Valerie O’Riordan, full time drama instructor at Archbishop Riordan High School, on the Season of Shakespeare set, which recreated Shakespeare’s Globe in London.

Dedicated to Theater, Dedicated to Theater Students

It may be little more than coincidence that Valerie O’Riordan is the director of the theater program at a school with a name very similar to hers—Archbishop Riordan High School—but her success is deliberate, the result of love and dedication. After declaring her major at the age of 19, all of her “professional goals have been theatre related since.”

O’Riordan serves as a full time drama instructor at the 100-year-old, all-boys school, serving as chair of the institution’s Visual and Performing Arts Department, teaching theater courses, directing and producing two shows a year (a fall play and a spring musical), coordinating outside rentals for the school, and serving on the Safety Committee.

With an MFA in theater and English teaching credentials, she was well-positioned to answer the classified ad and, “with my last name being O’Riordan I thought it was particularly ironic that Riordan HS needed a drama director at the same time I was looking for full time work. During the first of 2 interviews I knew I had the job,” which she’s been doing nonstop for 13 years.

Hard Work and More Hard Work

Successful former students will return to Archbishop Riordan to help make the fundraiser a success.

Theater, O’Riordan reminds us, involves hard work. “If it is something that you feel passionate about,” she says, “you can make a living at it through hard work and resourcefulness.” She lives the example, and seems equally proud of former students who report using “what I taught them in their daily life” as she is of former students “who are making it in the biz.” But, before she can instill the value of hard work into her students, O’Riordan must model it herself.

“Our productions are extracurricular,” she explains, “so a big challenge is to get the students and their parents to understand the commitment it takes to produce theatre,” a commitment that means long hours of rehearsal after school has ended, a dedication to memorizing lines, cues, and blocking, and the understanding that performing a play is a team effort, and that the success of the performance rests on the collective efforts of each individual.

O’Riordan demonstrates to her students the importance of powering through, to the extreme. Her students are well aware of the way she’s worked through her own personal tragedies, including the death of both parents, a step parent, and her brother, in the space of a little over 4 years. “My father died,” she remembers, “while I was rehearsing a show and the students gathered me on stage and lit an candle and prayed.” It was a “very special moment” for her, one that overshadows “the occasional irresponsible, immature teenager pranks,” all too familiar to most high school instructors.

The Lucky ’13 Committee

The Lucky ’13 Fundraiser for the Guardian Angel Scholarship Fund

Like most instructors, too, she cherishes the successes: “Seeing evidence of student learning” and reconnecting with alumni rank high on that list. Combining those interests, this fall she’ll be producing an alumni fundraising event intended to “re-unite generations of Riordan alumni, and raise money for Riordan Drama and the Guardian Angel Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will be given to a senior actor or crewman who plans to pursue theatre in college.”

This multifaceted event will involve a theatrical performance, a fundraising raffle, and “several big-name alums…including Dominic Nolfi who played Tommy DeVito on Broadway in Jersey Boys” and Joe Spano. There will be “a ‘Sunday Funday’ rehearsal and theatre ‘tech’ on September 1, 2013, then the show, Lucky ‘13: A Labor of Love Alumni Revival will be on Labor Day the following day.” The Drama Clubbers, involved in every aspect of the event, will sell raffle tickets for a variety of prizes, including a $500 Apple gift card, with the club member selling the most tickets also receiving a prize. O’Riordan hopes to “secure a pink section feature and fill the house” for this performance, as well as meet all her fundraising goals and enjoying the presence of former students.

Selling the Show

Getting people through the door doesn’t seem to be a problem for O’Riordan. “Since we are a Catholic high school,” she explains, “we send [press releases] to local secular and liturgical papers along with the main media of our city.” She also uses three separate websites to advertise her shows, and employ print products in the form of posters to be hung and postcards sent to her mailing list. Since “our biggest target audience is our student body and their parent/guardians,” she doesn’t have any difficulty reaching them.

O’Riordan prints tickets to performances, and patrons can order them online. This year, she found herself the happy winner of $500 of free printing from TicketPrinting.com, a landfall that changes her budget significantly. It’s entirely possible that the prize will cover the cost of printing both the tickets for her spring and fall performances, along with the Lucky ’13 raffle tickets, “which is wonderful news.” All those savings will roll back into the fundraising efforts, funding the Guardian Angel Theater scholarship plus helping to purchase the drama department’s necessary equipment and replace old materials.

Past, Present, and Future

O’Riordan in her element, right outside the theatre office.

O’Riordan can look happily back on the past, recalling some of her favorite experiences: producing Little Shop of Horrors, which she enjoyed “because the cast was both talented and a team who had no outside drama”; Directing Romeo and Juliet “with a concept that I came up with in college, and having 2 alumni design the poster and costumes”; and “dramaturging with students Suzan-Lori Parks’ 365 Days/365 Plays” while stuck inside during a rainy field trip.

At the same time, she is able to think about the present and future of theater, recognizing the challenges of promoting live performance in the digital age. Not only do “the options for many other types of entertainment divide audiences,” but O’Riordan, like most others in her shoes, laments that, “especially for theatre, the general audiences are not used to the etiquette of the theatre as much as they used to be, so they use their electronic devices during a performance and think it is acceptable to do so.”

But for O’Riordan, the future is immediate. This summer, she looks forward to attending “the wedding of two people who were in the very first show I directed. That’s thrilling!” Following the big Lucky ’13 Fundraiser, her plans are “to take a step back to catch my breath. I have been ‘in production’ non-stop for the past 13 years and I need a break!” To that end, her assistant, Joey, will be directing next year’s musical, along with the fall play comprised of student-directed one-acts.

What’s next for Archbishop Riordan High School theater? O’Riordan hasn’t “looked beyond the 2013-14 year yet,” but whatever is to come, it’s certain that O’Riordan will power through, depending on hard work. When it comes to success in the theater, it just doesn’t seem like she requires luck.

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Unique Event Ideas for Memorial Day Weekend 2013

All across America, families are gearing up for Memorial Day weekend celebrations. Whether you intend on visiting friends, traveling to national memorial sites, or just getting outside to enjoy the beautiful spring weather, Memorial Day is a perfect opportunity to celebrate. With summer just around the corner, you won’t want to miss your chance to gather your loved ones and friends together for some holiday weekend fun.

In 1971, Congress declared the last Monday in May as Memorial Day and made it a national holiday. The purpose of this holiday is to honor all Americans who have died in wars over our nation’s history.

The National Monument of Remembrance encourages all Americans to stop what they are doing at 3pm (local time) on Memorial Day and observe a moment of silence to remember those who have died in service for our nation.

The Birthplace & History of Memorial Day

President Lyndon Johnson declared Memorial Day’s birthplace as Waterloo, NY in 1966: 100 years prior on May 5^th, a ceremony had taken place in order to honor local veterans who had fought in the Civil War.

To this day, many other cities throughout the nation claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, but Waterloo is the only city that has gained the official declaration.

In 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War, the Grand Army of the Republic declared May 5^th as Decoration Day for the purpose of encouraging the nation to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers.

Later, Major General John Logan moved the holiday to May 30^th, as it was assumed that flowers would be blooming all over the nation at that time.

Events Across the Country

There are countless events occurring across our great nation this coming Memorial Day weekend. Here we’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular and unique events we could find.

• New York City Street Fairs
• Denver’s Memorial Day Veterans Parade and Tribute
• Downtown Chicago’s Honorary Memorial Day Parade
• FREE Atlanta Jazz Festival
• Minnesota’s Nisswa Memorial Day Remembrance Event
• Virginia’s Memorial Day Parade & Festival
• Maryland Memorial Day Weekend State-Wide Celebrations

If you can’t find the kind of event you’re looking for, why not plan your own event? It could be as simple as a BBQ, or as big as a block party. No matter how you celebrate, just make sure you get out there this Memorial Day weekend and enjoy yourself!

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2013 Mother’s Day Events All Around America

Mother’s Day is a time for cherished family gatherings and the celebration of women everywhere. With a history more unique than many people may be aware of, the authentic American Mother’s Day holiday got its true start back in 1870, with Julia Ward Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation. This proclamation was meant for mothers everywhere, and called upon them to join together and protest the carnage of the Civil War.

Howe called for an international celebration of peace and motherhood, but it wasn’t until 1908 that a US Senator from Nebraska proposed making Mother’s Day a national holiday, as requested by the YMCA.

In 1914, Woodrow Wilson designated the 2^nd Sunday in May officially as Mother’s Day. From then on, the holiday gained steam and traditionally became a day to celebrate mothers across the nation, often by presenting them with flowers.

Mother’s Day Event Ideas

Dinners, brunches, and picnics, oh my! These are some of the most popular types of Mother’s Day celebrations in America. Those who shop in advance might present Mom with clothing, jewelry or a beautiful bouquet of flowers. But Mother’s Day doesn’t necessarily mean buying presents.

Often, the most important thing to Moms everywhere is simply spending time with their loved ones and families on Mother’s Day. Instead of taking Mom out, you can make a delicious dinner at her house.

Or, gather up your friends and their mothers, and start a community Mother’s Day picnic.

The idea is simple, but the rewards for making Mom feel appreciated and special on this day will be more than ample.

Events across the Nation

Mother’s Day events are taking place all over the country on May 12th. Now is the perfect time to plan your own event, or sign up to join one of the incredible events that we’ve listed here for you.

• Mother’s Day Brunch – Henry Ford’s private ballroom in Lovett Hall (Dearborn, MI)
• Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea – on the Veranda and in the Ballroom of the Jean Ellen DuPont Shehan Visitor Center (Coral Gables, FL)
• Mother’s Day Lunch or Dinner – at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Chicago, IL)
• Mother’s Day Cruise – the Hornblower Yacht Champagne Brunch Cruise OR the Flagship Brunch Cruise (San Diego, CA)
• Mother’s Day Weekend Garden Party – New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, New York)

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Popular Gospel and Christian Music Performer Plays Successful Concert

The rich tradition of southern gospel music visited central Illinois recently when singer Guy Penrod appeared in concert at Calvary Baptist Church in Normal, IL.

The show was organized by GospelFest Ministries of Metamora, IL. Formed in spring 2009 by Shawn and Anne Degenhart , GospelFest seeks “to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ through music” via gospel music education, music publishing, a weekly radio show which is syndicated to over 130 stations around the world, and gospel music events such as their yearly Summertime GospelFest show and the Penrod concert.

A Celebrated Career

Penrod has been performing for decades. In the early ‘90s he was a successful session singer in Nashville where he provided background vocals for other artists in the recording studio and during live shows.

“I got to sing behind some of the great legends of country music who I grew up listening to, as well as backing new artists like Kenny Chesney and Shania Twain at a point when their careers were just launching,” Penrod says of his early career.

The artist, who has performed all over the world, is probably best known for the fourteen years he spent as the lead singer of the Gaither Vocal Band, where his strong voice and wide range helped bring the contemporary Christian and southern gospel band success in releasing popular albums. Penrod left the band in 2008 to pursue his solo career, and shortly thereafter released Breathe Deep, an album whose overall feel remained true to his Christian roots but that presented a greater focus on the sound of country music. He also hosts the Gospel Music Showcase program on the Daystar Television Network.

Organizing Great Gospel

Shawn Degenhart, Board of Directors President for GospelFest, says their main goal in organizing the show was to “provide central Illinois with some great gospel music.”

Degenhart, who’s also an instructor at Ben Speer’s Stamps-Baxter School of Music in Nashville, TN,  believes that planning ahead is the most important part of coordinating an affair of this scope. They promoted the concert through a 1,000 piece postcard mailing, radio announcements and interviews, Facebook and e-mail blasts.

Penrod puts his heart and soul into every show, and Degenhart says he gave his all at their event as well, providing a night to remember for an appreciative crowd.

“[It was a] wonderful concert,” Degenhart recalls. “He sang for two straight hours with no intermission.”

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Pizza Fundraiser Supports Police Unity Tour

It is unfortunately rare that a day goes by in this country when an officer of the law doesn’t fall in the line of duty. Initial reports of such an event will hit communities hard, but it usually won’t take long before the details of those incidents are forgotten to the general public.

Stuart Slotnick, a 20 year member of the sheriff’s department in New Jersey’s Essex County, is one of the many people working to make sure that doesn’t happen.

The Police Unity Tour was first organized in May 1997 with the hope of bringing public awareness to those who perished in the line of duty, and as a way of honoring the ultimate sacrifice they made. This year’s four day trip will take participating cyclists from East Hanover, NJ to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (NLEOM) in Washington, D.C.

Slotnick helped organize a fundraiser at Starlite Pizzeria in West Orange, NJ to raise money for Team Essex, his touring team. The event raised around $1,200, which will help pay for riders’ hotel stays, fuel for the support team vehicles along the way and donations to NLEOM. This is Slotnick’s third year on the tour.

“We have about 12 members of  Team Essex,” Slotnick says. “Members are either bicycle riders who ride in memory of a fallen law enforcement officer, or support personnel [who follow the route in vehicles and work on the various teams that help the riders on their trip].

“I am actually motorcycle support for motorcycle officers who break down [along the route],” Slotnick explains. “I follow the procession, and tow any disabled motorcycles to the local dealer, which is usually Harley. Since I have been on the tour, only Harley’s have broken down!”

Slotnick used Facebook, flyers, email, and word of mouth to let people know about the fundraiser, and says that getting people to buy tickets in advance was the hardest part of planning.

About 50 people attended the pizza, beer and pasta dinner. Entertainment was provided by a two-piece band and ticket stubs were used to give out door prizes of iTunes gift cards, team tee shirts, and ticket books for a nearby amusement park.

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Classic Rock Concert Helps Raise Funds For Homeless Pets

Anyone who’s ever owned a pet knows that caring for an animal can be expensive. Those costs are especially heavy for animal shelters, including the Humane Society of Calvert County (HSCC) in Sunderland, MD. They recently hosted their fourth annual Rock-n-Roll For Rescues event to raise money that will help them in caring for the animals in their facility.

The fundraiser brought in almost $16,000.

The HSCC, a non-profit and no-kill shelter which opened in 1975, is completely run by volunteers and is currently home to dozens of animals looking for forever homes.

Gail Prisel, a volunteer dog walker who’s also on the HSCC fundraising committee, says that a group of 12 volunteers did the majority of the planning and legwork for the event.

Food and drink were available for attendees to purchase, while the function featured entertainment from The Fabulous Hubcaps and Rockin’ Elvis Jim Godbold. A slideshow of their current adoptable animals was shown, and participants also had a photo booth at their disposal. Volunteers also arranged raffles and a silent auction, which Prisel called “the best and most difficult” part of planning the event.

Prizes for the auction and raffles were varied enough to appeal to as many attendees as possible. Sports memorabilia was up for grabs, including an autographed Tony Dorsett helmet from the Dallas Cowboys and a Super Bowl MVP football signed by Baltimore Ravens player Ray Lewis.

Other prizes included jewelry, trips, pet supplies, art, liquor baskets, beauty products, games, gift certificates from a variety of hotels, restaurants and spas, tools and a guitar autographed by the rock band Van Halen.

Local papers, flyers and social networking were used to promote the fundraiser, and while Prisel advises other event organizers “to have a dedicated team work with you,” she also notes the importance of having an accommodating venue.

“We have held this event all four years in the Chesapeake Ballroom [of the Holiday Inn Solomons Conference Center and Marina]. They are always very gracious and let us use their venue at no cost,” Prisel says.

“It takes months of planning and everyone is always very helpful and answers our e-mails quickly. Whatever we need, they provide for us, and [even gave] our patrons a special room rate for the evening. They allowed us to come the day before to decorate and prepare our auction. I cannot say enough about how nice everyone is; they have already offered to host our event next year.”

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National Volunteer Week 2013 Inspires Community Involvement

For many people, volunteering is a way to help others who are in need, as well as a chance to contribute to the community and promote positive change and general human kindness. National Volunteer Week takes it a step further, and during the week of April 21^st – 27^th, 2013, HandsOn Network Action Centers will lead a variety of projects that put volunteers at the center of change in a nation-wide initiative.

In addition to promoting volunteerism during National Volunteer Week, the HandsOn Network plans to host award ceremonies for recognition and explore other unconventional ways to celebrate the positive effect that volunteer service has had in communities across America.

Why Should I Volunteer?

HandsOn Network’s mission is to provide people with the opportunity to take action and help make a difference in the world.

With National Volunteer Week, the goal is to demonstrate to the country that through cooperation, we as people have the wherewithal to overcome challenges and reach real objectives.

Non-profits and charitable organizations everywhere can take this opportunity to share the national attention that Volunteer Week will receive, and can also take advantage of the chance to advance their own noble causes and promote a commitment to volunteerism that will help enrich the general community.

National Volunteer Week is the perfect time to get out there and motivate people in your community to look for unique and innovative ways to participate in positive change.

How to Participate in Volunteer Week

Here are just a couple of events that are scheduled in April during National Volunteer Week:

• Volunteer Milwaukee hosts their 31^st annual Inspire By Example award ceremony on April 18^th. Help honor the spirit of dedicated volunteerism in Milwaukee County by celebrating the winners of this year’s awards. You can register online or call (414) 344-3933 for more information.
• HandsOn Jacksonville is proud to host Celebrate!GOOD on April 18^th at 6:00pm in the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. This event will help celebrate the good deeds that honorable people do every day on the ‘First Coast.’

Whether or not there is an official National Volunteer Week event taking place near you, this is a great time to plan your own event to help celebrate and pay tribute to volunteers everywhere.

It’s important to promote change in our communities and support those who lead the initiative, so don’t wait! Start planning your volunteer celebration today.

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Up-Stage Entertainment Concepts Celebrates Retro Rock and Disco

Up-Stage Entertainment Concepts put on a fantastic show the 23^rd of February. The show, called Retro Revival featuring Rockin’ Out not only had awesome songs, but also great crowd interaction.

According to the official site, Up-Stage Entertainment Concepts provides shows catering to all occasions. Types of shows include artist tributes, bands, DJs, solo performers, karaoke, and more.

Up-Stage Entertainment Concepts has produced local performers into professional entertainers for the past 10 years or so. Some of their tribute acts include Meatloaf, Pink, Shania Twain, Joe Cocker, Chrissy Amplette, Amy Lee, Alice Cooper, Pat Benatar, Kenny Rogers, Allison Moyet, Gene Pitney, Marilyn Monroe, Aretha Franklin, and Anastacia. Some of their concept outfits include Howyagarn: A Tribute to Aussie Rock, Justice for All-Australia’s Premier Metallica Tribute Show, 33⅓, The Rock N Roll Show, and their newest show, Rockin’ Out.

Watto Isboss of Up-Stage Entertainment Concepts explained more about Rockin’ Out. “The Retro Revival Concert was an expansion Show to a one set production we did in December,” he said. “Rockin’ Out is a name we gave to the line up, of which there were four of us, myself and three ladies on stage,  performing live, the Retro Revival, which consisted of three sets including, 70s rock, disco, and 80s rock.”

Isboss talked about what Up-Stage Entertainment Concepts used to get the word out about the event. “[We used] posters at the venue, Facebook, texts, posters at local businesses, etc.,” he said. Their primary objective, he said, was “for the punters to have a wonderful night experiencing the themes we deliver. I’m happy to say that we achieved that goal quite convincingly.”

Isboss talked about what made the show a success. “[The best part] [w]ould without a doubt be the crowd interaction… The dance floor was never empty,” he said. “The on stage highlight would definitely be the crowd response we got for delivering an awesome a capella start to ‘Carry on My Wayward Son.’”

Isboss said for anyone else putting on an event like this, planning and practice are key. He said that Retro Revival turned out, for the most part, how he expected it to go. “I don’t leave anything to chance with my productions, due to a very anal planning process of mine,” he said. “All in all, a very successful evening.”

You can learn more about UEC from their official site as well as the company’s Facebook and MySpace pages.

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Gumbo Cook-Off Supports Premature Babies

Preparing for the arrival of a newborn baby is stressful enough. And, when a baby is delivered premature, Mom and Dad can feel overwhelmed.

Lafayette, LA non-profit Heartstrings & Angel Wings held their 5th Annual Gumbo Cookout Raffle to fund their mission of assisting micro-preemie babies (one to five pounds) and their parents. The organization has volunteers who meet once a month to hand-craft clothes and accessories for those tiniest of tots. Those items are then donated to local neonatal intensive care units.

It’s a mission that means a lot to founder Jennifer Patin.

“We donate the clothing because the babies are born from emergencies, and the parents do not often know where to find clothing so small,” she says. “Also, [a typical preemie] shirt costs anywhere from $15 to $20, so we save the families a little money.”

“It’s also good for uplifting the spirits of the family members because [the newborns] are viewed more as babies, instead of hospital patients with tubes and wires coming from their little bodies.

“Our family had two preemie babies: one born 15 weeks early and another born seven weeks early,” Patin adds. “The seven-week one was mine, and I feel the purpose of my having a premature baby was to start this organization.”

Forty-six cook-off teams assembled this year to prepare all-you-can-eat gumbo (seafood, or chicken and sausage) for attendees. Their event also featured a raffle, silent auction, two live bands, a magician, and music provided by a DJ.

This event helped them raise around $35,000.

Patin used every means at her disposal to get the word out, including print and Internet advertising, social networking, and media interviews. She believes that their Facebook page, and several features on a local news program prior to the event, helped them out the most.

One of the highlights this year: several of the group’s beneficiaries were able to attend.

“Our family participation was at an all-time high,” Patin says. “It’s hard to say how many families were there, because some cooked and some only attended. Out of the teams we had, I think 18 were families we’ve helped. [They] got involved in order to help [others] that will be in that situation. It’s a great feeling knowing that everyone wants to continue the mission and help others, just as we do.”

While Patin says that preparation for this event “is always stressful and hectic”, she thinks organization and flexibility are two keys to running a fundraiser like this.

“We plan and prepare as much as possible before the event and roll with the punches on the day of the event. The best advice I can offer is to delegate small tasks to others, and not to panic when things do not go as planned.”

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Celebrating Language and Diversity on World Poetry Day

Back in 1999, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared March 21^st World Poetry Day. This holiday, rumored to have origins dating as far back as the 1930s, is celebrated in hundreds of countries throughout the world. World Poetry Day is a great opportunity, especially for teachers and educators across the globe, to meditate on the power of language and celebrate each individual’s ability to contribute to a world of creative diversity.

Poetry’s familiar use of metaphors, similes, unique associations and even grammatical nuances makes it an excellent medium for people to use in order to examine and participate in the dialogue between cultures.

By reinforcing innovation and encouraging the act of questioning everyday words, ideas and our understanding of the world, poetic language renews our global perception of people, life, and self-expression.

Poetry, Social Media, and Linguistic Diversity

“In a constantly evolving world, a world of rapid change and social transformation, poets have a presence alongside civil movements and know how to alert consciences to the world’s injustices as well as encourage appreciation of its beauty,” says Irina Bokova (Director-General of UNESCO) in support of World Poetry Day.

Irina goes on to discuss the unique potential that social media presents to the world, especially with respect to the many different styles of short messages that are in constant circulation on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere.

The social media revolution that seems to have taken place in the last 5+ years is “breathing fresh life into poetry,” while supporting creativity and the constant sharing of ideas through poetic language.

This, Irina says, “help(s) us engage more fully with the world.”

Top Ways to Celebrate World Poetry Day

The main focus for celebrating World Poetry Day is to support poetry, reinvigorate oral traditions of story-telling, promote poetry teaching, encourage small publishers, and reinforce poetry in the media as a modern art form.

With that in mind, here are some ideas for hosting your own poetry event:

• Classroom Activity: talk to your students about different ways readers can approach a poem.
• Pick a Poet to Study: Poets.org has hundreds of poets and over 1,000 poems.
• Use Poetry to Teach Reading: encourage students’ acquisition of language skills through poetry reading.
• Poetry vs. Prose: Explore the difference between poetry and prose through critical thinking and strategic analysis.

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