Archive for the ‘Causes’ Category

SPECIAL GUEST on The Adventures of Pipeman dedicated to Veterans 7:30PM ET W4CY.com

We have author PM Wells today discussing the documentary MY SHANGHAI. This is something near and dear to Pipeman’s heart. We have a goal of getting the documentary done by the end of the year before the subject’s 94th Brithday.

We are running a Kickstarter campaign during the month of May to raise $20,000 for post-production services, so we are asking for everyone’s help.

Check it out!

PH Wells
FIRST STRAW FILMS
firststrawfilms.com  • myshanghaifilm.com
503.267.5293
Like us on Facebook! facebook.com/MyShanghaiFilm

The drive is live! http://kck.st/122duL9

• • • • •

About MY SHANGHAI

MY SHANGHAI (Documentary) Imprisoned by the Japanese in World War II, a California woman unleashes her wit and wisdom on love, loss, art, and the art of survival.

On Memorial Day, 2011, Virginia McCutcheon was featured on the front page of the San Luis Obispo Tribune. The headline read: “POW of the Japanese.” She became an instant local celebrity as one of the last surviving internees of Lunghwa Camp in China during World War II. This is the same camp J.G. Ballard wrote about in “Empire of the Sun.” The camp experience is the center of the documentary, but Shanghai, “the Paris of the Orient,” is where it all began. In interviews over several days in the past year, Virginia, now age 93, opens up about her life, her family, her loves and losses, more than she ever thought she could.

Virginia is British and has lived all over the world, even in postwar Japan. She still tears up when she remembers the American bombers flying over the camp, signalling that the end of the war was at hand, and the GIs who came to free them. She met her husband-to-be in camp, an unlikely place for romance. They married soon after the war and eventually moved to California. Today Virginia is still the strong center of her family and is able to help them through their own trials. You’ll meet them in the film as well.

MY SHANGHAI is in postproduction. Location filming and family interviews were shot in June, 2012 and April, 2013 in California. P.H. Wells and co-writer Joan Macbeth are shaping a script for an hour-long documentary intended for film festivals, cable and public TV, DVDs and streaming.

 

About THE FILMMAKERS

On the way to marketing her scripts to Hollywood, P.H. Wells discovered documentary storytelling and a love of editing. She created First Straw Films in 2011 to tell the uncommon stories of people we meet every day. Credits include A Rendezvous (2012) and Les Voyageurs Sans Trace (in production by NW Documentary).

Joining her as Associate Producer and Co-Writer is award-winning screenwriter Joan Macbeth. Currently Joan is adapting Jennie Shortridge’s novel, When She Flew, for LA producer Michael Gruskoff (My Favorite Year, Young Frankenstein). Behind the camera, Ron Macbeth was co-founder of IT Online, one of the first Internet casting websites, and Interface Productions in Vancouver, B.C.

Texas native Jonathan Geer will compose the original score for MY SHANGHAI. Jonathan’s music has been heard on American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Access Hollywood and many other shows. He has has composed soundtracks for games on Mac, PC, Nintendo DS and iPhone/iPad, and performs regularly with the Austin Piazzolla Quintet and Waterloo Trio.

Tune into The Defend Michael Hour on The Adventures of Pipeman Radio Show at 7PM ET on w4cy.com

Parents of Our Hero are the special guests today

20

To all the thousands of Michael supporters,

Just a quick update to let you know that the Government filed their Response to Michael’s Petition before the Supreme Court.  Michael’s lawyers now have ten days to file a Reply to the Government’s Response. The Supreme Court will then set Michael’s case for Conference (hopefully by June) and decide whether to grant Certiorari which means a review by the whole Supreme Court.  For the Supreme Court justices to grant Certiorari from the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces would be the first time a military petition has reached this stage – so prayers for discernment for these nine Justices are certainly welcomed.

An encouraging tidbit was that Michael’s case was selected by the Supreme Court Blog as the petition of the day for May 1st – http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/05/petition-of-the-day-446/

We ask that you spread this email and please continue to tell Michael’s story.  Have your friends and neighbors sign Michael’s petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/MBehenna/petition.html .  If they want to further assist, please have them contact their Congressional Representatives and Senators and let them know that Michael has served enough time in prison and deserves the same freedom you and I all enjoy.  To locate your state’s Representative’s / Senators click on the following link: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Lastly, Michael will ‘celebrate’ his 30th birthday on May 18th behind the prison walls of Fort Leavenworth.  We’d like Michael to receive no less than 500 birthday cards and well wishes to let him know that despite this being his fifth birthday in prison he is anything but forgotten.  You can mail your cards to:

Michael Behenna  87503

1300 Warehouse Road

Ft. Leavenworth, KS  66027-2304

 

Bless you all for your support of our son,

Scott & Vicki Behenna

www.defendmichael.com

 

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”   (John F. Kennedy)

“The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next.”  (Ursula Le Guin)

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Love Theatre! Help Children!

Sol Children Theatre presents

Nevermore a musical

June 14 – 16

Fri. & Sat. 7pm;  Sat. & Sun. 2pm

3333 N. Federal Highway

Boca Raton, FL 33431

561-447-8829              solchildtroupe@aol.com

 

Take a dark, mysterious, musical journey into the heart and soul of Edgar Allan Poe, America’s first truly visionary poet.  This story of love, personal demons and self-discovery delves into the mind of Poe with disturbing yet relatable charm.  Poe’s poetry is transformed into soaring musical numbers creating a timeline that lures the audience into his world.

Tickets $12 & $8 juniors and can be purchased by visiting website:  www.solchildren.org

Florida Premiere of Semi-biographical Musical based on the Life of Edgar Allan Poe, Soon to be Unveiled

Cue the spooky music!  Sol Children Theatre will shortly be producing “Nevermore,” a one-act musical based on the life and work of literary great, Edgar Allan Poe.  The show is based on Poe’s short stories and poetry; the plot that drives the suspense derives from Poe’s shifting obsession with the women in his life.  With hauntingly beautiful melodies, “Nevermore” breathes new life into Poe’s work and explores a twisted true-life tale that is as bizarre as his classic stories of the macabre.

The genesis of “Nevermore” was composer Matt Conner’s purchase of a $5 anthology of Poe’s works.  Conner was initially inspired by a little-known poem, “Dreams,” in the very back of the book.  He recounts, “The poetry, filled with meter, rhythm, and percussion drove me to unlock the mysterious, obsessive life of a soon-to-be lyricist already one hundred and fifty years deceased.  Even Poe himself, panned for his ‘musicality’ as a writer, felt that true beauty was the combination of music and poetry.”

Matt Conner is a composer and actor in the Washington, D.C. area.  He has recently been commissioned by Signature Theatre to create a new work based on the Underground Railroad.  “Nevermore” originated with Signature Theater in 2006; since then, the show has been performed by seventeen theatre companies in the United States, Canada, and England.  From Urban Arts Productions in Victoria to Webster University’s Conservatory of Theater Arts in St. Louis to the Kensington Arts Theatre in the U.K., “Nevermore” has been welcomed and Matt Conner lauded as a bright new voice in musical theater.  The original production at Signature garnered praise from The Washington Post, whose staff writer Peter Marks described it as an “entrancing new musical” and “a dreamscape of a musical set in a writer’s fugue state”:

“The Poe of Nevermore is himself a haunted object.  What the creative team of Conner, [director] Schaeffer, and book writer Grace Barnes conceive is a free-floating, psychological postmortem of the man as revealed through his powerfully sensual relationships with words and, just as vitally, with women.”

The upcoming Florida production will be produced by Sol Children Theatre, the dream child of veteran director Rosalie Grant.  Grant’s desire to create a highly professional children’s theater with sustainable and supportive training for young people led her to found Sol Children Theater, a non-profit theater organization that thrives on service to its community.  The “troupe,” veterans of previous productions at Sol, are teen actors committed to meeting regularly to continue training outside of the rehearsal process and performing in support of other not-for-profit institutions.  The Sol Troupe regularly performs at the South Florida Renaissance Fair and Gumbo Limbo’s annual Sea Turtle Day.  The Troupe was recently seen at the Delray Public Library’s Centennial Community Day Celebration and the Relay for Life at Quiet Waters Park.

Producing theater that adults as well as children can enjoy, Sol looks forward to its next production, “Nevermore,” which will be performed June 14th through 16th, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Sol Children Theater Troupe, 3333 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton.

561-447-8829; www.solchildren.org

 

Rosalie Grant, artistic director

SOL CHILDREN THEATRE

561-447-8829
solchildtroupe@aol.com

www.solchildren.org

facebook.com/SolChildrenTheatreTroupe

http://www.youtube.com/user/SolChildren

 

Sol Children Theatre presents

Nevermore a musical

June 14 – 16

Fri. & Sat. 7pm;  Sat. & Sun. 2pm

3333 N. Federal Highway

Boca Raton, FL 33431

561-447-8829              solchildtroupe@aol.com

 

Take a dark, mysterious, musical journey into the heart and soul of Edgar Allan Poe, America’s first truly visionary poet.  This story of love, personal demons and self-discovery delves into the mind of Poe with disturbing yet relatable charm.  Poe’s poetry is transformed into soaring musical numbers creating a timeline that lures the audience into his world.

Tickets $12 & $8 juniors and can be purchased by visiting website:  www.solchildren.org

 

Florida Premiere of Semi-biographical Musical based on the Life of Edgar Allan Poe, Soon to be Unveiled

Cue the spooky music!  Sol Children Theatre will shortly be producing “Nevermore,” a one-act musical based on the life and work of literary great, Edgar Allan Poe.  The show is based on Poe’s short stories and poetry; the plot that drives the suspense derives from Poe’s shifting obsession with the women in his life.  With hauntingly beautiful melodies, “Nevermore” breathes new life into Poe’s work and explores a twisted true-life tale that is as bizarre as his classic stories of the macabre.

The genesis of “Nevermore” was composer Matt Conner’s purchase of a $5 anthology of Poe’s works.  Conner was initially inspired by a little-known poem, “Dreams,” in the very back of the book.  He recounts, “The poetry, filled with meter, rhythm, and percussion drove me to unlock the mysterious, obsessive life of a soon-to-be lyricist already one hundred and fifty years deceased.  Even Poe himself, panned for his ‘musicality’ as a writer, felt that true beauty was the combination of music and poetry.”

Matt Conner is a composer and actor in the Washington, D.C. area.  He has recently been commissioned by Signature Theatre to create a new work based on the Underground Railroad.  “Nevermore” originated with Signature Theater in 2006; since then, the show has been performed by seventeen theatre companies in the United States, Canada, and England.  From Urban Arts Productions in Victoria to Webster University’s Conservatory of Theater Arts in St. Louis to the Kensington Arts Theatre in the U.K., “Nevermore” has been welcomed and Matt Conner lauded as a bright new voice in musical theater.  The original production at Signature garnered praise from The Washington Post, whose staff writer Peter Marks described it as an “entrancing new musical” and “a dreamscape of a musical set in a writer’s fugue state”:

“The Poe of Nevermore is himself a haunted object.  What the creative team of Conner, [director] Schaeffer, and book writer Grace Barnes conceive is a free-floating, psychological postmortem of the man as revealed through his powerfully sensual relationships with words and, just as vitally, with women.”

The upcoming Florida production will be produced by Sol Children Theatre, the dream child of veteran director Rosalie Grant.  Grant’s desire to create a highly professional children’s theater with sustainable and supportive training for young people led her to found Sol Children Theater, a non-profit theater organization that thrives on service to its community.  The “troupe,” veterans of previous productions at Sol, are teen actors committed to meeting regularly to continue training outside of the rehearsal process and performing in support of other not-for-profit institutions.  The Sol Troupe regularly performs at the South Florida Renaissance Fair and Gumbo Limbo’s annual Sea Turtle Day.  The Troupe was recently seen at the Delray Public Library’s Centennial Community Day Celebration and the Relay for Life at Quiet Waters Park.

Producing theater that adults as well as children can enjoy, Sol looks forward to its next production, “Nevermore,” which will be performed June 14th through 16th, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Sol Children Theater Troupe, 3333 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton.

561-447-8829; www.solchildren.org

 

January Jones welcomes Humorist Sporty King!

January Jones welcomes Humorist Sporty King on Tuesday, May 7th at 9 pm ET!

How To Be Ugly!

Discussing Success, Toastmasters and The Yellow Ribbon Program!

Sporty King 5:4 hoto

Sporty King, ACS, CL has spoken with domestic and international audiences, sharing his passion for Life, Leadership, and Literacy. He is an award winning professional speaker, author and TV personality who delivers inspirational, practical, usable techniques to apply in your daily life. Thus he works with people who want to help others feel good about themselves and their contribution to the bottom line. Imagine sharing that message with your students, parents, conference and meeting attendees. 


Jack-of-all-trades…master of none? Not really.
                                    Which life would you say doesn’t affect yours?

Sporty’s signature keynote speech, “How To Be UGLY” (Unique, Gifted, Lovable You), delights and enlightens audiences of all ages, ethnicities and genders. View it on the Video Links page. Best used as a keynote-plus-concurrent session speaker, it is his passion for manipulating the English language that brings magic to his words… a magic that makes him the ideal person to deliver your winning message. Also consider using Sporty as M.C. (L.) * (
Master of Ceremonies, Creativity & Listening: one who listens intently to delight your audience with the connecting points throughout your program.) Thus his moniker,The Master of Listening.

Recently finishing as Division Champion, while competing for the 2011 World Champion of Public Speaking, he is an accomplished member of Toastmasters International, having earned the designations ACS, CL (Advanced Communicator Silver, Competent Leader); and is a member of the 1996 Toastmasters Hall of Fame, having finished as one of the Top 9 speakers in the world at the International Speech Contest.

Among King’s media appearances are the Chicago Tribune; ABC/TV’s “Someone You Should Know” news segment with Harry Porterfield; and weekly on WGN/TV’s nationally syndicated Minority Business Report, delivering inspirational messages about business and life.

Sporty is a native of Harlem, in New York City. He started writing poetry in 1969 to combat homesickness. Having won an ABC (A Better Chance) Scholarship, he went away to private high school (in Massachusetts). During his first year he was one of seven blacks in a student population of 200+… second year 1 of 5… 3rd year 1 of 3…. His poetry started out somewhat militant, but with an introspective base of seeking to understand [rather than perpetuate].

King began his 18-year career at The Wall Street Journal in January of 1975 as a messenger. While at the Journal, he began sharing his poetry at the department Christmas party. Sporty wrote poetry that would get each person in the department’s name into the poem. It became the highlight of the party, and heads of other departments began seeking invitation to his department’s party. Eventually, more  departments merged their party, and people vied for position in Sporty’s poem. One year the poem got up to 70  names, 10 pages…. He served his final 6 years at the Journal as Midwest Region Classified Advertising Sales Manager, before retiring to pursue his oratorical gift.

As a Chicago Public Schools registered vendor and ISBE Certified provider for CEU/CPDU credits, Sporty was consistently on the program at the Chicago Archdiocese of Chicago’s Young Adult Ministry seminar; Poetry Instructor at Harvey APC After-school Mentor Program; and Young Authors’ Club Coordinator at Ella Flagg Young Elementary School. He is a former Bolingbrook Community League basketball coach and referee; Adjunct Professor at Kennedy-King College; former Artist-In-Residence at Purdue University; former Public Speaking instructor at Harold Washington College and Prologue Alternative High School; Past Board President and member at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boys & Girls Club; and Board President at WYTEC (Westside Youth Technical Entrepreneur Center). All places where he enjoyed a hands-on influence in the lives of young people.

That influence is fueled by Sporty’s belief that we touch children’s lives by re-educating and refreshing adults. Thus his message is well received with parents and auxiliary organizations as well. He credits his 1994-2010 monthly sessions with ”Seasoned” Citizens at Chicago Department on Aging Centers as keys to his ability to increase communication between generations.

In July 2010 he relocated to Charlotte, NC and has continued sharing his gift for saving lives through his contract with the Urban League of the Central Carolinas, facilitating a Life Skills Training Program.

In January 2011 he began working with the Cadre of Speakers… facilitators available to Military Service Members through the Yellow Ribbon Program (YRP). YRP weekends serve pre, during and post deployment Service Members and their families to keep their bond strong as they keep America strong. Seminars are scheduled for the families and are held in multiple locations every weekend throughout the country. Sporty received his first Command Coin for Excellence from the 181st Infantry Regiment.

An expert on personal success, the impact of words in our lives, and turning any negative into a positive, Sporty is the author of 6 books: “I Found Out I’m Dying: A Celebration of Life” … a ‘story’ in poetry that reminds us to be comfortable with the decisions we make in enjoying life to the fullest; “Do You Have Any Idea… How Fine You Are?” … a poetic tribute to God’s greatest gift to, and source of mankind –Woman; “StartingToday…” weekly affirmations for daily living; and “Your Name Came To Mind” … the sequel to “I Found Out…”reminding readers to be comfortable with spiritual growth; “Morning… Noon… & Night…” is a collection of inspirational quotes sure to give you memorable lessons that you can apply and share in your daily dealing with destiny; and his most recent book, “a poet in every PrOphET” is an inspirational story in poetry about the connection between Sporty’s gift and vision….

Eating Green & Clean for a Vibrant Mind & Body, TODAY, 6pm ET

KateGeaganwithGreen

Green Clean Cuisine. What’s that?  It’s your ticket to being healthy, trim and full of energy.  It’s our planet’s hope for a healthy balanced environment.  It is the insurance for our children’s bright future.  In this case, “green” means more than eating lettuce, broccoli and Granny Smith apples.  Choosing fresh food from local markets and moving animal products to the side dish are just a couple of the “To Do” steps you can take to ditch the typical unhealthy fattening exhausting American diet.

America’s Green Nutritionist, media personality Kate Geagan, RD will make eating green sound easy and irresistible.  As she says, “Change your diet, change the planet, and feel fabulous!” Don’t miss meeting this author of Go Green, Get Lean. Join in the fun as Co-Hosts, the Nutrition Babes, Kathy Siegel RD and Lauren Harris-Pincus RD, and I interview Kate.  Get ready to hear phrases like “Bliss Point, Sweet Spot, Sweepers, Bitterness Tipping Point and Personal Palate.” Get ready for mouth-watering recipes!

Come into our Family Food Experts Kitchen on Wed. April 10th, 6pm ET, www.W4WN.com. Listen in while you are busy preparing or already enjoying your dinner. See you then!

… for the health of your family,
ellen (host)
www.KidKritics.com
www.Family Food Experts.com

P.S. If you miss us live, listen on Thursday, 1pm ET, on www.W4WN.com or www.W4CY.com.