Midday Interview with Jemila Ericson

Kevin Lee-Y Green of Techmoja Dance & Theatre Company is holding auditions for the musical The Color Purple.  Auditions are Saturday from noon to 4 at the Hannah Block Historic USO at 2nd and Orange in Wilmington.  The show runs 2 performances only at Odell Williamson Auditorium on the campus of Brunswick Community College in October.  For details, call Kevin at 233-7343.

Today I spoke with Alisa Harris about the grand opening of TheatreNOW at the corner of 10th and Dock on Friday, July 20.

Amy Feath, Crisis Intervention Services Director for Rape Crisis Center, talks about all the services available, and about an event coming up in September that is recruiting participants.  It’s called Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: A Men’s March Against Rape and Gender Violence.”   More info: afeath@coastalhorizons.org

Our guests today are Steve Spain of Wilmington Interfaith Hospitality Network and fashion designer Lucille Bruno.  Lucille and friends are creating the Cape Fear Community Photo Shoot on Sunday from 5 to 9 at The Brik House, 208 Market Street.  Amateur and upcoming professional photographers can come and shoot pictures of a fashion show staffed by professional models, set designers, lighting designers, hair & makeup artists, and mentoring pro photographers.  There will also be a full bar, dancing, a silent auction, and the garments and accessories modeled will be available for purchase.

Carson Rudisill Capps plays Cassie in A Chorus Line, the latest musical presented by Opera House Theatre Company.  The show opens tomorrow night at 8, running Wed-Sat at 8 and Sun at 3 on the mainstage of Thalian Hall.  Two more weekends follow with shows on Fri & Sat at 8, Sun at 3.  Tickets: 632-2285.

Guests: Mary Kelly & Katherine Crowley

Mary Kelly is the founder of Kelly House, which provides housing & counseling & recovery to women who have children and are struggling with alcohol and/or substance abuse.  A fundraiser is coming up Friday at 6pm at Northeast Regional Library.  Guest speaker will be author, educator and consultant Katherine Crowley, presenting the topic Take This Job and Love It.  Tickets are $25, available at the door, or by calling 910-859-0990.  

Lois Carol Wheatley tells us about her book, Images of America: Carolina Beach.  She will be at Carolina Beach Farmers’ Market tomorrow from 8 to 1, selling and signing books.

Julie Smith and Heather Bobeck are rising seniors in Vocal Performance at UNCW.  They are giving two concerts together:  Saturday, June 16 at 7:30pm at Little Chapel on the Boardwalk…and Saturday, June 23 at 7:30pm at Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church.  They will gratefully receive donations at the door to further their studies.  Both young sopranos are dreaming of a career in opera.

Gwenyfar Rohler of Old Books on Front Street, spoke with me about Bloomsday, a celebration on Saturday from 4:30 to 6:30 (or so), in honor of James Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses.  A staged reading of the play within the book is being presented.    OldBooksOnFrontSt.com

My guests were Ben and Amy Wright, parents of four children, two of whom have Down Syndrome.  Amy has written a song to be used by the campaign Spread the Word to End the Word, which encourages people to stop using the words "retard" or "retarded," and speak of intellectual disability instead.