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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2012)
The INDEPENDENT, April 18, 2012 Vaudeville’s My Home was a hit for VCT by Rebecca McGaugh Vaudeville’s My Home, the latest production by the Ver- nonia Community Theater group, was a hit with the audi- ences at both shows, April 13 and 14. The play, set in the 1920s, was taken from a book by Ken Bradbury (with special permis- sion) and is the story of two vaudeville troupers who stole money from a theater box office and ran, ending up stranded in Vernonia (population 123). Well, I doubt the original was set in Vernonia, but this one was. The two troupers decide to swindle the local population out of the box office proceeds from a show they help put together. In the end, their better sides (with help from others) comes to the fore. In the meantime, the action is hilarious. One of the funnest parts of watching was seeing some of our talented local actors play- ing untalented local actors. The make-up and costuming work was good enough to fool this viewer as to the identities of two of the actors. DeAnna Pearl as Antonio Giovanni Gaglianno, a wannabe opera singer, had this viewer wonder- ing for a moment who that ac- tor was. Jill Hult as elderly Eloise Findley made two pass- es across the stage before I recognized her. Recognizing some the other actors didn’t cause a problem as they all stayed in character and the ac- tion kept you guessing what would happen next. The only glitch in the per- formance was an occasional microphone dropping some words or slight scratchy sounds during action scenes, neither of which detracted from the action and the fun. Mac Brown and John Wack- er kept everyone guessing their intentions as the two troupers from New York. The other ac- tors were Daniel Atanacio Sr., Kinnell Steward, Mary Post, Lee Anne Krause, Sarah Wag- ner, NaTasha Havens, Diana Peach, Cheryl McNeill, Cathy Meyer (great with a kazoo, by the way), Coral Pearl, William Scheuerman, Breanna Gard- ner, Krystina Fields, Alisa Lev- enseller, and Roger Longhenry. Others who helped make the production enjoyable in- cluded Mark Brown, Gienah Cheney, Kim Scott, Camrin Eyrrick and Jacob Eyrrick. The Vernonia Community Theater is under the wings of Vernonia Hands-on Art. Don’t miss the next produc- tion as the performances just get better and better as they take on more complex scripts. See picture on page 1. Page 7 Senior Center News Don’t pass up getting a free blood pressure check every month. The next date is April 25th from 11 a.m. to noon. Hey, area musicians, if you are interested in playing with the Golden Oldies, come in for more information. We’re here every Wednesday. Remember, poker has been added to the center’s activities. It’s chips only, and the first deal is right after lunch on Thursdays. There are other games, including pinochle, on Fridays after lunch. You can also bring along your suggestions for other activities. Bingo accompanies lunch every Monday starting at 11:45, and diners play free. Lunch is served Monday through Friday at noon. A $4.00 do- nation is suggested for those 60 and older, and $5.00 for those under 60. If you prefer lunch to go, for only $5.00 you can call ahead and place your order. On the last Wednesday of each month, Wauna Federal Credit Union makes a good lunch even better by providing diners with free ice cream. This month’s birthday lunch will be on Friday, April 27. The Senior Center Thrift Shop is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Always half price during the first week of each month. Vernonia Senior Citizens Center: 446 Bridge Street Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thrift Shop Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Phone: 503-429-3912 PEO selling bulbs as fundraiser Candidate forum will be in Scappoose The Vernonia Chapter of PEO has spring and summer bulbs available now. Anyone in- terested in a colorful addition to the flower garden will find them for sale at the Made in Vernon- ia Store, 805 Bridge St., For more information about the bulb sale, call Tobie Finzel at 503-705-2173. The Vernonia Chapter of PEO has named officers for the upcoming fiscal year: President Coni Hodgson; Vice-President Carolyn Keasey; Recording Secretary Claudine East; Trea- surer Tobie Finzel, Chaplain Katie Poetter; Corresponding Secretary Audeen Wagner; Guard Patty Buchanan; Histori- an Nancy Burch. PEO is a philanthropic sis- terhood established almost 150 years ago. Its primary goal is to provide educational scholar- ships for women. Every year, one or two scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors at Vernonia High School. In ad- dition, the local chapter sup- ports PEO educational founda- tions, both in Oregon and na- tionwide. To support these efforts, PEO offers wreaths at the an- nual Christmas Bazaar. Other fund-raising activities, such as the bulb sale, continue throughout the year to provide support for women students. G OOD F OOD G OOD F RIENDS G OOD T IMES 831 Bridge St. Vernonia, OR 503-429-0214 There will be a Columbia County Commissioners Candi- dates Forum on April 26, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Scappoose High School audi- torium. All county voters are in- vited to attend. Questions for the candi- dates will be accepted at the door. The forum is being put on by the Columbia County Citizens for Human Dignity.