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Today’s Email Announcements

1) Wilkes Playmakers’ Our Town Opens to Rave Reviews

Audiences attending the past weekend’s performances of Wilkes Playmakers production of Our Town have been talking about the timeless message and beauty of the play.

“Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it – every, every minute?”Our Town  Don Easterling, Ryan Walsh, Meredith Tinnin

With its focus on the everyday moments in life, Our Town makes the audience stop and take note of how precious those moments really are. The play follows the lives of two young neighbors in the small town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. The neighbors are Emily Webb and George Gibbs who are growing up and falling in love in the early 1900s.

In the first two acts, Thornton Wilder celebrated the everyday occurrences that people of that time would have experienced. Taking time to gaze at the moon and the stars and to smell the heliotropes from a neighbors’ garden are quietly appreciated. The third act is a reflection upon that life.

We are guided through this journey by the stage manager, whose presence and narration remind us that we are witnessing a literary work written so the audience would know what the people of this small town were like at the turn of the century. If Our Town were written for today’s times, the first two acts would differ from the original, but the third act is quite timeless. Grover’s Corners may be a look backward into a slice of past American life, but the play remains relevant so long as people live and die and time marches on.

Entering a new season after 25 years, Wilkes Playmakers continue to provide community theatre experiences to Wilkes county and the surrounding area. Our Town and its emphasis on community seemed an appropriate show to revisit.

Community theatre enriches the lives of those who take an active part in it, as well as those in the community who benefit from live theatre productions. On either side of the stage, those involved represent their local community in diversity of age, culture, life experience and a strong appreciation of the importance of the arts.

Wilkes Playmakers performances of Wilder’s Our Town continue April 16–18 at 7:30 p.m. and April 19 at 2:00 p.m. Performances will be held at historic Benton Hall, 300 D Street in North Wilkesboro. Tickets are $5-$10 (plus tax) and are available online now at www.wilkesplaymakers.com or may be purchased at the box office. The Sunday matinee has a special matinee price of $6 for all ages. The Thursday performance is a Pay What You Can Night ($2 minimum). Our Town is produced in association with Samuel French, Inc. of New York, New York.

The cast of Our Town includes Lucas Matney, Meredith Tinnin, Gunnar Hunsberger, David Simmons, Erica Marsh, Ryan Walsh, Amanda Brookshire, Kaylee Simmons, Cameron Grimes, Garrett Griffin, Don Easterling, Justin Gambill, Cindy Smith, Grayson Parsons, Isaac Parsons, Brendetta Huffman, Dave Simmons, Jared Staley, Jeff Staley, Harold Bass, Melissa Meyer, Ted Edgerton, and Valerie Sink. Set design is by Lucas Matney and Paula Joines. Lighting design is by Nicole Collins. The production is directed by Paula Joines. For more information, email wilkesplaymakers2013@outlook.com. Wilkes Playmakers is a nonprofit organization.

2) Joyful Noise and Trevor McKenzie to be featured on Saturday

Singing on Saturday, April 18 at 2 p.m. at Blackburn’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Todd will feature Joyful Noise and Trevor McKenzie.

Joyful Noise, a local Southern Gospel ensemble, provides unique performances incorporating several different styles of music so they have something for every listener.

Trevor McKenzie is an Old Time musician who is a prominent figure in the area’s lively traditional music community.

Blackburns’ Chapel is located at 3986 Todd Railroad Grade Road in Todd.

3) Emerald Outback Trails Grand Re-Opening Weekend Celebration

Join the Town of Beech Mountain for the Grand Re-Opening Celebration of the Emerald Outback Trail System on June 6-7. This scenic, multi-purpose trail system has just been redesigned for both hikers and bikers, and offers a wide variety of trails for individuals of all ages and skill levels. The trails are open free to the public and located near the summit of Beech Mountain.

This celebration includes two days of nonstop activities for both hikers and bikers. It will include fun for the whole family and is part of Beech Mountain’s Family Fun Month festivities. All activities will begin at Beech Mountain’s Visitors Center on Beech Mountain Parkway. See the schedule of events for more details.

Demo bikes will be provided by Magic Cycles and Boone Bike and there will be a Kiddie Bike Corral for children ages 10 and under. Free clinics will be offered each day covering both hiking and biking topics of interest. Contests include the “Try the Trails” Challenge, Kids’ Bike Obstacle Course and “How Slow Can You Go” Race with great prizes. Suspension Experts donated a $150 gift certificate for a full suspension rebuild. There will also be guided hikes and bike rides for individuals of all ages and skill levels. Find great food and drink specials at local restaurants and Saturday night enjoy a band and bonfire.

Call Sandy Carr at 828-387-3003 or email recdirector@townofbeechmountain.com for more information.

4) Orthodox Church to host Father Andrew Stephen Damick on April 28-29

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Boone will welcome author and pastor Father Andrew Stephen Damick for two special presentations on Christian Worship and Christian Community in the time of the New Testament.

April 28 at 7 p.m.: The Church in the Bible: The Body of Christ in the Holy Scriptures. How did Christians worship during the time the Christian Scriptures were written?

April 29 at 7 p.m.: The Church, After the Bible — the Body of Christ after the Apostles. How did Christians worship after the passing of the Apostle John?

No admission charge, although freewill offerings to cover the speaker’s expenses will be accepted. Both discussions will be held at the High Country Home Builders Association Banquet Room, 755 N.C. Highway 105 Bypass in Boone.