Holler At Me - Holler Poets 45 tonight! at Al's Bar

From HollerDaddy Eric Sutherland:

holler 45 lands on Leap Year and promises to be yet another great show!

Sonja de Vries, author of Planting a Garden in Baghdad (Finishing Line Press) travels from Louisville to make her holler debut

Jude Lally returns celebrating the release of his new book I'm Fine, But Thanks for Asking (Accents, 2012).

Providing music will be Huh roBots, from Louisville as well.

Open mic starts at 8pm (one poem, 3 minute limit) with signups beginning at 7pm.

February, Fugues and Funerals

This month has not been kind to me.  February, that mysterious month with only 28 days, except this year, this thing called leap year.  Why so, I wonder?  It's not as if the calendar is leaping anywhere, it seems as if the calendar is falling back a day, it's not leaping over a day...and it's more than that which annoys me about February. It's cold.  It's hot.  Mardi Gras doesn't shiver me timbers anymore, although Ash Wednesday follows and I can go into hibernation for the next 40 days.  


I'm not hatin' on Fat Tuesday, I just don't love it.  I like rum, but Rum, she don't like me, so I am not a fan of drinking Hurricanes until I get sick.  The whole beads-for-boobs thing is so sexist and just stinks of testosterone with an extra y gene or something.  Yeah yeah, have the parade, do what you want, but keep the skanks and lovers of skanks away from me. I'm all meh about all that stuff.  


Thus it's safe to say I'm just not really fond of February...especially this February.  There.  I said it.  

Gotta love her Easter bonnet!  :) 

I realize every single solitary day of our lives has to be taken-to, each day as if it were one of Aunt Bee's pickles: ya just gotta learn to love 'em.  This month, this February has been marked by a series of extraordinary events, and although I've been quiet lately, there comes a time when  I know that I need to vent, unload my heart and talk to you lambchops, or to myself or maybe the Big Guy Upstairs has a PC and follows my blog.  


So when I'm upset, eventually I come here, back to my garden, and talk.  Jesus went to the Garden...and so can I.  Jesus isolated himself and went to pray, to the Garden, alone, while the dew is still on the roses...I love that line of that song... and so I think it's only proper to grieve within myself and not burden others, even though I know it will be halved if I share it with someone.  So yesterday, I was leaving to attend one of the dearest friends I ever had, and I had shared with my bosses that I'd been out of the office a lot lately, and why that had happened...and they both responded with very kind, thoughtful messages.  It brought me to tears to think folks cared about my condition, about the heartache over losing my brother and friend Mayme Hamby.  She was a fine piano player, a wonderful alto, and just gorgeous, inside and out.  She sat next to me for years in the choir until health began to decline. Mayme was a special lady, and I will never meet anyone like her, ever again.  The funny thing at the service that happened to me was that her sister was there, and it was as if I was seeing Mayme herself!  I lost my breath.  It was surreal. I of course went over to her and introduced myself, and she had the same voice, the same look in her eyes as my dear Mayme, sweet as Mayme, too.  Her service was beautiful but I was in bad shape, emotionally, sitting beside my friend and savior Tom Bragg, who Mayme always called "Tim," my last husband's name (lol).  Tom figured out ways to cheer me up afterward and we went to choir last night, and that was healing in and of itself.

Speaking of choir at this time, we are rehearsing all sorts of Kyrie Eleison songs, removing all the fancy music and tables and the cross in the sanctuary, and we simply sing a Kyrie every Sunday throughout Lent, and we sing the Lord's Prayer versus saying it, and the choir also performs an appropriate anthem for the lenten season.  Lent is a time to bare your soul, to look inside yourself and find ways to be more like Jesus of Nazareth.  So back to choir...we're practicing the regular Easter music, but this year have added Mozart's Requiem thanks to a generous gift to the choir. We will have an orchestra, a harpsichord, and Dr. George Zack will be guest conducting us, so we are very excited about the Requiem.  


In this master work of Mozart, there are often fugues, double fugues, and echoing passages, tossing back and forth playfully as only Mozart could do.  The sopranos sing below the altos at times, and the same goes for basses singing above the tenors.  It's fascinating to see how Mozart used the music to paint the text, and every week I discover something new and charming about this piece.  Yes, it is a mass for the dead, but while it is mournful, it is also raging at times, it defines what it is like to be dying.  Singing it and studying it will scare the living daylights out of you, but it will also soothe you at the same time. It will let you get mad, but give you hope.  It is quite simply, a miraculous work of a miraculous composer.  

Marshall and my Pops at the Greenbrier 

I'm especially glad to be singing the Requiem because it is helping me with the grieving process, for my brother, Marshall, who passed away 2 days before another dear one to me, my Mayme, on the 18th of February.  He was just 54, and had been in poor health for years.  I had been estranged from him, for a wound that should have healed a long ago. We were both stubborn and unforgiving in the times, myself when I most needed to forgive, and so it was that he was dying, the family was called to his bedside, and we drove to Boone, North Carolina, to visit him and say goodbye.  I'm so privileged that I had the chance to joke with him and ask him to forgive me for anything I'd ever done or said to hurt him in any way.  He whispered, "wtf?" and looked at me as if I was being silly asking him for forgiveness.  We spent a few hours reminiscing ... mostly me talking since he lost his voice a few years ago, and I pestered him with stories, songs, fed him spoonfuls of water, played the ukulele a little bit -- he kept wanting our other brother Addison to play instead of me, though, and wanted to hear some Led Zeppelin song we later figured out he was saying "Tangerine," and I was happy to let Ad pick away at the uke so I could talk and pray with Marshall some more.  He told me of a fight he'd had with the Devil.  He said it was more than a person, it was a scary, all-encompassing force in the room.  I asked him who won, and he just tried to laugh a little bit.  He said, 'good question.'  He was groggy from the morphine and may have just dreamed he had a fight with Satan, but I thought it important to listen to what he was trying to say. 

I'm just super glad we went to see him, it was the most important journey I ever made...even though we almost didn't get there (thanks to Mapquest) -- we had Tennessee state troopers escort us into North Carolina, then they showed us how to get up the mountain to get to Boone.  Thanks to my sisters and niece, we somehow made it to there and back for the trip to see Marshall ... and he died just a few days after we left. I think he was waiting to see his sisters before leaving this Life.  I believe he is a redeemed and forgiven child of God, and he is now playing golf with Mom and Dad at the Greenbrier in Heaven, perhaps Mayme is playing piano, and the whole place is filled with laughter.  I do believe he will have life everlasting.  The promise is not vain...morn shall tearless be.

If you are still reading all this, well thanks!  It's not a funny or clever blog post, but it is honest.  In this February, I have been heavyhearted because two of the closest souls to me passed away. I have seen the grief in their children's eyes, and have cried myself blind, literally blind because I could not open my swollen eyes.  That's where Mozart's Lacrimosa comes into play -- listening to that, singing it and playing the alto part to it on my ukulele has been so healing for me.  The text reveals the pain of death, and these are all songs that literally confront the grave and all it involves.  The movements of Mozart's Requiem help me cope with the awfulness of thinking that my brother is gone, that my dear sweet Mayme is no longer playing the piano or telling jokes or playing Irish hymns on the church carillon.  I have written an obituary and made calls about plots and times and pastoral care.  I have been the best Kimmy I can be throughout this, but I need strength and courage to face the days to come...and I know that my prayers will be answered.  "I trace the rainbow through the rain."  That is a lyric from O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, one of my favorite hymns, btw. 

Go Big Blue!

So, I will not be sad when Thursday arrives and it is March, the month of spring, the month when my son was born, the month when basketball makes the world go 'round, and the month when Spring arrives with all her pretty Irises and Tulips and the bulbs become flowers...and I can start handicapping in the most amateur way possible the contenders of the greatest of all sporting events, the Kentucky Derby, when the sun shines bright, indeed.


peace,
Kimmy

Bluegrass Opera to Present Dechtenberg's new work: THY WILL BE DONE

The Bluegrass Opera is proud to present the world premiere of the new Easter cantata "Thy Will Be Done" by Lexington composer Angela Rice featuring Metropolitan Opera tenor and UK alum Gregory Turay. Filled with melodies that are at once both infectious and deeply moving, the cantata features text drawn from scripture, including Psalm 23 and The Lord's Prayer, as well as additional lyrics by the composer. Also included on the program will be the world premiere of Rice's "Martyred Maid" for voice and piano (composed in honor of the 600th birthday of Joan of Arc), featuring soprano Lori White. Performances: Sunday March 18, 2pm, Central Christian Church (205 E. Short St.) Wednesday March 21, 7pm, Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary Church (601 Hill N Dale Drive) Cast: Jesus - Gregory Turay Narrators - Sarah Klopfenstein-Wear and Jim Smith Mary - Anabelle Wright-Gatton Mary Magdalene - Joanna Manring Elizabeth - Amanda Balltrip Martha - Dena Sullivan Smith Thomas - Whit Whitaker A Disciple - Kaymon Murrah / Keymon Murrah Ensemble members - Amanda Balltrip, Joanna Manring, Anabelle Wright-Gatton, Alice Jones, Erin Mentzer, Dena Sullivan Smith, Andy Moore, Kaymon Murrah, Keymon Murrah, David Cupps, Robert Fox, Albert Gedney, Whit Whitaker Tickets can be purchased in advance with a credit card at www.bluegrassopera.org, or at the door with cash or check. Advance Ticket Prices: $15 VIP Reserved Seats (only available in advance) $10 general admission $5 kids' tickets (under age 10) General Admission will be $15 at the door (space permitting), so get your tickets early!

LAL: The Drumbeat of Activism

LAL is pleased to present: Rhythm Voices: The Steady Beat of Activism!  An exhibition by Joan Brannon

This multi-media exhibition explores the notion that the pace and intensity of social movement is aligned with the ancient and ancestral source of communication: The Drum.

The Mezzanine Gallery

at the Government Center:

200 East Main Street

Lexington, KY 40507

The Lexington Art League’s programs are made possible through the generous support of LexArts. The annual Campaign for the Arts has raised millions of dollars in support of the visual, literary and performing arts in Lexington.


Through the success of the Campaign, LexArts supports The Lexington Art League with an allocation of $62,000 for general operating support.

LAL thanks the many individuals whose passion for the arts compelled them to give generously of their time and money.

Together these donations helped LexArts raise more than $1 million for the arts community. Special thanks to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and the Kentucky Arts Council for their continued partnership in ensuring a flourishing future for the arts in Lexington and central Kentucky.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports the Lexington Art League with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Dignity Is for Everyone

I went to see Marshall last night and today.  My brother lives in Boone, North Carolina, an isolated place in the hills far from Kentucky.  My sisters Karen and Kelli went with me, and my niece, Susannah.


Seeing my brother in such a weak condition is devastating.  He cannot speak, he lost his voice years ago after an auto accident.  He whispers and it's difficult to understand him, however, he can show expression with his eyes that needs no words.  I know exactly how he feels, what he's thinking and saying just by seeing his reaction.


He is tired.  Tired of people asking him if he is in pain.  Weary of experts telling him what he can and cannot have.  Sick of being sick and depending upon his children to take care of his personal needs.  He does not have an air of resignation, though.  He is fighting and trying to make every moment last.  He realizes how precious life is, and he cannot let go.  When we arrived today, it was hard to recognize him, but as I sat down with him, there was no mistake, this was my brother, who is like no other.

He may be sick, but he is a human being. He is worthy. He is a redeemed and forgiven child of God.  He may not be rich, but he has garnered innumerable friendships in his lifetime.  His children are polite, responsible adults who are not only beautiful on the outside, but their souls are sweet and thoughtful.


Somehow today we convinced his doctor to allow him to have a beer.  The look on his face when I gave him a sip in a cup was sheer delight...he smelled it first...let the aroma linger and enjoyed it in a way I have never quite seen anyone enjoy anything.  To have all your rights taken away from as one does when illness takes its toll on the body is disheartening to say the least.  However, he still knows what he wants, he asks for it no matter how long it takes to convey, and he is thankful for every gesture and assistance.  His sense of humor is still as it always was, the disease has not taken that from him and for that, I am grateful.  

I have cried a lot this week, mourning the loss of the brother of my childhood, of my youth, my adulthood. I will cry more tears, I am sure, and I am so sorry for all the hurt I may have ever caused him in our lifetime.  I had the chance to apologize to him today and to hug him and remind him of the golden moments we spent together as children.  He smiled, he got the joke, he liked the song.  Well, ya can't ask for much more than that, now can ya?  

We do not think about the things we say sometimes, at least I know I don't, not to the degree that I should.  People will never forget how you make them feel; and to make anyone feel less than human, to consider yourself a smarter, richer, better, more talented person than anyone else makes you less than anyone else.  That is what I think, anyway. I am tired myself. I am tired of pretentious people who continue to use their status to prop themselves up and preen on their pedestals.  I have a bad taste in my mouth for those sorts of folks, and just have no desire to be in their company.  If I'm not your equal, if my brother and sister are not your equal, then I will pray for you...because someday, you will be in a bed, dependent upon others to feed you and wipe you clean, and you will be the less than rich, less than healthy, less than perfect and talented  one you consider yourself to be...and you will recall the unkind words said to others, and unfair treatment.


I love my brother and my family; nothing is more important than family.  Nothing.  I hope all my lambchops discover that, and recognize the worth of every human being, no matter what their circumstance may be.
peace,
Kimmy

WoodSongs February 13th: The Cleverlys and Stetson & CIA (call 252.8888 to reserve your seat :)

WoodSongs tapes Monday's at 6:45 pm (EST) at the Kentucky Theatre, 214 E Main, Lexington, Kentucky. WoodSongs Partners come to over 30 shows a year FREE

plus get discounts on all special events.

Sign up with PAYPAL online: www.woodsongs.com

WoodSongs 24hr Reservation Hotline:  859-252-8888

WoodSongs February 13th

General Public $10 Student ID $5 WoodSongs Partners FREE

From our friends at WoodSongs:

THE CLEVERLYS are one of the most outrageous bands that we've ever come across. This "family" band comes from the remote part of the Ozark Mountains, near Cane Spur, Arkansas. Their twisted sense of humor and stellar musicianship rocked this year's CMA Fest and their YouTube Downloads have topped over a million. They have an incredible "backstory" and a timeless bluegrass sound. What makes the band unusually is their choice of material - covering The Black Eyed Peas, The Bangles, and other unusual choices. thecleverlys.com

STETSON & CIA are a new acoustic roots duo made up of banjo master Cia Cherryholmes and songwriter Stetson Adkisson. Cia began playing music at the age of 15 with the internationally acclaimed band Cherryholmes. As their lead singer, banjoist, and main songwriter, she garnered 5 Grammy nominations over the band's 12 year career. Stetson Adkisson started his musical career in 2003. As a singer, songwriter, and guitarist he has played many venues in the Western United States and released a self-titled album in 2006. The duo just released their first self-titled debut album. stetsonandcia.com

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I hope you catch WoodSongs this week, either in person or online. 

WoodSongs is the

best thing that ever happened to a Monday.

peace,

Kimmy

 

Where'd My Patience Go?

Cracked a helmet playing peewee football,
got a hole-in-one at the famous Greenbrier
and broke records selling"Sucker Plucker,"
a tobacco chemical our father invented it for
Procter & Gamble.   He also met
Muhammed Ali, Arnold Palmer, all sorts
of golfers.  For me, he will always be
remembered as we see him here,
as the golden-haired, laughing jokester
who always made the Honor Roll, but
didn't really give a rat's patootie about
accolades.

I've been unsettled lately.  My job is going well, my choir is rehearsing the Requiem by Mozart, my health is stabilizing, but I cannot relax.  I can't chill.  I have unresolved thoughts that linger and sting my conscience.  I want something to happen...and I want it now.  Not tomorrow, not next week - now.  Now is the time.

Kelli, Marshall, Tom - front
Kimmy, Addison and Karen

Yet it is not up to me to decide the whens and wheres of life...it is up to me to stand still, hold on, have patience that God's will shall be done, in His time, not mine.  I have to give Time time.  It's advice I've given several times to my care receivers in Stephen Ministry.  Stephen Ministry, above all else, teaches the caregiver that we must let go and not think we can solve everything, or fix folks' problems.  The most important thing we can do is listen, actively listen, to someone whose transition to another destination is causing them pain, difficulty, anger, weakness.  We can be a spiritual presence, we can pray, and we can be strong, if we have patience. 

I think my Patience is on sabbatical or something, though, because I am in a rush...a rush to finish my work at the office, rush to get home and make music, to write blogs and essays, to help 'fix' friends who are groping in the darkness to find some light. Where am I going to find that virtue that eludes me so?  Will it come back to me?  Is this dis-ease ever going away?  I don't like myself when I'm in doubt, and I don't like myself when I see my flaws in the different roles I play in my life.  And that, my lambchops, is really why I feel unsettled.  I am imperfect, and make mistakes that I later regret. 

Add caption

My biggest regret today is that I have not always been the best sister to my dying brother.  He is in a hospital in North Carolina, I cannot travel to see him, and he's unable to talk on the telephone, unable to eat, unable to walk, weak from the cancer that has ravaged his once robust and strong soul.  His children are there, and are making sure he knows he is loved, and truthfully, that's a helluva lot more important than me feeling guilty about the snipes and quarrels that siblings sometimes have.  They're being strong; they're comforting me, which is ridiculous. I used to hold them in my arms when they were babies, fish and swim with them as they were growing up, and comfort them when their Mom passed away.  I always want to be the fixer; I don't want to be the one who needs comforting. I don't want to need anything, the only thing I desire is the opportunity to serve those I love by being the best Kimmy I can be.  Sure, I like food. I like cuddling.  I like singing and playing...but the one activity that makes the happiest is when I can help someone see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I wish I could be there to talk to Marshall, remind him of the hole-in-one he made at the Greenbrier (my Dad was with him, and that night we all had lobster and champagne...it was a glorious eveninig).  I wish I could be there to remind him of all the friends he made throughout his life. 

I wish I could remind him of the time I fooled him into thinking that there was a "treat" that I'd found in one of my mother's old purses (we were looking for her Will).  He was so delighted that I had discovered this item, he opened the bottle, took a sniff, and said, "Wow, Kim, look!  Mom left us a joint!  And it's good stuff, here, smell!"  Of course, I had snuck the doobie into the medicine bottle and slipped it inside the purse...it was all I could do to not bust out laughing, but the joke was too good to spoil it.  The look on his face was priceless...because usually, it was Marshall who was the prankster, and my Mother would have never, ever left us a "marijuana cigarette," as she called them.  It makes me smile to remember that even though there were some not-so-brotherly moments, it was Marshall who changed my tire when it went flat; it was Marshall who was the anti-bully and who would stand up for anyone who was weaker and could not fight their challengers.  Indeed, it was Marshall who I had to rescue several times from his bouts of trouble, and I was more than happy to do it.  I wish I could help him out of his troubles now.

So, I have lots of wishes, don't I?  As he lies in a hospital, unable to speak only two words:  "water" and "sick," I feel helpless, not helpful.  I should be there for him...but I am able to convey messages to my niece Olivia, who is at his bedside and tells him that we love him, tells him I wish I had been a better sister and that I am sorry for any feud or hurtful thing I had ever said to him.  I wish I could tell him myself...but that's just not logistically possible. 

My niece and nephew Olivia Thomas, Marshall Neal Thomas
and me at the PET MILK reception.

Marshall also has a daughter, Cora, and granddaugher,
Lacey. 

What is possible is for me to keep praying for patience, for understanding and guidance.  It is possible for me to somehow find acceptance that this soul -- this friend of 54 years, the boxer, the golfer, baseball/football/basketball player, this boy who used to play on the see-saw with me and climb the cherry trees to the very top and still scamper down before Mom caught us -- his soul is about to pass from this Life.  I want to celebrate those memories; and I want him to be in peace, knowing he is a redeemed and forgiven child of God.

I have no conclusion to this blog.  It has no beginning and it has no end, really.  Life goes on within us, and without us.  I do, however,

pray for peace,

Kimmy

Caitlyn Waltermire Talks About Fahrenheit 451 at Balagula

I call Caitlyn Waltermire my perpendicular daughter from a parallel universe. I like to refer to her as such (and her sisters Courtney and Kelsey as well) because if I had a daughter, Caitlyn is exactly the sort of child I would be proud to call my own. She’s kind, talented, smart and beautiful, but she doesn’t behave as if she knows how lovely she is.  She sings like a soulful angel, and is an actor, too, yet doesn’t carry with her the air of superiority that oftentimes causes me to not want to meet any more actors. All this, and she’s only a teenager! So I was thrilled to learn that she’d auditioned for and was to be a part of Balagula’s Fahrenheit 451, which begins its second run this Sunday.


Ever since I saw her perform in AGL’s TOMMY: THE CONCERT a few years ago, Caitlyn has continued to dazzle and shine in the spotlight. She’s musical, plays guitar, writes songs, sings gorgeously, and her heart is as lovely as her voice. So let’s find out what up with this lil buttercup...


Caitlyn tells me she started acting at two or three years old “when I told my parents it was my sister who colored the walls with crayons. Then I took a break until my junior year in high school, with Woodford Theatre in Once Upon A Mattress. I fell in love with Carol Burnett and theatre people.

“In Fahrenheit 451, I play Clarisse, a girl who sort of cracks Montag's world open. She reads, she inquires, she looks at things, she does everything wrong and it affects him. She's a challenge, because she's very young and very old at the same time. And to play someone who is wiser than Tom Phillips' character? That's icing.”


The role came to her organically, as the character settled into her being when she first experienced the work.  "I read Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 in middle school along with everyone else and Clarisse was who I would be if I was brave enough. So last summer, I auditioned and just loved the monologue. It felt like I'd remembered."

Since Director Ryan Case is such a sweet potato, I yam always inclined to ask folks how much they love working with him.  Fierce and fearless Caitlyn, however, is ready to deliver a dainty delicate dose of reality.  "Do not let Ryan's general sweetness fool you. When the director hat is on, he sees every glance and every intention, and if he isn't tickled to death, you will work the scene until you've tickled him to death. Personally, I came to the first rehearsal with a definite mold for Clarisse prepared. He listened politely then turned it all on its head. He only expects the hardest work you can give, and actors to bring something fresh and bright and new every night. He pushes, yes, but when he loves a choice, he lets you know just as loudly. I've learned more than I ever thought I would from him."


"Natasha is wonderful. I haven't had much of a chance to have a conversation with her, but we had a great exchange at the costume parade for FH 451. They put me in a long jumper and she wanted to see it shorter. So she came onstage with me and said, 'Pull it up.' I tugged a little. 'Pull it up.'  I tugged a little more. 'No!' she said. 'Pull it up... COURAGEOUSLY.' The skirt flew up to my thighs which was more than she wanted, but I couldn't help it. She inspired me."

Caitlyn and Courtney - I love this pic :)  Watch for
Courtney to also be a smashing bombshell...she's
well on her way! 

Apart from dazzling all sorts of audiences from WoodSongs partners to the crowd at Buster's, Caitlyn has stayed busy, and is sure to be in big demand down the theatrical road.  "Since 2010, I've worked with Woodford Theatre, Georgetown Community Theatre, Actors Guild of Lexington, Fantastical Theatricals, BCTC, Bluegrass Murder Mystery Theatre, and now Balagula. I also write songs and odd little horror stories," she adds.

Kelsey Waltermire is also
a rising star, along with her
sisters Caitlyn and Courtney!

When I hear that any Waltermire is in a production, it's definitely on my list of to-see shows.  Caitlyn's sister, Courtney is also in Fahrenheit 451; and their younger sister is also a great talent (I first saw Kelsey in Studio Players' Wait Until Dark).  Their father, Greg, can also be seen on local stages for Fantastical Theatricals, Actors Guild, and other smart theatre companies.

So watch out, here comes a family of drama dynamos!  Kinda like the Waltons, on stage...singing...with a little attitude that isn't sour, it's real and genuine.  I hope you have a chance to see Caitlyn at Balagula this weekend, and if you don't, keep your artistic ear to the ground, because she'll be back on stage soon, I'm sure.


 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, a stage adaptation of his 1953 novel, touches on the themes of human alienation in the world dominated by electronic media; dangers of state censorship; and the effect of passive consumption on human intellect. 

Fahrenheit 451, an ode to literature and a manifesto of several generations of American intellectuals, is a complex dramatic piece open to wide directorial interpretation. It is full of socially relevant and theatrically inspiring challenges, that Balagula's artistic team is known to tackle.

January 29 at 8:00pm until February 8 at 8:00pm

Play Synopsis: The central character, Guy Montag, is employed as a "fireman" (which, in this future, means "bookburner"). He lives in a lonely, isolated society where books have been outlawed by a government fearing an independent-thinking public. People in this society, including Montag's wife, get their information from wall-size television screens. After Montag falls in love with book-hoarding Clarisse, he begins to read confiscated books. It is through this relationship that he begins to question the government's motives behind book-burning. Montag is soon found out, and he must decide whether to return to his job or run away knowing full well the consequences that he could face if captured.

"We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?"
Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

James Brown: He Can Handle the Heat of Fahrenheit 451!

When I found out Ryan Case was looking for actors for Balagula Theatre's upcoming production of Fahrenheit 451, I secretly hoped all my friends who are actors would come out and audition.  Why?  Because Ryan tickles my fancy, Natasha is my hero, and Balagula consistently chooses plays that are thought-provoking.  When I go to the theatre, I don't want to think about what's wrong with the play, the set, the acting -- I just want to forget about the cable bill for an hour or so.  If I come away with a nagging thought that develops into an interesting conversation (even if it's with myself), then all the better.  So imagine my delight when I realized that a handful of them did indeed go try out, and a handful of them indeed have roles in the play that opens this weekend. 

One of those acting buddies that will be on stage at Natasha's is James Brown.  James is a poet, a writer, a disc jockey, a humorous pal with a gentle take on harsh issues.  He doesn't always take a gentle position, but he articulates it in a way that doesn't make me try to raise my fur with goosebumps of ire.  Another reason he's a good friend of mine is that he always, always encourages me to play the ukulele, no matter how late the hour or how awful I sound.  I do not know how he does it, but I have no fear when I play for James -- he is one friend I can honestly say is a non-snarker, a "true blue" soul.  He'll be slightly embarrassed that I'm being so complimentary of him, but that just makes him that much more likable.

A favorite at the much beloved Holler Poets Series, you may also recognize James' voice if you ever tune into the Library Channel to hear Central Kentucky Radio Eye read the Lexington Herald-Leader.  He works behind the scenes at the station, and also steps in from time to time to read when needed.  

I thought it would be a good idea to find out what role he's playing in Fahrenheit 451, and also to gain some insight to what makes this Ray Bradbury work a hot item for the Balagula stage. 

During rehearsal for BCTC's production of
A FEW GOOD MEN (with Carlos Pelayos)

James tells me, "I play a few roles, Kim. I play one of the firemen and a paramedic. But my main role is Aristotle, who is the leader of the book people. Aristotle is an interesting character because he has been away from the world for so long and yet he is the one who welcomes the hero, Montag, into this new community of rebels. I have to quickly school Montag on what he has left behind and what now lies ahead."



Not surprisingly, he is enjoying the process of bringing the play from page to stage with the folks at Balagula. "I really, really, really LOVE working with Ryan and Natasha. I've been a big fan of Balagula's work over the years and to be on stage at Natasha's is a real thrill for me, an honor. Ryan is quite a character so he's always a pleasure to be around and to work with; and he knows what he's looking for, he knows what he wants out of the play, so you know when you're moving in the right direction and when you're not, which is precisely what an actor needs from a director."

James playing my Lanakei soprano ukulele, and wearing
the Fascinator that my friend made for me. (It is a rite
of passage for all those who play uke with me to try it on :)

"The special effects and the visual/aural look and feel of the play are really marvelous. I think you'll like it, I think audiences will take to this play because there is so much to look at while you're there and much to ponder after you leave. I'm really proud of this show, really pleased with how it has come together and I'm ready to get it on!

I'm positive that James' involvement in this production will simply add more believability to the Balagula stage.  I hope you'll make time to get thee to Esplanade and make your reservation (or see below for details :)

peace,
Kimmy

=======================

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, a stage adaptation of his 1953 novel, touches on the themes of human alienation in the world dominated by electronic media; dangers of state censorship; and the effect of passive consumption on human intellect.

Fahrenheit 451, an ode to literature and a manifesto of several generations of American intellectuals, is a complex dramatic piece open to wide directorial interpretation. It is full of socially relevant and theatrically inspiring challenges, that Balagula's artistic team is known to tackle.

January 29 at 8:00pm until February 8 at 8:00pm

 

Play Synopsis: The central character, Guy Montag, is employed as a "fireman" (which, in this future, means "bookburner"). He lives in a lonely, isolated society where books have been outlawed by a government fearing an independent-thinking public. People in this society, including Montag's wife, get their information from wall-size television screens. After Montag falls in love with book-hoarding Clarisse, he begins to read confiscated books. It is through this relationship that he begins to question the government's motives behind book-burning. Montag is soon found out, and he must decide whether to return to his job or run away knowing full well the consequences that he could face if captured.

"We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?"
Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Honk If You Love MMMB!

Heather Auman doesn't
like the limelight -- but wow,
the limelight loves her! 
What's NOT to love?

MMMB - March Madness Marching Band - is Lexington's own group of concert-givers, an eclectic collection of some of the area's most creative music-raisers and parade participators.  In fact, if I go to a parade in downtown, the main reason I'm heading out in the July 4th heat or winter cold is to see MMMB.  They are unpredictable. They are dedicated.  They're enthusiastic...and there's not one member that doesn't do a lot more for our community than bring a musical smile to your face.

One of the members is  a lady I met while writing a story a few years ago about hashers (folks who run and shout and drink beer...not necessarily in that order).  Hashers are found worldwide, and Heather is one of their best ambassadors.  She'll travel to another part of the Globe to take part in a hash; and what is even more adorable is that she takes her place as the one and only bass drummer in MMMB and sets the pulse for the band, officially led by Lori Houlihan, another quite adorable person herself. [Note: there is another bass drummer, the host of WRFL's Trivial Thursdays, marketing advertising techno-master Mick Jeffries.   I just like that line from Seventy-Six Trombones from The Music Man ;]  

Gosh, I just remembered, I wrote about Lori, too, once, when she and husband Hap were featured as Ace Weekly's Model Citizens.  Actually, the band's members are more or less a Who's Who of the Bluegrass arts and activisim scene, so I think I have written about a majority of them individually, when I start to look at the names associated with MMMB. 

So back to the marvelous Ms. Auman -- I want to let you know what she has to say about participating in this all-star musical group, and also share her request for your help in getting the MMMB on their way to another Honk! TX, an event that is sure to represent Lexington well and make another wonderful memory for those involved.  Here's what she has to say about the upcoming fundraiser, which is Saturday, February 18th at 8PM at Buster's. (The actual Honk! TX event is 23-25 March 2012. http://honktx.org/ )  The guests at the fundraiser: Big Fresh, The Blueberries, The Payback! Prefab Rehab, FUMA, Pez Hed, Rakadu Gypsy Dance, Ed McClanahan, Gentleman Relish, plus a few surprise accompaniments.

Heather tells me, "We got invited to HONK! TX last year and had an absolute blast! We traveled by bus on a Thursday AM, got there Friday AM and had about three gigs per day. It was physically tiring, especially after a 16 hour bus ride, but we had a fantastic time. It was so hard to fathom that our little Lexington, KY band is performing in AUSTIN! With the musical leadership of Tripp "Big Kahuna" Bratton, we played in two parades, performed a theatrical stage set, and jammed in parking lots, basketball courts, fields, parks, and community art buildings during the weekend. We even invaded downtown Memphis with a flash mob!"


Auman has been with MMMB from the very first practice in October 2008. It was by word of mouth from Chris Sullivan of Big Maracas saying that there was a community band being formed as an entry for the Lexington's Christmas Parade in 2008.  "Tripp Bratton took on the incredible task of teaching all levels of musicians the parade songs in four or five weekend practices. That was the first time I met Lori Houlihan, the leader of this 'one time event.'  I've been in awe at the commitment and inspiration she's brought to this band since then," she adds.

Finding the MMMB was a natural step in Heather's acclimation to the area.  "I moved from Portland, Oregon area to Lexington in 2005 and felt quite a few voids. One was belonging to a musical group. Portland had so many diverse musical groups; you can't help but be inspired at all the creativeness around you! One of these groups I had taken a few years of lessons was a bateria, or percussion group, called Lions of Batucada.  It was a feast for the eyes and ears watching the dancers and drummers. You couldn't help yourself from shaking your booty to the samba rhythms!"

"So now it's 2005 and in Lexington and a bit disappointed when seeing 'live music' meant listening to pop cover tunes all night, but that is what people want to hear, I guess. Enter the Big Maracas! Sure they have cover tunes, but they were 'different' in a way and got you up and dancing and participating with Enrique passing around the maracas and getting the crown involved!"



Heather goes on to explain, "Mecca Dance Studio had organized a Mardi Gras parade in 2007 and I got to play quad bell a-go-go with them as part of a percussion group behind the talented Mecca dancers. After that absolutely fun event, I felt a longing to be a part of something more established. I tried to form a percussion group called Samba Gato and even had offered a free lessons, but few people showed and the commitment level was low... and didn't have the power of Facebook yet...but where I failed, Lori Houlihan had succeeded the next year with the gathering of local musicians and the excitement snowballed from there. I'm sure I can speak for many of the MMMB that they've not only found a fun group but also have gained lifelong friendships. It's home here in Lexington now."

Heather Auman's enthusiasm for her beloved MMMB is characteristic of the folks involved in this thoroughly entertaining band.  They all love working together, with Lori (a/k/a Lolliloo) and playing their music with their powerfully palatable sound.  I hope you will buy tickets and get out to see them -- you can do it easily via paypal, through http://m-m-m-b.com/March Madness Marching Band
http://www.m-m-m-b.com/


March Madness Marching Band is fabulous. Do yourself and them a favor by going out to Buster's on February 18 and have a blast! 

CHICAGO auditions - a message from BCTC's Tim X Davis

Tim X Davis in rehearsal for BCTC's
presentation of A FEW GOOD MEN
"You can't handle the truth!"

Greetings all!



The BCTC Theatre program would like to announce auditions for our next production, CHICAGO.


Auditions will be held Thursday and Friday, January 26th and 27th from 6-9 pm each night. Auditions will be held at the Downtown Arts Center ( 141 East Main Street, ...across from the Downtown Public Library) in the Black Box Theatre. (Some limited street parking is available in the area- there are also two parking garages in very close proximity to the theatre). As this is a musical, auditions will run as such:

I talked with X during rehearsal for
MIDDLE AGED WHITE GUYS

- You must come with a prepared song FROM THE SHOW. "Karaoke" tracks will be provided at auditions. We only ask for a few bars (verse/ chorus will be fine) and not the entire number.






- You will be doing some simple dance steps with our Choreographer, so dress to move!

Chicago skyline ;-)

- We will do some cold reading from the script, but no prepared monologues are necessary.






- Headshots and resumes are accepted, but not required.






- For this audition, you MAY choose to come either one or both nights (your choice) BUT we ask that you please arrive ON TIME at 6 pm and be prepared to stay the entire time.

There are roles for up to 9 men and 10 women available (All ages and ethnicities). Singing and dancing experience is not required, but is a plus. The auditions are open to all BCTC students, faculty and staff AND the general population. The show dates are March 28th-April 1st, with all performances at the Downtown Arts Center. The majority of rehearsals will be held in the evenings (from 6 pm on). We WILL be rehearsing during Spring Break as well (so students, plan accordingly.)

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by email or at the number below. Hope to see you there!



Tim X Davis


Coordinator of Theatre


859-246-6672

Speak, O Lord.

Another glorious Sunday is slinking over the horizon. I sang this morning with my wonderful choir during the late worship service.  We sang one of my "bucket songs," Speak O Lord.  I draw a bucket in the corner of the songs  I want sung when I leave this Life, and this anthem has not only a bucket, but a dancing bucket, and a Christmas tree, and a smiley face with a Laura Petri flip.  I used to wear my brunette hair in a flip like that, so it's a bit of a self-portrait thing.  I don't do this alone; my uber-friend Betty Cecil does the same thing. Hers also has the same set of buckets; and a jack-o-lantern versus a Christmas tree. Heh.  


So, as you may know, I love my Chancel Choir, a group of 51 sweet souls dedicated to singing praises to the Lord every week in the chancel of Central Christian Church, which is the gorgeous church on the corner of M-L King and Short Street in downtown Lexington.  

Our choir is fortunate to have a large and wonderful repertoire of anthems to perform each week - I am sure the number is over 1000 - and we do major works by famous composers every year for Christmas and Easter.  Some of my favorites were written by Vivaldi, John Rutter, Allen Pote,  this year something very special is happening, as we are learning Mozart's Requiem for a Spring performance!   We will have superb soloists and orchestra, it is one of the greatest works of all time.  Most of the Mozart Requiem can be heard in the movie, Amadeus, which won Oscars and is a magnificent film, but the theory that Salieri killed Mozart, and that Salieri finished the Requiem for Mozart is probably not true.  It is, however, a great storyline for a film about Mozart, who did die young, and poor, while writing the Requiem -- I've heard it was while writing the alto part to the Lacrimosa (another bucket song, btw).   

We have performed this work before in conjunction with two other choirs, in 1999, it is delightfully difficult and I'm even learning the alto parts on my ukulele's A string (this is what Mozart does to a soul; he makes you a better singer, a better ukulele player, a better musician. He wrote symphonies when he was just 5 years old!) So needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), I cannot express how happy I am to be singing it again.  Yes, it is a Mass for the dead, but it is stunning how the parts are tossed back and forth, how the music repeats itself with different lyrics at the end, and how the orchestra supports the voice parts on tricky passages when needed most.  There are tons of other reasons to have a crush on Mozart, but those are the ones that draw me in at the moment.

So why am I yammering on about all that?  I want to also talk a little here about my writing assignment for the next year.  I will be writing about my choir, about each and every member, a celebratory essay series that will highlight one person per week, and there is absolutely no rhyme or reason as to whom I will choose to feature, there are absolutely no rules other than for me to celebrate one per week.  Our director, Michael Rintamaa, is completing his 20th year as our Director of Music, and because Michael is just that humble, he wants the celebration to be about the choir, and not about him. So he asked me to undertake an essay-writing gig, and I happily accepted the offer.  There is not one person in my choir that I do not trust implicitly and love unconditionally.  There is not one person in my choir to whom I could not make a plea and they would be ready, able and willing to help me at any time.  (Sorry about that double negative, but you get what I'm squawking about).  This assignment has me busy every week writing about something that I love, about people I love and how music has been a part of their faith formation...and it is opening my eyes in pleasantly unexpected ways that make me glad for good surprises.  It is a ministry of sorts, though, and one to which I am thrilled to be called.  


For this reason, I enjoy my weekends and weeks more and more.  Every Sunday, I consider who I will be covering, I ask questions, I assure them their secrets are safe with me, we talk on the phone, they write their responses...it's a good process.  In the past, I have covered a lot of artists here in KimmyVille in same fashion.  I always have tried to find the good in a person and write about that versus being a snarker or a critic.  I'll confess, it's been a challenge at times, to write good things about people that aren't necessarily the nicest folks in the world...but I've been fortunate to blog about some really cool artists who are generous and from whom I've learned some of life's best lessons.  However, again I consider that a ministry as well.  To seek out the joy, find and illuminate the better parts of people, that is something that Jesus would like, I think.  

Back to today's anthem, and worship, and how meaningful Sunday can be to me.  Here are the words to the anthem we sang, arranged by Mary McDonald:


"Speak, O Lord, as we come to You to receive the food of Your Holy Word; Take Your truth, plant it deep in us; shape and fashion us in Your likeness, That the Light of Christ may be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith. Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us all Your purposes for Your glory.

Teach us, Lord, full obedience, Holy reverence, true humility; Test our thoughts and our attitudes in the radiance of Your purity.  Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority. Words of pow'r that can never fail, Let their truth prevail over unbelief.


Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds; Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us. Truth unchanged from the dawn of time that will echo down through eternity. And by grace we'll stand on Your promises, And by faith we'll walk as You walk with us. Speak, O Lord, 'til Your Church is built and the earth is filled with Your glory!


Speak, O Lord, as we come to You to receive the truth of Your Holy Word."


Lastly, here is the prayer we shared in worship today:


God of light and life,
open us to your presence in this hour of worship.
We would hear your voice in human words,
We would taste your grace in bread broken and wine poured.
We would touch your guiding hand as you lead us forth, 
a community called, redeemed, renewed to share the good news
and serve your children in the world.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray,
Amen.


As I said, I love my Choir. I love being a follower of Jesus of Nazareth.  I love having a new writing purpose and working with the kind and gentle friends I have in my musical life.  I hope you will share my joy and listen to Mozart sometime this week.  If you are a musician, you already know the value of his music.  If you are not familiar, just know that some say they believe in God because of Mozart's writings. That's how spectacular his compositions are.  I also ask you to believe that your life can change for the better if you live like Jesus, forgive easily, love kindness, give from your heart and embrace your gifts that God has given you...and he has given you gifts, lambchop.  You just need to give them a hug.
peace,
Kimmy