In early May, Richard Dorsett and I manned a table in the Hall of Friendship at the Rotary District 5020 Conference at The Murano. We met with Rotarians from across District 5020 (Kelso to Vancouver Island) and told them about the Foldscope, which is a fully-functional mini-microscope the user assembles with origami principles (folding and […]
Tacoma
Building the Wall – A Stage Reading
A stage reading sounds boring, but is anything but. It’s a form of theatre without sets or full costumes. Imagine reading a book to a young child. It takes more that just reading the lines to keep children interested – voice inflections, expressions, gestures. It’s the same with audiences. A stage reading involves actors and […]
The Scottish Play – Macbeth – Backyard & Beyond
A couple of years ago I was invited to a private performance of Macbeth by my friend Robin Evans-Agnew. Peg and I took our grandson Riley, who was staying with us for the weekend. The performance was staged in Robin’s backyard and a local park a hundred yards away. The play used regular people in […]
Planting the Seeds for Early Childhood Learning
Early childhood education is a necessity when it comes to having a well-developed child. Education happens in many ways through a school system as well as the work that is done by parents at home. Developing a love for learning early is important so that the child looks forward to the learning process. Learning can […]
Fear, Hatred, Acceptance, Reconciliation, Welcome
I was ten years old when I saw “Dateline: Korea” on The Loretta Young TV show. It’s the only episode I recall from the series. In the story, the plight of poverty-stricken war orphans forces a hard-nosed war correspondent to face the flesh-and-blood effects of her cynical editorials. Loretta meets a young Korean orphan on […]
My Tattoo of "Ponders Corner Forever!"
Okay, I don’t really have a tattoo showing off Ponders Corner, where I grew up, but the idea isn’t that far-fetched. LeBron James, the basketball superstar bears a tattoo of “330,” the area code of his hometown of Akron, Ohio. People have their own reasons for getting tattoos. “Unlike scarification and branding, the art of […]
John Munn of Lakewood Playhouse to EMCEE Chinese Reconciliation Dinner
Last year I was supposed to emcee the Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation annual dinner with friend Denny Flannigan. I had to bow out at the last minute. This year Denny has to bow out for a family gathering. Stepping in for Denny this year is John Munn, the Managing Artistic Director of the Lakewood Playhouse. […]
Chop Suey Memories
My dad was a Merchant Marine officer during World War II. He sailed on an oil tanker in the South Pacific. But his home port was in San Pedro, California. I was born immediately after the war and we moved from Nevada, Missouri to Tacoma, Washington. For some time he kept in ouch with his […]
Chris Serface – Just Acting Happy
One of the nicest and friendliest people you will ever meet is Chris Serface, the Managing Artistic Director of Tacoma Little Theatre. Chris grew up in Olympia, where he discovered the theatre early on. He quickly became active in Thurston County theatre. He was the youngest board member for Capital Playhouse in Olympia. At seventeen […]