"Mystery of Pirate's Cove" Wrap Party in Alamogordo, New Mexico

Sunday, May 8, 2016

The cast of the play "Mystery of Pirate's Cove" enjoyed a wrap party at the home of Viviane and Dr. Ackall in Alamogordo, New Mexico on Sunday, May 8, 2016. Cast, family members and guests brought food and beverages to share. The backyard was alive with  young people playing touch football while others sat around visiting. Viviane had a DVD of the play running on the television in her living room which many took time to view. All were in agreement that this play was extremely well received and was attended by over 1200 school children and over 350 of the paying public during the eight performances.

Douglas Kerr, husband of cast member, Carla, was also celebrating his 80th birthday and all enjoyed his tres leches birthday cake for dessert among many other dessert offerings on the table. Guests of the Kerrs from The Netherlands, Eveline and Gerrit, also had a grand time visiting with everyone at the wrap party.

Actress Mary Cobb was the only casualty when the football hit her in the face and bloodied her nose. She escaped with a bruised nose and nothing broken. That old saying "keep your eye on the ball" certainly made a point here.

Actress Susan Gallegos and two of her sons

Brock Middleton, our lighting and sound man with his mother Angela

L to R: Eveline and actor/musician David Prose visiting

Pirate cake made by Viviane Ackall

Everyone is chowing down on all the delicious food

L to R: Gerrit, David and actress Carla Kerr

Director and Drama Professor Connie Breding visiting with Eveline

Our lovely hostess Viviane Ackall

The Kennedy family. Victoria is an actress and their daughter, Grace has also been in a couple of plays at the Rohovec Theatre on the Hill

L to R: The Middletons, Angela, Robert, Brock and Brylee. Brock was our lighting and sound man for the production and Brylee was one of the actors in the play.

This is the delicious tres leches birthday cake Carla had made for Doug to celebrate his 80th

Viviane and Carla

"En garde" shouts Eveline

Who will catch this toss?

What a fun, successful wrap party this was, thanks to Viviane and everyone else who participated by bringing such a variety of food that was more than one could eat at one party. The father of  cast member Daniel Hiatt, manned the grill turning out hamburgers and hotdogs for everyone. Surely no one went home hungry!

Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photography for taking pictures to commemorate this happy occasion.

This is all I have to say for now.

"Smoke on the Mountain" has six day run in Alamogordo, New Mexico

Sunday, November 30, 2014

My husband, Doug, and I were involved in the NMSU-A Theater on the Hill production of "Smoke on the Mountain", a musical comedy set in 1938 in a Baptist church in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The elderly pastor has died and a new young one has taken his place with big ideas of  bringing the congregation into the 20th century. He has arranged for the first ever Saturday Night Gospel Sing delivered by the Sanders Family, a traveling group making its return to performing after a five-year hiatus. Doug plays the part of the church custodian and I am one of two wealthy spinster sisters (generous benefactors of said church) who sit in the "Amen" corner of the church and keep tabs on proper conduct. The play ran for two three-day weekends November 14-16 and 21-23, 2014.

Miss Maude (Monica Helm) and Miss Myrtle (Carla Kerr)

Pastor Mervin Oglethorpe (Michael Carrillo) has deluded himself into thinking that the sisters agree with his changes

L to R: Vera Sanders (Glenda Elser), Dennis Sanders (Brian Braga), June Sanders (Monica Harris), Burl Sanders (Jesh Barker), Denise Sanders (Desiree Nielsen) and Stanley Sanders (Rod Barnes). Pastor Oglethorpe is in background.

Dennis whispers something to Denise (they're the twins) as June looks on and the pastor looks disturbed

Dennis and Denise sing and illustrate "Christian Cowboy" while Burl joins in singing

L to R: David Prose (Cousin Sam Sanders), Don Thorp (Uncle Joe Sanders), Vera at the piano, Pastor Oglethorpe, Dennis, Denise, Burl, Stanley, Miss Maude and Miss Myrtle (hidden behind Denise is June)

Dennis, aspiring to become a preacher, practices saving his dog

L to R: Uncle Joe, June (signing "lamb"), Pastor Oglethorpe, Vera, Dennis, Burl, Denise and Stanley singing "Are You Washed in the Blood"

L to R: Miss Maude, Miss Myrtle (fainting), Pastor Oglethorpe, Dennis and Burl during the singing of "I'll Live a Million Years"

Beginning of second act, the sisters trying to decide whether to stay and June and Denise looking properly chastised after they were perceived as dancing during the last song

L to R: Vera, June, Stanley, Denise, Burl and Dennis with Stanley singing "Everyone Home but Me"

L to R: June and Pastor Oglethorpe listening as Vera tells a children's story about a couple of June bugs

Vera reacting when the imaginary June bug breaks the string, landing on her, with Stanley reacting in background

I don't think I need to tell you what is happening to that June bug here

L to R the cast: Bette Colvin (church pianist), David Prose, Don Thorp, Glenda Elser, Brian Braga, Michael Carrillo, Jesh Barker, Monica Harris, Desiree Nielsen, Rod Barnes, Monica Helm and Carla Kerr (Doug Kerr is missing because he shot the picture)

Church Custodian (Doug Kerr)

The play was directed by Kirsten Barker and Connie Breding; Music Director Scott Hancock; Set Designer Will Bartlett; Assistant Director/Stage Manager Eli Holmes.

Smoke on the Mountain was written by Connie Ray, conceived by Alan Bailey and musical arrangements were by Mike Craver and Mark Hardwick.

This play was well received in Alamogordo considering that it is not as well known here as in the more southern states. There were many compliments from theater attendees. It ran for two weekends on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees. After the last matinee, one lady was heard to remark, "I can't believe this is the last show. I just want to go and tell everyone to come see it."

Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photographer for the wonderful pictures and I took the one of him.

This is all I have to say for now.