Dear Friends of the Hamner,

Well, there is a veritable bouquet of theatrical blossoms ripe for the picking this month - no doubt the fruit of April rains...

Opening at the Hamner on Fri., May 23, A Shadow of Honor by Peter Coy. This original play premiered last summer at the Wintergreen Performing Arts Music Festival as a single story. After a summer of workshopping at the Earl Hamner Playwrights Conference, the piece has returned to its initial incarnation and encompasses two time periods a century apart, in the same space. Based in part on an actual murder in 1907 in Nelson County, A Shadow of Honor probes the issues surrounding the effects of war on those left behind and the legacy handed down to the generations following. This production is for mature audiences. Free preview Weds., May 21, champagne reception Fri., May 23 following the performance. Curtain up - 7:30 Weds. - Sat. and 2pm on Sunday. All tickets $10.00. Call 361-1999 for further information or to reserve tickets.

At Four County Players - Lend me a Tenor, Ken Ludwig's hilarious farce, featuring Doug Schneider, playing Fri., Sat. and Sun. through May 24. www.fourcp.org.

At Play On! in the Theater at the IX building - Guys and Dolls (Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows), directed by Clinton Johnston, plays on through May 24. www.playontheatre.org

And last but not least, Amy Freed's The Beard of Avon at Live Arts, directed by Betsy Rudelich Tucker, opening tonight, May 16 and running through June 7. www.livearts.org

I hope you will find time to take an evening - or four - at the theater and enjoy the fruits of our collaborative efforts. It is, after all, the audience that is the final ingredient in any production...

Hope to see you soon.
Cheers,
Boomie