FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR THE MAY 16TH SHOWS BEGINNING

Film clips are being edited, photo montages are being worked out, stage sets are being prepared, and actors and actresses are being recruited and practiced! It’s an exciting time for the Princess Productions and Roane State Community College staffs, and everyone is convinced that “Appalachian Dreams”, scheduled for a 2PM matinee, and a 7PM evening, showing at the Roane State Theater on May 16^th, will be a crowd pleaser!

Bill Landry’s Media Production class, held every Monday evening from 6 to 9PM, at Roane State is putting the final touches on scripts and film sequences planned for the May show. I visited the class this past Monday evening and found Brooks Benjamin, local school teacher and independent film maker, leading the first hour of Bill’s class. The class was discussing the nearly completed J. D. Williams filmed interview, and the reviewing the raw footage taken at the Phillippi Primitive Baptist Church back in March.

Bill was delayed getting to class because he was busy in the Roane State Theater, watching rehearsals of the upcoming “Seussical” at Roane State Community College (Saturday April 25, 2009). Why, you may ask, because there is some great talent on stage that would be perfect for the “Appalachian Dreams” production! One great find he made was getting Ms. Maggie Kohlbusch to be part of the cast.

Maggie is considered a budding talent at the tender age of 10, and is spoken of very highly by the Roane State Humanities staff. Maggie has already been active in stage productions and there’s talk of Roane State doing “Annie” next year, with her having a large part in it. She will be seen in the opening moments of the May 16^th production, as well as in later skits. She is the daughter of Jay and Susan Kohlbusch of Knoxville.

When Bill Landry finally made it to class, he took a seat in the back until Brooks finished the first hour of the class. Later he entertained the class and the rest of us (including Gary Baker, Susan and Maggie Kohlbusch, and Bill Farnham) by shifting into his well known narration voice and rehearsing the voice-over for the J. D. Williams story. It’s going to be great!

Incidentally, I want to wish Brooks Benjamin the very best of luck. He is taking his latest film, “The Boys of Summerville” to the “Big Island Film Festival” in Waikoloa, Hawaii that begins May 14^th. I’ve got my fingers and toes crossed that he will receive all the recognition he deserves for this film, and that it will finally get the wider distribution the film needs. By the way, the movie will also be screened for the public sometime in May at the Roane State Theater. Keep watching for more information!

It is my understanding that tickets for the evening performance are getting scarce, so I’m expecting a great crowd on May 16^th…will you be one of them?