The Kelley Moore Warehouse rehearsal space, where it’s always
winter and sometime dark
…
The Kelley Moore Warehouse rehearsal space, where it’s always winter and sometime dark …
Rehearsals for “Narnia” are going well for South Valley Civic Theater, where method-acting prevails with an ice-cold warehouse and power outages. More than 60 parka-clad South County children have attended almost nightly rehearsals preparing for their March 17 opening at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse. Tickets can be purchased by calling (408) 842-SHOW or from a cast member.
Director Carol Harris began scanning the SVCT warehouse for wood props appropriate for an impromptu fire to warm up the crew, but she was stopped by SVCT Board President Richard Kaiser. Kaiser also happens to be co-producer of the show and the man in charge of set construction.
With a Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney “let’s put on a show” attitude, parents of the Narnian actors have spent the last three weekends building sets and painting scenery. Panicked, non-sewing moms have sought out seamstresses to sew the yards of fur needed for the Narnian forest animals.
Lucky for them, a new South County establishment, Julie’s Custom Creations, has moved in with needle and thread. Julie has worked on costumes for a number of theater groups in the Bay Area, and she has also created 19th century pieces for History Park in San Jose. Additionally, Julie studied with a professional Milner, creating one-of-a-kind hats.
Attention all those planning to attend the 1906 Centennial picnic at the Chiala mansion in September: Julie is now taking orders. E-mail her at ju*******************@ve*****.net. She also offers a wide range of costumes to rent. Welcome to South County, Julie!
Advance notice to all you lovers of math and logic: The American Institute of Mathematics is hosting a “Math Mardi Gras” (count the beads!) April 9 at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center. The afternoon of math activities will include friendly competitions of Sudoku, SET, Rubik’s cube and others for kids in the third to twelfth grades. All the better, entering the competitions is free, and cash prizes are available.
To register, go to www.aimath.org/mhmath, and you also can earn an extra raffle ticket to win an iPod Nano. For both adults and students, Dr. Dan Goldston will speak, followed by a catered reception. Goldston, recently featured in the Wall Street Journal, is nationally renowned for his work on prime numbers. Tickets are free. Register at www.aimath.org.
Primed and ready to go on Fat Tuesday, I set out to listen to Tommy Brozene’s Dixieland Jazz Band at Happy Dog Pizza in downtown Gilroy. The wannabe Cajuns in the band donned festive shirts and blinking Corona necklaces wrapped in Mardi Gras beads.
The band included Eric Severson on all kinds of weird-lookin’ brass instruments; Tom Brozene Sr. on trumpet; Howard Miyata on trombone and spoons; Jim O’Briant on tuba; Manny Alcantar on trumpet; Bill Armstrong on banjo and guitar; and Tommy Brozene Jr. on trombone and tuba.
The band rotated through its sets, each member taking a break at the bar or eating pizza. Among the other virtuoso solos, the prize must go to Howard Miyata for his egg-shaker solo from the audience while simultaneously eating wood-fired pizza.
Tom’s wife, Marcia Brozene, handed out beads, while a certain nameless Gilroy music teacher jokingly offering to earn her beads.
If you missed the band Tuesday, check them out on the first and third Fridays of each month or down at the Monterey Dixieland Jazz Festival. Laissez le bon Temps Roulez!
Ciao for now.
