Recent Blog Posts: Bakotopia

Challenge 2 -- Week 1

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:26:48 PST

Well the first week I spent my first week at Camp Keep with the my son. I didn't see a gym however, I did 2 hikes a day some were 1, 2, and 3 hours long. I climbed a 750' mountain too.

The food was totally off plan, but if I didn't eat it I would have starved. I didn't eat my normal 6 meals I only got in 3 a day. So that was tuff. I didn't take my vitamines or fat loss pills all week either.

Well cheers to Monday .... that will be a complete on plan start for me!

Methods to market your blog: Part 1

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:18:10 PST

This is a simple 5 minute tutorial and tip.
Learn about blogging by researching it using search engines. Learn about cross-linking or reciprocal links, Tags, Tag Clouds, and other hyperlink methods.

Get more than one blog and post similar articles. Link them yourself using the Icon.
Go to blog tracking sites like Technorati. Technorati "pings" weblogs to determine when they are updated. "Technorati searches, surface, and organize blogs that are signed up and the other forms of independent, user-generated content (photos, videos, voting, etc.) increasingly referred to as “citizen media.” Other blog tracking sites use similar methods. Technorati is one of the best sites you can get involved in.
You can subscribe your blog to other sites like BlogRolling, BlogPulse, Syndic8, Feedster, BlogFlux and so many more. You can research and find blog pinging/tracking sites for specific weblogs or blogs.
Tell your friends, have them tell their friends about your blog and comment on it, link to it or use the permalinks.
Comment on other blogs and weblogs that you think may link back to you. Join social networking sites and use their blog services. Network, comment, blog, and post as much as you can. You build up your "blog network" and it helps improve your ranking throughout the blogosphere...
Last, write about topics that are designed for the readers of the blog service you may be using. You would not do well to write a story of preparing Lasagna on a site that is based on politics.

View my Technorati Profile

Some definitions:
A permalink is a URL that points to a specific blogging entry even after the entry has passed from the front page into the blog archives. Read more...

Camp Keep

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:12:35 PST

Just got back from Camp Keep with my son. A whole week! It was fun ... crazy .... a ton of walking on hikes ..... but fun. I feel like my legs are gonna fall off.

We learned some crazy songs and I took a grip of pictures.

But I am sooooooo glad to be back home!

Kern County Home Owners Beware of Large Animals...going, going...GONE

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 17:59:57 PST

Kern County, will you sit by while they restrict your rights to have horses on your property?

Kern County Home Owners Beware of Large Animals...going, going...GONE
Written By: Joseph Damiano, Rosedale

     My wife came home from a horse ranch livid, to say the least, and mad about the Kern County Supervisors Planning Commission planning to make an ordinance change that affects all homeowners, property owners & ranchers in all of Kern county. ( I am trying to find the Ordinance #, any help would be appreciated)

Kern County Supervisors are trying to change Kern County's property ordinance by restricting homeowners, property owners & ranchers to have only 1 animal per 1/3 acre. That is one animal per one-third acre or 15,000 sguare feet of land. Existing homeowners, property owners and ranchers with horses or animals, or land zoned for it will be grandfathered in, while future generations loose their right to have animals.
   The 4H, Future Farmers of America, & Jr. Farms Project are endangerd. Horse owners will be greatly impacted and limited by this planned change to the Property Ordinance. Big business is behind this, planning commissions want to allow the developers to shape the city & county into a mass of small home community clusters with no real concern for the quaintness that once defined any certain area. They press the councils to get rid of anything different, anything that may interfere with the managed community lifestyle.

In my opinion of reading this flyer and understanding the impacts of the proposed change this means no more cross-fencing, on your property and the horse properties are going, going, gone, while the big developers are backing this with loving kindness & approval that only a mother would give to her child coming from the Kern County Supervisors planned ordinance change. (I will get more facts published soon)

My wife gave me a green piece of paper that explained the details. I read it late last night and was upset about it too. Although we do not have horses on our property, we are zoned for 4H. We don't live on a ranch, but have enough property to cross fence it and have a "Large Animal" area. We have 13500 sq. ft, just short 1500 sq. ft. of the ordinance change. Just think of this situation, if a mare has a foal, we would have two animals. The colt would be considered a large animal @ six weeks old. We would have to get rid of one the horses. Even though foals have to suckle for six months. The ordinance change would make us be in violation because we could only have one animal. I could have some of this information wrong but I will correct it if I am wrong.

The horse owners at the stables were talking it up. They had little means to get the word out so my wife stated. I told her to go to the meting, she said that they already had a meeting, and that is why the horse owners are so mad. The meeting attendees got 3 minutes to speak, and the council rudely counted down the minutes, 3, 2, 1 next...

    Its time to get high tech on their butts...

About me & my motives...
    What does a fairly new Bakersfield resident who came from the big city of New York care about something like this for? I care because I fell in love with Rosedale because you could have a few horses, 4H, you could even ride your dirt bike around your lawn until your neighbors complain, you could pet the cow, or the horse in your neighbors yard. This is so cool, so country, so close to the city. It is an oasis away from the concrete jungle, and cookie-cutter developments that plague the future of Bakersfield.

Right now, our home is almost completely surrounded by new apartments, and new cookie-cutter home developments that have barely enough room for a swimming pool much less anything else. The homes themselves are worth more than the land, and much more than our community's older-built homes. But we have land, a decent amount that we can grow a garden, build a pond, have a built in swimming pool, and even cross-fence a small area to stable horses, have pigs, chickens, or other livestock.
There is a beautiful attribute about our home: our backyard butts up against a horse ranch called Grandpa's Ranch?, or something like that. I think it is for sale or the other empty ranch next to it may be for sale. I would do almost anything to have that land, or exchange our house for a house with an acre or more. Gladly, anytime, right away, the sooner the better.
Some parts of Rosedale, Bakersfield and surrounding areas are still like an oasis away from the concrete jungle and cookie-cutter developments that plague the future of Bakersfield, and all of Kern County.

A Better Bakersfield is not going to be if developers get their way and this ordinance gets passed. For all I know, it already did. Darn the news for not elaborating on what is going on. If they said it, it was most likely at the end of the half-hour broadcast and it was said fast.

IF you have some more information, get the word out if you can. If you want no horses then please move somewhere else and do not ruin this oasis in the city...
If you want o help this cause then email these contacts:
Kern County Supervisors Planning Commission (661) 862-8641
NOTE: Every eMail to these members is recorded and logged. Your opinion and or complaint will be accounted for. Voice your concern today. Demand no change to our animal rights.Send them an email to protect what makes Kern County and Bakersfield unique, quaint, and allow us our individual freedoms as homeowners!

John McQuiston district1@co.kern.ca.us 868-3650
Don Maben district2@co.kern.ca.us 868-3660
Barbara Patrick district3@co.kern.ca.us 868-3670
Ray Watson district4@co.kern.ca.us 868-3680
Michael Rubio district5@co.kern.ca.us 868-3690

Some parts of Rosedale, Bakersfield and surrounding areas are still like an oasis away from the concrete jungle and cookie-cutter developments that plague the future of Bakersfield, and all of Kern County.

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Topics: Kern County Supervisors Planning Commission, horses, Ranches, horse owners, colts, mares, foals, land owners, home owners, ranchers, Kern County, Bakersfield, Rosedale, Ordinance changes, 4H, FFA, Jr. Farms Project, property value, animal rights, future generations, concrete jungle, oasis, dirt bike riding, Joseph Damiano, zoning law, zoning, Supervisors Meetings

On another note...
I AM SO GLAD WE DID NOT GET THAT ELEPHANT WE WANTED TO NAME Jimbo...

D-28 Martin in Studio

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 05:41:12 PST

The Martin D28 dreadnought I'm playing in the studio is a real pleasure. It actually belongs to Roger Wall, Matt and Aaron's dad. I must remember to ask him the history of it so I can write it down here for posterity.

What I do know is he's had it for many years, and so it's had...

Read the rest at the Official Dalloways Blog. Stop in and say hi!

I Thought I Had Fallen Out of Love

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:38:09 PST

Seriously. I was cranky and completely out of enthusiasm
for the relationship. I didn’t even want to BE there anymore. I
thought, “Maybe this was all some weird joke, you and me.”

And then, last night – I got back into the groove and realized
the love was still there, deeper and deeper and deeper than I
ever could have imagined.

I first felt it when I saw Mark poke his head through the door,
“Julie – hey, I have to go, I am getting called into work.” I found
myself lunging towards the door…

“Wait, wait a second,” I said. We stepped outside the door and I
said, “Can you believe how amazing they are? They are so good!
This is incredible, I just had no idea it would all come together
like this, I am sooo soooo soooo”

Mark replied, “Julie, people are sick and dying, I need to get to
work now. Stacie will get the kids.”

I turned and laughed at myself and went back to rehearsal.

The young actors that make up the cast of Velveteen Rabbit were
having an incredible time AND doing a great job. I taught them a
fun phrase last night, “structured chaos”. I watched their faces,
foreheads wrinkled in concentration as we worked out what that
meant and how they would create it on stage.

They were all exceptionally focused, even as we were working
with the set for the first time.

I think the moment I realized I was truly still deeply in love
came when I told the kids we were going to learn to scream
really loud without using our faces. For this show, we were
going to use our bodies not our voices to scream.

It doesn’t take much convincing for little children to just go
for it. They are completely unselfconscious. They completely
trust my requests and just do them, unfailingly.

After rehearsal I went to pick up Katherine from Spotlight
Theatre, where she is preparing for January’s production
“High School Musical.” Emma and I found a space directly
in front of the theatre and within moments, another parent
approached the doors, which brought Roger to the
door to open it for her.

I waved to him, my happiness still bubbling over into my hands.

We exchanged pleasantries and he asked if we wanted to
come inside. I turned to Emma, “You want to go inside?”
She nodded and began to take her seat belt off.

Roger immediately teased her, which made me even happier.
Emma needs adult people who care about her to tease her. She
really admires and respects Roger, which makes it all the better.

We chatted about our respective rehearsals and I said, “Rehearsal
was great tonight – and you know what I said when it was over?
‘It’s a Miracle!’ referring to the show he is directing, now in the
midst of tech week, that I directed last year,
“Miracle on 34th Street”.

Michelle came around a corner and we shared in a hug and
some conversation. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Katherine, she is in ‘High School Musical’” I answered.

It is always more than that, though – it is always more than
picking up or dropping off or bringing props or sharing costumes.
It is especially true after my rediscovery last night.

I think my smile would have wrapped around my head if I
didn’t have ears to keep it in place. I finally remembered – in
my bones – why I am so deeply in love with theatre.

I love theatre because it is a space where artists work, creating
side-by-side. Theatre is artists doing their absolute, individual
best in hopes of supporting the best of the community.

Individuals collaborating for the greatest good of each one – this
is what happens when a show is done with heart. This is why I do
cast circles at the beginning and end of rehearsal that some people
don’t like to do, this is why I use warm-ups which may involve the
actors actually learning each others names, not just
their character names.

One of the greatest compliments paid to me by one of my
cast members, who by no accident is now a good friend, was
this: “Julie… she made us love each other. The whole cast, we
just fell in love with each other.”

I found this quote from Thornton Wilder, which says so much, too:

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most
immediate way in which a human being can share with another the
sense of what it is to be a human being.”

I find it rather amusing that I rediscovered my love for
theatre – something I questioned whether it was still there or
not – when I was working on a show that involves “becoming
real” – and intending for the audience to be exposed to what
it means to become real, to be authentic, to share in the hopes
and fears and connections between the characters as they are
portrayed on stage.

Ahh, yes, I really do love theatre. Yes. I am still head over
heels in love with theatre.

I'm the coolest chick on the block! (Pic Added!)

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:26:04 PST

So Pumpkin finally gave me my birthday gift yesterday ...

My very own arcade game! He custom built it and the current game is Street Fighter, lol! Free play for everyone!

Let's start the day, shall we?

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:14:17 PST

:: Stretch::

Ahhhh... So, I've been MIA for a bit around these here parts. I'm not really sure who else but Twinkie reads my blog, but I've been stupid busy at work. Gah! But today?? Today is Friday and I refuse to work. Maybe I'll work a little, just so that I won't be swamped come Monday but I seriously refuse to stress myself out today. Which, by the way, isn't working. You wanna know why? Well, since I decided I wasn't going to work, I decided to be productive in an alternate way and shop online for Christmas gifts. Yeah, and I didn't want to stress! WTH was I thinking!? I'm stressing now. BIG TIME!

I have no idea what to get anyone. Oh and I'm forcing myself to stick to my budget this year. Every year I promise myself the same exact thing and then I go overboard, which in turn leaves me broke for the next 4-5 months. Totally not cool, man! I'm trying my best not to set foot into a store this Christmas season unless I really have to (ie. toiletries, feminine products). I know I will end up spending more money than I need to and buy myself unnecessary items just because I think it looks cute.

I only have ONE really cool gift idea this year, and that is a gift for my brother. He happens to be a big time Superman fan so I decided on The Ultimate Superman DVD Collection... or whatever it's called. Yeah, I'm a good sister. He'll be ecstatic, I'm sure. I just wish I knew what to get everyone else.

Anyway, I'll leave ya'll for now. I must return to my online shopping. There are only 24 days left until Christmas. AUGH!

Before I forget, I got the following email forward today. Just something to think about if any of you are interested.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David_Ebel@usw.salvationarmy.org
To: "Dr. Phil Foley" <pfoley@co.kern.ca.us>
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2006 13:56:49 -0800
Subject: Christmas Volunteers Needed

The Salvation Army and The Marines Reserve Toys for Tots are partnering with many other agencies to become the Bakersfield Community Christmas. As this cooperation works together we will get to provide over 3000 Christmas food boxes and over 25,000 toys to needy families this season.

This is more than DOUBLE our Salvation Army record for Christmas Baskets and TRIPLE the toys, too.

We urgently need at least 500 volunteers that can give at least 2 hours
each to assemble everything in the old "Zodies Building" at 4001 Ming.

Times are Monday thru Friday- 9am-9pm Monday to Friday and 9am-4pm
Saturdays. We need help Dec 3 till 18 to assemble and 19-21 to do
distribution.

To volunteer please call 836-8487 right away.

Kids and families will have Christmas if we work together.

See you there

Captain David Ebel

Monkey Business at Rabobank

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:09:19 PST

There’s nothing like a little “Monkey Business” on a Thursday night. The Black Eyed Peas rolled into Bakersfield with a two-hour show that had fans of all ages up on their feet. From Black Eyed Peas classics to covers to Fergie’s monkey hand puppet – Rabobank Arena was on fire last night.
Opening act Frankie J did his thing on stage getting the crowd ready for The Black Eyed Peas. But noting was as powerful as when the Peas opened the show with their hit, “Hey Mama.”
Now, I had seen the Peas perform a couple of times before: once at KIIS FM’s Wango Tango in Los Angeles and then again at The Hollywood Bowl when they opened for Gwen Stefani, but neither of those shows was as fantastic as last night’s performance.
Fergie’s vocals, as always, were enticing as were her hips. As she performed new material, “London Bridge” and ‘Fergalicious,” off of her solo release, “The Dutchess” there wasn’t a fan in the house who wasn’t screaming at the top of their lungs.
But Fergie wasn’t the only Pea to shine solo; each of the members did a little ditty up on stage highlighting their vocal talent as well as their ability to single-handedly control the crowd through breaking, crumping and charm.
The Peas high-level of energy really sparkled on “Pump It,” “My Humps,” “Let’s Get Retarded” and “Shut Up.”
They group even busted out with some cover/snippets of House of Pain’s “Jump Around,” Guns and Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine,” and incorporated the melodies of Bob Marley’s “Jamin’” and The Eagles’ “Hotel California.” It looked as thought he Black Eyed Peas were just as happy to be in Bakersfield as we were to have them here.

The Little Girl ...

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:01:00 PST

Last night was a fitful night for me. I woke up several time, would roll over, be too hot, be too cold, sweating, etc. At one point I woke up and in the dark saw my daughter at the foot of my bed reaching for the dog, who was next to me, but he was awake, looking at her.

Now, Aidan used to wake up really early, come into my room and would get the dog and take him outside. I finally told her to stop doing that because it would wake me up and he didn't need to go that early anyway. Anyway, I figured that was what she was trying to do since I saw the hall light glowing underneath my bedroom door. As I closed my eyes I said "Just leave the dog, he's fine" and drifted back to sleep. I woke up to change positions again a bit later and the dog was still curled up next to me, it was still dark out, but the hall light was not on. I

I hardly slept after that, it was one of those, I'm asleep but alert sleeps. I do that when I wake up earlier than my alarm, but anticipate my alarm going off in an hour so I become paranoid when it doesn't go off because I think it's been an hour already.

Finally my alarm went off at 7:25, light was creeping into my windows, I heard my daughter getting ready for school. Shortly after she came in for a hug and kiss and to say "Bye"

As she was leaving the room I remembered her waking me up trying to get the dog, so I called her back and asked her "Aidan, did you come into my room and try to get the dog this morning?"

"No Mom"

So who was the little girl at the foot of my bed? Why was the hall light on?

Was I dreaming? I'm pretty sure I wasn't ... so was I hallucinating? Who knows, maybe, it was a fitful night.

Then there was that rose ...

The Rose

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 09:50:50 PST

Tuesday I came home from work to find a dried red rose gently wedged between my front doorknob and door jam. All of the leaves were intact, as were the petals, so someone was quite careful.

I've been so busy running errands, holiday decorating, etc that I didn't even give the rose a second thought until I saw it laying on my mantle (where I'd left it after I found it) last night.

So I began to wonder ...

Who is the rose for? Who left this rose? And WHY?!

Do I have a stalker, does one of my roommates (who were completely moved out last weekend) have a stalker, an admirer, or was it a spell?

Anyone have any suggestions, or know who put this rose on my door?

There Is a Mouse in The Motha @*&% en House

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 09:00:18 PST

There is a mouse in the hizzzzouse. Well, not really my house, but at work.

It curled up and died somewhere. I'm sure of it.

The smell started two weeks ago. We don't know where it's at. We just know the smell is getting worse and worse. The first week, I couldn't smell it. It started on the other side of the building. But now it's carried on into my section.

I walked into the business office this morning and almost threw up from the stench. They are burning incense and candles but it's not working.

Once a few years ago there was the same kind of smell and we finally found the source. It was a dead rodent in the attic of the building. Yikes.

Have you ever had to deal with a dead animal in your house? What did you do? How did you find it?

I remember years ago Dorp had a dead mouse in the wall of her bathroom. They couldn't figure out where the STANK was coming from so they just dealt with it. Until finally she couldn't take it anymore. They ended up having to tear a hole on the wall behind the sink and sure as heck... that is where it was.

I'm getting ready to start ripping the hell out of walls in a second. ugh.

Once Dr. Fuller got past the vocabular, " it got easier.'"

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 08:47:00 PST

Matthew Yi looks at the training program for new members of the Assembly. "In this era of term limits, high turnover in the state Legislature has become the norm, and one resulting challenge has been quickly getting the new legislators up to speed on the ins and outs of how the state government operates."

"That's where the Robert M. Hertzberg Capitol Institute, a boot camp of sorts for new lawmakers, comes in. Its sole purpose is to provide training for legislators on wide-ranging topics such as ethics, putting a staff together, what button to push at their desks when they vote on a bill, and even a session for significant others to help them understand what their newly elected partners are getting themselves into for the next two years."

"The institute will continue to conduct classes through the first half of next year, but the highlight of the program is a week of sessions that started right after the Nov. 7 election."

"'We were celebrating our win and partying until 2 a.m. the day before, and we had to get there the next day for the training,' said Jean Fuller, a Republican member-elect from Bakersfield. 'It was pretty overwhelming at first, but once you get past the vocabulary, then it got easier.'"

Hey, at least we now know -- Jean Fuller likes to party!

source: http://www.capitolbasement.com/archives/11-29-06/

December Shows - Theatre Around Town

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 16:05:03 PST

THIS WEEK IN BAKERSFIELD THEATER:
Week ending December 3, 2006

OPENING:
1. Miracle on 34th Street at Spotlight Theatre
2. Christmas Travelers presented by Omnipresent Puppet Theatre at The Empty Space mornings
3. Living Out at Bakersfield College
4. Curtain Going Up at East High School
5. The Mousetrap at Arvin High School
6. The Night of the Living One Acts Pt 3 at South High School
7. FrUiTCaKeS at Ridgeview High School
8. The Night Before Christmas at the Gaslight Melodrama
9. It's A Wonderful Life at the Jewel Box Theatre
10. It's A Merry Christmas at Stars Dinner Theatre

ONGOING:
11. Major League Improv at the Spotlight Theatre

AUDITIONS:
12. Lettice & Lovage at The Empty Space
13. Glengarry Glen Ross at The Spotlight Theatre
14. The Vagina Monologues at The Empty Space
15. Macbeth at The Empty Space

MISCELLANEOUS:
16. The Theatre Addict
17. Guide to seeing all the shows you can in a weekend

UPCOMING:
Hurry Up, Santa at the Empty Space (December 8)
The Velveteen Rabbit at Bakersfield Community Theatre (December 8)
RAT Christmas Show at the Empty Space late nights (December 15)

OPENING:
1. Miracle on 34th Street
at THE SPOTLIGHT THEATER
Written by Patricia DeBendetto Snyder, Will Severin, and John Vreeker
Directed by Roger Mathey

Friday and Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 2pm

Based on a 1947 novel by Valentine Davis, “Miracle on 34th Street” is the story of Kris Kringle (John Fowler), an elderly, kindhearted man who believes he is Santa Claus. Doris Walker (Abby Chapin) and her 7-year-old daughter, Susan (Amelia Egland), meet Kringle when Doris hires him to play Santa for New York’s Macy’s department store. Kringle’s efforts to fight the commercialism surrounding Christmas and to grant children their Christmas wishes eventually lead him into court for a competency hearing, defended by attorney Fred Gailey (Joshua Hensley) who believes and wants Susan and Doris to believe as well. The stakes are high for Kringle, who is trying to avoid commitment to a psychiatric hospital, and for Susan, who desperately wants to believe in Santa. As mother and daughter overcome their skepticism, they learn the true meaning of the Christmas spirit, as does the audience.

Tickets for this event are $18 for general admission, $15 for students, seniors, and active military.

Save $3 by getting your tickets a day in advance of the performance!

FRIDAY NIGHT COME AND ENJOY A FREE RECEPTION WITH FOOD AND DRINKS,
INCLUDED WITH THE PRICE OF YOUR TICKET!

The Spotlight Theatre is located at 1622 19th Street, downtown Bakersfield.

Call 661 634 0692 for more information or to make reservations.

2. Christmas Travelers
at THE EMPTY SPACE
presented by Omnipresent Puppet Theater

Friday and Saturday at 10a

This unique story is about a family traveling at Christmas time and is loosely based on the biblical story about the wise men.

Doors open at 9:30 AM.

Admission is only $7 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Children under 2 are FREE!

The Empty Space is located at 706 Oak Street.

More information can be obtained by calling The Empty Space at 327-PLAY (327-7529).

3. Living Out
at BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE INDOOR THEATRE
Written by Lisa Loomer
Directed by Kimberly Chin

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm

Living Out tells the story of the complicated relationship between a Salvadoran nanny and the Anglo lawyer she works for. Both women are smart, hard-working mothers. Both want better lives for their children. The play explores what is the shared humanity between them...and what are the differences wrought by race, class and Ana's illegal status. Through Ana, we understand what it means to leave a child in order to care for someone else's. Through Nancy, we understand the pressure on women today to "do it all" and the cost of making that choice. The play also looks at the prejudices and misconceptions between Anglos and Latinos. How do we make someone "the other"? What is the cost of doing so? The play is both outrageously funny and ultimately tragic.

Bakersfield College is located at 1801 Panorama Dr.

Call 395-4326 for more information or to make reservations.

4. Curtain Going Up
at EAST HIGH SCHOOL
Written by Gregory Johnston
Directed by Jenna Widelock

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm

Among the comic obstacles facing Miss Burgess in producing her first play at the high school are a grouchy janitor, disappearing scripts, crossed up romances, a stage struck heroine and her bewildered boyfriend, an actor with a swollen head, a disgruntled athlete who feels out of place on stage, a flamboyant professional actress with advice, a banker's daughter driven to theft and, perhaps most unexpected of all, a romance for Miss Burgess herself! The solution to the mounting complications sets forth a worthwhile theme that will further satisfy any audience.

East High is located at 2200 Quincy Dr

Call 661 871 7221 for more information.

4. The Mousetrap
at ARVIN HIGH SCHOOL
Written by Agatha Christie

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm

Agatha Christie comes forth with another hit about a group of strangers stranded in a boarding house during a snow storm, one of whom is a murderer. The suspects include the newly married couple who run the house, and the suspicions that are in their minds nearly wreck their perfect marriage. Others are a spinster with a curious background, an architect who seems better equipped to be a chef, a retired Army major, a strange little man who claims his car has overturned in a drift, and a jurist who makes life miserable for everyone. Into their midst comes a policeman, traveling on skis. He no sooner arrives, than the jurist is killed. Two down, and one to go. To get to the rationale of the murderer's pattern, the policeman probes the background of everyone present, and rattles a lot of skeletons. Another famous Agatha Christie switch finish! Chalk up another superb intrigue for the foremost mystery writer of her time.

Arvin High School is located at 900 Varsity Rd. in Arvin.

Call (661) 854-5561 for more information.

5. Night of the Living One Acts Part 3
at SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
Written by David Ives
Directed by Julie Ingram

Thursday and Friday at 7:30pm

The show consists of five one-act plays written by the hilarious David Ives and directed by Julie Ingram. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 7:30pm on Thursday, November 30th and Friday, December 1st.

We hope you will come out and support the drama program at South High. Enjoy the show!

Tickets are $5 for adults and students, $4 for students with ASB, and $3 for children.

South High School is located at 1101 Planz Road

Call (661) 831-3680 for more information.

6. FrUiTCaKeS
at RIDGEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL
Written by Julian Wiles

Friday and Saturday at 7:00pm

Mix together a batch of fruitcakes, three dozen Christmas trees, 10,000 outdoor Christmas lights, a chicken pox epidemic, two southern spinsters, an angel on roller skates, shepherds on skateboards, an estranged old man, a lost cat named Tutti Frutti and a Christmas hog named Buster and you've got the recipe for a fun filled and touching evening filled with holiday cheer. Into this world comes Ryan, a kid who has run away from home and come as far as his money will take him. At first he thinks this town's inhabitants are "nuttier than fruitcakes," but soon he comes to admire, appreciate and adore this nutty little town. A moving story of alienation, understanding and reconciliation, FrUiTCaKeS provides audiences with a heaping helping of holiday warmth and Christmas cheer.

Ridgeview Auditorium is located at 8501 Stine Road.

Call (661) 398-3100 for more information.

7. The Night Before Christmas
at THE GASLIGHT MELODRAMA THEATRE AND MUSIC HALL

Friday at 7pm
Saturdays at 1pm & 7pm
Sundays at 1pm & 7pm
Tuesdays - Thursdays at 7pm

Those of you who came to see "A Christmas Carol" last December, know exactly how much fun Christmas can be here at the Gaslight Melodrama. This year, the fun is guaranteed to continue. You'll see a mix of heart-warming Christmas themed-tales mixed with holiday music and outrageous comedy! It's fun for the whole family!

Prices are $17 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and $7.50 for children 12 and under.

The Gaslight Melodrama Theatre & Music Hall is located at 12748 Jomani Drive

E-Mail at gaslightmelodrama@yahoo.com for more information or to make reservations call (661) 587-3377.

8. It's A Wonderful Life
at THE JEWEL BOX THEATER at the HILL HOUSE
Written by Thomas M. Sharkey from the original story by Philip Van Doren Stern
Directed by David Zent

Friday at 7pm
Saturdays at 1pm & 7pm
Sundays at 1pm

About to kill himself on Christmas Eve, George Bailey (Jeremiah Lowry) discovers, with the help his guardian angel Clarence (Tim Fromm), what the world would be like if he had never been born.

The Jewel Box Theatre at the Hill House is located at 700 Truxtun Ave

For more information or questions, please call Candice or David at 325-7585 or 327-3737

BUT WAIT!! THERE'S MORE!!!
PLEASE VISIT:
www.theatreaddict.com!

for MORE THEATRE UPDATES!!

New band garden of turbulence

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:31:04 PST