"Chaos at the Concert"

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

The Drama 105 Class at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo, directed by Drama Professor Connie J. Breding, presented an Interactive Murder Mystery Event  written by Ms. Breding as well. Act I begins in the university Campus Deli and Cafe (Route 55 Cafe) where Melvis Priestly (early cousin of Elvis Presley) is presiding over a dinner with a 50's style menu for his entourage as well as the president of the local Melvis Fan Club and a fan who won a drawing to have dinner with Melvis. The time is a nice spring evening in Alamogordo, New Mexico in 1955.

When the dinner is finished, the group travels across the campus to the Rohovec Theatre where the concert is held and quite an audience is in attendance.  In Act II Melvis entertains as only he can, singing some great songs and giving out with that "Melvis Move" that he perfected long before Elvis.  As he is finishing one song, he suddenly becomes desperately ill and falls to the stage.

In Act III, students of the EMS Class arrive in their ambulance to tend Melvis and eventually put him on a gurney and take him to IHOSP, the international hospital in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Students from Criminal Justice arrive to place the crime scene tape and to interrogate everyone who is involved with Melvis trying to ascertain who might want to harm him. Word comes back from the hospital that our beloved Melvis is deceased declaring him to have been murdered and everyone is screaming and crying. Incidentally, the officer does solve the crime through his questioning which was amazing to everyone because he had no idea who the culprit was until he started his investigation.  He was so thorough in his questioning that he just might do very well in a drama class along with his Criminal Justice studies.

This was primarily an improvisational group doing whatever came to mind that would keep the show moving and interesting and the group did an outstanding job of this. "Chaos at the Concert" was well received by the audience.

The cast is as follows:

Melvis Priestly (Spencer Bond); Sergeant Kernal Carparker (Doug Kerr); Missi Carparker (Carla Kerr); Nancy N. Icegurl (Victoria Kennedy); Kathy Allgood (Miranda Denetdale); Ima Bea Badd (Caymen Rogers); Patty Server (Wanda Wakkinen); Jock Strappe (Jeremiah Crosby); Samuel "Snoopy" RePortier (Gavin Kainulainen); Brawny Bonecrusher (Alan Gonzales); and Norman "Nerdy" McNerdal (Cliff Courvoisier).
 

L to R: Kernal Carparker (Doug Kerr), Nancy N. Icegurl (Victorial Kennedy), Melvis Priestly (Spencer Bond), Kathy Allgood (Miranda Denetdale), and Missi Carparker (Carla Kerr) at the dinner

A group of people waiting for their food to be picked up

Ima Bea Badd (Caymen Rogers) the towns wild child

Norman "Nerdy" McNerdal (Cliff Courvoisier) with his back to us, L to R: Brawny Bonecrusher (Alan Gonzales), Jock Strappe (Jeremiah Crosby), and Patty Server (Wanda Wakkinen). Patty is chastising Jock because he keeps picking on Nerdy.

Nancy N. Icegurl (Victoria Kennedy) welcoming everyone to the Melvis dinner

Missi looking concerned because Melvis doesn't have his coke and hamburger yet

L to R: Nancy, Melvis and Kathy in discussion about the fact that Kathy just can't believe she is sitting at the table with Melvis, her idol. She said she only entered the contest on a whim and when she was called by the radio station and told that she had won,  she just about died. Melvis and Nancy are assuring Kathy that they are here to make sure she has a great time.

The "Route 55 Cafe" even provided a delicious cake in honor of Melvis

Melvis and Nancy on stage

Melvis has fallen to the floor and Kernal Carparker is distraught

Missi Carparker stands by while the EMS people work on Melvis

Kernal being very pensive as he waits to hear about Melvis

The Campus Officer questions Kernal and Brawny after Melvis' death

Missi explaining through tears that everybody loved Melvis and she has no idea who could be so evil

After the show, Missi, Kernal and Brawny

Missi and Kernal

Front L to R: Patty, Missi, Nancy and Jock. Back L to R: Detective, Kernal, Brawny, Ima Bea, and Nerdy. Of course, Melvis is in the morgue by this time. Also missing is Kathy who had to leave right away.

Thanks so much to Tito Torres for taking the pictures starting with Melvis and Nancy on stage all the way through to the after shots and the last one of the group. Tito and his wife Rosie were in the audience.  Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photography for shots in Cafe 55 except the group shot with Elvis was shot by Samuel "Snoopy" LaPortier (Gavin Kainulainen) whose picture did not get taken, but isn't this always the way with photographers and reporters?

This production was one of those "You had to be there" to appreciate the work that went into writing and producing it as well as the costumes created by the actors themselves. This class will be presenting three more short plays this semester as their final so be sure to watch for the announcement. This is truly a talented group promising a great evening of entertainment in May.

This is all I have to say for now.

Carla's Children Visit From Springtown, Texas

Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15, 2015

Carla's son, Russ and his wife, Kelley, came to Alamogordo, New Mexico to visit from Springtown, Texas.  The weather was perfect except for a bit of wind and we had a great time sight seeing and catching up on all the grandkids and great grandkids.

When they arrived at the house Friday morning, I had a breakfast awaiting them consisting of blueberry-sour cream pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee. We then drove to Cloudcroft in the Sacramento Mountains and explored and shopped in the many cute little stores. For lunch, we went to Big Daddy's Diner and Russ and I had their "all the catfish you can eat" special while Kelley opted for barbecued pork. We traveled back to the house with leftovers and a to-go container of posole soup for Doug. After visiting for a while, the kids went to their motel as we had all risen early and were more than ready for sleep.

Doug and I met Russ and Kelley at the IHOP for breakfast Saturday morning and Doug stayed home while we went to White Sands National Monument. It was a gloriously beautiful day and we took off our shoes and socks and climbed a huge sand dune and enjoyed the feel of the cool sand on our feet. Kelley took many pictures of the area, of which, I'm sure you will be seeing on face book. Afterward, we picked up Doug and drove to Tularosa to our favorite Mexican Restaurant, Casa de Suenos, for lunch. The food, as always, was absolutely delicious. Kelley and I each found a couple of bracelets we couldn't live without in their gift shop which we promptly purchased.

We took a short break in the afternoon (as Russ says, "nap time") and then went to the Flickinger Center for the Performing Arts where we enjoyed seeing the Sons of the Pioneers, a group that has been pickin' and grinin' since 1934 (they do some fine fiddlin' too). What a nostalgic trip this was. They played and sang Tumblin Tumbleweed, Cool Water, Ghost Riders in the Sky and Happy Trails, just to name a few. They are consummate entertainers and we enjoyed every moment of their concert. The Flickinger was packed and the crowd loved them. If you ever get a chance to see this group, don't hesitate--they are worth every penny of the ticket!

Sunday morning, I made scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns. We also had fruit and coffee and it was too soon time for them to leave for El Paso for their return flight to Ft. Worth, Texas.  They promise to return to see even more of this beautiful state of New Mexico. I miss them already!

Kelley and Russ at IHOP

L to R: Doug, Carla, Kelley and Russ at IHOP. Thanks to waiter for the shot!

Russ and Kelley at White Sands

Kelley and Carla

Kelley and Russ

A view of the sands lit by the sun from top of a sand dune

Kelley, Russ and Carla taken by a passerby from El Paso

L to R: Kelley, Carla, Doug and Russ dining at Casa de Suenos in Tularosa, New Mexico. Thanks to the waitress for the shot.

L to R: Carla, Russ and Kelley Sunday morning as they are getting ready to head for El Paso to fly home.

L to R: Carla looking at a New Mexico Magazine, Kelley catching up on email and Russ reading AARP Magazine while Doug is trying to get a DVD copy of a play to start on the television

I can't believe I didn't take any pictures of our shopping in Cloudcroft, but I just get too much into shopping to think about my camera! It was such a wonderful treat to see them both and spend that precious time with them. Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photography for the photos he took.

This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hatters Fete Vice Queen Penny Pirrung at Memories Restaurant

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society feted their Vice Queen Penny Pirrung to a farewell luncheon at Memories Restaurant in Alamogordo, New Mexico.  VQ Penny is moving to the Daytona Beach area of Florida the end of this month.

We had a fabulous time visiting and dining on delicious food and beverages at Memories.  VQ Penny was presented with a wide brimmed Red Hat from the chapter members because she will need to protect her lovely skin in the sunshine state.  In packing, VQ Penny discovered a number of cherished items she didn't have room for and she packaged them up and brought them to the luncheon where we played a version of "Chinese Auction" and each attendee received one as a momento from Penny. 

We had two visitors, friends of Penny's, C J and Flo, who have interest in joining the Red Hat Society and they now have all the information needed to become members.

Queen Ladybird aka Carla K. just before leaving for the luncheon thanks to Doug Kerr's photography expertise

L to R: Visitors, C J and Flo, Alice, Margie and Karen

Carmen (birthday gal) and Guest of Honor VQ Penny

L to R: Rosa Rico (Birthday Gal), Dorothy E., Lu and Terry

L to R: Donna W., Jean and Rosa Rico

One of our newest members, Berene

Playing Chinese Auction with VQ Penny leading the festivity

There was quite a lot of stealing going on at this point

VQ Penny modeling her lovely new red chapeau

Lu, modeling one of the hats Penny gave away with VQ Penny

We shall all miss Penny's bright smile and wit and no one more than I. She has been of invaluable assistance to me with our chapter.  I know she will find a great group of gals in Florida to shop and play with. Now, to find a new Vice Queen and I'm hoping someone will just step up.

 This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hatters Enjoy Shopping and Lunch in Old Mesilla Village, New Mexico

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society drove to Old Mesilla Village near Las Cruces, New Mexico for a fun day of shopping and dining.

There were only six of us this day for various reasons, but we never let small numbers keep us from our official sport of shopping and, of course, good food before and after.  This place has many interesting little shops containing art, clothing, shoes, etc.  It is anchored on one end by a lovely old Roman Catholic Church and they invite people in for tours which the group enjoyed.

Lunch was had at Posta Restaurant, a Mexican eatery with many, many rooms. The food was delicious and the service excellent. The room they led us to was huge enough for a wedding reception and no one there but us at the time.  However, a group of about 15 came in a little later.  On leaving, we somehow split up trying to find a ladies room and we wound around for a while trying to find our way out. As we finally found the door we came in, a large group of people were entering and I said, "Pay attention folks. This place is huge. We've been trying to find our way out for a week and just now found the door!"  One other Red Hatter was with us, Donna W., but the camera failed us!

Alice is one of our "Mountain Girls" from High Rolls, New Mexico

Love the carving and huge plates behind our precious Lu

We were so happy to have our world traveler with us, Jean Courtier

Margie is our most creative person

A shot of the altar in this beautiful old church. It also has gorgeous stained glass windows. The little yellow sign at the bottom blasts "Stop! Do not enter!

As usual, yours truly was behind the camera so my darling Doug took this photo when I got home.

We all stopped at the local Dairy Queen on the way back to Alamogordo and got ice cream cones for dessert. It was a beautiful New Mexico day and we had a grand time.

This is all I have to say for now.