It smells like wet dog. Instead of attending spring barbecues in
lovely backyards painted with spring flowers, I’m letting the
reluctant terrier out to her yard, then attempting to wipe the paws
of a dog dashing inside to avoid the downpour.
It smells like wet dog. Instead of attending spring barbecues in lovely backyards painted with spring flowers, I’m letting the reluctant terrier out to her yard, then attempting to wipe the paws of a dog dashing inside to avoid the downpour. Let the dog in, let the dog out. This is not Seattle, this is not Seattle. “On that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And the rain fell on the earth 40 days and 40 nights.” I’m still gathering the animals, and the ark is half-finished. Story of my life.
But oh, what a beautiful production of “Oklahoma!” the Live Oak Drama Guild has produced for South County. No rain, just beautiful Oklahoma plains weather. The school has a pool of talent to draw from to form a full, live orchestra under the inspiring baton of Live Oak music teacher Greg Bergantz.
The overture set a high standard for the show with the sound of two awesome violinists, Live Oak students Kimia Ghaderi and Andrew Wishneski, who are both members of the California Youth Symphony. A smile of delight spread across my face as the curtain opened to excellent acting, directing and an audience full of appreciative students, parents and community members ducking in from the rain.
Drama guild teacher Mr. Klipstine must be congratulated for the level of performance that exceeds “just a high school performance.” Choreographer Traci Dalke did a marvelous job with the girls, who had obviously had some dance lessons, and the cowboys, who probably didn’t, but went all out on the Kansas City line dancing. Well done.
Alan Dronek as Curly and Leslie Delman as Laurey were strong in voice and acting, and Andrew Cummings played the best Jud Fry I’ve seen (slow-moving and creepy). I’m sure Andrew will change out of the overalls for the prom.
Spencer Salberg and Niki Green played a very convincing pair of dingbats as Will Parker and Ado Annie. The little critic inside my head is standing on her seat clapping for this production. You have one more weekend to swim over to the high school and be swept down the plains – performances continue at 7:30pm today and at 8pm Friday and Saturday.
Printed on the page after the title page of a book I recently purchased was this prophetic statement by Jonathan Swift: “When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.” Apply it where you see fit. The book is a Pulitzer Prize winner by John Kennedy Toole called “A Confederacy of Dunces.”
By the way, the dog is scratching at the back door, can you let her in (and get the towel ready)?
Ciao for now.
