Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

JMousttm ©ailg djjcmrmtl SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2006 Scarlett rules Ring the sirens. Raise the flags. Kiss the babies. Praise the Lord. I have run across a truly enlightened Yankee woman. One whose admira tion for Southern woman hood runs to such mammoth proportions that she is will ing to shout it to the four corners of the earth. Lisa Bertagnoli (definitely not a name of rich Southern heritage) was raised and still lives in the Windy City of Chicago where, as a sixteen year-old, she discovered the most renowned Southern woman of all time. Scarlett O’Hara became such an obsession to Lisa that she has read “Gone With The Wind” over 20 times. It embarrasses me to admit that I, certainly some kind of leader among Southern women, have only read it twice. For the sake of Southern formal ity, I shall herefore Ronda Rich Columnist refer to her as Miss Lisa. She has certainly earned my respect. “When I grew up and found myself in a sticky situ ation - particularly after one of my many readings of the book - I’d find myself ask ing, ‘What would Scarlett do?”’ Miss Lisa explained. “I wondered if she would take a risk, or play it safe.” Miss Lisa admits, too, “ that I lived a bit vicarious ly through her flirting and charming.” This admiration has pre sented itself to the world in the form of a new book (Villard) entitled “Scarlett Rules: When aLife Give You Green Velvet Curtains, Make a Green Velvet Dress.” The book is composed of 24 lessons that can be learned by dissecting Scarlett O’Hara’s literary behavior. Consider the chapter titles: “Think More Like A Man,” ’’Blaze A Trail,” “Mr. Wrong May Be Mr. Right,” and, of course, “Tomorrow Is Another Day.” I, for one, am grateful that a Yankee woman wrote this book. If I or any other Southern woman writer had penned this work, every crit ic outside of the South would have said something like, “Of course. Stereotypical. Sticking together,” or “Why can’t they just get over Scarlett and move on?” Well, we can’t get over Scarlett because she was a female role model years before Gloria Steinem fol lowers burned their first bra. When Margaret Mitchell wrote the character in the early 19305, the most press ing issue for women was keeping their knees covered after those little flappers had spent the 1920 s show ing off theirs. Mrs. Mitchell, though, wrote a character full of fire, backbone and smarts tem pered with beauty, charm and cunning social skills. Scarlett not only charmed men, she proved to be an incredible business woman running a store and lum ber mill during a time when well-bred women hired someone to run a bath for them. Life tried to beat her down but she stood up to it and kept coming back time after time. So, why would we want to get over Scarlett? She was as much a role model to me as Mario Thomas was in the television series “That Girl.” From both, I learned that a woman can be independent and survive without hiding behind a man’s coattails. See RICH, page jA 'Pond' proves to be touching drama By Jane Winston Journal Contributing Writer Ernest Thompson’s On Golden Pond, a comedy-drama, looks honestly at old age and death, family dis sension and the generation gap. This was true in 1979 when Frances Sternhagen and Tom Aldredge created it, and again when Kathryn Hepburn and the two Fondas, Henry and Jane, jerked audiences to tears and laughter in the 1981 movie version. And the production still looks openly and honestly at these issues in Perry at the Perry Players Theatre. The play opened Friday night under the astute direction of Todd Wilson. An evening spent with the great cast he assembled and this classic play is no waste of time or money. This play is unlikely ever to completely escape the shadow of its movie ver sion, and the two beloved screen icons who gave high ly memorable performances as an elderly husband and wife spending what might well be their last summer together on Golden Pond in Maine. Anyone stepping into the roles of Norman and Ethel Thayer must be prepared to stand up to these lofty com parisons. Todd Wilson, the director, understood this and was undeniably suc cessful at casting two actors ready for the challenge. Tony Zelonis and Jaloo Zelonis experienced, profes sional, talented actors, who in real-life are husband and wife, step into the two roles very comfortably. Tony makes Norman Thayer, the frail and mor ibund 80-year old, into a Resident hopes to form art group Olivia Stachorek found out about Houston Springs on the internet, and moved here from Washington State with her husband, Dick. She is now hoping to find fellow Perry residents to form an art group! Here is Olivia’s story: “At age 70, I told myself to either put up or shut up about any artistic abilities I might have. Over a life time, my talents were used in many artful ways, from stage backdrops to VBS and Sunday school, to birthday parties and finally to ice cream cakes for our Baskin- Robins Store. With every creation, I’ve never failed to lament Melanie Lewis Columnist Houston Springs they should have been done in oil. And I can’t say why I have this passion. My older brother, with a wonderfully light ability in watercolors, had what I, as a critical child, consid ered a heavy hand using somber-toned oils. Besides, I figured I couldn’t work with all that evil-smelling linseed oil and turpentine. Yet, that was the medium I longed to get into. Go figure. “So in my 70th year, I enrolled in an acrylic class where I worked diligent ly on color wheels until a vicious virus knocked me out of completing the course. A couple years later, in a conversation with an 80-year-old friend, I admit ted my innate frustration. Lois Miner of Sequim, Washington, turned aside all my denials and fears, assuring me if I joined her Lifestyle Hr visi B c wgß J. ZELONIS wonderfully tough, cyni cal, irascible old bird, while Jaloo artfully hovers around yet dodges him as Ethel, his younger, solicitous wife. Great performances by both. The rest of the cast are just as irreproachable! David Voltz does well in his small role as a jovial mailman whose love for Chelsea remains unre quited. lan White, a great child actor, turns in a fine performance as Billy Ray. Jr. who transforms grouchy old Norman into an affable fishing buddy while intro ducing him to a whole new vocabulary! Norman want ed daughter Chelsea (Brandi Marks) to be a boy and has treated her as a disappoint ment her entire life. Brandi Marks artfully brings to life Chelsea as she visits her “mommy” and “Norman” at Golden Pond. Not only does Todd Wilson direct the play, but he fills the role of Billy Ray Sr., Chelsea’s new boyfriend. Todd certainly has the Submitted Olivia Stachorek. Monday Painting Group, which had been ongoing for 30-some years, I would love it as much as she did. She also told me about the new water-soluble oil paints now available, so I wouldn’t have to worry with linseed oil or turpen tine. For a full year, she continually urged me to attend and take advantage of the collective knowl edge of her members who could help me get started - which is exactly what happened. “In 2003, my first paint ing surprised me and delighted the class. Their kind encouragement led me to want to put every thing I saw on canvas. Since I serve court report ers as a computer editor of their See LEWIS, page jA W ! "I T _ ni "W m jHpf Journal/Charlotte Perkins David Voltz, left, and Brandi Marks. ® tr® -H * ' mm mk % jUk| , Wssfa WHITE “look” of the dentist who charges $40.00 a filling - which causes Norman to mumble, “Makes ya’ wanna’ give up sugar,” - and he allows the audience to see that he can act as well as direct. yS/ow Open INTERNATIONAL ARTS FRAMES 100 Suite 1 * N. Houston Lake Rd. • Centerville. GA 478-971-1303 ORIGINAL OIL PAINTINGS Large Selection Over 350 Canvas/Frames BRING THIS AD AND RECEIVE AlO% DISCOONT Not Valid With Ajry_Other_Offer j , ~ x .■ ■ ■.. ■... ■■■;.. ... WILSON Put this fine ensemble in the middle of a wonder ful set the Perry Players always manage to assem ble, and middle Georgia theatre-goers are in store for a great evening of mid dle-Georgia theatre. Subscribe today Call 987-1823 Pjr ZZ ' TS [f.y f/ie J^icjßtinj Stcre a Division o; Souihea-it i h-.'r.;.al Supply Wmh- ~ ? * SI \L/ B_. ■*" .1 ~ - a -/// ||\ \V _ ... -4- -ii/ / %\ v i 926 Carroll St. Perry, GA 31069 478-224-8888 T-F 9am-spm SAT 10am-2pm SECTION 6A ■Bl m m} Mm mm m ni tjß m & JS HH : 11|k jag. T ZELONIS WE BUY GOLD! 1 Satterfield & Dempsey Jewelers 100 H. Houston Lake HO • Centerville GA ik. fg£ %m&mu T W %?% | m ' t .Ia i JET kgl JJKT INHI.Wr <