Behind Beale Street Theater Mural.

 This mural is interesting and very colorful.  It is on the back of the Beale Street Theater, on Third between Beale and Andy Devine.  On the corner of Andy Devine and third there is an informational bulletin about the completing of the mural.  Kirk Seese is the artist.  The ramp goes to a back door to the stage of the theater.  I am not sure what it represents either than a sunrise.  It is very colorful.

Beale Street Theater Ten Year anniversary and the New Theater

 The Beale Street Theater has finally been done but fund raising goes on for lights and other improvements.  But they are performing shows there now.  Annie was performed in the theater and every week the is something going on.  It is also ten years since Beale Street Theater became a thing.  Matt Hecht provided the M.C.  He interviewed Sara Peterson who was instrumental in getting the start, and found the old movie theater which has now been converted to the theater.  He also interviewed Kristie Michelson who is the executive director at Kingman Center for the Arts.  During the evening he also interview the directors of many of the shows.  

The night presented acts from many of the historical shows.  Grease they presented "One Last Kiss."  It is very catchy and I have driven my wife crazy singing it.  From Sound of Music they had "Climb Every Mountain."  From Elf they performed "Sparklejollytwinklejingley."  From Cinderella I really enjoyed "Stepsister's Lament" performed by two friends.  And of course from Annie "Tomorrow."  This was the last song and the audience sang as well.  

I performed in three musicals with Beale Street, and they were all represented.  Frome Fiddler on the Roof they performed the "Matchmaker" song.  From Music Man the ladies performed "Pick a Little Talk a Little" the gossip song.  I found myself humming (singing softly) "Goodnight Ladies" which I sang in the musical with the quartet.  From Scarlet Pimpernell the sand "The Riddle". This is a trio and also had three persons dancing as they struggle to find their place.  I had never seen this audience side and it was great.  

My pictures focused on taking pictures of the venue.  It was a fun afternoon (I attended the matinee).  It was good to see old friends.

Andy Divine

Farewell Kingman

A couple months ago we moved from Kingman to Nebraska where we are living closer to our daughter, her husband and five grand babies.  In Kingman we had no family.  I was a long trip to get to see family in whatever direction, California, Washington, Nebraska, Utah or Indiana. 

There are things I will sorely miss.

Beale Street Theater.  While living in Kingman I was in three shows, and saw many more.  I was in Scarlett Pimpernell, Fiddler on the Roof and The Music Man.

Bi stake choir.  I sang every year in the bi stake choir.  This included an annual community Christmas concert in Manteca and an annual Easter concert in Bullhead.

Hylapai Strings concert was excellent.  This is a group spearheaded by Sister Bronwynn Swigert.

The Beale Street Theater Ghost Walk is an annual highlight around Halloween.  Different actors would represent differing ghosts and ghost stories around Kingman.  Of particular mention are the Moaning ghost, the red camel ghost, Jai Jolley the camel master, the ghost whose head was pulled off while being hanged for murdering his girlfriend.  He was buried where Lee Williams High School is now and haunts the school.  

Working in the Las Vegas Temple.  For a time as the baptistry coordinator.

Studying local history.  The Army Air gunnery school is fascinating. the history with the railroad, the history of Andy Divine, The Bonelli family.  The Hualapai Tribe, and the Mohave Tribe and their histories and the establishment of a reservation at Fort Beale, and Olive Oatman.  And abandoned houses which were never completed east of town on the 93.

I also loved exploring downtown Kingman.  This includes the White Cliffs hikes and to a lesser extent the Monolith hikes.

Desert Willow Ward Primary.

Exploring east of Kingman in the side by side.

Having friends over for dinner, including the missionaries.

Taking family to the alpaca farm.

Keepers of the Wild wildlife sanctuary.

On the other hand I will not miss the wind, and the heat, the dust and the lack of shopping opportunities.  J.C. Penny left soon after we moved in.

 The movie theater was run down and not open but Friday to Monday.  

Two hours to the temple was a bit much; even though the drive was nice.

Welcome to Kingman: Review of Beale Theater's: A Trip Down Story Book Lane

 

This unique theatric performance did not set itself up on a stage; instead their were five stops where different actors presented, as well as a host and the Mad Hatter serving cookies and lemonade.  The first two presentations were presented in the lobby of the Beale Street theater which is undergoing renovation.  The first presented the story of Rapunzel.  This I think was the hardest with having to portray climbing Rapunzel's hair.  Then we moved to a dual performance of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.  This is the set pictured.  It had Aurora and Cinderella as pen pals, each telling their story.  It was generally well done.  My only complaints are that the Stepmother and Step sisters were too loud; and that it ended rather abruptly.  

Then we moved to Shipwrecked.  This was presented in a vacant lot about a half hour from the theater. The story revolved around four sharks scheming about how to get each of themselves a shipwreck because they could not share one.  It also presented facts about sharks.

Then in another vacant lot we had Robin Hood.  In this case he was against a queen who enjoyed taxing people and Robing Hood was trying to rescue the money for the people and the friar.

At Locomotive Park we watched Peter Pan in three scenes.  Here we were presented a musical number about kids refusing to grow up.  We meet Captain Hook in the final scene.  Hook, Wendy and Peter Pan were the highlights of the entire show.

Well done overall.  My complaints were a lack of male actors, and older actors.  The play continues the next two Saturdays, starting at three with performances every half hour until six.  Due to covid each performance is limited as to the number of attendees.  The performance runs for about 45 minutes.