And now for something completely different....

These past few weeks Karol and I have been helping with production of a play! The play (performed last night) was at our local Bing Crosby Theater (a beautifully restored theater named for Spokane's famous Crooner). The title of the play was "Heartsongs, From the Edge of the World" and it was a show put on to raise awareness of the Homeless. What an event!! The stars of the show were local homeless folk, and we had lots of original songs, some written by homeless, some by the producer and local minister Redhawk, and three skits done by homeless and homey folk.

Karol was one of the primary organizers (she's not only good lookin but a great organizer!), and I had the honor of being the set designer/builder/painter for scenery behind the skits.


Above we have the"Voiceless Choir" singing together with the "Community
Choir". The "Voiceless" is made up of homeless folk (did you know that 40% of homeless are kids?). The Community Choir are folks like us who have warm homes waiting..... I wondered after the show, where all those talented folks would be sleeping. Sad.



Above: a fuzzy picture (sorry, it was dark in the theater) showing the first skit. This part of the scene involved a mother and her daughters, discussing what the mom should wear to a conference at her kid's school. See all the clothes and the nice bedroom? She's having trouble deciding what to wear.



The above is another part of the same skit, with the scene behind representing a homeless shelter. Here a homeless mother and her kids are deciding what might be available for her to wear from what she can find in a black plastic bag... her entire wardrobe. She's going to the same school conference, but is worried how she can make the bus connections in time and where the fare is coming from.

In the center of the stage (no picture... sorry) is the office where the two moms meet, and the conversation between the two reveals the homeless mom and how shocked the "better-off" mom is to learn about the homeless mother's situation..... she thought all homeless folk were the ones you see with cardboard signs on street corners.







And this is another skit... with Scrooge's bed in the background (I made it kind of obvious with the dollar signs on the head and footboards..). Here Scrooge is being taught to see... homelessness.



In all, the show was an amazing success. Heck, we even had our mayor, the very talented Mary Verner, on stage doing a "Hip Hop" number with a local and very talented homeless guy (who has recently passed his GED and is on his way to our local University!)

A few steps away from the Crick... and a far cry from hook making, but such a rewarding thing to do.

More hooks coming soon.... i promise.

And thanks for stopping by!
Jimbo