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Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ August 14-20, 2008 ❖ 1Ewww.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Arts ❖ Entertainment ❖ LeisureArts ❖ Entertainment ❖ Leisure

All AboutPeaches Peaches are on display at this year’s

festival on Saturday, Aug. 16.

Festival, Page 3

2E ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ August 14-20, 2008 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Michael Lee Pope

Gazette

The year is 1420, and our dukehas just returned from thebattlefield victorious againstthe French and hungry for a

good evening’s feast. As the evening’sguests arrive, the court magician en-tertains and a fair maiden sings. Yetjust after the duke and duchess areheralded into the room, the court ac-countant explains that all the taxeshave gone missing.

“They’ve got to be somewhere,” ex-claims TomBooth, assumingthe British into-nation of his roleas the duke. “Gofind it!”

Welcome toMedieval Mad-ness, Old Town’snewest dinner-theater sensa-tion. Since theSunday nightper formancesbegan in the up-stairs room at

Murphy’s Irish Pub last month, audi-ence members have been treated to abold night of very old-fashioned fun:

an evening of frolickingfrom the 15th century. Forthe cost of $59 registrationfee, viewers are treated toa four-course medievalmeal, a singing maiden, acourt magician, swordfighting knights and a roy-ally amusing plot revolvingaround the mystery of a pil-fered treasury.

“The customers eat anddrink while the play is roll-ing along,” said directorVirginia Norton, one of thecreators of “Captain JohnSmith: HiStory of McLeanand Great Falls.” “At onepoint, the audience mem-bers decide what kind ofpunishment one o fthe charactersget.”

THE WHIMSI-CAL natureand interactiveelements ofM e d i e v a lMadness dateback to 1998,when Boothwas asked tocreate a Me-

dieval themedrestaurant in Winston Salem, N.C.Although he studied the Renais-sance at Yale University, theMiddle Ages were a distant mir-ror for him. So he hit the booksand put together a smash successfor a restaurant known as “LadyJackie’s Castle.” Yet the two-yearexperiment ended abruptly whenthe restaurant unexpectedlychanged management.

Booth went into commercial de-velopment and moved to Raleigh.But the Medieval bug had alreadybitten, and so Raleigh became thebirthplace of the concept knownas “Medieval Madness” — an in-teractive dinner theater perfor-mance that can take place at anyvenue large enough to seat 80 to140 guests. The troupe has per-formed at vineyards, communitygroup meeting halls, embassiesand pubs. Although Murphy’s IrishPub is the current location of Me-

“Alexandriahas reallybeen a redcarpet forus.”

— Tom Booth,creator of Medieval

Madness

Going Medieval Performing troupe plans dinner-theaterperformances, public appearances andeducational outings.

Food & Theater

StaffEditor: Rebecca Halik

Photo Editor: Louise KrafftFilm: Matthew Razak

Staff Writers: Michael Lee Pope,Chuck Hagee, Rebecca Halik, David Schultz,

Brad Hathaway, Mary Anne Weber, GregPatton, Ben Geier, Kevin Donahue, Brittney

Ferguson .

Photo by Louise Krafft/

Gazette

ON THE COVER: One of thepeach dishes from last year’sfestival.

One of the staff serves food and drink reminiscent of 15thcentury. On left, a knight in armor.

dieval Madness, organizershope to branch out to otherperformance halls, Alexan-dria parades and public-school demonstrations.

“We are a nonprofit organi-zation,” explained Booth, refer-ring to the Foundation for thePreservation of Medieval Artsand History. “Saving history is animportant part of what we aredoing.”

T H ESHOW is muchmore than light-hearted fun, withthe highlight ofthe performancebeing aswordfight inwhich two knightsusing broad-swords go at one another. But these knightsare not acting. They are employing the 15thcentury sword fighting techniques of HansTalhofer, a German fencing master whoseillustrated treaties described methods offighting with the long sword, long swordwith spear, pole-axe, dueling shield,throated hooking shield, dagger, messer andthe sword and buckler.

“This is something that basically disap-peared with the advent of gunpowder,” saidBooth, who spent years doing primary re-search on Talhofer’s work. “The knights inMedieval Madness are actually competingfor points, and the audience keeps score.”

How to AttendThe next performance of Medieval Mad-

ness will be on Sunday, Sept. 7 at Murphy’sIrish Pub on King Street. Tickets are $59.For reservations, call 703-778-4039.

The knights don’t actually end up hittingeach other, they just score points when theyget past the guard of their opponents. Therules are explained to the audience in ad-vance, which allows them to keep score asthe action moves along. This introduces yetanother interactive element into the eveningbecause the swordfight is unscripted, and adifferent knight could end up winning eachtime Medieval Madness is performed. InNorth Carolina, Booth founded a groupknown as the Academy of the EuropeanMartial Arts — an operation he hopes to

replicate in North-ern Virginia as Me-dieval Madnesstakes root in OldTown.

“Alexandria hasreally been a redcarpet for us,” hesaid.

Photos contributed

The Duke and Duchess are a part of theperformance.


Festival

By Chuck Hagee

Gazette

Anyone with a love for peaches hasonly one destination this comingSaturday, Aug. 16. That’s whenWesley United Methodist Church,

8412 Richmond Avenue, just off Route 1,will hold its seventh annual Peach Festivalfrom 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

With lots of good food, entertainment,games, displays and educational session byFairfax County police and fire personnel,health screening,karaoke competi-tion, and modelrailroading exhib-its, it’s a day filledwith family-friendly fun for allages. And, its allfree — includingthe hot dogs,hamburgers, andthe stars of theday, a wide vari-ety of peach deserts.

“It all got started by a church membercouple who also owned an peach orchard.However, one year the peaches weren’t ripewhen the festival was held, which was ear-

Peaches, Peaches EverywherePicnic tables under spreading trees— a summer day to remember.

lier in the summer at that time, so we hadto get peaches from another source,” saidNora Rudd, chair, Desert Committee. Thecouple who owned the orchard have sinceleft the area, according to Rudd.

Each year volunteers prepare a variety ofpeach delicacies that include peach pie,peach cobbler, peach ice cream, and evenpeach salsa. “The peaches are distributedto the various volunteer cooks the day be-fore the festival in our Fellowship Hall. Theypick them up and decided what they wantto prepare,” Rudd said. For the past couple

of years thepeaches have beenpurchased fromRohrer’s Produceon RichmondHighway.

“Our crowdshave been increas-ing. If the weatheris good we getabout 500 peopleover the course ofthe festival,” said

Mary Pryor, chair, Peach Festival Publicity.Three years ago the church produced a

Peach Festival Cookbook. However, most at-tendees “prefer to eat the peach desertsrather than learn how to make them,” ac-

cording to Rudd. “Notvery many peoplepicked up a copy of thecookbook even thoughit was free,” she said.

One of the big attrac-tions is the dual modelrailroading display inFellowship Hall. Cres-cent Model Railroaderscreates a large displaythat includes multipleHO gauge trains travel-ing through a variety ofvenues. It consumesmost of the hall’s floorarea.

Last year a new ele-ment was added to themodel railroading dis-play by the WashingtonMetropolitan Area LegoTrain Club. This latestaddition to model rail-roading, Lego Trainsand accessories, will re-turn this year, accord-ing to Pryor.

Other festival high-lights include a moonbounce, crafts, a host ofchildren’s games, facepainting, horseshoepitching, and demon-strations by Terry’sSchool of Dance and

A patron blows a train whistle at last year’s event.

Peach Cobbler CrumbCake

Recipe from Marti Hammitte

6 cups fresh sliced peaches1 box yellow cake mix1 stick of butter

Peach SalsaRecipe from Susie Shimek

6 ripe tomatoes1 medium sweet onion (finely chopped)6 sprigs fresh cilantro (finely chopped)Half small green pepper (finely chopped)3 ripe peaches peeled and dicedsalt, pepper and chili powder to taste

Wash and dry peaches. Peel peaches over a largebowl to catch all juice. Cut tomatoes into smallpieces in same bowl. Add onion, green peppers andcilantro. Add salt, pepper and chili powder to taste.Chill and serve with chips. Lasts in the refrigera-tor for about one week.

Most “prefer to eat thepeach deserts ratherthan learn how to makethem.”

—Nora Rudd, chair, Desert Commit-tee

Nichol’s Defense Academy. Live music willbe from The Peach Boys.

Beginning in 2001, the festival is part ofthe church’s community outreach program.In 2004 the church celebrated its 50th An-niversary.

The essence of the festival is probablymore meaningful this year than at any timesince its initiation due to the overall eco-nomic picture. As Wesley UMC MinisterTony Forestall stated last year, “At every turntoday, economics impacts our lives. We wantthose visiting the festival to be free fromeconomic decisions and their impact for oneday — to just enjoy an old fashioned com-munity gathering.”

For additional information about the fes-tival as well as location and directions visitthe church’s Web site at www.wesleyva.org.Many of the peach recipes can also be foundon that Web site.

Other items at this year’s festival include music,trains.

Recipes From 2007 Festival

No Sugar Added PeachPie

Recipe from Lou DeVaughn

1 box pie crust in refrigerator case at store1 9-inch deep dish pie plate1 box minute brand tapiocaLemon juiceSplenda

Follow directions on the tapioca box for makingthe peach pie. Substitute Splenda for the sugarcalled for-equal amount. Seal and flute the top andbottom crust to keep in the juice. For a goldencrust, beat one egg and brush it on the crust beforebaking.

Peach SoupRecipe from Fran West

6-7 cloves garlic2 Tbsp olive oil4 cups peaches, choppedThree-fourths cup diced onionº tsp. ground tumeric2 Tbsp. curry powder1/3 cup packed brown sugar1/3 cup Chardonnay wine1 � cups vegetable broth or stockæ cup coconut milk (or heavy cream)salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 275 degrees-roast garlic cloveson a baking sheet for about 30 minutes or untilgolden brown. Heat oil in a medium saucepan overmedium heat. Sweat the onions and peaches untilsoftened. Season with curry powder, tumeric,roasted garlic and sugar. Cook over medium to lowheat until caramelized (about 30 minutes). Deglazethe pan with the wine and stir in the vegetablestock. Remove from heat. Puree the soup in ablender or food processor. Strain through a finesieve. Stir in coconut milk or heavy cream and sea-son to taste with salt and pepper.

1 TSB cornstarch1 cup splenda

Cook the fresh peaches on medium heat with thesplenda until juicy. Then add the cornstarch andstir until it thickens. Pour peaches in a 9X13 cakepan. Sprinkle cake mix over peaches. Add butterslices on tip. Bake at 350 degrees until goldenbrown (about 40 minutes). Serve with cool whipor vanilla ice cream.


E-mail announcements to the Gazette,[email protected] and artwork are encouraged.Deadline is Thursday at noon for the fol-lowing week’s paper. Call Rebecca Halikat 703-917-6407 with questions.

OTHER ITEMS Studio Gold Dance will hold Youth

Company auditions for intermediateand advanced youth dancers, ages 16and under. Dancers are welcome tobring a prepared piece ofchoreography to demonstrate onMonday, Aug. 23 or Aug. 30 between3 and 4:15 p.m. The required groupclass audition will be on Sept. 22 at3:15 p.m. Auditions and rehearsalswill take place at Gold’s Gym, 7770Richmond Highway. For furtherinformation, contact the ArtisticDirector, Dawn Meadows, atwww.studiogolddance.com, or 703-627-4570.

Aldersgate Church CommunityTheater (ACCT) is holding auditionsfor “Dearly Departed,” on Sunday,Aug. 24 and Monday, Aug. 25 from 7–9 p.m. at Aldersgate United MethodistChurch, 1301 Collingwood Road.Questions should be directed to 703-660-2611 – please leave a message.Additional information atwww.acctonline.org.

ONGOING Every Monday and Friday through

August from 10 a.m. –11 a.m. or 11a.m. –noon Green Spring Gardens,4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandriawill be having Harry Potter’sPlants and Potions for 6- 12 yearolds. The program teaches childrenhow to craft a wizard’s wand andmake potions. $6 for Students. Call703-642-5173 to register. For moreinformation visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gspg

Every Monday and Friday through Aug11-15 and 18-22 Green SpringGardens, 4603 Green Spring Road,Alexandria will be having ButterflyLab to teach children ages 6-12 toraise their own butterflies. $ 135 forstudents, includes supplies and lightsnacks. Call 703-642-5173 to register.For more information visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gspg

On Mondays, Sept. 8 through Dec. 1 from9:30 to 10:30 a.m., the Green SpringGardens located at 4603 Green SpringRoad, will be having Yoga forGardeners for adults. The programwill offer a series of classes featuringthe Vinyasa method to increase yourflexibility, strength, and endurancefor gardening. $ 66/ six-classsessions. For more information and toregister call 703-642-5173.

Visit George Washington’sDistillery & Gristmill through Oct.31 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. See howwhiskey got started. $4/adult; $2/child. Get discounts with admission toMount Vernon Estate. Visitwww.mountvernon.org for more.

Take a seasonal walking tour from10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Mount VernonEstate. This 30-minute tour explores avariety of contributions. Free. Visitwww.mountvernon.org for more.

On Sundays take a Potomac RiverSightseeing Cruise at 10:30 a.m.,11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m.and 3 p.m. $9/adult; $5/child inaddition to Mount Vernon Estateadmission. Visitwww.mountvernon.org for schedules.

Every Tuesday and Thursday throughOctober from 5- 8 p.m. at HotelMonaco Alexandria, enjoy DoggieHappy Hour. Enjoy doggie treatsand human treats.

Join City archaeologists and trainedvolunteers for an exciting program forkids of all ages at AlexandriaArchaeology Family Dig Days. Bepart of the fascinating archaeologicalinvestigation and discover firsthandthe hidden clues left behind by thepeople who lived and worked therehundreds of years ago, by helpingscreen excavated soil. Monthly FamilyDig Days will be held from 1:30 p.m.to 3 p.m. on the grounds of theGeorge Washington Masonic NationalMemorial, 101 Callahan Drive, inAlexandria. The 2008 dates are onSaturdays: Aug. 16; Sept. 20 and Oct.18. $5/person and spots fill up fast.Call 703-838-4399 or visitwww.alexandriaarchaeology.org toreserve a spot.

On Sundays from noon-5 p.m., visit theWaterfront and see history-inspired performances near theTorpedo Factory; do a “meet andgreet” of early Alexandria residentsand travelers near the Waterfront andlower King Street. Free. Visitwww.historicalexandria.org for more.

In celebration of the exhibition “Settingthe President’s Table: AmericanPresidential China,” visitors toMount Vernon will have a chanceevery day from June 1 to Aug. 31 towin a piece of porcelain featuring theMartha Washington “States” pattern.Drawings occur daily at 3 p.m. in theShops at Mount Vernon, and thegrand prize will be drawn on Aug. 31.No purchase is required, and visitorsdo not have to be present to win. Visitwww.mountvernon.org or 703-780-2000.

On Saturdays through Aug. 16 from 1-3 p.m., children ages 8-12 years canlearn how to create a garden withhands-on activities and will be able togrow a garden. $10/student. At GreenSpring Garden, 4603 Green SpringRoad. To register, 703-642-5173.

See Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N.Royal St., in a whole new light –lantern light. Tour the 1785 tavernand 1792 City Hotel during thesummer season with costumed guidesas you experience the tavern aspatrons did more than 200 years agobefore the advent of electricity. Toursare every Friday night, Junethrough August, from 7 p.m. to 10p.m. Tickets are $5 per person ages 5and up. Tours last approximately 30minutes, with the last tour starting at9:15 p.m. Call ahead to confirm tour

date. For more information, call 703-838-4242 or visitwww.gadsbystavern.org.

On Mondays, Aug. 25, Sept. 29, Oct. 27,and Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. Green SpringGardens will be having FamilyStory Time for children of all ageswhere there will be stories andactivities. Free. For more informationvisit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gspg

On Mondays September 8 throughOctober 27 from 2 to 4 p.m., theGreen Spring Gardens will be havingLet’s Grow kid’s Gardening Programwhere kids will enjoy sprouting seeds,growing vegetables, planting, flowers,exploring soil and other out door fun.$ 70 /student. For more informationand to register call 703-642-5173.

Children enter a world of fantasy andfables when costumed interpretersweave three tales together duringMount Vernon’s outdoorstorytelling session, “Once Upon aTime at Mount Vernon”, held everySaturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.and 11:30 a.m. through Sept. 27 atthe George Washington: PioneerFarmer site. “Once Upon at Time atMount Vernon” is included in regularEstate admission: adults, $13.00;youth ages 6-11, $6.00; and childrenunder 5 are admitted free. Visitwww.mountvernon.org or 703-780-2000.

Historic Mount Vernon will have specialcommemorative whiskey setsavailable for sale beginning Aug. 4!The set includes a shot glass and a 50mL bottle of whiskey consisting of 11different whiskey brands blended andaged at Mount Vernon in 2005. Thegift sets are $25 and are available forpurchase in person with a valid ID atthe Shops at Mount Vernon or GeorgeWashington’s Distillery. Visitwww.mountvernon.org or 703-780-2000.

FRIDAY/AUG. 15 Mount Vernon Nights. Listen to a

variety of music at 7:30 p.m. onFriday nights at Grist Mill Park, 4710Mount Vernon Memorial Highway.Free. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances for more.

Friday Flicks. Noon at John MarshallLibrary, 6209 Rose Hill Drive.Children up to age 5 can bring lunchand enjoy a short movie and stories.

Calendar

Photo by Nina Tisara

Tim Lutz started the All-City Elementary Band in 1972and now continues as its director. He teaches atMacArthur and Maury elementary schools. He wasnominated as a Living Legend in 2007.

This Week in Literature

Discuss “LiveFrom DeathRow” on Satur-day, Aug. 1610:30 a.m. atSherwood Li-brary, 2501Sherwood HallLane.

“The Sweet Hereaf-ter” by RussellBanks, was recentlymade into a moviethat was shown atthe Cannes FilmFestival. Discuss thebook on Monday,Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. atDuncan Library.

Discuss “Death inthe Woods” fromthe poetry collec-tion “The Egg andOther Stories” bySherwood Ander-son on Thursday,Aug. 21 at 7 p.m.at Beatley Library.


Free. 703-971-0010.Lunch Bunnies. Noon at Sherwood

Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane.Children ages 1-5 can bring lunch andenjoy stories. Free. 703-765-3645.

SATURDAY/AUG. 16 Yard Sale. The Alexandria Jaycees will

hold a yard sale from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. atAnthony T. Lane Elementary School,7137 Beulah St. Free. Browse avariety of items. Vendors may registeronline at www.alexjaycees.org/yardsales.htm. For updated rain dateinformation call 703-866-7171.

Lee District Nights. 7:30 p.m. atHayfield Elementary School, 7633Telegraph Road. Hear Ruthie and theWranglers perform. Free. 703-324-SHOW (7469).

Opening Reception. 5-7 p.m. at theAthenaeum Gallery, 201 Prince St.See and meet artists of “Txt Msg.”Free. www.nvfaa.org or 703-548-0035.

Book Discussion. 10:30 a.m. atSherwood Library, 2501 SherwoodHall Lane. Discuss “Live From DeathRow” by Mumia Abu-Jamal. Free.703-765-3645.

Insect Discovery. Watch a video at 10a.m. and get questions answered by anaturalist and see the habitat atHuntley Meadows, 3701 LockheedBlvd. Free. 703-768-2525.

Opening Ceremony. 4-9 p.m., seework by Pridon Goisashvili atBlueberry Art Gallery, 3112A Mt.Vernon Ave., from Aug. 16 throughAug. 31. Free. 703-894-8854.

Peach Festival. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. atWesley United Methodist Church,8412 Richmond Ave. Enjoy desserts,hot dogs, games, music and more.Free www.wesleyva.org or 703-780-5019.

Art Exhibit. See works by YuriKokoyanin at The von Brahler ltd./Gallery from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Seepaintings on wood and canvas,sculpture and more. Free. 703-798-8686.

SUNDAY/AUG. 17 Family Movie Night. 6:30 p.m. at Del

Ray United Methodist Church, 100 E.Windsor Ave. Free. Watch “Fantasia.”Free. Visit www.delrayumc.org formore.

Music Performance. Tubist MichaelMurry and pianist Laurie Vivona Bunnwill perform with the WashingtonMetropolitan Philharmonic at 3 p.m.at the Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St.Free. Visit www.wmpa.us for more.

Flavored Vinegars Tea Program. 1-3 p.m. at Green Spring Gardens, 4603Green Spring Road. Learn how toblend vinegar with herbs, fruits andmore. Enjoy a tea after. $25/person.703-941-7987 to register.

Insect Discovery. Watch a video at 10a.m. and get questions answered by anaturalist and see the habitat atHuntley Meadows, 3701 LockheedBlvd. Free. 703-768-2525.

Music Performance. 4 p.m. at MeadeMemorial Episcopal Church, 322 N.Alfred St. Hear music by VaughnAmbrose. $15/donation. Visitwww.meadechurch.org or 703-549-1334.

Art Exhibit. See works by YuriKokoyanin at The von Brahler ltd./Gallery from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. See

paintings on wood and canvas,sculpture and more. Free. 703-798-8686.

MONDAY/AUG. 18 Discover Art. 2 p.m. at John Marshall

Library, 6209 Rose Hill Drive.Children ages 6-12 can play bingo andmore. Free. 703-971-0010.

Book Discussion. 7 p.m. at DuncanLibrary, 2501 Commonwealth Ave.Discuss “The Sweet Hereafter” byRussell Banks. Free. 703-838-4566.

TUESDAY/AUG. 19 Mother-Daughter Book

Discussion. 7 p.m. at John MarshallLibrary, 6209 Rose Hill Drive.Children ages 9-11 with adult canenjoy a discussion. Free. 703-971-0010.

It’s A Colorful World. 10:30 a.m. atKingstowne Library, 6500Landsdowne Centre. Children ages13-23 months can enjoy activities andmore. Free. 703-339-4610.

Martha’s Movie Madness. 2 p.m. atMartha Washington Library, 6614Fort Hunt Road. Children ages 6-12can enjoy film and popcorn. Free.703-768-6700.

Library Lullabies. 7 p.m. at SherwoodLibrary, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane.Children ages 1-5 can enjoy bedtimestories and activities. Free. 703-765-3645.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 20 Music Performance. 7:30 p.m. at Lee

District Park Amphitheater, 6601Telegraph Road. Hear JenniferCutting’s Ocean Orchestra perform.Free. 703-922-9841.

Open House. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. atLandmark Mall. Come to the openingof JCA Senior Tech ComputerLearning Center. Free. 703-941-1007.

Book Discussion. 7:15 p.m. at JohnMarshall Library, 6209 Rose HillDrive. Adults call for title. Free. 703-971-0010.

Natural Wonders. 10:30 a.m. atMartha Washington Library, 6614Fort Hunt Road. Children ages 3-5can go on a picnic with stories andmore. Free. 703-768-6700.

Blog. 7 p.m. at Sherwood Library, 2501Sherwood Hall Lane. Adults learnhow to be a blogger. Free. 703-765-3645.

Pajama Story Time. 7 p.m. at DuncanLibrary, 2501 Commonwealth Ave.Children ages 3-6 can enjoy stories.Free. 703-838-4566.

THURSDAY /AUG. 21 Garden Sprouts: Pick a Peck of

Peppers. 9:30 a.m. –10:30 a.m. or11 a.m. –noon at Green SpringsGardens, 4603 Green Spring Road.Preschool children (3-5 years) withaccompanying adults have funpicking, printing, and playing withcolorful peppers and then make salsa.$6 for participants. For moreinformation visitwww.faircounty.gov/parks/gsgp

Just Twos. 10:30 a.m. at MarthaWashington Library, 6614 Fort HuntRoad. Children ages 24-35 monthscan enjoy stories and more. Free. 703-768-6700.

Poetry Group. 7 p.m. at Martha

Washington Library, 6614 Fort HuntRoad. Discuss “Poems” by A.E.Housman. Free. 703-768-6700.

Discover Art. 2 p.m. at SherwoodLibrary, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane.Children ages 6-12 can play art bingoand more. Free. 703-765-3645.

Book Discussion. 7 p.m. at BeatleyLibrary, 5005 Duke St. Discuss “Deathin the Woods” by SherwoodAnderson, part of the collection of“The Egg and Other Stories.” Free.703-931-3559.

FRIDAY/AUG. 22 Mount Vernon Nights. Listen to a

variety of music at 7:30 p.m. onFriday nights at Grist Mill Park, 4710Mount Vernon Memorial Highway.Free. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances for more.

Friday Flicks. Noon at John MarshallLibrary, 6209 Rose Hill Drive.Children up to age 5 can bring lunchand enjoy a short movie and stories.Free. 703-971-0010.

Lunch Bunnies. Noon at SherwoodLibrary, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane.Children ages 1-5 can bring lunch andenjoy stories. Free. 703-765-3645.

Music Performance. Rick WhiteheadJazz Trio will perform at 219Restaurant, 219 King St. at 9 p.m. $5/person. 703-549-1141 forreservations.


SATURDAY/AUG. 23 Lee District Nights. 7:30 p.m. at

Hayfield Elementary School, 7633Telegraph Road. Hear Daryl Davisperform. Free. 703-324-SHOW(7469).

Terrarium Workshop. 9:30 a.m. – 11a.m. at Green Springs Gardens, 4603Green Spring Road. Create your ownterrarium with Johanna Zinn.Terrarium, plants, and soil provided.$20 for Adults. Visitwww.faircounty.gov/parks/gsgp

Annual Begonia Shoe and Sale. 9a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at Green SpringsGardens, 4603 Green Spring Road.Attend the Annual Begonia Show andSale. Free. For more information visitwww.faircounty.gov/parks/gsgp

Garden Sprouts: Pick a Peck ofPeppers. 10 a.m. at Green SpringGardens, 4603 Green Spring Road.Children ages 3-5 can pick a variety ofpeppers and make salsa. $6/person.703-642-5173 to register.

Pinewood Derby. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. atGood News Baptist Church. $5/car.www.goodnewsbaptistchurch.org or703-619-1121.

Summer Green Craft. 2-5 p.m. atBurke Library, 4701 Seminary Road.Children ages 5-12 can enjoy craftsand stories. Drop-in. Free. 703-519-6000.


SUNDAY/AUG. 24 Music Performance. The Covington

String Quartet will perform at 3 p.m.at the Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St.Free. Visit www.wmpa.us for more.

Annual Begonia Shoe and Sale.Noon -3:30 p.m. at Green SpringsGardens, 4603 Green Spring Road.Attend the Annual Begonia Show andSale. Free. For more information visitwww.faircounty.gov/parks/gsgp

End of Summer BBQ. 5-7:30 p.m. atAgudas Achim Congregation, 2908Valley Drive. Free. Includes food,games, music and more. Free. 703-998-6460 to register.

Photographs of 48 of Alexandria’s 2006-07 Living Legendswill move from the Lyceum to the third floor of City Hall on Sept. 9.The exhibition, which identifies, honors, and chronicles individualswho have made significant contributions to the quality of life in theCity is a joint project of the Rotary Club of Alexandria and the Alex-andria Gazette Packet. The public is invited to view the exhibitionand learn about the project at a reception at the Lyceum, 201 S.Washington St., on Thursday, Aug. 28 from 6:30-8 p.m. Autographedcopies of the exhibition catalog will be available for sale at that time.


New hours: Open 7 days a weekuntil 11 p.m.•Live Music

1501 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301703-548-7200

www.firefliesdelray.comwww.firefliesdelray.blogspot.com

Grand Reopening

AUGUST 14-17 • FEATURING LIVE MUSIC,SPECIALS ALL WEEKEND—IN HONOR

OF THE NEW BAR AND NEW LOOK

by Brad Hathaway

Gazette Packet

You may be able to see tinyMetroStage on North RoyalStreet vibrating to the beat of anew rock musical that is getting

its world premiere inside. It isn’t that themusic is all that loud – although it can reacha punk-rock-worthy peak at times – it is theintensity of the two performers backed byfour musicians as they work their waythrough about one hundred minutes ofstrongly structured story and song.

“Rooms” by Scotland-born rocker/com-poser/playwright Paul Scott Goodman andhis wife actor/director/playwright MiriamGordon is a semi-autobiographical lookback at their early days transitioning fromGlasgow to London to New York and backagain. (They have finally settled down inthe Soho neighborhood of New York Citywhere they both develop musicals.)

The play is fairly traditional in structure(boy and girl meet, fall in love, team upbut break up only to get back together) but

Where and When:“Rooms” plays through Sept. 7 at MetroStage,

1201 North Royal Street. Performances are Thurs-day – Friday evenings at 8 p.m. Saturday at 5 p.m.and 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m and 7 p.m.Tickets are $40 - $45. Call 703-548-9044 or visitwww.metrostage.org.

MetroStage Rocks With A Scottish BeatMusical has premierein Alexandria.

with a unique mix of the Scottish blend ofskepticism and romanticism and a score ofpunk rock and lyrical ballads.

Produced jointly by MetroStage and GEVATheatre Center in Rochester, NY and theparticipation of New York based productioncompanies, the resources devoted to thepiece are all first rate.

Natascia Diaz is the girl in question. She’sfresh off the stage of Signature Theatre inArlington where she hadthe title role in Kander andEbb’s “Kiss of the SpiderWoman.” Local audiencesalso know her for her workas Anita in West Side Storyat Wolf Trap last summerand as Petra in theSondheim Celebration re-vival of “A Little NightMusic” at the Kennedy Center. She’s aBroadway veteran, having been in the com-panies of “Carousel,” “Capeman,”“Seussical” and “Man of LaMancha.”

Her co-star here is Doug Kreeger who isno stranger to a Broadway stage himself.He was in the company of the recent re-vival of “Les Misérables.” Locally, he too isfresh from Arlington’s Signature Theatrewhere he was in “The Visit,” the final pro-

duction of their Kander and Ebb celebra-tion.

Both hold the stage at MetroStage withuncommon intensity, creating in the shortspace of the one-act musical fully formedcharacters with a strong attraction to eachother. The chemistry between them is su-perb. In addition, each handles solos withstrength and style.

Well known director Scott Schwartz, whoguided the development of “Tick, Tick …

Boom!” is atthe helm hereand has pol-ished the pro-d u c t i o nnicely.

While theentire designteam has

done sharp work here, most notable is theset design of Adam Koch. While the storytakes place in multiple locations, he hasdevised a single set featuring a door onwheels which the cast members rotate intodifferent positions to represent locationchanges. While the battered white doormoves about, the brick back wall remainsexposed with two platforms for the musi-cians, Jenny Cartney conducting from the

keyboard to the left and Jon Jester provid-ing driving rock beats from the right. All ofthis is flanked by a proscenium of faux brickmatching the rear wall. Herrick Goldmanemphasizes the similarity between theproscenium and the rear wall by lightingall from below in steely, cold blue.

The show starts out at a surprisingly quietlevel after a brief overture. This is becausethe couple’s story hasn’t taken them to Lon-don and into the punk-rock world yet. Theirfirst encounters involve a more melodic,acoustic sound. Diaz and Kreeger bring justas much involvement and commitment tothe delivery of the softer numbers as theydo the hard driving rock which follows.

Throughout, the concentration on storytelling never wavers. Each song has a nar-rative purpose and the story, brief as it is, istellingly and satisfyingly delivered.

MetroStage has quite a winning produc-tion in “Rooms.”

Brad Hathaway reviews theater in Virginia,Washington and Maryland as well as Broad-way, and edits Potomac Stages, a website cov-ering theater in the region (HYPERLINKw w w . P o t o m a c S t a g e s . c o mwww.PotomacStages.com). He can be reachedat [email protected].

Theater


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Theater

by Brad Hathaway

Gazette

The Little Theatre of Alexandria has beenputting on shows – either fully staged orsimple readings – for three quarters of acentury. They have learned how to do it.

Often they do it very well indeed.Over the years, one show keeps showing up on

their schedule. The historical musical comedy/drama/romance of the founding of our country,“1776,” has come to be their “signature show” andthey take it up again in a solid, satisfying productiondirected by Frank Shutts II.

Of course, they haven’t been mounting versions ofthis show for all 75 years. It was only written in thelate 1960s (for the historically minded: it opened onBroadway on March 16, 1969) and it wasn’t madeavailable for production in community theaters fornearly a decade.

LTA’s first mounting was in its 1975-76 season witha production considered a part of the nation’s bi-centennial celebration. That version was so success-ful, it was reprised as the opener of the 1976-77 sea-son.

They returned to the piece ten years later withanother production marking two seasons – it endedthe 1985-86 season and then kicked off the 1986-87set. In 1999 they took it up again as their way tocelebrate Alexandria’s 250th anniversary.

Now, with Mick Tinder in the central role of JohnAdams, the debates in “foul, fetid, fuming, filthyPhiladelphia” over the cause of American indepen-dence come back to life again. Tinder makes the au-dience understand the frustrations and commitmentsof Adams, who may well be “obnoxious and disliked”but who is also passionate and an effective cham-pion of his cause, while some of the performances ofcast members playing other key members of the Con-tinental Congress are less fully formed but nonethe-less effective.

Jim Carmalt is a bit subdued as Benjamin Franklin,a role that still holds fond memories for long timeLTA subscribers who recall the job Don Neal did withthe part a decade ago. Carmalt’s Franklin seems abit tired as – at age seventy, he was the oldest mem-ber of the Congress. Keith Miller’s work as Thomas

Jefferson takes a while to gather steam – perhaps asthe real Jefferson might – but by the end of the firstact, when his wife Martha joins him in Philadelphia,and early in the second when he bears the tormentof many amendments to his draft of the Declarationof Independence, he takes on real passion.

With a cast of twenty-four men and two women, itis the voices of the women that often remain inmemory after the show ends, and this production isno exception. Andrea Klores is Abigail Adams andher duets with Tindal include the most exquisite notesin the show, the lingering “Yours, Yours, Yours” thatsealed their correspondence that bridged the 266miles separating Philadelphia from the Adams farmin Quincy, Massachusetts. Liz Sabin as MarthaJefferson delivers a spirited description of the charmsof her husband in “He Plays The Violin.”

Standout performances as members of the Con-gress come from Jon Keeling as Richard Henry Lee,who is portrayed as something of an egotistical fopin “The Lees of Old Virginia,” and Chris Gillespie, asEdward Rutledge of South Carolina, who gives strongvoice in “Molasses to Rum” for the argument that allsections of the proposed new country bear some re-sponsibility for the “peculiar institution” of slavery.

From the opening number when John Adams singsabout the Congresses record (“piddle, twiddle andresolve, not one damn thing do we solve”) while therest of the members sing full throatedly “For GodSake, John, Sit Down!” to the final inspiring momentof the signing of the declaration, the show portraysthe founding moments of our nation movingly withhumor, passion and honesty.

Brad Hathaway reviews theater in Virginia, Wash-ington and Maryland as well as Broadway, and editsPotomac Stages, a website covering theater in the re-gion (www.PotomacStages.com). He can be reached [email protected].

Show Marks 75th Anniversary LTA makes “1776” sing again.

Where and When: The “1776” plays through August 23 at The Little

Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St. Performancesare Wednesday – Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. andSunday at 3 p.m. plus a Tuesday evening performanceat 8 p.m. on Aug. 19. Tickets are $18 - $23. Call703-683-0496 or visit www.thelittletheatre.com.

From left to right: Jim Carmalt (Benjamin Franklin), Keith Miller (ThomasJefferson), Christopher Guy Thorn (Robert Livingston), Mick Tinder (John Adams),and Marcus Fisk (Roger Sherman).

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