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Issue 14

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C NTENTS

June/July 2014

ON THE COVER Cover Photo by Jon Vashey

n April 1984, the idea for the Texas Shakespeare Festival was developed: to establish a professional summer theatre for East Texas based in Kilgore. Now in it’s 27 th season, the Texas Shakespeare Festival has produced more than 28 plays of Shakespeare’s canon.

Editor: Mary Ramos Creative Director: Amanda Reel Contributing Writers:

Mary Ramos

Mike Lieberman Raymond Caldwell Van Patterson

Contributing Photographers: Sean Landry - Southwest Studios Amanda Reel Jon Vashey Sheryl Phillips

Mailing Address:

421 North Center St. Suite A Longview, Texas 75601

Amanda Reel

Office : 903-757-4444 Fax: 903-236-7541 MaryRamos@msn.com KilgoreMagazine@gmail.com Graphics@etta.com

©Copyright 2014 by Kilgore Magazine. All pieces reproduced in this issue are under prior copyright by the creators or by the contractural arrangements with their clients. Nothing shown may be reproduced in any form without obtaining the permission of the creators and any other person or company who may have copyright ownership. Kilgore Magazine® reserves the right to edit any or all submissions as they deem necessary.

Rhett White &

Creating a Pathway

to Success

Blue 10

FEATURES 6

Playball!

By: Mike Lieberman

10 Rhett, White & Blue By: An Anonymous Forever 15 Shakespeare’s Summer Home An Interview with Raymond Caldwell 24 Creating a Pathway for Success By: Van Patterson

Advertise in Kilgore Magazine To purchase advertising space or submit editorial stories, Call: 903-757-4444 or Email: MaryRamos@msn.com

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2014

Calendar of Events June

July

Pump Jacks Opening Night

Kilgore Chamber Luncheon 11:30am

Kilgore College New Student Orientation

First Thursday Downtown till 9pm

Independence Day

East Texas Oilmen’s Golf Classic

Friday After 5 Downtown

Kilgore College Summer Camp Children’s Choir Camp

7-11

Kilgore College Summer Camp Boy’s Basketball

9-12

Kilgore College Summer Camp Football

Kilgore Chamber Morning Brew 8:30am

10-11

Kilgore College Summer Camp Softball

Kilgore College Fall Registration

Father’s Day

Kilgore College Summer Camp Rangerette Day Camp

18-21

Kilgore College Summer Camp Rangerette Middle School Camp

Kilgore Chamber Morning Brew 8:30am

23-26 Kilgore College Summer Camp Tops in Twirling 24-26 Kilgore College Summer Camp Mini Tops in Twirling 28

Great Texas Balloon Race

Great Texas Balloon Glow

26-29 Kilgore College Summer Camp Rangerette High School Camp 2

Baseball, Balloons & Root-Beer at Driller Park

Texas Shakespeare Festival Starts

Kilgore College New Student Orientation

First Day of Summer

Great Texas Balloon Race

22-25 Kilgore College Summer Camp Rangerette High School Camp 1

Baseball, Balloons & Root-Beer • Wednesday, July 30th • Located at Driller Park

Pump Jacks game starts at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Balloon Burn at dark Free tickets to baseball game available at participating businesses visit our website for more information www.KilgoreMagazine.com 44

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2013 TBT Photography Contest “Cowboy Dust” by Pam Carter

“Lone Star Classic”

2013 TBT Photography Contest “Texas Morn” by Thomas Myers

The VISA® checkcardSm Texas Collection Now Available at ALL Texas Bank and Trust Locations! 115 East Henderson • 903-834-3161 • Overton, Texas 75684 10680 South Main • 903-895-4444 • New London, Texas 75682

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We’re Smiles Above the Rest! Darrel R. Sherman D.D.S., M.S. Patrick R. Briscoe D.D.S., M.S. David A. Wilkinson D.D.S., M.S.D.

903.753.2151 LONGVIEW – 3006 H.G. Mosley Parkway MARSHALL – 1900 S. Washington Ave. Suite B GILMER – 313 N. Montgomery

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By: Mike Lieberman

he familiar words ring in a new season for the East Texas Pump Jacks, signaling the return of Kilgore’s newest summer tradition.

The 2014 campaign is the Pump Jacks’ seventh in the Texas Collegiate League, a circuit with teams throughout Texas and Louisiana. While the Pump Jacks offer some of the best baseball East Texans will see this year, a night at the ballpark is really about entertainment. A Pump Jacks game is nine innings of fun… and then some! Fans are greeted by the team’s two loveable mascots, Boomer the fighting donkey and Derrick the friendly dinosaur. Before ever reaching their seats, fans are seduced by affordable food and drink. Traditional fare like hot dogs, burgers, nachos, and Frito pies are joined by fan favorites such as chicken fajita wraps, pulled pork sandwiches, and the team’s newest star, a meatball sandwich. Fans in lower box seats don’t even have to get up to enjoy all this delicious fare, since the Pump Jacks wait staff will serve them right in their seats! Promotions beckon at every turn, and every game is full of fun. Weekend events may feature Pump Jacks branded giveaway items, such as a misting water bottle that promises to keep fans cool during a warm summer evening. Sundays are Family Nights, offering an even more affordable way for families to enjoy a night at the ballpark. Undoubtedly the most popular Pump Jacks promotion has been Fireworks Fridays. The Jacks light up the night sky with a spectacular fireworks show set to a new, unique soundtrack. Themes have ranged from baseball through the years to Disney movies! This summer, the Pump Jacks will host four Fireworks Fridays: June 13th, June 27th, July 11th, and August 8th. A Pump Jacks game is unlike any experience in Arlington or Houston, and it’s what happens between innings that really sets

the game apart. Fans can be invited to the field to participate in contests like racing a mascot around the bases, blasting each other with water guns, or battling gravity in the fan-favorite “dizzy bat race.” There’s even the chance to win $10,000 or a new truck! Of course, there’s baseball too. In fact, some of the top college players from around the country come to East Texas to play for the Pump Jacks. Former Pump Jack Hunter Dozier was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round in 2013, is one of nearly four dozen Jacks who have been drafted by major league teams. East Texas captured a league title in 2012 and has been nationally ranked two of the last three seasons. This year’s squad is led by new head coach and former major league pitcher John Foster. Foster’s nine-year playing career included three big league seasons with the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers alongside Hall of Famers like Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. The Pump Jacks 30-game home schedule kicks off on Tuesday, June 3, and concludes on Friday, August 8. Tickets start at $5 for adults and $4 for children and seniors. Lower box seats include wait service and cost just $8 each, and Feast Seats offer an allyou-can eat menu all game long. Tickets and information about birthday parties, all-you-can-eat picnics, and group discounts, are available on the team website at www.pumpjacksbaseball.com.

2014 Pump Jacks Schedule Date: May 29 Thursday May 30 Friday May 31 Saturday Jun 1 Sunday Jun 2 Monday Jun 3 Tuesday Jun 4 Wednesday Jun 5 Thursday Jun 6 Friday Jun 7 Saturday Jun 8 Sunday Jun 9 Monday Jun 10 Tuesday Jun 11 Wednesday Jun 12 Thursday Jun 13 Friday Jun 14 Saturday Jun 15 Sunday Jun 16 Monday Jun 17 Tuesday

Location: at Texas Marshals at Texas Marshals at Acadiana Cane Cutters at Acadiana Cane Cutters Off WOODLANDS STRYKERS WOODLANDS STRYKERS at Acadiana Cane Cutters at Acadiana Cane Cutters BRAZOS VALLEY BOMBERS BRAZOS VALLEY BOMBERS Off at Victoria Generals at Victoria Generals ACADIANA CANE CUTTERS ACADIANA CANE CUTTERS VICTORIA GENERALS VICTORIA GENERALS Off at Woodlands Strykers

Jun 18 Jun 19 Jun 20 Jun 21 Jun 22 Jun 23 Jun 24 Jun 25 Jun 26 Jun 27 Jun 28 Jun 29 Jun 30 Jul 1 Jul 2 Jul 3 Jul 4 Jul 5 Jul 6 Jul 7 Jul 8 Jul 9 Jul 10 Jul 11 Jul 12 Jul 13 Jul 14 Jul 15 Jul 16 Jul 17 Jul 18 Jul 19 Jul 20 Jul 21 Jul 22 Jul 23 Jul 24 Jul 25 Jul 26 Jul 27 Jul 28 Jul 29 Jul 30 Jul 31 Aug 1 Aug 2 Aug 3 Aug 4 Aug 5 Aug 6 Aug 7 Aug 8 Aug 9 Aug 10 Aug 11 Aug 12

Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday

at Woodlands Strykers ACADIANA CANE CUTTERS ACADIANA CANE CUTTERS WOODLANDS STRYKERS WOODLANDS STRYKERS Off Off at Texas Marshals (Doubleheader) BRAZOS VALLEY BOMBERS BRAZOS VALLEY BOMBERS at Brazos Valley Bombers at Brazos Valley Bombers Off TEXAS MARSHALS TEXAS MARSHALS at Woodlands Strykers at Woodlands Strykers at Victoria Generals at Victoria Generals Off TCL All-Star Game @ Bryan, Texas Off VICTORIA GENERALS VICTORIA GENERALS at Brazos Valley Bombers at Brazos Valley Bombers Off WOODLANDS STRYKERS WOODLANDS STRYKERS at Acadiana Cane Cutters at Acadiana Cane Cutters VICTORIA GENERALS VICTORIA GENERALS Off at Woodlands Strykers at Woodlands Strykers TEXAS MARSHALS TEXAS MARSHALS at Victoria Generals at Victoria Generals Off TEXAS MARSHALS TEXAS MARSHALS at Brazos Valley Bombers at Brazos Valley Bombers BRAZOS VALLEY BOMBERS BRAZOS VALLEY BOMBERS Off at Texas Marshals (Doubleheader) Off ACADIANA CANE CUTTERS ACADIANA CANE CUTTERS TCL Playoffs TCL Championship Series TCL Championship Series TCL Championship Series

• Home games are in CAPITALS. All home games are scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m.

Fun

THINGS TO DO THIS SUMMER East Texas Oil Museum 1110 Broadway Blvd Kilgore, Tx EastTexasOilMuseum.com 903-983-8295

This museum located on Kilgore College’s campus hosts an authentic re-creation of oil discovery and production of the early 1930s from the largest oil field in the United States.

Gregg County Historical Museum Tea Party 1200 CR 4405 Jacksonville, Tx GreggHistorical.com 903-757-4444

Dress in your most fashionable attire (hats are encouraged) and choose from wonderful delicacies in the beautifully decorated Tea Room. Partake in a “Proper” Tea with Friends.

Kilgore’s Farmers Market Down Town Kilgore FarmersMarketonline.com 903-984-5081

The Farmer’s Market provides local residents and visitors the opportunity to buy locally grown produce directly from the farmers along with other specialty products.

Texas Shakespeare Festival Cherokee Trace

1200 CR 4405 Jacksonville, Tx CherokeeTrace.com 903-683-3322

Experience a safari through your car windows. The Cherokee Trace DriveThru Safari is home to a variety of wildlife on a 300-acre park with you can drive through at your own pace.

Baseball, Balloons & Root-Beer

2100 S Commerce St, Kilgore, TX Driller Park 903-984-5022

Family fun event with all of America’s Favorites. Baseball, Balloons and Ice Cream. Come out and watch the East Texas Pump Jacks baseball game at 6pm and the Ballon Burn at dark!

4th of July Fireworks Show 100 Grand Blvd Longview, TX Maude Cobb Activity Center 903-237-1230

There will be activities throughout the day, including amusement rides, food, beverages and a variety of entertainment, including vendors in the Exhibit Building, an outdoor stage featuring music acts, a hot dog eating contest, multi-cultural festivities and more.

1110 Broadway Blvd. Kilgore, Tx TexasShakespeare.com 903-983-8117

Now in it’s 27th season, the Festival will present Cymbeline, Noises Off, The Tragedy of Macbeth, My Fair Lady and a children’s show this summer.

Fridays After 5 Concert Series 198 M. Commerce St. Kilgore, Tx 903-984-5081

Enjoy a variety of free concerts at the bring-your-own-chair event which is running now until August 15. Visit the Kilgore Main Street facebook page for more information.

Kilgore City Pool

405 N Henderson Blvd Kilgore, Tx CityofKilgore.com 903-983-1650

Make a splash this summer at the Kilgore City Pool. Swimming lessons, season passes and party rentals are available.

903.984.5055

USED PIPE PIPE RECONDITIONING OILFIELD RENTALS DOWNHOLE ROD PUMP SHOP FORKLIFT SERVICES TRUCKING SERVICES

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• • • • •

f you have a crystal-clear memory of the events of 1939, you are among approximately 4% of our population who’s 80 or older. On the other hand, if you don’t recall the happenings of that year, here is a reminder: • Hewlett Packard was founded • John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath was released • Batman made his first comic book appearance • Pan American began its transAtlantic service • Nylon stockings went on sale for the very first time in Wilmington, Delaware World War II started with Germany’s invasion of Poland Hollywood gave us blockbusters like “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz” A First Class stamp sold for 3 cents The Rangerettes’ first halftime performance was September 19, 1940, under the directions of Miss Gussie Neil Davis. Kilgore College was four years old and housed the first audio-visual educational library in the state

That Spring, Kilgore College Dean of Students, B.E. Masters invited a young physical education teacher from Greenville, Texas named Gussie Nell Davis to visit the campus. He told her he wanted “something so good it would keep people in the stands” during college football halftimes and eliminate “underthe-bleacher alcohol consumption” that was occurring. Neither one knew what that was when she left, but when she arrived in October that year, she had a pretty good idea. Too late to implement that year, September 1940 saw the debut of the world’s first-ever dance drill team: the Kilgore College Rangerettes. The generations of women who have undergone that experience have inspired, achieved, accomplished, and excelled. From actors to academicians to accountants, lobbyists to litigators, entrepreneurs to engineers, physicists to physicians, moms to matriarchs, these women have driven themselves, in many cases applying the lessons learned from Rangerette days. They compete with themselves, not each other, and, accept nothing less than their personal best. Among approximately 1200 alums who call themselves “Rangerettes Forever”, each story is different but all have a bond based on precision, perfection, and grace. From 1940 with its first line until today on the brink of selecting the 75th line in July, these women are colleagues without respect to ages or eras and they feel it. They are bound to each other and passionate about

By: An Anonymous Forever

the organization. Traditions have not changed, only improved and expanded. Teamwork—in many decades when women didn’t know or enjoy such a concept—is learned and has benefits far beyond two years wearing the red, white, and blue and reaching into the career spheres they populate. And Forevers “give back” to their communities because they learned to do so in Rangerettes. For example, the 73rd line held a canned food drive that generated more than 300 items for community distribution. The Dallas-Fort Worth Forevers hosted fundraisers and endowed two Rangerette scholarships. Looking to start the 75th Anniversary celebration later this summer, the dance drill team concept has grown beyond comprehension. It’s no longer confined to its origin, Kilgore College, keeping people in their seats at football halftimes. This entertainment and art form reaches young women far beyond our fifty states. It’s global. It’s big. It’s an economic engine, generating profitability and jobs. To measure that statement, internationally-known economist and East Texas native, Dr. Ray Perryman, recently revealed the results of a study he titled “The Economic Benefits of the Precision Dance Industry Inspired by the Kilgore College Rangerettes.” The economic impact study reveals numbers for 2013, reflecting public and private elementary and secondary school dance drill teams, as well as public and private college and university and professional sports franchises dance drill teams. The Perryman Group (TPG), the well-known, Waco-based economics firm, observed “hundreds of high schools and colleges across the nation, as well as most professional sports franchises, have precision dance drill teams.”

“

Rhett = White & Blue

What are now cornerstones of halftime shows across the country - precision dance and drill teams - owe much to the innovative Rangerettes. - Ray Perryman, Economic Consultant

TPG traced the linear progression of competition attendance to tourism to hiring directors and choreographers to uniform purchasing. The report notes “performances can also increase attendance at sporting events.” Report results are based on utilization of information from a variety of sources to estimate the overall size of the industry and the related direct spending. TPG’s impact assessment system was then used to quantify the associated multiplier effects. In this way, the total economic benefits stemming from the precision dance drill industry were

determined. According to Perryman, “Even beyond the entertainment provided by these groups, they also lead to notable gains in business activity.” The total economic benefits of the precision dance drill industry inspired by the Kilgore College Rangerettes as the first of its kind include an estimated $8.3 billion in total spending and $4 billion in output (gross product) each year, as well as more than 50,700 permanent jobs in the United States, cutting across more than a dozen employment sectors that includes agriculture, mining, retail trade, health services, and transportation. According to the report, “the Rangerettes contributed to the birth of the dance drill industry. Of far more lasting significance, they have been the incubator for the development of a major industry that has positively influenced countless lives and careers and brought economic benefits to communities throughout the United States and the world.” Dr. Perryman is widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential and innovative economists with his complex modeling systems for corporate and government planning around the globe. He is a Lindale native who travels internationally as an economic consultant. Dr. Perryman’s work was an in-kind donation to the Rangerettes’ 75th Anniversary celebration.

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Shakespeare’s Summer Home

n June of 1986, just two months a fter his 422 nd birthday, William Shakespeare moved to Kilgore for the summer by lending his name to the Texas Shakespeare Festival. At that time only a limited number of the local citizens, those with a strong interest in theatre and the fine arts, were aware that the most famous and admired author in the history of the world had moved into town. Now, twenty-eight years later, Mr. Shakespeare has established a sterling reputation in East Texas that complements his celebrity status throughout the English-speaking world and beyond. The Texas Shakespeare Festival is the only truly professional theatre in this region, producing not only two of Mr. Shakespeare’s masterpieces each summer, but also three other shows – usually a classic comedy, a musical, and a play for children. The citizens of Kilgore, as well as enthusiastic patrons from throughout Texas and neighboring states, have welcomed Shakespeare into their midst with enthusiasm and open arms. In fact, his presence has been noted and praised by Texas Monthly and Texas Highways magazines, The Austin American Statesman, The Dallas Morning News, The Houston Chronicle, The New York Times, and virtually every major national newspaper. So what enticed Mr. Shakespeare to come to Kilgore? Someone of his stature; someone whose name is recognized by everyone on the planet; someone who invented so many familiar words in our language that all English speakers quote him dozens of times every day without even knowing it; someone who was named one of the most important human beings of the past 1000 years; someone who already has hundreds of prestigious homes around the globe -- why would someone of such unequaled renown take up residence in the Piney Woods? We asked Raymond Caldwell, Founder and Artistic Director of the Texas Shakespeare Festival and former chairman of the Kilgore College Theatre Department, that question among others. What follows is a transcription of our conversation about this phenomenon.

An Interview with Raymond Caldwell

How did the Festival get started? And why Shakespeare? In 1985, a prominent local citizen, Mrs. Lamar (Nelda) Lewis, called my office and asked me if I knew what Kilgore College might be doing the following year (1986) to help celebrate the Texas Sesquicentennial. She was the chairperson of the Kilgore Sesquicentennial Committee. I told her that I had not heard of any plans being made and that, as a matter of fact, I was embarrassed to admit that I was not even aware that 1986 was the 150th anniversary of Texas’ independence from Mexico. Mrs. Lewis said, “Well, I have an idea about what you and the college should do. Have you read the book The Last Boom?” I had not, so she instructed me to find a copy of the book, which is a factual account of the discovery of the East Texas oilfield in 1930, and to read it immediately. “I think that book is a play just waiting to be written“, she said. So I read it, and she was right. It is a moving, funny, dramatic and true story. But knowing that I could not adapt the book into a play myself, I asked Dr. Gifford Wingate, a friend and professor from El Paso who is also a published playwright, if he would be interested in doing it. After he read the book he called me, quite enthusiastic about writing the script. “This book is amazing,” he said. “The structure is dramatic and much of the dialog is already there. I think The Last Boom will make a great play.” The following day I visited with Dr. Stewart McLaurin, president of Kilgore College, telling him about Mrs. Lewis’s idea and asking him for his opinion. He said that, as far as he knew, the college had made no other plans for contributing to the Sesquicentennial and that the play sounded like a good idea. He requested that I submit a budget for the project, which I did, and he committed to funding the summer production not just for 1986 but also for the following year. “This sounds like something that may be popular with the local public,” he said, “so let’s give it two years to find its audience.” And that is how everything began. As Dr. Wingate was adapting the book into a play, which took about eight months, I began thinking that instead of producing the summer play with just

“

The Texas Shakespeare Festival has become a hallmark of Kilgore College and all of us are fortunate to have such a wonderful professional experience in our midst. The Texas Shakespeare Festival has established itself as a nationally prominent festival, characterized by excellence.

- Dr. William Holda, President

Kilgore College

Kilgore College students in the cast, it might be more exciting to include a few older, more experienced actors, either professionals from Dallas or Houston or graduate students from respected theatre programs such as UT Austin or SMU. But since I doubted that such actors would be enthusiastic about working on an unknown play about local history, I thought that adding one or two other wellknown plays to the summer might make the offer more attractive to them. And since every serious stage actor considers Shakespeare to offer the greatest challenges and rewards, it seemed logical to add Shakespeare to the lineup and do not only the new play but also two by the Bard. So I rewrote the proposed budget and went back to Dr. McLaurin with a new proposal. To my delight and surprise, he agreed to increase the budget and encouraged me to proceed. I contacted SMU and a former student who was then teaching there, and together we started making plans to conduct auditions in Dallas, Houston, Baton Rouge and Kilgore for what was to become the inaugural season of the Texas Shakespeare Festival. The first summer, the plays were A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night (two of Shakespeare’s most famous comedies) and the new, original, local history play which Dr. Wingate first titled “Discovery Well” but I changed to “The Daisy Bradford Three.” Although I fully expected the history play to attract large audiences, every performance of all three shows played to sold-out houses. It was an exciting beginning for the Festival which the college had already generously promised to fund for a second summer the following year. Gary Frields, then chairman of the KC Art Department, created the TSF logo image and after we sent that first audition poster throughout the state, Drs. Oscar Brockett and Paul Reinhardt, two nationallyknown professors from UT Austin called me. Dr. Reinhardt said, “Raymond, I want to know what is going on up in Kilgore,” and Dr. Brockett added, “And I want to know why ‘The Texas Shakespeare Festival” is in Kilgore instead of Austin!” I suspect that many people across the state are still asking those two questions. Since TSF is the only professional theatre in our area, does that mean that it doesn’t use any students in the company? No, not at all. We do hire students, particularly those in graduate schools or theatre conservatories, every year. We also have hired a

number of Kilgore College theatre students through the years, but almost always as part of the Intern Company, performing small or non-speaking roles onstage and doing important apprenticeship jobs in such areas as scenery, lighting, sound, props, costuming, the ticket office and the gift shop. The Festival provides those students with a valuable and unique opportunity to have a summer repertory theatre experience in a professional theatre environment. We advertise our annual audition tour to every college and university in America that has an active theatre training program, and we conduct one full day of auditions right here in Kilgore every winter. If you use students in the company, then why do you call the Festival a professional theatre? For several reasons -- first, because everyone is paid a salary while working for TSF, even the Interns. When a theatre pays all actors to perform, and all other artists (directors, designers, craftsmen, etc.) are paid for their work, that theatre is classified as professional rather than amateur. The play publishing companies require such theatres to pay royalties that are substantially more than those charged to schools, colleges, and community theatres, and work done for these theatres is listed separately from “educational” or “community” theatre credits on the artists’ resumes. It qualifies as “professional” and “regional professional” work. Then, TSF operates within a structure and format that follows the pattern of other professional theatres rather than a typical non-professional theatre. Each artist is contracted to perform specific duties within a specific time for a specific salary, and they are not expected to do anything that is outside those boundaries. In most educational or community non-professional theatre organizations, participants are allowed, encouraged, or expected to lend a hand with tasks that lie outside their area of expertise. You say that TSF offers a unique opportunity to KC theatre students. What makes it unique? Because TSF is the only professional Shakespeare Festival located on a junior college campus. There are several Shakespeare Festivals on university campuses or closely associated with a university, two in Texas – the Houston Shakespeare Festival and Trinity Shakespeare Festival at TCU in Fort Worth. But it is very unusual for junior college students to be offered a position with a professional theatre that is located right at their front doorstep. Every year we see more than 1500 auditions by actors from all across the country, and most of those actors already have a bachelor’s degree or are pursuing a master’s degree in theatre yet are interested in working at TSF as a member of the Intern Acting Company. To audition they either have to travel to reach us or submit paperwork that must make it through several rounds of screening. But we allow any KC theatre student who expresses an interest to audition or apply, and we try to use them whenever possible. Those who are hired are able to add a professional theatre credit to their resume even before they enter their junior year. Since the Festival started in 1986, have any TSF actors gone on to become well-known or successful actors or theatre artists? Yes, quite a few. Not just actors, but also playwrights, designers, directors, writers, teachers, stage managers, theatre directors and producers. A few of them have achieved considerable fame, in fact.

Can you give us some examples? Sure. Let’s start with actors. Michael C Hall may be the most wellknown actor who once worked at TSF. Michael is the star of the cable television hit series “Dexter,” for which he won a Golden Globe Award, and just before that he starred in the HBO series “Six Feet Under.” In addition, he has starred in several successful Broadway shows, such as “Cabaret,” and he is currently appearing in “The Realistic Joneses” in New York. Michael was an actor on our stage during the summer of 1995, when he played Lancelot in “Camelot,” Claudio in “Much Ado about Nothing,” and Lysander in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Danny Pino, who worked here in 1998, is one of the stars of “Law and Order SVU,” and before that he starred in “Cold Case” on CBS. He also played Desi Arnaz in the television movie “Lucy and Desi.” Holly Fain played Laura in “The Glass Menagerie” at TSF in 2004, as well as Nerissa in “The Merchant of Venice” and Julia in “The Rivals.” Since then she appeared as Myrtle Mae in “Harvey” on Broadway, and in a variety of television series, including “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Gossip Girls.” Glenn Fleshler, who worked at TSF for three seasons (1991, 1992 and 1994), has stayed constantly busy since he left Kilgore. Most recently, he garnered wide attention for his villainous role in the Matthew McConnaughey series “True Detective,” but he also played George Remus in “Boardwalk Empire” and appeared in several movies and Broadway plays. Last year he was a guest artist at the Alley Theatre in Houston, where he played Willy Loman in “Death of a Salesman.” Seamus Dever (TSF 2001) stars in the television series ‘Castle’ as Detective Kevin Ryan. On our stage he played Hotspur in ‘Henry IV, Part I” and Posthumus in “Cymbeline.” Andrew Samonsky, who was in “Forever Plaid” and “Once Upon a Mattress” at TSF in 2001, starred in the most recent revival of “South Pacific” on Broadway as Lieutenant Cable, and works constantly in other musical theatre productions. Fred Berman, another TSF alumnus from 1995, has been in “The Lion King” on Broadway for several years playing the role of Timor. Rick Holmes has appeared in a number of New York shows, including leading roles in “Spamalot,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” and “The Pillowman.” At TSF Rick played Macbeth in 1988 and Damis in “Tartuffe” in 1989, as well as other roles. Kelly AuCoin spent two summers with us – 1997 and 1998 – playing Romeo the first year and Orsino in “Twelfth Night” the second year, among other roles. Since leaving us he has been constantly busy in movies, television shows, and Broadway plays, including “Law and Order” on TV, the movie “Julie and Julia,” and in “Julius Caesar” with Denzel Washington in New York. Coleen Madden is a resident member of the acting company at The American Players Theatre in Wisconsin, one of that state’s most popular tourist attractions and a professional regional theatre with a stellar national reputation. Colleen played Cecily in “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Mistress Page in “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” and Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls” in our 1998 season. Justin Adams, a graduate of Sabine High School and Kilgore College, was an Intern Actor for TSF in 1999 and 2000 before being accepted as the only American admitted into the 2003 class of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, becoming the first American

to earn a bachelor’s degree from that prestigious conservatory. In 2005 he returned to TSF to play major roles such as Lysander in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and James in “The Miracle Worker,” the production that we took to Beijing, China. Since then he has acted regularly throughout the United States for some of our most respected regional theatres, and his original script “The Man-Made Rock” had a successful, limited run off-Broadway in New York City in 2012. Other than actors, Keythe Farley (TSF 1989) wrote the popular “Bat Boy, the Musical.” At TSF he appeared as Orgon in “Tartuffe” and as Claudius in “Hamlet” in 1989. Ted Swindley, author of the phenomenally successful “Always, Patsy Cline,” directed for TSF in two different seasons: “Macbeth” in 1988 and both “The Tempest” and “The Last Titan” in 1994. Anthony Meindl, who played Caliban in “The Tempest” and Angelo in “Measure for Measure” at TSF in 1993, established a very successful acting studio in Los Angeles and has written two best-selling books about acting, the most popular of which is titled “ At Left Brain, Turn Right.” One of Tony’s students was Cory Monteith who played Finn on the Fox Channel show “Glee.” Robert Martin, a native of White Oak and a KC graduate, is a professional costume designer in New York City where he has worked on a number of successful Broadway plays, including the long-running musical “Spamalot.” What have been the greatest challenges you have faced during your 29 years with the Festival? And what are the greatest successes or rewards? The greatest ongoing challenge is funding. In the beginning, the college very generously provided 100% of the funding for the Festival, but as it grew and became more expensive, and after all community colleges suffered a series of state funding cuts in the early years of the last decade, the college was forced to limit its funding to a set amount annually. Since 2003 the college has provided only the amount needed to cover the salaries and benefits of the Festival’s two full-time staff members, so the TSF Foundation Board has stepped in to coordinate an aggressive annual fund-raising campaign to raise money for Company salaries and all production costs. They have done an amazing job, and without the Foundation, the Festival might not survive. Another ongoing challenge is combatting the public assumption that, because of its name, TSF is junior college students performing Shakespeare plays in the summer. Perhaps I should have named the Festival something like “Texas Theatre Festival” in order to avoid giving the impression that all we do is Shakespeare, and perhaps if we were not located on a campus people would not assume that our actors are college students. So we keep repeating this message year after year, and I think most people now understand who we are and what we do. A third challenge is related to space. We have already outgrown the building that the college gave us to use five years ago, and we have no appropriate scene shop for building scenery in the summer. The old Region VII building is now our headquarters, and it is a wonderful facility for our purposes, but our

carpenters still have to work outdoors in the summer heat to build and paint the sets, which leaves them at the mercy of our changeable weather, often forcing us to miss valuable work sessions because of oppressive heat of sudden rain storms. We desperately need a large, indoor space for set-building, painting, and for storing valuable props, costumes, and scenery elements.

Do you have goals or dreams for the future of the Festival? I have many, but the main one is that it will continue to grow and thrive and to realize its full potential after I am no longer associated with it. And I believe it will. There is an exciting energy and an encouraging momentum that surround the Festival now, and with the continued support of our current patrons and donors as well as the impressive talents of our new, young staff members (Meaghan Sullivan and Matthew Simpson), I feel sure that the Festival’s best years lie ahead.

“

As for successes, I consider the fact that we have continued to grow and prosper after 28 seasons is our greatest accomplishment, since most fledgling theatres last fewer than seven years. Thanks to the continued support of the College Board of Trustees and other major donors such as the TSF Foundation, the TSF Guild, the Rosa May Griffin Foundation, the City of Kilgore, and a number of exceptional individuals who make generous contributions year after year, the Festival has established a national reputation as a first-class, major regional professional theatre. It has become, as one regional newspaper said, “the cultural gem of East Texas,” and according to the Texas Commission on the Arts “one of ten top cultural attractions in Texas.” I am so honored and proud to be part of the Festival that I don’t know how to express it in words.

The City of Kilgore is a proud supporter of the Texas Shakespeare Festival. For the last 28 years Festival supporters have flooded Kilgore to watch some of the best actors in the nation. The festival continues to grow in popularity and in quality, and is a major asset for Kilgore and East Texas.

- Scott Sellers, Kilgore City Manager

2014 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine

RANGERETTE REVELS Revels 2014 honored Mrs. Joyce Pennington of American Dance and Drill Team. Joyce has been an active supporter of the Rangerettes for many years. The theme this year was “Get Your Move On”.

20 20

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• Monday, July 28th 2014

5:40am - Pilot Briefing at Maude Cobb 6:45am - Practice Flight for US Nationals over Longview

Presented By

• Tuesday, July 29th 2014

5:40am - Pilot Briefing at Maude Cobb 6:45am - 1st Competition Flight for US Nationals over Longview

• Wednesday, July 30th 2014

5:40am - Pilot Briefing at Maude Cobb 6:45am - 2nd Competition Flight for US Nationals over Kilgore

• Thursday, July 31st 2014

5:40am - Pilot Briefing at Maude Cobb 6:45am - 3rd Competition Flight for US Nationals over Longview

• Friday, August 1st 2014

5:40am - Pilot Briefing for US Nationals & Great Texas Balloon Race Competitors at Maude Cobb 6:15am - Pilot Briefing for Special Shapes at Maude Cobb 6:45am - 4th Competition Flight for US Nationals Conjoined with 1st Competition Flight for Great Texas Balloon Race 6:45am - Special Shapes Inflations at Various Locations in Longview

Wednesday July 30th Baseball, Balloons & Root-Beer at Driller Park

• Saturday, August 2nd 2014

• Sunday, August 3rd 2014

5:40am - Pilot Briefing for US Nationals & Great Texas Balloon Race Competitors at LeTourneau Aviation Center - East Texas Regional Airport 6:15am - Pilot Briefing for Special Shapes at LeTourneau Aviation Center - East Texas Regional Airport 6:45am - 6th Competition Flight for US Nationals Conjoined with 3rd Competition Flight for Great Texas Balloon Race at East Texas Regional Airport. • All times are approximate and schedule may change without notice. All events at US National Competition and at the Great Texas Balloon Race are dependent on prevailing weather conditions. The safety of our pilots, volunteers and spectators is our primary concern. All competitive flights Tues – Fri will NOT be seen at the East Texas Regional Airport but will take place over the City of Longview and parts of Gregg County. Each morning the flight launch and targets will be determined based on prevailing winds.

Friday Night August 1st 2014

Roger Creager

Saturday Night August 2nd 2014

Tracy Lawrence

2014 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine

2014||www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com || www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine 2014

CREATING

A PATHWAY FOR

SUCCESS L

By: Van Patterson

ast November, representatives from The University of Texas at Tyler Longview University Center and Kilgore College announced plans to create a Roadmap to Success for area high school students that would outline the sequence of courses students should take at each institution to earn either an associate or a bachelor’s degree in the field of nursing. They have achieved their goal and intend to implement the plan this fall. “I have been asked many times how a student can earn a bachelor’s degree from the UT Tyler Longview University Center without the need to travel outside of Gregg County,” said Dr. Van Patterson, director of the UT Tyler Longview University Center. “Everything necessary to fulfill this community need is already in place. Representatives from area high schools and local institutions of higher education are simply connecting all the pieces in order to develop a seamless pathway. Our intention is to help students and parents save time and money by clearly communicating a workable academic plan from the start.” Dr. Bill Holda, president of Kilgore College added, “We know that students are more successful in achieving their career goals when they choose a pathway that leads them to the next level. Providing Kilgore College students with a pathway to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a great example of such a pathway that leads students to success through two great nursing programs. We believe that a student who matriculates through Kilgore College and The University of Texas at Tyler nursing programs will be better prepared for a successful career.” The principal of Pine Tree High School, Cynthia Gabehart, welcomes this collaboration between Kilgore College and The University of Texas at Tyler Longview University Center and commented, “We are looking forward to the opportunities this will offer our students to be able to pursue a nursing degree while staying close to home.” The following is a brief overview of the information contained in the Roadmap to Success brochure: High School – Sophomore Year • Plan to take at least 15 hours of dual-credit courses from

Kilgore College during your junior and senior years. Talk to your high school counselor about your plans and ask them to help you arrange your schedule so that all necessary courses can be taken in the proper sequence. • Visit uttyler.edu/luc/kilgore/nursing to review a list of prerequisite courses required by both programs plus important information not included in the brochure. Research Your Future Career: • Information about the associate degree in nursing can be found online at www.kilgore.edu/adn.asp or by calling 903.983.8168 or 903.983.8184. • Information about the BSN degree program, including a list of prerequisite courses, can be found at uttyler.edu/nursing/college/ undergraduate/bsn.php or by contacting an advisor at 903.663.8100. High School – Junior Year • Successfully complete at least 15 hours of dual-credit courses that fulfills prerequisite requirements and Kilgore College’s core curriculum. High School – Senior Year • Successfully complete an additional 15 hours of suggested dualcredit courses. By doing so you will have completed your first year of college. • If you are pursuing an ADN, apply to the Kilgore College Nursing Program during the spring semester of your senior year. • If you are pursuing a BSN, apply to Kilgore College in order to complete an associate of science degree. Be sure to contact the LUC nursing advisor at 903.663.8100 to discuss which courses to take in the fall. • Apply for financial aid. Call 903.983.8211 for information about financial aid and scholarships or go online to www.kilgore.edu/ financial_aid.asp. College – Sophomore Year Kilgore College If you have completed 30 hours of dual-credit courses you will be entering Kilgore College as a sophomore. At this point the road splits and you will need to decide whether to follow the path to earning an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree in nursing. ADN Track: If you decide to pursue an associate degree in nursing from Kilgore College, you will need to complete the courses set forth by the Kilgore College Associate Degree Nursing Program. This program has been providing quality nursing education since 1969 and is accredited by the Texas Board

of Nursing, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, the Southern Association of Colleges, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. For information or to schedule a time with an advisor please call 903.983.8168 or visit www.kilgore. edu/adn.asp. BSN Track: As you are deciding which courses to take during your sophomore year of college, be sure to complete all the prerequisite courses required by the UT Tyler College of Nursing. • Contact the UT Tyler LUC Nursing Advisor at 903.663.8100 to review your class schedule and the application process for admission to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. • Contact the Financial Aid Office at 903.566.7180 or online at uttyler.edu/financialaid to learn what assistance is available. College – Junior & Senior Years The University of Texas at Tyler Longview University Center

As a student you will attend traditional face-to-face courses in Longview that are led by full-time, fully accredited, on-site faculty members, and clinical experiences will be conducted in the region close to campus. In addition to traditional science and anatomy courses, students in the BSN program complete classes in communication, leadership, management and critical thinking. This knowledge provides graduates with more job opportunities,

higher pay, and it is vital for individuals who want to eventually move into advanced health care careers. You will also experience cost-savings and convenience while receiving your degree from UT Tyler. The college’s success in educating leaders in nursing is best demonstrated by the achievements of graduates in this region and across the country. Some are executive officers of large health care institutions, some serve as educators in universities and colleges, and others work as advanced practitioners and consultants in settings ranging from rural clinics to government agencies or urban medical centers. The pass rate for UT Tyler nursing graduates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEXRN) on their first try is consistently above 95 percent, and 98 percent of the nursing program graduates either have a job at graduation or are planning to pursue graduate study. The baccalaureate program at The University of Texas at Tyler is accredited by The Texas Board of Nursing and nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). To reserve a time to meet with an advisor please call 903.663.8100 or visit uttyler.edu/luc. Information about the BSN program is also available on the UT Tyler Longview University Center Facebook page.

2014 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine

•EAT• SLEEP SHOP

J E F F E R S O N

THE CORKYARD

WWW.JEFFERSONCORKYARD.COM

SPECIALIZING IN FINE WINE & CRAFT BEER 122 E. Austin Thur-Sun 12am-12pm 903-665-8500

The Steamboat Inn

114 N. Marshall St. Jefferson,Tx 75657 903-926-7741 www.steamboatinntx.com

Memories & More llc Restaurant and Piano Bar

Featuring: Fresh Oysters Seafood Steaks & More

121 W. Austin Jeﬀerson, TX

903-665-8203

Open Thursday-Saturday 11:00am - Close

MemoriesandmoreRestaurant.com

An Array of Artisan & Vintage Goods

Home Decor ✴ Collectibles Vintage Inspired Fashions ✴ Accessories Aladdin Parts ✴ Lamp Repair ✴Custom Made Lampshades 212 E. AUSTIN ✴ JEFFERSON, TX ✴ 903-665-8699 ADJACENT TO OLD MILL ANTIQUES Open Daily 10am-5pm ✴ www.madeintheshadetexas.com

The Franchise

White Oak Manor

A Historic Bed & Breakfast in Jefferson, TX

Cajun Restaurant & Sports Bar • • • • •

Projection ﬂat screens with ALL SPORTS Reservations Private Parties Available Karaokee on Thursday nights Entertainment Friday & Saturday nights

www.diamondbfranchise.com • Like us on

124 E Austin St. Jefferson, TX ∙ 903-665-9200

Visitors Center 305 E. Austin 903.665.3733

Free WiFi ∙ Flat Screen TVs ∙ Private Bathrooms ∙ Fireplaces ∙ Air Conditioning ∙ Ceiling Fans ∙ 3 Upstairs Bathrooms ∙ Full Breakfast

www.bedandbreakfastjeffersontx.com ∙ 903-665-8185

Kitt’s Kornbread Sandwich & Pie Bar Formerly Jefferson’s House of Pies

M-F 11:30am-3:30pm • Sat 11:30am-5:30pm • Sun 12pm-3:00pm

VisitJeffersontexas.org

125 N. Polk Street • Jefferson, Tx 903-665-0505 www.kittskornbread.com

TEXAS SHAKESPEARE RECEPTION

GOODDAY COFFEE

Maria Huerta, Kilgore Resident “Texas Oncology takes good care of you.”

FIGHT CANCER Leading-edge cancer treatment is available right here in East Texas. Maria Huerta was too sick to travel during her fight with breast cancer. So when her surgeon recommended Texas Oncology, she was glad she found an option close to home. With nine locations in East Texas, she didn’t have to travel far to get access to advanced technologies and national clinical trials. “The treatment I received at Texas Oncology was very good. They take good care of you.”

LONGVIEW

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1-888-864-I CAN (4226) • www.TexasOncology.com

suMmer Fun havE You iN stiTches?

FROM MINOR “OUCHIES” TO PREVENTIVE CARE – WE’RE HERE FOR YOUR FAMILY. When it comes to choosing a healthcare provider for your family, you want only the best. Fortunately, the physicians of Good Shepherd Medical Associates Family Health Center – Kilgore are here to provide healthcare for all ages. Same day appointments are available and walk-ins are welcome.

SERVICES PROVIDED: Treatment for Minor and Major Illnesses

Bronchitis, pneumonia, cold and flu, ear nose and throat infections

Routine Exams

Preventive care, pediatric well-visits, well-woman exams and school physicals

Minor Procedures

Stitches and splints, ingrown toe nail, drainage of abscesses

KILGORE

259 Dudley

1711 S. Henderson, Blvd., Suite 100 Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

www.GSMADoctors.org

984-1394.

S. Henderson

To schedule an appointment, call (903)

GSMC Kilgore ER