It was a sunny and bright day, but murder was in the air. We were at the Alley Theatre, and its cast was performing Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”
It was a nice mix of people, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP alumni, and “friends of LEAP” together for an enjoyable afternoon. With lunch at Post Houston, a new favorite recommended by LEAP alum Will Phillips, we caught up, talked about classes, and explored food from multiple continents.
But we had come to Houston for the play, and it was something of a process to actually see the play. Many of us had read the book, with at least half of us stopping before the end so as to not spoil the “whodunit” aspect of the performance. In July, we attended a Murder by the Book presentation by Mark Shanahan, the play’s director, a presentation that left us even more excited.
Unfortunately, when we drove to our scheduled performance, the Alley had to cancel the showing because a cast member wasn’t available!
So, with more than a month of anticipation and at least one false start, we were more than usually ready for the play to begin.
And it did not disappoint. It was expertly adapted to the stage by Shanahan, with clever techniques of compressing time and space.
It was humorous, with a wonderful cast that included two SHSU alums (Dylan Godwin and Melissa Pritchett)!
During intermission, we speculated as to who the culprit might be. Victoria couldn’t identify a key suspect; Nick, with all the creativity he could muster, thought “the butler did it;” and Katherine thought that the house staff conspired together to kill their employer, Roger Ackroyd. (If I were Katherine’s employer, I’d lock the doors at night.) Morgan, whose literary tastes lean toward bodice-ripping romance, had trouble keeping up with the characters and the narrative. She nodded a lot as we discussed things.
The second act was delightful, with more humor and variation in pacing. The plot, as they say, thickened, ending with all the cast gathered together to identify the murderer. We will, of course, stop there, and engage in no spoilers. But it surprised all of us–with the exception of Olivia, who, when it was over said, “I knew it all along” to an incredulous group and an ever-nodding Morgan.
Kudos to the cast of the Alley, the timeless appeal of Hercule Poirot, and the camaraderie of LEAP students, present and past.
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!
With today being the opening of the 2023 Southern Legislative Conference in Charleston, SC, we (sadly) were forced to depart from the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia. Before we left, however, there were a few spots we wanted to explore.
Bonaventure Cemetery
By Olivia Discon
We wanted to see Bonaventure Cemetery for a couple of reasons: (1) it was featured prominently in the book (and movie) of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil…
…and (2) the great singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer is buried there.
Mercer was a prominent singer-songwriter from the 20th century, writing more than 1,500 songs in his lifetime. Some of his most notable songs include Moon River, Somethings Gotta Give, Too Marvelous for Words, and Come Rain or Come Shine. Mercer’s talent for crafting clever and evocative lyrics, combined with his smooth vocal style, made him a beloved figure in the music industry. He received numerous accolades throughout his career, including four Academy Awards for the Best Original Song. Johnny Mercer’s contributions to American music continue to resonate today, cementing his legacy as one of the most celebrated lyricists of all time.
And Savannah, Georgia is both the birthplace and resting place of Johnny Mercer, who lies alongside his family in the same cemetery section.
Many headstones were engraved with some of Mercer’s lyrics. For instance, inscribed on his mother’s grave is the line “My mama done tol’ me” from Blues in the Night.
Though this visit was certainly somber, the morning sun cast across the greenery and marble tombstones was a lovely way to start our day and commemorate our time spent in Savannah.
Tybee Island
Morgan Robertson
Continuing on our morning adventure, we went on to visit the beautiful barrier island: Tybee. The island proved both fun and educational, a great way to energize us despite an early start.
The Tybee Island Lighthouse has existed since 1733, albeit in different iterations. The first structure was 90 feet tall, but it succumbed to its proximity to the beach. Unfortunately, the lighthouse builders didn’t learn from this fate, and they again built too close to water that often encroaches upon hitherto dry land. The third structure was more fortunate, in that no acts of God befell it; but it did suffer from the onslaught of the Civil War and the destruction it brought.
Fortunately, the base of the lighthouse was salvageable and a fourth structure was built upon the base of the third. At 154 feet, this structure narrowly misses being one of the ten tallest lighthouses in the United States.
This being our first visit to a lighthouse, it shone light on the advance of technology. In 1791, for example, 15 lanterns were used to signal ships. Between the 1930s-1960s, 1,000-watt incandescent bulbs were standard practice. One-thousand-watt quartz bulbs were used until 2010, which were followed by the use of the 1,000-watt quartz-halogen bulb.
Lighthouse wasn’t an easy job and, in fact, a lighthouse might have up to three keepers, plus support staff. We were able to tour the houses for these staff, and, as part of the much-maligned “Gen-Z,” we saw many unfamiliar objects!
Despite the nice accommodations, comfortable amenities, and short commute, lighthouse-keepers definitely had a long climb to work. In the case of the Tybee Island Lighthouse, the climb consisted of 178 steps.
On the other hand, the occupation offers some beautiful views!
It was a great start to the day, bringing the past to life, offering great views, and getting our blood pumping.
The Tybee Island Lighthouse is 30.29 times taller than Jessica Cuevas–and, despite being obsolete, is also twice as technologically advanced as Ms. Cuevas, who single-handledly destroys group communications by using Android.
Zunzi’s
Michelle Cardenas
After a beautiful morning of exploring Tybee Island we headed to Zunzi’s, one of Georgia’s most famous restaurants. Their menu included a variety of platters, salads, and sandwiches that did not disappoint. Our entrees included the Oliver’s Lunch Bowl, the Johnny Roll, and The Conquistador.
The Conquistador placed Zunzi’s on the map when it was named one of the best chicken sandwiches in America by the Travel Channel. I decided to put this to the test and indulge in one, and I must say it had very distinct flavors that made it overall delectable. This was the best way to say goodbye to Savannah and begin our South Carolina oddyssey.
Southern Legislative Conference
Ingrid Cuero and Michelle Cardenas
Fittingly, the first event of the Southern Legislative Conference was the “welcome evening.” And what a welcome! What an evening!
The event was held upon the deck of an aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown.
We soon enjoyed southern hospitality, from the greetings of the staff to the conversation with other guests.
Arkansas Senator Clint Penzo, and his wife, Allison, generously shared time and dinner with us. Senator Penzo discussed his varied career path into politics, and how each of his careers has helped him in the political world.
Our education, however, wasn’t only vicarious. We also learned about the art and science of flying when we boarded a flight simulator.
Mimicking the experience of a pilot flying a military aircraft (or a passenger in a vehicle driven by our advisor, Professor Yawn)…
…the simulation included radio conversations, target strikes, and even an air stop for refueling.
It was a rather unique experience that we were not fully prepared for–clenching on to our seats and trying not to fall. Beyond the intensity of the simulator, it was a rather gratifying and educational experience
We proceeded to make our way through the aircraft carrier stopping by a couple landings to take pictures of the gorgeous view. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge paired up perfectly with the multi-colored sky allowing us to take some spectacular photos!
Our last stop on the Aircraft carrier was the flight deck, but just getting to the deck was an experience. We saw long corridors, war rooms, elaborate equipment, and steep stairs.
Morgan and Jessica Contemplating Waging War (on each other)
The deck featured stunning lights, military aircrafts, and a band.
Jazz bands filled the air as the sun set, and then the sounds of fireworks were accompanied by strings of colors decorating the Charleston skyline.
The band began playing patriotic songs, and as we looked over the harbor, which was harbor surrounded by forts (Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnson), we had a small sense of what Francis Scott Key might have felt when writing “the bombs bursting in air.”
For us, it was a day of new experiences, of looking back and forward, capped with a truly welcoming reception.
The charm and southern hospitality of South Carolina were made very evident as we ended our magical evening.
One of the LEAP Ambassadors’ beloved bookstores for murder mystery enthusiasts is Murder by the Book, where we had the opportunity to meet the wonderful author Wendy Walker at her book signing. Known for her psychological thriller novels, she is currently on a book tour for her latest release, “What Remains.”
To dive deeper into the book and explore Wendy Walker’s background and writing techniques, Dr. Ashley Winstead, also an author, was on hand to moderate a discussion. Dr. Winstead, as it turns out, was an excellent interviewer.
The inspiration behind Walker’s book was a tragic shooting at King Soopers in Colorado in 2021. This event sparked ideas for the plot, which the author was able to expand and feature a female detective faced with the difficult decision of saving one life at the cost of taking another.
Although the book has intense moments, the structure alternates intensity with more contemplative and investigative elements. According to Walker, this technique was employed to add depth to the narrative, give readers a break from the intensity, and to explore deeper themes.
Walker also drew on her background in family law, which gave her insight into trauma, human nature, and family dynamics. These themes are prevalent throughout the novel, and Walker added additional layers of psychological drama, which, in her words, she “geeks out” over.
During the Q&A period, LEAP Ambassador Olivia Discon asked whether it was surreal to hear your characters’ voices portrayed by actors on audiobook after months of imagining what the characters’ voices, inflections, and verbal mannerisms.
Following the formal event, we had a chance to chat with Ms. Walker and Dr. Winstead. We reminded Ms. Walker that LEAP students had attended one of her book talks in 2017!
So, we enjoyed another photo with Ms. Walker–and, this time, with Dr. Winstead as well. Perhaps we’ll do the same at her next release!
Merus Grill
Michelle Cardenas
After getting our books signed and taking selfies with author Wendy Walker, we headed to Merus Grill in Uptown Houston for dinner. For starters, we indulged in perfectly fire-grilled artichokes and a delicious Avocado Bomb. We were all very big fans of the flavor combinations, and we were eager to dig into our main entrees.
Yvette had the Southern Salad, and Professor Yawn and Stephanie split the Grilled Trout meanwhile Ingrid, Oliva, and I ordered the Old Fashioned Cheeseburger.
Following our main entrees we decided to partake in a sweet treat by ordering the Carrot Cake and “The Very Best Chocolate Cake” served with vanilla ice cream. The dishes and dessert were all very delicious and satisfied all of our expectations.
After sharing a couple stories and conversing at the dinner table we parted ways and concluded yet another successful LEAP event.
Just 36 hours before our summer retreat, Michelle Cardenas, Olivia Discon, Ingrid Cuero, and I made our way to Houston to see award-winning author, Megan Abbott, discuss her new book: Beware the Woman. Abbott’s seventh stop on her book tour was hosted at one of our favorite local bookstores, Murder By The Book. Like its name suggests, Murder By The Book is certainly a place for true crime enthusiasts, mystery fanatics, and of course avid readers!
In most crime novels, and in real cases, the perpetrator is often male. However, Abbott flips the narrative in her works by diving into the motives and emotions that drive women to act in malicious ways. Beware the Woman follows a newlywed and expecting couple Jacy and Jed, as they venture to Jed’s fathers’ cabin in the woods. Without giving too much away, Abbott managed to offer some teasers about the book, while also answering questions from the audience and successfully hooked us on reading the book!
Abbott chose to spend her time answering questions from the audience. In past interviews and articles, Abbott indicated that she has been heavily influenced by film noir. Professor Yawn asked Abbott if she pictures certain actors from film noir as her characters while she writes. Abbott answered of course and listed some of her childhood favorites including Robert Mitchum, Humphrey Bogard, and Gloria Grahame! However, she also mentioned how she tries to leave enough ambiguity so that readers may fill in the blanks and invasion their own protagonist or villain.
Another question from the audience, prompted Abbott to choose her favorite of her works. After pondering on her answer
Abbott chose Dare Me (2012) which details the true nature of a high school cheer squad with a dark twist. This question led Abbott to describe part of her researching process. In her example, Abbott chose The Turnout (2021) and explained that YouTube and message boards were a few of her greatest tools to uncover what the world of competitive ballet looks like. Although she interviewed countless ballet dancers and instructors, online sources also provided details needed for her thriller. Abbott noted how in preparation for a book, she will do extensive research at the beginning so that she doesn’t have to fact check every small detail as she begins to write.
Olivia most enjoyed how Abbott contemplated each question and gave genuine answers about her process and her own opinions on her work. Olivia purchased The Song is You (2007) after talking with Stephanie who enjoyed the book for its noir themes and “female fatale” character.
Abbott was kind enough to pose for a picture with our group and chat with us for a few minutes!
The LEAP Ambassadors would like to thank Megan Abbott for her lively and engaging book talk, as well as Murder By The Book for hosting such a great event!
In any given semester, LEAP Ambassadors do volunteer service, attend presentation by leading public figures, tour art museums, explore civil rights and history, and, when possible, attend performing arts events. This semester was no different and, in fact, the Ambassadors began the semester with Chicago and they ended it with a performance of Noises Off at the Owen Theatre in Conroe, TX.
This was a rare treat for us, in that none of us had ever been to the Owen Theatre before, although several of our party had seen Noises Off. Indeed, Victoria McClendon was attending tonight as an alum, but her very first LEAP event was a production of this play at SHSU in 2016!
This time, in addition to Victoria, we had Olivia Discon, Professor Yawn and Ms. Stephanie, and Dr. Hyman and Carol Hyman–the latter of whom generously treated us to dinner!
Noises Off is a full-on farce, a play within a play about putting on a play.
It is a crowd pleaser, but with all its moving parts, and it’s abrupt changes in persona from each character, and its frantic pace, it’s also a difficult play to put on, especially for a community theatre. But the Owen actors did a fine job, with Jillian Linton (as Brooke Ashton), Robert Faber (as Lloyd Dallas), Jeff Linton (as Sheldon Mowbray), and Allen Dorris (as Frederick Fellowes) standing out.
The first act of the play shows a rehearsal, one that is not going well, much to the chagrin of the director, “Lloyd Dallas.”
The second act depicts the opening, albeit from “behind the stage.” The real audience (us) is not seeing what the imaginary audience sees; rather, we are seeing the drama, spectacle, and chaos going on behind the scenes.
The third act, which is the most madcap, puts the real audience (us) in the perspective of the imaginary audience, allowing us to see how much of an impact the behind-the-scenes drama is having on stage.
Apparently, it’s not easy to put on a play in general, and especially when there are two separate love triangles (and maybe a love quadrangle) occurring, along with a cast that includes a drunk, a dimwit (or two), and a gossip. But those difficulties make for a fun time for the audience, and helped produce much laughter and enjoyment for the LEAP Ambassadors to cap off a long and rewarding semester.
When exploring the hidden gems of Austin, Texas, one may be led downtown to the home, which happens to double as a museum, of William Sydney Porter, otherwise known as O. Henry- a prominent author famously known for his short stories such as “The Gift of Magi.”
Mr. Porter’s home is a Queen Anne-style cottage built in the mid-1890s. Amazingly, much of the original furniture is still preserved there for the public to see! The house is covered in vintage wallpaper, giving each room a different feel than the next, contrasting with most modern homes today. Interestingly, when the home was donated to the city for historic preservation, it was moved from its original location in a middle-class neighborhood to its prime location today.
Although this was Mr. Porter’s home, it was not where he constructed his famous short stories. He did most of his writing in prison for a felony of embezzlement, which he committed while working at the First National Bank. During his three years in prison, Mr. Porter wrote around 380 short stories that were published after his release, which launched his writing career, established him as an author, and later led to him becoming the famous author we regard him as today. Due to negative connotations attached to convicted felons, Mr. Porter began using his pen name, O. Henry, to prevent people disregarding his work due to serving time in prison.
The story of Mr. Porter’s past and aspiring short story author was fascinating to learn about while visiting the museum! However, the museum touched not just on Mr. Porter’s most talked about life, such as his ascent as an author; it also touched on more intimate parts that the average fan might not know. For example, Mr. Porter had a passion for music. The museum had a handwritten sheet of music titled “Main Street,” with the original notes and lyrics that he wrote on display. During his time in Austin, one could find him writing sheet music for piano, acting in the Austin Musical Union, or playing in a string instrument band, the Hill City Quartette.
I always find a little memento of Sam Houston in every museum I visit. For instance, this museum’s connection to Sam Houston was an old desk that Mr. Porter used during his time in Austin. The desk belonged to his great uncle, Adolphus Sterne, who was good friends with Sam Houston. This is one reason Mr. Porter valued this desk so much was because of the rich history behind it.
During his life, Mr. Porter was a man of many trades as he was an aspiring writer to support his family. He worked as a pharmacist, a bookkeeper, and a drafter to make ends meet. When he worked at a local drugstore, he was found to be excellent at sketching his customers. This led him to work at the Texas General Land Office for about four years, where he was tasked with drawing maps of Texas counties. He started working at the First National Bank to provide more financial support for his family, which led to his embezzlement and, ultimately, to his arrest.
One inspirational thing you can take from the legacy of the life of Sydney Porter is that every event in his life led to the next, and in the end, that is what got him to where he needed to be successful. This helps give me some perspective that not every bump in the road must be bad; it can be all about what you make of it.
The LEAP Center is always on the hunt for quality events, and when we heard the North American Society for the Study of Romanticism was being hosted at SHSU–and that the lead organizer was Dr. Michael Demson–we knew we’d found one.
The Conference is taking place over three days, March 30-April 1, with dozens of panels, workshops, entertainment, tours, and other interesting and entertaining programs. LEAP assisted with one of these, a tour of the Huntsville Unit for a group of students, conference attendees, and SHSU staff. Mostly, though, we just enjoyed the conference, benefitting from the great work of Demson and an entire conference committee from individuals across campus and, in fact, from campuses across North America.
The meat of the conference was from the plenary speakers and the panels, both virtual and in-person, with approximately 200 people attending.
LEAP students attended a few of these, including the first-day plenary speaker, Professor Doran Larson, who, among his many titles, is the Director of the American Prison Writing Archive, and he was introduced ably by Professor Michael Demson.
Professor Larsen discussed the distinct themes in prison writing, noting how little they had changed over time, a reflection of the horrible state, as he sees it, of our prison system.
His presentation generated much interest and discussion.
The conference picked up the next day, with a full day of panels, which we were able to attend. We saw great panels featuring professors not only from the United States, but from around the world. All of the panels helped us learn about justice, literature, and many different cultures.
We even learned about Finnish literature from SHSU’s own Dr. Helen Halamari, with her husband Dr. Rob Adams in attendance.
This was our favorite panel. Interesting fact: not only is Dr. Halamari a TSUS Regents Professor, she also has a Ph.D., and four different Master’s Degrees.
Many kudos to Dr. Demson and the great staff (Deanna Briones, Sarie Fuller, Yahneed John, Brittany Johnson, Jerin Milan, and Rhonda Owens) who helped bring this conference to SHSU.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 