2nd Book and Play Choice

Thanks for attending our first official book discussion. A big thank you to April Ramsey who lead the discussion. It was so engaging and loved that everyone participated. We put to vote our next book which will be:
"Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons. When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons. When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

And for our next PLAY we have decided to see:

"All the world's a stage," says Shakespeare, and of all his plays, this one has it all: love, betrayal, forgiveness, earthy clowns, soaring philosophy, captivating music, some of the most beautiful poetry ever written...and perhaps the most famous ever on-stage wrestling match. This is Shakespeare at his dramatic and poetic best; come discover your part in a play. Apr. 16 through May 23

*Illustration and synopsis provided by Hale Center Theatre

Here are the dates we are thinking of attending the play as a group: April 13, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30

Our First Book Read and Play

BOOK:
On January 15th we had our first official SSBPAC meeting. We want to thank all of those who came, helped, and participated. It was a really fun night! We are so pleased to announce that we will be reading What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy by Gregory Maguire. And will be meeting again on Thursday March 12th, 2009 @ 7PM at Little Scholars Avondale Academy for the very first book discussion. April Ramsey will be hosting the discussion. It will be a pot-luck and we are asking that you bring a food or beverage to share themed around the book.
Here is what the book looks like and the synopsis is written below.

A terrible storm is raging, and ten-year-old Dinah is huddled by candlelight with her brother, sister, and cousin Gage, who is telling a very unusual tale. It’s the story of What-the-Dickens, a newly hatched orphan creature who finds he has an attraction to teeth, a crush on a cat named McCavity, and a penchant for getting into trouble. One day he happens upon a feisty girl skibberee who is working as an Agent of Change — trading coins for teeth — and learns that there is a dutiful tribe of skibbereen (call them tooth fairies) to which he hopes to belong. As his tale of discovery unfolds, however, both What-the- Dickens and Dinah come to see that the world is both richer and less sure than they ever imagined.

PLAY:
We will be attending Pirates of Penzance on Monday February 9th, 2009. Those of you who are interested in attending with us as a group need to RSVP with us by February 2nd, 2009 @ saratogaspringsbpac@gmail.com. The reason is so we can call the Playhouse and have them reserve the tickets/seating for us in advance. Ticket are $6.00 per person.

In The Pirates of Penzance, Frederic was as a child apprenticed to a band of tenderhearted, orphaned pirates by his nurse who, being hard of hearing, had mistaken her master's instructions to apprentice the boy to a pilot. Frederic, upon completing his 21st year, rejoices that he has fulfilled his indentures and is now free to return to respectable society. But it turns out that he was born on February 29 in leap year, and he remains apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday. By the end of the opera, the pirates, a Major General who knows nothing of military strategy, his large family of beautiful but unwed daugters, and the timid constabulary all contribute to a cacophony that can be silenced only by Queen Victoria's name.

Synopsis taken from Gilbert and Sullivan Archive: http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/pirates/html/index.html

Book Club Meeting
When: March 12th, 2009
Time: 7-9 PM
Where: Avondale Academy 1417 S. LakeView Terrace Rd.Saratoga Springs, UT

February Play

The Valley Center Playhouse of Lindon, UT presents:Illustration borrowed from Runway Stage Productions.

Opens: January 23 through March 2, 2009

Performances: Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays

Time: 7:30 PM, Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are available at the door until 7:30 p.m. on performance nights.

Location: 780 North 200 East in Lindon.

Ticket Prices: $6 regular admission, $5 for students, children and seniors, and $25 per family. $5 group rates are available for groups of 20 people or more.