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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Post-"Pan" ponderings, before the memories fade

That's me with the sword, in the puffy shirt.
As I write this it has been less than 12 hours since my last turn as Captain Hook in the Idaho Falls Youth Arts Centre’s production of “Peter Pan.”

I know from experience that the post-production blahs don’t set in for another day or two, but they are coming. I wouldn’t change anything about this. It has been a wonderful experience.

The “Peter Pan” we did is the Broadway musical that Baby Boomers cut their teeth on in the ‘50s and ‘60s. As we rehearsed this fall, I  flashed back to watching Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard on our family’s tiny GE black-and-white set. At age 3, I was as terrified of Ritchard’s leering portrayal of Hook as I was of the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wizard of Oz,” another TV staple of the times.

As I am now about the same age as Ritchard was then, I resolved to take my cue from him. If I gave any little children bad dreams, all I can say is, “Parents, your little ones will be fine. After all, look how I turned out.” On second thought …

All joking aside, I cannot overstate the value of organizations like IFYAC to the community. They spend a lot of money and harness a lot of talent to make shows like “Peter Pan” come to life. Think of the lumber, paint, nails and screws bought to build the sets. There’s the printing of posters and programs, and although the local media are generous it still costs money to advertise.

Although the numbers won’t be in until after the holidays, IFYAC President Kip Later (aka Bill Jukes) told me the $38,000 production had probably hit the break-even point Monday night. This is cause for celebration.

Looking beyond money, however, the true value lies much more in what these shows add to people’s lives. I’m thinking in particular of the 86 young people who gave all they had playing Lost Boys, pirates and Indians. I did not get to know all of them, but there were quite a few with whom I made friends. When I was their age I was in plenty of school and community productions, so I felt right in tune with the joy that comes from a common effort, working hard to pull off something spectacular. As Hook, I went “all-in,” mostly because I don’t know any other way but also to perhaps inspire the kids to let it all hang out.

At the end there is the applause, then the anti-climax that comes from tearing down the set, going home and returning to your normal life of washing the dishes, raking the leaves and going to algebra class (or in my case, sitting down at the computer and trying to think of something to write).

After an experience like this, none of us are ever the same. It gets in your blood. I hope that some of the children in the audience who saw me prancing and bellowing onstage said to themselves (or their parents), “That looks like more fun than humans are allowed to have.”
The night of our dress rehearsal, Jay Hildebrandt of Local News 8 interviewed me and some of the other cast members. We were happy that the show would be getting some free publicity. I read somewhere once that a story in the newspaper or on TV is 19 times more effective than an advertisement.

Looking for an angle, Jay asked how I view organizations like IFYAC at a time when education in art, music and drama is being cut in the public schools. I told him I don’t think these shows should ever be considered a substitution for arts education, but more as a supplement.

I’m all for the fundamentals, but there’s more to the world than science and math. Music, art and drama open us up to the possibilities inside ourselves. They allow us to see how amazing we truly can be. They are not an “after-dinner mint,” they are an essential part of the main course.

There’s a story I’ve occasionally seen on the Internet about Winston Churchill being asked about cutting funding for the arts to aid the war effort. He was quoted as saying, “Then what are we fighting for?”

Like so much of what goes up online, this story is not true, only “truthy.” There is no record of such an exchange. But in a 1938 speech to the Royal Academy, Churchill did say, "The arts are essential to any complete national life. The State owes it to itself to sustain and encourage them … Ill fares the race which fails to salute the arts with the reverence and delight which are their due."


Could Captain Hook have said it better? Split me infinitives, I think not.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Tai-Pan Trading to open on 17th Street

Tai-Pan Trading will be going in next door to Sports Authority.
Tai-Pan Trading Co. will be setting up in the Hall Park Shopping Center at 1568 E. 17th Street, just east of Big Lots!

It is one of two Tai-Pan stores moving into Idaho, the other one being in Twin Falls. The Salt Lake-based company has five stores in Utah, one in California and one in Idaho, in Boise.

Shane Murphy of Venture One Properties, who negotiated the Idaho Falls lease, said he made overtures when he heard Tai-Pan was opening a store in Twin Falls. He himself is a Tai-Pan Trading fan, and he said he knows plenty of people who make special trips to Utah to shop there.

“They loved the location and the price was right,” Murphy said. “I think they already knew they wanted to come here.”

The lease is dated to take effect Feb. 1, 2016. The store will be occupying 22,750 square feet, where $2 Fabric used to be and in adjoining space where KC Frame currently is. There will be extensive remodeling, including new flooring and energy-efficient lighting.

On its Web site, Tai-Pan describes itself as “an importer of quality home décor products at affordable prices.” The company started in 1979 as a wholesale floral supplier, in a small space with two cash registers and very few parking stalls. As the business expanded into home decor, the owners decided to open a showroom and offer merchandise directly to the public.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Opera Elect returning to The Cellar this Saturday

Opera Elect -- Zach Buker and Jordan Michelle Bowman -- will perform Saturday night at The Cellar.
Opera Elect — Jordan Michelle Bowman and Zach Buker — will be back at The Cellar Saturday night, with special guests Lakotah Terrace and Idaho Fall's own Jason Dyer.

To mark the occasion, The Cellar will be offering a $30 opera-themed full course special: an overture appetizer, an opera-worthy stuffed pork chop main course, and an encore dessert. Drink specials include a "Carmen Tease" as well as "The Figaro." Regular menu items will also be provided.

Bowman and Buker say they paired up out of a desire to perform. Both studied music and vocal performance at the College of Idaho.”We want to perform, but the opportunities to do so are limited, especially for people as young as we are," said Bowman. "So we thought, well, let’s create our own opportunities."

The two have done opera parties throughout the Northwest, singing from the classical repertoire as well as more contemporary works. Right now, they are collaborating with Madelein Bowman, a friend and colleague, on an original work, “The Fortune Teller,” which they plan to debut next summer.

More information can be found at their Web site, operaelect.org. To make a reservation at The Cellar, call (208) 525-9300.

Subway to aid Community Food Basket

This holiday season, Idaho Falls Subway restaurants are collecting money to help the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket.
Subway restaurants in Idaho Falls are participating the SUBWAY Cares fund-raising program for Idaho Falls Community Food Basket (formerly the Community Food Bank).

Starting Sunday, customers will be able to donate at checkout by rounding up to the nearest dollar. All funds will go directly toward the Community Food Basket to help feed families in need during the holiday season. The program will run through Dec. 12.

“We’re thrilled to have this partnership with the Community Food Basket as we raise funds to assist in community awareness and feeding our neighbors that may be in need,” said Scott Sprague, owner of several Subway restaurants in southeast Idaho.

Subway Restaurants of Idaho Falls will present the Community Food Basket with a check totaling the collected amount on Dec. 14. Board members, managers and Subway staffers will join members of the Community Food Basket to celebrate.

“We are excited that Subway chose our organization to kick off the SUBWAY Cares Program,” said Bud Langerak, director of the Community Food Basket. “Our partnership has been incredibly significant to the organization as it looks to raise awareness and provide the community with food during this holiday season.”

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Idaho Falls Chamber CEO receives national scholarship

Michelle Holt
The Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, has awarded Michelle Holt, CEO of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, a National Institute Scholarship.

Given to professionals across the country, the National Institute Scholarships recognize each recipient for their involvement in industry professional organizations, community service, and professional background.

“(They) offer executives the opportunity to learn about emerging industry trends, expand their organizations’ influence, and grow their peer network,” said Raymond P. Towle, vice president of Institute for Organization Management at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “We are pleased to help these talented professionals advance their careers and organizations.”

Institute graduates receive the IOM recognition, signifying completion of 96 hours of course instruction in non-profit management. In addition, participants can earn credit hours toward the Certified Chamber Executive or Certified Association Executive certifications. Nearly 1,000 individuals attend each year.