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Role in comedy production for sale
by Button Theatre
By
Mary Carolyn Conti
Special to GwinnettForum.com
Role for Sale! Button Theatre, Gwinnett
Count's newest professional theater company, offers walk-on role
For Sale in upcoming show.
DULUTH, Ga., June 3, 2008 -- In an innovative twist to generate
community interest in Button Theatre, Director Celia Rosenblum is
selling the opportunity to become a "star" for the night.
The role for sale, which can be played by any adult, is a walk-on
in Neil Simon's comedy classic Barefoot in the Park. The
company has chosen to donate a portion of the ticket sales from
the play to the Duluth Barefoot in the Park arts festival
as part of their continuing community outreach.
 "This
role is an exciting opportunity for anyone to experience theatre
from the performer's point-of-view," says Rosenblum.
Barefoot in the Park is a comedy about young newlyweds Corie
and Paul Bratter as they move into their first Manhattan apartment,
a breath stealing five-flight climb. Their romantic start is given
a shake-up as the conservative young lawyer and the vivacious wife
work through their differences, as well as intrusions from her mother
and the eccentric neighbor in the attic.
The walk-on role is an elderly delivery person from Lord and Taylor.
After trudging up five flights of stairs, he or she staggers into
the apartment. Exhausted and out of breath, the delivery person
must deliver the package to Corie and get her to sign for it, all
without saying a word. Finally, he or she stumbles out of the apartment
to brave the stairs once more.
Button Theatre is offering two deals for a chance to be a performer
for the night.
Individuals may purchase the role for any Thursday or Sunday performance.
The cost is $100, and anyone who mentions that individual's name
when purchasing a ticket will receive $5 off the ticket price.
Groups or corporations may purchase the role for three nights.
They may choose one individual to play the role for all three nights
or give the role to three different people. The cost is $500 and
includes 30 tickets to be split among the three performances.
"The role would make a wonderful birthday, graduation gift
or employee incentive,: says Rosenblum. "Our hope is that the
community will become involved in the production, and that involvement
will help us to give back to Gwinnett County."
Barefoot in the Park will run July 5-27, Thursdays-Saturdays at
8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Anyone interested in buying the role
is asked to contact Button Theatre at 770-831-0591 or email info@buttontheatre.com.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for senior citizens or students.
All performances will be held at the Hudgens Center for the Arts,
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Building 300, Duluth. Telephone 770-831-0591.
About Button Theatre
Founded in 2007, Button Theatre is a non-profit, professional theatre
company located in Gwinnet County. In addition to a full season
of theatre productions, Button Theatre also offers children's acting
classes and summer camps. For more information about Button Theatre,
visit our website www.buttontheatre.com.
MARTA straw questions on ballot wind up meaning
little
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
JUNE 3, 2008 -- Facing voters at the July primary will be not only
candidates for local offices, but issues will be on the ballot,
too. Both the local Republican and Democratic parties have placed
several non-binding issues on the ballot, to check the opinions
of voters.
Brack |
We'll say right off the bat we think such non-binding measures
are useless in the real world of politics. Far too often this testing
of the waters offers poorly worded questions that often confuse
voters. In one sense, they do more harm than they do good, since
such propositions put to the voters are vague and non-specific,
which simply muddies the waters. It's a Populist move started by
Republicans that now has the Democrats meekly copying it.
One issue in particular vexes me this primary season. Both the
Republicans and Democrats will ask Gwinnett voters a question concerning
the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. It comes at a
time when high gasoline prices are on people's mind, indicating
that the voters may, indeed, have slightly changed their mind on
rapid transit in Gwinnett. The question being asked is if Gwinnett
will support a one-cent increase in sales tax (to seven cents) to
pay for MARTA.
Interestingly, and adding to the uselessness and confusion, the
two questions by the parties are slightly different. The Republicans
ask:
"Would you support the extension of the MARTA rail line into
Gwinnett County which would include an additional one cent sales
tax?"
The Democrats ask: "Would you support a one per cent sales
tax increase to extend MARTA into Gwinnett County?"
Note that the Republican question only addresses a rail line. The
Democrats do not limit the MARTA question. One word can foul up
any proposition or negotiations.
Should either measure get passed by the straw ballot process, we
can only hope that the legislators would come back to the voters
with a specific proposition. But we somehow doubt it.
Newcomers to the county may not know the history of MARTA proposals
in Gwinnett. Take a look:
- 1965: Voters were against rapid transit in Gwinnett,
but voted to send a representative to the MARTA board.
- 1971: A vote on whether to bring MARTA to Gwinnett. For
this: 2,500; against, 9,506. Fulton and DeKalb Counties voted
a one cent sales tax for MARTA.
- 1990: third MARTA vote in Gwinnett. Yes, 28,828. No,
68,136.
While we feel Gwinnett needs a rapid rail line into the county,
and feel that extension of the MARTA rail line northeastward toward
Buford is a good idea, we question testing public opinion when nothing
solid is offered. We feel the public is skeptical enough of government
and will usually answer "no" when there is no specific
proposition put to them.
But mainly, the two questions are not binding. Many people will
think of it as an useless effort, since they would have to go through
another process to actually vote on the real question of specifically
how to bring rapid transit to Gwinnett.
Our Gwinnett legislators will do the county a service, if they
realize how much more public transit is needed, by giving Gwinnett
voters something specific to vote up or down, not a mere test of
a question which means little.
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Can't
bring himself to be for upcoming TADs referendum
Editor, the Forum:
On July 15, as part of our primary election, Gwinnett County voters
are being asked to give the County Commissioners the right to create
Tax Allocation Districts (TADs) within our county.
While these TADs will not directly increase your taxes, I believe
we are not being told the whole truth. Consider the following:
Approval of this referendum will allow politicians to issue 25-30
year bonds to provide incentives for developers to redevelop unspecified
areas of the county. These unspecified areas could be up to 10 percent
of the total current tax digest.
As those areas are re-developed, it is hoped their property values
will increase and the incremental taxes off the increased values
will retire the bonds in 25-30 years. Less clear is what happens
if the increases do not materialize and the bonds default. I suspect
Gwinnett County taxpayers will pay for any shortfall one way or
another.
But let's be optimistic and say the Evermore Community Improvement
District (U.S. Highway 78 from Gwinnett County line to Georgia Highway
124) becomes a TAD and successfully raises their property values
to a level sufficient to retire the TAD bonds in 25-30 years. Do
you remember how vibrant and successful that section of Highway
78 was 30 years ago? Compare that to today.
It seems to me these TADs will only benefit the developers who
re-develop them, the bond holders who purchase the bonds and the
politicians who authorized them. I suspect that in 30 years the
road will need another redevelopment.
Does this sound like a good idea to you? Revitalization is a wonderful
idea. The downtowns of Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Duluth and Snellville
have gone through or are going through successful redevelopment
without TADs. We can have similar successes throughout the rest
of the county without TADs.
There is no question that some sections of Gwinnett are in need
of redevelopment and revitalization. On July 15 your vote will determine
if that redevelopment is done through a Tax Allocation District
that benefits only a few or the right way to the benefit of all.
I plan to vote NO on the TADs referendum.
-- Patrick Malone, Snellville
Dear Patrick: Don't know what you have in your
craw, but we see the TADs vote entirely differently. Here the
developers are putting their money (they are responsible for bond
payments) and reputation into cleaning up property eyesores, or
at least those underutilized. And once done, of course they will
increase the property values, and bring in more taxes to the county.
Not only that, but yes, after the bonds are retired, whether 10-20-30
years, I suspect the TAD area will need a new paint job, just
like your house needs to be upgraded from time to time. A majority
of the rest of the country has for years used the TAD approach
to upgrade areas of their counties. Lawmakers in Georgia have
only recently passed this legislation as an aid to upgrading our
counties. Let's get with the modern world, and halt this old-time
thinking. --eeb
Getting government
check means quandary on spending
(Editor's note: this letter was sent by a reader
who spotted it in the Lake, Wales, Fla. newspaper.-eeb)
How to use your IRS rebate check to stimulate the economy. If we
spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China. If
we spend it on gasoline, it will go to the Arabs. If we purchase
a computer, it will go to India. If we purchase fruits and vegetables,
it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. If we purchase a
good car, it will go to Japan. If we purchase useless stuff, it
will go to Taiwan and none of it will help out the economy.
-- Dennis Richard, Lake Wales, Fla. via Marshall Miller, Lilburn.
Pleasant
Hill Road tunnel to be opened this weekend
Georgia highway officials announces a traffic shift on Thursday
night, June 5, at the Georgia Highway 13 (Buford Highway) and Pleasant
Hill Road reconstruction project in Duluth, weather permitting.
The project tunnels under the railroad that runs parallel to Buford
Highway and rebuilds the intersection of Buford Highway and Pleasant
Hill Road as an interchange, utilizing ramps to get from one roadway
to the other.
The shift will place traffic in its permanent alignment in the tunnel.
It also opens the ramps from Pleasant Hill Road eastbound to Buford
Highway and from Buford Highway to Pleasant Hill Road eastbound.
The ramp from Pleasant Hill westbound to Buford Highway will be
shifted as well to a temporary alignment. The ramp from Buford Highway
to Pleasant Hill westbound will remain in its current temporary
alignment.
Crews will begin shifting traffic at 8 p.m., Thursday, and will
have it completely in place by 5 a.m., Friday, as long as weather
conditions are acceptable. If not, the shift will likely be delayed
until later in the week. The overall projected completion date for
this 1.49 mile project is January 5, 2009, and its construction
cost is more than $34.6 million. Work is being done by E.R. Snell,
Contractors, of Snellville.
Ham radio plans field
day in Lawrenceville on June 28-29
Thousands of Ham Radio operators will be showing off their emergency
capabilities June 28-29 at Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville.
Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of ham radio
operators providing critical communications in emergencies including
the California wildfires, Oregon and Michigan storms, tornadoes
and other events world-wide.
During Hurricane Katrina, Amateur Radio---often called "Ham
radio"---was often the only way people could communicate. Hundreds
of volunteer "hams" traveled south to save lives and property.
When trouble is brewing, ham radio people are often the first to
provide critical information and communications.
On the weekend of June 28-29, the public will have a chance to
meet and talk with these ham radio operators and see for themselves
what the Amateur Radio Service is about. Showing the newest digital
and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical
Morse code, hams from across the USA will be holding public demonstrations
of emergency communications abilities.
The Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society will be operating from Rhodes
Jordan Park in Lawrenceville beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June
28 for 24 hours. For local information, contact Norm Schklar, 770-313-9410,
email: wa4zxv@arrl.net
Gwinnett Habitat selected
for pilot energy-saving program
The Gwinnett County affiliate of Habitat for Humanity is launching
a pilot test of the "Partners in Sustainable Building"
program -- a national green building partnership between Habitat
for Humanity International and The Home Depot Foundation. The program
will provide funding and resources to assist in making Habitat houses
more sustainable and energy-efficient, says Charles Craig, executive
director of the Gwinnett affiliate.
The goal of the program is to provide funding and resources to
help make 5,000 homes, or approximately 17 percent of all single
and multi-family units, built by Habitat affiliates over the next
five years, more energy efficient and sustainable according to nationally
recognized green building standards. The Home Depot Foundation is
providing $30 million in financial and in-kind support, technical
resources and training to establish a foundation of green building
expertise that will impact what Habitat builds for years. Sustainable
homes cost less to operate and maintain and have less of an impact
on the environment.
Gwinnett County Habitat is one of only 30 affiliates of Habitat
for Humanity selected to participate in this year-long pilot program
before the larger national launch in May, 2009.
Four Gwinnett Tech
students win honors in land care
Gwinnett Technical College's Horticulture students brought home
top honors from the recent Professional Landcare Network's (PLANET)
Student Career Days, the largest student competition and recruiting
event in the industry.
Student Career Days is an annual three-day competitive event for
students enrolled in horticulture programs from colleges and universities
across the country. The students had the chance to compete in events
that are directly related to the skills necessary for a career in
the green industry.
Four Gwinnett Tech Horticulture students earned national honors,
including:
- Karen Faulkner, leadership skills (first among 65 students);
- Rita Boughrum, sales presentation (fifth among 49 students);
- Mary Prince, interior plant design (tenth among 42 students);
and
- Aimee Cantrell, safety management (17 among 95 students).
Faulkner, Prince and Cantrell are enrolled in GTC's Environmental
Horticulture diploma program, while Boughrum is in the Landscape
Design certificate program.
For more information about Gwinnett Tech's Horticulture program
or any of the college's more than 45 program options, call 770-962-7580
or visit www.gwinnetttech.edu.
Three
Dollar Café in Norcross
"Last night, my husband and I ate at the just-opened Three
Dollar Cafe at 4790 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Norcross.
The place was hopping and they had the TVs and music going. They
also had both inside and outside dining. I ordered the Pecan Bleu
Salad (around $9) which was very good and my husband had a Chicken
Caesar Salad which he liked. We also had chips and cheese sauce
on the side. Our waiter was also very helpful."
-- Cindy Evans, Duluth
- An invitation: What
Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your
best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have
read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus
what book you plan to read next. --eeb
High Museum
comes from crash that killed 106 Georgians
On June 3, 1962, many of Atlanta's civic and cultural leaders were
returning from a museum tour of Europe sponsored by the Atlanta
Art Association when their chartered
Boeing 707 crashed upon takeoff at Orly Field near Paris, France.
Of the 122 passengers that died, 106 were Atlantans. In an instant
the core of Atlanta's arts community was gone. Mayor Ivan Allen
Jr. traveled to Paris to assist with the recovery efforts.
 Expressions
of grief and sympathy flowed into Atlanta from around the world.
Within days of the crash, memorial gifts benefiting the Atlanta
Art Association were established; $15 million was raised for the
establishment of a memorial cultural center, which was to include
a new home for the visual and performing arts in the city.
Founded in 1905, the Atlanta Art Association had acquired the Peachtree
Street home of Mrs. Joseph Madison High in 1926 and other property,
including the adjacent home of Edgar P. McBurney. New galleries
were constructed on the site in 1955. In 1959 the association acquired
the 18th-century Thornton House in Union Point, which was moved
to their Atlanta property and restored as a house museum. The Atlanta
Arts Association Women's Committee had established a successful
tearoom, gift shop, and gallery in the former McBurney coach house.
After the Orly disaster the Atlanta Art Association evolved into
the Atlanta Arts Alliance, which would eventually administer the
High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Alliance
Theatre, the 14th Street Playhouse, and the Atlanta College of Art.
Builders broke ground for the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center on June
3, 1966. The center was opened to the public in 1968, when a casting
of Auguste Rodin's The Shade (L'Ombre) was presented by the
French government to the city of Atlanta, in memory of those who
died at Orly. The campus of the Atlanta Arts Alliance has continued
to evolve, and the Memorial Arts Building is now situated amid other
buildings at the Woodruff Arts Center campus. The building remains
a vibrant memorial to those who devoted their energies to the betterment
of humanity through art achievement in Atlanta and beyond.
Practical politics
involves keeping the populace alarmed
"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace
alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it
with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."
- Curmudgeon H.L. Mencken, (1860-1956) , via Georgia Public
Policy Foundation.
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