I&F - Film and Theater Issue – September/October 2011

September/October 2011

FILM and THEATER PLUS! A look at REGINA CON 2011... short stories... ...AND MORE!

Ink and Fairydust Managing Editor Neri Preslin Assisant Editor Amanda Dominick Graphics Editor Shaylynn Rackers Contributers Elizabeth Hausladen, Neri Preslin, Kevin Derby, K. Martin, Bethany McGean, Lady Eulalia, Kelly Bancroft, Stasia Phillips, Allison DeWolf, Megan Dominick, Shaylynn Rackers

CONTENTS A Farewell Letter/ Editor’s Notes

by Elizabeth Hausladen and Neri Preslin

Miscellany I Voted for Hamlet

by Kevin Derby

Cover Artwork Neri Preslin Photographers Emily Rounds, Elizabeth Hausladen, Neri Preslin, Shaylynn Rackers. Stock images: stock. exchng. Pg. 18-19: Megan Dominick --Questions and comments should be directed to inkandfairydust@yahoo.com Back issues and more information can be found at inkandfairydust.com

Differences Between Theater & Film

by K.Martin

From a Director’s Point of View

by Bethany McGean

I&F Book Review

by Kevin Derby

Start a Movie Club

by Lady Eulalia

The People You’ll Meet

by Kelly Bancroft

All articles are the property of their respective owners and cannot be copied or redistributed in any way except for brief, properly cited citation.

Theater 101

All photographs, artwork, and graphics are the properties of their respecitve artists and may not be reproduced without specific permission.

Theater Bloopers

by Stasia Phillips

compiled by Allison DeWolf

4-5 6-7 8 9 10-11 12 13 14 15 16-17

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

18-19 20 21 21 22-25 26-27 28-29 30 31

My Backstage Memories

by Megan Dominick

Fashion Fairy

by Neri Preslin

Shea and Bergen comic

by Shaylynn Rackers

The Art of Cooking

by Allison DeWolf

Bitter Food Makes You Mad

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 Ink and Fairydust is a free emag full of faith and creativity.

It run entirely by teens and young adults and is published bi-monthly. www.InkAndFairydust.com

by Ciara Zaketti

ReginaCon in Photos

by Neri Preslin

Fairytale Memories

by Shaylynn Rackers

Adventures On the Way

by Ciara Zaketti

The Shadow of the Bear Movie

by Neri Preslin

SUBSCRIBE Send your email to inkandfairydust@ yahoo.com (subject line “subscription”) to recieve email updates. All issues are FREE. LIKE us at facebook.com/ inkandfairydust

Dear Friends, Two years ago I was doing a bit of administrator business on the Fairy Tale Novel Forum when an idea flashed through my mind: “We have so many talented young writers on this forum. Why shouldn’t we start our own little newsletter?”

That “little” newsletter quickly grew, and before I knew it I had a full size, full color, graphic laden magazine on my hands. For about six months I did all the graphic work myself, and then I got a full time nannying job and realized that the time involved was somewhat ridiculous.

So, thanks to some very mature, responsible young women, we were able to form a staff that managed everything from proofreading to page layout. All I had to do was approve submissions, give some editorial critiques, come up with ideas for new issues and get people to commit to articles, track down guest writers, insert all of the pages in proper order and do my own article writing and layout. Plus of course upload the magazine and post about it in half a dozen different places.

Still sound like a lot? Well it is. However I had a lot of fun doing it and really enjoyed being a part of the publishing industry and was so glad to be able to help provide excellent entertainment for young Christian women.

However, last fall God laid a new task on my heart. Going back to college. I spent a long time praying and thinking and discussing the options with my fellow staff members, and at last I came to the conclusion that I no longer would be able to provide the quality of work needed from I&F’s editor. During this time of life it is absolutely essential for me to focus on getting the most out of my education, a task that is already made difficult by ongoing health problems. I also have a novel in search of a home that I need to dedicate some serious time to getting published.

So I have the sad job of announcing my departure from the regular staff of I&F. It has been an amazing journey, and I am absolutely 100% confident that the system now in place will ensure that you continue to get amazing magazines every month. Shaylynn, Q, and the rest of the major staff are going to be working very hard to bring this to you and I look forwards to reading the results!

I also hope, occasionally, to submit a piece to the magazine. However, if you miss my writing in the meantime, don’t despair! You can still find regular blog posts at my personal blog, www.elenatintil.blogspot.com. ALSO, in celebration of my new college career, I’ve started a second blog, www.seamstressconfessions.blogspot.com which not only will chronicle my adventures as a Fashion student, but also my trials and successes as a seamstress. I hope to see you there!

Thank you so much for your faithful readership over these past two years. I am excited to join your ranks now and look forwards to seeing the awesome new articles I know will be coming out in the next few months!

God Bless, -Elizabeth Hausladen Former Editor-in-Chief

Hello I&F readers!

I’m Neri Preslin, former Graphics Editor, current Managing Editor of Ink and Fairydust. Its been a long summer. Like you, I was wondering what direction the magazine would go in the coming months. Fortunately we figured out a way to make it work, so we bring you the first bi-monthly issue of Ink and Fairydust!

Taking over as Managing Editor made me realize just how much work Elizabeth had to do every month. I still have a lot to learn, as do the rest of the staff. So bear with us, we’re truly dedicated to bringing you an informative, imaginative, fun magazine every other month! We’d love to get your feedback on each issue-- after you finish reading Sept/Oct 2011 please drop us a short email with you comments at inkandfairydust@yahoo.com.

Coming from a heavy background in graphics on the magazine, one of the first things Shaylynn (the new Graphics Editor) and I did was sit down and talk about the direction we want to push I&F graphically. We’re revamping logos and streamlining all of the articles to make the magazine visually come together. I think Shaylynn’s done a wonderful job in this short time so far and I fully expect to see even more improvement in the near future.

As a current English major, the quality not just the content of each of our articles is also very important to me. All of our writers are extremely talented, but with our limited proofing staff sometimes things still slip through the cracks. The Submissions/ Proof Reading Editor and I are both fully on board with pushing our entire staff to raise the bar not only on quality but also in content.

These are just a few things we’re doing on our end to make your experience while reading our magazine that much more enjoyable, hopefully you notice. Thanks for all your support in the past and we hope you continue to support us in the future. ~ Neri Preslin Managing Editor

brought to you by the staff of Ink and Fair ydust

THE MAIN STAFF As you know, the past couple of months have brought some big changes for I&F. We will miss Elizabeth, our previous Editor, very much. However, we’re very excited to announce the new staff line-up!

Managing Editor: Neri Preslin Assisant Editor: Amanda Dominick

odds and ends

Column Editor: Ciara Zaketti Graphics Editor: Shaylynn Rackers Proofreading Team: Aubrey Heesch, Ciara Zaketti, Ellen Dore, Megan Dominick Also, this magazine would never go anywhere without our wonderful writers, columnists, and photographers, who bring you the amazing content that you look forward to every issue!

What do you like most about Ink and Fairydust?

What do you want to see in future issues?

Drop us a line at inkandfairydust@yahoo.com! We love to hear from our readers!

ADVERTISEMENTS

The Shadow of the Bear-the MOVIE COMING SOON ON DVD visit http://theshadowofthebear.blogspot. com/

Fairy Tale Novels

by Regina Doman

Modern Fairytales for Teens http://www.fairytalenovels.com/

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Ink and Fairydust is looking for advertisement exchanges!

Please email InkAndFairydust@yahoo.com for more information!

don’t blame me

i voted for

hamlet

by Kevin Michael Derby

As the field of Republican candidates line up

in Iowa and New Hampshire to take on President Barack Obama, it is hard to see their battle as Shakespearean—but that’s exactly what it is. Shakespeare appreciated the drama and conflicts of political battles more than most writers, and his works reflect it.

Shakespeare lived in interesting times, as challengers, both foreign and domestic, looked to influence or remove Elizabeth I from the throne. With the queen having no children of her own, there were questions about who would reign after she died, and fears of continued instability.

Those worries can be seen in Shakespeare’s plays.

Many of his plays—the tragedies and histories, certainly, but even some of the comedies—concern who will rule as king or emperor.

MacBeth and Julius Caesar clearly focus on politics.

Cassius and Brutus hope to kill Caesar before he becomes an emperor while MacBeth kills Duncan so he can be king of Scotland. Dynasties fight it out in the history plays as the likes of Richard III, Henry IV and Henry V look to take control of England and France.

But Shakespeare’s concern with politics shows up in other plays as well. Not only did Claudius kill Hamlet’s father and marry his mother, he also took the young prince’s throne. When a king dies, his son should take the throne instead of his younger brother.

The theme even appears in some of the comedies.

While Claudio and Hero attempt to find love and

Benedick and Beatrice engage in their spirited quarrels, Much Ado About Nothing also focuses on the political plots of Don John against his brother Don Pedro, the prince of Aragon. The Tempest usually captures the imagination of its audience with it wondrous magic, fascinating creatures and enchanted locations, but politics raises its ugly head as well.

Antonio removed Prospero as duke of Milan with the help of King Alonso of Naples. Taking advantage of the chaos on the island, Sebastian plots to kill Alonso to get the crown himself even while Prospero must deal with a rebellion on the island with Caliban.

More than 500 years later, the same theme continues to emerge in countless stories and movies. While Tolstoy may follow the likes of Pierre and Natasha, War and Peace tells the story of how Napoleon and Alexander I clashed over the fate of Russia. While the reader may worry about the fate of Frodo and Sam in The Lord of the Rings, the likes of Sauron, Sarumon, Theoden, Boromir and Aragorn shape the politics and governance of Middle Earth. While the Skywalker family and their friends get the most attention in the Star Wars saga, the rise and fall of Palpatine is what prods the story along.

The constant drama of who will rule and what they will do shapes almost every play Shakespeare wrote and the theme continues in books and movies in our own time. While our politicians may not be speaking in iambic pentameter as they head out to Iowa and New Hampshire, the drama they are taking part in is, what else: Shakespearian.

Differences Between

Theater

&

Film

(by K. Martin)

Have you ever seen a play and come out disappointed because it was nothing like the movie?

Well, I certainly know that I have. After a few lectures from theater teachers and friends, however, I am now able to appreciate them each for their own merits. This summer I saw The Music Man on stage and was able to appreciate it. I appreciated it because I went in not expecting the perfection of Robert Preston and Shirley Jones, or even an imitation of them. I went in expecting something totally new.

I’ll share with you a few of the basic things you need to know about the differences between theater and film.

First of all, when you go to the theater, you must decide to allow yourself to be drawn into the story being told, a concept known in theater as “suspension of disbelief.” In movies, special effects make it easy to create large crowds or fearsome monsters. However, theaters are limited by space and money. Here are a few more fun differences that I have noticed:

Physical Movements Film: In a movie, the camera is able to zoom in for a close up, allowing the audience to discern the subtleties of emotion displayed on actors’ faces. Small body movements are easily detectable. The camera can move during action and gain different views of what is going on.

Theater: From the cheap seats, facial expressions all but worthless. Even in the front rows, play viewers cannot easily discern the expressions on the actors’ faces. Stage actors rely heavily on body movements to portray emotions. If a movie actor wants to indicate where the bad guy ran off to, he may simply jerk his head in the person’s direction. On the stage, the actor would more likely sweep an arm toward the trail of the miscreant.

Performance Length Film: An actor may perform anywhere from a few minutes straight to less than a second at a time.

Furthermore, film actors may act out one specific scene over and over until the proper effect is achieved. If an actress forgets her lines, she may stop and rehearse them, then try again without any negative effects on the final outcome. Movies rely heavily on editing to achieve the final product.

Theater: Rehearsals are long, repetitive, and thorough. Once the play starts, there are no cuts or edits. Stage actors may be on stage for hours on end with only a few minutes break at a time. The final product is different every time, no matter how many times the material has been rehearsed.

All of these factors lead to completely different viewing experiences. With a little practice, you too can appreciate the differences between theater and film.

From a Director’s AN INTERVIEW

by Bethany McGean

While actors may be the visible portions of a production, it takes many people to put on a show.

From stagehands to technicians, everyone involved plays a vital part in crafting the final production.

With the myriad of individuals involved, they need a guiding visionary—the director.

In high school theatre, the director’s job encompasses more than just directing plays: she is a teacher, a mentor, and much more.

To better understand this vital role, I interviewed Emily Stam, the drama teacher and director at Summit Christian Academy (Lee’s Summit, MO). For the past nine years, Mrs. Stam has crafted her school’s drama program into an excellent example of student theater. Her plays include Peter Pan and Wendy, Pride and Prejudice, Much Ado About Nothing, Cinderella and M*A*S*H*.

Armed with mochas, we found a comfortable table at a local coffee shop and talked theater. Over the next 40 minutes we chatted about the highlights and challenges of directing middle and high school students.

Ink & Fairydust: What do you like best about directing?

Emily Stam: I love that you can be creative in many different areas and it all comes together in one big final project. I think I have creative ADD, in that I don’t like to focus on one thing for too long or I get bored. It’s great that my job lets me focus on acting, costuming, painting the set, and looking for props. I enjoy the never-ending variety that directing brings to my life.

Some of my favorite moments are when I’m with two kids and we’re working really hard on a scene. We have those brilliant moments of understanding and we all jump up and down. When we do the scene, it is really brilliant. Those are the kind of rare moments I really enjoy. When it comes down to it, I really like working with actors and watching them grow—in their talent and maturity. It’s a rewarding occupation.

I&F: What are the biggest challenges?

Stam: There are a lot of challenges in being a Christian theater—a Christian and a director. Not necessarily a Christian director, but trying to figure out how I can integrate my faith with directing— and it affects every area. Play selecting is obviously a big deal when you’re a Christian. You’re trying to make sure the students have things that challenge their acting and their minds, but not corrupt their innocence. That’s one of the biggest challenges, trying to

find good plays that I feel are worth doing.

I&F: What is the process in choosing a play?

Stam: I am always looking for a play. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing or who I’m with— everything is a possibility. I go to a lot of high school theater and try to attend as much professional theater as possible. I watch a lot of movies that based on plays and I read a lot of plays. I try to make sure we have a variety of plays, that there are big ones to encourage the younger students and then smaller ones to grow the older students. It’s a continual process. I have a list of plays I want to do someday and I’ve been steadily going down the list, depending on whom I have.

I&F: Whom you have is important?

Stam: It’s huge. You can’t do Music Man without having a phenomenal guy who is confident, loves musicals, and work his tail off. The same is true for other plays. It’s unwise to head into auditions if you know you don’t have two or three kids who can play those main parts. Until I’m comfortable having those people, I stay away from it.

I&F: Could you describe the auditioning process?

Stam: We tell the students about the auditions and do some organization before hand. I usually have friends who come and help me. We figure out what we are

Point of View looking for in certain roles. If there are students I know well, I have some initial ideas what they’d be good at, although I let them try many different things. At first, the students don’t make any of the choices. They put on their audition sheets, “If I make call backs I would like to try out for…” because sometimes they have ideas about what they’d be good at that I don’t see yet.

At tryouts, we put them through a cold read: we give them a script and they practice as groups for a few minutes. Then, we bring them in one group at a time and they do their best to give life to the character while reading their lines.

We put them through three to five scenes and we make some initial notes. We usually have two days of tryouts and don’t put the callback list together until after the second day.

Callbacks occur two days later.

At that time we are looking specifically at who will fill each role. We are testing chemistry, whether that is between friends or family members—people who are believable as parents and children or siblings. There’s also romantic chemistry—people who look believable as a married couple or people who will get together at the end of the play. Sometimes it really surprises us who has chemistry and who doesn’t.

We discuss who would do well in what role, but in the end, since I’m the one who spends all the time with the actors, I decide who does what. Some casts come together with very little agony and we’re

surprised how simple it is. Some casts, it’s really difficult. We decide which of the younger kids we’re going to give a big break, who’s ready for the responsibility, and who’s mature enough to take things seriously.

It’s not just about talent, it’s about respect, humility and teachability.

If you have actors who are full of themselves and think they have arrived, then they are not going to listen to you—which means you have nothing to teach them and it’s a waste of both of your times.

If they are not going to listen to me, I’m not going to be able to help them get better. They should be with someone else. That’s why I think students should tryout for directors they really respect. If you don’t think that person has something to teach you, then you’re not working for the right person. If you don’t think anyone has anything to teach you, then you have some work to do. We can all learn from each other. I learn all the time from my actors. They teach me things and I teach them.

I&F: If a student is interested in theater, but doesn’t want to act or didn’t make it past auditions, what can she do?

Stam: A million billion things.

What are you good at? Theater needs artists, shoppers, musicians, and hairstylists. We need techies who like computers, light boards, and sound effects. Plays need organized people who get things done. If you’re good at organizing, you’ll make a great stage manager

or assistant director. We need outgoing people as ushers and house managers. If you can follow directions and keep a good attitude, you can do many things. If you don’t know anything about an area, but are willing to learn, someone can take you under their wing and teach you everything they know.

Then, someday, you can be in charge, which is a lot of fun.

I&F: What’s your inspiration?

Stam: I’m inspired when students are excited about new things.

Every time I introduce them to a new play, we talk about why it’s important, what lessons we can learn, and the history surrounding it. As we develop their characters, their enthusiasm and hard work inspires me.

I’m inspired by the other artists who surround me—writers, artists, and directors. Inspiration can be drawn from anywhere. When I witness something beautiful and powerful, I get excited about working on my projects. Seeing a great professional or high school show propels me into making my productions inspiring to others.

And God. There are so many times when I feel God gift wraps a play, sticks it in my lap and says, “Here you go.” You feel so blessed to be given this gift. I’m inspired watching God’s faithfulness as we find props and costumes and overcome crazy emergencies.

Watching it all come together; that never gets old.

Following the King: The Runelords

reviewed by Kevin Derby

One of the problems with the explosion in the number of fantasy novels is how many truly dreadful ones there are in print. Many of the writers get so lost in creating their wondrous worlds with fabulous creatures and amazing magic that they lose track of their characters and fail to develop them.

The Runelords series, which kicks off with The Sum of All Men by David Farland, serves as an example of this. Farland is a decent writer in terms of structure, and he can assemble a paragraph pretty well. He is not as strong with dialogue but, to be blunt, that is increasingly to be expected in fantasy or sci-fi books these days.

He also does a solid job of keeping the plot flowing, but there are occasional slow spots. Farland gives his readers an epic tale with the fate of nations at stake and he does offer interesting new monsters. His idea of magic as a commodity divided up in certain set units is a creative one, but really could have been better developed. It comes off as a good idea for a computer or role-playing game, but despite Farland’s best attempts it is hard to set in a novel.

But while the Runelords series has its strong points, Farland fails miserably in a number of key areas.

The first is character development: there isn’t any.

Farland has an evil tyrant, a spunky princess, a heroic prince, the wise old man and....well they have as much depth as a Post-it® note. Farland has heroes who are all good and perfect, and bad guys who are all evil.

Sadly he extends this to society as a whole. One of the chief problems with Farland’s world is that even the ‘good guys’ preside over a society based on exploiting people for their bodies.

To make our spunky princess even lovelier, a number of her subjects become withered hags. Readers are then supposed to be angry at the tyrant for doing the same thing to his subjects. There can be good characters serving bad causes—as anything from The Iliad to War and Peace can easily show. Readers can cheer Stalin over Hitler in WWII, but they should not damn Hitler for his crimes while cheering Stalin for his.

This comparison may be a bit over the top but both the heroes and villains of The Runelords preside over kingdoms founded on slavery and exploitation. While I have no objections to fantasy tales that are not light versus darkness, I do object to hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy. The Runelords reeks of both.

While Farland can keep the plot moving and is a good writer, this can only partially redeem his series of books. Although he had some new ideas, on the whole, Farland stuck too closely to the clichés of the genre. The book comes off as a paint-by-number fantasy work with little to root for or take interest in.

The Runelords are books with no heart, and it is a testament to Farland’s writing abilities that they are not a complete failure. Readers looking to enjoy a fantasy adventure would do better looking elsewhere.

how to start a MOVIE CLUB

by Lady Eulalia

Pop the popcorn, fluff up the beanbags and break out the M&M’s™ .

It’s time for a movie night! Movie clubs can be a great way to relax with friends, instigate interesting discussions, and have an overall great time. But first, there are some plans to be made.

First off, you need to pick a movie.

One of the most difficult aspects of having a movie club is finding good films, with enough plot to be discussable, but not so complex as to be difficult to follow in the often distracting atmosphere of a friendpacked living room. Do your research ahead of time to find appropriate movies for your group. Fresh out of ideas? Then ask friends for suggestions. Most people are happy watching a movie they have already seen, so long as they can share it!

Also, make sure that whatever you watch is acceptable for everyone. Discuss movie content ahead of time to make sure it’s within everyone’s principles, and always have a couple back up choices in case someone finds something inappropriate. It might also be a good idea for the club host to review the film ahead of time his or herself, or at least check up on it with some wholesome movie review sites (Plugged In Online is a great one).

Depending on the size of the group and amount of time available, it can be fun to discuss the movie. If it’s a historical film, maybe do some period research ahead of time to present to the group.

If it’s fiction, print out some discussion questions, or simply have fun going around the room and have everyone name their favorite part. The most important thing to remember is to simply enjoy this time to wind down and enjoy a movie with friends.

Some Movie Suggestions: Mclintock!

If you are a John Wayne fan, or would like to become one, this is a fantastic movie: a light romantic comedy and a western retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. Though Shakespearian experts will assert that the story line does not exactly follow that of the play, it is still a classic case of two stubborn people who eventually win each others’ affection and respect.

Other suggestions: El Dorado (another John Wayne), Crossfire Trail, or Big Country.

Emma This version, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, is a fantastic movie for Jane Austen fans!

Other suggestions: Pride and Prejudice (1995 BBC or 2005 Focus Features), Sense and Sensibility (starring Emma Thompson), or Northanger Abbey (starring Felicity Jones).

The King’s Speech This is an incredible film about the unique struggles of King George VI of England. Don’t let the rating scare you away. Other than the language, the movie is very clean and very moral.

Other Suggestions: A Man for All Seasons or The Inn of the Sixth Happiness.

Ever After. A Cinderella Story The best retelling of a classic fairy tale ever made! It takes place during the Renaissance, and is full of historical aspects, along with the fictional.

Other suggestions: Second Hand Lions or The Agony and the Ecstasy.

The Scarlet and the Black Among WWII movie this one is a gem! It tells the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, who saved the lives of hundreds of American and British soldiers during the Nazi occupation of Rome. It’s a great one for discussion and further research.

Other Suggestions: Silent Night or The Guns of Navarone.

Words of Wisdom:

Preach the Gospel at all times. If nessesary, use words. - St. Francis Assisi

THE PEOPLE YOU’LL

MEET

Hey there cinephiles! No doubt you’ve heard about the various aspects of creating film; writing the awesome screenplay, the difficult but rewarding shoot, the magic of the editing process, and the premiere! ...Well, I’d like to speak on a very important part of filmmaking that I think gets passed over a lot. That aspect is the people you work with. Let me just say: in the arts, you will meet weird people. If you aren’t an artist or haven’t been part of the arts scene long, take it from a sister who knows.

Unfortunately, the Christian community within the arts is lean at best. This makes it difficult for a believer, believe me! As a Christian filmmaker, it’s extremely easy to demonize all the filmmakers who make crappy, disgusting movies. I mean, do we really need more gratuitous sex, violence, and foul language in our viewing diets? How do we handle this, as Christian artists and filmmakers, how do we even begin to process it?

Here comes the biggest lesson I’ve learned in the last 3 years of active involvement in the local arts community: Remember “The Wizard of Oz” and the little man behind the curtain? Well, behind every crass movie made, it’s just a bunch of plain, ordinary people. And they’re the people you’re going to be working hand in hand with when you make your movie.

“Oh, great.” You must be thinking.

In a recent talk with my pastor, he pointed out the story of Jesus and the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11). The Pharisees caught her in the act and basi-

by Kelly Bancroft,

film major

cally threw her at Jesus, dehumanizing her by using her as merely a prop to trap Jesus with their trick questions about the law. Jesus replied, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” He reminded everyone that no matter our goodness or badness, we are all human, all sinful, and in his loving treatment of the woman, he affirmed the fact that we are all redeemable by his love.

In the same way, it’s easy to label many of our fellow filmmakers as “sinful,” “crass,” and “offensive” because the movies they produce are just that.

But really, as Christians always striving to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to judge our fellow artists. We are, after all, humans, and so are they. Jesus was not judgmental of the woman.

Neither should we be judgmental of our fellow gay, lesbian, new age, atheist, militantly liberal, or addict friends (and trust me, you will meet a lot of them!)

Our job as Christians in a non-Christian world is to first of all love God with everything we are, have, and will be. Secondly, we need to love other people unconditionally like Jesus did (check out Romans 13:8-9). Lastly, don’t be anxious about it (Phil. 4:6)! I know there’s a lot of pressure to be perfect so that we can influence non-Christians for Christ, but I’m going to say something really radical and straight from the Bible: It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow (1 Cor. 3:7). You can’t make a seed grow, and you can’t be perfect. We’re all human!

Praise God.

Words of Wisdom:

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. -G.K. Chesterton

Theater 101 – Tricks of the Trade

By Stasia Phillips

Whether you are a budding actor or a full-fledged prima donna, here are a few tips to help make backstage life a little easier for everyone! ● Have all lines, cues, blocking, and music memorized a long time before tech week comes around. ● While onstage, talk loudly and slowly, allowing your voice to project. ● Get plenty of rest during tech week. You will want to be alert and energetic for performances and cast parties! ● Be patient with the stage crew during tech rehearsals. They need to get lighting and sound problems worked out before the show. ● If you are required to provide some of your own costume pieces, such as tights, shoes, jewelry, etc, keep everything in a large tote bag or laundry basket. This keeps things from getting lost because they are all in one place. ● Keep all other costume pieces together on a hanger to keep them from being wrinkled or lost. Label the hanger with a piece of masking tape that has your name. ● Avoid eating or drinking anything but water while wearing your costume. Stained costumes are bad. ● Use your own make-up, or (if you must share) use disposable make up brushes or applicators found at a drug store. ● Put all props back in their designated place immediately following the show. Lost or broken props are never a good thing! ● Never touch, move, or play with other actors’ props. ● Bring a book or some other quiet activity to occupy you backstage between scenes, but be on top of your cue! Don’t rely on someone else to tell you when to go onstage.

Break a leg!

THEATER BLOOPERS It is a truth acknowledged in the Theater world… that the most hilarious things happen during theatre prep and performances. Here are some funny stories and remembrances from members of the I&F staff and their friends.

(Some clarifications have been added)

“During my sophomore year of high school we put on a play called Lunatics at Large.

One of the lunatics was supposed to come out on stage with a mannequin with which he played. He came out dancing! Plus, he stuck a banana (which wasn’t one of the props) in his pocket and, after sitting the mannequin in a chair, proceeded to shoot it with the banana!

compiled by Allison DeWolf

“I was helping with hair and makeup for Up the Down Staircase. Someone had done Jose’s makeup—he’s supposed to have dark skin in the play—but his makeup was lighter than his actual skin tone. In my zeal for trying to re-do his makeup, I made him about 4 shades too dark. With less than a half an hour left ‘till opening, we had to remove and completely re-apply all his makeup.” – Allison DeWolf

It was a running joke after that that a banana should be snuck on stage during every show that we did!” – Stasia Phillips And then there was that time that I fell off the stage during curtain calls for The Prince and the Pauper the Musical...

-Shaylynn Rackers

“Joe (Horace Vandergelder) expressing his feelings about Hello Dolly opening night—telling me (Minnie Fay), the shy 9th grader, that we were doomed because everyone would remember the leads of the show that, in his opinion, was about to be a flop…. It wasn’t. He had a drastically different attitude the next day.” – Leslie

During Pirates of Penzance, one of my friends snapped her parasol in half during the middle of a preformance... twice.

Backstage, a couple of the Pirates gang rode unicycles around in full costume. I was the only girl who did it. With an ankle length skirt and high heel boots. I still like to brag about that!

-Shaylynn Rackers

“During Marriage, in Boomtown, I accidentally kicked the trumpet player in the head. He turned around and gave me a look—he was NOT happy.

This same man cushioned Ani’s fall a year later.” (Writer’s note: Our school performed Boomtown after it had only been performed once, at our director’s college, 50 years before.) – Leslie

“Ani fell on the same trumpet player and got her foot stuck. Her heaving crying could be seen from the back of the gym while we were supposed to be frozen. When asked if she would like help off the stage, she chose to bravely continue on, but was still crying in the final Gaston pose.” (Beauty and the Beast) – Leslie

“When I made Michael (The Beast) bleed after Allison and I removed his mask during understudy night.” – Leslie

“During one of the dress rehearsals in Hello Dolly, Joe (Horace Vandergelder) forgot to take off his mic when he went to the bathroom. It was still on so the whole gym heard him singing the girl’s part of It Only Takes a Moment (“he held me for an instant and his arms were sure and strong”....) It was pretty funny.” – Anna

“Doing Brendan’s (Lou Martin’s) hair and makeup and then sending him out on a hairspray run to CVS whilst in his Up the Down Staircase getup.” – Leslie

“When I ripped almost every hair off of Justin’s (The Beast’s) face the first time I ever put the mask on him. He insisted on not using any of the remover, but afterwards he excused himself to go to the bathroom, and probably went over there to cry—his face was red and his eyes were watering.”

(Beauty and the Beast) – Leslie

“Doing an awkward dance move with Alex (Barnaby Tucker) during We’ve Got Elegance practice… he dropped me and I laughed uncontrollably—probably more embarrassing than funny.” (Hello Dolly) – Leslie

“During the last dress rehearsal for Beauty and the Beast, Neil (Gaston) jumped out of the covered hole in the wall during the last fight scene between Gaston and the Beast.

He fell out of the window, which he was supposed to do, but got a concussion, which he was not supposed to do.” – Leslie

“Accidentally spraying sparkles in Jon’s (Jose Rodriguez’s) hair instead of black hair dye… suckering him into curling his eyelashes and applying mascara- which later got all over his face.” (Up the Down Staircase) – Leslie

“Chris (Rudolph Reisenweber) nearly fell into the huge, gaping hole in the stage which was the orchestra pit, but coolly said in his German accent, ‘Who put that there!’”

(Hello Dolly) – Leslie

by Megan Dominick

Before I talk about all of my backstage memories, I want to explain a little bit about The Little Flowers Catholic Dance and Theater Troupe. A mother who wanted to teach young girls about the nine virtues formed the troupe in 1996. As the troupe grew, they started doing large plays at a school gym, and since then the troupe has been doing an original play written by our founder/director every year.

2005 was the year that I joined, with my older sister Amanda and younger sister Teresa.

When we joined, the troupe was separated into two different age groups, and these two groups where known as the Seniors and the Juniors. Both groups met once a month on the second and fourth Thursdays starting in September and ending in May. Now there is a third group and they are the Little Juniors. They share half a day with the Juniors. The ages for the Seniors club are 12 to 19, the Juniors ages are 8 to 12, and the Little Juniors ages go from 4 to 8.

And now that I explained a little about the troupe I would like to share the memories that I remember with you.

The first play that I was ever in was called The Chain Unbroken, and it was about several different saints. It started with Mary Magdalene and ended with Blessed Mother Teresa. I had a few small non-speaking parts for that. The only thing that I didn’t like during the play and rehearsals that year was the hotness, as the gym where we had been didn’t have air conditioning.

The year after, we didn’t do a play, but we did dance at a Catholic homeschool conference.

In 2007 we did a play entitled Remember Me. It was about a young girl who found a mysterious book that belonged to a strange man named Gerhard, and the girl learns about the nine virtues through the book. For this play we rented an auditorium, with air conditioning, at a small college.

Around Christmas of December of 2006 we started doing what is called The Silent Nativity. It is the story of the Nativity acted out to music. For the first year I was a townsperson. We did that in 2007 and 2008 as well, and that took the place of any speaking plays. In December 2010 we did the Silent Nativity again.

During Lent of 2008, 2009, and 2010 we did a fairly large-scale production called The Seven Last Words of Christ. That was silent acting set to music. For it, we had a live choir, unlike the Silent Nativity where it was just music.

Out of all the plays that I have mentioned thus far, I only have one favorite memory, and it is from last year when we did The Seven Last Words of Christ.

One of the practices was the day before my 16th birthday and one of the actors brought a cake and everyone sang to me. It was very sweet of them.

At the beginning of this past June, the troupe did a speaking play called The King of the Golden City. It is a book written in the early 1900’s by Mother Mary Loyola, and our director adapted it to the stage. The story is about a young girl on her journey to heaven, and is an allegory on the sacraments.

My favorite memory of this play was the time in between the two performances on Sunday June 5th.

A group of fellow actors/club members, myself included, were in the dressing room, and we where singing along to Taylor Swift. That same day was a fellow actor’s birthday and we surprised her. Another favorite memory that is connected with this play is when two friends of mine, who were in the play as well, performed an abridged opera of the play!

At all of the plays and dress rehearsals that I have been in, I have had a wonderful time, though I may not have favorite memories for all of them.

Before I leave you, here are four fellow Girls Club members whom I asked to share their favorite memories:

“My favorite time was when I got to hand Dilecta flowers, and when I got to be with my friend Michaela!” – Mary D., Little Junior

“I love having the chilly giddy feeling you get just before going on stage to perform for the awaiting audience. I also love getting my make-up on and looking like a completely different person.” – Sarah L., Senior “I loved hanging out with all my friends and the best time was when I was with my friends on my birthday.” – Michaela S., Senior “My favorite memory of the show was performing an abridged opera style version of the play with my friend for the cast and crew. Since I didn’t have a huge part in the play, I had a lot of free time during the performances. But, all that time was put to good use; helping friends with quick-changes and doing random jobs that needed to get done.” – Theresa S.

You can go to www.saintphilomena.com to order the book The King of the Golden City on CD!

fashion fairy

In the past we’ve talk about several different aspects of fashion, however we haven’t spent much time on DIY (Do It Yourself) fashion. With Google, Youtube and Blogs its becoming increasing popular to figure out how to make your own clothing, jewelry and other accessories, not to mention makeup and hair ideas. How can we ignore so many sources so close to our fingertips?

A great place to start is pinterest.com - a virtual pinboard, it works sort of like a forum, you send a request to join and then you get an email that helps you set up your account.

On the website you create different boards like “My House” or Scarf: Cotton and Curls “Great Books” then you add a ‘pin it’ button to your tabs. Whenever you see a picture you like on a website you click the pin it button, it will bring up a page that shows you all the pictures it recognizes from that webpage, you click on the one you want to pin and pick the board. You can also browse other people’s boards and repin their photos. Its a great place to find DIY fashion, as well as regular fashion ideas.

Some other sites you might try...

Shirt: Made By RAE

TheBeautyDepartment.com is great when it comes to anything hair.

They have cool facts about how to keep your hair in the best condition possible, tutorials to show you how to create different hairdos, and cool ways Hairstyle tutorial: Beauty Department to dye your hair - they’ve also got a section for makeup.

ShowTellShare.blogspot.com has some really cool ideas when it comes to t-shirts. There’s a post for how to put your own design on blank t-shirts with chalk and bleach pens.

CottonAndCurls.blogspot.com has tons of easy, cute patterns that even sewing novices can readily figure out. Their ideas also make great gifts ;) made-by-rae.com has globs of wonderful patterns, not only for adults but for kids too.

All of these websites can help you create your own sense of fashion, tailored directly to you by you. What could possibly be better?

T-shirts: Show Tell Share

Shea and Bergen

by Shaylynn Rackers

Snacks are the ultimate movie food. For me, there is nothing like the salty, buttery crunch of popcorn and the sweetness of the ice cream of a peppermint patty. But sometimes we need a little change from the typical… So, here we have two options for those who prefer both savory and sweet.

It is easy to double the batches if you have a large group, and both of these recipes keep well in an airtight plastic container.

This is my go-to snack for both movies and travel. (And it is gluten-free!)

Directions: 1. Heat oven to 250° F. Spray large roasting pan with cooking spray.

2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter, honey and ginger to boiling. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Into roasting pan, measure cereal, banana chips, almonds and coconut. Stir in brown sugar mixture until evenly coated.

3. Bake 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper or foil; cool about 15 minutes. Place in serving bowl; stir in cranberries. Store in airtight container.

Ginger Honey Crunch

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup honey

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger or cardamom

6 cups Rice Chex® or Honey Nut Chex® cereal

1 cup dried banana chips (optional)

1 cup unblanched whole almonds

1 cup flaked coconut (optional)

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries or dried pineapple (optional)

bitter food makes you mad

by Ciara Zaketti il ustrated by Shaylynn Rackers

The night was darker and colder than it needed to be, or so Genevieve thought as she tightened her coat around her, shifted her backpack to a more comfortable position and stuffed her fingers into her thin jacket pockets. Her English class had gone exceptionally well, so well in fact that she thought she just might be a teacher after all. Studentteaching had initially been just another thing she had to do to graduate, but now she looked on it more favorably.

As she approached her car, Genevieve scanned the deserted streets for anyone or anything that should not be there. Having had a policeman for a father, Genevieve had developed a watchful eye early on in life. I’m paranoid, really, she thought in derision as she hurriedly dug her keys out of her pocket, anxious to get out of the icy wind.

Having a policeman for a father had had its upsides, but mostly they

had been downs. He had not been home much while she was growing up and the only character trait she thought she had inherited from him was his paranoia.

I’m like one of those crazies on those silly crime shows….

Except I don’t kill people.

Genevieve yanked open the door to the car she had lovingly dubbed Rusty. Dumping her backpack onto the backseat, the keys slipped out of her hands.

Genevieve cursed.

Paranoid and clumsy, that’s lovely.

Great resume, she thought bitterly as she hunched forward to retrieve her keys.

Then something crunched on the ground behind her and she froze.

Her last clear memory was the red bowling ball rolling slowly across the soggy snow.

the afternoon as it was now at one in the morning. Particularly frozen blood, William Madden speculated as he squatted in the snow next to the abandoned car, which looked more like a rusty barrel than the Grand Prix that the VIN said it should be. The comment about the blood looking like a slushy hadn’t helped the matter and Will was fairly certain he’d never eat again. Stupid forensics guys, he thought angrily, how they can be so insensitive is beyond me.

The body had long ago been taken to a lab for further inspection and Will was one of the few police left on the scene. Most of the men and women still roaming around were either forensics or reporters, and it was hard to know which type he disliked more. The only thing that could mess up a crime scene more than forensic compilers were the media hounds.

Blood: it wasn’t a pleasant And profilers, they’re sight, regardless of the time of day. always trying to make something It was as unwelcomed at three in

out of nothing, Will thought as he chewed the inside of his lip and tried to ignore the biting wind. Even though he was only 28 years old, he’d already had his fair share of psychologists and not just criminal profilers, either. He hadn’t even been able to stomach the therapists he had been forced to see as a child after his parents had disappeared.

“Madden, the Chief wants you,” Jay, his shorter than average partner and best friend stood above him, momentarily shielding Will from the icy wind.

Will stood, slapping his gloves against his right knee as he did so, “Thanks, Jay.”

“I don’t like this. At all,” Jay was saying.

“It’s murder, Jay; you’re not supposed to like it.” Will could not keep the sarcasm from his voice, and immediately regretted having done so: Jay was a good and loyal friend and partner.

Jay glared at him, his dark eyes angry, “That’s not exactly what I was referring to.”

“Then what were you referring to?” Will blew out all his breath in an attempt to be civil.

Jay turned away, “Chief’ll tell you.”

Will followed his partner over to where the Chief stood, barking orders and ignoring the press as much as possible.

“I already gave a statement,” Chief said, brushing aside the microphone that a particularly persistent reporter had thrust in his face.

“Chief.”

“Ah, Will,” the Chief smiled as he turned away from the microphone. “Walk with me.”

Will followed without a word, Jay on his heels.

As soon as they had settled into the squad car, safely out of the wind and cold, the Chief spoke, “Look, boys, I know this case should be yours, but I’m giving it to someone else.”

Jay’s eyes flicked towards Will, but he ignored him, stubbornly, “Why, sir?”

“Because this is not just ‘a case’, so to speak,” said the Chief.

“Did you not notice the bowling ball?

This is either a very well plotted and carried out copycat or you-know-who is back.”

Will felt Jay’s eyes on him once more and knew immediately what Jay had disliked so much. He waited for the Chief to continue.

It wasn’t the Chief who had anything to say, however, it was Jay: “So who is taking the case, then?”

“The people who investigated it before, the ones already familiar with him,” said the Chief.

“But I thought that they quit,” said Will slowly.

The Chief shook his head, “Didn’t quit, they’re just doing something new now.”

Jay frowned, “They’re Feds now, aren’t they?”

The Chief nodded.

Jay sighed, “Well, I’m heading home, then.” He put a hand on the door. “Will, you’ll

brief ‘em?”

Will nodded. “Sure.”

Jay left, leaving Will feeling disgusted and angry. This might have been his chance to show some of the older, more experienced cops that he knew what was what, but they were handing this case on to someone else.

“Will?” said the Chief, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Sir?”

“It’s okay; you can call me Grandpa now.”

Will squirmed but didn’t answer. Didn’t the Chief realize that this was the root of the problem? Being the boss’s grandson had automatically caused everyone to think that the only reason he had gotten this job was because he already had a foot in the door.

“Look,” said the Chief.

“He’s going to be here soon.”

“I thought there were two of them.”

“There were two of ‘em….

I don’t know if they’re both coming though.”

“Right,” said Will. He turned towards the window of the car and scowled.

The Chief reached out a gnarled hand and rested it on Will’s shoulder. “Will, I want you to help them, be the personal liaison as far as communicating with the police goes. It can be a way to break your wings in, so to speak.”

Will nodded, but barely managed to contain a snort, Right, not even Gramps thinks I could handle a case like this by myself.

“It may not be the most ideal of circumstances, but it’ll have to do. If this is who we think it is, it’ll be best for everyone involved to have these two back on his trail, and if it’s deemed to be a copycat, then you can have the case back.”

Will nodded again, “I understand, sir.” He glanced out the squad car door to see a large, black SUV pull up.

The Chief opened the door, “They’re here.” He glanced back at Will and seemed to notice the frustration on his grandson’s face.

“Look, this will be good experience for you. I’m trying to help you out.”

“That’s the problem. You’re always helping me out. I need to do some things for myself.”

The Chief sighed, “If I do too much for you, it’s ‘cause I love you, Will… like I loved your parents.”

“Sure, sure,” said Will, scrambling out of the squad car.

He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and hurried to the SUV which had just parked.

Just then the door started to open and Will quickly stepped out of the way. A man emerged, but it was too dark to make out any distinct features other than the fact that he and Will were nearly the same height. Will at 6’2’’ stood perhaps an inch taller. The man moved smoothly and carefully giving Will the impression that he was meticulous in his every action, but there was also a recklessness in the way he lively stepped out of the vehicle. To Will, these attributes added up to a person who he would never mess with. The fact that this man was also a Fed just reinforced

this notion.

Will extended his hand, “I’m Detective Will Madden, and you are?”

The man, instead of returning the greeting, walked quickly past Will and towards the crime tape, calling over his shoulder as he went, “Don’t you just hate SUVS?” Will turned and followed feeling unsettled.

“I’m Special Agent Feud.

As long as we’re identifying ourselves with such formality, I thought I’d toss the ‘special’ in there.” Special Agent Feud was now standing in front of the victim’s car, apparently examining it. Will approached and stood next to him, “Very well, Special Agent.”

The sarcastic tone was there and Will couldn’t help it.

For some reason, the sarcasm seemed to deeply amuse Special Agent Feud, who turned away with a smirk. A serious look crossed his face as he caught sight of the bowling ball near the driver’s door.

Special Agent Feud squatted and stared at the bowling ball for what seemed millennia, a look on his face that Will found completely troubling. Special Agent Feud slowly stood, an angry look on his face.

“Well? Is it him?” Will found himself asking. So what if he was rushing? He was angry, tired, cold and hungry.

Special Agent Feud’s face was ashen, “Dust the ball for prints.

If it’s him, the only fingerprints to be found will be his victim’s. If it’s clean, he’s changed his MO.”

He turned and walked back to the SUV. “Hey!” Will called after him, “Couldn’t it just be a copycat?”

Special Agent Feud paused mid-step, then turned and sauntered back towards Will.

Will couldn’t help but glare at him.

“Why?” “Why, what?” Will snapped.

“Why copycat this? Why now?” Special Agent Feud gestured, the breadth of his arm taking in the entire scene.

“A question like that presumes that I understand the criminal mind. I’m not a profiler.

I’m more interested in the crime than the criminal.” Will responded tersely, disliking Special Agent Feud more and more.

Special Agent Feud crossed his arms, “Details such as some of those clearly present on this scene were never released to the public.

Whoever did this, either knows the original killer or he is the killer.

It’s as simple as that.” He turned and headed back to the SUV again.

“What details?” Will shouted after him, attracting attention from some of the straggler reporters. His anger had made him reckless and he ignored both the reporters and the fact that he had attracted their attention.

“You’re one of the public, Detective Madden, clearly.”

Special Agent Feud replied tersely, turning towards him again.

Will stalked towards him, “Look, I don’t care how far on the

outside of this case you think I am, but I am part of this case now!

Meaning I know everything, past, present and future. Keeping me out of the loop would be a mistake on your part.”

He and Special Agent Feud now stood nose-to-nose and Will glared at him.

“Fair enough,” Special Agent Feud now murmured. “Start over, shall we?”

He held out his hand,” Special Agent Dryden Feud, at your service. You can call me Dryden, but the people who value their limbs call me Feud.”

Will nodded and shook his hand, “Most people call me Will.”

“Well, perhaps you can compel your forensics team to dust the bowling ball for prints.”

“I can do that.”

“I’m to see your Chief in the morning. Incidentally, Madden is not a shared name by coincidence, is it?”

“He’s my grandfather.” Why is that always the first thing people notice?

“Ah,” Feud yanked open the door to the SUV, “Agent Bittner has not arrived yet, I assume?”

“No.” Feud stepped inside the vehicle and it seemed to Will that he had lost the vitality he once had.

His face was drawn and ashen, the spring in his step gone, “I’ll see you tomorrow, then, Will.”

Will nodded and shut the door to the SUV. Well, at least that’s over with, Will thought as he stalked back over to the crime scene. A reporter was approaching

him and he ignored her, side stepping her and continuing his journey, “Greenly?”

The forensic scientist hurried towards him, “Yes?” “Dust the ball for prints.”

Greenly gave him a quizzical look, but without a word, he went back to the forensics van.

Will squatted and stared at the bowling ball. How could it be that the only thing Feud had paid attention to was the bowling ball?

Am I the only one who cares about the human life that was taken this morning? I suppose detaching oneself from the fact that someone did such a heinous thing to another human is a coping mechanism, Will stood. One thing is certain; this man took this way too far.

Nine, nine victims. Nine innings, nine bowling pins, Will glanced over his shoulder to where the SUV was just pulling away, Is that really what this is, just a game to him?

A game of bowling? But, if it’s just the victim’s prints on the ball, is that supposed to signify that they died at their own hand?

Will shook his head and

thought cynically as he headed back to his truck, For someone who hates psychology, I sure take a lot of stock in it.

Greenly approached him, “The ball’s been dusted. We’re waiting for the results now.”

“Thanks, Greenly,” Will said, and meant it.

Greenly was frowning and seemed to be having difficulty with saying something, “So, nine victims, then?”

“Nine,” Will nodded, “At least we know he’s reached his goal.”

“Goal?”

Will crossed his arms and leaned against his truck, “The bowling ball. Nine pins. Nine victims.” “…………..there are ten pins in a bowling game,” The horrific realization etched itself across Greenly’s face.

Will felt his insides grow cold. He’s not done.

TO BE CONTINUED...

*some photos by Amanda Dominick

O

nce upon a time

a girl read a wonderful book about a modern fairytale.

She loved The Shadow of the Bear so much that she joined a forum full of other princes and princesses in disguise. There, she made many friends and became practiced in the arts of glomping, throwling glitter-water-balloons, and fighting off the dragons of the real world.

As the years past, the girl found many friends through the Fairy Tale Novel forum. She spent hours (perhaps too many) writing tales with fellow “crazy awesome people.” They discussed deep topics and entertained themselves with goofiness. Over time, these new friends became very good friends.

The girl embarked on an exciting adventure with these friends: the Ink and Fairydust magazine. These forum-friends supported the girl as she explored the wide and wonderful world of art and writing. They were always there with new suggestions and plenty of insanity.

However, the girl was sad, for in all this time, she had never once met these amazing people. She only knew them through the magic of the computer. ...but that was all to change.

One muggy summer day, she stepped onto a magic carpet with her mother and was flown to a land far, far away. There, a great festival was taking place. Called ReginaCon (and otherwise known as the Fairytale Novel Fan Festival), it was a gathering of many of her friends. She got to meet them in real life, although it felt more like a fairytale than anything!

Regina Doman, author of the Fairy Tale Novel series, autographed the girl’s books. There was a murder mystery, a talent show, a sneak peek at Regina’s next book... and more.

In addition to meeting her wonderful friends, the girl had the opportunity to attend the premiering of the Shadow of the Bear movie. The feeling of being inside of a fairytale was even more potent then, for she came face-to-face with the characters she loved... or at least, the magicians who brought them to life.

On the very last day in the magical land, she danced the night away...

The farewells were, of course, bittersweet. But to this day, and forevermore, the girl will smile at the memories.

{

}

fairytale memories from RegniaCon 2011

by Shaylynn Rackers

the swing dance

the premiere

my first plane ride

Regina Doman and me

getting dressed up

a scene from the talent show

Favorite quote (from the talk on dating, courtship, and marriage):

Regina: “Marriage is mutual crcifixion.”

Andrew, while giving her a hug: “Embrace your cross every day!”

ReginaCon 2011 was the highlight of my whole summer. It was a fun time to get to know a lot of people, and finally meet some of my good friends from the Fairy Tale Novels Forum. Some of my favorite moments was getting to see the Shadow of the Bear on film!

Stealing the time travel device right out of Shaylynn’s cup during the murder mystery, and all the fun times we got to just hang out and talk. I also got to dance with actor who played Fish, at the Swing Dance Party. -Theresa

“The Shadow of the Bear” Movie Premiere

ReginaCon 2011 was, out of the two that I have been too, the best!!!!!!!! All of the activities were good. Seeing The Shadow of the Bear Movie was wonderful, myself, and a couple other girls who came to the get-together got to sit behind the main actors and we were freaking out! And meeting everyone and getting to know them better was fun too. -Megan Dominick

by Ciara Zaketti It was a foolhardy venture, but we didn’t care.

“Minnesota or bust!” was the attitude the three of us employed as we loaded my luggage into the back of Kendall’s car, Atticus.

It was adventure we sought, adventure and a good time, and we thoroughly discussed each of these topics as Kendall and Neri munched on their sub sandwiches and I made several consecutive runs back inside seeking CDs, a pillow, my phone charger, my hairbrush, and all those other things that people typically forget to pack.

We were anxious and excited as is typical of people about to start a road trip. I had never before been on a trip that didn’t include parents (besides youth group and college sponsored road trips). Finally, we were on the road. I was driving, Neri was riding shotgun, and Kendall was snoozing in the backseat. (Side note: some people equate shotgun with a place of honor, but on this trip, all it equaled was controlling the music we listened (at the discretion of the driver, of course) as well as perpetually nourishing the driver by handing her water and pieces of cantaloupe (pretty sure we ate two entire cantaloupes on this trip—just the drive to Minnesota!) and/or chips.

Neri took over driving when we neared the Minnesota border and, as such, had the pleasure of driving in the insanity that is Minneapolis. Thence followed a musical of sorts that can be described in a few short sentences: Neri, while trying to merge into Minneapolis traffic, “We’re going to die! Ohmygosh, we’re going to die!

We’re going to die, we’re going to die, we’re going to die!”

All of which was sung in her lovely, soprano voice.

Meanwhile, Kendall snoozed in the backseat and I attempted to assuage Neri’s fears of death by singing, talking, and various other forms of distraction. When we finally made it out of the terrors that a large metropolis no doubt threatens three perfectly levelheaded city girls with, we had to confront that terrifying endeavor that is known as country roads, in the dead of night.

Turns out, the dark country roads should have scared us more, not because of the potential for a caron-car collision, but because of the lack of signage that caused us to get lost. I was driving at this point (and managed to do so without singing, “It’s dark, it’s dark, my gosh, it’s dark!) and we were supposed to drive a certain amount of miles on a particular road before turning off so

we could get to the Jacobs’s .

Needless to say, we got lost. We were sure we had driven too far. We turned around and went back the other way. Then we knew we’d gone too far. We turned around and went back. Finally, we decided it’d be a good idea to call and get directions from the Jacobs family. We did so, and through miscommunication on both of our parts, we were sure we had to turn around again.

We called again, communicated rightly, and eventually drove the right way until the turn off. As you can imagine, by this point, we were all tired, hungry, crabby, sick of driving/riding, and sick of singing. Because we were so tired, Neri was sure that I was going to miss the turn onto the Jacobs’s driveway, “Left! Left! Turn! Left!

Make left!” Me: “I am turning!”

Finally, she grabbed the wheel from me, only to realize that it was the wrong driveway altogether.

Long story short, we arrived (3 or 4 hours after we were supposed to have).

I was putting the car in park when Mr. Jacobs came out on the porch. Neri and I asked if it was okay to park in that particular spot.

“Yes, it’s fine. Just park and get out before you get lost again.”

Well played, Mr. Jacobs, well played.

If driving to Minnesota was an adventure, it was nothing compared to what happened whilst we were there.

Finally meeting Regina Doman was an absolute dream come true. I remember feeling dazed, like I was in a dream. Also, finally being able to meet many of the people that I had been friends with (albeit only online) for anywhere from 6 months to 3 years was also fabulous.

That entire weekend was awesome, everything about it from the talent show to the swing dance has been forever ingrained in fond memories. If you, dear reader, have not been to a ReginaCon yet, please do at the very next opportunity. I have never before felt so entirely comfortable with a group of strangers (for all intents and purposes) before in my entire life; it was incredible.

We didn’t bust, we got to Minnesota. And we sought adventure and found it. We sought a good time and found it. It was our own fairytale.

The Shadow of the Bear Student Film Movie Review

by Neri Preslin

This summer’s ReginaCon in Silver Lake, MN was the premiere week for ‘The Shadow of the Bear’ directed by our former Managing Editor Elizabeth Hausladen.

Pre-production began in 2008 and the filming officially wrapped in August of 2010. The film starred Hannah Johnston as Blanche Brier, Sarayah Bunce as Rose Brier, Anthony Brown as Fish, and Jed Mathre as Bear.

Made by fans the movie stays very true to the novel, by the same title written by Regina Doman. The opening scene introduces the characters of Blanche and Rose Brier, sisters who are waiting for their mother to return home from work in their New York City brownstone. When their mother arrives she has an accident on the icy winter street and a young man, who mysteriously calls himself “Bear” enters their lives, for better or for worse. Blanche, who is very timid objects to the relationship at first but eventually warms up to Bear, Rose dives into their friendship whole heartily.

As winter progresses they have many adventures together, from attending an opera, to a visit to an abandoned church, and for Blanche - attending the after prom party with Bear as her date. As their relationship deepens the girls realize that there is a mystery that follows Bear, and after he disappears they attempt to discover what has happened to him. Much of the story centers around the Catholic high school both girls attend, in a once vibrant neighborhood the parish church is now closed down and all that remains is the high school.

Many of the students are involved in less than upstanding activities, one of them being drugs.

The sisters begin to find correlations between Bear’s mystery and the goings on at their high school, these discoveries lead to Rose tailing the principles brother, Mr. Freet, home to find out where Bear is and Blanche being kidnapped by some of the “popular crowd”.

To find out how it ends, well, you’ll just have to buy the movie - or read the book - or both!

Filmed in Minnesota the movie does lack some of the New York City backdrop, however the context of the story is still fully intact. The acting is wonderful, especially the character of Mr. Freet portrayed by Greg Bunce, and the overall theme of the story is beautifully present. The relationship developed between the characters of Blanche and Bear is especially sweet, while the more tongue and cheek relationship between Rose and Fish will leave the audience with a smile. All in all its a wonderful film to have sitting on your shelf, and hopefully soon it will be available for purchase on DVD.

Be the first to know about the DVD release!

Follow the production blog: http://theshadowofthebear. blogspot.com/

Ink and Fairydust will explore the worlds of

The Brontes and Charles Dickens