Tag Archives: theatre

All Lights, Camera, Murder! All The Time?

Posted on October 26, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Full disclosure:  I would not have made a blog post this morning, but my attempt to walk was foiled by rain.  Yes, I know, some people like to walk in the rain.  I personally do not mind it but did not want to either change my clothes or show up for work in a sodden state, although in a general sense I am not especially fastidious (I just wanted to use the word “fastidious” in a sentence. How often to you get to do that?).

Where was I?  Ah yes, making a blog post.  I think I will begin with a plug of our latest murder mystery, Lights, Camera, Murder! to be presented Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Herkimer Elks Lodge for the benefit for the Herkimer County Historical Society.

May be an image of text that says 'HERKIMER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND CYNTHIA QUACKENBUSH PRESENTS LIGHTS.... CAMERA... MURDER!! CAN YOU SOLVE THE MURDER BEFORE MURDERER IS REVEALED? SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11th Elks Club 112 Mary St. Herkimer, NY Doors Open at 5:30pm Dinner at 6pm Basket Raffles & 50/50 Raffle Dinner catered by PK Pubs Tickets $40.00 per person Tickets are available at The Herkimer County Historical Society 406 North Main St, Herkimer 315-866-6413'

Wow, that turned out big!

I am a little embarrassed they put my name up there in big letters.  I think I should give my little murder group a name like “Q Mysteries” or “Murder for Non-Profit” for such situations.  We have rehearsal tonight.  Perhaps I can get a few pictures for blogging purposes.  In the meantime, why don’t I finish out this post as a Throwback Thursday (or late Way-Back Wednesday) and share a few shots from previous mysteries.

She is always fabulous.

Here is my friend Kim in Fabulous and Fatal in 2019.  She is in the new one, and I expect she will be equally as fabulous.  It is always good to have a tall, gorgeous blonde in the cast.

He is fine, too.   I need to get the other one in a murder mystery sometime!

This is not from a murder mystery but from Love’s Labour’s Lost presented by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company in 2022.  That is local author C.T. Avis, who is cast as Jarod, the screenwriter of the movie in Lights, Camera, Murder!  He asked if he was being typecast as a writer.  I said that actually I gave him the role on the strength of his portrayal of the lovelorn Don Armado (he was in love with Jacquenetta, played by me, I add modestly.  It was so flattering!)

I will try to show a couple more cast members after tonight’s rehearsal.  I don’t promise any hints about the plot, though.  I want any local readers who decide to attend to be surprised.

 

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Murder Makes Me Feel Less Lame

Posted on October 21, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I begin my Lame Post Friday post on Friday but fear I will not finish it till Saturday.  I am on my Tablet,  pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus.  Once again I am unable to add a headline.  That will be my excuse.

My real excuse, unfortunately, is that I have waited till too late and am too tired to make a decent blog post.  I guess that is not much of an excuse but is in fact the reason.

A picture from a long ago walk.

Once again I put in a picture to show the passage of time.  In the first paragraph I mentioned pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus, but I’m afraid I was letting predictive text do the talking, I mean typing.  I keep losing my stylus and have to use my fat finger.  It feels fatter on my phone than on my Tablet, but still.  My fingers are a lot more clever when they work together, as right now as I ten-finger type (I love typing; it is so much fun!).  There’s a metaphor for life:  everything is better when we work together!

And that, if you like, was a bit of half-baked philosophy suitable for Lame Post Friday.  Only I don’t think it was half-baked; I thing it is the truth.  For example, I felt much better about Lights, Camera, Murder!  after the cast had met and started working together.  It is going to be great!  My actors will make it great!

They ponder the clues.

Here is a shot of my last cast making Shooting at the Grange great.  I like working with a movie theme; it give us all a chance to be real hams.  Oh, who am I kidding?  We can ham it up in all my murder mysteries.

Who, her? Be a ham?

One more shot of a great actress.  I knew some of the lines I wrote were funny, but I didn’t know how funny till Mary Jane put her special spin on them.  I love theatre!

So I have gone from a late, lame post to raving about theatre, my own murder mysteries, and the casts that make them wonderful.  I think that is work enough for a Saturday morning, and I adjourn for another cup of coffee.  Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

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In My Defense, Cheese!

Posted on October 4, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hands up, everybody who figured I would be making my Tired Tuesday Post late.  Now pat yourself on the back, because you were right.  I could say I was tired after my rehearsal, but the rehearsal was, in fact, not that strenuous.

What rehearsal, you ask?  Well, yes, I am in another play, this one with LiFT, the Little Falls Theatre Company.  I guess I just can’t help myself.  In my defense, it is a short, reader’s theatre piece, meaning minimal rehearsals and no lines to learn.  Additionally, it is in conjunction with the Little Falls Cheese Festival.  How can I resist cheese?  Most importantly, it was written by Angela Harris, the brilliant writer of Strike Story.  I love Angela!

Angela and I at a previous cheese festival.

I was a little stunned to realize that the Cheese Festival is this Saturday, Oct. 7.  I guess I somehow thought there was more space between September and October, or maybe that October had longer weeks.  Widow brain.  It’s a thing.

A shot of the 2019 cast.

The cheese plays are done like an old time radio program, complete with microphones.  The plots concern Mac Blac, the only problem solver in the Little Falls phone book.

A rehearsal from 2018.

This year’s play will be held at Little Falls Public Library at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.  Come on out and see us!  If you can tear yourself away from the Cheese!

 

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Post-Play, Pre-Coffee, At Least It’s a Post!

Posted on September 25, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I suppose it is time for a Post Play Post, but I am not at all sure that I am up for one.

As it happens, I was not.  I typed in that one sentence (picking one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet,  of course) then went to sleep.  In my defense, I was tired and had been drinking wine. The play I refer to, for those of you just tuning in, was An Evening of Timeless Comedy,  three one-act plays presented as the opening production of Ilion Little Theatre’s 100th Season.  Sunday was our last performance.

Now it is Monday morning and my coffee is still perking.  It is flavored coffee, because I neglected to buy more of the regular kind (which I prefer) when I was at the grocery store.  What, you may legitimately ask, is the matter with me?

A dramatic moment.

I do not have any pictures from last night so stole this one from the Ilion Little Theatre Club Facebook page.  It is a rehearsal shot from The Mayor and the Manicure, the third one-act of the evening.

Now I must concentrate on the murder mystery we are putting on to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society on Nov. 11 (preview of coming attractions).  Ilion Little Theatre is already in rehearsals for their next show, Newsies.  As for this blog,  I guess I will just continue to hobble along, and try to make more posts on time.  Now where’s that coffee? Flavored coffee is better than none!

 

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Late, Dramatic Throwback Thursday

Posted on September 22, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Is a late blog post better than no blog post at all? Discuss amongst yourselves while I get a cup of coffee.

And not that skinny.

My tiredness continues.  It would be more dramatic, and part of me feels more accurate, to say exhaustion.  Who, me, dramatic? SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

I was with this bunch last night.

Of course, as regular readers know, drama is my life.  Part of it, at any rate.  Last night we had our pick-up rehearsal for The Man in the Bowler Hat, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT).  As I mentioned before, it is part of An Evening of Timeless Comedy, three one-act plays of significance in ILT’s history.  They are celebrating 100 years this season.

It was a Wrist to Forehead moment.

I thought I would add a picture from another ILT production, thus making this a Throwback Thursday Post as well.  This is from Dirty Work at the Crossroads,  which was directed by my late beloved husband Steve.  I am the one in blue, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead.  The other lady is Julianne Allen, a stalwart ILT member who has also sadly passed away.

On that sad note, I see I am over 200 words.  I have time for more coffee!  An Evening of Timeless Comedy continues this weekend, Sept. 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 24 at 2 p.m.  For more information visit the Ilion Little Theatre Club Facebook page or website, http://www.ilionlittletheatre.org

 

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Post-Play Post

Posted on September 16, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Earlier today I was not feeling Friday.  It seemed to me I was going to work again tomorrow.   How happy I am now that this is not the case!  I am home after opening night of An Evening of Timeless Comedy, the production I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT).  Regular readers may recall that this is a collection on three one-act plays of significance in ILT’s.

A fun bunch!

Here is a backstage shot of the cast of the one-act I’m in, The Man in the Bowler Hat.  Yes, that is a glass of wine in my hand.  We had already done our part,  and I was celebrating.  I brought enough wine to share, although not everyone wanted some.

An Evening of Timeless Comedy continues at Ilion Little Theatre, 13 Remington Ave., Ilion,  NY, Sept. 16, 22 and 24 at 7:30 p.m., and Sept. 17 and 25 at 2 p.m.  For more information you can visit their Facebook page or website, http://www.ilionlittletheatre.com.

I see I am not up to 200 words yet.  However, I am too tired to think of any more.  Perhaps I can call this Lame Post Friday and get away with fewer words.

 

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By the Way, I’m in a Play

Posted on September 13, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

So yesterday it was a migraine.  I made it through rehearsal, so that was something.

Oh yeah, rehearsal.  I have not said much about the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT).  It is being billed as An Evening of Timeless Comedy and consists of three one-act plays of significance in ILT’s history.  I am in The Man in the Bowler Hat.  The other two plays are  So’s Your Old Antique and The Mayor and the Manicure.

One reason I have been so tired lately is the wear and tear of being in a play.  Another reason is that seasonal allergies are doing a number on me.  The other reason is my ongoing grief and depression.  So once again I ask my readers for patience as my blog suffers.

It’s called a table reading, although we do not actually read the table.

Here is a picture from our first read-through.   I meant to take more rehearsal shots but did not get to it somehow.

That same night.

Performance dates September 15, 16, 22, 23 at 7:30 p.m. and September 17, 24 at 2 p.m. at Ilion Little Theatre, 13 Remington Ave., Ilion, NY.  General Admission is $20.  For more information,  you can visit the Ilion Little Theatre Club Facebook page or website www.ilionlittletheatre.org

 

 

 

 

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Who Got Rubbed Out?

Posted on September 8, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello, and welcome to another Throwback Thursday Post.  What will I throw back to this week?  No doubt something I have thrown back to before, but you’ll have that.

Would you trust her?

This is my friend Laura as the vampish Zelda Helsinki in Rubbed Out at Ruby’s,  one of my favorite murder mysteries.  I think I need to do another 1920’s one.  The clothes are so fun!

They all look like murderers to me!

Here is the whole cast, including my late, dearly missed husband Steve (in the back, third from the right) (oh, I guess he’s third from the left, too).  They were all great people to work with.

They might be holding me up, but you can’t prove that at this late date.

I might as well make it a Ruby trifecta.  Here I am, in red, between two Kims.

The chalk outline looks like he’s dancing.

It seems I do not have a whole lot to say, so I put in another cast photo.

Wait a minute! She wasn’t in the cast!

This is the picture I had meant to open with, because I have spent the last few days sweltering, as have many people.  I think my brain got steamed, which could explain my inability to think of much to say.  However, I see I am over 200 words.  Score!  Stay hydrated, everyone!

 

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Still Making with the Memories

Posted on August 11, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I make this post in haste. Posthaste.  It’s a word, although I daresay you do not hear it very often.  I indulged in Monday Memories,  but perhaps a Throwback Thursday Post would not come amiss.

Maybe I was a little over the top.

I just can’t help sharing another picture from The Tempest performed by LiFT,  Little Falls Theatre Company in August 2017.  Look how silly I am, in my yellow tights and purple cape, gesturing dramatically.  I had a lot of fun with that role.

My favorite co-star.

Here are my late, beloved husband, Steve, and I in the final vignette of Splitting Issues presented by Ilion Little Theatreplay (ILT) in 2016.  Those same chairs will be part of the set for The Man in the Bowler Hat,  the play I am rehearsing now at ILT.

Another favorite scene.

I am also pleased to share this shot of Steve and I in Harvey in 2012.  It was our big scene.

So three pictures of me, two with Steve.  I treasure the memories.

As a side note, the reason I am posting in haste is that I inadvisedly agreed to go into work at five tomorrow morning, so I need to get to bed soon.  I need my beauty rest!

 

 

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Lame Old Me

Posted on August 5, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last night I felt too tired to make my Lame Post Friday post, and I am justly served for my laziness, because I have a dreadful headache this morning.  Two lousy glasses of Chardonnay!  I feel most ill-used.  Sorry to bitch about it, but you know how it is.

Pretty!

I looked for a cheerful picture in my Media Library to counteract my whining.  These are my Black-Eyed Susans in August 2017.  The patch does not look nearly as nice this year, but I was happy to get at least some blooms.  I have fallen down dreadfully in the yard and garden department these past few years.  Little by little, I try to improve the situation.

Me, trying to improve the situation.

I used this illustration before with the caption, “Me, hacking away at the overgrowth.”  It amused me so much, I thought I would repeat it for the benefit of anybody that missed it the first time.

Actors at work.

I was looking for a summer activity, so I could also make this a preview of coming attractions.  I found this from when a few members of LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company,  met at Mangia Macrina’s Pizza in Little Falls, NY to run lines for Love’s Labour’s Lost.  I had actually started to go home, but turned around and joined them.  Alas, no LiFT or Shakespeare appear to be in my near future, but theatre is.  And possibly a pizza from Mangia Macrina’s.

OK, one more Shakespeare picture.

 

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