NOTES FROM THE FALL MEETING - 9 SEPT, 2019
Special thanks to Gail Hamel for taking and writing up the notes at the Fall meeting. (She does a much better job than me.)
Attending were:
Sally Chetwynd - Sam (a Civil War soldier)
Jackson Gillman - Rudyard Kipling, storyteller
Gail Hamel - Abigail Whitney
Deborah Goss - Abby Hutchinson
Bil Lewis - President James Madison
Jessa Piaia - Susan B Anthony, Rachel Walker Revere, Amelia Earhart, et al
Randy Ross - playwright
Ted Zalewski - Teddy Roosevelt, Postman Roulin, et al
And guests Bruce Chester & Charles Clark, III.
Notes
Business Items:
Ted portrayed Teddy Roosevelt for Longfellow House on Aug 25 as a way to show our gratitude for being able to meet in the carriage house 3x/year. Anyone who would like to volunteer to perform next year for Longfellow in this capacity, please contact Ted TEDZALE@cs.com
Robert Hayes from Tewksbury Library sent Ted a thank you for the 10 performers for Solo Together whom have showcased their talent over the past couple of years.
George Capaccio as Albert Einstein has moved to Chapel Hill, NC.
Rob Velella as Hawthorne, Longfellow, and Poe has moved to PA but is in the Boston area a lot.
Look at CCRC websites for each state to learn about high-end retirement communities.
Remember to get your $8 dues to Mike for his work maintaining the website.
Next meetings tentatively scheduled for 1st Mon in January and last week May or 1st week June.
Updates from the Performers and Guests:
Sally M. Chetwyn: has written 2 novels: “Bead of Sand” and “The Turgeon’s Dance”. She is currently working on a non-fiction book, “Beyond End of Watch”. brasscastlearts@gmail.com
(soon to be launched website), www.sallymchetwynd.com Books available on www.Amazon.com & from Sally.
Jackson Gillman - Rudyard Kipling Revisited Jackson tried to get on VT Humanities list but they were rude & political so he’s forgetting it! We wished Jackson a Happy Birthday and he closed the meeting with a fun story about his daughter & himself.
Deborah Goss “Abby Hutchinson’s Sweet Freedom Songs” says NH Humanities like scholarly presentations, especially from degreed people and NH based. $325 in costume, $200 not costume, and no more compensation for mileage. When you apply and then audition, be prepared with a mini of the program you will do.
Lunch Hour for Businesses - Deb does a spoken version of her performance.
NH Humanities to Go Publication every 3 months.
Women Suffergist = American word. Women Suffergette= English word. Anniversary 2020.
Jessa Piaia Isabella Stewart Gardner has talked to Sally Matheson as she develops Amelia Earhart.
Bill Lewis James Madison “The founding of the United States with James Madison”. He’s been to 4th gr, H.S., retirement homes, has called all MA 351 Public Libraries. In fall MIT hosts H.S. where students play roles. He markets to Toast Masters, visits historical houses in costume. He’s performing at American Legion in Colorado. Went to Greenfield on Constitution Day.
Gail Hamel Abigail Whitney has been busy at libraries, historical societies, historical sites, and retirement homes. Performed with Jessa and Sally Mummy for SCAT in Aug, produced by JoJo. Also on Freedom Trail, motor coach tours, and attended launch of Mayflower II in Mystic.
Randy Ross this is his 2nd mtg. He wrote “God Bless Cambodia” a comedy novel available through Amazon. He toned down the racy nature of the show to be more clean in order to be accepted by some venues. He was at Marblehead Art Gallery as a gig for the book.
Contact info: www.GodBlessCambodia.com randy@randyrossmedia.com 617-623-8302
Ted Zalewski Wins the attendance award, attending every meeting for 26 years! Woohoo! He visited his hometown west of Chicago and interviewed his siblings and English teacher of 50 years ago as part of his work to write a book; “1st Prairie Shack” Ted grew up in a poor mafia town so the subject of the novel will be of interest to many of us! He suggests to send postcards to Retirement Communities. And closed the meeting with a quote; “Keep going in a circle, with deep feelings.”
Guests:
Bruce Chester has a goal to work consistently. “Hold High the Flag, Sgt. Carney”. William Harvey Carney, 54th, the 1st black civil war medal of honor winner, originally from New Bedford, MA. Bruce has written several books, is an actor, fought in Iraq as a Captain, attended Salem State, is a Comic, Musician, and teaches computer. He does the Waltham Steampunk, Oniontown Danvers, and colleges. He will reach out to Gardner Lib where Ted performed recently, look into Mt. Auburn where Shaw is buried.
His Books: are self-published and available through Amazon & Barnes & Noble – 60/40 split; do an author-signing event, they’ll buy unbought books. Also at Porter Square Books.
Contact Info: www.brucechester.com brucechesterteacher@gmail.com 978-514-5500. Lives in Gardner.
Charles Clark, III is a Kenyon alumnae friend of Gail. He did his graduate work in Museum studies at Cooperstown. Charles has been hired as Curator for the Historic Hampton House in Miami, FL with a promotion to Executive Director next year. It is located in the Harlem of the South. https://www.historichamptonhouse.org/ It is in this hotel’s cafe Dr. Martin Luther King wrote the draft of I Have a Dream speech, and numerous significant others were there in the 1960’s; such as Malcom X, Count Basie, Cab Calloway. Charles has connected the Children’s Trust, United Way and other Collaborating entities to raise $10.9mil to sustain the hotel as a historical landmark, and saved it from demolition. There are 5 80 year old women currently working there. Charles is hoping to make the hotel alive with Living History Interpreters, like us, and specifically the ones who were there. Ted suggested Charles create a Mission Statement and grow from there. Reach out to Charles if you have ideas or are visiting the area.
Contact: Charles.Clark.3rd@gmail.com
Mike Francis
Webmaster SoloTogether
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