A few quick things

      My sister went through her surgery okay. She will heal for a few weeks and then start radiation and chemo. She has breast cancer. The surgeon thinks he got all of it out. And that's all we know at the moment until lab tests return. We appreciate your continued prayers and support.
      The play is going well. Below is the review.
      I will be posting a couple excerpts from Murder by Dewey Decimal on Saturday. I hope things are going well for you. And now I have to go and run yet another errand for the play. Talk to you tomorrow.

Reprinted from the March 30 issue of the Ada Evening News

By Pru Simmons
Guest columnist

ADA - The audience at the Wednesday night opening of ACT II's "The Vigil" was treated to a powerful and moving Easter drama. From the clever program to the stark, simple set to the uniformly excellent actors, "The Vigil" is an impressive production.

The cast is large with 21 roles, which made it all the more amazing that each actor shone. Several performances were outstanding and worth mentioning. Kyra Childers as the Prosecutor and Robert Shurtleff as the Counsel for the Defense keep the play moving. Their fiery battle of wits was fascinating to watch. Both actors were at the top of their form, especially in the exciting cross-examinations of Sadoc and Mary Magdalen. Chuck Perry as the Judge supplies the right atmosphere for the courtroom. I enjoyed watching how he reacted to the events enfolding before him. He was in character from the first to last.

The entire courtroom personnel helped present the illusion of an actual trial. It's hard to make small parts shine, but the court guard, the court stenographer, and the court clerk did.

As for the many witnesses, all were good, but several stood out. In particular, Thomas Cox's portrayal of the intelligent and zealous Saul of Taurus, Nancy Cheper's portrayal of the self-absorbed wife of Pilate, Mel Haworth's compassionate portrayal of Joseph of Arimathea, and Penny Johnson's hilarious portrayal of Beulah were excellent. Vicki Cowger as Mary Magdalen was touching and powerful as she walked the fine line between hysteria and faith. I also enjoyed Joan Perry as Susanna. This is Joan Perry's second role; her first was as a knife wielding witch in "Murder at the Witch's Cottage," which I reviewed. You couldn't find two roles so different, but Perry was perfect as Susanna.

I must not forget to mention Sterling Jacobs as the Gardener. His role was that of a simple, God-fearing man, and he did it well. Eric Collier as Simon Peter was refreshing and strong. And Esther the farm hand was a hoot. I don't know who the final vocalist was because the program didn't say, but her voice was wonderful.

Stephen Bagley directed the play, and I could see obvious signs of his thoughtful direction and careful diligence. The set was perfectly decorated, and the costumes fit the parts without distracting from the overall story. The actors knew their lines and spoke them clearly and loud enough to be heard.

The play itself is strong, in turns moving, funny, and powerful. It made me get out my trusty Bible and read the various accounts of the Resurrection to see how closely it followed the familiar story. I discovered that the story wasn't as familiar as I thought, and the play depicts the odd and unsettling events with precision and wit.

The only thing that marred this production was out in the audience where several people actually used their cell phones and talked during the play. I am afraid that the age of manners is long gone.

"The Vigil" runs through Sunday at the ACT II theater. It's the perfect play for the Easter season, well worth your time and money.