The Huntsville Main Street Program does a lot of good things for the community, and one of these is its “Summer Music Series.” This summer’s series closed with “ESCAPE,” Houston-based tribute band. And although they are Houston-based, the band’s founder, Bobby Cayton, is actually a Huntsville native, and he seemed–along with everyone else–to enjoy his return to Huntsville.
Whether it was the return of this Huntsville native, or nostalgia for 80s Rock, or a free event on a Saturday night, there was a very large crowd.
Approximately 250 people were on hand, and their enjoyment of the band its music was obvious. The band offered directions–join in chants, wave your arms, come to the front, and the crowd obliged.
It was a special treat for City staff, who not only put on the event but also had a chance to enjoy it. Rebekah Kolb (Main Street Manager) supervised the program, with help from Angela Robinson (Program Coordinator for the Wynne Home). Aron Kulhavy was on hand, along with many music-series mainstays: Lois Stehlik, Darren and Marsie Grant, Derrick Birdsall, and Russell and Tish Humphrey.
Adding to the fun and sense of nostalgia was the band’s frequent trivia interventions, asking the audience to participate on matters such as, “Who was the band’s third drummer?” The audience proved remarkably knowledgeable, and they often, in turn, tried to direct the band, requesting specific songs and encouraging a longer playlist.
The ninety-minute set, though, was just right, a nice end to the summer break and a nice kick-off to the fall semester.
The LEAP Center is known for its emphasis on civic and community engagement, and for good reason. But LEAP students also value a well-rounded education, and that involves the performing arts. So, in a month in which Ambassadors have seen the play “Wicked” and “Pirates of Penzance,” Ambassadors also decided to attend a book discussion of Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”
What does this novel have to do with the performing arts? The Alley Theatre is currently performing this play, and we will be attending it on August 13. In advance of that performance, however, we visited Murder by the Book, where the book store hosted Mark Shanahan, the Director of Ackroyd and, as it turns out, a wonderful storyteller!
Shanahan discussed his career on the stage, both as a director and as an actor, and he also shared with us the fact that his sister (Christin Brecher) is a crime novelist, and she had a couple of books in the store!
Shanahan also explored the challenges and intrigues of presenting an Agatha Christie play. While Christie was a playwright of note, but The Murder of Roger Ackroyd hasn’t been adapted to the stage. It’s always challenging to adapt a beloved book, especially a whodunit that has been around for almost 100 years–because people already know whodunit!
But Shanahan obviously relishes the challenge, and many in the audience had seen some of the preview performances, and they had good things to say. With that encouragement, we sought out Shanahan for some photos, and we were fortunate to be joined by a couple members of the Ackroyd crew.
Although these preliminary reviews were very positive, we will return with the definitive review following our visit to the Alley on August 13!
This was a special day of sorts. We were headed to see the play, “Wicked,” which was named after our President-Elect, Morgan Robertson. Moreover, it was her birthday–21st, no less. So, we let her choose the place to eat!
She chose “A Taste of Greece,” because Mediterranean is her favorite type of food, and because it is within walking distance of the Fox Theatre, where her biopic was being performed.
The restaurant offered many umami plates, but the ones that caught our eyes and proved to be delicious mouthfuls were the Greek Melt, the From Greece with Love Platter consisting of gyro meat, pork and chicken skewers, and Greek Meatballs served with green beans, pita bread, and tzatziki sauce.
We wished we could’ve stayed to enjoy our meals a little longer, but with every passing minute, a wicked play awaited us.
Wicked
By Morgan Robertson
“It’s time to Trust (our) instincts, close (our) eyes and LEAP!”
–From “Defying Gravity,” in “Wicked.”
Our trip has been full of many athletic, educational, historical, political, and after tonight, entertaining events! The last night of our trip, we checked the entertainment box, and made our way to the historic Fox Theatre to watch their rendition of “Wicked,” the musical.
We were amazed by the grandeur of the Theatre…
…and hastily made our way to our seats.
Despite what the professional advisement of LEAP thinks, not all LEAP Ambassadors are wicked. However, we all have varying degrees of interest in the “Wizard of Oz.” But, of the LEAP Ambassadors, I am perhaps the most unfamiliar with musicals. Due to my familial ties to Kansas, I was raised near the setting of the movie. So, I made an exception and was excited to learn more about the Wicked Witch of the West. I even wore green for the evening!
“Wicked” begins with a frame narrative starting with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North as she brings the good news to the Munchkins that the Wicked Witch is dead. The lively songs harken memories of the original story, and a shrill voice says, “I’m melting, I’m melting!” The delighted munchkins rejoice in the good deeds done by their valiant protector, a midwestern farm girl and her little dog.
Everyone knows the Wicked Witch as Dorothy’s antagonist, but on Thursday night, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch) was good. Elphaba became a fiercely loyal sister, an unlikely best friend, defender of the meek and unspoken for, and a true heroine with a happy ending. From start to finish, “Wicked” had the entirety of the Theatre bellowing in laughter as all these aspects of Elphaba were explored.
I would be remiss if I did not bring attention to the musical talent and songs. As a group, “Defying Gravity” was our favorite, where Elphaba learns of her true capabilities and sets off to save the animals of Oz. Another favorite was “For Good” as it very sweetly and impactfully shows the true nature of Elphaba’s friendship with Glinda.
Without divulging into every element of irony or song, “Wicked” became a newfound favorite musical of mine. It was an incredible way to close our night, ending our trip on a very pleasing ‘note’!
And with that, LEAP’s 8-day exploration of the Deep South came to an end! We are incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to visit Georgia and South Carolina and learn about their individually rich and fascinating history.
The LEAP Center promotes education–across all disciplines–while emphasizing the impact education and service has on communities. Nothing makes a community more special than the people who are in it, and over the years, LEAP Ambassadors have developed a community of their own. In that spirit, Ambassadors past and present came together on a Sunday in July to get to know one another, to build community, and to enjoy the Houston Gilbert & Sullivan’s performance of “Pirates of Penzance.”
We all gathered at the POST Market for a quick bite before the performance at the Hobby Center. We had a great chance to get to know one another, converse, and share some of our experiences with LEAP. The alumni had a very welcoming approach and made us feel comfortable, urging us to ask questions. I personally asked questions about everyone’s higher education and career paths. Christian even gave me a striking piece of advice telling me to “take whatever Yawn has to offer, no matter how intimidating it is”. To conclude our time at the POST we headed to the terrace to take a photo with the magnificent Houston skyline.
Continuing our afternoon we made our way to The Hobby Center to enjoy The Pirates of Penzance.
I had never seen an operetta before, and I wasn’t sure what it would be or how to take it. It was far more comedic than I anticipated. This was made clear early on, when it’s clear that the main character, Frederic, was sold indentured into piracy because his hard-of-hearing nursemaid, Ruth, misheard “pilot” for “pirate.”
This led to a farcical plot with numerous appealing songs, the most famous of which is “Modern Major General,” which, in this rendition, incorporated some contemporary elements from King Charles’s recent coronation. As a former LEAP Ambassador said, “a lot of shade was thrown.” The shade, however, was funny, punctuated by the chaos and disorder on stage, which made us all chuckle. Well, it made most of us chuckle, and it made Jessica giggle.
Through the art of theater we all bonded, created many connections and created an amazing memory. The LEAP Center would like to thank Victoria McClendon-Legget, Bianca Saldierna, Christian Bionat, Alejandra Galvan, Bryan Phillips, Justin Beiser, Megan Martin and Quinn Kobrin (and their plus ones!) for joining us us for an enjoyable afternoon!
After our arrival in the delightful City of Atlanta, we decided to explore a piece of their (quasi) natural scenery. The Atlanta Botanical Garden is one of the most famous botanical gardens, featuring many prestigious pieces of art, diverse greenery, fountains and grand sculptures.
As soon as we entered the Visitors Center, we were met with a spectacular Dale Chihuly piece called the ‘Nepenthes Chandelier’. This piece was inspired by the Nepenthes Pitcher plants, one of the many plants featured in the garden.
Already a tourist attraction, the Gardens have recently become even more popular with the addition of Thomas Dambo’s “Save the Humans” collection. The collection includes six different trolls, each with their own written fairytale and style.
The enormous trolls are composed of wood and have their own personal accessories such as rocks, bird houses, and my favorite, a car! Each LEAP Ambassador chose their favorite one and made sure to take a picture in front of it! My personal favorite was Rosa Sunfinger, a troll with its own tiny garden grown out of a car! The true meaning behind this piece is to showcase how plants can beautify, transform and bring back to life our everyday items.
The beautiful sights did not stop there, as we made our way through the garden…
… we were met with the Earth Goddess.
This particular piece is about 20 feet tall, and contains thousands of plants that decorate the embodiment of the goddess.
The sculpture is eye-catching, it just draws you in with its vibrant colors and different plant species. The sculpture is paired with a fountain that flows in front and through the hands of the earth goddess, making for a tranquil and serene landscape.
As we made our way to the Levy Parterre section of the garden, we saw many man-made rivers and cascades. The cascades added a relaxing and gentle sound alongside the chirping of birds and frogs. The real show stoppers were the multiple Dale Chihuly pieces we saw on our way to Levy Parterre.
There was a tall yellow piece named the “Radiant Yellow Tower” that stood at about 30 feet tall.
The gleaming tower stood over a calm pool and cast an amazing reflection that showcased its vibrant color. The other Dale Chihuly piece we saw was “The Parterre Fountain Installation” and it was colored with a gorgeous blue tint, and its shape mimicked the flow of the fountain’s water.
The Botanical Garden was definitely a hidden gem in the City of Atlanta.
Despite the city’s reputation, the 30 acres of outdoor garden proved to be a must see location. We used this opportunity to learn more about the different aspects of nature and how beautiful it can be. With this, we ended the night in awe of all the stunning sights the garden had to offer.
More than 450 people turned out to advocate for CASA–a worthy organization that advocates on behalf of children in Walker, San Jacinto, and Trinity counties. Once a year, they bring supporters together for their annual “Christmas in July” fundraiser, and this year the result was a sell-out.
The evening began at 5pm, with an hour of mingling, “shopping,” dining, and other festivities. It gave us a chance to catch up with each other and our table mates.
Our tables consisted of: Ken and Nicole Holland, Michelle Spencer and Jessica Twardesky, Judge David Moorman and Christie Moorman, Mac and Leanne Woodward, Mike Yawn and Stephanie Fors, Victoria McClendon-Leggett, Roxana Woychesin, and various LEAP Ambassadors.
In addition, we had a chance to run into community friends. One of the nice aspects of volunteering for different organizations, for example, is that we get to see people we volunteer with elsewhere! We had the opportunity to chat with Dottie, a committed member of the Lion’s Club, who joins us at 6 am to put out flags on major holidays.
We also ran into Nancy Ormsby, who was volunteering, which is no surprise. She and her sister, Lois Stehlik, volunteer everywhere–they are great community assets.
At 6pm, the Bingo commenced. Rob Hipp was on hand to emcee;
CASA board members and advocates volunteered;
…team members from SHSU football served as auction spotters;
…SHSU Volleyball members helped put up tables and chairs at the end; and LEAP Ambassadors were on hand, not only as paying guests, but also to assist with the auction and take photographs.
There were 15 games of Bingo in all, with variations on the game in full force.
Hipp did a good job of moving things along, and about halfway through, we took a “game-break” for a live auction (thank you Kevin McMillian!) of children’s paintings.
Some sold for more than a thousand dollars!
Additional funds were raised through “adoptions,” a silent auction, and a call for donations. Last year, the event raised more than $100,000, a testament to the generosity of the community and to the staff at CASA.
In addition to the funds raised for a good cause, there was a whole lot of fun going on. There were, of course, 15 bingo winners, and there were winners for “Best Dressed,” “Best Christmas-Spirit Costumes,” and “most generous table.”
The winners were typically thrilled, and they were gracious, although the “bingo-offs,” which occur when two or more individuals “bingo” on the same call, could get heated…
But, of course, everyone ended up friends.
People returned to the many stations to meander to, seeing what could be bid on, tables of friendly people to converse with, and a photogenic selfie station.
This led to much fun, as did winning. One of our table members, Michelle Spencer, Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Walker County, won the blackout contest!
As noted, with 15 games of Bingo, there were many winners, and that doesn’t include those who won the raffles, the drawings, or the silent and live auctions. Of course, the biggest winners are those who most need some wins in their lives: the children whose families are caught up in court actions. The funds raised from this event go to support those children, ensuring they have outcomes that provide them with the best chances in life.
And, in a larger sense, everyone who attended the event was a winner in that they were all contributing to a cause that helps our community become stronger–and that’s a big win!
The South Carolina legislature sure knows how to wrap up a successful conference. On the final day of the SLC, the Council of State Governments–South and the Palmetto State’s Legislature put on a wonderful “State Dinner”–a first for most of the LEAP Ambassadors in attendance.
It was a night of class, elegance, and most importantly, celebration. We gathered at The Gaillard Center, which is home to a beautiful ballroom and a tremendous theater. In our minds, we pretended the theatre was named for our Vice-Provost, Dr. Anne Gaillard, making us feel more at home.
Entering in style, we made our way through the crowds to be seated for dinner.
The dinner began with an opening speech from Senator Thomas Alexander, President of the South Carolina Senate. He thanked everyone in attendance, welcomed us to the beautiful venue, and discussed the plans for the evening, which included an invocation by Senator Jackson and the presentation of colors by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
One of the louder traditions of the event is the annual Flag Parade, which involves recognition of each state in the southern delegation (15 states), a fun fact or two about each state, and members of that state’s delegation walking (or parading) around the dinner event, often to cheers.
In Texas’s case, there were also some boos, initiated by some unruly Oklahomans (I know, that’s redundant).
The states were introduced in order of their entrance to the Union, which put Oklahoma last. In fact, Oklahoma isn’t really a southern state, but the Midwestern Legislative Council didn’t want them, and the Southern delegation, being hospitable, begrudgingly accepted them as long as they promised to pay their dues on time.
About the time we received our dinner–a wonderful mix of steak, hashed potatoes, broccolini, and a crab salad–we were also introduced to “Kingdom Come,” an A Capella musical group who performed a delightful and interesting mix of music: “Seven Bridges Road,” “The Longest Time,” “Danny Boy,” “Down to the River to Pray,” and “Grand Old Flag.”
We also had a chance to converse with those at our tables, which incoluded lobbyists, lawyers, and elected officials. Since we all wish to do some combination of politics and law, this was fortuitous seating.
The SLC also uses this occasion to award those who have excelled in some way, and it was inspiring to see who was awarded during the 77th conference gathering.
Our dinner came to an end after the last award was presented, but the entertainment was just getting started.
The last surprise prepared for the evening was a concert performed by the band NEEDTOBREATHE. The band opened their performance with the song “The Outsiders,” a country rock tune that got everyone on their feet.
The band performed some of their most famous hits, including one of my personal favorites, “West Texas Wind.”
To bring the evening full circle, they performed their last two songs A Capella, which added a very personal touch to the evening.
The state dinner was a beautiful way to spend our last night in the City of Charleston, an unforgettable city full of southern hospitality, great food, and entertainment.
After dancing and singing our hearts out, we successfully completed the 77th Southern Legislative Conference!
With a lighter day on the Southern Legislative Conference’s Docket, we did a bit of exploring and learning on our own. With us passing the official half-way mark of our trip, we felt a bit of pressure to ensure we are getting the most out of this opportunity, while still having fun.
Kayaking the Low Country
With a day more or less free to explore and spending time on our own dime, we decided to kayak. Feeling empowered, we asserted our independence, noting, “We are women, hear us oar!”
At first, however, the only roar we heard was thunder. Indeed, this was the scene ten minutes prior to our arrival:
Fortunately, it soon cleared up–almost miraculously. Within twenty minutes, the weather cleared, producing a pleasant looking morning.
Although this “eco-tour,” as it is described, is educational, it is mostly a fun excursion, designed to get us exercise, learn about the outdoors, and relieve some advisor-induced stress.
But it was educational. Charleston is one of the South’s key cities in terms of culture and economics. Its barrier islands gave it a protective harbor of sorts, and that, in turn, made it an attractive base for sea-travelers early on in US history. And, today, we felt as though we were continuing in that tradition, navigating these barrier (or, as our guide Daniel referred to them, “hammock”) islands.
Our paths took us through estuaries, which are waterways mixed with salt and freshwater. The mix, however, is heavy on the salty-side, which on the plus side, means there are no (or at least very few) alligators. (This story had us a bit worried, but we reminded ourselves that it occurred in a freshwater environment). There are, however, many other animals, and we saw herons, egrets, pelicans, blue crabs, many types of gulls, a marsh wren, a woodstork, oyster beds, and the curious fiddler crabs (everywhere).
We also learned about the Charleston “pluff mud,” which is a nutrient rich mud that lacks oxygen. It has been plundered in the past by farmers, so it is now federally protected, and according to our tour guide, if you take any with you, you are subject to a $500 fine. He did not mention the charge, but it would be something along the lines of “mud smuggling.”
Somehow, Daniel convinced the college students to put this mud on their faces. They did this, even after they learned that much of its nutritional richness comes from “decaying matter” and “crab waste.”
Most of the morning, however, was devoted to paddling and having fun, although Michelle did have a minor mishap, when, instead of saying, “I am woman, he me oar,” she said, “I am woman, hear me go overboard.” But she bounced back nicely, and ultimately made her second-ever kayaking trip a success.
So we were a little sad when we had to turn back.
And as we prepared to depart, we looked upon blue skies, satisfied with a morning well spent.
We soon learned, however, that more rain was coming, but that is a story for the next blog.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 