Morris Township workshops by Ellen Schmidt tease out the inner writer in us all

By Geri Silk

When asked on a dare to write a six-word story, the novelist Ernest Hemingway quipped, “Baby shoes for sale. Never Used.”

That was just one of the provocative prompts served up at a Creative Writing workshop by Ellen Schmidt at the Unitarian Fellowship of Morristown on March 19.

Entitled The Writing Room–Connecting Creatively with Yourself and Others, the seminar attracted 22 participants to hear Ellen, back by popular demand for the third year. She specializes in bringing out the best in beginners while inspiring seasoned writers to even higher levels of written communication.

She offered six exercises during the five -hour workshop. The prompts–or inspirations for writings–ranged from fantasy situations, (If I were to do this, what would be the consequences?) to six-word stories.

After every written exercise, participants read their writings out loud to everyone in the writers’ circle.

When the theme “kitchen table” was introduced, writers wove  revelations about their lives and ancestors from favorite foods and cherished  family memories and rituals.

Ellen Schmidt is no ordinary writing coach–she  is a powerful listener who  offers uncannily specific  and supportive comments after every writer reads. Ellen, who comes from Ithaca, NY, and occasionally teaches students at Cornell, calls her work  “Writing through the Rough Spots.”

Although  she teaches “therapeutic writing,”  she is clear that she isn’t a therapist. She is a remarkably gifted alchemist, who has become interested in the “midwifery of writing.”

“The narrative of others intrigue me,” she said. “We know so little of others until we hear the stories in their lives.”

From this celebration of the written word, burgeoning writers learn humanely empathic skills, and stretch their muscles of creativity and observation. They also came away with notebooks full of ideas for further writing explorations.

For more information see: www.writingroomworkshops.com

Geri Silk of Morris Plains is a creative artist who likes to write poems that sometimes rhyme, but not all the time

‘Return to Wonderland’ comes to Morristown Unitarian Fellowship on Saturday

By Geri Silk

Something magical is coming to Morristown this Saturday.

A musical production of Alice in Wonderland, called Return to Wonderland, will be presented at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship in Morris Township at 7 p.m. on Nov. 20.

The show is a musical pastiche of choral music, narration, reading, and children singing.

The show captures the madcap frivolity and wry humor of the original book,  Alice in Wonderland

There are many wonderful surprises.

Photos by Nan Perigo. Click icon below for captions.

The show is based on the well-loved classic, first published in 1865, by Lewis Carroll, and the humorously imaginative illustrations by John Tenniel.

The program is geared to adults and children of all ages.

Fantasy refreshments will be served at intermission.

The Queen of Hearts will make some tarts.

The Role of Alice is actually played by a real Alice—nine-year-old Alice Palmer. In addition to loving being on the stage, her hobbies are piano, dance and girl scouts.

Marie Wallace Uy is the lead soprano. She is the musical director for Into the Woods (Sondheim) to be produced at Morris County Technical School this spring.

The musical director of this innovative production is Dr. Jim Blanton, director of music at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship.

He rediscovered the wonderful score by Sammy Fain, and created a visionary and witty concept to utilize the children’s choir; the Morris Concert, a concert orchestra; as well as narrators like the White Rabbit, the pepper-wielding Duchess, the Mock Turtle, and the Gryphon.

The first act will include some antiphonal music that echoes throughout the room because of its unique acoustics.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and $5 for youth 18 and under.

For more information contact music@muuf.org or call 845-858-9895.

The address is 21 Normandy Heights Road Morristown, 07960.

Mad Agnes casts its musical spell in bittersweet Morris Township weekend

By Geri Silk

Saturday was a bittersweet night full of tears of sadness, laughter and joy, as Mad Agnes began a leg of its farewell tour after 10 years of triumphant touring in the U.S. and abroad.

The trio Margo Hennebach, Adrienne Jones, and Mark Saunders also were celebrating the release of their newest CD, Hush, by far their most versatile and finely tuned album. They played to a nearly sold-out house at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship in Morris Township.

Their musical pastiche spanned from humorous to experimental to lushly sensual. Their harmonies are so unique and fulfilling that it often seems there are more than only three singers.

The Mads played such old favorites as In Spring, Martine, and The Perfect Planet—a song commissioned for the Riverview Elementary School in Denville for its Earth Day celebration.

They also sang an appetizing food medley about chocolate, Julia Child, and Breakfast Blues.

The song After the Music perhaps foretells what comes next after the trio quits touring next year:

After the music is a silence
There is stillness
It is the sound of the mind
It is the sound of the heart.

On Sunday morning, Margo, Adrienne and Mark showed up bright and early to play for two services at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship—including a special performance in the children’s chapel.

The biggest treat was the newly recorded song Peace like a River, joined by the 20-voice fellowship choir.

Peace Like a River by Adrienne Jones, performed by Mad Agnes:

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When asked why they plan to give up touring, each member of Mad Agnes gave a thoughtful response.

“We are making space for something new to open up,” Mark said. “We are enjoying all of our last visits to places we’ve played over the last ten years.”

Margo mused that they would be leaving a “little more space wide open to see  what synchronicity will bring in… to see what the universe puts in our lives.”

Adrienne: “It’s time to create a space where something can emerge artistically. New Images. I want to learn to play the cello and I am renovating a 211 year old home.”

Mad Agnes returns to the Morristown area on Jan. 7 at The Minstrel (on the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship stage) and on April 9, at the Sanctuary Concerts in Chatham.

Geri Silk, MFA, ADTR, RDT-BCT, is a Dance Movement Therapist and Aquasize teacher. She works with innovative and creative learning styles for special populations.

MORE ON MAD AGNES:

Mad Agnes farewell tour swings through Morris Township on Saturday

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Mad Agnes farewell tour swings through Morris Township on Saturday

You can still jump on the Mad Agnes bandwagon. But you had better hurry.

On Saturday the popular trio will play one of its last local gigs, at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship.

“We’ve had a great run,” said Margo Hennebach, who is eager to explore life next spring, after a fourth and final tour of England brings down the curtain on Mad Agnes after 10 years, four albums and one DVD. “Our fans are distraught. We feel their pain. I’m waiting to see what the void will bring. I’m willing to take that risk.”

The Mads’ arsenal includes a cappella vocals, guitars, bass, mandolin, keyboards and, in the words of the  Boston Herald, “funny showmanship…agile, rambunctious harmonies and intense beauty.”

‘Peace Like a River,’ by Adrienne Jones, performed by Mad Agnes

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They are packing it in because Adrienne Jones, who shares most of the songwriting duties with Margo, has bought a 1799 home in Connecticut and longs to fix it up, Margo said. Touring would leave little time for this old house.

Agnes’ third leg–pardon the image–will stay connected. Mark Saunders is married to Margo and they anticipate dusting off their duo routine now and again.

Mark also runs a recording studio in Connecticut. Margo practices something called the Feldenkrais Method, a form of movement therapy that she credits with helping to “find my voice.” Adrienne teaches Reiki, another alternative healing art.

Margo concedes it may be hard to kick the touring habit–Mad Agnes is her third trio with Adrienne, stretching back through Madwoman in the Attic and Idle Rumors.

“Parts of it were really wondrous,” said Margo, who grew up in Short Hills.  “We have friends from all over the world. People greet us, and roll out the welcome wagon. I’ll miss that. We got really close to our fans. We talk about universal truths in our music. We really appreciate that.”

Margo’s appreciation was deepened by her work as a musical therapist for cancer patients; she has a degree in music therapy from the Guildhall School of Music in London. Her artistic sensibilities were honed in the Hoboken music scene of the mid-80s. She backed up Shawn Colvin and Richard Shindell as part of her folk education.

Over the years, Mad Agnes has charmed fans in Morristown at First Night Morris County, and at The Minstrel in Morris Township.

A high point for the trio came in 2007,  at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention in England.

“We played for 75 minutes before 25,000 people and got to hang out with Richard Thompson,” Margo said. “It was just incredible. At the CD table afterward there was a long line of people. It was awesome.”

Any regrets from life with Mad Agnes?

“We never got to share a stage with Matt Angus.”

The discomforts of touring, meanwhile, already are fading from memory.

“That’s one of the good things about growing older,” Margo joked.

Yet she is pretty sure Saturday night will be memorable.

“It’s like a victory lap, with a brand new CD,” called Hush.  “We’re going out in style.”

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for kids. Free babysitting will be available. Tickets are available at www.madagnes.com, by calling (973) 945-5174 or via email at muf.events@gmail.com. The Morristown Unitarian Fellowship is at 21 Normandy Heights Road in Morris Township.

Youths from Morristown Unitarian Fellowship build Habitat home in North Carolina

Twenty-four youths from the Morristown United Fellowship just completed a week near Charlotte, N.C., where they erected a home for Habitat for Humanity.

It’s the 18th house that the fellowship has built over the years, and this one will become the home for a couple that fled the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2001 seeking political asylum, reports the Charlotte Observer.

“Our real agenda is building the youth group. The house is the vehicle we use to do that. Sometimes freshmen don’t say anything at youth group all year, but they really open up when they start building the house,” said youth adviser Garry Hodgson.

The fellowship’s youth group raised $6,000 for the trip, according to the report. Senior Erin Luken told the paper that the project opened her eyes to volunteering:

“I’m building someone a house. We’re helping to make them a home,” said Luken.