LAKE REGION EVENTS

THE LAKE REGION CalendarFEATURED EVENT

Alexander City Theatre II will present Neil Simon’s comedy in three acts, Plaza Suite, Sept. 16, 17 and 19 free of charge to the community on the Betty Carol Graham ballroom stage at Central Alabama Community College.

Set in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the play features three one-act plays that all take place in the same suite at New York’s Plaza Hotel. The first play, directed by Christale Tuck, stars Alexander City’s Katt Abercrombie and Cedric Holley in the roles of Karen and Sam Nash, an unhappily married couple celebrating their 23rd or 24th wedding anniversary at the Plaza. Karen Nash holds out great hope for the renewal of the marriage until Sam’s secretary/ mistress shows up.

In the second play, directed by Keith Garrett, Dr. Doug Roberts plays famous Hollywood producer Jesse Kiplinger, who has invited his old high school sweetheart, Muriel, up to the suite. Muriel, played by Alexander City’s Lila Dostal, does her best to avoid her old boyfriend’s advances and, at the same time, positively swoons over his star-studded life.

Denise Graves directs the third and probably best known of the Plaza Suite one-acts, which features Scears Barnes of Alexander City as the father of the bride, Roy Hubley, opposite Alexander City’s Ellen Gregg as mother-of-the-bride Norma Hubley. Kendall Sims plays Mimsey, the bride who has locked herself in the bathroom and refuses to come out and get married, with Jackson Gortney as her fiancé, Borden Eisler. Gortney also plays the bellhop in the first act, and Alexander City’s Kenneth Cochran plays the waiter in acts one and two. Show times will be 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Seating will be arranged in socially distanced groups, and masks are encouraged for audience members. There will be a 10-minute intermission between acts one and two. George C. Scott and Maureen Stapleton played the lead roles in all three acts for Plaza Suite’s presentation by Saint-Subber at the Plymouth Theater in New York City on Feb. 14, 1968. Stapleton was nominated for a Tony Award in the production. Stapleton, Walter Matthau, Carol Burnett and other well-known actors have starred in film versions of the play as well.

CACC’s generous sponsorship, along with additional sponsorships and donations, makes it possible for the community to be admitted to the production free of charge.

Now through September Main Street Farmers Market

Visit Broad Street Plaza in downtown Alexander City from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Saturday for farm-fresh produce, delicious homemade baked goods and unique arts and crafts. Aug. 17-21

Singer/Songwriter Festival

Over five days, 17 songwriters will perform at 10 Lake Martin venues in this inaugural event. Featured artists include Chad Wilson, Charlie Argo, Clay Barker Lance Dubroc, Kensie Coppin, Eric Erdman, Blue Foley, Angela Hacker, Cameron Havens, Kristen Kelly, Ella Langley, James LeBlanc, Megan McMillan, Chancie Neal, Lee Tucker, Dixie Red and Emma Zinck. See the article on page 44 for more information or visit tallapoosacountytourism.com. Aug. 21

A Little Love Concert

Chad Wilson will return to Alexander City for another blowout concert on Main Street. Bring a lawn chair and pick up take-out meals from downtown restaurants. This is going to be a great night. Look for details on the Main Street Alexander City Facebook page.

Sept. 4

Labor Day Weekend

Nora Munger Regatta at Dixie Sailing Club

This annual race at Dixie Sailing Club celebrates women in sailing. Spectators are welcome on land and water, so check out the details at dixiesailingclub.com. Sept. 5

Labor Day Concert at the AMP

Close out the summer at Lake

Martin Ampitheater with great music from The Bank Walkers, Sam

Burchfield and The Vegabonds. Bring your friends, lawn chairs and a cooler of snacks and beverages to the grassy hillside at the AMP to bid farewell to summer at the lake. Gates open at 5 p.m. Music begins at 6 p.m. Visit theamponlakemartin. com for ticket information.

Oct. 1

Lake Martin Living Annual Art and Photography Contest

Entries are now being accepted for this annual art show and contest that reflects the unique lifestyle of Lake Martin and its surrounding communities. Look for the official rules and details of the show on page 35 of this magazine; follow Lake and Lake Martin Living magazines on Facebook, and visit the website at lakemagazine.life/ lakemartinliving.

Oct. 7

CASHBACK

Alex City Arts will present this popular Johnny Cash tribute band at 7 p.m. at the Benjamin Russell High School Auditorium. The band, featuring six professional musicians, will perform classics from the “Man in Black᾿s” 51-year career. Visit alexcityarts.org for details and ticket information. Oct. 15-17

Fall Boogie

Standard Deluxe will host three days of music at the 9th annual Fall Boogie. The lineup includes Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Seath Walker and Joshua Ray Walker; Maggie Rose Blue Mountain, Lee Bains III and the Gloryfires, Early James and Janet Simpson and Jon Spencer and the Hitmakers with Lee Bains III solo.

Visit standaraddeluxe.com for ticket information.

Season-long Events

Friday on the Green

Get the weekend at the lake started early when you meet friends and family at the Town Green at Russell Crossroads on Friday nights all summer long. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and the pup on a leash. Pick up dinner at Catherine’s Market or bring a picnic and your favorite beverages. Visit russelllands.com/blog/events for the lineup and detials.

Yoga on the Green

Meet at the Town Green at Russell Crossroads Saturday mornings all summer long for a free yoga session in the beauty of nature. Class starts at 7 a.m., so bring your mat, a towel and water.

Third Thursdays Downtown

Every third Thursday through September, Alexander City downtown businesses will stay open later for shopping and specials. Main Street Alexander City will coordinate an art walk, live music and other events. Purchase a glass of wine at a downtown bar or restaurant and stroll through art at this entertainment district event before dinner.

Bingo Wednesdays

Come out to the alley next door to Castelluccio on Wednesday nights for bingo. Order dinner and wine from Castelluccio or your favorite downtown restaurant and have it delivered to your table. The event is limited to six people per table, and the number of tables is limited to 20, due to social distancing. Reservations for this weekly event go quickly, so email Main Street Executive Director Stacey Jeffcoat at sjeffcoatmainstreetac@gmail.com to reserve your table.

Wellborn

Musclecar Museum

Housed in a restored vintage auto dealership in downtown Alexander City, the Wellborn Musclecar Museum collection of great American automobiles of the 1960s and 1970s is open for public viewing Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This exemplary collection includes the famed K&K Dodge, the 1970 Grand National Champion, as well as Aero cars designed for NASCAR. An example of each manufacturer’s highest horsepower cars of 1970, from Dodge, Plymouth, Chevrolet,

Buick, Porsche and Oldsmobile are on exhibit. The inventory changes frequently, so every visit includes something new and exciting. Admission for adults is $11; children ages 7 to 17 admitted for $7, and children ages 6 and under are admitted for free. To arrange discounted group tour or private tours, call 256329-8474 or email the museum at wellbornmusclecarmuseum@gmail. com.

Charity Bingo

Every Tuesday in September, stop in at Niffer’s at the Lake at 6 p.m. for eight rounds of Bingo to benefit the Lake Martin Area United Way. Cards are $1 each. The first seven rounds pay Niffer’s dollars, but the last round pays a cash jackpot.

Soup to Go

Drive through the parking lot at St. James Episcopal Church at 347 S. Central Ave. in Alexander City between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. every Tuesday and pick up a free brown bag dinner with soup, sandwich and more. COVID-19 precautions are taken by volunteers who prepare, pack and distribute the meal, which is open to the whole community.

Music at Copper’s Grill

Copper’s Grill hosts music outdoors on the lawn at 7:30 p.m. every Friday. Bring your own lawn chairs and please keep a proper social distance.

Clean Community

Partnership Cleanups

Volunteers in Alexander City and Dadeville are encouraged to participate in community partnership cleanups every month. In Alexander City, the cleanups are held on the third Saturday of the month. Meet at Ourtown Volunteer Fire Department at 8:30 a.m. to pick up supplies and area assignments and help clean up the roads within Alexander City. For more information, contact John Thompson at 334-399-3289. In Dadeville, the monthly cleanup is held on the first Saturday of the month, and volunteers can pick up sanitized pickers and bags at 8 a.m. at Dadeville City Hall. There also will be a trash bag drop-off on site. For information, contact Dianna Porter at 256-750-0075.

Lake Martin Creativity

Anyone interested in art, crafts and hobbies is encouraged to come to and participate in the weekly activities through Sept. 27 to learn from each other and make new friends that share the same interests. Bring your own water and share what you are currently working on. For more information, contact Suzie Ham at 334-464-2882 or call Kay Fincher at 256-825-2506.

Library Storytime

Storytime for children aged 5 and younger is held at the Dadeville Public Library every Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Mamie’s Place Children’s Library holds themed storytime every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for preschoolaged and younger children. In addition, the children’s library hosts board games and puzzles every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call Melissa Finley at 256-234-4644 for more information.

Children's Harbor

Treasures and Thrift Store

Located on state Route 63 just south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You never know what gems you might find – from clothes and household items to boats. Proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of Children’s Harbor and the Family Center at Children’s Hospital. For more information, call 334-857-2008.

Naturalist Presentations and Guided Nature Tours

Naturalist Marianne Hudson fills the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads with children and adults to see and listen to her lively nature presentations with critters, insects, snakes and fowl, just to mention a few. There is never a dull moment with this wildlife biologist as she educates on the beauty of nature in the wild and the outdoor classroom. For the scheduled subject matter, dates and times, visit RussellLands.com/blog/events.

Trivia Night at Niffer’s on the Lake

Every Thursday, Niffer’s hosts trivia night at 7 p.m. Winners receive Niffer’s gift cards. First place gets $40; second place gets $25; and third place gets $15. Grab a group of friends and come out for a night of games. A bonus question is posted on the Niffer’s Facebook page at 2 p.m. Thursdays.

$90