December 9, 2016 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 9A
Meet William Shakespeare
Performances,
workshops blend the
Bard with modern topics
By Lyra Fontaine
EO Media Group
In a nod to election-year
tensions, the Oregon Shake-
speare Festival workshop at
Seaside High School tackled
a play with divisive political
themes.
During Oregon Shake-
speare Festival’s annual
School Visit Program, six
teams of two teaching artists
perform and lead interactive
workshops in Oregon, Wash-
ington state, California and
Kansas. This year, the pro-
gram combined Shakespeare’s
work with modern scenes to
mark the 400th anniversary of
the Bard’s death.
DANNY MILLER/EO MEDIA GROUP
Kristin Hammargren, right,
and David Huynh, actors and
teachers with the Oregon
Shakespeare Festival, act out
a sword fight in front of Sea-
side High School students.
Gathered in the wrestling
room, in November senior
students in an honors En-
glish class delved into “Julius
Caesar,” in which conspiring
senators kill an increasingly
powerful politician. Oregon
Shakespeare Festival profes-
sional actors David Huynh
and Kristin Hammargren,
returning to the school for a
second year in a row, led the
workshop.
“Julius Caesar takes place
during a very contentious
and polarized time in ancient
Rome,” Huynh said.
As an exercise to get in the
ancient Roman spirit, students
played “assassins,” in which
certain students slayed sen-
ators with a deadly wrist tap.
Huynh encouraged students to
“be big and bold.”
Students dramatically dou-
bled over and fell onto the
padded floor after their “as-
sassination,” crying out as
they died gruesome “deaths”
during the otherwise nonver-
bal game.
Next, students in six groups
read and acted out “freeze
frames” from three different
takes on the same event: a fes-
tival where a character offers
the crown to Caesar. To see
how the point of view can alter
a story, students performed the
perspectives of Greek biogra-
pher Plutarch and Shakespeare
characters Mark Antony and
Casca, who have opposing
opinions. Students then an-
alyzed how each person felt
about aspects of the story.
“I learned about what the
people thought about Caesar,”
Mica Paranal said after the
workshop. “It was interesting
how we played the assassins
game.”
It was Paola Campuzano’s
first time participating in an
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
workshop. Certain classes,
primarily English and drama,
take part in the program.
“I liked it because it
summed up the play,” she said.
“I read it sophomore year, but
I don’t really remember it.”
Donors, volunteers make Festival a success
Trees from Page 1A
Nineteen trees bedecked
in Christmas finery highlight-
ed one of the North Coast’s
premier holiday events, Prov-
idence Seaside’s Festival of
Trees gala and dinner auction
at the Seaside Civic and Con-
vention Center.
“People look forward to this
event every year; it really kicks
off the holiday season,” Ward
said. “It brings magic and it
brings the community togeth-
er,”
During the past 18 years,
the Festival of Trees has raised
more than $1.3 million to ben-
efit community health services
and programs provided by the
hospital.
The event was on its way
to new records Saturday night
as donors reached deep to help
fund three-dimensional tomo-
synthesis imaging equipment, a
state-of-the art mammography
technology that enhances early
cancer detection and reduces
false positive readings.
JEFF TER HAR
Berkley Sturgell at the
Festival of Trees community
event.
with patients. We’re seeing that
everywhere they go.”
Special appeal
First responders
First responders were well
represented, with two separate
trees for charitable auction.
Katie Bulletset and Jamie
Daniels, sponsored by Clatsop
County fire departments and
emergency responders, teamed
to design “Where There’s
Smoke, There’s Fire,” a light-
ed, ruby red tree decorated
with a fire and rescue theme.
The winning bidder received
a retinue of apparel, emergen-
cy tools and even a drill night
with Seaside’s Fire Chief Joey
Daniels.
The Seaside, Astoria, War-
renton, Gearhart and Cannon
Beach police departments,
along with the Clatsop County
Sheriff’s Office pooled togeth-
er to come up with a memorial
tree to honor the memory of
former Seaside Police Sgt. Ja-
son Goodding, who died in the
line of duty in February. Funds
raised from the sale of “Heroes
in Blue,” designed by Jenni-
fer Schermerhorn and Cheryl
Ham and sponsored by Clatsop
County law enforcement agen-
cies, will go to local emergency
room services, including furni-
ture and furnishings for a “safe
room” dedicated to Goodding.
“The Sweet Side of Sea-
side” won the “People’s Choice
Award” when over 1,400 peo-
EDWARD STRATTON/EO MEDIA GROUP
Cancer survivor Jennie Breslow Vinson made a special appeal
to donors before they raised money for new cancer-screen-
ing technology at the Festival of Trees fundraiser for the
Providence Seaside Hospital Foundation Saturday.
ple voted on their favorite at
the open house. The “Sweet
Side of Seaside” represented
the dining and desserts of the
community, and was designed
by Sarah Dailey and Jorjett
Strumme, sponsored by the
Seaside Downtown Develop-
ment Association.
Setting up
Committee
volunteers
moved into the convention
center Tuesday, Nov. 29, to
hang lights, event Festival
of Trees planning committee
chairwoman Laura Freedman
said. “We hang the lights on
Tuesday and it takes us from
Wednesday through Satur-
day to get everything ready,”
Freedman said. “It’s all good
community people who want
to make a difference.”
Earlier Saturday brought in
1,400 attendees of all ages for
crafts, cookie decoration and
pictures with Santa.
Holiday trees, designed and
decorated by individuals, teams
and hospital staff, featured
everything from 60 bottles of
wine to an opportunity to at-
tend the Beverly Hills Kennel
Club Dog Show with a behind-
the-scenes tour with host David
Frei, a Cannon Beach resident.
Frei, with his wife Cheri-
lyn and their two dogs, Angel
and Grace, welcomed visitors
in front of their tree, “Bev-
erly Hills Best in Show,” de-
signed by Providence Seaside
Hospital Volunteer Services
and Mackenna Taylor, Provi-
dence coordinator for Healthy
Smiles.
“It’s very exciting,” Frei
said. “We were here earlier
with all the children, and of
course the dogs and children
were a big hit all around.”
The couple also hopes to
raise awareness of the new
therapy dog program at Prov-
idence Seaside, launched two
months ago “It’s going great,”
David Frei said. “It’s every-
thing we expected. The dogs
walk into the room, just like
they did here, and the energy
changes. And we’re seeing that
One of the evening’s most
emotional moments came in
a special appeal presented by
Jennie Breslow Vinson, di-
agnosed with Stage IIB triple
positive breast cancer at age
37.
“To say this was a shock
would be a complete under-
statement,” Vinson said. “I had
an almost 3-year-old son, had
just begun a new dream job at
a great company, and I clearly
had no time for chemotherapy
in my life.”
During treatment, fear
would grip her. “To be honest,
sometimes it still does,” Vin-
son said. “But now, instead of
dwelling on what-ifs, I’ve cho-
sen to focus on the gifts and the
silver linings my cancer treat-
ment and diagnosis have pro-
vided me and my family.”
Living in the now, appreci-
ating family and being able to
laugh helped her through the
experience.
“Perhaps the most pro-
found gift I have received is
the certainty and comfort that
I am profoundly loved and
that I will be missed when I
am gone,” Vinson said. “Che-
mo and cancer changed my
personality by deepening my
level of intention and integrity
in life, defining my discipline,
emphasizing my perseverance.
My time is precious and I want
to make the most of it.”
The audience responded
with a standing ovation and
generous bids.
JEFF TER HAR/FOR SEASIDE SIGNAL
Colorful floats and costumes were the order of the day.
Parade heralds start
of holiday season
Weather takes a break
for glittering event
By R.J. Marx
Seaside Signal
Everybody loves a parade
in Seaside. Rain or shine. The
rain took a short breather Fri-
day, Nov. 25, for the city’s an-
nual Parade of Lights.
Michelle Barsness of Seat-
tle said she and her family had
come to watch the Thanks-
giving storm and thought the
parade would be “a fun addi-
tion” to their vacation.
They were among the
thousands who lined Broad-
way for the event.
T.J. and Cheryl Jeffery
came to the parade to Seaside
from their home in Belling-
ham, Washington, “just for
the joy of it,” they said. T.J.
has been coming to the parade
for almost 20 years, and Cher-
yl even longer.
Locals enjoy
For locals, it’s a chance to
come out and catch up with
old friends.
“Usually in the winter,
I’ve been hibernating,” City
Councilor Seth Morrisey said,
accompanied by family mem-
bers. “I’m looking for some
excitement.”
Seaside’s Amy and Clay
Baughman brought their
daughter Brooklyn to her first
parade. She was among those
waiting for a visit with Santa.
Kathy Lugibihl of Gear-
hart said she hadn’t been to
the parade in years. “I used to
come, then my kids grew up,”
Lugibihl said. “Then they left
home and they came back,
and we’re here tonight.”
Seaside’s Mark Brooks
carried Bronson Brooks on
his shoulders, the youngster
celebrating his first parade.
Seaside resident and
chamber ambassador Cyn-
thia Miner was among those
giving out cookies, hot cider
and cocoa for guests to enjoy.
The weather, on the cusp of a
downpour, didn’t faze her a
bit. “We’re excited,” she said.
“This is what we’re used to.”
Seaside’s Visitor Informa-
tion Specialist Ken Heman
manned the loudspeaker in
front of the holiday tree. “It ac-
tually stops raining just before
the parade, and starts raining
after,” Heman said. “You can
tell who the true Oregonians
because they are standing in
the rain with no umbrellas.”
Parade procession
Lo and behold, shortly af-
ter 7, the rain paused and the
parade kicked off from First
Avenue on Necanicum Drive.
In the lead were students
from Seaside schools, wear-
ing the Gulls’ red and white
and celebrating the passage of
the bond to move schools out
of the tsunami zone.
The procession stretched
down Broadway, past Finn’s,
Zingers, Sharky’s and around
the bend.
Honking horns from Sea-
side Fire and Rescue heralded
the convoy to follow, includ-
ing the big trucks of the Clat-
sop County Sons of Beaches.
Thomas the Train, Snoopy
and more cartoon favorites
drew cheers, along with trucks
from Pacific Power, FedEx
and local businesses — about
30 in all. Miss Oregon Alex-
is Mather greeted the crowd,
accompanied by local Miss
Oregon scholarship program
contestants. An ornate rendi-
tion of Santa’s Workshop was
followed by a manger scene
presented by Seaside’s River
of Life Fellowship.
Seaside’s
Michelle
Hughes marched in Sea-
hawks’ football fanwear with
family members from Kenne-
wick, Washington, to cheer on
their favorite team. “They’re
going to go to the Super Bowl,
of course!” Hughes laughed.
As the parade turned down
Downing and the last floats
moved through the crowd,
onlookers gathered for the
tree-lighting and carols. Voic-
es rang out, singing holiday
favorites including “White
Christmas,” “Winter Wonder-
land” and “Here Comes Santa
Claus.”
Santa time
Who were the luckiest
kids at the parade?
Leilani, Leila and Keoni
Durham were first in line for
Santa Claus, accompanied by
their parents, Mona and Brian
Durham of Warrenton. Leila
was looking forward to a new
bed comforter and Keoni was
poised to ask Santa for a toy
train.
Sandy McDowall of the
Seaside Chamber of Com-
merce estimated the parade
drew about 2,000-3,000 peo-
ple from “all over.”
“I love the holidays in Sea-
side,” McDowall said, joining
the chamber ambassadors
serving cider and cocoa.
“There’s nothing like a lit-
tle bit of ‘sunshine,” chamber
President Brian Owen added.
The rain did hold through
the entire length of the parade.
And by its end, the holiday
lights shined bright on Broad-
way.
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