Waynesboro Players presents premiere of local author’s play
Did you know that pirates believed that wearing pierced earrings would improve their eyesight and that whistling on a ship would cause the weather to turn stormy? Learn more about modern-day pirates Feb. 23–26 at Waynesboro Players’ premiere production of local author Matthew Warner’s Pirate Appreciation Day.
In this comedy, a Waynesboro Players directorial debut for Caleb Towns, a group of buccaneers believes that hijacking a cruise ship on the Talk Like a Pirate Day holiday is the proper route to infamy. They discover more than they bargained for in a colorful ensemble of fellow passengers. By the time night falls of the first day at sea, a tentacled monster will be summoned, a sword fight will be fought with plastic butter knives, and someone will take a one-way voyage to Davy Jones’ locker! Continue reading “Waynesboro Players presents premiere of local author’s play” »
Auditions for Players production
The Waynesboro Players will hold auditions for a production of Pirate Appreciation Day by local author and playwright Matthew Warner on Sunday, Nov. 27, and Wednesday, Nov. 30.
The auditions will be held at the Waynesboro Players Warehouse, 722 E. Main St., Waynesboro, from 6-8 p.m. on both Nov. 27 and Nov. 30.
Pirate Appreciation Day follows the efforts of the so-called Pirate Appreciation Movement to restore the good name of moderny piracy.
The group of buccaneers believes hijacking a cruise ship on the Talk Like a Pirate Day holiday is the proper route to infamy. Its saltiest members, Walker D. Plank and sidekick Halitosis Halvard, sneak aboard the M.S. Stillwater as it departs for a Caribbean cruise.
They discover more than they bargained for in a colorful ensemble of fellow passengers. Frederick Feedle Fillingsworth is a fugitive museum curator with a valuable stolen artifact. Teenaged nerd Paisley Nettleton is a prodigy of ancient languages and archeology, hovered over by his squabbling parents, Ned and Doris. The Captain — the hairest man of the Seven Seas — would do anything to win the affections of Bridget, the mysterious yeoman.
By the time night falls on the first day at sea, a tentacled monster will be summoned, a sword fight will be fought with plastic butter knives, and someone will take a one-way voyage to Davy Jones’s locker. Aye so, but ’tis good to be a pirate!
Roles to fill:
Principals: 7 men (20s–late 40s), 4 women (20s–late 40s)
Supporting: 5 men (20s–40s), 2 women (20s)
More information: www.WaynesboroPlayers.org.
Special Christmas in the River City ‘Radio Hour’
Staff Report
News Tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The December “River City Radio Hour” will be a hilarious evening of music and comedy. The two performances on Friday, Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Blue Ridge Christian Fellowship will depart from the usual “Radio Hour format.” The Waynesboro’s Got Pride Society has arranged to take over the “Radio Hour” for its benefit performances of The Jingle Bell Jubilee Talent and Phone-a-thon. Continue reading “Special Christmas in the River City ‘Radio Hour’” »
‘Radio Hour’ to feature Santa, singers, news updates, more
You want to know how the Martians stole Christmas, of course. That and Christmas in the River City are the focal points of the December “River City Radio Hour” on Friday.
The 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. shows at Blue Ridge Christian Fellowship at 329 W. Main St. will feature the final installment of Staunton author Matthew Warner’s serial How the Martians Stole Christmas. Also on the bill are The Thea Jordan Singers making their “River City Radio Hour” debut along with vocalist Claire Sax and “Radio Hour” regulars Richard Adams and The Boogie Kings. Continue reading “‘Radio Hour’ to feature Santa, singers, news updates, more” »
Local screenwriters among winners in prestigious state competition
Screenwriters from Staunton and Charlottesville were among the big winners of the 15th Virginia Screenwriting Competition, and another pair from the two local cities were among the finalists for the annual awards.
Allan Moye from Staunton and Virginia Proutt from Charlottesville were honored along with C.B. Wilson from Ruther Glen as the winners of the competition. The winners were announced before a screening of the film “Sunshine Cleaning,” which was written by 2003 Virginia Screenwriting Competition winner Megan Holley of Richmond. Continue reading “Local screenwriters among winners in prestigious state competition” »
‘River City Radio Hour’ returns Friday night
The debut of the Remember November Quartet and the third installment of local author Matthew Warner’s How the Martians Stole Christmas will highlight the November installment of “The River City Radio Hour” set for Friday night.
The 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. performances are offered free of charge at Blue Ridge Christian Fellowship at 329 W. Main St. in Downtown Waynesboro. Continue reading “‘River City Radio Hour’ returns Friday night” »
Waynesboro: And now starring … ‘The River City Radio Hour’
Staff Report
“The River City Radio Hour” returns Friday night at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. with another installment of Matthew Warner’s How the Martians Stole Christmas, music from The Boogie Kings and the “Radio Hour” debut of Bufffalo Gap High School junior Aaron Crosby.
Waynesboro Police Department Lt. Mark Kearney will serve as the host of this month’s “Radio Hour.” Kearney is the founder of Book ‘Em, an annual literacy event that will be held on Saturday at Kate Collins Middle School.
The show will be offered free of charge at Blue Ridge Christian Fellowship at 329 W. Main St. in Downtown Waynesboro.
More information at www.waynetheatre.org.
An art, or a science?
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Writers get the question constantly. “Where do you get your ideas for stories from?”
Here’s what we want to say: “Inspiration.”
And here’s what we have to admit: “We just pay attention.”
“Stories are basically about people who are changed by some type of experience that they’re going through. They have some type of goal, they’re trying to reach the goal, they’re opposed in the form of obstacles coming from an antagonist, which might be themself, which might be another person, which might be the environment,” said Matthew Warner, a Staunton author who will be conducting a writers’ workshop with the Waynesboro Cultural Commission at Stone Soup Books and Cafe in Downtown Waynesboro Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Continue reading “An art, or a science?” »
Skip ahead to ‘The Good Parts’
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
He’s taking a shower one morning when he realizes something odd.
Three hours have just passed, and he can’t remember what has happened.
Slowly, Rob comes to learn that he has the ability to skip hours, even days, with no perceptible break in consciousness.
Which is great for him, because he is madly in love with his girlfriend, Jennifer, and can’t wait ’til he gets to see her again.
This is the foundation of the storyline in Staunton author Matthew Warner’s “The Good Parts,” a short story that independent filmmaker Allen Richards is making into a feature film. Continue reading “Skip ahead to ‘The Good Parts’” »
Local author, filmmaker keeps busy
Posted by afp on September 30, 2010 · 2 Comments
“I’m blurring the lines,” said Warner, a novelist now making his way into the world of filmmaking with the November premiere of his short “The Good Parts” on the schedule.
The movie is based on a short story that Warner wrote in 2002. Warner produced the movie in conjunction with the Charlottesville-based Red Army Films, whose principal, John Johnson, worked with Warner through Johnson’s Darkstone Entertainment on a three-movie anthology, “The Lovecraft Chronicles: Vol. 1,” that is for sale along with a booklet insert on the characters featured in the films written by Warner, Raven.
Not done yet – Warner has his latest novel due out for release in January, Blood Born, which involves the story of a supernatural serial rapist who returns to claim his progeny.
Warner is producing a live-action trailer for Blood Born that will debut online on Halloween. “The Lovecraft Chronicles” is available for purchase exclusively through Darkstone Entertainment, for whom the project is a first entirely in-house release.
The anthology stars Mariah Smith as Harriet Lovecraft, an illegitimate descendant of the pulp writer H.P. Lovecraft, who joins a group of descendants of other famed writers to hunt down rampaging monsters.
“The Good Parts” stars Monique Dupress and Mikiah Umbertis with a storyline that links a young woman who can slow down time to enjoy the moment in full and a young man who conversely fast-forwards his way through life to the point that he skips everything but the good parts.
The premiere for “The Good Parts” is set for Saturday, Nov. 13, at Exile, 18 W. Beverley St., Downtown Staunton. Space is limited, so if you’re interested in attending, RSVP to goodparts@matthewwarner.com.
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with " matthew warner, "the good parts, blood born, darkstone entertainment, john johnson, mariah smith, red army films, staunton virginia, the lovecraft chronicles: vol. 1