to R: Bodie Kuzminski, Lennon McGuigan, Jay Hanson, Brinlee Roeder, Lily Sanow, Pieper Roeder star in 'Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka'
Reclusive confectioner, Willy Wonka, holds a contest to find an heir to his chocolate factory. Through the discovery of golden tickets hidden in Wonka candies, five children arrive at the factory for a fantastical tour and a series of morality tests to determine who is worthy to succeed the legendary candymaker. This is Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka and is currently playing at Scottish Rite Masonic Center under the auspices of Rave On Productions.
I'm glad to see Rave On experimenting with their content. After a series of highly successful maturely themed rock musicals, Rave On does a 180 with a family show highlighting the students of the McGuigan Arts Academy.
Now this is a youth version of Willy Wonka so it runs a bit shorter than the traditional version as well as making a few changes to the story. For example, in the youth version, only the children take the tour of Wonka's factory. The adults are left out. In either case, Leslie Bricusse and Timothy Allen McDonald's adaptation of the tale blends Dahl's novel with the famed 1971 film. It's a faithful retelling, though I wish the writers had gone with the film's climax which, surprisingly, is superior to the novel's climax. Bricusse and Anthony Newley also have written a series of fun songs, some original and some lifted directly from the film.
Kimberly Faith Hickman really provides a fine piece of direction and I especially applaud her work with the children. Their work ranged from promising to excellent with some providing performances that were as good or better than work I've seen performed by some adults. Hickman generates a real sense of whimsy and fun and tosses in a bit of theatre magic along the way with a brisk pacing that just makes the show fly.
Outside of the title character, the adults take a back seat in this production though Brandon Fisher does get to shine with an eccentric Grandpa Joe who fills Charlie's head with tales of Wonka's factory and acts as a bulwark to Charlie's disappointments with "Cheer Up, Charlie".
But this show is ultimately about the kids and the featured characters admirably carried the weight of the show. Lennon McGuigan is clearly having a ball, not to mention being round as one, as Augustus Gloop and adds just the right level of theatricality with his number, "I Eat More". Pieper Roeder is snidely competitive as Violet Beauregarde who is drawn to gum like a moth to a flame. Bodie Kuzminski is not only obnoxiously disrespectful as Mike Teavee, but adult actors can take lessons in projection and articulation from him. Lily Sanow has a bright future in theatre ahead of her as evidenced with her turn as Veruca Salt. Sanow was perfect as the snotty, spoiled rich girl who demands catering to her every whim. Sanow also has a pretty and powerful voice as she belts out Veruca's personal anthem, "I Want it Now".
Brinlee Roeder is very effective as Charlie Bucket. Roeder brings a real sincerity and decency to the good-hearted Charlie who constantly encourages the family to "Be Positive" even in the most dire of circumstances. Roeder also has a nice singing voice, shining in "Flying" and reducing the audience to tears of laughter in "Burping Song".
For a guy only acting for the second time in his life, Jay Hanson has some potent instincts for storytelling. Hanson beautifully underplays the role of Willy Wonka, giving him a quiet impishness and a natural sardonic nature useful for bantering with the naughty brats in his tour group. I was especially impressed with Hanson's turn as an unnamed candy seller (implied to be an incognito Wonka) who seems to have a bit of magic about him as he helps Charlie obtain the final golden ticket.
Hanson's singing is in its usual fine form with stellar turns in "Pure Imagination" and a creepy performance of "There's No Knowing".
Matthew McGuigan's musical direction is in rare form. No pun intended, but he doesn't kid around with the music. He keeps it light and fun, but the tunes also have underpinnings of rock with a smidgen of jazz that just gave it a unique and pleasing flavor. Carly Frolio's costumes are right on the mark, suiting the personalities of the characters and hearkening back to the film's depiction of said characters. I especially liked Wonka's outlandish outfit of green pants with purple coat, vest, and brown hat and her Oompa Loompa outfits which conjured images of 90s hip hop performers with colorful stocking hats, black shirts, suspenders, and long colored striped socks. Kate Whitecotton well utilizes the backdrops at Scottish Rite to take us from the poor home of the Buckets to the magnificent innards of Wonka's factory. Kyle Toth's lights help to support the show with his LSD inspired colors for the "There's No Knowing" number being particularly effective. His technical skills were also quite impressive especially with the transformation of Violet into a giant blueberry.
There were some technical squoinks as the microphones would go from being so sensitive that I could hear normal breathing to going so soft that I'd lose singing to the instruments, but the cast didn't let these slight bobbles have an impact on their performances.
If you're a fan of the film and/or novel, you're likely going to be a fan of this show as well. The children put on a fine production with a little help from the adults and you're going to have a scrumdiddelyumptious time.
Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka plays at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center through July 31. Showtimes are Fri-Sat at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased at https://www.theomahaseries.com/willywonka. Scottish Rite Masonic Center is located at 202 S 20th St in Omaha, NE.
Photo Credit: Rave On Productions
Tagged Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Cheer Up Charlie, Gene Wilder, Golden Ticket, I've Got a Golden Ticket, Jack Albertson, McGuigan Arts Academy, Nebraska, Omaha, Pure Imagination, Rave On Productions, Roald Dahl, Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka, Scottish Rite Masonic Center, There's No Knowing, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Practical Evil
When a violent encounter with a creepy, conservative conspiracy theorist results in his death, a group of liberal master's students decide to better the world by killing those they deem to be a potential danger. . . which happens to be those who disagree with their way of thinking. This is The Last Supper and it is currently playing at Bellevue Little Theatre under the auspices of SNAP! Productions.
After two years, SNAP! returns to live theatre with a pretty dark and disturbing play by Dan Rosen. This had actually been a movie and is a combination of a grislier version of Arsenic and Old Lace and the living out of the question, "Would you kill a young Hitler when he was innocent in order the prevent the horrible atrocities he would later commit?" Rosen has a good grip on the current political climate and his play is actually an interesting commentary on the dangers of political extremism across all spectrums.
That being said, the script is weakened a bit by its lack of character development, dearth of sympathetic characters, and an ambiguous ending (though this becomes less so if you follow the clues. Here's a hint. They're all visual, so pay close attention. Happy hunting!)
Todd Brooks has a tremendous sense of atmosphere as he bookends the play between a pair of thunderstorms which well represent the violence of the material and the moment. He also does an excellent job with the subtlety of the final scene. Brooks also has led his performers to fairly effective performances, especially with the victims who are the most compelling characters in the show.
Strong ensemble performances come from Dennis Stessman who exudes a cold and palpable menace as the creepy truck driver who gets the victim train going. Don Harris provides some needed levity as the sheriff. Randy Wallace is oblivious to his own hypocrisy as the man of God who has a horribly warped view on the horror of AIDS and perceives homosexuality as a disease. Chloe Irwin is a blend of naivete and arrogance as a high schooler suing her school due to a belief that mandatory sex education is an invasion of her privacy.
As I stated earlier, there is a great lack of character development in the show. As such, it's hard to delineate the performances of the primary characters as they simply are what they are. The only thing that seems to differentiate them is their degree of bloodlust. The worst of them is willing to kill at the drop of a hat while the best of them comes to realize just how monstrous the group has become.
Roz Parr's Jude is the primary character that gets the most character development. At first, she is keen to get in on the killings and is one of the first to suggest eliminating those who don't adhere to the groupthink. But she is also the one who truly realizes how corrupted they have become through their heinous acts. Parr really shines when the focus isn't on her as her visceral reactions show how appalled and horrified she has become as the murders get easier, but the "crimes" justifying them get significantly minor.
Chris Scott does exemplary work with Norman Arbuthnot. A conservative pundit in the vein of Tucker Carlson or Sean Hannity, Scott's Arbuthnot is used primarily in interstitials promulgating more and more outlandish bilge until a chance meeting leads to him having dinner with the students where he seems to be a much more reasonable person. He freely admits that a lot of what he says is just schtick to get attention onto a subject he cares about and almost convinces the students that there is room for differing opinions. But just when he has you convinced he's decent, he pulls an act that shows he fully buys his own hype which Scott handles with smarmy aplomb.
Sarah Kolcke has designed a very warm and welcoming home with a comfortable living room and kitchen which serves as a stellar counterpoint to its cold occupants. Joey Lorincz should win an award for these lights especially with the lightning, the use of shadow, and use of spotlights on silent actors. Daena Schweiger does some nifty A/V work with the use of the intros for the shows of several conservative pundits as well as her original creation of an intro for Arbuthnot's show. Connie Lee's costumes are natural and suitable to the characters.
Act I felt pretty rough and almost like a rehearsal. Cue pickups were very loose and the acting in the aftermath of the first death lacked a needed shock and intensity. In Act II, the conversations felt a lot more natural and in tune with the ever-increasing stakes of the situations.
In the end this show takes a pretty absurdist look at the dangers of extreme political thought, but it also points out the very real threat posed by those who close their minds instead of truly opening up to discuss and debate our differences in order to reach a place of true understanding.
The Last Supper plays at Bellevue Little Theatre under SNAP!'s auspices through July 24. Showtimes are 7:30pm Thursday and Friday and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased at the BLT Box Office or by visiting www.snapproductions.com. Due to strong language and mature subject matter, this show is not suitable for children. Bellevue Little Theatre is located at 203 W Mission St in Bellevue, NE.
Tagged Arsenic and Old Lace, Bellevue, Bellevue Little Theatre, Dan Rosen, groupthink, murder, Nebraska, Sean Hannity, SNAP! Productions, The Last Supper, Tucker Carlson
Seasons of the Valli
Four guys singing under a streetlamp become one of the most iconic pop groups of all time. This is Jersey Boys and it is playing at Great Plains Theatre.
The story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons has got it all. Pathos, greed, temptation, petty jealousies, the triumph of the underdog, the terrible price of success, and so much more.
And it's all true.
It's a fascinating story especially as it's told from the point of view of each band member, all of whom have their own slant on the events of their career. It's also an incredible case study on super success as two handled it gracefully, one walked away from the pressure, and another caved to its excesses. Combine it with the excellent pop tunes and you've got the makings for an incredible night of theatre.
Mitchell Aiello understands the many complexities of the script and his direction reflects that understanding. This is a hard show to direct because, in a sense, the show tells 4 separate stories and the director has to make certain each tale gets the proper weight and focus and that becomes trickier when the stories start to intersect. Aiello handles this task admirably as his four leads get ample opportunity to shine. He also has done some terrific staging with some of my favorite moments being when the lights fade out on the Seasons as they fall away from the group. Aiello also has coached his actors to a rock-solid set of performances.
Some wonderful performances in the supporting cast come from Braden Cray Andrew who adds just the right element of peculiarity to Bob Crewe, the eccentric, but talented, producer and lyricist who let astrology guide his business decisions. Madelynn Washburn gives a fierce performance as the tough as nails Mary Delgado, Valli's first wife and then flips that ferocity on its head with a turn as the airheaded lead singer of the Angels. Washburn's vocals match her fiery Delgado especially with her lead on "My Boyfriend's Back". Annika Andersson finds some deep layers in the small role of Lorraine, a reporter who has a relationship with Valli, but isn't wiling to share him with his career or family.
Matthew Ruehlman is a true con artist as Tommy DeVito. Ruehlman's DeVito has a certain likability crucial to a good con man, but he can be a real prick, too, as he writes checks his butt can't cash and rubs the other Seasons the wrong way. Ruehlman also brings a good sense of vanity to DeVito who thinks he's the leader of the group (he's not), but melds it with a tremendous force of will which arguably did hold the group together until they hit it big. Ruehlman also brings some pathos to DeVito when his love of the high life and get rich quick schemes nearly sink the group at its zenith as well as endanger his continued well-being.
I was extremely impressed with the depth Bobby Guenther brought to the role of Nick Massi. At one point, Massi compares himself to Ringo Starr, but George Harrison is the more apt comparison as Massi is the quiet Season. Guenther's Massi was content to go with the flow until the pressures of success and DeVito's irresponsible behavior cause him to crack. His breakdown was honest and true and you could feel his regret at the way he let stardom blow his family life to smithereens. Guenther also has a big, beautiful bass voice who served as the foundation of the Seasons' harmonies.
I really enjoyed Clayton Sallee's take on Bob Gaudio. Sallee plays the legendary songwriter with an ironclad sense of confidence with just the slightest sprinkling of ego. Gaudio's music was a big part of the equation in the success of the Four Seasons, but he never lords it over the others even though he argues, and pretty strongly, that "they couldn't have done it without him". Sallee well communicates Gaudio's knowledge of the music business with his negotiations with DeVito and his business dealings with Valli. Sallee also an angelic tenor and knocks it out of the park with "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)".
This being my second go-around reviewing this musical, I'm starting to come to the conclusion that the role of Frankie Valli has to be one of the most difficult to cast in theatre as talent isn't enough. You also need an actor of a certain physicality who can emulate Valli's singular vibrato falsetto and tenor. Luckily, this show has the talents of Bear Manescalchi who fits the role to a T.
Manescalchi lays out a beautiful arc for Valli starting with him as a shy, hesitant teenager smoothing out the rough edges on his singing and evolving him into the strong, confident leader of the Seasons and mimics that falsetto and tenor to perfection from "Sherry" to "Rag Doll" to "Dawn" and all the rest. Manescalchi brings some raw emotional power to the role and knows how to act through a song with renditions of "My Eyes Adored You" and "Fallen Angel" that made me want to burst into tears. Manescalchi can act up a storm away from a song with his smoldering fury and frustration with DeVito and his personal collapse upon learning of the death of his youngest daughter being particular treats.
Mitchell Aiello's choreography is right on the mark. This show isn't known for big, flashy numbers though he gets some boppin' in with "Short Shorts" and the curtain call reprise of "December, 1963". Rather it just needs well-coordinated, simple moves as the singers perform and he does that in spades. Aiello has also designed a simple set of risers and crisscrossed slats to create the world of this show. Kent Buess' lights add fantastic detail and are highly emotional with a tragic blue for sadder moments, red for angrier moments, and a sunset purple for passionate moments. He also has a good use for shadow as he brings the lights down on each Season as he leaves the group and also leaves the replacements (at least initially) in the shadows to emphasize the star that is Frankie Valli. Becky Dibben's costumes fill the bill with the trademark colorful suits of the Seasons as well as the period correct clothing of the cast as the show evolves from the 60s to 2000s. Donna Rendely Peeler's musical direction is spectacular. The harmonies are gorgeous, the solos are heavenly, and never is a sour note sung.
The performers definitely needed to tighten the cue pickups both internally and in dialogue to help boost the energy and some moments of violence and horseplay need some smoothing out to be a bit more realistic. I'd also like to see this show again with a more demonstrative crowd as the quiet crowd of this performance wasn't giving the cast enough energy to feed upon and that high octane flow between cast and audience is essential for a production such as this one.
That being said, this show is still another feather in the cap of Great Plains Theatre and you should get a ticket to see it. And don't be shy. Be big. Be boisterous. Let it all hang loose because this cast is going to give you a show to remember.
Jersey Boys plays at Great Plains Theatre through July 31. Showtimes are 2pm on Wed, Sat, and Sun and 7:30pm Thurs-Sat. Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased at the Box Office, visiting www.greatplainstheatre.com, or calling 785-263-4574. Parental discretion is advised due to some strong language. Great Plains Theatre is located at 215 N Campbell St in Abilene, KS.
Tagged Abilene, Bob Gaudio, Dawn, December 1963 (Oh What a Night), Fallen Angel, Frankie Valli, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, George Harrison, Great Plains Theatre, Kansas, My Boyfriend's Back, My Eyes Adored You, Nick Massi, Rag Doll, Ringo Starr, Sherry, The Beatles, The Four Seasons, Tommy DeVito
Something's Rotten, But it Sure Ain't this Show
Nick Bottom is determined to write a hit play and best his hated rival, William Shakespeare. Saddled with debt and with a child on the way, Bottom consults a soothsayer to dip into the future and decides to create the world's first musical and steal Shakespeare's greatest idea to create his magnum opus, Omlette. This is Something Rotten! and it is currently playing at Ralston Community Theatre.
Let me get this out of the way first: not only is this the new best musical I've seen mounted on an Omaha stage, it's now also one of my personal top five shows. If you love musicals, you're going to love this show. If you HATE musicals, you will still love this show because it points out that genre's inherent absurdities and plays them up to the fullest especially with the musical in the musical.
Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell came up with something truly unique with this show. It's historical, anachronistic, parodic, and even brings in some literary theory concerning the authorship of Shakespeare's plays. Throw in a score by Wayne & Karey Kirkpatrick that not only lifts elements from all types of musicals, but includes a showstopping number that includes a mash-up of some of the biggest musicals ever written and you've got the elements for a heckuva good time.
Todd Uhrmacher gets this show and his sparkling direction reflects that. This show goes in a lot of different directions and Uhrmacher knows when to be serious and when to be silly. His staging is top notch. The pace is lightning quick. The characterizations are sublime and the cue pickups were right on the button.
The ensemble did a very good job of breathing life into this world and there were some incredible standouts in the supporting cast. Chloe Rosman brings the comedy stylings of Kate Micucci along with an angelic soprano in her rendition of Portia. Jenna McKain is the rock of her family as Bea Bottom and can really belt out a tune, burning brightly with "Right Hand Man". But I specifically want to shine a spotlight on Jon Flower who gave his best performance to date with his take on Nostradamus. Flower was not only hysterical, but I think the operatic world lost a potential star with that magnificent tenor and he just soars in "A Musical".
David Ebke is pitch perfect as William Shakespeare. Ebke brings a Johnny Depp/rock star vibe to the role and is arrogant, oozes sex appeal, and wallows in the excesses of celebrity. Ebke's Shakespeare admits the work it takes to get famous isn't as fun as the being famous part and it's implied he uses a few shortcuts to retain that fame and fortune. Ebke also possesses a dynamic tenor and made the ladies swoon with "Will Power".
The role of Nigel Bottom seems to be tailor made for Kyle Avery. Avery is utterly natural and perfectly believable as the gentle, soft-spoken poet & writer. His gentle tenor can either tug your heartstrings or fill you with the warm fuzzies and has two hallmark turns with the romantic "I Love the Way" and the moving "To Thine Own Self Be True". However, he does need to be careful not to go overboard with the pitch on his speaking voice in some of his more lamentable moments.
Steve Krambeck adds some serious layers to the role of Nick Bottom. Bottom is a pretty conflicted guy. He's a decent sort, but his jealousy of Shakespeare's success and his desperation to dig himself out of a financial and creative hole compel him to act recklessly and behave childishly. Krambeck admirably balances and reflects Bottom's many sides and adds his own mighty tenor with turns in "Bottom's Going to Be on Top" and "God, I Hate Shakespeare".
Chris Ebke and his orchestra show some impressive versatility with their handling of the highly varied score. Debbie Massy-Schneweis has supplied the best piece of choreography I've seen in a local production. This show has big numbers and Massy-Schneweis rises to the occasion with some of my favorite numbers being "A Musical" and "Make an Omlette". The production was fortunate to have the skills of Joey Lorincz as he designed yet another stellar set with the Renaissance building cutouts and utilizing a screen which projected illustrations of London Bridge, streets, and parks to indicate locale changes. His lights always add something special such as tight spotlights on intimate numbers and his going to town with colors in "A Musical". Leah Skorupa-Mezger's costumes suit the Renaissance period with the poofy pants, the colorful jerkins, the period correct dresses, and an elaborate scene with dancing eggs and omlettes.
Some of the dancing needed to be a bit cleaner and relaxed and a few bits of dialogue weren't picked up by the mikes, but that did little to stop the avalanche of awesomeness that was this show.
If you're looking for some fun and are a fan of theatre or even an opponent of musicals, then this is the show to see. It's the best thing going this summer.
Something Rotten! plays at the Ralston Performing Arts Center in Ralston High School under the auspices of Ralston Community Theatre through July 24. Showtimes are Fri-Sat at 7:30pm and Sun at 2pm. Tickets cost $23 and can be purchased at the Box Office, calling 402-898-3545, or visiting www.ralstoncommunitytheatre.org. Parental discretion is advised for this production. Ralston Community Theatre is located at 8969 Park Dr in Ralston, NE.
Tagged comedy, Hamlet, musical, Nebraska, Nick Bottom, Nostradamus, Ralston, Ralston Community Theatre, Ralston High School, Ralston Performing Arts Centre, Renaissance, Something Rotten!, sonnets, The Bard, William Shakespeare
A Most Unwelcome Pest. Err. . .Guest
Willum Cubbert is dealing with quite a bit of frustration in his life. His creativity is being whittled down to blah by a dull client. The woman he loves is moving to D.C. to be a weather girl. On the upside, he's about to meet the man who saved his life in Vietnam. But, when he arrives, Willum discovers he's a creature beyond terror. He's. . .He's. . .The Nerd!!!! And it's currently playing at Maples Repertory Theatre.
The plays of Larry Shue are enjoyable in every conceivable aspect (reading, performing, watching, and directing) and The Nerd is one of his finest and best known. Shue not only had a great gift for wordplay, but he also had a flair for the ridiculous and a penchant for creating a title character who takes absurdity to the zenith. As such, his farces are a rich source of fodder for directors and performers.
For a play of this type, I can think of no better director than Peter Reynolds who has a positive bent towards handling this kind of material. Once again, he rises to the occasion with his direction of this piece. Not only has Reynolds guided his actors to superior performances, but he knows how to get his thespians to mobilize the frenetic words so that they not only sound funny, but believable, no matter how outrageous the situation. Reynolds also knows how to craft bits so funny with timing so smooth and coordinated that you'll laugh until your ribs ache.
Splendid supporting performances were supplied by Holden White who's an obnoxious brat as Thor Waldgrave. Sandia Ahlers is darling as the meek Celia Waldgrave whose repressed anger manifests in the destruction of breakable objects. Trevor Belt is the blustering, unimaginative hotel magnate. Kimberly Braun is a unique blend of supportive friend and proponent of women's lib as Tansy McGinnis.
Michael Perrie, Jr. darn near steals the show as Axel Hammond. Perrie is perfect for the role and just glows as the cynical theatre critic. His witty asides are so extemporaneous that I wondered if some of them were improvised. Perrie is also a great deal of fun to watch as he always finds bits of business that keep him involved in the scene, but enhance the primary action as opposed to drawing attention away from it. He's also great at the absurd parts of farce and his chant at the play's climax is one of the show's hallmark moments.
Nick Ferrucci is the consummate everyman as Willum Cubbert. Cubbert epitomizes most of Shue's leads: a nice guy who has difficulty standing up for himself and going for what he wants until an outside force galvanizes him. Ferrucci is completely believable as the kind-hearted architect, but his life spirals out of control when he finally meets his nerdy pen pal who once saved his life. Ferrucci skillfully walks that line of a man trying to maintain his gratitude while simultaneously losing his mind. His meltdowns are hilarious especially when he practices speeches throwing out his pesty acquaintance and has a knack for farcical improv with his machinations to get Steadman out the door.
And the source of all this turmoil is Rick Steadman, brilliantly essayed by Andy Harvey. Anything you can think of when you hear the word "nerd" is embodied in Harvey's take. Steadman has a nasally, adenoidal voice. His dress sense is godawful. He's completely oblivious to social cues. He has weird hobbies like adapting songs for tambourine. He's also good-hearted and well-meaning, but he has the Sadim (read that backwards) touch as everything he touches turns to blech. Harvey doesn't chew the scenery. He devours it and has a grand time doing so and brings you along for the ride.
Dana Weintraub has designed a comfortable apartment for the level-headed Cubbert and the properties of Eliot Curtis give it that homey atmosphere (bonus points for digging up the Fry Guy on the bookcase to give the place that 80s feel). Jack Smith's costumes suit the personalities of the various characters from the suits of the urbane Axel and business minded Walgrave to Steadman's rainbow-colored suspenders and ill-fitting clothes to the smart dresses of Tansy.
This show is pure escapism. Grab a ticket and laugh yourself into a happy place. It'll cure what ails you.
The Nerd plays at Maples Repertory Theatre through July 31. Showtimes are 7:30pm on July 16, 22, and 30 and 2pm on July 12, 17, 22, 26-27, and 31. Tickets cost $33 for the Main Floor and $26 for the balcony and can be obtained at the Box Office or by visiting www.maplesrep.com or calling 660-385-2924. Maples Repertory Theatre is located at 102 N Rubey St in Macon, MO.
Tagged comedy, farce, Fry Guy, Indiana, Larry Shue, Macon, Maples Repertory Theatre, McDonald's, meteorology, Missouri, Terra Haute, The Nerd, Vietnam, Vietnam War
July 9, 2022 by Chris Elston
A cruel sociopath slowly drives his wife insane and her only hope for escape lies in an eccentric detective obsessed with solving an open case from early in his career. This is Angel Street and it is currently playing at Brownville Village Theatre.
I had heard of this story under its more famous name of Gaslight, but this was my first time seeing it in any medium and I had really been missing out on something special. Patrick Hamilton wrote a tight, taut thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. Hamilton has a grand gift for words and knows how to use them to build mood, tension, intrigue, and emotion. This play is completely dialogue driven, but Hamilton's skill in plotting had me feeling as if I had run a marathon by the time it was all said and done.
Now a play needs more than good words to sell it. It also needs fantastic acting and direction to unlock the full potential of those words and this play has all of that and so much more.
Mitch Bean's direction is spot on. He understands the many twists and turns of the play's mazelike plot and knows how to build and resolve the play's many intense scenes. Some of his finest moments were the final confrontations between Mr. Manningham and Detective Rough and Mr. and Mrs. Manningham. The Manningham/Rough scene is particularly gripping and is the verbal equivalent of a savage fistfight with the way the two men continue circling each other and fling words at each other like knives. Bean has also coached his entire cast to sterling performances with nary a weak link among them.
Bella Walker and Lucy Haarmann are very strong in the smaller roles of household servants. As Elizabeth, Haarmann is very loyal to her mistress and is actually the character that first leads Mrs. Manningham to her first steps on her road to freedom. Walker is very smug and saucy as Nancy, a servant who acts like and has ambitions to be the mistress of the house.
I have to admit that when I first saw Benjamin Salazar, I thought he was a little young for the role of Mr. Manningham, but, the second he opened his mouth, I completely bought into the illusion. Salazar has a rich and powerful voice that belies his youth and is suited for the evil Manningham. And, believe me, evil is defined by this man. Though he has the manners of a gentleman, Manningham is a cruel, vicious monster. Salazar knows how to use Manningham's words like a weapon as he constantly pummels his wife emotionally and even teases her with occasional bursts of kindness. Salazar plays Manningham with an uber controlled menace and his ramrod posture makes Manningham seem like a cocked gun threatening to go off at any moment. And that control is crucial as it makes his explosive moments of anger and violence truly frightening as the play surges to its conclusion.
Trevor Comstock is a delight as Detective Rough. Comstock's take on Rough reminded me of Jim Hutton's interpretation of the fictional detective, Ellery Queen, as he seemed to be a bit of an absent-minded genius. He clearly listens to Mrs. Manningham as he questions her about her current situation and husband, but his eyes show that he's thinking ten steps ahead which make his replies seem cryptic, yet they're not. Comstock brings an indefatigable energy to the character as he warps about the room and you can practically taste his excitement in finally closing the lone open case of his career. Comstock also brings the commanding presence needed to both buoy Mrs. Manningham and cow the steely Mr. Manningham.
Rachel Curtiss brings her all to the role of Mrs. Manningham. This is not an easy role to play due to the massive emotional shifts of the character, but Curtiss nails it to the floor. Curtiss does a good job of vacillating between being nearly broken emotionally and mentally, to a brief burst of happiness, to the wonderment of Rough's story, to a little gaslighting of her own when she confronts her brute of a husband. Curtiss' body language is phenomenal as she seems like a spring that has been wound too tight and seems apt to break at any moment.
Mitch Bean has designed a fine upper middle-class house with well to do furniture such as a desk and secretary with fine china. Sara Scheidies' costumes suit the period of the time especially with the Victorian dress of Mrs. Manningham and the elegant wear and ascots of Mr. Manningham. Trevor Comstock's usage of lights is one of the best I've seen in a show as he uses it to set mood, particularly with the gaslights as the room darkens and lights based on the flow of gas. Benjamin Salazar's sounds help to enhance the action with the sounds of footsteps being a favorite of mine.
This is a truly intense and gripping night of theatre and I highly recommend seeing it and bringing a friend or loved one to get you through the spooky moments. While this may be my first visit to Brownville Village Theatre, I can guarantee it won't be my last.
Angel Street plays at Brownville Village Theatre through August 12. Showtimes are 7:30pm on July 16 and 24, and August 4 and 12 and 2pm on July 23 and 31 and August 7. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased at the Box Office, visiting www.brownvillevillagetheatre.com, or calling 402-825-4121. Due to intense scenes and subject matter, this show is not suitable for children. Brownville Village Theatre is located at 222 Water Street in Brownville, NE.
Tagged Angel Street, Angela Lansbury, Brownville, Brownville Village Theatre, Charles Boyer, domestic abuse, drama, Ellery Queen, Gaslight, gaslighting, Ingrid Bergman, insanity, Jim Hutton, Joseph Cotten, mystery, Nebraska, thriller
The Fourth in Wausau (But First in Class): Stewart Inn & Wausau,WI
Stewart Inn
Today the road has brought me to Wausau, WI.
After 4 months, I was more than ready for a relaxing return to the road. I'm currently in the midst of my regional play reviewing season, but my Fourth of July weekend was open so I decided it was time to partake in my 70th B & B review. My choice: Stewart Inn, owned and operated by Randy and Sara Bangs.
I couldn't have asked for a better road trip. I had to deal with a little rain, but also got to enjoy lunch with my best friend, Josh, when I made a brief stop in Fort Dodge, IA. I had a peaceful layover with a comfortable suite at the Holiday Inn Express in Albert Lea, MN and then took a more scenic and circuitous (by 15 minutes) route to Wausau.
Mid-afternoon on Saturday found me in Wausau and I soon found myself outside the impressive edifice of Stewart Inn. A quick text to Randy gained me entry into the mansion. As the first arriving guest, Randy gave me a thorough tour of the inn and its rooms.
Stewart Inn is designed in the Revival style by George Maher, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright. This is a big house, but it's very wide as opposed to being tall. It has the biggest commons area of any inn I've visited with a mammoth living room area, a library where one can curl up with a good book while seated in a comfy chair in front of a fire, and a TV room that could seat 6 people.
Architectually speaking, everything in the house is original: the wood, the fixtures, the fireplaces. The furniture is not, though some of it is period. After showing me around, Randy brought me to the Foster Room which would serve as my home away from home for a few days.
The Foster Room is very intimate with a working fireplace, a cozy chair, a small library, a desk, a queen-sized bed, and a TV mounted in the far wall. Stewart Inn actually has a pillow menu, but the soft, squishy pillows set on my bed fit the bill just fine.
Each room of the inn contains two unique amenities: a steam spa shower and an Amazon Echo Show. The Echo Show is voice activated with Alexa and you can get weather reports or enjoy some music. The steam spa shower lets you turn the shower into a steam bath.
It was a perfect day (perfect weekend, for the most part) with very comfortable temperatures and very little humidity. So I decided to walk to church to worship at Church of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. At least, that was the plan.
When I arrived, I was puzzled that no cars were in the parking lot and I found the doors locked (a fact that saddened me as, once upon a time, churches were unlocked all the time). Someone connected with the church appeared and asked me if I needed help and I befuddledly answered that I was hoping to attend the 4pm service. The helpful stranger told me that the 4pm service was at St Michael which I would never make.
As I walked back to the inn, I pulled up the church's website and there it was: 4pm service. Then I read the rest of the line "at St Michael". It turns out the website was for all the Catholic churches in Wausau and not just Resurrection.
So I enjoyed a leisurely walk around the neighborhood and downtown area before returning to the inn where I worshipped via a streaming service performed by Fr. Jack Sheaffer.
As it happens, Wausau is the hometown of my brother-in-law, Scott, and his mother, Pam, suggested I have a meal at the Pinewood Supper Club. So I made a reservation.
Pinewood Supper Club
If you want to enjoy fine dining, I recommend giving this club a try. It's located by Half Moon Lake so you can dine with a view of the water. It also has a well-stocked bar for those who would like to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. I was seated by the window where I enjoyed viewing the lake while noshing on a relish tray.
My dinner consisted of a salad with a dill ranch dressing and a main entrée of Blackened Salmon Oscar served with jasmine rice, fruit salsa, and grilled asparagus. The salmon was exquisite and I spent over an hour savoring the meal and even indulged in a post-dinner cordial of a grasshopper.
I drove back to the inn and took in another constitutional before retiring to my room for the night.
I awoke from a great night's sleep and made use of the steam shower (very relaxing) before heading downstairs for some breakfast.
Down in the commons, I met Jodi and Brian with whom I enjoyed some conversation during the meal. Randy had promised some really great coffee. Now I don't drink the stuff, but Jodi does and the self-professed "coffee snob" said it was really great coffee: very dark and rich. So consider that a recommendation from a connoisseur.
Breakfast was served in 3 courses. The first was a tasty yogurt served with grain-free granola. The second was fresh strawberries from the Farmer's Market with homemade whipped cream. The final was biscuits and gravy. All of it was wonderful and I truly appreciated the portion sizes as they didn't leave you feeling stuffed to the gills.
If you're into nature and outdoor activities, Wausau has a number of parks and is famed for skiing. Given that it was summer, I decided to visit the Monk Botanical Gardens.
I was somewhat disappointed by the gardens simply because nothing seemed to be in bloom. However, I did enjoy walking the trails and got to play around with a flower kaleidoscope.
I returned to Stewart Inn where I took a longer walk around the downtown area where I looked at the famed Grand Theater and the 400 Block which is an outside concert venue that plays host to many summertime concerts.
Grand Theater
The 400 Block
Sweets on 3rd
It started to mist a bit as I walked back towards the inn so I ducked into Sweets on 3rd where I nibbled a cup of Ultimate Oreo ice cream while I waited for the weather to clear up. Once it did, I returned to the inn where I organized photos and then headed out for a tour of Yawkey House.
Yawkey House Museum
Yawkey House was the home of Cyrus and Lisa Yawkey. Cyrus was a lumber baron and had the house started in 1899 and it was completed in 1901 at a cost of $35K ($1,000,000 in today's numbers). Six years later, Cyrus had the house completely remodeled to keep up with the Joneses due to the popularity of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright whose revolutionary designs made Yawkey House's original design seem passe.
Cyrus was part of what was known as the Wausau Group. They were a group of powerful businessmen who pooled their resources to bring a massive economic boost to Wausau (known as Big Bull Falls at the time). So massive was Wausau's growth as a result of their efforts that Wausau nearly took over as the state capital.
Yawkey House is definitely worth a tour, especially at the low cost of $7. The house has had some restoration, but the woodwork is all original (most of which is no longer commercially available) as is most of the furniture.
After my tour, I came back to Stewart Inn where I did some prep work on the article until dinnertime.
And my evening meal was eaten at Milwaukee Burger Company. Now I rarely partake of a truly junky meal, but allowed myself to do so on this night. I tried a Spicy Curd Burger with a side of chili cheese fries. Everything about this burger screamed spice. Aside from the two pieces of spicy curd, the burger also brings the heat with a spicy chipotle spread and jalapeno infused bacon. The burger was nice and juicy and it definitely had a lingering heat as I very nearly broke out into a sweat. The service wasn't quite up to snuff and that's even making allowances for the Great Resignation.
Milwaukee Burger Company
Spicy Curd Burger with Chili Cheese Fries
After dinner it was back to the inn to begin writing and just relaxing for the night.
Breakfast the next morning consisted of a delightful Almond Joy Crustini, cantaloupe, and polenta with chicken sausage. Conversation ran the gamut from music, to pets, to fitness, to employment. As we left the table, Randy gifted us with discount coupons for stays at Inns of Choice (11 best B & Bs in WI), future stays at Stewart Inn, and a last one for any B & B in WI.
Polenta with chicken sausage
Almond Joy Crustini
A very wonderful and relaxing inn experience and I was sorry to see it end. But if you find yourself, up Wausau's way, take in a night or two at Stewart Inn. It's a haven.
Have a fun Fourth and, until the next time. . .happy travels.
Tagged 400 Block, Albert Lea, Big Bull Falls, Church of the Ressurection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Cyrus Yawkey, Fort Dodge, Grand Theater, Half Moon Lake, Iowa, Lisa Richardson Yawkey, Milwaukee Burger Company, Minnesota, Monk Botanical Gardens, Pinewood Supper Club, Stewart Inn, Sweets on 3rd, Wasau, Wasau Group, Wisconsin, Yawkey House Museum

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Delete global variable from function Code
role = 'admin'

def f():
    del role

if role == 'admin':
    f()
else:
    pass

Output
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Hari\PycharmProjects\Card_Prj\ch.py", line 6, in <module>
    f()
  File "C:\Users\Hari\PycharmProjects\Card_Prj\ch.py", line 3, in f
    del role
UnboundLocalError: local variable 'role' referenced before assignment

If a role called admin exists then it should delete the variable role otherwise it should do nothing, that is what the code is doing.
I have tried different ways of executing this code but failed to do so.
Any help is highly appreciated!!!

A: I would suggest you refer to some Docs to understand how Global and Local Variable work but if you want to make it work, here is the required code:
role = 'admin'

def f():
    global role
    del role

if role == 'admin':
    f()
else:
    pass

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Yemi Osinbajo - why Nigeria's favourite leader won't become president, yet
By Ishaq Khalid BBC Africa, Abuja
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-45206970
Image caption Yemi Osinbajo and his wife Dolapo are both Christian pastors
Yemi Osinbajo is basking in the love of many Nigerians at the moment - not a common experience for politicians in this country where they are generally held in low esteem.
The vice-president has been praised for the decisive - and dramatic - actions he has taken while standing in for Muhammadu Buhari during the president's recent 10-day holiday.
The dynamism of the sprightly 61-year-old have been contrasted to the ponderous nature of Mr Buhari, 75, who has been nicknamed "Baba-Go-Slow".
However, as a southerner he is unlikely to be able to stand in next year's presidential elections, due to the country's tradition of alternating power between the mainly Muslim north and largely Christian south.
'Police torture and killings'
Mr Osinbajo's most recent intervention was to order the overhaul of the police's notorious anti-robbery squad, known as Sars, and ask the country's Human Rights Commission to investigate the numerous allegations of abuses committed by the unit.
For more than a year President Buhari has been under pressure to take action against Sars, as stories were shared on social media about extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and extortion allegedly committed by its officers.
An #EndSars campaign was launched amid calls for the squad to be disbanded.
Mr Osinbajo said he was moved to act because of the "persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) that border on allegations of human rights violation".
He did not disband the unit but said it would get a new commissioner, be intelligence-driven and its mandate restricted to combating armed robbery and kidnappings.
Members of the squad would also have to wear proper identification while on duty.
Nigerians on Twitter celebrated - and many just seemed relieved to have an efficient politician getting things done.
The previous week, he took the huge step of sacking the controversial head of Nigeria's spy agency after a siege of parliament by men in masks, who turned out to be operatives from the Nigerian equivalent of the FBI.
It was a mysterious affair - and the reasons for the Department of State Security's (DSS) invasion of parliament are still murky, though it is thought to be linked to political machinations ahead of elections next year.
Nonetheless DSS boss Lawal Musa Daura has long been seen as one of the officials denting the government's reputation because of the agency's alleged excesses.
Image caption Yemi Osinbajo said the siege of parliament was a violation of "all accepted notions of law and order"
Critics have long wondered why President Buhari, who appointed him, has failed to take action against Mr Daura.
By contrast Mr Osinbajo did not delay. He took the figurative bull by the horns, calling Mr Daura's actions "unacceptable" and "a gross violation of constitutional order, rule of law and all accepted notions of law and order".
Pulse of public opinion
A former law professor, the vice-president comes across as quiet, unassuming and hardworking.
But he is an eloquent and jovial person, who is usually seen with a smile on his face.
Image caption Yemi Osinbajo has the human touch - here comforting one of the Chibok girls after her release by Boko Haram insurgents
He was the state commissioner of justice in Lagos between 1999 and 2007, where he passed several reforms including a body tasked with protecting citizen's rights.
He was also the pastor in charge of the city's Redeemed Christian Church of God.
He has been vice-president since 2015, when Mr Buhari overcame the odds to defeat the incumbent Goodluck Jonathan.
Last year when Mr Buhari went on medical leave, his deputy took some far-reaching economic measures to prop up the country's currency, the naira.
There was a scarcity of US dollars at the time, which is needed by importers.
More on Buhari's presidency:
Heroes and villains of Nigeria's parliament siege
Can Buhari survive after dramatic defections?
So he asked the Central Bank to inject millions of dollars into the market to help stabilise the naira on the foreign-exchange market.
Reviving the economy was one of Mr Buhari's main campaign pledges but he has failed to pass many of the reforms which economists say are needed.
Mr Osinbajo never tries to hog the limelight - and maintains that he does not take any decision without first consulting his boss and getting his approval.
Nevertheless his leadership style is winning him fans as he seems to feel the pulse of public opinion.
Selfish aides
Some suggest one reason for this dexterity is that with fewer powerful aides, he can act independently.
On the other hand, President Buhari, finds it very difficult to punish his erring government officials or make rapid institutional reforms.
Some observers say it is unfair to compare the two - stepping in for a few weeks or even months is just not the same as running a country full time.
Nigeria, Africa's most-populous nation, is a complex place and balancing competing political, ethnic, religious and regional interests in a federal state can be difficult.
While many Nigerians do not doubt Mr Buhari's integrity and ambition to solve the country's myriad problems, they say he is surrounded by selfish aides who do not put the interest of the country first.
The health problems he experienced last year are also believed to have hampered his agility and general performance, although he seems much improved recently.
Despite the criticism of the pace of his decision-making, Mr Buhari has been praised for his dogged fight against corruption, tackling the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency and his attempts to diversify the economy.
Nigeria is only months away from elections - and it has left some wondering what it would be like to have Mr Osinbajo permanently in the top job.
But there is no immediate prospect of this happening - and Mr Osinbajo has never spoken of having presidential ambitions.
Image caption President Muhammadu Buhari (r) and his deputy Yemi Osinbajo form a united front
Mr Buhari has already indicated his ambition to seek re-election in February - with his loyal deputy once more his running mate and unlikely to challenge him.
There is also Nigeria's informal policy of rotating the presidency - after two terms - between the mainly Muslim north and the largely Christian south to consider.
Mr Buhari, a northerner, is just completing his first term. Mr Osinbajo, a southerner who was born in the mega city of Lagos, would therefore be an unlikely presidential choice for the governing All Progressive Congress (APC) party.
And there is of course, the possibility of an opposition victory which would further remove him from the corridors of power.
While it is unlikely that Mr Osinbajo will be Nigeria's full-time leader any time soon, he is young enough to bide his time until the next poll in 2023, when it might be the turn of a southerner to lead the country.
Letter from Africa: Heroes and villains of Nigeria's parliament siege
Letter from Africa: How bruised is President Buhari by defections?
Around the BBC
Africa Today podcasts


Look before you. What do you see? Revealing itself now is the awareness, application, and gift of the energy of welcoming. Most welcoming is energy and a presence that lovingly comes forward and ignites itself as a remembrance and a beginning.
Within the experience of this world of vast illusion, whenever a remembrance reveals itself, so does the invitation to initiate a cycle of beginning. This is simply because you have chosen a specific experience of form that carries with it the molecular support of the energy of cycles.
Through the mind of density, you might ask, "What does this mean to me?" This is a powerful and purposeful question, and the answers are many yet one. Let us come forward now and share this with greater clarity and presence.


Look for a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program near me in Ashtabula, OH.
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Step one to helping someone is to find the best drug and alcohol rehab facility in Ashtabula, OH. for them. The very best drug and alcohol rehab facilities in Ashtabula, OH. allow a person to stay in a treatment environment where they obviously won't get access to drugs, nor will they be around anything that may impede their process of recovery. And since individuals need plenty of time to not only recover physically but in many other ways and set their lives up for long-term abstinence, long-term inpatient and residential alcohol and drug treatment facilities in Ashtabula, Ohio are truly the most beneficial rehabilitation option. Once it has been figured out, speak with an alcohol and drug rehab counselor there who can help get an intervention started right away.
Household and Income Statistics in: Ashtabula, OH.
Lake Area Recovery Center is a Drug and Alcohol Rehab, Outpatient Drug Rehab Program specializing in Dui/Dwi Offenders. This facility accepts Self Payment, Medicaid, Private Insurance, Military Insurance, Sliding Scale Payment, Payment Assistance - located at 2801 C Court Ashtabula, OH. 44004. The phone number is 440-998-0722.
Specialized in Co-Occurring Mental And Substance Abuse Disorders, Criminal Justice Clients, Spanish Speaking. Payment forms accepted: Self Payment, Medicaid, Medicare, Private Insurance, Military Insurance, Sliding Scale Payment, Payment Assistance.
Located at 2801 C Court Ashtabula, OH. 44004. The phone number is 440-998-4210.
Ashtabula County Medical Center is a Hospital Inpatient Drug Rehab that can be reached at 440-997-6530. They specialize in Co-Occurring Mental And Substance Abuse Disorders, Treatment for Seniors, Assistance For Hearing Impaired and accept the following forms of payment: Medicaid, Medicare, Private Insurance, Military Insurance.
They are located at 2420 Lake Avenue Ashtabula, OH. 44004.
Signature Health is an Outpatient Drug Rehab Program specializing in Co-Occurring Mental And Substance Abuse Disorders, Treatment for addicts with Hiv/Aids, Treatments for addicts that are LGBT, Treatment for Seniors, Criminal Justice Clients, Assistance For Hearing Impaired, Spanish Speaking. This facility accepts Self Payment, Medicaid, Medicare, Sliding Scale Payment - located at 4726 Main Avenue Ashtabula, OH. 44004. The phone number is 440-992-8552.


text:
Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update No. 5
Cancellation of Open Water Swimming Events
Update – 1st May 2020
The following update provides Swim Ireland clubs further direction and guidance in relation to the Open Water Season and training considering guidelines from the Irish and UK Governments regarding Covid-19.
Open Water Season
Swim Ireland announces today that all open water races under its jurisdiction originally scheduled to take place between now and the end of July will no longer take place. This decision has not been taken lightly and due consideration has been given to advices from the Irish and UK governments and consultations with the open water community. The situation will be further reviewed for August/September, should restrictions ease, however, events that might be given the go-ahead will only be where they can be delivered in line with all Government and public health advices and diktats and where this might be possible Swim Ireland in consultation with our open water community will issue specific guidance in this regard.
We have written to the HSE seeking advices in relation to the impact of COVID 19 in relation to open water specifically and we are currently considering these advices. At this juncture club training is to remain ceased in line with existing public health measures.
If clubs have queries or concerns, please contact your Club Support Officer who will be able to provide you with assistance.
We continue to monitor the situation very carefully and will issue further advice to our clubs and members as this become available. Please continue to regularly check the Swim Ireland website for further updates and contact Swim Ireland if you have any urgent questions or concerns.


Sweet deals on the Internet can pass by quickly. Without even a moment's notice, the best online sales can end as soon as you find out. Don't miss out with Amazon Search! This small, no-nonsense Windows gadget can be placed anywhere on your desktop, ensuring you can always access one of the world's largest online marketplaces. Quickly search for a deal on nearly anything, simply by typing on this convenient gadget. On its settings menu, configure how large or small you want the gadget to be, and what color scheme it should have. Amazon Search is a great addition to any online deal hunter!


text:
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Visit the site of Montepulciano
Learn more about Montepulciano
Art, culture, and a tradition of fine living
In other words? The highest quality of life, experienced through music, colors, wisdom and tastes
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Montepulciano: Art, culture, and a tradition of fine living
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Chapter #1
The most valuable heritage
Bruscello, the Bravìo barrel race, flag waving, the beating of drums and the songs of soldiers' choirs: these traditions weren't invented to attract tourists, but now visitors come from far and wide specifically to experience them. They join with Montepulciano residents in sharing the mildly paganistic joy of certain piazza rituals. The various events take place in celebration of art, music, eating well and following the relaxed, forgotten pace of ages long past. Traditions are simply a natural part of everyday life here: each generation entrusts them to the next one as they pass the baton.
Area wineries: meccas for wine lovers
With your nose turned toward the sky as you breathe in fresh air, your eyes will hone in on the precious pietre (stones) of the local architecture. But other treasures that are just as valuable are hidden underground. They seem almost like cathedrals with their own sorts of arches, spiers and aisles. These wineries are monuments in their own way, treasured evidence of past culture, and heritage of a community that built itself around wine. Here you'll find an ineffable kind of beauty, with the aromas and flavors of Vino Nobile, the sacred silence of the "sleeping" barrels where the wine ages, and movements that go back to the beginning of time.
Photo by: Dario Pichini
Art within art
Picture this: an enormous stage, larger than the largest of theatres; audience seating against the backdrop of a starry night or a sunny sky; and scenery made up of Renaissance architecture. Montepulciano is a theatre in its own right, with its square at the top of the town, where the air is lighter and you breathe in history at every turn. All theatres create art and bring beautiful music to life; all depict everyday existence on stage. We do the same things, but in places where the audience members are constantly surrounded by beauty on all sides.
Unpaved roads through nature serve as borders
Walking, pedaling, and even breaking a sweat along our unpaved roads, harboring a secret hope of getting lost, is a purifying experience, freeing you from the constraints of modernity. Rather than roads, these are more like nature paths, winding their way through green areas, branching off into the forests and through vineyard rows and olive groves. Some will lead you quite far away, brushing the edge of the Chiana area, or looking out toward the Val d'Orcia, connecting you and your present-day experience with the via Francigena's centuries of history. Others, after winding around a bit, will lead you up a hill, or perhaps down to a wine cellar, or into the outskirts of a town: no matter what, though, they'll always leave you with the delightful sensation of having made a new discovery.
Montepulciano: the most recent click of the clapboard definitely
New Moon told the tale of desperate love between vampires; the Medici court was portrayed by Hollywood stars standing against the backdrop of Piazza Grande; and a "midsummer night's dream" saw screen greats Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer wrestling with Shakespeare's exalted work. These are just three among hundreds of large and small film productions that have chosen and continue to choose Montepulciano as an ideal and completely unique set.
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