What a thrill it was to get an e-mail a few weeks ago from my friend and former WTAW colleague Michelle Peltier Olsta, inviting me to join her this evening at Central Baptist Church where we will be narrators for "Freedom: A Salute to American Liberty."
I can't imagine my own passion for honoring veterans better fulfilled than to be even a small part of what will be another outstanding tribute from the Central Baptist Choir and Orchestra.
I promise you'll cheer, you'll stand, you'll cry, you'll sing and you'll overflow with the sort of national pride this day is meant to bring. After two rehearsals last week, I can tell you first hand that Broadway has nothing on this production that Worship Minister Grady Chism has blended together.
The program at Central Baptist starts at 6 p.m. and will be finished in plenty of time to get over to campus for the best part of the College Station Noon Lions Club "I Love America" Celebration.
Of the countless reasons I'm happy I live in the Brazos Valley, just one is that we know how to throw a party and on today's 234th birthday of our country, the towns still have a knack for respecting long-held traditions. I mean for the most part every citizen and organization moves out of the way to make room for the celebration that the Lions Club has staged for 50 years. Yes today is the Golden Anniversary of the July 4th fete that they've been pulling off with precision since 1960.
It's the 12th year that the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum has hosted the all-afternoon event and although it had several homes before 1999, I can't imagine that the Lions will ever again stage it anywhere else. Back in the day, the fireworks display was pretty much the beginning and the end of the party but since the former President and First Lady opened their doors and grounds to us, it's expanded to a five-hour family-friendly extravaganza of games, concessions and concerts, all leading up to the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra's one-hour introduction to the consistently magnificent fireworks.
Again it's all free starting at 5 p.m. Ben Morris and The Great American Boxcar Chorus plays at 5:30, followed by an F-16 flyover, more Ben Morris then the Josh Langston Band followed by a hot air balloon glow at about 8 p.m. The symphony strikes up at 8:50 p.m. with the fireworks at about 9:50 p.m.
Bring your lawn chairs, picnic baskets and blankets, but leave your pets at home. Park free at Reed Arena or the West campus parking garage and shuttle free to the library grounds. Even the library museum is free today from noon to 8:30.
'Beauty and the Beast'
Brazos Valley TROUPE Managing-Artistic Director M.A. Sterling calls his band of musicmakers' production of "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" about as ambitious a production as they've tried in a while. The timeless story of Belle, the Beast, Gaston, Mrs. Potts and the rest will run the next two weekends, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights and at 3 p.m. Sunday afternoons at TROUPE's 29th Street Studio at 3705 E. 29th in Bryan.
"It is just absolute pure Disney magic at its finest," said Sterling. "I've seen all of the works by Disney Theatricals and, though I love them all, this one is my favorite still. The stories of Belle and the Beast come together to show us all that though we can appear to be so different, we are, deep down, the same. Clichés such as 'judging a book by its cover' come to mind especially with the wonderful message about reading and literacy that is underscored in the musical. I just love the messages it sends, the music that is timeless and our cast which is flawless!"
That cast includes TROUPE newcomer Xavier Alcala as the Prince/Beast. Several other roles are double cast, including Danielle Lamphear and Kierstin McKinley as Belle, Max Duane and Brady Manuel as the villian Gaston, and Leonor Castro and Kathleen Finch as LeFou. Also in the cast are Riley Baron as Maurice, Eric Manuel as Monsieur Darque and Claire Chabot, Anne Finch, Kaleigh Gallego and Grace Manuel as the Silly Girls. The story is told by another quartet of narrators, played by Grayson Downey, Calista Moats, Mikayla Moats and Tommy Rowan.
The Enchanted Ones are played by Jamie Adams as Lumiere, Ethan Guthrie as Cogsworth, Mollie Rush as Madame de la Grande Bouche, Sara Brittain as Babette, Hannah Smith as Mrs. Potts, and Joseph Finch as Chip. Nadia Nobles plays the Enchantress.
Other members of the cast are Daniel Beck, Ethan Boyes, Alizabeth Dugan, Sydney Edens, Grace Garisson-Tate, Bella Gonzalez, Katie Gray, Ashlyn Hawkins, Avery Luce, Claire McAdams, Marissa Moats, Hayden O'Connor, Marissa Patti, Ashley Rutherford, Madeline Sterling, Carter Townsend, Hannah Treider, Audrey Vestal and Claire Vestal.
The production is directed by Sterling and choreographed by Tasha McKinley, Kathryn Lys & Sterling. Technical Design is by Becky Lane and Josh Moon and Set & Scenic Design is by Jason Moats. Costume Design is by Amy Wise and Hair & Makeup Design is by Lauren Fickey. Susan Guthrie serves as the show's producer. In all the cast of more than 40 range in age from 5-18.
There will be a special Friday matinee on July 16th only for groups such as daycares or senior groups of 12 or more. Any groups interested should contact BVT at 979-846-4903 for more information. Ticket prices are $10 for general public, $8 for TROUPE Members and $6 for ages 2-12. Reservations are strongly suggested and you can make them by calling 846-4903 or by emailing bvttix@yahoo.com.
'Cabernet' at StageCenter
This Friday and Saturday, StageCenter Community Theatre in downtown Bryan will present "Death is a Cabernet", a mystery dinner theatre production starting at 7:30 p.m. each night. Come help solve the murder of Malcolm Melee, the owner of his own Vineyards of Nippy Valley.
Tickets are $30 and include dinner, wine, and desert. They are on sale now at the Arts Council office at 2275 Dartmouth in College Station. StageCenter is at 201-B W. 26th Street, just above Mr. G's.
ACBV grants available
The Arts Council of Brazos Valley is now accepting applications for its 2010-2011 Operating Grant Program. To qualify for funding, applicants must be Arts Council affiliate members in good standing as of July 30, 2010, a non-profit organization with an arts, culture or history focus and located in the Brazos Valley. To apply for grant funding or to become an affiliate member of the Arts Council, go to www.acbv.org or call 696-ARTS.
According to the Arts Council, in the past year alone, in partnership with the City of College Station, City of Bryan, Brazos County, Texas Commission on the Arts and private donors, the Arts Council provided almost $200,000 in grant funding to 27 arts, culture and history organizations in the Brazos Valley. Last year, the Arts Council received close to $300,000 in grant funding requests.
All ACBV grant funded projects spotlight events that attract visitors to the Brazos Valley, arts activities that contribute to the quality of life of Brazos Valley residents, projects and events that positively impact a large number of visitors, educational programs and arts activities having a positive economic impact to the Brazos Valley.
Grant funding is limited and all applicants are required to attend one of two grant workshops taking place on July 6th and July 15th to be eligible for funding. For more information or to support the granting programs of ACBV, visit www.acbv.org or call 696-ARTS.
Save the date
* Sunday: College Station Lions Club presents "Fourth of July Celebration", George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, 9:30 a.m. (691-4014, bushlibrary.tamu.edu)
* Tuesday-Aug. 11: Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History presents "Lee and Grant" (776-2195, brazosvalleymuseum.org)
* Thursday-July 18: Navasota Theatre Alliance presents "All Aboard for Broadway" (936-8253195, navasotatheatre.com)
* Thursday-July 30: BV Art League and Arts Council presents "Digital Paintbrush: Painting with Light by Larry May", Spirit of Texas Bank Gallery (696-2787, acbv.org)
* All month: Children's Museum of the Brazos Valley offers various programs, including Monday Madness, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (779-5437, www.mymuseum.org)
* All month: Until August, the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum will present "The Culture of Wine", unraveling the mystery, magic and making of wine. (691-4000, bushlibrary.tamu.edu)
* Tom Turbiville is The Eagle's arts columnist. He's also sports director for WTAW-1620AM Radio. E-mail him at tom.turbiville@ theeagle.com.
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