Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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Wizard of Wonderland at Pope Theatre by ROXANA ROSS Coming direct via a rabbit hole and the yellow brick road, two of fi ction’s famous girls meet Saturday, June 11, at Pope Theater for two performances of Dorothy Meets Alice, or, The Wizard of Wonderland. The one-act play is the base’s entry into this year’s Army Festival of the Arts competition, so all of the cast and crew are either active duty, retired, Department of Defense civilians, or family members of military personnel. The event also marks a return to theatrical productions in Pope Theater after about a decade. “It’s a wonderful family play,” said Denise Heller, the action offi cer for the project with the Family and Morale Welfare Recreation offi ce, which is producing the show. “In the combination of their stories, there are a lot of good lessons learned for kids about tolerance for other people who are different from you, getting along with other people, not procrastinating and doing your homework.” The story opens with Judson, played by Sgt. Ben Weathersby, falling asleep before fi nishing a project for school. He awakes to fi nd himself in the Tulgey Wood, borrowed from Lewis Carrol’s “Jabberwocky” poem and used in the play as an in- between place where Wonderland and Oz border. He’s quickly joined by Dorothy, played by Fort Bragg Middle School student Madison Shiffl ett, and Alice, played by Department of Defense civilian Sara Hylla. The Cowardly Lion, The Tin Man and The Scarecrow are here, too, along with The Mad Hatter, The Dormouse and The White Rabbit. Together, the two sets of characters learn lessons, help each other and Judson, and evade the play’s villains, The Wicked Witch of the West and The Red Queen. Local theater veterans Joyce Lipe and Grace McGrath steal the show as they portray their parts of the witch (Lipe) and the queen (McGrath) with relish and glee. In the play their characters meet for the fi rst time after being longtime pen pals, but Lipe and McGrath have worked together before in local community theater. Lipe said she’s excited to help restart a theater program on base, something she was involved with in the past. Even better, her role as the green-faced wicked one is the fi rst that has been more than just rewarding and exhausting. Cape Fear Botanical Gardens by STEPHANIE CRIDER It is not always easy to fi nd that quiet, peaceful place in the midst of life’s busy-ness. Sure, taking the day off and heading out of town is sometimes out of the question, but a place to catch your breath, calm your inner voice and maybe fi nd some peace and inspiration, that’s not asking too much, is it? No. No, it’s not, and there is a place right off 301 heading to the interstate that is just perfect for such things. It is the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. It’s 77 acres of serenity, tucked between the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek, and it’s a mere two miles from downtown. It’s been a part of the community since 1989, offering classes and hosting events like Heritage Day and the semi-annual plant sale, providing walking trails and beautiful scenery along with education and inspiration. Recently the garden had a major upgrade that makes their mission of enrichment, inspiration and enjoyment of nature; the collection, culture and aesthetic display of plants; encouragement of environmental stewardship, conservation, education and research; the preservation of our agricultural heritage; and engagement and involvement of the community that much easier and enjoyable for its visitors. The Wyatt Visitors Pavilion Complex boasts a brand new gift shop, complete with a revamped selection of updated items for sale, as well as a new café. Feel free to visit either one without having to pay admission to the garden. “There are unique garden accents, perfect birthday gifts for children, a little apparel, specialty herbs and plants that you can grow in pots,” said Anna Grantonic, assistant director of development and marketing. “Anything that you might need for your garden that is unique you can fi nd in there. The gift shop is carrying new and different things that people here will be interested in, some regional things as far as what type of plants we offer, there is a whole section on roses, rose t-shirts, rose magnets, things of that nature.” While you are there, stop and have lunch. Sit on the patio if the weather isn’t too WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM sultry and enjoy a meal prepared by the invisible chef. The café is open 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon – 2:30 on Sundays. Or, if lunchtime won’t work come back on Thursday evening. Through the summer, the garden is extending their hours. On Thursdays only, they will be open until 7 p.m. Right there is a little bit of extra time to take a stroll and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Grantonic was excited to share the news that the garden is nearly fi nished with a beautiful arbor, complete with a water feature. Work on the butterfl y stroll is close to being completed, too. “Eventually it is going to be a paved path, which will make it more accessible and it is going to feature plants that attract butterfl ies,” said Grantonic. “It is not contrived, it is a natural environment as opposed to a butterfl y house where they are not necessarily in their natural environment. There are just going to be plants that attract butterfl ies. So hopefully, when it is in bloom it will be a fun place to see butterfl ies forming around these plants that are irresistible to them.” Coming in September look for the Big Bugs exhibit. This nationally renowned exhibit has already been to more than 100 botanical gardens through out the country. Artist David Rogers creates huge sculptures made of all natural material depicting a variety of bugs. “We’ll have those through out the grounds in different areas of the garden for people to walk through,” said Grantonic. “In conjunction with that there will be special tours and special merchandise. It will be here Sept. through Dec. We are very excited about it, we think it is a neat thing, especially for children to get a bugs eye view of things. Visit the garden website to fi nd out more about their special activities and hours of operation at www.capefearbg.org. STEPHANIE CRIDER, Associate Editor. COMMENTS? editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. JUNE 8-14, 2011 UCW 7 “This is fun,” Lipe said. “This is the fi rst time in all the years I’ve been acting that it’s been fun. It’s been fun fi nding her, being wicked but not evil.” McGrath echoed her sentiments about having a good time on the production. “The play itself is funny, and then the people we’re working with are a great ensemble,” McGrath said. Staff Sgt. Ruben Avila-Burns, the director as well as The Mad Hatter, said the play has appeal for adults as well as children. A fi rst-time director, Avila-Burns hopes the play will win awards in the competition and renew the MWR’s theater program. “It’s kind of stressful, for one, because it’s my fi rst time directing, and for a competition,” he said. “And it’s the fi rst time there’s been a play on Fort Bragg for 10 years so, yeah, no pressure,” he joked at a rehearsal in May. The director said he hopes for a full house at both performances, which he thinks will help with the competition. “When you’re on stage you feed off the energy of the audience,” he said. “It makes the show go faster and brings up the energy of the house.” The show will be judged for competition during the second showing, at 7 p.m. All aspects of the show, from acting to lighting, could win an award. In last year’s entry into the competition, a talent show, one of the participants won second overall for best dance, according to Heller. For the active duty members of the cast and crew, the competition has more on the line than just bragging rights against other military installations. The annual arts festival is also used as a feeder program for the U.S. Army Soldier Show, which scouts performers and crew members to join its annual traveling entertainment program. The show runs at 2 and 7 p.m. at the theater, which is located in Building 372 Virgin Street on Pope Army Air Field. Admission is $5, with family four-packs for $15, and children under 5 admitted for free. The show is open to the public, but tickets must be purchased at Leisure Travel Services on base. For more ticket information, call (910) 907-3617.