#buddy reeder

[theonlyadawong]

Chicago

Directed and Chroeographed by Marc Robin

Fulton Theatre, 2019

(Photos by Kinective)

[finncakes]

it is the nature of dreams to end

[dakiddowndastreet]

GAAP (Demon 79) x reeder

Warning:blood, panic attack, strong language

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hello there” the voice rang through the peace. It was a low voice with a very thick English accent northern to be exact. “sorry I didn’t mean startle you”.

“Huh” I said in a confused tone. What the fuck is going on right now? I thought to myself, confused. “ yeah so basically you’ve got the whole world in your hands right now. If you don’t like kill three people in like three days, the whole world is going to go to shit”. A black figure appeared in front of me. I had a monstrous like Face that was the score of the deer and a weird black foggy like Buddy that was shaped like some sort of animal, but I can’t put my finger on what type of animal. I fell to the ground I was terrified. They started to roll down my face.

“ what the fuck are you?” I yelled loudly. “Oh yeah, I forgot about humans don’t like this appearance or too much” I was huddled down in the corner of the kitchen I was terrified.

I close my eyes tightly, wishing that this could all just be a dream. Something weird happened now. All of a sudden all the lights turned on again. “ how about this? Does this look better to you? my last human thought it was quite interesting…” I stayed up at the … Man? What was going on? I swear he didn’t look like that a couple of seconds ago he was wearing 70s disco outfit. That was why were they white fluffy coat resembling a sort of polar bear and platform shoes, and I can’t forget about the flares.

“anyway like I said before you need to kill three people and yeah ummmmm that saves the world” he Crouch down to me and grabbed my shoulder. ” what the fuck are you?” I said to the tall black man. “ well I’m gaap spell like GAAP. Most people get the wrong you would be surprised. So I’m like a Demon, and this is like my job is hard to explain” the Demon explained enthusiastically to me.

I folded into myself once more.” why does she always happened to me? Why can’t it up and someone else for once?” I whispered to myself. “Awwwwww be like that, plus you wanna save the world .who doesn’t like a good superhero” he replied trying to be positive.

I got up and just walked away. “ where are you going?” he asked I didn’t listen to him and I just started walking away. I thought to myself if I just walked away everything with Stop. I left my apartment and started to walk through the streets. Everywhere I looked he was there following me, he kept asking me to turn around talk to him and just answer him and do as he asks if not, “the world will go to shit.” he said. “ oh so fucking what it’s not my fucking problem is it” “ well actually is to be honest with you, you’re the only one that can save us well us humans and I guess animals”

“You’re not real” I yelled at him “ oh really am I not well I hate to break it to you I am I’m just gonna have to get used to it. Oh you know don’t under the world yeah that’s gonna be gone.” “ shut up!”

“ are you alright love?” a man walked around the corner, staring at me. “ no I’m not. Can you please tell this man to leave me alone” “ what man love I don’t see anyone else it for you” fear run through my body, as I heard those words.

I looked up at the Demon for the first time. I will speak to myself. “ holy shit, I’m not dreaming” the man in front of us, just stared at me “ show me to call the police, someone following you” I just did the frozen I didn’t know what to say how was I meant to explain to someone and got a Demon from a domino is following me and telling me to kill three people, so I get sent to a loony hospital “N-no it’s fine I’m fine really thank you though”

“ come on love he’s an easy killing in he?” the Demon whispered into my ear. “ how about you use that button next to you on the floor ? just one little here and he’s out”

my body was being taken over . I bent down to grab the bat as the man slowly walked closer to me. He put his arm on my shoulder. “ Are you sure you don’t want to call the police love?” I turned around quickly and hit him with the bat guilt run over me. blood was oozing from his head. “ holy shit what have I done?” I will speak to myself as panic took over me. I started crying furiously. I kept swearing to myself.

“ well done see isn’t that hard. One down 2 to go.” the Demon said trying to make a joke out of it. I fell to the ground with the bat of my hand covered in blood. He knelt down next to me. We just sat there.

Should I do a part two? 

[fictionadventurer]

The Electrical Menagerie animated movie when?

[angel-gidget]

For the character ask: Amethyst. :)

I adore her and am psyched that she’s got a series clearly written by someone with an affection for her classic 80s run.

Ship wise, I gotta admit that if they redesign Topaz to be the same age as her, I’ll probably be on board. I dug his overt admiration of her, and feel that fondness still, even though I look back at the original series and share his disturbance at unknowingly crushing on someone too young for him. But if she hooks up with trash techie Prince Carnelian in a cliche enemies-to-lovers slow burn, I will cackle in maniacal glee the whole way. (I’m not gonna entertain a YJ romance, bc it doesn’t stike me as likely, given that she has a solo book and it’s been hinted that the Young Justice roster will rotate.)

Turquoise for Brotp. I love how they are ride-or-die out the gate. Still holding out hope for her friendships with lil Princess Emerald and Lord Garnet to come through, but I am VERY happy about Turquoise.

Kinda hard to have an unpopular opinion on a character who’s still taking up such limited fandom consciousness. I’ll be thankful for that.

My wish for canon past? Hmm. I dunno. While I still feel that the original series went sour as it drew near the end, I feel less of a need to reverse canon when I see a path to fix the problems via current canon. Even if I was left with the aftermath of that whack 4-issue mini series, I could have had fun going forward with Amy and the Gemworld. I like what Amy Reeder is doing right now, tbh. It’s a cool update that takes me by surprise. My wish has been granted, really.

[duffertube]

“MONKEY ON THE ORGAN" - MIXED BY DJ BUDDY LOVE

1. Teen Scene - Noble Watts (Clamike) 2. Whiplash - Leon & the Burners (Josie) 3. The Point - Mac Rebennack (AFO) 4. Ka-Bongin' - The Four Finks (Kernel) 5. Buzzzzzz - Jimmy Gordon (Challenge) 6. Batman Theme - The Sensational Guitars of Dan & Dale (Tifton) 7. Buzz Saw Twist - The Gee Cees (Crest) 8. Night Prowl - The Venturas (Star-Itt) 9. Sticks & Stones Pt 1 - Gene Ludwig (Atlantic) 10. Midnight - Dave Rockingham Trio (Josie) 11. In the Pocket - Hindall Butts Trio (M-S) 12. All Night Long Pt 2 - Robert Parker (Ron) 13. Fishtail - The Earthworms (Bobbin) 14. Rufus Jr - The Merced Bluenotes (Galaxy) 15. Elijah Rocking WIth Soul - Hank Jacobs (Call Me) 16. The Git-Go - Maurice Simon & the Pie Men (Carnival) 17. Monkey on the Organ - The Butter Cups (Silver Star) 18. Green Door - Eskew Reeder (Minit) 19. Hot Gravy - Billy Clark (Gama) 20. Green Onions - Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames (Colombia) 21. I Got My Eyes on You Pt 2 - Big Smokey Smothers (Gamma) 22. Ninety Eight Cents Plus Tax - Detroit City Limits (Okeh) 23. Reach Out and I'll Be There - Lee Moses (Musicor)

[ttoibrainrot]

Ollie Reeder + Make Up A Guy!

@100dabbo this one’s for you buddy

(you can find nicola here and malcolm here)

[archetypal-archivist]

“You are 2% basic. Oh wow Jonah Taylor and Elliott Park! Your taste is so obscure that's so cool I bet you're super interesting..”

Buddy, I was listening to those for YEARS and I bet you 90% of folks have no clue who those people are.

“You stan these artists to an uncomfortable extent: Sleeping At Last, Passenger, Straight No Chaser, The Arcadian Wild, Adam Young.“

You say that like there aren’t 30+ albums-worth of music there.

“ > Your spotify was new-age-infomercial-stomp-and-holler-omg-high-school-is-over bad. “

....This actually stings a little.

“ You're stuck in the early 2010s. For you, music's been all downhill since Reeder made Julia. “

Buddy, have you seen the 2020s? Life ended in 2016, it’s been downhill since then. 

reblog this and tell me in the tags how bad your spotify is

[pas-de-bouryas]

Project 21 2019 buddies

Janae Holster - Tiana Heaton

Dawson Wallker - Dyllan Blackburn

Reggie Valdez - Madi Beerer

Bella Dimopoulos - Chloe Sollinger

Lauren Wollingford - Hailey Stoico

Gwen Choi - Laci Stoico

Sara Najm - Malia Gardener

Zeke Lindsay - Izzy Rivera

Kailyn Yi - Bella Machado

Kenzie Auger - Grace Wilson

Selena Hamilton - Gracyn French

Jordyn Blackburn - Jamison Deacy

Katy McIlwaine - Madison Ortega

Hallie Reeder & Dani Casas - Brooklyn Vara

[inhumansforever]

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #31 Review

spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers

Amy Reeder returns to co-author with Brandon Montclare, artist, Ray-Anthony Height and colorist, Tamra Bonvillain for this special anti-smoking one-shot that seeing Lunella and her dinosaur pal face off against the sinister Warm.  Quick recap and review following the jump.  

The tale begins with Lunella spending some time gardening with her mom, which is nice since it’s been quite a while since us readers have seen anything from Lunella’s parents.  Unfortunately, Lunella is being her same ol self, squandering the quality time by lecturing her mom on the importance of bees and the ways in which gardening pesticides inadvertently harm bees. 

These pesticides actually use a type of nicotine quite deleterious to bees.  Mrs. Lafayette uses this opportunity to steer the conversation toward the dangers of smoking and having her daughter promise to never try cigarettes.  To hammer the point home, Mrs. Lafayette has her and her daughter sneak a peak in on a group of adolescents smoking it up like a bunch of knuckleheads.

It’s all hugely perplexing to Lunella.  She is such an analytical thinker… she just cannot bend her head around why kids her age would do something as foolish as to smoke.   She’s pragmatic and can tell right away that smoking is little more than an addiction and that any sense of ‘pleasure’ a smoker gets from lighting up is just temporarily sating that addiction and gaining relief from withdrawal symptoms.  

Who would be interested in something so foolish?  What she cannot see is that sometimes youngsters smoke just because it’s taboo, a naughty forbidden thing they can do together and sense gain a sense of solidarity in doing something bad together.  Of course that’s a pretty dumb rationale, but kids do dumb things and it continues to be alienating for Lunella to be such an outlier, to be so confused over the mindset of her peers.  And to make matters worse, Lunella is additionally confused over the fact that this cigarette smoke smells so good, so tempting…

Over the next few days, Lunella is increasingly dismayed at seeing more and more of the people in her life smoking.  First it’s her classmate, Eduardo, then other kids in her class.  Even her teacher, someone Lunella hugely admires, admits that she has struggled with cigarette addiction for years.  

The dismay comes to a head when Lunella discovers her mom has bought a carton of her own and has herself started smoking.  What the heck is going on???  

Lunella retreats to her secret lab where she voices her confused exasperation to her buddy, Devil Dinosaur.  Just then Luneela spots an abnormal looking bee buzzing about the lab.  She eventually catches the bee and, upon more expensive investigation, discovers something quite sinister is afoot with this bee.  Somehow, this bee and its countless over bees has been spreading a type of pesticide derivative that has been fostering nicotine addiction among the populace of the Lowe East Side.

Attaching a miniature global positioning system to the bee, Moon Girl releases it and tracks it back to its hive.  Here she and Devil D encounters a mysterious beekeeper.  The beekeeper unmasks, revealing himself as the monstrous super villain known as ‘Swarm!’

Swarm is an old foe of Spider-Man; he is the sentience of an evil nazi scientist who has through some goofy comic book means re-manifested himself in the form of a humanoid phalanx of buzzing bees.  

True to super villain form, Swarm launches right into monologuing… detailing his sinister scheme.  His plan is to ultimately enslave all of humanity by way of spreading a crippling, unquenchable addiction to nicotine.  

Fortunately, Moon Girl is prepared and has connected a set of pressurized cool-air tanks to Devil D’s snout.  The jets of cool air has the effect of rendering the legion of bees unconscious, dissipating Swarm without injuring the various innocent bees that compose his form.  

Lunella is them able to undo the alterations to these bees and neutralize the pesticide toxin that had been effecting the neighborhood.  The day is saved.  

Of course all of this is merely window dressing to hammer home the central premise of warning impressionable minds of the dangers of tobacco use.  An important message and one I fully support.  It’s hard to say how effective a message it all is, but a worthwhile effort nonetheless.

Anti-smoking messages, just like anti-drinking and anti-drug use messages, are a pretty tricky business.  They can easily backfire, increasing awareness and interest in the targeted behavior while failing to fully dissuade experimentation.   Here in the states, The National Health Institute has monitored the efficacy of governmental campaigns designed to discourage smoking, drinking and drug use among young people.  Despite huge amounts of money spent toward these programs, it was found that the various campaigns bore no favorable results and may have even increased experimentation by way of an unintended boomerang effect.   The ‘Just Say No’ campaign from the Reagan Administration has been highlighted as a primary example of how not to discourage drug use.  Something that is especially disheartening considering that The trump Administration is effectively copying the model in its recent efforts to curb the opioid abuse crisis.  

Rather than straight forward ‘just say no’ efforts, the research suggests that a more effective strategy would entail focusing on recovery, the roots of addiction and acknowledging and analyzing the various reasons why people end up addicted to substances.  

This story does an okay job, touching on the biological aspects of nicotine addiction… which I think is a smart approach.  Yet it misses the mark in terms of addressing the insidious ways in which tobacco industries target young people, how menthol cigarettes (which are especially harmful) are target-promoted toward people who are Black, and how vaporized nicotine, or ‘vaping’ can be just as deleterious and addictive despite not have carcinogens. Swarm is a good enough villain, but using him in this story sort of lets off the hook the real culprits when it comes to smoking… that being the tobacco industry.  

A couple of years back, Marvel instituted an executive action ordering that smoking no longer be shown in the comics.  Characters like Wolverine, Nick Fury and J. Jonah Jamison, who had previously be shown as constantly chomping on a cigar, as well as Gambit and Pete Wisdom ,who were often shown as smoking cigarettes, all quite suddenly became smoke free.  Even villains were no longer allowed to be shown smoking. While I’m normally against editorial mandates, this is one I definitely approve of and simply not showing smoking is likely the best a comic book can do in terms of dissuading smoking among young people.  

Smoking is remarkably stupid.  And the sooner it can be relegated to a foolish anachronism of the past, the better.  I definitely laud this issue’s intention, but at the end of the day simply leaving cigarettes out of the Marvel Universe might be the best approach.  

All of this aside, this was a fun enough issue, with some neat action.  Artist, Ray-Anthony Height once again does stellar work filling in for series regular, Natacha Bustos and the coloring by Tamra Bonvillain is, as always, spot on terrific.  

Fun but ultimately skip-worthy.  Two out of Five Lockjaws.  

[ezatluba]

Pets for the Elderly ramps up efforts to help seniors adopt and keep petsThe nonprofit is expanding to offer not just discounted adoption fees but financial assistance with veterinary care, food, grooming and other expenses.

Courtesy Pets for the Elderly

Oct. 14, 2020

Jen Reeder

Every day, Pat Smith’s rescue dog, Brady, puts on a show for her.

Before she gives him a meal, she says, “Circles,” and he dances around and around. Then the mixed-breed pup sits politely until she puts down his bowl and says, “OK.”

During the daytime, Brady zooms in and out of his doggie doors, frequently checking on Smith or asking to play ball or head out on a walk. At night, he cuddles in her lap while she watches TV. When she announces, “Time to go to bed,” he immediately runs outside to do his business and then hurries into his crate to wait for a bedtime cookie.

“He’s a wonderful companion,” Smith, 71, told TODAY. “He’s very active, but he really is my best buddy. No matter where I go in my house, he follows me. He’s a real comfort to me.”

Smith, a resident of Grand Ledge, Michigan, adopted Brady two years ago from a local Humane Society. Because she is over 60 years old, the shelter told her she qualified for a $100 adoption discount from Pets for the Elderly, a national nonprofit that offers grants to participating shelters.

The retired middle school math teacher was delighted by the news and said it’s a helpful program. She credits her energetic dog with getting her “moving around a lot more,” and hopes other seniors will consider adopting dogs.

“I just think everybody should have a pet,” she said.

Since its inception in 1992, Pets for the Elderly has paid a portion of pet adoption fees for nearly 100,000 “seniors” aged 60 and up from more than 50 shelters in 34 states. Now the group is alerting shelters of a new option to help cover the costs of routine veterinary care, surgeries, pet food, grooming and in-home visits, in which shelter employees check in on senior citizens caring for adopted pets.

Susan Kurowski, 69, executive director of Pets for the Elderly, said she hopes more shelters will apply for grants to help keep pets in the homes of the seniors who love them. The goal is to have at least one participating shelter in all 50 states by the time the expanded program officially launches on Jan. 1, 2021.

She said Pets for the Elderly was founded by the late Avrum Katz to help seniors feel healthier and more connected through pets and to find shelter dogs and cats forever homes. Studies have shown numerous health benefits of spending time with pets, from lowered blood pressure to reduced anxiety and depression.

“Now, especially with COVID, bridging this whole isolation gap with companionship is going to show ��� when we look back — as being key to so many people’s mental wellness,” she told TODAY. “And you don’t have to live alone to feel isolated.”

While these benefits apply to the general population, there’s an added advantage that pets provide to older people, according to Kurowski.

“Seniors take better care of themselves because somebody’s counting on them,” she said. “They maintain a routine. They take their vitamins and their prescriptions on time because there’s someone relying on them, and that is so important.”

She loves hearing happy adoption stories facilitated by Pets for the Elderly. In one instance, a lonely widower came to volunteer at a shelter but ended up adopting a fluffy little dog.

“When he walked into the common area after the adoption with this dog, everybody’s oohing and aahing and he just brightened up and said, ‘I’m going to be a chick magnet,’” she said with a laugh. “I just hope we can keep on and help more and more of these animals and seniors.”

[pkstudiosindia]

Remember Me Thursday Honors Shelter Pets–Don’t Miss #RememberMeThursday Contest

Remember Me Thursday Honors Shelter Pets–Don’t Miss #RememberMeThursday Contest

Grace Sydney Last up to date on September 20, 2020

Share with fellow canine lovers!

“All of the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” A time to take the phrases of Saint Francis of Assisi to coronary heart, Remember Me Thursday is a day to mild the best way for a greater future for homeless canine and cats. 

Taking place on September 24, be part of animal lovers from greater than 190 nations to assist the world #SeeTheLight concerning the want to decide on the choice of pet adoption. 

Celebrity Luminaries Shine a Spotlight on Remember Me Thursday

For the eighth yr stars have aligned to participate in and promote Remember Me Thursday.  Following the footsteps of such animal-loving luminaries as Katherine Heigl, Kristen Chenoweth, Wynonna Judd Carrie Ann Inaba and actuality persona Bethenny Frankel, actress Jennie Garth of Beverly Hills 90210 fame has taken on the title of celeb spokesperson for this yr’s occasion.

2020 Remember Me Thursday® Official Spokesperson Jennie Garth.

Other well-known followers of our four-legged mates who will illuminate the date for Remember Me Thursday embody:

David BackesKristin BauerLinda BlairDr. Marty BeckerAshley BellBryan BickellMark BuehrleJeff CarterKristin ChenowethBo DerekWendy DiamondGreg Evans Bethenny FrankelKevin FrazierJackson GalaxyTamar GellerDebbie GibsonJack HannaKatherine HeiglLiam HendriksElaine HendrixCarrie Ann InabaDaymond JohnWynonna JuddDiane KeatonKevin KiermaierAnze Kopitar Bonnie-Jill LaflinSandra LeeJavicia LeslieJamie LittleJoey LoganoEvan LongoriaGeorge LopezAndie MacDowellRoss MathewsPatrick McDonnell Jake MuzzinKathy NajimyRyan NewmanRodney PeetePauley PerretteMelissa PetermanJill RappaportNikki ReedEric RobertsLogan RyanMarc RzepczynskiAmanda SchullHannah ShawChristian SirianoIan SomerhalderRick SpringfieldBeth SternVictoria StilwellMark SteinesDavid TuteraLou WegnerWil WheatonLarissa WohlBellamy Young

Some of our favourite high-profile friends with paws are additionally utilizing their star wattage to assist their fellow animals in want, together with:

Alien Cat MatildaBalooBambooBelarus the CatBoogie ShoesChewieChi ChiChloeChoupette’s DiaryCole and MarmaladeCooperFugeeJoshJustin Fire SurvivorKitten FacesLil BUBLouieMemphisMimo & KirryMolly HappinessMonty BoyMorkMr. BigglesworthMy Cat KyleNala CatNorbertPaddingtonPigletPurrminatorsSauerkraut KittySmusSpencerStevieSunglass CatTangoTunaVenusWhite Coffee CatApprehensive Cat (a.ok.a Bum)

#RememberMeThursday Contest

Tell your canine or cat’s story, embody a photograph of your four-legged buddy, and also you would possibly win each funds and meals on your favourite animal rescue group. You’ll discover all the main points on the #RememberMeThursday Contest web page together with extra on the prizes:

1st place – $5,000 financial prize, 1,000 kilos of Blue Buffalo pet meals and 100 Kong toys2nd Place – $2,500 financial prize, 1,000 kilos of Blue Buffalo pet meals and 100 Kong toysthird place – $1,000 financial prize, 1,000 kilos of Blue Buffalo pet meals and 100 Kong toys

If you put up a photograph of Fido or Fluffy on social media, remember to embody the hashtags #RememberMeThursday and #SeeTheLight.

This election yr the general public can even solid their vote for a person to be the People’s Choice Winner; that can will obtain:

Remember Me Thursday swaga present basket brimming with the winner’s selection of canine or cat toys, gear and equipment.Head to the #RememberMeThursday contest web page for extra particulars!

*Prizes are sponsored by Blue Buffalo, Naturally Fresh, and Save This Life!

Photo Credit: Helen Woodward Animal Center

The post Remember Me Thursday Honors Shelter Pets–Don’t Miss #RememberMeThursday Contest appeared first on Pet Food India.

from WordPress https://petfoodindia.com/remember-me-thursday-honors-shelter-pets-dont-miss-remembermethursday-contest/

[highkingnomnom]

10 Songs

Tagged by @angelfacehobi. I’m never tagged in stuff like this it’s really exciting!

Rules: List 10 songs you’re vibing on and tag some people~

Emotion, Carly Rae Jepsen I will be forever vibing on this song, such a tune, such an album. CRJ changed my life.

Run Away With Me, Carly Rae Jepsen Again, a forever vibe that will never go away, I’m a different man after listening to that album.

Romancing a Stranger, The Reign of Kindo I found this a couple weeks ago in my discover playlist on Spotify and it’s so good?? Like it’s got the prog feel but it’s all jazzy and not overly long. Just a great tune all around.

Fiona Coyne, Skylar Spence This is by a guy who did vaporwave stuff then got a music label and you can tell, it has everything I love from vaporwave/future funk and things like that. That bassline plays in my mind on a loop tbh.

Everything Is Going to Be Okay, Mick Gordon (Prey OST) I love me a good synth beat, the prey soundtrack is great and Mick Gordon can do music to fit a theme so well (See Doom 2016, completely different genre, same guy)

And so it Goes, Billy Joel It’s such a tender song with a brilliant piano line, honestly Billy Joel is too good a musician from the variety and consistent quality of his music.

Hey, ho, the Wind and the Rain, Roger Quilter I’m doing this as part of my diploma this summer and it’s such a good short tune, the whole song cycle is great. I want to make a recording of it one of these days.

Channel 1 Suite, Buddy Rich Big Band This always floats in and out of what I listen to, I’ve got a live version saved on spotify and I can’t always handle a full 12 minute jazz band number but when I can this is so so good.

Julia, Reeder I’ve fallen in love with The Adventure Zone and then found this album of piano pieces inspired by it, honestly anyone who listens to TAZ should check this guy out on Soundcloud, it’s beautifully simple but effective.

Alleluia, Eric Whitacre It’s so hard to find sacred music that can get a across a sacred atmosphere but this does it, also those harmonies <3

This took so much longer than I thought it would, the difference between simple recommendations and songs I’m vibing on is subtle but Jesus it makes it hard. 

I’m tagging @sexybritishllama @fancy-outsider-on-a-unicorn, and @wanderbrine

[craigshipp]

PPF FFF Final plus 27 YEARS of the PPF from Craig Shipp on Vimeo.

2019 the last PPF Family Fundraiser FUNomenon

Hello I’m Debbie Williams and I’m trying to give you a small description of what it’s been to serve the Lord through the PATTY POLLATOS FUND the last 27 years. There’s no way that I could put everyone that was involved in this 18 minute clip but I wanted you to see what a miraculous job our Lord has done to serve people not only in this community but where ever it was needed in our world. Key donors that believed in our mission from the start such as Wayne Fox & Stacy Collins PNC Bank , Tom Netelli, Dan & Mary Sipe , Airport View Signs, Keeney Basford Funeral Home , Criswell, Sam Hall, Marks Equipment just to name a few - all knew that - One Person Can Make a Difference but together we changed the world. PPFinc.org

Special thanks to: Chip Ridgely Larry Ketron Don Linton Billy Sugars J. C. Hayward Sheriff Hagy Sheriff Jenkins Angie Pollatos Jim Grimes Ken Bromfield Tom Lynch Mark Moseley Bruce and Brenda Beaver Gene Rau Ellen Keyser Jay and Jodi Mackenzie Family Charles Mann Art Monk Joe Theismann Dave Butz Darrell Green Pat Fischer Victor Campbell Thai Murray Adriana Marius Criswell Darlene McFarland John Samuel Williams Bruce Reeder Clayton Smith Laurel Cuchie Sonny Cline North Star Foundation Buddy and TIna RInenecker Walter King Johnny Harrison Virginia Humphreys Hank Lambert Moxley Paving Wayne Engle Donnie Hammond Sam Hall Briony Campbell Tommy Grunwell Diane Roberts Don Barnes Governor Ehrlich and Kendel Allen Brown Community Living ARC Bob Miller Tom Netelli ACDI Harley Davidson of Frederick FHFH CJ Miller Keeney and Basford funeral home PNC Bank Stacey Collins and Wayne Fox Ross contracting Keller brothers Maryland pipe fitting De Willard Plamondon companies Dixie electric Jay Day real estate team William Cross Foundation Sonya Shoemaker family David Dailey Coca-Cola company John Williams J bar W ranch Lisa Williams Frederick.com and Craig Shipp WFRE WFMD Scott and Donna Ritchie family BenLewis Plumbing We help u move AirPort View Signs Pleasant Troop 274 Frederick county sheriffs department Ralph and Helen Burdette family Newcomer family Steve and Anita Kent Calvery Assembly Church Brian smith stage crew United fire company Miles Jeff Crum family Pastor Joann and Pastor Linda David Brinkley Nancy Wiles Michele Small Amy Hamilton Chase Atchison Gabby Troy Remsburg Paul Markuski James Campbell Stacey Pollatos

[larryland]

by Barbara Waldinger

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing?  Berkshire Theatre Group’s production of Rock and Roll Man:  The Alan Freed Story is an enormous undertaking, featuring nineteen cast members, forty-five songs, a revolving stage and multiple projections.  Trotting out dozens of 1950s classics and dynamite singers and dancers to perform them, the show engages the audience from the beginning:  what with clapping, singing, foot-tapping—all but dancing in the aisles.  But the convoluted plot requires patience between numbers dripping with nostalgia for the target audience:  baby boomers.

Adding to the mix in this hybrid musical are several songs written specifically for the show by Gary Kupper.  Some performers from the original Bucks County Playhouse production have re-created their roles for Berkshire Theatre Group.

The book is structured as a farcical trial, dreamed by a dying Alan Freed, who has been charged with “the destruction of the American way of life by inventing the genre of music [he] named rock and roll.”  Freed (Alan Campbell) was a disc jockey who promoted what he called a “River of Music which has absorbed many streams” including “rhythm and blues, jazz, ragtime, cowboy songs, country songs, and folk songs” on his radio programs, concerts and even some films.  J. Edgar Hoover (George Wendt) is imagined as the prosecutor who accuses Freed and his music of “manipulating teenagers into juvenile delinquency, alcohol, narcotics and sex.”  Rock star Little Richard (a terrific Richard Crandle), for the defense, eulogizes him as the man “who opened up people’s minds.  Black and white kids together.  Lovin’ that music.” Introduced by Freed on mainstream white stations like WINS and WABC, this music had previously been broadcast only on smaller, less known black stations.  It was Freed who gave black artists the opportunity to be heard throughout the United States and who arranged live concerts for racially mixed audiences.  But Freed was flawed:  what finally ended his career, besides his excessive drinking, was his involvement with payola (taking money from record companies to play specific records) and accepting songwriting credit for songs he didn’t write but kept playing to increase his profits.

The production keeps returning to the trial as it goes back in time to chronicle (with too much emphasis on the minutiae), Freed’s rise and fall, business associates he meets along the way, his three marriages, the children he rarely has time to see, especially daughter Alana (Whitney Bashor, singing some beautiful and touching melodies with and about her father), all interspersed with star numbers by big name performers like Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Screamin’Jay Hawkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis.  An excellent and versatile quartet (Early Clover, A. J. Davis, Jerome Jackson and Dr. Eric B. Turner) backs up these iconic acts in addition to representing groups like the Moonglows, the Drifters and the Platters.  Enough to make one dizzy!

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The work of the design team is nothing short of fabulous.  Scenic designer Tim Mackabee has provided a revolving stage, which morphs from the trial with its benches, Greek pillars and nightmarishly-colored walls to various other locations with speed and precision.  For individual performers there is an upper level, a platform that slides forward between half-opened curtains, lights and a microphone in front of the richly-draped curtains, and a large space behind them for dance numbers.  Lighting designer Matthew Richards’ work is dazzling, furnishing gorgeous upstage colors that frame the performers and creating disco ball effects throughout the stage and theatre.  Costume designer Leon Dobkowski creates miracles as he dresses a huge cast, most of whom play multiple roles, aided by Wig, Hair and Makeup designer J. Jared Janas.  Sound designer Nathan Leigh and conductor/keyboardist/music director Dave Keyes (and his orchestra) almost force the audience to leap out of their seats and dance.  Projection and Video designers Christopher Ash and Kevan Loney immediately identify every one of the many venues in Freed’s journey, often behind a gauzy white scrim.  Kudos to director Randal Myler and choreographer Brian Reeder for guiding this vast and complex production smoothly and energetically.

The entire cast is to be commended for its yeoman work in Rock and Roll Man.  Alan Campbell as Freed is a wonderful singer/actor whose sparkle permeates the production.  George Wendt recently spoke about his role as J. Edgar Hoover on NPR radio, explaining that since the trial is Freed’s dream, the actor was not required to imitate Hoover, giving him a free hand to play a villain (a real change from his eleven year stint as Norm on Cheers).  Richard Crandle’s Little Richard—whose gold-lame outfit tells us everything about his persona—adds humor and pizzazz as lawyer, singer, and dairy queen spokesperson (our “Dairy Queen honey”).   Bob Ari, playing the dual roles of Leo Mintz, owner of Record Rendezvous, where Freed first hears the music he comes to champion and Morris (Moishe) Levy, mobster as well as promoter of Freed’s career,  differentiates his characters to such an extent that he is nearly unrecognizable in the two roles.  The talented chorus of singers and dancers as well as many of the performers whose characters we remember are also equally adept at taking on multiple personas in the ensemble.

Credit Kate Maguire, Artistic Director of BTG, for taking on such a momentous challenge.  As Rock and Roll Man continues to undergo revisions, one hopes that the script will be pared down so that it doesn’t try to tell all of its stories at once, nor include every song, original or classic.  But for now, enjoy the dancing, singing, and evocation of times past, in this electric production.

  Rock and Roll Man:  The Alan Freed Story runs from June 27—July 21 at The Colonial Theatre, 111 South Street, Pittsfield, where tickets may be purchased, or go online to www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org or call 413-997-4444.

Berkshire Theatre Group presents Rock and Roll Man:  The Alan Freed Story by Gary Kupper, Larry Marshak, and Rose Caiola; original music and lyrics by Gary Kupper.  Directed by Randal Myler.  Cast: Bob Ari (Leo, Morris Levy), William Louis Bailey (Dave Cooper, Frankie Lymon), Whitney Bashor (Betty, Alana), Alan Campbell (Alan Freed), Early Clover (Quartet), Richard Crandle (Little Richard), A.J. Davis (Quartet), John Dewey (Buddy Holly, Pat Boone), Janet Dickinson (Inga, Alan’s Mother), Hayden Hoffman (Lance), Jerome Jackson (Quartet, Nate), Valisia Lekae (LaVern Baker), Brian Mathis (Judge, Bill Haley), Matthew S. Morgan (Chuck Berry, Jay Hawkins), Virginia Preston (Jackie), James Scheider (Jerry Lee Lewis, Dick Clark), Dr. Eric B. Turner (Quartet, Fats Domino), George Wendt (J. Edgar Hoover), Jared Zirilli (Danny of Danny and the Juniors).  Choreographer:  Brian Reeder; Music Director:  Dave Keyes; Music Supervision and Arrangements:  Gary Kupper and Dave Keyes; Scenic Designer:  Tim Mackabee; Costume Designer:  Leon Dobkowski; Lighting Designer:  Matthew Richards; Sound Designer:  Nathan Leigh; Projections and Video Designer:  Christopher Ash; Co-Projections and Video Designer:  Kevan Loney; Wig, Hair and Makeup Designer:  J. Jared Janas; Stage Manager:  Pamela Edington.

Running time:  two hours 30 minutes including intermission; at the Colonial Theatre, 111 South Street, Pittsfield; from June 27; closing July 21.

REVIEW: “Rock and Roll Man: The Alan Freed Story” at Berkshire Theatre Group by Barbara Waldinger Is it possible to have too much of a good thing?  Berkshire Theatre Group…

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This past Saturday was Siegel Day at Murfreesboro’s Miracle Field. Special thanks to principal Larry Creasy, cheerleading coach Lorie Gober, baseball coach Tyler Reeder, softball coach Shawn Middleton, and assistant band director Alex Sears for supporting those involved. The band opened the day with the National Anthem. Softball and baseball team members had the privilege of serving as buddies to the fabulous athletes participating. Cheerleaders did a great job of motivating and encouraging. It was a great day for all in attendance.

Siegel Day at Miracle Field This past Saturday was Siegel Day at Murfreesboro's Miracle Field. Special thanks to principal Larry Creasy, cheerleading coach Lorie Gober, baseball coach Tyler Reeder, softball coach Shawn Middleton, and assistant band director Alex Sears for supporting those involved.