Dance Me To The End of Spring

by Aaron Rowan

success at the Phyl-Nor and expanded amenities available at the motel. In 1956 all rooms were completely refurnished, and in 1960 all rooms received new GE televisions. The central lawn of the Motel was paved, and in 1963 the Andersons built a Toppers Steak House to support additional clientele and travelers. Then, the motel got its own pool for guests, adjacent to the restaurant. When the original Motel Phyl-Nor neon sign was replaced for a taller mid-century advertisement, likely better visible to drivers on the realigned highway in the mid-1960’s, the old neon sign was relocated to the top of the office’s lookout tower. Aner Anderson, after having lived in Modesto for 66 years, passed away in 1967. The Motel Phyl-Nor stayed in the family run by Norman Anderson until 1973, after which point the motel changed names and ownership a few times. Currently there is a proposal for the City of Modesto to purchase the Travelers Motel for conversion to permanent housing units through Project HomeKey to assist in serving those who in the community are homeless or near risk of homelessness. With the proposal keeping the original Phyl-Nor building, and with other efforts currently underway to revitalize this section of Old Highway 99, it would be a wonderful opportunity to renovate the property with features that reference the motel’s previous mid-century flair – neon, pops of color, classic Americana. With these housing plans, renovating the property in a manner that provides essential services to its residents while also being a place that provides dignity in design would be impactful for those calling it home and the community.

Among my assorted side duties as a music curator is the occasional stage-managing shift. One evening, while working in the Bay Area behind the scenes for a friend’s cello-driven band, joined by a full orchestra for this particular concert, I was introduced to someone who would become one of my dearest musical friends. She was an orchestra player named Marie Maxfield, and not only did she happen to be a fellow Modestan, she just happened to live just down the road from me. Marie can play most of the standard instruments on a symphony stage and is one of the busiest, most dedicated musicians I’ve crossed paths with. In the eight years of our beautiful friendship, I’ve made countless appearances to support her making music with the MJC Community Orchestra, Modesto Performing Arts, Playhouse Merced musicals, and various Bay Area orchestras.

Marie has been working as hard as ever as music director for this month’s MPA staging of ‘Billy Elliot,’ the Elton John-scored musical about a young boy pursuing his dream of becoming a ballet star. She’s the backbone of this play: assembling the orchestra; helping with cast selection; teaching the basics of music to numerous cast members; running rehearsals; and will be conducting the orchestra pit and the onstage performers at the same time during the five-show run as spring segues into summer. ‘Billy Elliot’ once held the record for most Tony Award nominations for a musical (it was surpassed by ‘Hamilton’), among many other accolades.

Three evenings and two Sunday matinee shows to choose from, June 17-25. Tickets are $24-$45 at galloarts.org.

On the last night of the first half of this year, I’ll host my latest songwriter showcase with a pair of well-traveled Americana artists I’ve been keen to feature for many months. And how better to slide into summer? With Summer. Rigby Summer. She’s a friend I made around this time last year, whom I haven’t met in person yet but who was immensely helpful during my summer cross-country travels. Rigby weaves an Americana soundscape that reflects the road she’s traveled, from her Kansas City jazz upbringing to the beach pop of southern California to the red dirt roots of her current home in Stillwater, OK. Her debut album ‘Geography’ is fantastic, and her original songs have earned her honors at competitions in multiple states, including the Woody Guthrie Festival Songwriting Contest. Rigby is on tour with fellow songwriter The Dauphin Of Mississippi (Jason Burge), a recent transplant to the Central Valley after hopping around from MS to WY to New Zealand. Jason’s debut record landed at #6 on the Wyoming Public Radio end-of-year listeners list and earned Wyoming CMA finalist nominations for Album, Songwriter, and Americana Group of the Year. Catch these two on Friday, June 30, from 7:30-9:00 at The Dragonfly Art For Life, 1210 J St. $10 at the door. Intimate performances. Infinite playlist. MODESTO UNPLUGGED. www.modestounplugged.com.