Community Night at The Theatre

as reported by Joy Lorien I treated myself to the Gala Opening of RAAC's Community Theatre. It truly was a night of inspiration, laughter, tears and some great personal stories that stay with you and impress you with the truth that indeed there is no ordinary person. Except here in this little hamlet that nestles alongside the eastern side of the Blue Ridge mountains one truly finds extraordinary people who have merged with the ordinary and the lay of the land and found something very unique. They seed each other in the stories and relationships that emerge and it is the rhythm of oral history at its best. The Gala open with the new President, Kevin Adams, introducing RAAC's Gala Opening as a sort of rebirth, a continued continuation of what began over 25 years ago. It reminded me of the old French word 'reclaimer' which means 'to call back the hawk which has been let fly'. It was a time also to remembering those like Claudia Mitchell and others in whose legacy will provide grants and opportunities for emerging artists and to promote the arts throughout the community. A song of Linda Orfila, opened up the night with the sweet homespun lyrics of "You're Home' which best embodied the simplicity of rural life when she sang of gardening and cooking and the simple life with the chorus of "I have my talents what about you"?. The "Tales of The Forge" by Nol Putman, the blacksmith, who was a northerner of Massachusetts come south and settled here alongside these beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. The delightful story where come here's meets been here's brings out this unique intermingling when Nol had a little run in with his new neighbor over property rights and the heart throb thankfulness of the farmer when Nol, as a gift to his neighbor, repaired a fence post digger. Blacksmith extraordinaire! Lorraine Duisit joined with her former musician of Trapezoid, Paul Reisler as she played on a wonderful instrument which looked like a small dulcimer. The songs of "Make Your Heart A Garden" and "Green Valley" sang us right into the season we all love, Spring, and it seem like I could feel the stirring and moving of life and love in my own heart. The Gala took a little bit of a twist and turn with two none so ordinary people Donald Chandler and Bill Dietzel. It was done as a skit where Bill was a talk show host interviewing Donald who introduced himself a a come here from North Carolina and has become as we all know one of the coolest architects you want to meet. Bill brought out a picture of Donald as a very young man playing the guitar with "Dagmar" the foxy blonde with voluptuous curves who was a hit in the 1950's on a show Broadway's Open House which was a forerunner to The Tonight Show. Donald kept us laughing like only he can and took up his guitar to sing a song by Jimmie Rodgers called 'Waiting For a Train". When someone next to me ever so softly sang along with the tune, melody and the words all began swirling around me and the presence of it all was actually tingling. All around the water tank, waiting for a train A thousand miles away from home, sleeping in the rain I walked up to a brakeman just to give him a line of talk He said "If you got money, boy, I'll see that you don't walk I haven't got a nickel, not a penny can I show "Get off, get off, you railroad bum" and slammed the boxcar door He put me off in Texas, a state I dearly love The wide open spaces all around me, the moon and the stars up above Nobody seems to want me, or lend me a helping hand I'm on my way from Frisco, going back to Dixieland My pocket book is empty and my heart is full of pain I'm a thousand miles away from home just waiting for a train Linda Heimstra sang a haunting melody of love gained and lost with the flow of 'Nethers River' as a backdrop to the strains of a heart broken. I have been deeply in that place where one goes in the shadows of night to their lost loves home just to see the truth of the other woman and also remember the times as sung by Linda when we realize we will flow pass this and love again. It is here where the 'canto hondo', the 'deep song' reside. The instinctual core of the psyche is where the arts and poetry, song and stories all emerge from and their wildness touch others in that deep place to which it is in service to. Peter Hornbostel told such a great story he really did. Called, 'George Davis, or how I came to own the Peola Mills General Store', was a story of how Peter came to this area as a young lawyer and obtained the store in order to sell it to the person whose land he really was going to buy until he found out he did not own it. It was really funny and he kept us engaged and entertained to even introducing us to the town lawyer who helped thresh out most of the details of the sales and exchanges which Peter agreed was brilliant and very impressive. Will not tell you who this lawyer was for one must here the story one day. Paul Reisler took up his guitar and sang a song written with first graders called, "I Used To Know The Names Of All The Stars" His music with Kid Pan Alley is a bright star in the world today and has blessed just countless of people including so many children. The song, "Perfect In Every Way" written by Paul and Angela Kaset for his wife, Julie Portman, who died of cancer brought back the beauty of Julie's life and for me of Richard Lyke's life also. Paul had the audience sing along with him in dedication to Claudia Mitchell, Julie Portman and Richard Lykes. I saw all three of them holding hands behind Paul and Julie in Persian Blue and the tension and force of the close proximity of the two planes had my body shaking from silent sobs. This inner 'keening' came unexpected and was glad it was time for an intermission. Paul and Angela's song, 'Perfect In Every Way' i picture you in persian blue, in two thousand twenty two standing there me and you, laughing at today if you're not here to hear this song, if you go you won't be gone you will still be perfect every way Chorus: every story that you told, is like a rose that still unfolds in my mind i hear you laugh, and it cuts the hurt i feel in half and the love we have is magnified by the light you shine from the other side heaven knows what i would do, to dance with you in persian blue to tell you once more "i love you", but i know you would say no regrets for what's undone, no sorrow for what should have come no wishing for a different drum Chorus: it will still be perfect everyway and the light you shine is perfect and the light you shine lights my way and the light you shine is perfect in every way Chorus: I picture you in Persian blue The last event of the night was a play called, 'The Bear In Rappahannock" with apologies to Anton Chekhov who wrote the play. :-) It was played by Norm Getsinger who was absolutely phenomenal as a butler concerned about his widowed mistress. His expressions were priceless and I cannot believe his age. Surely he has discovered in these mountains the fountain of youth. Stephanie Mastri who played the widow was also just extraordinary and her tall elegant body language with her changing emotions of grief, haughtiness, passionate anger that just turned to passion took all of us on her journey. And my goodness, Howard Coon, well well well accolades indeed. Man did he kick up a storm to collect a debt from this widow only to be challenged to a duel by her and to unexpectedly fall head over heels in love. It was a sight to witness and how do these people remember all these lines and execute it with such artistry just amazes me. I believe Anton Chekhov needed no apologies. Bravo to the show! What seem like the simplicity of a country theatre held within its walls and under its roof extraordinary people with ordinary stories who are living ordinary lives making extraordinary stories. I loved it. Thanks RAAC and to all those who gave us their songs and tales of life here nestled in one of the prettiest places in the world.