A while between updates - you know how summer gets.
Educating Rita Thursday night at Franklin's Barrow Civic Little Theatre was super - a smallish crowd which makes me think maybe summer theatre has too much going against it to be viable in small towns. Or maybe the disparate theatre groups just need to share mailing list and pool PR efforts....
Friday my daughter and I took off to pick up Tempest posters, and then headed off to the Bell's Comics in Grove City where we found out that two of the few comics she's interested in (Rogue and Emma Frost) have been canceled. Sigh.
Luckily for me though, back issues were half off - so I stalked up on 25 year old Daredevils and Uncanny X-Men to fill holes in my collections and also picked up a Mignola Batman, a Hellboy series, and the very cool The Crew series which tapped into the even cooler Truth Red White and Blue series which envisions the Captain America mythos in a Tuskegee Experiment lens. I'm such a geek.
Had planned to go to Presque Isle a couple times last week, but high fecal bactriforms make me grumpy, so I stayed home and let my nerves about the Discover Presque Isle Open Water Swim build.
Buy enough about me.
Meadville's getting a strip club on August 5th- I'm so out of the loop, I thought they had one. Shows how often I put dollars into garters...Diane Gramley pops up in the Erie Times News coverage. Sheesh, does this lady ever rest? I thought Santorum said good Christian women should sit quietly at home...
The Meadville Trib also had a good piece on the recent Blue Streak Marathon.
So long Hot Lips! Also in Meadville, (do I note a theme, man, mention strippers and I'm all over the local news)the Academy Theatre has canceled their fancy main stage summer season. Apparently, from the comments on the story, there's some sort of sinister political machinations, regarding Michael Moore, but I'm out of the loop on that one. I can say that, lots of local theatre people, both performers and aficionados, were very envious of the program and the fact that it failed doesn't make me too confident about the support for local theatre....
Lots of pros are griping about the lousy fishing at the Pittsburgh Bassmaster Classic.

Around the web, should student's summer reading list include The Rap Canterbury Tales?

I come not to praise the Seawolves...

Regionally, it's a good news bad new day.
While the NYT sings the praises of Pittsburgh's new public sculpture and job recovery, the Erie Times News says the Seawolves may be leaving.
Locally, The 27th annual Oil Heritage Festival officially begins Thursday.
The greenway is in town, but unlike last year when it felt like Franklin was being overrun and car vs bike feuds seemed to flare up every fifteen minutes, the number of cyclists seems wildly diminished.
It could have something to do with the more than 1,000 carpet tacks placed on the East Branch Trail from Spartansburg to Centerville, or maybe the 17 family protest that blocked the Sojourn in the same area. There's got to be a bigger story here, but in the meantime, the award for the most inappropriate headline goes to the News Herald article detailing the protests and civil disobedience: "Bicyclists get warm greeting on journey through Venango County" Really?

Educating Rita

Thursday starts the Oil Heritage Festival in Oil City, although the art show began last weekend.

But, really, the big pick for this week is the "Educating Rita" staged reading in Franklin at the Barrow Civic Little Theatre at 8 pm in Franklin’s Barrow Civic Little Theatre (1223 Liberty Street).

University lecturer Frank needs to earn some extra money, so he agrees to tutor Rita: a brash, earthy hairdresser with a recently discovered passion for higher education, much to the dismay of her husband Denny. In her attempts to appreciate literature, Rita challenges the attitudes of a traditional university, teaching Frank to question his own understanding of his work and himself. The play explores the relationship between student and tutor. Much of the comedy arises from Rita's fresh, unschooled reaction to the classics of English literature, but she is never patronized by the playwright, Willy Russell, who recognizes from his own experience that education is a means of escape from one's own circumstances.

Ed Ramage will perform the role of Frank, while Grove City resident Penny David Covert will portray Rita. The cost is $3. There will be a cash bar. This play contains adult language and may be inappropriate for children under the age of 13.

TiLT is supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency

Overheard

Dropped by Thursday Night at the Square on the way to Tempest rehearsal last night. It looked like this:


Completely dead. Which really upsets me – it was a great idea that’s been left to flounder – the same vendors every week, the same guy dressed like a demented elf making balloon animals. Originally, the press material had read that it would just be artisans selling their handcrafts – no there’s an “antiques” table as well, giving the whole event a sort of run down swap meet feel. Where are the farmers for the farmer’s market? Why doesn’t each week have a different theme – antiques one week, food vendors the next. Sigh. At least the library had an SCA demo as part of it last night. Nerdy> You bet. Best at least they’re trying.
Just two blocks away this was the crowd to take look at Gravedigger:

While I was there taking pictures, at least 25 people came and went, mostly families.
So why were these two events competing- why didn’t whoever is in charge of Thursday night n the square, say hey Advance Auto Parts, why not park Gravedigger at the “square” Why not work together? I'm guessing cultural elitism.
Me, I’m not a big monster truck fan, but what I am a fan of is packing people into seats (or streets as the case may be) – cultural is an umbrella term for me. It includes Gravedigger and artisans.
After rehearsal, Amy and I stopped to get a let snack at FoxTales. When we walked in, we were shocked by the three rambunctious little kids who were running around knocking into things and slapping patrons with their balloon animals. Quickly though, as I stood waiting at the bar, the situation sussed out. Dad and his friend had gone to the bar while mom took the kids to Thursday night on the Square. Now it was 8:30 , Dad and his friend were very drunk and Mom had brought the kids by to pick up dad who had no intention of leaving. Suburban looking people, some money, not trashy looking at last.
“Look”, he mumbled to his wife, “Just, ah, buy the kids some fries or something…” he was pawing through the beer soggy bills left on the bar.
“Apparently, you don’t remember Super Size Me.” She answered snippily.
“What?" he looked confused. "Just, ahh…”
“They’re not getting fries”
“Mommmmmy!” the littlest girl shrilled screamed and poked her balloon sword in the bartender's face. She grimaced and then gave her customer’s always right smile.
“C’mon,” Dad’s friend, even more soused then Dad said, “C’mon, you girls want a chicken wing?” He poked a gnawed bone at the middle girl who recoiled.
I got my order in and then went a sat done. 15 minutes later there was a wail and a smack and Mom, and the kids stormed out, one of the girls crying and Mom threatening the others.
“You didn’t do a single goddamn thing wrong.” Dad’s drunk friend told him in a voice that carried over the CSI re run on the big screen. “I don’t know what she was thinking, bringing those kids in here.” He shook his head and ordered another pitcher.

Whorehouse Coming to Franklin

The controversy over the Barrow Civic's production of The Best Little whorehouse in Texas seems subduded in comparison ot the La Cage Aux Folles rhubarb a couple of years ago. I'm a bit confused as to why. I'd also like to know what the local sexual abuse agencies have to say as well- do they, along with many of the area's conservative Christians? Still The News Herald gives it some print today, covering much of the same ground I did a couple of weeks ago.

More importantly, our condolences go out to Barrow Civic's General Manager John McConnell for the loss of his sister.

Next week during Oil City's Oil Heritage Festival is the unveliing of the The National Transit Building's mural

According to The News Herald, the "$33,000 mural consumes most available wall space in the Transit's Seneca Street entryway." That's not what bugs me though. The fact that Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism sold face space (for a fee of $100 you could be painted into the mural) and the unveiling is invite only while the project itself is financed in part by a Pennsylvania Heritage Parks Program Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources bureau of recreation and conservation and The Oil City Civic Center seems to me to be a conflict - is the mural of gift to the people of the region, or an attempt for the remaining wealthy in the area to pat themselves on the back?

I've been thinkning a lot about house concerts lately - anyone ever put one on or attend one?

Shakespeare in the Park - Day One

First real rehearsals for The Tempest last night, (Franklin's Shakespeare in the Park performance the first weekend in August). It's difficlt with Act I Scene II pretty much just Prospero's expostion of the story; it's a challenge to make the movements on stage natural and attractive.
Next rehearsal tomorrow night - should be fun: it's Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo night - the drunken fools. The characters I mean. I'll take some shots and post them.
The rough part is that since it's also Thursday on The Sidestreet Next To The Vacant Lot - that means there's a concert after (Silver Crononet Band) and that means we can't use the bandstand to rehearse. It's an oddly hamstrung feeling having to run rehersals in a space where you won't be perofming.
Meanwhile, the NYT isn't too fond of the current revivial of As You Like It. Here as well.

Pork and the Fantastic Four

I was bummed to see that my Representative John Peterson was #1 on this month’s GQ's “Four Recent Lowlights from the World of Pork” for his pimping of poor ol’ Phil the Groundhog to defend federal funding for the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Cennter You can send him (John, I mean: the bigger, less hairy one) a note here, telling him how much you apprecitate the good PR for our struggling area. If Peterson sees his shadow, it means 10 more years of deficit.

But enough of politics. On to more important things. I went to see thr Fantasic Four today. About what I expected, which is to say not much. The most impressive part, for me was the overwhelming product placement. What was cool was seeing Eric Day, author of the Fifth Crystal and a good friend in the audience. I tied to keep my jujube throwing to a minimum in deference.

On Thursday the SCA takes to the lawn of the Franklin Public Library(421 12th Street (814) 432-5062). It's part of the Library's summer reading progrma, which, back in the day, I took part in, even way after the point that it was age appropraite. Since it's Thursday, it also means that vendors will be on the depressiing vacant lot across from the library next to the bar that opens at 8 am in the morning. Sigh.
At 7:30 the Silver Coronet Band takes the bandstand. Again. I know they're great. I know they have a rich tradition, but variety at the bandstand is nice...

Erie Greek Festival

Headed up north today to the Panegyri Festival at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (4376 W Lake Road, Erie - Free admission and Parking). I got out of the gym a little late this morning, which meant we didn't;t get to the festival until noon. No crowds though which was great, because I was starving. I'm really not one for festivals, but this is second year for the Panegyri and I've always enjoyed it. It has the confusing buy tickets and then spend the tickets rather than money, but the ticket vendors are very kind and have always refunded my extra tickets without the slightest hint of stink-eye. Not true however of the old ladies overseeing the Greek Island Cruise raffle. I had been planning on buying $20 worth of tickets but they were so grouchy I only bought a single $2 ticket.

Although I usually find diary type blogs boring, I have to include this list, simply to show how disgusted I am with myself. I ate (sharing with my wife 'natch):
1 beer
1 gyro
1 soulvaki
9 dolemades
1 square of spanakpita (3 oz)
1 roll
~4 oz of feta
6 olives
1 square of baklava
2 small meat things that looked like a kibbee
6 loukoumades drowned in hot honey, cinnamon and sugar
1 Greek coffee
1 ouzo
4 pieces of sesame candy.

I'm so ashamed.

And yet I was also sorely tempted by the Saganaki.

The crafts left me a little flat, standard festival fare I suppose, but I had been thinking about buying a nice icon but they were all a little too ornate for my taste. In the restroom, old men from the church complained about the TV media.
"Did you see our asshole friend took up seven seats out there?"
"No."
"Did your interview end up on the new last night?"
"I don't know - I watched 35 for awhile and then turned it off. Frankly, I don't care."
"Zat so?"
I smiled and walked out.

On the way into the church an older lady in a tanktop balked at the incense.
"Oh that stinks!" she said holding her nose and waving her hand, her underarm flab wiggling.
"Do you not want to go" asked her husband?
"Not if it smells like that." she said and they turned away.

I was unfrightened. My grandfather had been Greek orthodox, so I lit a $2 candle for him and dug it deep into the sand and picked up a holy card as well.
This church itself is stunning - built in 1988 and an Erie County landmark - I'm blown away by its beauty every time I'm there and my crappy scan above of an image from their notecard doesn't do it justice. I could stare the icons for hours ad really needed a guided tour. Why did it look like Triton was in the river while Jesus was being baptized. Why were all those carp gathered at his feet? That has to be John the Baptist with the dreadlocks and wild beard right? Maybe I should drop by church more often.

The festival still continues tomorrow from noon until 9 pm. I'll be nursing my liver attack (Jeff Steingarten's analysis of the aftereffects of choucroute applied equally well to my situation. "[Y]ou... lie immobile in a netherworld between sleep and wakefulness for the next eighteen hours. Then you can eat again. The French would call this a liver attack, but they call everything a liver attack." (from The Man Who Ate Everything)

In other links:
Looking for a summer read? How about these classics - all under 250 pages.

Don't forget though, that the government has given itself the right to know what you read. You might want to sign this petition if you, like me, find taht fact a little 1984.

Festival Season in full bloom!

Outside of the region:
Ed McBain is dead.

Meanwhile, poor Shakespeare continues to get the postmodern workover.

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Lots to do this weekend.

Friday
What could be nicer on a summer evening than counting bats? Head out to the Petroleum Centre Indoor Amphitheater (Indoor ampitheatre?) Bat survey from 8 to 10 p.m. You might want to bring blankets or chairs.
The Sandy Lake Community Festival kicks off this weekend. It includes all the usual: sidewalk sales, yard sales, crafts, food, etc.

Saturday
Speaking of festivals (and we were, weren't we?) The Polk Community Days are this weekend as well from around 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Highlights? How could you go wrong with the Miss Polk and Little Miss Polk contest?

I'm heading back to Erie (was at the Lake today) for the Panegyri Greek Festival on Saturday, but the festival (free admission and parking) goes through the whole weekend. This year I'm winning the cruise to the Greek Island. I mean it.

While I'm there, I might catch out the Erie Invitational Figure Skating Competition all weekend at the Mercyhurst College Ice Center. (814) 825-6513

All weekend:
It's the Lily Festival Juried Art Show at Campbell Pottery All weekend long. And it's free.

Got kids? Check out "Little Red Riding Hood" at Meadville's Academy Theatre (814) 337-8000 Friday at 11 am and Saturday at 11 and 1. $6.

Conneaut Lake Park, which when I was growing up was best known for the Hellhole, is having a Jazz Festival this weekened! I know, take a moment and let it soak in. Admission is $12 per day. (814) 383-5115.

Youth Skit Workshop

Today was the first day of the Youth Skit workshop at the Barrow. The performance is the 9th at 7 pm in the Little Theatre.
Along the same theme auditions for the Youth Talent Show are July 17th & 18th at 7 pm at Studiio 22 340 Liberty St Franklin PA. Show dates are August 5 & 6 at 7 pm.

Tempest Cast!

The Tempest Cast has been finalized!
Our cast is:
Prospero - Bill Trimble
Caliban -- Kim Tarr
Miranda -- Theresa Sockey
Ariel -- Amy Dittman
Ferdinand -- Rob Hoover
Gonzalo -- Galen Trimble
Trinculo -- Theo Dixon
Stephano -- Lee Tillotson-Becker
Alonso -- Rob Dahlman
Boatswain - Liz Warner
Lots of new people - just what a project like this needs to stay alive.

Fireworks in Franklin kick off at dusk. My guess is about 9 pm. Further abroad, I'd suggest the Concert in the Park Series in Titusville's Scheide Park.

Then again, maybe I won't buy an iPod. It's the eighties and Air Jordans all over again. When will casual teen crime learn from the past?

Since it's the fourth, I thought a MP3 of John Wayne drunkenly addressing a group of young men might be in order.

Fourth of July Cacophony

Back from my road trip. Last night on a walk downtown to see the local talent in the Franklin bandstand, I was treated to the unholy mixture of a Dan Fogleberg cover guy wildly amplified at the Celtic Cafe's outdoor plastic nightmare clashing against the locals singing at the bandstand. Tonight - same deal, only worse - this evening it was a horrendous classic rock cover band at the Celtic clashing with the oldies band Phil Dirt and the Dozers. So what you say? Ugly but unavoidable you say? The deal is the Franklin Fine Arts Council gives money to both organizations. Surely the could step in and make a no overlapping shows requirement as part of the grant money...
On a bright side - the crowd in the park was everything you want from a fourth concert - old guys in ball caps and suspenders, teens flirting and playing hackey sack, little kids doing cartwheels. Really perfect. Aside from the horrible noise that is....
Tomorrow in Bandstand Park as part of Franklin's Fourth at 7:00 PM the Vogues are playing (sponsored by Stubler Drive-thru Beverage - home of the "bargain shelf") Competing acts have yet to be named.