ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997 TAG: 9701200008
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-9 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Auditions set for 'California Suite'
WYTHEVILLE - Auditions to perform in Neil Simon's comedy, "California Suite," are set for 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Grayson Commons on the Wytheville Community College campus.
The play, which is a series of vignettes on couples who occupy a hotel suite over time, has adult parts for five men and five women.
"After last fall's successful production of 'The Crucible,'" said director Janice Scudder, "we wanted to do something a little lighter, but still challenging to our actors. 'California Suite' seemed just right."
Performances are scheduled for Feb. 28 and March 1, 7 and 8.
Volunteers are also needed to help offstage. "We need a stage manager, a lighting technician, and people to help with the set, costumes, publicity and ticket sales," said Scudder.
Further information is available by calling Scudder at 223-4795.
Horse Management Clinic rescheduled
CHRISTIANSBURG - The 1997 Winter Horse Management Clinic has been rescheduled for Saturday at the New River Valley Fairgrounds on Virginia 100, two miles north of Dublin. Sponsored by Virginia Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with Cooper Crest Farm, the clinic will begin at 12:30 p.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m.
Pam Umberger of Copper Crest Farm and Richard White, extension agent, will present topics related to the theme, "Basic Horsemanship: Respect and Communication."
Fees are $10 per person and $5 for 4-H, pony club and Future Farmers of America members. Registration is requested. Call Richard White, 980-7761, for more information.
Benefit concert draws more than 100
WYTHEVILLE - More than 100 people turned out despite cold weather last weekend to a benefit concert aimed at adding to the list of potential bone marrow donors.
The concert by the Rev. Duane Steele, pastor of Gladesboro Lutheran Church in Hillsville, followed a spaghetti dinner at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Wytheville. Steele, who is also a pianist and singer, donated his performance and the dinner was sponsored by the Holy Trinity youth group.
Steele, who will perform on the Protestant Hour this summer, donated 20 percent from purchases of audio recordings of some of his songs made available after the concert.
The money raised from free-will donations at the dinner and concert will be matched by Aid Association for Lutherans, a nonprofit insurance and investment company, and Lutheran Brotherhood to defray the $47 cost of being tested as a bone marrow donor. Some 8,000 people nationally need bone marrow transplants to survive life-threatening diseases, said Steve Lovelace, who works with the donor program, but it is difficult to find matching donors.
The idea for the fund-raiser happened because of a donor match being sought by Jay Pitsenbarger, whose sister, Margaret Pitsenbarger, is a member of Holy Trinity. When she found that she was not a match and could not give bone marrow to her brother, who has leukemia, she and Holy Trinity Pastor Steve Ridenhour sought ways to increase the numbers of potential donors.
The money raised will pay for testing from 12 noon to 6 p.m. Jan. 30 at Holy Trinity. The testing requires the drawing of two tubes of blood. Most people who are tested are never called, but the chances of saving a life are increased with more potential donors available.
Further information on the donor program is available by calling Lovelace at 985-3512 or toll-free (800) 553-6735.
"Ten years ago, most of these diseases would have been a death sentence. But now there is a cure," said Lovelace. "I have no idea how many lives have been saved. Me alone, I've seen six in the last six months."
Except for the initial testing, Lovelace said, all costs including transportation and accommodations are paid for donors who qualify.
DOT giving contracts for conceptual studies
The state Department of Transportation is in the process of awarding contracts for conceptual studies on the best options for widening Interstate 81 in Virginia.
The first project will probably be widening a seven-mile section near the Virginia-Tennessee line next summer. Other high-priority areas include the congested Roanoke and Christiansburg areas.
One study covers the highway from where Interstate 81 overlaps with Interstate 77 near Fort Chiswell in Wythe County. An engineering study is under way to see if it is technically feasible to widen the 10-mile section and a summer public meeting is planned to discuss study results.
A fall public meeting will be held on design options for widening the highway from where Interstate 77 leaves it in Wythe County east to a point south of U.S. 460/11 near Christiansburg.
Another study area includes Montgomery, Roanoke and Botetourt counties from Christiansburg to Buchanan. That study is to be completed this fall.
One-woman play at Wytheville
WYTHEVILLE - "An Evening with Madame F," a one-woman music and acting performance about the Holocaust, is set for 11 a.m. Friday in Grayson Commons at Wytheville Community College.
Claudia Stevens, the performer, has engagements in more than 50 localities nationally. She uses vocal material actually performed at Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen interment camps. She performs at the piano and drum and with electronic sound created for her by composer Fred Cohen.
The show is sponsored by the college Educational Foundation's Council for the Support of the Performing and Creative Arts and by the WCC Convocation and Cultural Affairs Committee. The performance is free. Further information is available by calling Glenda Salerno at 223-4818.
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