Tabishland

I always loved reading bedtime stories to my kids. Caldecott and Newbury books were always in the stacks of books on the nearby dresser. Even today my kids talk of their memories of those books. You guys remember this one, don't you?

Before there was a Dave Tabish at Indiana Area Senior High School, there was a drama director named Jim George! Ya'll remember him- father of Amy and Kevin and history teacher at IHS for a long time. Anyway, last Sunday I had the pleasure of spending the day with him. He lives in Ellicott City. We went to Tis Pity She's a Whore at Centerstage in downtown Baltimore. At 82, he was remembering Baltimore from when he lived there in the 1940's. The play wasn't so hot, but it was a real pleasure to spend time with him.

I remember hearing the stories of pre-Tabish- stories of Jim Nix (who I knew because he was a great supporter of theater in Indiana- at the high school, with the Indiana Players and at IUP) and Jim George and a fellow who was there named Lasagna- I never met him, I think he came right before Tab.

Anyone know any old pre- mid-seventies IHS drama stories?

By the way, one of Jim George's students was a guy named Fred Duer (his brother Brook was a friend- a real interesting, smart, multi-talented guy who graduated in 1978). Fred has has a great career as a designer for the theater and for television. These days he's at Indiana University (the big one in Indiana). You can find him on facebook.

A St. Patrick's Day blessing upon you all who had your humble beginnings in the small coal mining town 60 miles east of that city where Tawney O'Dell is from.

I am taking my cast of "The Secret Garden" to an Irish Pub tonight to watch our Mary Lennox step dance.(Getting her to move her arms while she is dancing/singing/acting has been challenging)

Tidbits of information on Ireland to help you fit in on St. Pat's Day

1) Ireland is lovingly known as the "Emerald Isle" due to its lush countryside
2) Ireland also has a female patron saint called St Brigid
3) As well as driving snakes from Ireland, St Patrick is also said to have raised the dead
4) St Patrick's Day was first celebrated in Boston in 1737
5) The custom of wearing green is relatively new as the Irish used to believe that green was an unlucky color


Crack that Lingo!
Memorize these simple phrases before heading to the pub and you'll make friends for life!

Erin Go Bragh - "Ireland Forever"

Slainte - "Cheers"

Dia Duit - "Hello there"

Le do thoil - "Please"

Go raibh maith agat - "Thank you"

Pass the Guiness - "Pass the Guiness"

More from someone with way too much time on their hands (but god love 'um.)

Two students took it on themselves to brighten the days of Boilermakers...and made the Chicago Tribune front page for their efforts (here's the video supplement to the article).

More WS related links. If you can get into the article there's an audio link on the left margin ("Henry, My Brother"). There, you get a brief interview segment where Matthew Amendt, now starring as Henry V in the Acting Company/Guthrie Theater production, talks about the "very very small coal-mining town" where he grew up, and the "local high school" where, as a small boy, he appeared in shows directed by his mother....

PS: it's such an honor to be blogging with all of you, especially the seniors.

I think the next time we all get together, we should get matching tattoos.

...Pi Day is on the horizon