Category Archives: personal

Another Shattered Shout-Out

Posted on September 14, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

This was printed on a post card I sent to a few people.

As I sit here typing in my blog post, the cast and crew of Shattered Angel are at Ilion Little Theatre enjoying their final dress rehearsal. I’m just happy all of them are going to be actually dressed, since my name is in the program under “Costumes.”  Full disclosure:  I personally did very little in outfitting the cast.  I like to think I helped, though.  I like to think I can also help publicize the event with my little blog here.  So here is another shout-out to our play.

Shattered Angel, as you may have read in this space, tells the story of the murder of an area school teacher by one of her students in 1914.  It is a sad story, and a fascinating one, because the defense was not guilty by reason of mental defect, a new idea at the time.   The staging is interesting, too, because although all the action takes place in the courtroom, it is not a straightforward depiction of the trial. Through the use of flashbacks and strategic condensation of testimony and arguments, we get a fuller picture in a shorter time.

The lady in the black dress is not actually in the courtroom, if you see what I mean.

Director Stephen Wagner wrote the script, based on the book Murder of a Herkimer County Teacher: The Shocking 1914 Case of a Vengeful Student by Dennis Webster, and courtroom transcripts.

This is one of my favorite shots.

I stole these pictures from the Herkimer County Historical Society’s Facebook page.  Historian Caryl Hopson took them at rehearsals.  I suppose I should have stayed at dress rehearsal with my Tablet and taken a few pics of my own, but Caryl does such a good job at it.

Once again, performances are Friday and Saturday, Sept. 14, 15 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday Sept. 16 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday Sept. 23 at 2 p.m., at Ilion Little Theatre, 13 Remington Ave., Ilion, NY.  For tickets, contact the Historical Society at 315-866-6413.

One more picture I found on Facebook.

 

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Add Monsters and Stir. I Mean, Hit Publish

Posted on September 13, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about some Mid-Week Monsters?  It’s a new feature, for when I forgo Monstrous Monday.  It is, in fact, another Pre-Rehearsal Post (I guess that could be a category, too), because we are soon to leave for rehearsal for Donate to Murder, the murder mystery dinner theatre LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company, is presenting at Herkimer Elks this Saturday, Sept. 15.  Steven and I are wearing our costumes, although I do not have pantyhose on (I’m certain my character would wear pantyhose).  Also, I could not find my grandmother’s pearls, which I thought would work for my character (full disclosure: they are not real pearls, but they look nice).  Luckily I have TONS of beads, vintage and otherwise.

What a long first paragraph.  I do babble on, don’t I?  I thought this was going to be a monster post.  Let’s see what I can find.

Not the best depiction of Julia Adams, but a pretty cool poster nonetheless.

Look, I can also include a foreign language lesson.  Sometimes I can so multi-task (although most days I barely manage just to task).  Steven and I just watched Creature from the Black Lagoon on Sunday.  Perhaps you read my blog post in which I mentioned it.  And while we’re visiting foreign countries…

I think this one has better artwork, but I like the lettering in the Spanish version.

And look at me, over 200 words on a Wuss-out Wednesday (I guess this post fits multiple categories).  I do like to include three pictures, so I will pull something from my Media Library.

“Love! Exciting and new!”

I never knew the Creature guest starred on The Love Boat. I suppose he is quite an actor. Perhaps I could use him in a murder mystery sometime.

 

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Yet Another Pre-Rehearsal Post

Posted on September 12, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

My heart is sore.  There, I’ve said it.  I don’t want to go on whining about my ills.  It’s tiresome. People will become bored and impatient or, worse yet, will worry.  Or they might give advice.  Sometimes advice is hard to listen to.  You know it is the right thing to do, but you already knew the right thing to do; you just didn’t do it.  Or it isn’t the right thing to do, but you know they mean well.  Or they are just being officious, and you want to throat punch them.  But I’m sure none of my readers fall into the last category.

One reason I feel wrong about dwelling on my problems is that it is Sept. 11.  I wanted to dig out my TV Journal from 9/11/2001 and share some of the things I wrote at the time.  I was home recovering from a bunion operation and sat glued to the television all day.  What a terrible event.  But I’m too tired and ill to brave the mess we call a library.

I just looked up at the television and saw something about the latest hurricane soon to make landfall.  I feel terrible for everybody in the path of that.  I do appreciate that I am not currently dealing with any severe weather, under the heading of Count Your Blessings.

In the meantime, I have a blog post to make, and I must make it before I head tofirst dress rehearsal for Shattered Angel, being presented by the Herkimer County Historical Society in cooperation with Ilion Little Theatre.  Opening night is Friday. Yikes!  It is Sept. 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22 and 23.  Performances are at 7:30 on the 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22; and 2 p.m. on the 16 and 23. Tickets are $15.  For more information, contact the Historical Society at 315-866-6413.

Tomorrow I have rehearsal for Donate to Murder, the murder mystery LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company, is presenting at Herkimer Elks Lodge on Saturday, Sept. 15.  Yikes!  That’s close too, with fewer rehearsals left!  It is dinner theatre with $25 tickets including a turkey dinner by Brian Hess of PK’s Pub.  Yum!  For more information, contact the Elks at 315-866-1439.

I guess I’ll call this a Tired Tuesday post and drive on.  At least I plugged two plays.

 

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I Could Use a Rainbow

Posted on September 11, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I can’t even handle a Monstrous Monday today.

Let’s call this a continuation of last week’s Blogger’s Sad Day (was it only last week?).  This evening, Steven and I went to our friend Julianne’s calling hours.  It was sad, oh was I sad.  I pretty much felt sad all day and thought how I would probably not be able to make a decent blog post.  It doesn’t even feel right to post monster pictures.  Well, there is one thing I could post, if I can find it…

Is this them welcoming Julianne to heaven?

Julianne LOVED The Wizard of Oz.  I think it is a pretty fun movie, and a great memory of my childhood (ooh, am I seguing into a Monday Memories post?).  Julianne was only a little older than me, so like me she grew up before VCRs (for really young people, that is what came before DVD, Blu-Ray and streaming).  You had to wait till they decided to show a movie on television, and there were only about three channels, unless you had cable, in which case there were about seven.  And until you got a color TV, you did not realize how truly wonderful it was when Dorothy finally got over the rainbow.

Well, my friend Julianne is over the rainbow now.  I hope she is in a wonderful place.  It makes me feel a little better to believe that she is.

 

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Pop in a Movie; You’ll Feel Better

Posted on September 10, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

The movie is not nearly as lurid as the poster.

Yes, it is another Cheesy Movie Sunday.  I guess I never declared that as a category, but I do often watch movies on Sunday and my favorites are the cheesy ones, so…  My only regret is the lack of alliteration, but I can’t worry about that now.  My husband, Steven, and I began our day with a couple of Mohawk Valley adventures, which may form the subject of articles for Mohawk Valley Living magazine or future blog posts. Now we are comfortably home, in sweats, and watching movies.  We began with The Screaming Skull (1958), which I believe I wrote a blog post about at some point.

The movie is on our DVD collection of 50 Horror Classics.  Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959) was on the same disc, so we continued with that.

They don’t even show the Victor Buono-looking guy.

I thought one character in the movie looked like Victor Buono, who played Bette Davis’ father in Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964).  I might have liked to go on to that one, but I was more into shorter movies today.  That is one virtue of your really cheesy features: they are in general short.  We did want something that moved a little faster, and Steven suggested Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959).  Say what you will about this movie, it is NOT the worst ever made. It holds your interest and moves right along.  I say, go, Ed Wood Jr.!

What’s not to like?

As you may have guessed, I am into Halloween movies.  Well, the Halloween season does begin after Labor Day, does it not?  It does in my house.

What’s a big ugly ape gotta do to get a date in this town?

We are continuing our viewing adventures with King Kong (1933).  What will come next?  Who cares!  Tomorrow’s Monday; I’m having fun today!

Full disclosure: I do not feel THIS bad about it.

 

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Picture This: a Garlic Festival!

Posted on September 9, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Eat, Stink and Be Merry!  Those are words to live by!  My husband Steven and I did that today when we went to the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival in Little Falls, NY.  I brought my Tablet and took a few pictures, which I will now share.

I wanted to get at least one crowd shot.

This is one of the most popular events in the area.  I confess, I was not into a crowd scene today, but one does not like to miss the Garlic Festival (one being me, of course).

One of the more decorative displays of garlic braids.

Full disclosure:  I did not purchase any garlic.  I have a braid of local garlic from T & J’s Fruits and Vegetables in Herkimer, and I have not been cooking that much lately anyways.  That did not stop me from sampling a lot of stuff. Yum!

I took a picture of this booth, because I liked the Halloween table cloth.

I like horseys (isn’t that how you spell horseys? My computer doesn’t seem to think so).

We did not go on a horse-drawn wagon ride, although I went last year with my friend, Kim.

I had some garlic fudge, and Steven enjoyed a piece of chocolate-covered bacon.

Of course we stopped at my friend, Margaret’s booth, the So Sweet Candy Cafe.  My sister, Cheryl, was minding the shop on Varick Street.

I guess I’m heavier on pictures than words today, but at least I gave a brief shout-out to the Festival.

 

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W(h)ining After Rehearsal

Posted on September 8, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, it is 8:17 on Friday night and I have yet to make my Lame Friday Post.  Full disclosure:  I have had a bit of wine.  Why are you judging me?  It’s Friday!  One is allowed to have a drink on Friday!  Oh yeah, as if I do not have a drink any other night of the week.  Well, whatever.  Judge me if you like.  I am not the arbiter of who is or is not allowed to judge.

OK, so apparently that is all I have to say!  Earlier today I was at rehearsal for Donate to Murder, the murder mystery LiFT, Little Falls  Theatre Company is presenting at Herkimer Elks Lodge, 124 Mary St., Herkimer, NY, on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.  Cost is $25 for dinner and show (I think.  Full disclosure:  I am relying on my memory for this), for tickets and more information call 315-866-1439.  I think it is going to be awfully good, but I wrote it and am in it, so I may perhaps be biased.

In the meantime, I need to get a blog post published.  Once again I have learned that a four day week can be as tiring as a five day week.  But I do not mean to repine. The week is over an I got through it.  If only I could have gotten through it with a few more better blog posts!  At least I will close with a picture. Let’s see… what would pep this post up?

Obviously it is.

Full disclosure:  I am not currently howling.

“To be or… Oh, wrong play.”

Here is a rehearsal shot from The Tempest, presented by LiFT in 2017.  We talked about potential Shakespeare plays for summer of 2019.  How’s that for a Preview of Coming Attractions?  How about Coming Attractions for tomorrow? You’ll just have to wait and see. Happy Friday everyone!

 

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Movie Memories on Non-Sequitur Thursday

Posted on September 7, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was sitting here trying to think of what to make my blog post about and thought to myself, “I’ll have my Throwback Thursday early!”  And then I remembered:  it IS Thursday!  I love it when that happens instead of, you know, the opposite.  I wonder what I have in my Media Library that I have not used recently.

I think he likes her.

I was looking for something from my life, but here is a movie almost as old as I am: Mary Poppins (1964).  It is a meaningful movie in my life, actually.  It is the first movie I saw in a theatre.  I had previously seen Goldfinger (ooh, also 1964; I just looked that up) at a drive-in, although I was a little kid and did not pay much attention.  My Mom took all us kids to the Capitol Theatre in Rome, NY, to see Mary Poppins.  I was as impressed with the theatre as I was with the movie.  This was also the first movie my husband, Steven, saw in a theatre.  He credits it with beginning his lifelong love of movies.

Do you wonder why I was impressed?

This is the inside of the Capitol Theatre in Rome, NY.  Magnificent, no?

I don’t know what he’s looking at, but she’s giving him the side-eye.

I add this picture to make this more of a Non-Sequitur Thursday.  However, I don’t know how much of a non sequitur it is, because it is another meaningful movie.  The Brain That Wouldn’t Die  (1962) is one of my favorite movies of the cheesy variety.  But the way it gets here is kind of random:  I downloaded the picture of the Capitol.  When I went to put it here, I transposed two numbers and almost put in this one instead.  I fixed the error, then said, “Hey!”

Now there’s a spray tan!

Since I mentioned Goldfinger, I looked for a picture of that, too.  I did not even realize it was Goldfinger I had seen at the drive-in till years later.  I just remember during one of the few moments where I was watching the movie, my father told me that a guy had killed a girl and spray-painted her gold.  I thought it was an odd thing to do but figured I had not been paying enough attention for it to make sense.  I’m thinking Goldfinger was the only movie where that happened, although I daresay I could be mistaken.

So here is my silly Thursday post.  Full disclosure:  I’ll probably get even sillier tomorrow.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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All Wet on Wednesday

Posted on September 6, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Feeling yet unable to write a real post and noting that I did not indulge in a Monstrous Monday, I thought I would let a few of our creepy friends cheer me up a little.  Since I adore alliteration (see what I did there?), I declare today Watery Wednesday and I search for creatures from the deep.  Or even the shallow, to match my mind.

“Oh, THAT’S where I left my lady in a bathing suit!”

Who doesn’t love Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)?  Oh, I suppose YOU don’t (you know who you are).  Julie Adams (pictured here with the green guy) (I’m guessing he’s green; the movie was black-and-white) is one of my Likes on Facebook.  She comes across as a very gracious lady.

“Am I interrupting?”

Less gracious but still all wet is the title character from JAWS (1975). I loves me some JAWS.

The alligator is off camera asking his agent why he isn’t in this shot.

This is Lake Placid (1999), a movie I really like.  I was looking for a shot of the alligator but could not find one.

My mood is, alas, not improving, so I shall close with a darker but still wet movie.  Carnival of Souls (1962) begins with a rather horrifying scene involving a muddy river.

 

The look on her face is about how I feel.

I got this shot from a Facebook page about the movie, https://www.facebook.com/carnivalofsouls1962/.  I like to give credit whenever I use it.

So it seems I am having a Wuss-out Wednesday after all.  These things happen to a daily blogger, at least to this one.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Blogger’s Sad Day

Posted on September 5, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is how I feel, but a bit less melodramatic today.

No, it is not Wrist to Forehead Tuesday.  It is in the nature of a blogger’s day off, because I am too sad and distressed to make a proper post.  However, I think if I put a few of my thoughts down, it will make me feel better.

Community theatre lost a great asset, and I lost a friend today with the passing of Ilion resident Julianne Allen.  I am profoundly shocked as well as saddened, because she was about my age (you know, not ancient) and not sick that I knew of.  The above picture is from our dramatic scene together in Dirty Work at the Crossroads at Ilion Little Theatre in 2013.  My husband, Steven, directed.  Julianne and I worked on several productions together, and she worked on many more that I was not involved in but enjoyed watching.  She was always willing to do what she could and what was needed.

In fact, in Shattered Angel, she took a part that was originally written for a man.  Director and writer Stephen Wagner originally cut the part but then decided to change the role to the man’s wife and cast Julie.  It was going to be a great bit of comic relief, because Stephen was really utilizing Julie’s attitude.

At her first rehearsal, she was already showing us the attitude.

 

Julie on the left, me on the right, ILT president Kelly Stone in the middle.

Just to end with another picture including me, here we are in Harvey from 2012.  Rest in Peace, Julie.  I hope you’re putting on a great show for the angels.

 

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