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Mmmmmm… Meeples!

I just realized I did not write about a couple Mohawk Valley Adventures I had last Saturday in conjunction with the Little Falls Cheese Festival.  In lieu (that’s one of my favorite words) of my usual Monstrous Monday, therefore,  I will give a brief shout-out to Meeples Mug House.

In between performances of Where’s the Cheese Monger? (remember, that play I directed?  I believe I wrote a blog post or two about it) I went in search of a cold drink. I ended up at Meeples, where I had my first ever chocolate egg cream.  Yum!

While I drank, I sat at a tall table (I love sitting at a tall table) and tried to write, with I admit indifferent success.  I also watched two young men making shaved ice. It looked pretty good, especially on such a hot day.  Their business is called Sweet Chillz.

Sweet Chillz.

I came back after the play and took a few pictures.  I also had another egg cream.

It was a very popular item.

You can’t really see it, but the line went way back.

A frantic moment behind the counter.

Naturally I wanted a picture of Laura and Matt, who own the place.

My dates for the afternoon.

My husband Steven and friend Kim  joined me for my second visit to Meeples.  Alas that I cannot go back again for a few days.  They are open 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday,  2 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday.   Meeples is located at 598 E. Main St., Little Falls NY, phone number 315-868-7488.

 

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It Was Not a Cheesy Play

The reason I went to Little Falls, NY at 9:30 yesterday morning (as referenced in my earlier post) was that I was director of Where’s the Cheese Monger? the play written by Little Falls resident Angela Harris.  Our venue was the Little Falls Community Center.

I was a little worried about getting an audience despite the crowds outside at the festival.   I suggested one of us put on the cheese hat that was part of the set and stand outside the door inviting folks in.  I was willing to do it myself, but Angela kindly did the honors.  I don’t know how effective it was, but people liked it.  Some asked for pictures.

I couldn’t resist taking a picture as well.

I am not adept at taking selfies.

After nicely posing, Angela said we must take a selfie.  Or is it an usie?  Ussie?

I was standing in the back.

The two performances went well, despite some technical glitches.  We had near Standing Room Only crowds.

Mac Blac on the job.

Our announcer Malcolm Hightower, standing.

Here is another full cast shot, including The Man with the Music, a new and welcome addition to the ensemble.

It was a fun experience with nice people, another successful theatrical production by LiFT, the Little Falls Theatre Company.

 

So Scattered I Slacked

I had a fun filled Saturday.  Late in the day, I realized I had yet to make my blog post.  Now here I am, on Sunday morning (which may or may not match my WordPress timestamp; I don’t know how to fix these things), another poat behind.  I maintain my hopes of getting caught up.  We shall see.

I did not run Saturday morning, because I had to be in Little Falls by 9:30 and I wanted to be leisurely.   I was leisurely enough to write my post cards but not leisurely enough to walk to the post office with them.  Then I had a last minute crisis and was almost late anyways.

The event bringing me to Little Falls was  Where’s the Cheese Monger? the play by Angela Harris which enlivened the Little Falls Cheese Festival. During these two events, I also visited Meeples Mug House to enjoy a cool beverage.

Returning to Herkimer, I had a great meal and a few laughs with friends at Salvatore’s.  Then it was back home for the movie watching portion of the evening.  We enjoyed Straitjacket and The Lost Boys.  I was in the mood for scary movies.

I think it was in between movies that I remembered my blog post, alas, only briefly.  But here is my Saturday post only a day late.  I fully intend to make my Sunday post TODAY.  Ooh, maybe I could make an unprecedented third post and be on my way to being caught up at last. It could happen.

 

Cheesy Post about the Cheese Play

I love all things cheesy.   Cheesy movies, cheesy pick-up lines (oh, they don’t work on me, but they crack me up), and, yes, cheese.  All right, I don’t really love cheesy pick up lines, I just couldn’t think of another cheesy thing and I wanted to list three.  What do you want from me on Lame Post Friday?

My main purpose today is to plug LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company’s performance of Where’s the Cheese Monger?  It is an old timely radio play written by Little Falls resident Angela Harris.  Two performances are offered, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., in the Little Falls Community Center, 534 E. Main St.  Admission is free with seating on a first come, first served basis.

The play is part of the Little Falls Cheese Festival,  which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street.  Area cheese producers and others will offer samples and sales.  Musicians will also perform.  I have attended in past years, and it is quite fun.

Not the current cast.

I thought I would throw in a picture to pep things up.   This is the cast from last year’s cheese play, Where’s the Cheesecake?  I played a small but pivotal role.  This year I am directing.

Both of these ladies reprise their iconic roles.

Our talented playwright and previous director.

I add a couple more pictures from last year, just for good measure.  I’ll try to take some pictures tomorrow.  In the meantime,  Happy Friday!

 

What Do You Want from Me on Slacker Saturday?

I realized as I wrote my blog post last night that I was NOT having a Lame Post Friday, which I almost always do.  I was just so excited to write about the cheese play and use the pictures I took.  So now I feel free to make a Slacker Saturday post.  At least I’m making the post on the day I’m publishing it (according to my real calendar, not my WordPress timestamp, apparently).

The cheese play, Where’s the Cheesecake?, when very well.  We got a lot of laughs.  I had a little bit of cheese at the Little Falls Cheese Festival, but it was so warm, I did not want to stay long.  We went to Ruggiero’s Trattoria, sat at the bar in the air conditioning, and had a couple of drinks and a slice of pizza.  Then we came home and I fell asleep on the couch. We’ve been watching movies ever since.

It doesn’t sound like such an exciting day, does it? Well, I enjoyed it.  Oh, we also took a short walk to the post office and back to mail my weekly post cards. As I went into the post office, I ran into the man who is going to direct Fallen Angel, the play the Herkimer County Historical Society is going to put on at Ilion Little Theatre.  I told him to talk to Steven (who was waiting for me on the sidewalk) about auditioning.  So I may have some theatre news about that on a blog post soon (preview of coming attractions).

I see I am over 200 words.  Phew!  That’s enough for a blog post!  Thank you for tuning in, and I hope to see you all on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

Getting Ready for Cheese

I just got back from rehearsal for Where’s the Cheesecake?, the play LiFT Theatre Company is presenting tomorrow at Little Falls Cheese Festival. I brought along my Tablet to take some pictures for this post.

We do a lot in a small space!

The set is quite simple, because it is a radio play.  We sit in the chairs, then get up and say our lines into the microphones.  It’s actually a little awkward acting that way, but us actors are always up for a challenge.

There are always a lot of laughs at rehearsal

Here are two of my castmates.  Full Disclosure: I told them to act like they were consulting over something in the script.  Actors are really good at these posed candid shots.

I didn’t tell him to smile.

This is an actual candid shot of a cast member.

Can you tell Matt has a cheese and Angela has a microphone?

I also wanted a shot of our writer and director, so we did another posed candid.  Angela Harris wrote the script, and Matt Powers directed.  They, as well as the cast, are excellent to work with.

Alas, I did not get a shot of Oscar Stivala, The Man with the Horn.  He adds atmosphere and mood with his music.  He is also playing later in the day at the Cheese Festival.  I hope to stick around long enough to hear him.  A number of other musical acts are also featured.  You can check out the line-up on the Cheese Festival’s Facebook page.

The Cheese Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street in Little Falls.  The play will be in The Shop at 11:30 a.m.  Come on out!  But in case you miss it, I’ll try to write a blog post and tell you how it was.

 

I’m in a Cheesy Play!

Yesterday I went to a rehearsal for the play I was unexpectedly asked to take part in:  Where’s the Cheesecake?  by Angela Harris.

Angela Harris, a resident of Little Falls, NY, also wrote Strike Story, the incredibly well-researched reader’s theatre play which gave LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company, its start.  I got to participate in that production when a cast member could not make certain performances.  Perhaps you read a few of my blog posts about it.  Harris has also written several short plays about the ongoing adventures of Mac Blac, “Little Falls’ only professional problem solver.”  I saw one of the plays three years ago, at the Little Falls Cheese Festival.  I probably wrote a blog post about that too.  At least, I hope I did.  When I was asked to take a part in the latest adventure, I jumped at the chance!

This episode is done as a radio play.  We stand up and speak into microphones. Sound effects of doors closing and chairs moving help set the scene.  Oscar Stivala, as The Man with the Horn adds atmosphere. I loves me some Oscar Stivala!

The play takes place right before the Little Falls Cheese Festival and, obviously, involves a cheesecake.  More than that I will not say, because I do not want to give away any salient plot points.  I will say it is very mysterious and a lot of fun.

It’ll be more dramatic when we’re in costume.

Where’s the Cheesecake? will be presented on Saturday, July 14 at 11:30 a.m. at The Shop, 590 E. Main St., Little Falls,  as part of the Little Falls Cheese Festival.  The Cheese Festival is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street.  Come buy some cheese and see a play!

 

Murder! Acting! and Cheese!

It’s been a while since I’ve made a hasty post before rushing off to a theatrical endeavor, has it not?  No matter if it has not, it is what I am doing now, I hope.  What a weekend I have ahead of me!  One show revived, another show started, and a wine and cheese fundraiser.  Take a deep breath, Cindy, and enjoy the ride!  (Yes, I talk to myself, is that a problem?)

First up is tonight’s revival of Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery that was presented to great acclaim at The Overlook Mansion in Little Falls (all my murder mysteries are presented to great acclaim, or at least I say so).  We are putting it on again for a private party.  Woohoo, LiFT Theatre Company is in demand!

This was the original cast. We had to re-cast a couple of parts.

Tomorrow, I’ll be with LiFT Theatre Company once again, when we meet for the first read-through of The Tempest, our Shakespeare production for the summer.  I will be sure to make lots of posts about that as rehearsals start and keep my local readers updated on performances.  You’ll have lots of chances to catch this one!

Sunday, when I ought to be doing laundry and cleaning my house (oh yeah, and writing my novel), I will be heading to the Overlook Mansion for a fundraiser for the Little Falls Cheese Festival.

I’ve got my ticket!

I will be a mere attendee at this event, instead of a participant, as I will be for Rubbed Out at Ruby’s and The Tempest.  I expect it will make a lovely blog post.

I see I have come full circle on this post.  I started out with Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, which was presented at the Overlook Mansion by LiFT Theatre Company.  I continued with another activity with LiFT Theatre Company.  Now I return to the Overlook to eat cheese, drink wine and listen to the blues.  What could be better?  I shall close with a shot of the Overlook, which I believe I have used before.  Happy Friday, everybody!

It is such a beautiful place, I don’t mind showing it more than once.

 

Cheesy Post about the Festival

Last year when I ran in the Boilermaker 15K, I chose not to go to the Little Falls Cheese Festival, which was the day before.  Given my sensitivity to sun, I did not want to spend hours out in it the day before running 15Ks in the bright sun.  Since I was not running the Boilermaker this year, it seemed wasteful to miss the Cheese Festival as well.

A few of us met at the house of a friend that lives in Little Falls and walked from there to the Festival on Main Street.  I have not spent a lot of time walking around Little Falls, so I was delighted to be strolling through a residential section.  I love to walk anyways, especially when I have had a strenuous run earlier, which I had.  In Little Falls, there are many beautiful houses to admire.  I kept advising my friends to purchase ones that were for sale, then to invite me over.

What a lot of cheese!  We went from one end of the festival to the other, sampling, chatting and purchasing.  I picked up business cards and brochures when available, hoping I could check out some of these businesses in more detail.

My post is not really doing justice to the cheese festival.  We also saw a fun play and heard a wonderful band.  I’d like to write a whole blog post about the play. I’m afraid I’ve having a bit of Monday Malaise, which is sad, since yesterday I declared that today would be New Leaf Monday.  On the other hand, I did manage to write a post about something other than the fact that I can’t write a post (if you don’t count this last paragraph).  Happy Monday, everyone.