Bonaire Trip - Day 2

It was rather warm in Bonaire at 5:15 am -- about 81 degrees. It's always strange to me when it's warm before the sun comes up! We had a bit of a line to wait in to get through customs, but even that was interesting because we were serenaded the whole time by some tropical bird under the eves of the airport terminal.

After we gathered all our luggage, we found our way over to the car rental area. I say "car", but most rental vehicles on Bonaire are actually pick-up trucks. Like most I saw, ours had a crew cab and a wooden rack in the bed for carrying scuba tanks.



We managed to navigate our way pretty easily through Kralendijk in the dark. Fortunately, there were lots of signs - just no street signs, so my map was next to useless. First we headed toward downtown, and then followed the signs that said "hotels." When we got to the traffic circle (the only one on the island), we knew we were getting close.

As we were getting out of our truck at Captain Don's Habitat, I saw a shuttle full of people pulling in (obviously had arrived on our same plane), so we hustled a bit to get into the lobby ahead of them. We'd reserved a room for Friday night, so we were able to check right in.

There were several people on the shuttle (a single dive group) who were quite vocally amazed and annoyed that their rooms weren't ready for them. At 6 o'clock in the morning. What hotel on this planet has a 6 a.m. check-in time, I ask you?

Dive orientation was at 9, so we forced ourselves to stay awake for awhile after breakfast. It was very low key -- they checked our diver certification cards (affectionately known as "C" Cards) and explained the marine park rules. We were free to do our orientation dive on our own anytime the first day, so we went back to our room and slept about four hours. We were in no shape to be diving, tired as we were!

In the afternoon, after we bought our marine park tags and rented our gear, we took a nice dive off Baby Dock. 30 minutes, maximum depth 60 feet.

Then we had a delightful, delicious and leisurely dinner of lasagna at Pasa Bon Pizza.

Bonaire Trip - Day 1

We caught a mid-day flight to Houston where we had about a 6-hour layover. After a long, leisurely dinner at Pappadeaux in the airport, we sat near our gate and people watched. At Pappadeaux, I had the best Key Lime pie EVER! I also had a shrimp and crab cocktail and a crawfish platter.

I slept in bits and pieces on our redeye flight to Bonaire. The movie was Poseidon -- poor choice for someone going to spend a few days in the ocean, don't you think? I never plugged in my earphones, but I did watch the scene where the rogue wave rolls the cruise ship over....

We landed in Bonaire about 5:15 a.m.

Eek! I've been subpoenaed!

I checked my answering machine messages for this last week a little while ago, and there was a message from the DA's office about the subpoena I received to appear this Friday. Well...I don't have any subpoena, so I'll have to call the office tomorrow. I did enough research online to see that the number given on my machine is for the Witness Coordination Office.

I did get a letter a few months or so ago about someone who had some of my mail in his possession, and I filled out a form and returned it that said I didn't know the person and he didn't have permission to have my mail. Maybe it's about that.

I was subpoenaed about something very similar a couple of years ago. Maybe it's time to get a locking mailbox, huh?

Fire at Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel

Maybe I'm a bit of a disaster magnet...!

We were at the Venetian, watching "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular", and when we came out of the hotel about 9 p.m., discovered the entire street was closed with police and fire vehicles everywhere:
http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5447704

Phantom was incredible -- absolutely an amazing, beautiful, breathtaking, wonderful program. Definitely worth seeing, if you get the chance.

We saw "Zumanity" Saturday night: http://www.zumanity.com/. It's the adult member of the Cirque du Soleil family -- really more of a variety show. Very racy, lots of nudity, varied from funny as heck to totally amazing and unreal.

And had incredible meals during the weekend at Michael's http://www.barbarycoastcasino.com/dining/michaels.php, Emeril's http://www.emerils.com/restaurants/lasvegas_fishhouse/index.html, and Commander's Palace http://www.commanderspalace.com/las_vegas/index.php.

Lovely anniversary roses...

The ladies I work with are jealous, and the men are hoping their wives don't find out, 'cause I get flowers every month!

Aren't I spoiled?

Found Hermione

Poor Hermione apparently crawled off into a dark corner of a seldom-used closet to die. I was sure she hadn’t died anywhere in the house, because we never smelled anything. Strange thing is there was never any odor. It’s like she just dried up. Poor little kitty.

9,000 Steps

I've been wearing a pedometer and attempting to walk at least 10,000 steps a day...with mixed results. Today's been so crazy that I've already completed 9,000 steps, and it's only lunch time! We call this the Harvest diet....

The IT Police

The latest site I can't access? ask.com!

Must be highly seditious or racy or something...

I just HATE getting the big "Access Denied" flashed across my screen.

I won't name names, but there's one person's blog I can't open from work -- it's a blogspot one, too. Makes no sense whatsoever!

Back in the old days, when I was in IT, our filter bumped anyone going to a site deemed inappropriate directly to disney.com. Of course, now disney.com is blocked. Go figure!

Charlotte, the Ogre...

I had to do something awful yesterday. I called Animal Control to have a stray dog carted away. I'd feel even worse if he'd been a nice dog, but he wasn't. Very skittish and sometimes aggressive, he tried to bite several of our employees. He looked to be an odd mix of pit bull and golden retriever.

It's a sad thing to have to do.

Stockton Arts Commission - 29th annual Arts Awards Celebration

Catherine will be singing "Cabaret" at this event -- another opportunity to see her perform!

* * * * *

The Stockton Arts Commission welcomes the Stockton community to attend its 29th annual Arts Awards Celebration Friday, October 20 at the Bob Hope Theatre.

Tickets are available through the Bob Hope Theatre Box Office for $15, $25 and $30.

As the Haggin Museum celebrates its 75th year, museum director Tod Ruhstaller will be honored with the top STAR award for his work over more than 20 years to develop the Haggin into Stockton’s premier cultural center. In addition to its major national fine arts exhibitions and the conservation and restoration of museum collections, Ruhstaller has developed partnerships with area arts organizations, introduced diverse cultural exhibits and expanded the museum’s reach into the community through education, events, workshops, tours, concerts and recitals.

A new Mayor’s Award will be presented this year to the Downtown Stockton Alliance Art Walk event for its successful inaugural season.

Owner and founder of the Harlequin House Art Center Maxine DalBen will be recognized with a Volunteer Award for her decades of instruction, encouragement and mentoring of artists at Harlequin House and at the Amador Art Camp she and her late husband began for talented minority youth.

The awards gala will also recognize several anniversaries in the regional arts. These include Education Through Music, Inc.-Musical Chairs Children’s Concert Series (25 years); Stockton Friends of Chamber Music (50 years) and the Haggin Museum (75 years).

For their contribution of art reviews in The Record, which have helped communicate much of the area’s art and culture to members of the community, the following individuals will also receive special recognition: Howard Lachtman (literary, restaurant and cinema), Sherman Spencer (music), and Diane Runion (theater and ballet).

In addition to these presentations, the Arts Awards Celebration will feature artistic displays, performances and a “Taste of Downtown” with samplings of downtown restaurant entrees and desserts. The event’s honorary host committee includes Marian Jacobs, Ron Berberian, Vince Perrin, Gil Dellinger, Judy Caruso-Williamson, and Maestro Peter Jaffe.

For information, phone (209) 937-7488.

When fast food isn't

Most everybody's heard my mini-rampages on "fast" food. The Burger King that was the worst offender no longer exists! They were also the drive-thru most likely to mess up my order. Last week, I made a quick side-trip into a Jack in the Box for a soft drink on the way back from another errand, and ended up waiting in line in my very hot car (Mustang) for about 15 minutes. The bright note? Because I'd waited so long, they didn't charge me. So, what started as a very negative experience turned out kind of positive.

I was reminded of the whole "convenience" thing again yesterday. I brought my car (Breeze) to SpeeDee to have the transmission serviced. They said it would take about half an hour. I was feeling a bit guilty about getting back for it an hour later until I saw it was sitting EXACTLY where I left it. It took nearly half an hour of waiting to find out they hadn't started on it, so we agreed they'd call me when it was ready (probably took another hour or so). If I'd been in a dreadful hurry or had been sitting in their dreadful waiting room* the whole time, it would have been a problem. Since I had Cat to ferry me around, it was no big deal.

*Okay...It's not truly dreadful. It's clean; there's coffee. But there's also always at least one restless, fidgety child, and it always feels crowded and cramped and noisy.

Precious roses - 28 months!

Images from Cabaret

"Don't Tell Mama!"


Cliff and Sally


Life is a Cabaret...

'Cabaret' gives audience a show from the risqué to the fabulous

Rhonelle Runner
Special to The Record
Published Tuesday, Aug 1, 2006

From the opening curtain, Stockton Theatre Project's production of "Cabaret" teeters purposefully between concealment and revelation. The costumes are often revealing, but the story line, like a strip-tease artist, leaves certain elements concealed for dramatic effect.

Derek Isetti stars as the show's wonderfully wicked Emcee (master of ceremonies) who invites audience members to forget their troubles at the cabaret. His long-sleeved shirt glimmers and sparkles, and yet the near-transparent fabric conceals nothing.

As the narrator of this dreamlike tale, the Emcee lets the audience in on some of his secrets, but leaves the show's other characters to grope their own way through the gathering darkness as the Nazis rise to power.

Cliff Bradshaw (Matt Voyer) is a poor American writer traveling to Berlin seeking inspiration for a novel. He interacts with Ernst Ludwig (Parker Cushing), a German businessman who recommends a rooming house and a nightclub where he might find the inspiration he seeks.

Cliff finds himself at the Kit Kat Klub, where the black-gartered Kit Kat Girls (and the androgynous Kit Kat Boys) entertain crowds eager to indulge in the decadent side of the Weimar Republic. There he meets Sally Bowles (Catherine Frye), an English transplant determined to blossom in the decadent lifestyle.

The two begin a relationship of convenience. As Berlin (and German society) begins to implode, so does their relationship. Cliff wants to take Sally home, but she wants to return to the life she knows in the cabaret.

Director Jim Coleman has assembled a great cast, and with this production, strikes a balance between decadence, indifference and fear.

Matt Voyer was convincing as the naive, goodhearted author. His warm baritone was strong but not overpowering. He and Catherine Frye worked well together, and by the end of the show, they really had the audience on their side.

Much of the show's nuance came from the supporting characters. The romance between Fraulein Schneider (Dorothy Mulvihill) and Herr Schultz (Ray Rustigian) was one of the high points of the production, while Cushing and Joanna Bernazzini realized the layers of personality of their characters, along with their political leanings.

Another revelation was Frye's vocal performance. She grabbed the opportunity to shine, first with "Don't Tell Mama," and then with the show-stopping "Cabaret," which suited her voice perfectly.

Musical director Paul Kimball and vocal director Timothy Swaim have produced fine overall performances, especially from the pit orchestra. Vocally there was only one noticeable exception - the Act I quintet "Tomorrow Belongs to Me."

Beverly Norcross' costumes, in keeping with the show's spirited tension, run from risqué to fabulous. Valerie Gnassounou-Bynoe's choreography was wonderfully varied, from raunchy burlesque to proper social dances.

In all, "Cabaret" succeeds because of its talented cast and its confident exploration of human relationships.

Risqué 'Cabaret'

Stockton Theatre Project ends season with musical
AARON DAVIS
Special to The Record
Published Thursday, Jul 27, 2006

"Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome, in cabaret, au cabaret, to cabaret!"

From the opening greeting, it's obvious that all are welcome when the curtains swing open on the classic musical "Cabaret." But, after two very different Broadway revivals in 19 years, the question is, which take on "Cabaret" awaits audiences when the show opens tonight at Atherton Auditorium?

Director Jim Coleman fancies a middle ground.

"We're doing the 1987 version," Coleman said. "In 1998, they came out with a different take on it. It was very steamy and grungy, the real in-your-face version."

"(Ours) is a little less risqué, but it's still not for the faint of heart," said Derek Isetti, who portrays the master of ceremonies. "For Stockton audiences, it still gets the message across without slapping them in the face."

"Cabaret" is the third and final production of this summer's Stockton Theatre Project, a collaboration among Stockton Civic Theatre, San Joaquin Delta College and the American Blues Theatre Company. Coleman said he's optimistic about the project's future as it finishes its second season.

"This year, we learned there are some more things we need to learn," joked Coleman, Stockton Civic Theatre's producing director. "It's always a growing process.

"But it's very viable," he added. "It's something people really want, and I'm just thrilled. It's really helped all the arts organizations in town."

"Cabaret" marks a return of sorts for Isetti. A Stockton native and 1992 St. Mary's High School graduate, he's back in town to study speech pathology at University of the Pacific. Isetti understudied the master of ceremonies role on Broadway while living in New York.

"My life is sort of coming full circle," Isetti said. "I worked with Jim (Coleman) on the East Coast and (musical director) Paul Kimball was my first musical director in high school, and this is the one show I was able to do in New York. It's kind of surreal."

Written by Fred Ebb and John Kander, and set in Berlin in the years between the world wars, "Cabaret" is a multiple Tony Award-winner that has seen more than 4,000 Broadway performances since opening in 1966. The 1972 film adaptation won Liza Minnelli an Oscar.

On the surface, it might seem a bit risky taking on such an oft-performed show. Coleman had no qualms about that.

"There's something about these shows; there's a reason they're done a lot," he said. "There are some shows that merit redoing a lot and some where there's a reason you do them only every 40 years.

"It's set in a specific period of time but it's very meaningful even today with the war in Iraq," Coleman added. "There's not a wasted word, there's no flab. I love something that you can come away from feeling like you've had an experience other than tapping your foot."

More on Cabaret

Let me know if you'd like me to pick up tickets for you -- I'll be going to the box office tomorrow morning. I understand they're selling briskly!

Location: Delta College Atherton Auditorium 5151 Pacific Avenue
Date: 7/27/2006 to 8/6/2006
Hours: 8:00 p.m.; Sunday Matinees 2:30 p.m.
Prices: Adults $22; Students/Seniors $19
Ticket Info: For more informationcall 209/954-5110.

Bringing together the talents of local and nationally renowned artists, STOCKTON THEATRE PROJECT will present the classic musical CABARET on the weekends of July 27-30 and August 4-6, 2006. Delta College's Atherton Auditorium will be the venue for this last in a three show summer series resulting from a collaboration between American Blues Theatre Company, Delta College Drama Department, and Stockton Civic Theatre. CABARET will be a Stockton Civic Theatre production.

The winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, CABARET was written by Joe Masteroff with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. This hugely popular stage and film musical recalls the wanton decade of 1920s Berlin, as the swastika's shadow began to loom over that city. The Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience to the show, and assures them that, whatever their troubles, they will forget them at the cabaret. His songs provide wry commentary throughout the performance. The story of two doomed young lovers is at the core of CABARET -- the frenetic English girl, and the young American writer -- both of whom had come to the German capital in search of glamour and excitement.

Broadway veteran Jim Coleman, who has directed over 25 musicals and won a nomination for a Drama Critic's Award for Best Musical Direction, will direct this elaborate production. Paul Kimball will serve as Musical Director and Timothy Swaim as Vocal Director. Choreography will be by Valerie Gnassounou.

The Stockton Arts Commission is providing partial funding for the Stockton Theatre Project. The mission of the program is to encourage participation in summer productions for actors, singers, dancers, musicians and especially theatergoers from throughout the region.

Tickets to CABARET can be charged by phone through the Delta Center for the Arts Box Office at 209/954-5110, or online at dca.deltacollege.edu. Stockton Civic Theatre season ticket holders will receive admission to CABARET as a part of their regular season ticket package but must call the Box Office to reserve their seats at Atherton Auditorium.

All show times are at 8:00 p.m. except Sunday matinees, which are at 2:30 p.m. Delta Center Box Office hours are 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

Cabaret Poster

The Big Two-Seven!

A Sad Goodbye to Winfield

We lost our sweet Winny-dog last night.

He was very sick when we got home after work - I guess he walked around a bit in the yard, then just couldn't climb the stairs. There was also evidence that he'd vomited earlier in the day. He lay on the back porch for a good while, breathing hard and trembling, so we gathered him up and took him to the emergency veterinary clinic. He took the ride in the car far too calmly, worrying us even more, and when the technician took Winny's temperature it was 104.7F - quite high. His abdomen was distended and hard, so they took him back for x-rays which showed that either his kidney or spleen was extremely enlarged. In a dog Winny's age, chances were very high that that spelled cancer. The only treatment options are very heroic and would include exploratory surgery. He was miserable and we didn't want to put him through any more pain, so we chose to have him put down. Catherine and I stroked him and told him what a good boy he was while he received the injection. It's definitely one of the saddest and most difficult things I've ever done.

We'll always remember our "wild dog of Bornio" who loved to play-fight with our feet and who was always cheerful and loving. It's been a sad year for us -- we also lost our kitty, Hermione, in April.

Goodbye Winny.

GROJ SALE

Don't know whether or not the misspelling was intentional; however, I saw this sign today, and it definitely was an attention-getter!

I'm enjoying my four-day weekend. I know plenty of people are working today (including Cat), and I'm quite grateful not to be one of them.

I've been working on the Cabaret music all weekend (just got it midweek). It's tougher than I remember. Guess it's been awhile since music school! Cat & I went to see Side by Side by Sondheim on Saturday night -- sort of a cross between a concert and a show, actually.

We've got a 4th of July party in Martinez tomorrow -- the same one we go to nearly every year. I'm bringing wine (surprise, surprise).

Woo hoo! It's over!

To all those I invited to my dance recital (all zero of you) and those I didn't, it actually went pretty well! The only glitch was one of the dancers (who is also one of the teachers and whose initials are VW), bruised her foot Friday evening and wasn't able to dance with us on Saturday, so there was an awkward gap. It's too bad that's the day that got filmed (or taped or digitized or whatever). I'm still going to order a DVD, because I'd like to see how we looked and watch the rest of the program.

It's the pits

I'll be playing accordion in the pit orchestra for Cabaret. Should be tons of fun! I've asked if they can do something else for one night, so I can watch Catherine perform.

26th Anniversary Flowers

This is summer?

The high today is supposed to be 75°F. Too strange!

We had a fun weekend -- got a new lamp for Cat's bedroom and some cute baby-girl clothes for our new little cousin, Taylor. Shopped 'til we dropped!


On the road to Copan


View of Fantasy Island from Hawksbill Key, Coco View Resort

More trip pix

CoCo View's private Hawksbill Key














Jaime, our divemaster, coming up through the center of the boat.

Honduras Trip Notes

Thursday, May 18, 2006
We left shortly after work, headed for Sacramento. We had dinner along the way, someplace I’d never been and have already forgotten the name of. Will get it later. It’s in a little town between Stockton and Sacramento. Dinner was delicious – definitely someplace to visit again. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in north Sacramento, about 10 minutes from the airport.

Friday, May 19
Caught an early shuttle to the airport. Our flight was at “oh dark hundred” – 6:30-ish. Much easier to face a 10-minute ride than an hour drive, at that early hour! We flew on Continental, so we actually got a light breakfast (cereal, fruit and muffin) and a movie. Saw Casanova. Wouldn’t want to rent the DVD, but it was entertaining enough. We got into Houston midday and easily found our luggage and the Texas Shuttle counter, where we purchased a round-trip for our down-town hotel. Whadda ya know? Another Hilton Garden Inn, a few blocks from the Galleria. After freshening up, we rode the complementary shuttle over to the Galleria and had some lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. We were outrageously hungry and the food was outrageously delicious! After wandering around for a few hours – it’s a HUGE mall – we got tired out and walked back to our hotel for a nap. The way we walked, it was at least a mile. I’m sure we could have found a shorter way, but only at risk of getting severely lost! After our rest, we shuttled back and had a lovely dinner at Daily Grill. The mall was closing around us as we left, and we saw a lot of young people in formal wear. Must have been prom night at the Westin Galleria!

Saturday, May 20
On to Coco View! We were hopeful that we’d get to see Goblet of Fire, but I guess our flight was too short (a little more than 2.5 hours) from Houston to Roatan. Everything went smoothly at the airport, and we arrived at Coco View in time for a late lunch. After getting our stuff settled in our room, we went to the Dockside Dive Center and got all our rental equipment, left our C-cards and picked up our weights. Next stop? Coco View’s famous front yard for some snorkeling. I’m really glad I spent months getting my “fake bake” tan – it really did provide extra protection against the sun. Between my tan and prodigious use of sun block, I got a teeny bit of pink on my face one day, and that’s it!

Sunday, May 21
Time to dive! We had a full day scheduled, because K was only four dives short of his 300th.

1. “Inside Outside” – 50’, 35 minutes
2. “Wreck of the Prince Albert” (drop off) – 50’, 23 minutes
3. “Iron Shore” – 56’, 34 minutes
4. “Coco View Wall” – 59’, 39 minutes

I think it was one of these dives – Iron Shore, maybe – where we saw a MONDO crab. It was about the size of a turkey platter. I’m serious!

We were both falling asleep in our dinner plates, so called it a night shortly after 7 p.m. and slept through until 7 a.m. Monday!

Monday, May 22

1. 40 Foot Wall – 62’, 36 minutes
2. Mary’s Place – 84’, 36 minutes

Mary’s Place didn’t live up to all the hype. Too many divers go through it, and the coral is pretty beaten up. It was my first crevice dive.

Tuesday, May 23
I skipped the first dive (French Cay – something like that) because it was a drift dive, and I was too chicken. Everyone said the dive was lovely, but getting up the ladder was very difficult. K scraped the heck out of his arm.

1. Pirate’s Point – ____________
2. Coco View Wall (drop off) – 58’, 43 minutes

Today was the barbecue out on the Key. The dancers couldn’t make it and rescheduled for Thursday. We coated ourselves in Skin So Soft and DEET, but it was pretty windy, so the only bugs in attendance were flies.

Wednesday, May 24
We rented an underwater digital camera for the day, so were determined to have a lot of photo opportunities. I don’t feel ready to be messing with a camera underwater, so the only photos I took were topside. For our morning dives we were assigned to another boat, because nearly everybody from the Red Boat was off doing the shark dive.

1. Half Moon Bay – 81’, 42 minutes. Saw a very cool eel on this one. Unfortunately, none of our eel photos turned out. One of those learning experiences one would rather not have.
2. Wreck of the Prince Albert (drop off) – 48’, 40 minutes.
3. Valley of the Kings – 92’, 35 minutes. The 92’ was a big oops on my part – Jaime sent us down a crevice (me first!), and I was very focused on keeping control of my buoyancy and not touching anything on the sides. In a few places, there was stuff growing across, so I had to be really careful to either go under or over it. When I came out at the bottom, I looked at my depth guage and realized I was too deep. I turned around to look for K – he was about a dozen feet above me and was gesturing emphatically for me to come higher. Which I did! We leveled out around 65’ and continued on to enjoy the wall. Valley of the Kings is gorgeous, glorious, beautiful and my favorite dive of the week. What a way to end our diving adventures for the week!

We went out to dinner with a group of others (Kathy & Bruce, Chris & Christine, Michelle, Jeff, and Doug) to a delightful place called The View (or was it The Vue?). I’ll always remember Heather, who served us. Very full of personality – definitely a kick in the pants!

Thursday, May 25
Happy 23rd Birthday, Alexandra! I really did remember – I took a picture of a shop named “Alejandra” in Copan Ruinas in your honor!



Today, we caught our boat to Roatan at 5:30 a.m. This was the start of a l-o-n-g journey to Copan to see the Mayan ruins. We took a plane from Roatan to La Ceiba, then took another plane to San Pedro Sula. Both were AT LEAST 30 minutes late (island time … but it was the mainland!). They were both smallish (<20 passengers) twin-engine numbers. We were met by our tour guide, Luis, at San Pedro Sula. I have his card somewhere, so will probably add his last name and company to this at some point! He took us to the hotel where his office is, and we had a delightful (and much needed) breakfast at the hotel while he waited for his apprentice tour guide to join us. It was around 10 or 10:30, I think, and we were famished. His sidekick never showed up – something about a wife in labor, or something (where are his priorities, I ask you?) – and we embarked on the land portion of our journey. Our wheels were a very nice air-conditioned Toyota tour van. Luis was an excellent driver, which is more than I can say for about 97% of those on the road. Luis did say, “If you can drive in Honduras, you can drive anywhere!” Very few places even had stripes on the road. It was just plain crazy. Everybody drove with one hand on the horn, including Luis. And it was necessary! Many people took their half of the road out of the middle!

The scenery was lovely, but it was sad to see how much jungle is gone. We saw areas that had been burnt quite recently to make more farmland. There’s also quite a bit of poverty – we saw rows and rows of makeshift shacks along the road as we left San Pedro Sula. Luis said that a lot of people come to the city because they’ve heard there are lots of jobs. Unfortunately, many of them come without job skills. It was very sad to see. There’s a deep divide in Honduras between the “haves” and the “have nots”.

We arrived in Copan Ruinas around 1 p.m. It’s a lovely city with narrow cobblestone streets – much as I imagine one might find in Spain or other old cities in Europe.

[stay tuned for more!]

Back from Coco View!

Yours truly!


Just took my mask off -- can you tell?


I think these are called Christmas Trees. They disappear back into their stems if they're disturbed.





The world-famous chain in Coco View's "frontyard."


Battlescars from the ladder...


Lovely world, isn't it?


Marc being "rescued" -- part of someone's Rescue Diver Course.

Almost outta here!

We're leaving for Sacramento right after work today. Our flight to Houston is at "oh-dark-hundred" tomorrow, then on to Honduras Saturday morning.

I'm in that "last day of work before vacation frenzy" even as we speak...

Really big news!

I've told lots of people already, 'cause we've known since last week.

Cat landed the role of Sally in Cabaret!

Performance Dates:
Thursday, 7/27/06 7:30PM PDT (Preview Night)
Friday, 7/28/06 8:00PM PDT
Saturday, 7/29/06 8:00PM PDT
Sunday, 7/30/06 2:30PM PDT
Friday, 8/4/06 8:00PM PDT
Saturday, 8/5/06 8:00PM PDT
Sunday, 8/6/06 2:30PM PDT

It'll be in the Warren Atherton Auditorium at Delta College.

25th Anniversary Flowers

We're going to see Urinetown again tonight. I love watching my girls perform!

Delta College stages funny, fast-paced trip to 'Urinetown'

Glenn Pillsbury
Special to The Record
Published Tuesday, May 9, 2006

What is the state of the musical when one of its most triumphant recent examples succeeds largely by skewering its predecessors?

Far from reinventing the genre, "Urinetown" depicts the death of the musical as a progressive and relevant art form. Along the way, though, San Joaquin Delta College's current production invites audiences to a clever, funny and wickedly virtuosic funeral.

In creating "Urinetown," Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann borrowed Bertolt Brecht's distancing effect to rupture the separation between stage and audience. For instance, an explanatory placard labeled "Secret Hideout" hangs above the stage in Act Two, and two crew members not only change scenery but also participate in the onstage action.

The supposed plot of "Urinetown," a mash-up of pay-to-pee corruption, urban revolution and boy-meets-girl, isn't to be taken seriously. Its elements are all cardboard signposts to previous musicals. And although Jason Kell's capitalist villain Caldwell B. Cladwell was enjoyable, "Urinetown" says nothing worth remembering on the subject of greed.

It is the relationship between Officer Lockstock (Martin Lehman), who speaks to the audience as the narrator while also playing a central character in the drama, and Little Sally (Brittany Monroe), the poor street urchin with a rich heart, that drives the neo-Brechtian absurdity of "Urinetown."

Lehman's measured pacing merged Lockstock's two identities into a warm but authoritative father figure who explains to Little Sally (and the audience) that "this is not going to be a happy musical." Monroe's performance was likewise captivating, bringing just the right amount of over-the-top spunkiness and purposeful overacting to the role.

Leads Caleb Draper as Bobby Strong and Catherine Frye as the perky but naïve Hope Cladwell also gave enjoyable performances. Draper's vocals were particularly noteworthy.

The Delta show benefits from a true sense of ensemble virtuosity. Most of the 38-member cast play more than one role, and the production has them constantly in action, whether fighting a slow-motion brawl or singing in three-part harmony.

The technical details of "Urinetown" are especially complex and fast-paced, and under John White's direction, the ensemble largely succeeded at keeping things quick and sharp. The small orchestra, under Scott Bowen's baton, performed smoothly and did its best to stay below the singers' volume. Still, there were several times when singers wearing mics could have been mixed louder.

• When: Thursday through Sunday
• Where: Tillie Lewis Theatre, San Joaquin Delta College
• Admission: $12-$14
• Info: (209) 954-5110

South seas Shakespeare (old review)

South seas Shakespeare
Delta College takes the Bard to Polynesia with 'Twelfth Night'

Kate Macek
Special to The Record
Published Thursday, Oct 13, 2005

A love triangle set in 19th century Polynesia may sound like the premise for a steamy late-night movie, but San Joaquin Delta College has more on its mind.

That's where director Harvey Jordan has chosen to set Delta's new production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night."

"The setting supports the themes of romance, merrymaking and even melancholy," Jordan said. "Twelfth Night" opens Friday at the Tillie Lewis Theatre.

The plot focuses on the nobleman Orsino, a Polynesian princess named Olivia, and Viola, a woman who disguises herself as a man, Cesario. While incognito, Viola falls in love with Orsino, who is already courting Olivia. When Viola as Cesario delivers Orsino's love notes, Olivia falls for what she thinks is a dashing young man. More mayhem ensues when Viola's brother, who looks just like Cesario, arrives.

In addition to the main story, there is mischievous cast of supporting characters in Olivia's household who add flavor through interwoven sub-plots involving practical jokes, disguises and mistaken identity.

For Jordan, the Polynesian landscape lends itself well to the play's wide range of emotions, including farcical humor, romance and darker moods. The play and setting also share such themes as free expression represented by the Polynesian island lifestyle vs. moral repression represented by European society.

He added that Shakespeare himself was prone to set his works in romantic locations, such as "The Tempest's" desert island.

"I'm convinced that if Shakespeare knew about Polynesia, he would have set a play there because his audiences loved exotic locations," Jordan said.

Jordan is no stranger to unorthodox adaptations of Shakespeare. He's directed "A Midsummer Night's Dream" set in the 1960s, "As You Like It" with a 1920s theme and even a Wild West "Taming of the Shrew."

This time out, his cast of 22 includes undergraduate and nontraditional students, as well as two Delta faculty members. Catherine Frye, the sophomore portraying Viola/Cesario, said she thinks the tropical setting helps make the play more accessible.

"It'll give it a sense of familiarity," Frye said. "It doesn't seem quite so alien to us as the Elizabethan era."

Serious boondoggle

I found out the hard way that my Accordion Works rehearsal had been cancelled. Three out of six of us showed up, so apparently word wasn't gotten out very effectively. Or at all, perhaps.

Rather annoying to make an unnecessary trip to Berkeley when gas costs $3.20 a gallon! And I sure don't need to be wasting time, either. Argh!

Toe calluses

Today was serious flip-flop weather. You know, those shoes we used to call “thongs” before the bathing suit and lingerie industries appropriated the term?! So, the flip-flop spaces between my toes are a bit sore.

We saw “Urinetown The Musical” this evening. Cat had to be at the theater at 6, but we didn’t need to be there until just before 8, so we had a couple of hours to kill. Lizzie, Jerm & I went to Kohl’s to shop after our early dinner with Cat. Kohl’s was having a pretty good sale. I got two pairs of flip-flops – one athletic, the other dressy – for less than $40.

The play was extremely well done. It’s very bizarre; however, we all enjoyed it enormously. Much fun! Cat has some really good bits. Really, really good. She's hilarious!

My old friend Agnes (from La Leche League days) was there. Some of us went out to Applebee’s after (Cat, Sean, Agnes & Steve, Christina, and me).

Started packing...

Those of you me are probably amazed. Really, I started packing. I've got my checklist and about half my stuff in my suitcase. I'll more or less finish up this weekend. All that will be left is the last minute stuff that I'll be using in the meantime.

We're leaving the evening of the 18th.

Guess who has been a good influence on me?

And no ... haven't packed at all for Mother's Day weekend.

'Urine' for something

'Urine' for something
Delta musical uses laughs to make serious points

BRIAN MCCOY
Record Entertainment Editor
Published Thursday, May 4, 2006

San Joaquin Delta College is staging the Tony Award- winning musical "Urinetown.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Playwrights learned long ago that the best way to address a serious issue is through humor.

Audiences don't want a lecture, no matter how grave the subject. Entertain them as you deliver your message, however, and they're sure to embrace it.

At first glance, the show appears all silliness and satire. Set in a world where people must pay to use the bathroom, the musical features arch characters, star-crossed lovers right out of "Romeo and Juliet" and a score that goes out of its way to spoof such landmark musicals as "Sweeney Todd," "Chicago" and "Fiddler on the Roof." Even the title carries a pun.
Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann employed that concept in creating "Urinetown," the Tony Award-winning musical being presented this weekend and next at San Joaquin Delta College.

It's an "anti-musical," Delta director John White said. "It pokes fun at the American musical."

But beneath its comic exterior, "Urinetown" addresses compelling contemporary issues.

What human beings are doing to the environment is embodied in the 20-year drought that leads to the banning of private toilets. That all restrooms are in the hands of a single corporation (the Urine Good Co.) speaks to the hazards of the concentration of wealth and power in the world economy. That the politicians represent corporate interests over those of the public reflects the growing helplessness so many voters feel.

"It addresses these issues and yet keeps everybody laughing," White said.

The idea for the musical came when Kotis visited Paris in the mid-1990s. Finding himself pinching pennies in order to access the city's pay toilets, he imagined a show based on the economic politics of using the bathroom.

Kotis shared the idea with Hollmann, and together they produced a version of the show for the 1998 New York International Fringe Festival. Three years and several incarnations later, "Urinetown" reached Broadway. It went on to win three Tonys and spawn a national tour.

In the Delta production, Caleb Draper and Catherine Frye are cast as the star-crossed lovers. She is Hope Cladwell, daughter of Caldwell B. Cladwell, Urine Good's chief executive officer. He is Bobby Strong, a former employee who in time leads the rebellion against the company.

That "Urinetown" is neither a straight musical comedy nor drama presents challenges for the cast of 38.

The actors are required to strike just the right note in dialogue that moves between the serious and the satirical.

"Part of the humor of the show is how serious we all are," Draper said. "We have to go to the extreme with our emotions.

"But the show is so well constructed, it's all very obvious when we're supposed to be hamming it up and when we're supposed to be serious," he added. "It all kind of just fits."

For White, a larger task has been getting his cast to master the music. The "Urinetown" score is more intricate than many others, requiring technical expertise even as it embraces styles as divergent as Gilbert and Sullivan patter and "Les Miserables" rallying cries.

"They adopted a Brechtian approach," White said of Kotis and Hollmann. "And we spent probably more time than other shows on the singing. (The cast) really needed to work on multiple parts being sung at the same time."

Contact Record Entertainment Editor Brian McCoy at (209) 546-8293 or bmccoy@recordnet.com

Hives

Those who live with me (you know who you are) are aware that I've been suffering with hives for the past week and a half. After nearly a week of wracking my brain with what in the world could be different, I realized that we'd moved into new offices with brand-new carpet that was installed the day I started getting itchy. I hadn't made the connection before, because I never actually touched the carpet. I've never before had a skin reaction to anything airborne. The last time I had hives, it was from using the soap from the dispenser in the shower at the healthclub (say that five times fast), and they went away in a couple of days.

It seems to be much better today -- the second day in a row AWAY from my office -- so I may be onto something. Aveeno is good at overcoming the itch. And I've been putting antibiotic goo on my earrings, because my piercings have become infected. If this mess doesn't continue improving, I'm actually getting desperate enough to consider going to the doctor.

See the mermaid?

If she's not jumping out at you, look at the sandy area...

I got our tickets for Urinetown today -- it opens this Friday. Cat's rehearsing like a crazy woman this week. Today's rehearsal starts at 1 p.m. She's got the special weave for her hair, curling iron, thermal curling spray, tan (taupe?) character shoes, false eyelashes, false nails...I know she'll be adorable!

More Poncho!

Poncho the water dog