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Interesting Incarceration: Desert Rose's 'Women Behind Bars' Is a Profane, Irreverent and Perfectly Cast RompJune 23 2018
Believe it or not, I have 10 years of experience with female incarceration! Yes, me!
OK … it was as a weekly volunteer at the Riverside County Jail in Indio. But still …
For most of us, there is something fascinating about the behind-locked-doors aspect of prisons, as many movies and TV shows have found. Think Papillon, Birdman of Alcatraz, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Cool Hand Luke, Orange Is the New Black, etc. But theater about women's prisons? There's not much.
So it was interesting that Desert Rose Playhouse producer Paul Taylor would choose Women Behind Bars as the company's season closer. It is advertised as a satire of the B movies of the 1950s. They are now sometimes considered "exploitation" films, but here, it is the simple story of the innocent Mary Eleanor, who has been duped into taking the fall for a crime and who lands in the Greenwich Village House of Detention in 1952.
If you are the kind of person who likes getting offended, and who enjoys being all bent out of shape when faced with four-letter words, bizarre sexual situations and some very strange people, then run, do not walk, to see this play. You'll have the most wonderful time. For those who do have a sense of humor and will relish the exquisite timing, over-the-top melodrama and hilarious stereotypes, you will also have a wonderful time. The equal-opportunity offenses include racial epithets, abuse of all kinds, extreme cussing and vicious power struggles. So enjoy! (The program puts it more pleasantly: "Recommended for mature audiences due to language, adult situations and sexual content.")
Playwright Tom Eyen has crafted this 90-minute (no intermission!) work as a fast-paced trip through the 1950s, ending on the New Year's Eve that brings in 1960. The play has earned great success, running "somewhere" since 1974, continuously, including New York and Los Angeles.
The tiny stage and the enormous cast, under the directorial expertise of Jim Strait and Robbie Wayne, serve as a textbook example of clever stage blocking. They combine to convey the sense of claustrophobic communal living. The credits run on the back wall, just like a black-and-white movie (the '50s, get it?), as the show opens. The scenery, by Toby Griffin, is all basic gray gray gray—a plain rocking chair and blocky benches. Costume designer Jennifer Stowe made the girls' prison dresses all grey. However, the ladies accessorize with high heels of all kinds—and jewelry! Also, Toni Molano's wigs provide individualization so each character stands out. Needless to say, Phil Murphy's lighting as always creates flawless mood and scene changes. Stage manager Ben Cole wrangles the mob efficiently--and working the props in this play is no small feat, either, as you will come to appreciate, with some peculiar additions from the barnyard and the nursery.
You meet the cellmates right at the start of the show, when they are ordered to line up and identify themselves, their booking number and their crime. Here is the entire 11-member cast, alphabetically by surname:
Francesca Amari plays Ada, a complex character long departed from reality. Her basic sweetness peeks through her winged alternate life, in a multi-layered portrayal that you will not forget.
Miguel Arballo plays multiple roles, from a psychiatrist to a dream lover (nude scene alert!) to a dumb husband. His portrayals are always solid.
Melanie Blue is Guadalupe, a Puerto Rican, played with a convincing accent and attitude. She beautifully imbues her character with passion, vanity and tragedy.
Ruth Braun plays Louise, the servile matron's assistant who grows up to surprise us with a huge turnaround arc that takes her from cringing slave to triumph.
Kimberly Cole is Jo-Jo, the only black inmate, a sweet-faced girl who unflinchingly faces her attackers, and bums cigarettes with aplomb, creating a very special and sympathetic character.
Loren Freeman owns the juicy role of the dreaded matron, Pauline. He uses his extraordinary voice and lithe physique (including lots of unusual arm work) to dominate the stage just as his cruel character dominates the convicts. A heavy, in every sense.
Deborah Harmon is Blanche, an aging Southern beauty stuck in Streetcar mode in her flight from reality, but the actress shows that Blanche's mannered flutterings occasionally slip to reveal a bit of a dangerous and weird underside.
Adina Lawson devours the role of Granny, who has already lived in the big house for 42 years. This tiny, Bible-spouting creature mixes scripture with gutter language, creating shock and awe. She, too, deals us an unexpected surprise.
Phylicia Mason plays Mary Eleanor, a sweet flower tossed into prison who changes enormously as a result of incarceration and exposure to her cellmates. She carries the play's theme: Locking people up creates a whole new problem.
Kam Sisco is Cheri, a wannabe Marilyn Monroe type with amazing legs, a whispery voice and a perennial pout, all useful in her career as a Hollywood-bound hooker.
Yo Younger glitters as a hard-edged, hard-voiced chain smoker with a cynical view of life. But her tight-lipped, eye-rolling character eventually reveals a soft spot.
There is a huge amount of screaming in this play, and one worries for the throats of the cast during their six-week run. This show is among the most high-energy productions ever, with constant movement, surprises and plot twists, so it will consume your attention and provide plenty of outrageous laughs. The characters are fully realized, and the plot shakeups just keep coming. The casting is just perfect, and the mix of personalities is classic.
If this show is a hit, it'll run all summer, which has happened before at the Desert Rose Playhouse. The company's next season opens in October, with many changes taking place—as Paul Taylor and Jim Strait ease into retirement through the next year, with Robbie Wayne taking over the company. They've presented the Coachella Valley with some wonderful theater.
Women Behind Bars is a play you will remember—and hopefully it's as close as you'll ever get to landing in the hoosegow.
Women Behind Bars is performed at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, July 29, at the Desert Rose Playhouse, 69620 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage. Tickets are $34 to $37. For tickets or more information, call 760-202-3000, or visit desertroseplayhouse.org.
Dysfunction on Display: Opening-Night Unevenness Aside, Desert Rose's 'Vanya and Sonia' Is a BlastSeptember 23 2017
The Desert Rose Playhouse is kicking off its sixth season with Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Christopher Durang's witty look at lost dreams and family dysfunction. The production is almost home run … almost.
The show opens as middle-aged siblings Sonia (Adina Lawson) and Vanya (Jim Strait) bemoan their uneventful lives over a cup of coffee in their Bucks County, Penn., house. Neither has moved out of their childhood home. It's where they cared for their aging parents (now both deceased), and where they enjoy refuge from the trials and tribulations of life, subsidized by their movie-star sister, Masha (Heather Brendel). Vanya is a gay, mild-mannered, aspiring playwright, while 52-year-old Sonia (adopted into the family at age 8) is unmarried and bipolar.
Soon, their voodoo-practicing, fortune-telling cleaning lady, Cassandra (Alma Lacy), arrives, bringing with her predictions of doom and gloom. Things really get intense when Masha shows up unexpectedly, with her new young boy toy, Spike (Cody Frank), in tow.
Arrogant and demanding, Masha is tormented by the fact that her ingenue days are long gone. She needs the spotlight like the rest of us need oxygen, and must always be the center of attention. She looks down on Sonia and has little sympathy for her sister's frequent emotional outbursts. Sonia, meanwhile, resents having sacrificed years of her life caring for their late parents while Masha was jet-setting around the world.
In the midst of the bickering, Masha makes two big announcements. First, she's decided to sell the house, forcing her siblings to find more modest accommodations; second, they've all been invited to a costume party down the street. It's all been planned out, and Masha has brought costumes for everyone. She will be attending as Snow White; Spike will be the Prince; and Sonia and Vanya are relegated to the roles of dwarfs. Sonia refuses, instead stealing her sister's thunder as the Evil Queen (as interpreted by Maggie Smith).
Soon, the lovely Nina (April Mejia) is added to the mix; she's an aspiring actress who lives next door. Masha is flattered by Nina's admiration, yet angered that the young girl has captured Spike's interest.
Everyone in the cast has memorable moments in this production, but the acting is uneven at times. The amazing Adina Lawson is unquestionably the standout. Her Sonia is riveting, hilarious, pitiful, poignant and wise, all at once. She has some of the best lines in the play. While extolling the virtues of her late father, she adds, "And he never molested me," to which her brother replies "That's nice." Later, when someone suggests she could get a job at CVS, she shoots back: "I'd prefer death."
Jim Strait's Vanya seems a bit too subdued early on, but he has some great comic moments as he attempts to hide his sexual attraction to Spike. He definitely rises to the occasion in a passionate monologue near the end of the play during which he rails against the losses of his life, including black-and-white TV, and postage stamps you had to lick.
Alma Lacy's Cassandra is a real hoot. Her blustering entrance—she's clad in a billowing caftan and a curly red wig—really makes an impression. She throws herself into the voodoo sequences wholeheartedly, and makes the audience believe she really does have supernatural powers.
Heather Brendel is cast well as B-movie queen Masha. Her comedic acting chops are evident during her spats with Sonia, and her futile efforts to keep Spike from stripping down to his skivvies. Her performance seemed a bit one-note in the early scenes, but the character became fleshed out later on. Some of Brendel's best moments are as Snow White (the Disney version), a persona she really makes her own.
As vapid sex-object Spike, Cody Frank holds his own, but he could use a little more swagger. This is not the first character Frank has played which called for him to show some skin. He has the body for it and is certainly is easy on the eyes. But parading around onstage in your underwear takes a lot of self-confidence—and that is sometimes missing in this performance.
Rounding out the cast as Nina, April Mejia does a fine job. Wide-eyed and innocent, she is the quintessential sweet ingénue. She's absolutely adorable when she reluctantly appears in her dwarf costume, as mandated by the jealous Masha.
Special mention needs to be made about the sound design and exquisite original music by Mark Bennett. It adds just the right touch to the play.
Robbie Wayne wears several hats regarding the production. His set design and costumes are terrific. As the director, he elicits strong performances from most of the cast. The main problem here is pacing: Timing is everything in comedy. Perhaps it was a case of opening-night jitters, but there were occasions when you could drive a train through the pauses between the actors' lines. I think a couple of speed-read run-throughs might do the trick. There were also a couple of dead spots during costume changes, during nothing was happening onstage, that went on too long.
Despite these minor flaws, I recommend seeing Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. It's funny, sad and thought-provoking—and a good way to kick off the Coachella Valley theater season.
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is performed at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.n., Sunday, through Sunday, Oct. 15, at the Desert Rose Playhouse, 69620 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage. Tickets are $34 to $37, and the running time is two hours and 15 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission. For tickets or more information, call 760-202-3000, or visit www.desertroseplayhouse.org.
Outrageous Offerings: Desert Rose's Two Charles Busch One-Acts Are a Whole Lot of Well-Acted FunJanuary 23 2017
What actor wouldn't want to have a play called Vampire Lesbians of Sodom included on one's resume? From the moment I heard this show was coming to the Desert Rose Playhouse, the valley's LGBT theater company, I couldn't wait to see it.
Director Jim Strait and producer Paul Taylor have chosen a play with one of the longest-ever Off-Broadway runs for their annual salute to gay heritage theater. Who doesn't love a success story? This play opened with plans for just one weekend—and it turned into a five-year run! Strait informed me that he has wanted to do this play for 30 years; read on, and you'll understand why.
Written by Charles Busch, this outrageous show actually consists of two one-acts: Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and Sleeping Beauty, or Coma. (It's important to distinguish thd latter one from the "other" Sleeping Beauty, lest suburban matrons mistakenly show up at the theater door with eager 6-year-olds.)
VLOS is the story of two rival ladies, beginning in the ancient city of Sodom—which you'll remember was supposed to be, oh, you know, the most depraved city ever in the entire world. Both gals are immortal vampires who repeatedly cross paths on their 2,000-year journey, starting in Sodom at a pagan sacrifice, appearing next in Hollywood in the 1920s, and last in present-day Las Vegas.
SBOC starts off in the swingin' '60s of London. Who could forget it? Miniskirts, the Beatles, Twiggy, the Frug, bell bottoms, the Rolling Stones, Carnaby Steet, etc. This is exactly when the theatrical style of revue began. SBOC echoes its snappy style, with actors playing multiple roles, running gags, quick changes, satire, broad comedy, and snippets of song and dance. The revue style borrowed heavily from the old American vaudeville shows (and music halls in England), and its future would become TV shows like Laugh In, Benny Hill and Saturday Night Live.
Here at Desert Rose Playhouse, this cast members have been chosen for their versatility and inventiveness. Each actor works not just in both acts; Act 2 includes three separate scenes, so some actors play as many as four parts, complete with elaborate costume, wig and makeup changes. It's a demanding show! We have to mention there's nudity and a few choice vulgarities, by the way, if anyone still cares.
Phil Murphy's incomparable lighting even includes strobe lights and a "limelight" effect. (You can't imagine the number of light cues.) Steve Fisher's stage management whisks people, sets and props on and off stage with breathtaking ease. Allan Jensen's colorful rich-textured costumes are just magnificent—some are awesomely elaborate (vampires, actresses, a Vegas show star) while others are built for speedy changes—some right onstage. The fascinating wigs are masterminded by Toni Molano. Strait himself created the scenery (and he runs the lights … talk about multiple talents), and it was painted by Walter Lab. Let's also applaud Robbie Wayne's delightful choreography, sprinkled throughout the show with flair and wicked humor. Along with Paul Taylor as producer, Edward Monie is listed as the show's executive producer.
How do we describe this show? Do terms like "madcap" and "over the top" convey the wackiness? Do I tell you about the audience's gasps, spontaneous applause and belly laughs? Should we discuss the lovely "takes," the knockout legs of the actors in drag, and the amazing shoes? Where do we begin?
Let's start with the actors. The stars are Loren Freeman and Kam Sisco, two seasoned professionals who devour the stage like their vampire characters devour blood. Freeman's sensational and sonorous voice, his unequalled skill with makeup, his evident relish with his costumes (a gold dress with a popcorn trim; a delicious cerise suit with giant faux pearls)—these are hallmarks of a detail-oriented and vastly talented actor. His flawless diction is a joy—he never wastes a word. His deft performance is a must-see, and acting students could learn much from him.
Sisco's amazing legs are fantastic enough to be distracting, and the flesh-colored pantyhose in the modern-time scenes flatters him wonderfully. (Wait until you see his canary-yellow heels.) He's an actor who is right on top of every line and gesture, and his careful attention to his craft makes these roles unforgettable. He goes through so much in this show that you will be astonished by him.
Adina Lawson is the only real girl in the cast. There are so many men in drag that it feels like the stage is completely mobbed by ladies, but there's really only Lawson! Hmmm. She is tinier by about a foot of height than everyone else, but always spunky and terrier-alert. She plays a variety of roles with extreme body language and attitude.
Terry Huber is an actor of enormous variety, with a whole pocketful of regional and international accents and seasoned theatrical skills. Here, he weaves his skills through some really strange roles. Oh, and there's a shock underneath one of his outfits. Brace yourself.
Richard Marlow changes so completely in his roles that we had to sneak a look at our programs to make sure the designer Sebastian Lore was really the same person later playing King Carlisle, the Hollywood actor with a complicated persona. He brings a pleasing variety to his work.
Jacob Betts is almost unrecognizable as he switches roles from Ian McKenzie to Etienne the butler to Danny the dancer, showing his chameleonic ability to fully inhabit each part.
Steven Ciceron and John Fryer give us some smaller roles (my faves were two bitchy chorus boys), but they both inhabit their many characters with the conviction that grows out of working with a great director: Strait has pulled solid performances and impressive vocal variety out of both gentlemen.
SBOC and VLOS have to be seen to appreciate this wild ride. VLOS' strange plot is, surprisingly, beautifully and satisfyingly resolved. I won't talk about the finale, so I don't ruin it for you. So buckle up, and see it. You'll love it. The outrageous title only begins the fun in this show!
Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and Sleeping Beauty, or Coma, are performed at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Desert Rose Playhouse, 69620 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage. Tickets are $32-$35. For tickets or more information, call 760-320-2000, or visit www.desertroseplayhouse.org.
It's autumn, and again, the theater season begins. How auspicious that the beginning of our fourth season of theater reviews coincides with the opening of the fifth season of plays by the fabulously successful Desert Rose Playhouse.
With all the doom-sayers proclaiming that live theater is dead, and that newspapers are dead, we have both survived.
This year, Desert Rose's artistic director, Jim Strait, tells us that he and producer Paul Taylor are "addressing the woes of the world by doing comedy." What a great idea! Their plans for 2016-17 include The Santaland Diaries, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom with Coma, Southern Baptist Sissies and Clark Gable Slept Here. If these crazy titles are any indication, we're in for a LOT of fun this year at our desert's LGBT playhouse.
The initial offering, POZ, was written by Michael Aman. It's set in 2003 in The City (as New Yorkers proudly call it), and later on a beach in Massachussets. The play was nominated for a Carbonell Award (a theater award in Florida) last year, and this is only the third-ever production of the show. The writing is fluid and filled with echoes, and instead of being plot- or action-driven, it's a comedy-splashed investigation into the lives and relationships of some fascinating characters.
The show's open stage, specially designed by Thomas Valach, is painted by Walter Lab into a bright-red sky with fluffy white clouds. Red? It's a clue. The set is minimalist, with just a curving set of stairs, one low platform and an armchair—across which the sky and clouds are also painted. Brilliantly lit by the award-winning Phil Murphy, the set is where the actors move into a variety of settings which our imaginations can flesh out. (You will particularly love how Murphy lights the waterfront scene.) Steve Fisher's clever stage management rapidly transports us from one place to another, and the actors efficiently bus the props in and out of scenes themselves. Robbie Wayne's costumes reflect each character's special personality, and the casting is perfect.
And what personalities they are. Adina Lawson opens the play as Catherine, a sort-of-retired and stylish actress, neurotic and malcontent about everything from her aging to her out-of-order apartment building. Her edgy voice and superior attitude disguise the gentle and generous person hidden underneath, we realize as we get to know her and watch her interactions with others.
But … who's that silently watching her? Turns out he's Arthur, an angel, sweetly played by John Fryer. Ballet-trained and rehearsal-clad Arthur swirls throughout the play, strutting with the grace of a premier danseur; he eventually breaks his silence by launching into a lengthy monologue. He knows and visits all the other characters, even though they are not all are aware of his presence. (Just like the angels in our lives, perhaps.)
Edison, a 23-year-old who has been diagnosed with leukemia, is an actor/singer currently working as a waiter (of course), played by Peter Stoia. His is perhaps the most serious role, because the irony of his situation is affected by politics in every aspect of his life: In 2003, the disease was 78 percent curable, but ruinously expensive to treat. His youth and apparent inexperience provide a contrast to the other characters—but he shocks us with unexpected and disturbing cunning that we just don't see coming.
The role of Robert, a cynical and weary 50-year-old lawyer (yes, there are a couple of good lawyer jokes), is performed by Richard Marlow. Self-consciously determined to keep up with technology and the times, he can't help reminiscing about the Olden Days of the '70s, '80s and '90s. He struggles to find an elusive relationship, yet sabotages his chances by keeping everyone at arm's length—only partly because he is HIV-positive.
Lorraine Williamson is a breath of fresh air as Maia, a lesbian psychic. (How often do we hear those two words together?) She fills the stage with her garish, outrageous outfits and larger-than-life personality, but we can peek behind the facade to see her hidden pain. She gives us a multi-layered performance, which is especially notable in her musically voiced monologue.
Her ex-husband, Oscar, is played by Terry Huber, who has thrown caution to the winds with this performance. Here, he's an over-the-top old-school queen who loves to dish, but who becomes suddenly vulnerable and uncertain when he struggles to resolve his relationship with his father. Huber never disappoints, and he's delightful here, relishing his chance to deliver some of the best lines in the play. He shows us how even the most outrageous of us have to sometimes face the horrors of reality.
All these characters know each other and affect each other's lives. The complexity builds through the play; my favorite scene is probably the one in the disco bar. (You'll love the lighting!) The monologues are shot through with references to the life and times—what was popular on TV, what was legal and wasn't, what was new back then, and the shock of being reminded of Sept. 11. There's plenty about ghosts, Arthur included, and a thread of mystery running through the play. Death is always lurking, which increases the intensity of comedy through the contrast. Historically, 2003 was a different time, and it's interesting to be jolted back to there.
The audience visibly warmed during this show. Perhaps we'd like to see a little more passion in the love story, but the characters are unforgettable, regardless. Jim Strait's blocking is flawless—nobody knows how to use a space like he can—and the timing is excellent. The plot definitely takes a back seat to the characterizations, and the story is simply the stories of the lives of these people at this time. Are their memories the same as ours? It's an interesting reality check; after all, we are never aware of change while it's happening.
The year 2003 feels like a long time ago … that is, it did until I saw this play.
Poz is performed at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Desert Rose Playhouse, located at 69620 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. Tickets are $32 to $35. For tickets or more information, call 760-202-3000, or visit desertroseplayhouse.org.
A Little Playhouse Wows With a Huge Play: Don't Miss Desert Rose's Stunningly Good 'Angels in America, Part One'January 17 2016
It's a very good thing that the latest production by Desert Rose Playhouse, Tony Kushner's Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches, has settled in for a six-week run. That gives a large percentage of valley theater-lovers the chance to see it.
And they should.
The play, which won a Tony, a Drama Desk Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1993, is an ambitious undertaking. The only way to do Kushner's powerful script justice is with amazing acting—and director Jim Strait's cast delivers.
The story is set in 1985. Ronald Reagan is president, and AIDS has begun ravaging the gay population. We meet two couples: Prior Walter (Nick Edwards), who is battling the disease, and his lover, Louis Ironson (Daniel Gutierrez); and Joe Porter Pitt (Alex Updike), a devout Mormon lawyer in denial about his homosexuality, and his unstable, Valium-addicted wife, Harper (Allison Feist).
Joe has gone to work for gruff, conservative Roy Cohn (Eliott Goretsky), who is also closeted and battling AIDS, but refuses to accept the diagnosis. Cohn believes gay men are weak and powerless; he refers to his illness as cancer instead. Meanwhile, Louis cannot handle the realities of the disease, and cruelly abandons Prior when the first Kaposi's sarcoma lesions appear.
Interfacing with both patients is AIDS hospital-ward nurse Belize (the superb Robert Ramirez). Doing double duty as the fur-coat-wearing Mr. Lies, Ramirez is caring, campy, hilarious and viciously witty all at the same time.
When Joe finally comes out of the closet, his mother, Hannah (Adina Lawson), travels from Salt Lake City to try to push him back in.
Director Jim Strait (who also designed the set, sound and projections) brings out the best in each member of his stellar cast. Each actor is a standout.
Nick Edwards rips your heart out as the dying Prior. His depiction of what AIDS does to the body is wrenching. This is an award-winning performance. As his Jewish lover, Louis, Daniel Gutierrez ably portrays a mix of guilt and callousness. His performance occasionally seemed to lack just a bit of energy, but that may have been an artistic choice for the character.
Goretsky's Roy Cohn (based on the real political figure) is fabulous: dark, cynical, condescending and yet charismatic as he spews profanity at clients and barks orders at underlings over the phone. Just as strong is Alex Updike as the conflicted Joe. Talk about issues: He has the ultimate glass-half-empty guy, Roy Cohn, for a boss; a pill-popping, delusional wife; and a sexual attraction to men that he refuses to acknowledge. Updike's emotional pain is palpable.
As Joe's beleaguered wife, Harper, Allison Feist is impressive. I've seen this young actress in a number of productions now, and she never disappoints. She's got a long career ahead of her.
Loren Freeman—a standout in the recent A Queer Carol—is terrific here as well in several cameos (The Angel, Nurse, Sister Ella Chapter, A Homeless Woman in the Bronx). He exudes presence, which is something you cannot teach.
Rounding out the cast is the amazingly versatile Adina Lawson. She also plays multiple parts, hitting each one out of the ballpark. Unrecognizable as a rabbi in the show's opening, she is also notable as the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg, a woman executed for being a Soviet spy. I can't help but grin each time I go to a show and see her name in the program; I know the audience is in for a treat.
This play is challenging technically, and Desert Rose rises to the occasion. There are lots of quick scene changes, and they are executed quite well. Phil Murphy should take a bow for his prism lightning design during those changes; it is beautiful and quite effective. Designer Tom Valach creates just the right dramatic tone with the angel costume, and the other costumes, hair and makeup are spot on.
The Desert Rose Playhouse is producing Angels in America as its annual Gay Heritage Production. Desert Rose is the Coachella Valley's only LGBT and gay-positive stage company, and most everything the playhouse does is edgy and often pushes the envelope. So be warned: This show does contain brief full frontal nudity and a fairly graphic depiction of gay sex. Also keep in mind the show is 3 1/2 hours long—although the time whizzes by.
This play is not for the faint of heart; it touches on love, sex, death, betrayal, greed, bigotry, addiction and the afterlife. It will shake you to your core—and might make you look at what you're doing with the time you have left on this Earth.
It's damn good theater. Don't miss it.
Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches is performed at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, Feb. 21, at the Desert Rose Playhouse, 69620 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage. Evening tickets are $33; matinee tickets are $30. Running time is 3 1/2 hours, with two 10-minute intermissions. For tickets or more information, call 760-202-3000, or visit www.desertroseplayhouse.org.
If you're one of those poor souls carrying resentment about mistreatment by nuns in Catholic school—or if you just need a few good belly laughs—get to the Desert Rose Playhouse, pronto.
The Divine Sister, produced by Paul Taylor, may just be your salvation.
The play was originally conceived by actor, writer and longtime female impersonator Charles Busch as a star vehicle for himself. Known for his off-Broadway play Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and the Broadway hit The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Busch once said, "Drag is being more, more than you can be."
The Divine Sister is a demented tribute to films featuring nuns, from The Sound of Music to Agnes of God. The story unfolds at St. Veronica's Convent and grade school in Pittsburgh. Mother Superior (Jim Strait) has many issues to deal with, including the fact that the school building is falling down. She's dealing with a young postulate named Agnes (of course), who believes she has magical healing powers and that the Virgin Mary speaks directly to her; Timothy, a young boy in desperate need of baseball coaching who doesn't yet realize he's gay; and a newly arrived German nun who may not be all that she seems.
Throw in devout atheist Mrs. Levinson, who could fund a new school if she were so inclined, and a man from Mother Superior's crime-reporting past who is still pining for her, and you can understand the need for a few extra prayers.
Strait, who also serves as Desert Rose's artistic director, is tremendous here. Though The Divine Sister is an ensemble piece, Strait is the captain of the ship, and he skillfully leads his cast through this irreverent romp. He's strong actor and a charismatic presence who seems very comfortable in drag—but his physical size and voice remind us that there's some testosterone in the mix as well. Sporting a long, curly wig and heels, Strait's first appearance as girl reporter Susan Appleyard gets a huge laugh. Strait seems to be having as much fun as the audience is, which really enhances the theater-going experience.
Allison Feist is perfectly cast as innocent Agnes, who truly believes she's been specially chosen by God. She exudes both the religious fervor of Meg Tilly in Agnes of God and the girlish mischievousness of Julie Andrews in The Sounds of Music. The physical gyrations she goes through while "healing" others are laugh-out-loud funny. Keep an eye on Feist; she has a bright future ahead of her.
As Sister Acacius, Lorraine Williamson knocks the role out of the park. Big, bold and brassy, she shows off animated facial expressions and perfect comic timing that remind me of a combination of Jo Anne Worley and Lucille Ball. Sister Acacius has a lusty past, and her vow of celibacy sometimes seems to waiver. When handsome movie consultant Jeremy (the fabulous Timm McBride) begins describing his impressive manhood in great detail, Williamson's efforts not to drool are precious.
Adina Lawson delivers an award-worthy performance as smug, privileged Mrs. Levinson. Early in the show, two nuns visit her in an effort to secure funds to build a new school. Mrs. Levinson explains her devout atheism while describing agnostics as "wishy-washy fools afraid to take an intelligent stand. Give me religious zealots. At least you can depend on their stupidity." Later, while sharing memories of her late husband Morris (including sea creatures during a visit to Crete, and his fatal heart attack), Levinson peppers her stories with hilarious Vogue magazine-esque descriptions of what she was wearing. Her turn as 12-year-old Timothy is equally impressive. Lawson is a pro—she totally embodies each character and is clearly having a blast on stage.
The always-interesting Alden West is quite good as the mysterious German nun, Sister Maria Walburga. Like pretty much everyone else in the play, her character has secrets—including a randy side. Walburga's not-so-subtle invitation to Sister Acacius to have a sexual threesome with another nun is a hoot. West manages to maintain distinctly different (and believable) accents as both Berlin native Sister Walburga and, later, as a Scottish housekeeper. Any actor will tell you that to accomplish such a thing within the same play is not an easy feat.
As both Jeremy (the well-endowed film consultant hunting for a good story) and sinister monk Brother Venerius, Timm McBride is excellent. Having each actor play two roles in a production doesn't always work, but it does here—beautifully. There is not a single weak performance here.
Director J. Stegar Thompson gets the best out of his strong cast. He keeps the pace going, which keeps the laughs flowing. I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future. Thomas L. Valach's set and Phil Murphy's lighting provide just the right mood, as does Thompson's sound. In a show with so much cross-dressing and actors playing dual roles, costumes (Kathryn Ferguson) and wigs (Toni Molano and Timm McBride) are crucial. All are spot on. Stage manager Steve Fisher deserves a nod as well.
This terrific show did suffer through a couple of glitches on opening night. There was a stumble right out of the gate with sound cues. After a delightful recorded welcome to the show from playwright Charles Busch, opening music began … then abruptly stopped. Then we heard a repeat of Busch's welcome … which also abruptly stopped. Then there was the music again … which stopped. Finally, the music began in earnest, and the play got underway. The performances were so good that the audience soon forgot about the sound snafu, but it was an unfortunate way to start the night. Another big goof: Toward the end of the show, there was a premature entrance by an actor during a very dramatic moment in the script.
No matter what your religious affiliation, you will enjoy Desert Rose Playhouse's production of The Divine Sister. It's funny; it's raucous; and it's one hell of an entertaining evening.
The Divine Sister is performed at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, March 29, at the Desert Rose Playhouse, 69620 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage. Tickets are $28-$30. For tickets or more information, call, 760-202-3000, or visit www.desertroseplayhouse.org.
'Lost' Indeed: Desert Theatreworks' 'Yonkers' Lacks the Polish, Passion Usually Displayed by the CompanyJanuary 18 2015
We're confused—not because we're Lost in Yonkers, but because of all the questions that are raised by this production of this show.
Have we come to expect too much from Desert Theatreworks? Has the quality of its other productions led us to anticipate an impossible-to-achieve consistency? With all the projects DTW has going, has the company spread itself too thin to give sufficient time and effort to this show? While there are laughs aplenty in this play, they're due to Neil Simon's deft scriptwriting—not because of what we see happening on the stage of the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre.
The most egregious problems suggest a lack of steady leadership. Somebody took their eyes off the road here. Example: It's hard for actors, affecting an accent, to hear themselves clearly, especially if they're simultaneously worrying about lines/timing/blocking/orientation. They need somebody else's keen ears to catch them if they wander off. The actors here were all over the place with their mishmash of accents, and the results fluctuated from no dialect at all to downright mispronunciations.
Another example: There were several blocking mistakes, which placed some actors downstage close to the audience—completely masking the action happening upstage. This is not the kind of error we would expect at this theater.
Want me to go on? How about the grandmother's wig, which was so obviously false and misfit and wrong that it actually distracted us from her acting? Or what about Gert's breathing problems? They were funny the first couple of times, but then she changed the effect and totally overdid it—causing the audience to stop laughing. How about the father, Eddie, reading his own letters aloud, while he holds the paper up so high that you can barely see his forehead? Why is Louis' jacket bunched all funny in the front when it's buttoned—did they just hope we wouldn't notice? Should I mention doors that stick nearly every time—except for one that slowly swung open by itself during someone's speech? How could this happen?
It makes me feel terrible to point these things out, as I have consistently lauded the work at this theater for its originality and solid old-school creativity. But something has gone wrong here—not that you won't enjoy the wit and wisdom of Neil Simon's play, and revel in his magnificently crafted humor. Setup! Punch line! Roar with laughter!
Lost in Yonkers takes place during World War II. The widowed father of two young boys (supposedly 13 and 15, but neither looks it … we might have believed 9 and 11) drops them off at his mother's home above her confectionary store in Yonkers, so he can take advantage of a wartime work opportunity involving many months of travel. The grandmother is a German refugee and mother of six. The boys' observations and comments about their new situation are wonderful, with their "out of the mouths of babes" insight.
The grandmother, a hard case played by June August, has the most fabulous face, tragically overshadowed by the already mentioned weird silver wig. Her remaining children—the kids' aunts and uncle—who were raised under her rigid and severe hand, lead lives that show their reactions to her steely and uncompromising discipline. Aunt Bella, a difficult role performed by Daniela Ryan, is a multilayered young lady full of secrets who displays serious problems with reality. Aunt Gert, played by Adina Lawson—wearing yet another ghastly copper-colored hairpiece mistake—has developed breathing problems due to the stress. Uncle Louis, played by Stephen Blackwell, has defected to a freewheeling lifestyle in a world of gangsters, breezily choosing to ignore his former life—until he requires a handy hideout from his nefarious companions. Eddie, the boys' father, portrayed by Gregg Aratin, comes off as a broken man, overwhelmed by his responsibilities and terrified of his mother, yet determined to set things right and get out of debt. Alas, his performance was robotic.
Of course, it's the kids who get the very best lines, and Cameron Keys, as Jay—or Yakob, as their grandmother insists on calling him—the older brother, is a pleasant surprise. Because he doesn't wear makeup, we watch his fine-skinned face go bright-red under the influence of anger or indignation or protest, an astonishing experience. His kid brother, the big-eyed Angus Feath as Arty or Arthur, shows a poise and composure far beyond his years, and indicates a tremendous promise for the future. This young man has a gift for comedy and is definitely one to watch.
So what happened here? Perhaps the play just simply wasn't ready. When the actors all spoke their lines, they seemed to miss the deep conviction of a finished product, and lacked the thoughtfulness of a stage-ready performance. Every actor has to remember the words, the blocking, the plots, but it's entirely another experience to bring to the play the convincing portrayal, the passion, the commitment, the sincerity of a performance that will move the audience not just to laughter, but a whole range of emotions. They call it "polishing," and this show simply lacked polish.
If we are not honest about the things that are wrong in our fantastic local theater community, then our praise will mean nothing, either. And that leaves us not just Lost in Yonkers … but really confused.
Lost in Yonkers, a production of Desert Theatreworks, is performed at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Arthur Newman Theatre at the Joslyn Center, located at 73750 Catalina Way, in Palm Desert. Tickets are $23 to $25. For tickets or more information, call 760-980-1455, or visit www.dtworks.org.
Honor the Egg: A Wonderful Cast Makes Dezart Performs' '5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche' a Big HitNovember 15 2014
You don't have to be a gay woman or a fan of quiche to thoroughly enjoy 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, the 2014-2015 season-opening production by Dezart Performs.
Written by Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood, the five-character play opened in Chicago in 2011, then hit off-Broadway in 2012; it was named a Best Overall Production at the New York International Fringe Festival.
Set in 1956, the play opens in a church basement, which has been turned into a fallout shelter. (The simple set by J.W. Layne works quite well.) The members of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein have gathered for their annual quiche breakfast. The main event on the agenda: the judging of the quiches, to determine which is best.
Everyone in the audience is a member of the society, too; attendees are each given a nametag upon entering. (I was "Dorothy.") Throughout the production, the five ladies onstage zing individual audience members, focusing most of their venom on Marjorie, the impeached former building-and-grounds chairman sitting in the front row.
The egg—the main ingredient in a quiche, of course—has been sacred to members of the society since the group was founded by a pioneering woman who came across a colony of hens in the woods. Their motto: "No men, no meat, all manners." When a misguided member once showed up with a sausage quiche, she was unceremoniously thrown out of the meeting. Joyce Jenkins' brightly colored costumes and Lyndee Goodall's hair-and-wig designs perfectly capture the era, and help define each character.
Thankfully, the entire cast is superb. It's a joy when members of an ensemble are evenly matched, as they are here. Allison Feist is quite effective as emotionally fragile Dale. Adina Lawson is an absolute hoot as no-nonsense Vern, who takes her job as building-and-grounds chairman very seriously. There were times when she reminded me of a young Barbra Streisand. As the society's innocent secretary, Ginny, Phylicia Mason is charming, even if her English accent was a bit inconsistent. Kristine Waters is hilarious and a bit campy as Wren and Yo Younger once again delivers a flawless performance as the group's fearless Southern leader, Lulie.
Kudos go to director/producer Michael Shaw for choosing this piece, and for eliciting such great performances from his cast. Both the sound (Clark Dugger) and the lighting (Phil Murphy) are spot-on.
Act One ends with a nuclear blast destroying the outside world, apparently leaving only the members of the society alive. As Act Two begins, and the meeting progresses, the comedy gets broader, and the sexual double-entendres become more blatant. At one point, Ginny loses control, jumps on the table and buries her face, tongue-first, in the winning quiche; another character comments on her "good technique."
Confessions begin, and the truth comes out: These self-proclaimed "widows" really prefer romantic liaisons with each other. (This isn't a spoiler if you know the name of the play.) Dale's monologue detailing why she's the way she is, and why she hasn't spoken to a man since a rift with her father at age 3, is terrific. Since audience participation is a big part of this show, by the end of the night, we were all proclaiming to be lesbians.
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche was originally conceived as a one-act. Having it morph into a two-act play works, since the pace is brisk. Including the 15-minute intermission, the total running time was about 90 minutes.
Once again, Dezart Performs has proven that it's a gem in the valley's theater scene. This production is wonderful: It's fun, bawdy and, at times, touching. If you're not offended by sexual humor or two women kissing, you'll love this show—and you'll never look at quiche the same way again.
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, by Dezart Performs, is performed at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through Sunday, Nov. 23, at the Pearl McManus Theater at the Palm Springs Woman's Club, 314 S. Cahuilla Road, in Palm Springs. Evening shows are $25; matinees are $22. A champagne brunch at Lulu California Bistro, followed by the show, begins at 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 16; tickets are $44. A benefit performance for the Desert AIDS Project takes place at 7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 16; tickets are $35. For tickets or more information, call 760-322-0179, or visit www.dezartperforms.com.
The Great American Trailer Park Musical debuted at the New York Theater Festival in 2004 and opened off-Broadway in September 2005. Today, the two-act musical, written by David Nehls and Betsy Kelso—which examines the relationships between the tenants at the Armadillo Acres Trailer Park in Starke, Fla.—has made its way to the desert, thanks to the efforts of Desert Theatreworks.
There's not much of a plot; some of the characters need more fleshing out; and many of the songs are weak, but the show has enjoyed moderate success over the past 10 years. If you're a Jeff Foxworthy fan and like your humor on the crass side, this show is right up your alley.
If the only criterion for reviewing a show was the earnest effort of the cast, Desert Theatreworks' production would get five stars. Director Lance Phillips-Martinez has assembled a group of energetic actors with great comic timing who do their best to keep the audience smiling throughout the production.
So what's the downside? The show is a musical, and many of those onstage lack the necessary singing ability.
As the show opens, we meet Betty (Adina Lawson), Pickles (Briana Taylor) and Lin (Kitty Garascia)—whose name is short for linoleum, since she was born on the kitchen floor. The rousing first musical number, "This Side of the Tracks," sets the tone of the narration and the commentary on trailer-park life that the trio provides. Though it's one of the better songs, right away, issues of pitch and shrillness became apparent. Excess volume is also a problem. Nearly everyone in the cast seems to follow the "if in doubt, sing louder" mantra—something director and vocal coach Phillips-Martinez should have nipped in the bud. (I once had a fabulous musical theater instructor who said: "Loud does not equal better; it's just loud.")
Lawson fares the best. She hits the notes a bit more often than her cohorts, and her street-smart, cigarette-puffing Betty keeps us laughing, especially during the talk-show-spoofing The Great American TV Show. Taylor is amusing as the not-too-bright Pickles, and Garascia has her moments as the wife of a death-row inmate (who tries to postpone his execution by sabotaging the prison's electricity).
The strongest pipes in the cast belong to Ashley Hernandez, as stripper-on-the-run Pippi, who arrives at Armadillo Acres and promptly starts an affair with tollbooth-collector Norbert Gastecki (Shawn Abramowitz). Norbert's wife, Jeanne (Stacy Casaluci), is devoted but agoraphobic, and hasn't stepped out of their trailer in years. Hernandez has a strong, pleasing voice, and has clearly had vocal training—but even she occasionally pushes too hard. Abramowitz captures the essence of Norbert, who feels guilty about cheating on his wife, but is also frustrated by her neurosis. Sadly, he is not a singer. His duet with Casaluci ("Owner of My Heart") just did not work, because the harmonies seemed off. Though she has a pretty voice well-suited to the quiet solo numbers, Casaluci becomes shrill at times.
Rounding out the ensemble, Stephen McMillen delivers a nice comic turn as Pippi's marker-inhaling ex-boyfriend, Duke.
Kudos go to Ron Phillips-Martinez for the sets and costumes, which are quite good. The lighting, sound and choreography are all fine.
The opening-night audience seemed to enjoy The Great American Trailer Park Musical at the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre, though applause following many of the musical numbers was not always very enthusiastic.
The show is loud, colorful, tacky and, most important, fun. If you don't go expecting beautiful singing, or songs you can whistle on your way home, you just might like it.
The Great American Trailer Park Musical, a production of Desert Theatreworks, is performed at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through Sunday, March 23, at the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre, 73750 Catalina Way, in Palm Desert. Tickets are $25 general; and $23 for seniors and students. For tickets or more information, call 760-980-1455, or visit www.dtworks.org.
The famine is at an end: Our Coachella Valley may have been starved for melodrama, but relief has arrived at the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre, in Palm Desert.
Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch … or the Perfumed Badge is the first "mellerdrammer" presented here in the valley (that we can recall, at least), and if audience response is any gauge of its success, we need MORE! Desert Theatreworks, led by executive director Ron Phillips-Martinez, is offering this play by Shubert Fendrich through Sunday, Feb. 2, and it is an experience not to be missed.
More than any other theatrical form, the melodrama requires an audience—and not just warm bodies sitting there. Oh no! Here, you must boo and hiss the nasty villain, cheer the brave hero, and go awwww for the sweet little heroine. Some venues (but not this one, darn it) let you pelt the cast with popcorn at appropriate junctures. It's the most engaged you'll ever be at the theater—and I've never seen a desert audience laugh so hard or so often.
The strong and innovative directorial hand of Lance Phillips-Martinez is a lovely thing to watch. His cast is evenly matched, with everyone overacting wildly, delivering confidential asides to the audience, and executing elaborate reaction "takes." His guidance results in extraordinary acting details, including shoulder work, hand placement and footwork—aspects so often ignored by busy directors. Try to sit where you can see the actors' shoes, because there are some lovely and hilarious extra bits done with their feet—sometimes the most-neglected part of the actor's repertoire. Lance Phillips-Martinez has obviously kept a sharp eye on every member of his large cast, resulting in a beautiful unity among the actors. For example, he has paid exceptional attention to the actors' use of their eyebrows. Powerful! Acting students can learn much from watching this production.
Melodrama is defined by the staging. One set (the hotel lobby) is all that's needed for both acts. Off to one side perches the glamorous Miss Kitty (Kitty Garascia), who acts as emcee, with big white cue cards that advise the audience when and how to respond to the action. BOO! says one. CHEER! says another. And we do. Interestingly, the word OLIOS shows up on a placard after intermission, and she explains that this means it's an opportunity for the cast to demonstrate their other talents—which they then do, by telling jokes, performing magic and singing tearjerkers of the day such as "The Bowery" or "Father, Dear Father, Come Home With Me Now." Yikes.
"Breaking the fourth wall" is the term given to the acting technique of stepping out of the onstage action to address the audience directly. It can be done with spoken dialogue or just a look. It is employed wonderfully in this production, resulting in the audience's continuing involvement with the action, even when not actually delivering boos and hisses or applause. The finest example of this comes from actress Alden West (the evil Widow Black, owner of the town's sole hotel), who snarls in reply to the audience's reactions. "Aw, stuff it," she snaps at us after being booed, provoking screams of laughter. (Yes, a female villain!)
Rubber-faced young actor Austin Schroeter, playing the aw-shucks overalls-clad farm-boy ingénue role of Bill Filbert, is delightful. ("That's weird," he comments thoughtfully at one point, his beyond-blue eyes staring into space.) Savvy and thoughtful actor Hal O'Connell, as Barney Black, the hapless son-in-law who toils as the hotel's clerk, almost steals the show at one point, and I'm not going to ruin the surprise on that one. But it's crafty Stephen McMillen, who plays two roles (Snipe Vermin and Harry Heartstone—you have got to love those names) and seizes a double opportunity to impress us by switching between facial expressions/voice/gestures/attitudes, as well as from black Stetson to white Stetson. Yee-haw!
And wait until you meet Flora and Dora, played by Jana Baumann and Joyce Ellenson, respectively. They never break character, even with their high-energy antics. Watch what they do with their eyes. They play bizarre showgirls in the troupe of Colonel Crabtree, played by charming and suave veteran actor John Alex Houlton, always a solid performer—this time augmented with a terrific cape. Adina Lawson plays Martha Muldoon, an aging escapee from said troupe, who has been hiding out at Widow Black's hotel for two years. She's a petticoat-and-frilled-pantaloon'd flirt with long curls and a parasol, ready to tackle any available male who happens by. Then there's the lady sheriff, Willie Lovelace, smoothly played by Hannah Ruzicka, with all the body consciousness of a Marilyn Monroe and the self-confidence of a Bette Davis—in a fabulous pair of iguana-skin cowboy boots. The cast seems to be having as much fun as the audience!
The plot is more complicated than you'd expect from this kind of theater—with an interesting twist. The actors get to push their Western drawls over the top (along with everything else, except the furniture). The production team holds up its end beautifully. Bless them.
When he opens the show, artistic director Lance Phillips-Martinez reminds us that Desert Theatreworks is entirely funded by ticket sales—with no sponsors or donors at all—and always uses local actors, definitely another important reason to support them. How else will regional theater grow?
But the best reason of all to see Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch … or the Perfumed Badge is that it's fantastic. Imagine: You, at last, in the audience of a melodrama!
Desert Theatreworks' Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch … or the Perfumed Badge is performed at 7 p.m., Friday; 2 and 7 p.m., Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Joslyn Center's Arthur Newman Theatre, 73750 Catalina Way, in Palm Desert. Tickets are $25 general; $23 seniors; and $12 children 15 and younger. For tickets or more information, call 760-980-1455, or visit www.dtworks.org.


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Bigg Boss 6 | Navjot Singh Sidhu set to enter Bigg Boss 6
From cricket to cricket commentary and laughter shows to politics, Amritsar MP and BJP national secretary Navjot Singh Sidhu has come a long way. Charting a new course, the firebrand leader is now all set to make his presence felt in Bigg Boss, a reality show on TV.
Even last year,speculation was rife about Sidhu's participation in the popular show, but this time it is almost certain that Sidhu will be appearing in Big Boss Season 6 that starts from October 7.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Setting Achievable Goals Posted on January 2, 2019January 3, 2019 by CJLook I'm not saying that making achievable goals is easy I'm just saying you'll feel better if you actually get things done.If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!Shirts! | Insta | Tweets | FB | Tumblr |Ko-Fi!


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It seemed like such a little lie.
I've been recruiting for 22 years, and this week, for the first time in 22 years, I've lost a placement because the candidate lied about their education credentials. It's not the first time I've seen a bogus degree on a resume, but it's the first time I've believed the degree and presented the candidate. Not that the degree being lied about isn't important, but it was just an associate's degree, and he still lied about having one. He now says that he was only a few classes short of completion, but you know, if you'll lie about anything, then you'll lie about anything, so who knows if the new words out of his mouth are true.
Integrity. It's one of the most important things in all relationships, and if you don't have it in one area, then who knows where else you are lacking it. This was not a young person who just made an immature mistake in judgment, something that maybe you could overlook in the long haul as part of his learning curve in life; something that you could forgive and, even though he would almost certainly lose this offer, maybe in the future you could work with him again. No, this was a seasoned manager with an excellent track record, strong resume, and great references, who knew how to get the job done and would have been an excellent asset to my client. So, this was not a mistake; This was a Character flaw. A flaw that is part of who this person 'is' at this point in their life, and one that makes them hands off to me forever.
The job did not require the degree. So, why did he lie? Fear, I'm sure. Fear of what, I don't know, I haven't put much thought into that. Probably of not getting a job, but that doesn't concern me as much as what the lie cost.
It cost him:
Beyond what it cost him, I don't think he fully appreciates just how many people put how much effort into getting him this offer, or how many people put their good names behind him to move this forward, and how many people are now going into meetings today with egg on their face, their own word and opinion and ability to make a good hiring decision now being questioned. So, beyond what it cost him, who else is paying a price for his little lie?
It seemed like such a little lie to him, I'm sure. He 'almost' had the degree. It was over 20 years ago when he took the classes, so such a distant little white lie. He had gotten away with the lie several times before. And besides, if he got caught, he was really only hurting himself, and only with just this one hospital, right? So, such a small lie. But look at how much it cost, and how many have to pay the price.
If you didn't complete the program, you don't have the degree. To represent other than that is a lie, and can cost a lot more than just the job you hope to get, or even the one you already have. Please, for the sake of those around you who will be paying the price, don't do it.


text:
Seaside Mystery Surprise -
What's Included
- Four nights dinner, bed and breakfast
- At least two excursions
- Entertainment
- Travel throughout
Holiday Highlights
Soak up the sun, stroll along the beach and breath in the fresh sea air on one of our superb value 'Seaside Mystery Surprises'. There are all the excellent standards and service that you would expect from a David Urquhart Travel holiday, but we choose the destination and hotel and you pick the date of travel. The surprise is that you could be staying in any one of the seaside resorts around Britain's coast - from Blackpool to Bournemouth!
- £16.00 single room
- £17.00 per person for Holiday Insurance
- Departure times as indicated
- Drop off late afternoon/early evening on return
- Via main roads and motorways
Any Insurance prices shown include Insurance Premium Tax.
Tailor Your Holiday
Holiday Summary
Dates - Departure Points Passengers x
x Coach Seating Preference Room
x Coach Seating Preference Room
x pp x ppTotal:£ From:£pp


text:
In this clip, we're going to talk about the
proper service procedure in order to remove and replace a broken CV joint also known as
a drive shaft on a front-wheel drive vehicle. In this step, we're going to talk about the
proper service procedure for removing the constant velocity shaft or your drive shaft
from the vehicle. I'm going to go ahead and slide it off the splines on my spindle just
like so. As you can see, this is the end of the drive shaft. It may be necessary to slip
underneath the vehicle and use a small pry bar between the inner joint and the transmission.
I'm going to go ahead and give it a tug and see if I can get it to hop out just by hand.
Alright, it?s necessary to get a good, straight pull on this CV shaft when you're yanking
on it. So what I'm going to do is hold my spindle out of the way, straighten out the
inside of the shaft and yank it out. There. Slide it off the dust shield there and this
is the drive shaft for your vehicle. This side of course splines to the hub and turns
your wheel. This side here is going to spline either into the output shaft of the transmission
or to a mid-shaft bearing. That is the proper way to remove your CV joint from the vehicle.


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The lodge will be an integral part of the Wild Spirit Project, as it will make our project accessible to everyone who is interested. To make our guests' stay with us as pleasant as can be, we will offer a variety of different sleeping possibilities at the Wild Spirit Project including comfortable yurts, simple dorm rooms, and a camping ground.
Staying at our lodge will be on donation basis: we will indicate our expenses and suggest an amount, but it is up to the visitor to decide how much they would like or are able to contribute.
We will offer a breakfast buffet in the morning and a communal dinner in the evening (for those who sign up during the day). There will also be a public kitchen where you can prepare your own meals.
We will build yurts and furnish them comfortably with a large bed and a wood-fired stove. An ideal accomodation for couples, small families, or those who prefer more privacy and comfort.
Suggested amount: €X (per yurt / night).
We will offer comfortable dorm rooms (probably 6 beds per room) for low-budget travelers, larger families and groups.
Suggested amount: €X (per bed / night).
For the campers among you there will of course be a camping ground, equipped with sanitation, a space to store your stuff, and some power outlets for your electronic toys.
Suggested amount: €X (per tent / night).


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|In Store Only
If you, too, are enthralled by the magic of the honeybee, adorn yourself with them! These beautiful watercolor print jewelry feature a traditional beehive and lush botanicals.
Measurements: The earrings are 1/2" in diameter, the pendant 1" in diameter. The chain is 18" long, and nickel free. The silver earwires are 925 sterling, and the bronze earwires are hypoallergenic niobium.
Seed & Sky is a Southern based design company located in Asheville, NC, offering wearable art created using miniature archival prints of original artwork. All materials are 100% USA sourced.


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We traveled to Leicester last week to deliver a taster session to budding entrepreneurs at De Montfort University. We delivered the session as part of "Creative Leicestershire in a day" at the Cultural Exchanges festival.
The session provided an insight in to ways to develop existing business ideas, through games and practical tools.
What did the participants gain from the session?
"Valuable questions to help me think about my business and networking"
"How to think more about my customers"
"A guide on where to start and a general path to life"
What did the participants enjoy the most about the session?
"Finding out about where I'm going"
"The games"
"opportunity to talk to others"
Overall the taster session was a huge success. Many of the participants have expressed an interest in further training with Newforms Training and Development. The feedback from the day was great, with over 70% finding the training very creative and 57% said they found the training very enjoyable. We are looking forward to catching up with everyone and helping their business ideas become a reality.
To experience a Newforms workshop or taster session, get in contact with Tom at firstname.lastname@example.com


text: ** Easy-To-Understand Guidance for Before, During, and After Every Test ** ABOUT DAVIS'S LABORATORY & DIAGNOSTIC TESTS Davis's Laboratory & Diagnostic Tests contains hundreds of diagnostic test descriptions to help understand and implement critical test procedures. Each entry delivers details on test function, accurately interpreting normal and abnormal results, and preparing your patients. With recommendations on pretest requirements, intratest procedures, and post-test care, this mobile resource is the perfect companion for practicing nurses, nursing students, and other health care professionals. FEATURES • Up-to-date monographs of over 400 laboratory and diagnostic tests • Age-specific, gender-specific, and ethnicity-specific variations • New sections including: Expected Patient Outcomes, Potential Nursing Problems, and more • Cross-reference links to related tests • Common Use sections with everyday language descriptions of what the test is for • 9 useful appendices including Potential Nursing Diagnoses, Transfusion Reactions, and more • Interfering Factors listing anything that may interfere with the results of the test • Highlight and make notes within any entry • Full Text Search helps find topics quickly • "Favorites" for bookmarking important entries Authors: Anne M. Van Leeuwen, MA, BS, MT (ASCP); Mickey L. Bladh, RN, MSN Publisher: F.A. Davis Powered by: Unbound Medicine


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Canada, eh? Snow in the west as easterners brace for heat wave
In some parts of Canada, the end of summer vacation is bringing some of the hottest temperatures of the year.
In other areas, it's bringing weather more typically experienced in December than during the last week of August.
Some B.C. communities saw temperatures dip near or below the freezing mark Monday morning. A temperature of -1.5 C was recorded at Burns Lake at 5 a.m. One hour later, the temperature in Prince George dipped to 0 C.
The cold snap marked Prince George's second unusual weather phenomenon in eight days, following the ash-filled skies that had shrouded the city from the sun as smoke from some of the province's hundreds of active wildfires drifted over the region.
Temperatures in the low single digits were also reported Monday in some areas around the B.C.-Alberta border. Traffic cameras captured snow falling on Alberta's Highway 1 near the community of Canmore.
It was a very different story in Eastern Canada, where heat warnings were in place for most of southern Ontario and parts of southern Quebec.
Environment Canada warned that cities including Toronto, Montreal and Hamilton would see daily highs at or above 30 C through Wednesday, with humidex values around 40.
Tuesday was expected to be especially hot and humid in the Montreal area. Cooler temperatures were expected later in the week, with a slight warmup in the forecast for the Labour Day weekend.
Authorities warned that parents should ensure to keep their children hydrated and away from prolonged exposure to heat to help prevent medical emergencies.
Also considered particularly at risk for heat-related illnesses are seniors, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses, although Environment Canada was warning all people in areas under heat warnings to drink water and try to avoid outdoor activities during the hottest periods of the heat wave.
WOAH!! Look at the snow falling now Hwy 1 between Canmore and #yyc! Happy August 27, y'all! #yycweather #Calgary #goodmorning pic.twitter.com/nvqomejWny— Courtney Ketchen (@CTVCourtney) August 27, 2018
No, you're eyes aren't decieving you in these photos. That's fresh snow that has accumulated in the mountain parks of Alberta near Banff, Canmore and Lake Louise since Sunday afternoon. ❄☃ #ABStorm pic.twitter.com/HTrSpw1qOR— Jeff Adams (@jeffmadams) August 27, 2018


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Inman is one of the main characters of the story. He is a quite tall, strong, handsome man, and has a reputation for being hardworking and honest. Having known about the beginning of the war, he is a volunteer to the army. He falls in love with Ada from the first sight and he carries this love through all his life.
Ada Monroe
Ada Monroe is one of the protagonists of the novel. She is a beautiful, noble woman from the priest's family. She has a lot of admirers, but she is rude to them; she doesn't want to get married with anybody who makes her an offer. Even though she ultimately falls in love with Inman, the war separates them. Ada is devoted to Inman for all her life, she patiently waits for him. Even when he, having come back to her, is killed, she doesn't want to have another man after him.
Veasey is a priest. Inman has met him, when he wanted to kill a woman. It shows him as a not very religious person.
The author describes her, when Ada first sees her, as follows: "She was a dark thing, with a thin chest but strong-looking arms. She had a broad nose and her hair was black and thick. Big dark eyes, no shoes, clean feet." Ruby is an uncommon woman. She grew up in the forest, almost not having the parents' love and support. She is rude, straightforward, and artless but makes friends with Ada, after living with her for some time.
Stobrod is Ruby's father. He is a drunkard, and he didn't educate Ruby well when she was a child. But he is brave, because he dares to go to war. His heart isn't stone, as he plays the violin, it's his sense of life, his love. After running from the war he goes to Ruby first, and it shows that he actually loves his daughter, in his own strange way.
Reid "Georgia"
Reid "Georgia" is a young deserter, who is hiding in the forest with Stobrod. He is a kind man: when he sees that his friends are killed, he doesn't run away from that place; he goes to Ruby to tell her everything, to help her. In the end Reid becomes the husband of Ruby, and they have three children and live happily.


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The IEEC is a research center composed by a core structure devoted to promote, manage and execute long-term research projects on space science and technology. Most of the permanent research personnel are professors and researchers belonging to the Universities and the Spanish Research Council that form its governing body (UB, UPC, UAB and CSIC). The personnel directly employed by IEEC is funded by the projects managed by the institute (soft money). Affiliated staff members are working at the four research units.
The IEEC promotes a professional career on space science and technology, a working environment and a code of conduct following the HRS4R award criteria. The HRS4R award was obtained by IEEC in 2018, and the procedures defined in the action plan are actively supervised and disseminated to all the personnel.
Action Plan HRS4R 2017-2019: ActionPlanHRS4R_IEEC_def-1
IEEC joined the European Charter for Researchers and initiated a process to design an action plan that would improve the alignment of policies and actions in human resources of the institution with the 40 principles in these documents.
See attachment futlletó-informatiu-EURAXESS.pdf
See attachment adhesió-HRS4R.pdf


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Kenya's leading mobile operator Safaricom plans to launch bundled television and internet services within a year.
The telecommunications company plans to aggregate content and deliver on-demand viewing for its customers across a range of connected devices.
It expects to deliver a range of television channels and the online video platform YouTube, chief executive Bob Collymore has said.
"So things like streaming of internet protocol television, looking at video on demand, balancing the types of content and understanding local market needs are part of the project," Collymore told the Daily Nation.
Safaricom also plans to boost high speed internet connectivity in Kenya by deploying more fourth generation (4G) mobile infrastructure to facilitate video streaming.
The telco has recorded 30% growth in the past financial year on non-voice services – in particular through data and its mobile money service M-Pesa. Revenue from voice services is on a downward trend due to strong competition in the country.
By launching an IPTV service, Safaricom will provide competition to regional pay-TV broadcaster Wananchi with its Zuku triple play service, and South Africa's MultiChoice with its DStv satellite TV platform.


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Island Health is organized by the Geographic and Program Structures which includes Integrated Health Services (clinical services) and Corporate and Strategic Services (non-clinical services). The medical staff are organized into two medical staff structures - Departmental and Operational.
There are over 280 medical leadership roles within the two medical staff structures, comprised of many different roles with varying responsibilities. The following document provides a comparison of the two structures, the roles within them, their purpose, focus, and accountability.
Clarifying Departmental vs. Operational
Departmental Medical Leadership
Roles within this structure consist of:
- Department Heads
- Division Heads
- Section Heads
These roles are filled in accordance with the Medical Staff Rules and Medical Staff Bylaws, overseen by the Medical Staff Governance team.
The core functions of the roles are:
- Credentialing & privileging
- Practitioner development (CME)
- Practitioner professionalism
- Medical practice standards
- Medical workforce planning
- Medical education
- Medical research
Operational Medical Leadership
Roles within this structure consist of:
- Executive Medical Directors
- Medical Directors
- Site Medical Directors
- Medical Leads
These roles are typically paired with an administrative co-lead and are filled through a recruitment process, overseen by the Medical Staff Recruitment team.
The core functions of these roles are:
- Co-leadership of a team, program or services (service delivery/operations and team-based quality)
- Change management
- Informatics
- Service planning
More information on Island Health's structures and governance is available on our Organization webpage.


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00385 51/452-900
Svetište Majke Božje Trsatske, Frankopanski trg, Rijeka, Croatia
Every day form 6.30 until 20.00 h.
The Trsat Shrine as the Croatian Nazareth, should in a deliberate and determined way, promote pastoral family life. This should be done in both word and deed, throughout Trsat. The Trsat Franciscans cannot do this on their own; they need the help of the lay faithful who cherish the Trsat Shrine.Continue Reading


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June 6, 2015. Taja. Philadelphia, Pa.
Larry is an exceptionally patient driving instructor with detailed, descriptive teaching skills. He helped me take my test, not once, not twice, but at least 4 times. When most people would have grown tired of explaining the same thing over and over again, he always worked with me to make sure I was comfortable behind the wheel. Particularly, for my 4rth go round for the driving potion of my test, he kept me calm, went over every aspect of the test and even gave motivation through way of an Ashton Kutcher acceptance speech, yoga breathing excercises, and lots of laughter. I would HIGHLY recommend Larry for any adult driving student who needs a little extra help and confidence in their driving skills. No on else is more fit for the job!
May 11, 2015. Cindy. Phoenixville, Pa. firstname.lastname@example.com
Best decision I ever made!! Larry is very professional and polite. He gave my daughter all the skills and confidence she needed to be a safe driver. I will use him again next year, when my son learns to drive. Thanks Larry!!
May 10, 2015. James. Bensalem, Pa.
After our daughter was having difficulty with her driving test, a friend of ours recommended Larry's driving school. Their son had just passed his driving exam after taking lessons from Larry. We called and were able to start our lessons right away. Within a couple of weeks we were able to schedule 3 lessons and the state test, which she passed. I went on one lesson with my daughter and was most impressed with Larry's concern for time management. He wanted to make sure our daughter was getting the most practice time during the lesson with minimal waiting at the practice site. He even set his own cones up to give her the ability to practice parking. It was a very positive experience for us as parents and for our daughter.
April 15, 2015. Dawn. Newtown Square, Pa.
We have used Larry for multiple people and ages in the household and we couldn't be more pleased. Not only is he always accommodating but he is super friendly, very knowledgeable and always on time. His car is safe and clearly marked. We will continue to use Larry.
July 2, 2014. Jill Wilson. Philadelphia, Pa. firstname.lastname@example.com
We had a wonderful experience working with Larry. Scheduling was easy and after only 3 lessons my daughter passed the driver's test on her 1st try. Thanks Larry for being a great driving instructor! We will definitely refer our friends!
Larry is a great driving instructor. I was terrible at parallel parking but he taught me a very easy and
simple way to park and I passed my test the first time. Definitely hire him.
We hired Larry from Accident Free Driving School for our son and we couldn't be happier with the results. Larry was always on time to every appointment, he always sent courtesy reminders for upcoming appointments. His car was safe and clearly marked as student driver. He reviewed the key components to taking the driver's test at the actual testing center and our son passed his license test on the first try. We will surely hire Larry again for our next two children when the time comes to get their licenses as we were impressed with Larry's knowledge, teaching abilities and his support throughout the process.
Thank you for taking a minute to sign the Guest Book. Your comments are truly appreciated.
Read reviews below.
September 13, 2015. Heartwill. Philadelphia, Pa.
I was introduced to Accident Free Driving School by my sister and Larry was my instructor. I took the driving lesson and parallel parking and I nailed it just one attempt. I passed. I have this nervousness always and afraid of driving but Larry has patience for me, and taught me through the lessons. Larry is very patient, reliable, humble, fantastic and knowledgeable and he is super friendly too. Before I was nervous and so scared I can't pass my test. And the day of my test Larry told me be calm down girl. Whilst I was taking my test I can hear his voice talking to me gentle in my head telling me be calm. You can do it. So I passed and I am still surprised that throughout my test with the examiner I was not nervous. One thing also, was the day of my test it was raining too. I am telling everyone to come to accident free driving school, you will pass your driving test one time.
February 19, 2017. Roman. Philadelphia, Pa. firstname.lastname@example.com
Larry, the best teacher of driving. Thank you very much. I had been driving in Russia for 18 years, but here I had to pass the exam from the start. And Larry just showed me some elements and tips how to pass test. These thing nobody will use in real life, but when passing the driving test they are absolutely necessary. I appreciate, you are very polite, intelligent, punctual, and 150% confident. Best choice to study with Larry.
December 9, 2016. Irving. Lancaster. Pa.
The most important on training to drive is the instructor that you're going to be with and how comfortable you're going to be while you're driving it was an excellent experience with Larry and he gave me what I needed for me to pass the test and of course I was nervous but the main case in point is that I passed.
March 31, 2017. Laura. Drexel Hill. Pa. firstname.lastname@example.com
Once again I just had another great experience with Larry. He is the best driving instructor out there right now. My son just passed his license on his first attempt and after only having a few lessons with Larry. Larry also helped my 2 older children get their license as well. Larry is reliable, friendly, and so easy to work with. My children have said he is an excellent instructor and they learned so much from him. I would highly recommend him to any parent out there who wants their child to learn how to drive from the best.
July 1, 2015. Linda. Blandon, Pa. email@example.com
Thanks. To Larry a great instructor. Kindness, patients, on time and accurate. My son passed his test the first time. I would recommend this driving school to anyone. Thanks Larry.
June 19, 2015. Sharon. Bensalem, Pa.
Larry was an awesome instructor. He helped my daughter get her license. He gave her constructive criticism and always was very positive.
December 19th, 2014. Beth. West Chester, Pa.
Larry did a fantastic job of teaching our son to the point where we felt comfortable riding with him and then was always willing and able to take him out to fine tune his skills. The he was willing to take our son for his exam when we were out of town on the day of the appointment!
July 15, 2014. Timiyah. Coatesville, Pa.
My mother hired Larry for me and he was great! Larry worked with me through everything and I ended up passing my test on the first try. I would definitely recommend Accident Free Driving School to anyone and everyone.
For Comments prior to February 24, 2014
please send us an email and we gladly send you a long list of comments
we have received over the years.
October 29, 2017. Bria. Philadelphia, Pa.
I had a 2 hour lesson with Accident Free Driving School in October. Larry was my instructor and he arrived early and was very friendly. I felt really comfortable and he had me take notes, practice driving and parking. I went for my test on 10/17/2017 and passed with flying colors.
May 26, 2017. Steph. Phoenixvelle. Pa.
Larry is an excellent instructor. I took 2 lessons with him. After our time together I was not only able to pass the road test, but had the confidence to drive on the highway (which has always intimidated me before). I would highly recommend Accident Free Driving School to any new drivers or anyone looking to revisit any specific skills. During our lessons, Larry left me with notes that I was able to review while practicing. These were highly helpful since it is easy to forget one of the many nuances of driving outside the lessons. He reviewed all the parts of the road test with me so I was well prepared for the test.
April 20, 2017. Charles. Philadelphia. Pa.
Well if you want to learn how to drive this is by far the best driving school out there very easy going kind and of course you should pass your test with this school just want to say thanks to Larry who is the owner.
February 20, 2015. Bob. Phoenixville, Pa. firstname.lastname@example.com
Had a good experience with Larry. He covered all of the important stuff. He went through the test course and gave a thorough explanation. Son passed test on first try. I recommend AFDS.
January 26, 2015. Kristy. Blue Bell, Pa. firstname.lastname@example.com
Larry was invaluable in teaching our twins to drive. He was always on time, available to answer questions, and made my son and daughter very comfortable behind the wheel. They always felt safe with him, and learned so much in a short period of time. He even took them to the DMV on the day of their test so that he could preview the course with them, and they were able to use his car for the test. They passed with flying colors, and I credit Larry for that. I have recommended him highly to several of my friends, and they all had the most positive outcomes.
November 6, 2014. Marie. Philadelphia, Pa.
My daughter received driving lessons from Larry Kaufman. He was an amazing instructor. He was very patient, pleasant, thorough, reliable and knowledgeable. I hired a driving instructor prior to Larry and he put fear in my daughter on her first lesson and she never wanted to drive again. A previous co-worker referred me to Larry and I encouraged my daughter to give Larry a try. He made learning very easy for her. She passed her test yesterday full of excitement in fact she asked me can she drive my car tonight. I am a proud mother thanks to Larry. I highly recommend him.
March 15, 2014. Connie. Phila. Pa.
Larry is one of the most helpful people you will ever meet. He comes to your home for your lesson and is never late. He is very accurate and knows what his is doing. My main worry was parallel parking and he helped me perfect it. I took 2 lessons with him and passed my drivers test on the first try. I would recommend anyone that wants to drive use his services.
September 29, 2017. Shelley. Phoenixville, Pa.
Great experience. Larry knew exactly what my son needed in order to pass the licensing exam on his first try. I felt very safe and comfortable with his instruction, always on time and excellent communication.
February 11, 2017. Michael. Philadelphia, Pa. firstname.lastname@example.com
Excellent instructor. In just 2 lessons I learned everything I needed to pass my driving exam and I passed on the first try. Thank you!!
November 2, 2017. Barb Stolzer. Collegeville, Pa.
What a great experience I had dealing with Accident Free Driving School. I would recommend to everyone. They were courteous always on time was a pleasure working with them. I also found them to be very reasonable.
September 3, 2015. Rick. West Chester, Pa.
Accident Free Driving School helped all 4 of my children become safe drivers. I highly recommend this company.
July 2, 2015. Tracy. Pottstown, Pa.
Hi Larry, Sean passed his driver's test. Can you email me the certificate when you get the chance. Only 2/8 teens passed the test on Wednesday and Sean was one of them. Thanks for your help.
January 15, 2015. Josh. Phoenixville, Pa.
Larry was a really good instructor. He was especially helpful with preparing me for the test and parallel parking. Thanks!
October 15, 2014. Albert. Chaddsford, Pa.
Larry from haver town was my instructor loved him really drilled safe driving in me made passing test easy. Thanks Larry would recommend him to anyone
August 14, 2017. Jenny. Sellersville, Pa.
My son had failed his test the first time 2 days before his second attempt. I contacted Accident Free Driving School. Larry came to my house and gave my son a 2 hour driving lesson with parallel parking practice. My son passed the test with ease! Thank you.
December 8, 2015. Beth. Philadelphia. Pa.
Larry was a great driving instructor. He was thorough and conscientious. He really helped our daughter be a safe and solid driver. With his help she was able to pass her test on the first try. I would definitely recommend him to others.
September 25, 2016. Regina. Malvern. Pa.
Larry, thanks for the great job you did with the driving lessons for my son. The training and advice you gave allowed my son to pass the driving test on the first time with a perfect score. I highly recommend you to anyone looking for driver training. Many thanks.
December 10, 2016. Derrick. Blandon, Pa.
My daughter was having difficulty with parallel parking. She took one lesson with Larry. I told him to concentrate on parallel parking. My daughter passed her parallel parking effortlessly, now I don't have to take her to work anymore. Thanks Larry.
June 4, 2017. Danj. Pottstown, Pa.
I'm glad I found this driving school. Sometimes I procrastinate with a lot of things and of course driving was one of them. I called around all day looking for a school because I needed a little more practice parallel parking! My road test was on literally the next day. I knew if I didn't take a lesson I wouldn't be walking out with my license because I didn't know how to park, I called Larry he was able to come out the same day. Unfortunately we got stuck in traffic! It got late. It was dark on top of all that it started to rain. So I didn't get to practice much with my parking. Larry was so nice he offered to come out early in the morning the day of my road test and practice just on parking. He was very patient, his prices were very reasonable! I passed my test on the first try and I can honestly say I couldn't have did it without the help of Larry. Thanks you so much.
March 5, 2015. Anne. Philadelphia, Pa.
Larry is a great teacher. I would have my children take lessons from him.
September 16, 2014. Tony. Phoenixville, Pa.
Larry was great. He picked up my son at home for 3 driving lessons, 2 hours each. First lesson was driving around town. I noticed an improvement in my son's driving after the first lesson. Second lesson was highway driving. Third lesson was at the driving test site which included practicing parallel parking. Of course we practiced at home as well. My son passed the test on the first try! Thanks Larry.
March 21, 2017. Peter. Villanova, Pa.
Accident Free Driving School taught all 3 of my children. Larry was terrific and trained them properly. We have recommended Larry to all of our friends.
April 26, 2017. John. Philadelphia. Pa.
Thanks a lot Larry you are a very nice person and a wonderful teacher. Each driving lesson and practice make me more confident and comfortable so I pass the test. I wish you good luck and I am sure you will get more students. I can tell my friends about your driving school. God bless.
August 19, 2017. Faith. Philadelphia, Pa.
Larry is a class act. He is so professional in everything he does. He treated my niece and nephew with respect. He encourages them and gives them notes to review at the end of each lesson. And celebrated their success. I do recommend this driving school. You won't be disappointed.
February 9, 2017. Rob. Atglen, Pa.
Larry has taught both of my kids how to drive. They passed on their first attempt but more importantly they are confident, safe drivers. I highly recommend his services. Thanks for having the patience that I lack.
October 24, 2017. Blanca. Phoenixville, Pa.
Me and my son's took lessons with Larry. He is very patient and encouraging. Taught us so well that all 3 of us passed the actual driving test on our first try! And that's 3 days in a row! Thanks Larry! Will definitely recommend to family and friends.
January 3, 2017. Vinodh. Exton. Pa.
Hi Larry. I'm Vinodh. I took a driving lesson with you on 9th Oct. I practiced myself further and then got my drivers license on 12th Dec. Want to thank you for guiding me well. I was so scared. Now I can drive with confidence.
October 7, 2016. Karen. Narberth. Pa. firstname.lastname@example.com
Dear Larry, thanks so much for helping Jack out with his driving. Please feel free to use me as a recommendation.
February 4, 2017. Lisa. Schwenksville, Pa.
Thank you for preparing Hayley so wellfor her driving test. Your instruction definitely helped her confidence and eased her anxiety about the test.


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How do you develop a data culture in your company?
In case you didn't know, it's all about people and processes, according to Niels Stenfeldt, CEO at Stibo Systems.
CDOs — or anyone with a CDO mandate — are normally charged with the responsibility to make the organisation data-driven with all the associated opportunities of maximising business outcomes. Their focus is rightly on business strategy and mapping data optimisation against business goals.
But to become data-driven relies first and foremost on people and processes. A second focal point should therefore be on how to strengthen and develop confidence in both.
Because data is so pervasive, it reaches beyond people's professional trades and competences. Everyone has a role in data, either as a data owner, a data process owner or simply as a user.
The challenge of developing a data culture is not only to make people comfortable with data, but to make them data-savvy. As an encouraging factor, the CDO who succeeds in this endeavour will find his reward in a job that becomes much more gratifying.
This challenge requires the leadership to pay more attention to people's skills and mandates than to their titles and seniority because a data culture is truly a collaborative culture.
Developing a collaborative mindset and acknowledging the dependency on people regardless of pay rate is perhaps the most difficult part of developing a data culture because dependencies can seem frightening.
The mission can essentially be boiled down to three actions that are required to develop a data culture and enhance the confidence in the people and processes that make up the data culture:
1. Subscribe to data governance principles that strengthens accountability and transparency.
2. Break down organisational and data silos that prevent collaboration and the optimisation of data.
3. Apply clever change management methods to educate and get people on board.
Good data governance is both the driving force and the desired result of your data culture, encompassing people and processes as well as technology.
Good data governance does not emerge out of a policy paper. It's rooted in a sound data culture and helps enhancing the collaborative environment. Well performed data governance not only secures data quality and compliance needs, it also increases the general data awareness and hence the confidence in the organisation's data culture.


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Canada Christian Dating
Contact us or Send Your Success Stories. So peruse to view online personals and discover new friends, good dating places in search for love and discover your perfect match. Registration by email address or a social network account only takes a minute.
Browse local singles by man or woman, height, weight, body type, eye color, hair color, or ethnicity. Send a message to the admin.
Christian Connection Christian Dating & Singles in Canada
You can download the dating app from the link located on the top of this page. We know who you meet and spend your time with is essential. The truMingle app helps me meet people online no matter which part of the world I'm in.
As the editor-in-chief of DatingAdvice. We have four tips that will help make your journey into online dating a smooth one. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where sites appear on the page including, for example, the order in which they appear. Below is a summary of the top websites and apps for Christian dating, free dating australia site along with key data points for each.
If you're single and looking to meet a fellow Christian who shares your values, there are a number of good options for you. Below is more information about the top Christian websites on our list. The best and most efficient way to find compatible Christian men and women is to join a dating site or app that has members who already have similar values, beliefs, experiences, and lifestyles. We're a full-featured online dating site for singles.
There's someone out there for you. TruMingle goes above and beyond the competition. That's why truMingle's the best place to meet single men and women. Search by top political affiliation.
- Since we're a totally free dating site with no fees, we'll never charge you any membership fees or ask for your billing information.
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- Use our Advanced search options to explore people that have similar social interests, search by age, zip code, hair color, height, salary range or whatever you prefer in your relationships.
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Chat with other singles View members photos Find your match! No matter who you are and what you're seeking, truMingle's one of the best for finding a date. It doesn't get much simpler than that. You can view profiles, send messages and gifts, chat with singles, be seen and use our Encounters to match with online singles who have liked you.
All members get full and completely free online access to these features. Make Use of Free Trial Periods. Join the best free dating site in the world.
Then create your dating profile in minutes and begin viewing other members, send and receive messages, chat rooms and much more. My friend has a great relationship with her husband because they get to bond over their shared love of religion and worship. The lifelong partner you seek could be just a click away. Looking for an online dating site with a large Christian user base?
Online Community of Single Christians
Online Dating Made Easy
Meet Singles Online with truMingle Whether you're looking to date, chat, or just meet up online, cyber dating quotes truMingle has you covered with three browsing options. Hayley Matthews Editor-in-Chief. You want to meet someone online with the qualities that matter to you. TruMingle is and always will be. Still not convinced truMingle is right for you?
Why online dating
Canadian Dating Website - 100 Free Canada Chat
Concerned about who your potential partner voted for in the last election? TruMingle is so simple to use. Chat rooms allow you to instantly talk with someone who catches your eye and make the conversation flow more easily. That's why our goal is to make your online dating experience and meeting singles fun, easy, and enjoyable for everyone.


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WGN Launches Pair of Newscasts Monday
WGN Chicago debuts its Midday News at 11:30 and its Evening News at 5:30 Monday. The new newscasts bring the Tribune flagship's total to 37 hours of news a week.
The daytime news, from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., is anchored by STeve Sanders and Micah Materre. The first half hour is local and the last hour is national. The evening program features Mark Suppelsa and Allison Payne.
It's the first evening news program for the CW affiliate.