MUSIC AT THE MEADOWS
Roy Sutton

Hallelujah, she's back! After three successful seasons with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival from 2005 through 2007, Greta Oglesby went home to Minneapolis where her husband is a minister. She continued her amazing acting career there, highlighted by playing the lead in Tony Kushner's "Caroline, or Change" at the Guthrie Theater. Greta's many appearances during the past two years in the Midwest are too numerous to list here. Her performance in "Caroline, or Change" was so impressive that she was invited to the Lincoln Center in New York this past March to sing the pivotal song from that musical as part of a tribute concert for its composer, Jeanine Tesori. The reviewer for the New York Times, Stephen Holden, singled out that number by writing that it was "magnificently sung and acted by Greta Oglesby." That's no surprise to those of us who have seen and heard her. As many of you know, she's back with OSF this year performing in "Hamlet" and "She Loves Me." In past seasons with OSF, Greta thrilled audiences portraying Ma Rainey in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and Aunt Ester in "Gem of The Ocean."

Greta has graciously accepted an invitation to give another concert here at Mountain Meadows, the venue for her first public performance in Ashland - in 2006. She will be here on Wednesday, August 25, at 4:00 p.m. in the Mt. Ashland Room. Her accompanist will be the wonderful Darcy Danielson, the music director for OSF's "She Loves Me." Darcy accompanied Sarah Jane Nelson here last month, so please see the July Mountain Meadows News to read about her background.

Greta will sing Broadway tunes and other popular songs here, but not gospel. Don't despair, though, because she will be performing two concerts at OSF's Black Swan Theatre just a few days later-Sunday, August 29, at 2:00 p.m. and Monday, August 30, at 7:00 p.m.-and the first half of each of those concerts will be all gospel!

 

KUDOS FOR THE MAY SPRING CONCERT
Sarah

The recent Meadowlarks' concert presented on May 12 in the Mt. Ashland room was a superb affair. Kudos to Harriet Berman, director, and all 22 members of the Meadowlark Choir for giving a capacity crowd of residents a sprightly and varied program of new and familiar pieces which had their audience toe-tapping in time to the music and responding with thunderous applause. The ten songs which the choir sang were not only very melodious, but also made some members of the audience nod their heads to the beat.

At the start of the concert, Harriet Berman explained how hard it had been to gather all her singers for rehearsals. "People travel, they have doctors' appointments, all kinds of other commitments, so this is our last concert until the December holidays." She then suggested that residents who were celebrating special occasions could call on a few members of the choir to entertain for them.

Special guest, Jacqueline Rosen, a professional flautist, added a sparkle to the afternoon when she performed a piece by Gluck and another by Bach. And our own jazz pianist, Alan Berman, gave us a Mitch Miller melody, "It's So Peaceful in the Country" and the easy-going tune, "Give Me the Simple Life" by Harry Ruby and Rube Bloom.

The concert concluded to enthusiastic applause and presentation of fresh flower bouquets to director, Harriet Berman and to June Holmes, the piano accompanist.

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Photo by resident Hawk Starky