“Oh, you got trouble, my friends – trouble right here in Cedar City…”
So belts out Professor Harold Hill of the River City Marching Band. This summer, the only “trouble” we’ll have in Cedar City doesn’t involve the new pool table in town, but staying quiet in our seats while Brian Vaughn sings “The Music Man” tunes that many of us (especially Ellen Adelman) know by heart.
Okay, maybe that’s no melancholy, brooding insight of Macbeth or Lear — but it’s sure a lot more fun. Besides, if you want gloom, we got that for you too — with the final scenes of Romeo and Juliet and the serial murders of Richard III.
Scott claims he’s planning special activities for our weekend, to celebrate the Festival’s 50th anniversary. But for us, every year is special (last year being the strongest performances on stage we’ve ever seen, over these 22 years). Plus, this will be the first summer for Brian and David Ivers to show their talents as artistic directors.
We have glorious great seats together from Wednesday, August 3rd to Sunday, August 7th.
As usual, our own Juliet, Carol, has reserved Best Western rooms for you – on the balcony side for the stalwarts and on the courtyard side for the wimps. Call the Best Western El Rey at 1-800-688-6518 to reserve your rooms among the Adelman block. By now, you must appreciate how Macbeth’s cry “Confusion now hath made its masterpiece” applies to the yearly El Rey room reservation cluster…. But Juliet/Carol lovingly sorts the confusion out at the end.
Please email me back which play, with how many tickets, you’d like for:
- Wednesday – August 3rd
- Romeo & Juliet at 8:00 pm
- Thursday – August 4th
- Noises Off at 2:00 pm
- Midsummer Night’s Dream at 8:00 pm
- Friday – August 5th
- Richard III at 8:00 pm
- Saturday – August 6th
- The Glass Menagerie at 2:00 pm
- The Music Man at 8:00 pm
As usual, our off-stage activities will be glorious:
- Dress-up Western, designer cowhand gear (if you lack, see Steve at the Jolly Rancher), for our Bar-D-Que on Thursday night.
- John’s fun but rugged bike ride around Lake Navajo on Friday.
- David Ivers claims he wants us over to his house for dinner Friday night (though he may regain sanity, once he thinks about this);
- Hikes at Bryce or Zion; golf with Norm (and Jimmy?); playing cards (again Norm); best of all, swimming with Lyla Corinne Sackin, making her second full USF appearance (after an obstructed view in the summer of ’09); and
- Chicken and pizza on the balcony, thanks to Nancy & Alan, on Saturday night.
After the Saturday night play, we will get in full River City regalia at our Balcony Bard costume party. The goal here is for someone to beat Jane & Neil, and Lynn and Fred’s costumes, for once and for all.
Our Bad Poetry Contest, made tolerable only by our judges’ witty comments, will be endured, as usual.
Erudite discussions at any hour. Loads of laughs and warm fellowship at all hours.
See ya’ in Cedar City to share our happiness during this wondrous week.
Cheers,
Carol and Ken — 703/989-5444