On Sunday afternoon Susan and I were privileged to watch Valerie Madonia rehearsing some of the principals in the Telluride Dance Academy's upcoming production of "The Nutcracker". Watch for further posts about this event. Rebekah Diaddigo, Suger Plum FairySummer Templin Culp, Assistant to Valerie MadoniaKaty...
I can think of a number of reasons for shopping in Telluride if one is a local: 1. It's handy2. Your money gets circulated throughout our community3. The merchant you support will be there when you need something NOW4. You get to see your neighbors5....
Cast of Characters
(in order of appearance)
Mrs. Darling/Minerva…Ryan Hanley
John Darling…Jonathan Gerald
Michael Darling…Scarlet Holvenstot
Wendy Darling…Ryan Niebrugge
Liza…Amber Furnee
Mr. Darling/Captain Hook…Robert Brown
Peter Pan…Emma Walker-Silverman
Tinkerbell…Morgan Fansler
Today she is a wife, mother and beloved director/mentor but growing up, Jen Nyman Julia was a theatre brat. Her parents ran Starflower Productions in her hometown of Winslow, Maine, where actors from all over the country visit to appear in the Nymans’ musicals.
In 1905, Maude Adams played Pan. Jean Arthur flew in the 1950s production. In the 1990s, former champion gymnast Cathy Rigby made Pan her signature role. But it was Mary Martin whose name became identified with Pan: the peerless performance in the 1954 production, in which she starred, was directed by choreographer Jerome Robbins. This became the paradigm.
Before it was a play, “Peter Pan” was a small story in a book written by Scottish novelist James Matthew Barrie. Later Barrie himself turned “The Little White Bird” into a play, “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.” Initially the script was rejected by producers because the production was thought to be too elaborate: in addition to numerous and elaborate set changes, in 1904, plays generally did not call for special effects such as flying.
Ten years ago, when a starry-eyed go-getter named Jen Nyman (now Julia) arrived in town to build a young people’s theatre program at the historic Sheridan Opera House, Telluride pulled its Missouri stunt: “Show me, “ we said. Jen did. Big time.
Her response to the skeptics – “Really, we have Mudd Butts, who needs more kid’s theatre” – was to make like the lead of her first ever production, “Peter Pan”: pointing to the second star to the right, Jen led the way into the future.
The magnificently beautiful conjunction of a slender crescent Moon, dazzling Venus and brilliant Jupiter over Thanksgiving weekend gave my heart pause and literally stopped me in my tracks. As an astrologer, I live for these moments and am greatly humbled when I happen to be the grateful recipient of such stunning celestial events. I only hope that others are so fortunate and blessed. Living on a faraway mesa in southwestern Colorado, in a place with virtually no city lights or atmospheric pollution, I am gifted with the crystalline blue-black night skies upon which stars sparkle and comets sail. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Happy Holidays!
Boomers might remember “Leave It to Beaver,” the 1950s sitcom about the perfect all-American family of the Eisenhower years. The program was sweet enough to give a person a toothache, but one thing for sure, the tight little unit worked: lots of white teeth, love, and just enough mischief to spice up the action. The word “dysfunctional” had not been invented yet.
Santiago Correa
The Correa clan is Chile’s response to the Cleavers – only more so. There are eight of them: the irrepressible Santiago, Sr, hyperkinetic, wacky, and wise; and his wife, the warm, lovely Ana Maria, the glue of the operation. The happy couple produced six firebrand offspring: Santiago, Jr., Francisco, Tomas, Anita, Andres, and Catarina, each one bright, beautiful, funny, fun-loving, and accomplished. It would be easy to go green-eyed over their disproportionate share of the pie, but when you are welcomed into their home, wined, dined, teased, and hugged, a person would have to be made out of stone not to melt.
We met the Correas three years ago, when Vivien Jones brought us to a dinner at their hacienda in San Vicente, one of five properties where they have vineyards and grow olives and table fruit. At the end of the wine-soaked evening, Clint and I extended an invitation to Telluride. It seemed only right. Tomas jumped at the opportunity to polish his English. Once dates were nailed down, we tackled the logistics of finding him a host family and work.
I walked to "work" this morning. Telluride Adaptive Sports Program (TASP) is doing it's early season instructors' training. Not a bad commute, eh? ...
