Entertainment

Immerse in history with Lafayette dance workshops, ball

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Tuesday, 18 February 2025

Written by Anna White

On Tuesday, March 4, attendees will don their best and step back in time. They’ll taste French-themed refreshments, welcome the Marquis de Lafayette into their midst, and dance the night away as part of the Lafayette Society’s Farewell Tour Ball. It’s one of a series of events celebrating the Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour.
Jeremy Gershman, who describes himself as a “professional actor and theater person,” and goes by the stage name Charles Steplively, will lead attendees in English Country dancing, drawing on his extensive experience in both theater and dance.
Gershman visited Fayetteville in November of 2024 when he conducted an English Country dancing workshop. Sylvia Bisbee, a local dance instructor, has continued holding practice sessions with people who attended the workshop in preparation for the upcoming ball.
For those unfamiliar with English Country dancing, Gershman said the easiest comparison is dances seen in many Jane Austen film adaptations as well as modern-day square dancing, which descended from a Regency-era dance formation. He explained that the English Country dance style started around 1760-70 and was popular up through 1830.
Gershman shared that with 20 years of dance instruction under his belt, and 14 years instructing English country dancing, there’s something unique about instructing these events that keeps him going.
“It's obviously much more immersive than a traditional theater night where someone goes and sits in the audience to watch a play,” he said.
“The idea,” he continued, “is so that people have this immersive experience entering into the world of Regency dance. And although I do it, of course, with a modern twist and flair, it really is about creating and being an early 19th century dance master on the floor and engaging with people with English dialect and references and speech and all that.”
He said that he has always enjoyed watching BBC and PBS period productions that include ball scenes and wants to recreate that so people feel as if they’re walking into one of those scenes. That love of immersive historical experiences in turn inspired the creation of his character, Charles Steplively.
“I knew I couldn't just be myself as a modern American. I had to be one of those characters in one of those ball scenes that was introducing people into that world and helping facilitate the dancing,” he said.
Another unique aspect of the dance is its social nature. Unlike ballroom, swing, and salsa, Gershman said that English country dancing gives people the opportunity to dance with many people throughout the evening. In fact, according to him, it was considered rude to dance with the same person throughout the night back in the day.
Instead, English country dancing is considered “social” dancing.
Gershman explained, “A particular couple will continue to progress and move down this line formation, so that they're continuously dancing with someone new. It makes it especially social because you're constantly interacting with different people throughout every song, and then that multiplies the number of people that you're directly interacting with throughout the night.”
He encouraged people of varying abilities to attend but added that he strongly recommends attending a Pre-ball workshop beforehand. The workshops will be held Feb. 20 and 23, and March 1 and 4.
Tickets and information about the Farewell Tour Ball and Pre-ball workshops can be found at lafayettesociety.org 

(Photo: Guests attend a ball held in Lafayette's honor in 2024. The Lafayette Farewell Tour Ball will feature period dances and dress, as well as food and drink from the 1800s, all to pay homage to the Marquis de Lafayette.)

FTCC presents "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"

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Tuesday, 11 February 2025

Written by Katie Herring

What do you get when you combine six smart, competitive, high-achieving tweens, with upbeat, energetic music and the high-stakes world of competitive spelling? You get The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. And soon, you’ll get it at Fayetteville Technical Community College, as the Fine Arts Department presents the cult hit musical from Feb. 20 to March 1.
Spelling Bee is a comedy with music and lyrics written by William Finn, book written by Rachel Sheinkin, with additional material by Rebecca Felman. It opened on Broadway in 2005 after years of development by The Farm, a New York City-based improvisational troupe.
The play features 6 kids (all played by adults) who are striving to be their district’s champion and to compete at the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC.
Let’s meet the spellers. First is last year’s champ, Chip Tolentino (played by Izaiah Zapata), who is the oldest and in his last year of eligibility. Leaf Coneybear (played by Gabe Terry) is just happy to be in the bee and hopes everyone has a good time.
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (played by Venus Bess) is a socially conscious, no-nonsense young lady, poised to take on the world. William Barfee (played by Jack Wood) is not here to make friends, he is here to win and has a unique approach to spelling. Marcy Park (played by Kim O’Callahan) is the best at everything she does, which is a lot, and is starting to feel the strain. Olive Ostrovsky (played by Annabeth Clark) is quiet and unassuming and just loves words.
The kiddos are joined onstage by the adults of the Spelling Bee: Rona Lisa Peretti (played by Marie Lowe), a successful realtor and former Spelling Bee champion; word pronouncer Vice Principal Douglas Panch (played by Jon Frantz), who is all too happy to join Rona onstage; and Mitch (short for Michelle) Mahoney (played by Joyce Borum), the Comfort Counselor who is there to console those who get eliminated. All together, this cast of spellers and supporters makes for a zany night of spelling fun.
FTCC’s production of the musical comedy features a mix of student and community performers, some of whom have experience on FTCC’s stage, and others for whom this is their debut at Cumberland Hall. The one thing they all have in common is great musical talent, great comedic sensibilities, and great chemistry that they use to bring to life the “frenemy” relationships around which this show centers.
The company is rounded out by Director Katie Herring, Production Manager Dennis Johnson (both FTCC Theatre faculty) and Music Director Vicki Hogan, along with a team of student stage managers, house manager, and production crew.
A few things to know before you go: while some musicals make for great family outings, this one is for the big kids. It is recommended for ages 13 and above, due to some harsh language and crude humor. All performances are free and open to the public, no reservations are required; seating is first-come, first-served, so plan to arrive early. There is some opportunity for audience involvement, but only on a volunteer basis, so no pressure if you’d rather stay in your seat.
Make plans to head over to FTCC’s Fayetteville campus and enjoy the laugh-a-minute sensation that is The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
When: February 20-March 1; Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Where: FTCC Fayetteville Campus; Cumberland Hall Auditorium; 2211 Hull Road
Who: Open to the public; recommended for ages 13+

Cumberland County Library's 16th annual Storytelling fest

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Tuesday, 11 February 2025

Written by Erin C. Healy

A story is an account of events, past, present or future, told with heart from one human being to another. For a child, a story can be comforting when they don’t want to go to sleep or inspire them to be a better person or to know what they want to be when they grow up. Stories also help kids develop language skills and encourage imagination and creativity.
A story can teach empathy for others and emphasize morality and life values. Hearing a story improves listening skills, builds cultural understanding and advances emotional intelligence. All this happens simply by allowing children to experience different perspectives and emotions through a story’s character. Storytelling is an artform for both kids and adults.
The Fayetteville Cumberland County Arts Council with support from the North Carolina Arts Council, has awarded Cumberland County Headquarters Library a $7,200 grant to help host its 16th annual Storytelling Festival, March 1-30. Organizers use the funds to bring in professional storytellers. The free programs are aimed at children from birth to age 12, and this year’s theme is Mythical Marvels.
“Our hope is to spark imaginations, foster a sense of wonder and provide a gathering place for everyone to share in the magic of storytelling,” Faith Phillips, Cumberland County Assistant County Manager and Library Director, said in a November Cumberland County press release.
“Festival programs and activities will celebrate and encourage storytelling through different perspectives by embracing diverse voices and cultures. The Storytelling Festival aims to encourage inclusion, promote literacy and spark creativity for community members,” the press release continued.
For adults, the difference between a story and a history is that a story is more than a report of who, what, when, where, why and how. A story is told with heart, connecting the teller to the listener. Linear people want a beginning, middle and end, and they’re not wrong. Different cultures emphasize storytelling through dance, art or music, and they aren’t wrong either.
In simplest terms, a story is about a person doing or trying to do something over a period of time in a specific place. This person doing something over a period of time in a certain place is a “character” acting within a “plotline” that unfolding within a certain “setting,” which encompasses a time and place. A story can be a Native American male telling the story of a deer hunt through drumming and dance. A story could be a medieval triptych, telling a story in three acts through paintings.
A story can be therapeutic, full of holes, misalignments, layers and outright fabrications because the teller needs to be able to test the audience to see if they can handle the truth. Traumatic events may cause gaps in memory or skips are utilized by the teller to hide embarrassing or shameful aspects of the story.
As the teller fills in the gaps in consecutive tellings, he or she gets closer to the truth and the listener, if accepting and non-judgmental, gets closer to extending genuine, unmasked love.
Hearing and absorbing a person’s story brings people and communities together.
What are stories really about, though? They’re about conflict. Without conflict you don’t have a story. Boy meets girl and everything goes perfectly and they live happily ever after isn’t much of a story. Stories show us that we are not alone in our struggles. They may be a neat package on how to navigate conflict, and life may be far more complex and time-consuming, but stories give us hope that resolution and solutions are possible.
They help us process things that happen in life, offering avenues of approach to discuss taboo topics, whether it’s something as seemingly simple as asking for something we need from someone we love or revealing a traumatic event. Stories might also foster a sense of gratitude that we were somehow, undeservedly protected from what our protagonist endured.
Sometimes non-fiction fans struggle with the concept of storytelling. If it’s made up, it didn’t happen. It’s a figment of someone’s imagination, and it’s better to spend our energies learning history or trying to understand news reports by critically reading multiple sources
. But it’s the storyteller’s infusion of emotion and human interaction that adds life and relatability to a story, even a story of historical record. Oftentimes, stories we assume are fiction are based in fact.
The reverse can also be true: a true story is so hidden in fiction that it does a disservice to its foundation and manipulates an audience into believing the fiction over the fact. Stories, or narratives, matter. They matter to individuals, to communities and to a population at large.
Every person’s life is a story. Sometimes the glory days happen early, the middle years becoming a slog and the ending either a sad nothingness or a beautiful realization of what’s important.
Other times, a person’s most meaningful time doesn’t come until later in life; they either avoid the challenge or accept it and gain a wisdom they never possessed in their youth. So, what’s your story?
For more information about the 16th Annual Storytelling Festival, visit https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/library-group/library

Annual Beard Contest full of creativity for facial hair community

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Tuesday, 11 February 2025

Written by Katrina Wilson

Don’t cut the beard or mustache just yet, the Bad Ass Beard Contest for Autism will be held Feb. 22 at Legends Pub.
Cape Beard is a 501(c)3 nonprofit foundation that raises funds for different charities. Steve Brack, Vice President of Cape Beard, discussed further about the event.
There are different facial hair categories where the beards, goatees, and mustaches can come in different designs and lengths.
The event is not just for men. They also have the “Whiskerina” category. This is for the ladies to get creative and make a beard out of different, everyday objects. Examples from past Cape Beard competitions have included a crochet beard, bottle caps beard or a yarn beard. Brack said this is the category for utilizing one’s imagination.
When asked why do a fundraiser for autism, Brack said, “We have club brothers and friends that have children with autism, and the Club decided to assist in this area.”
Over the years, they have raised funds for the Autism Society for Cumberland County, KidsPeace, Fayetteville Hyperbarics and more.
For 2025, the money raised will go to the School of Hope of Fayetteville, a school for autistic children K-12, located at 111 Burns Street.
Cape Beard has been doing this competition since 2018, and they have teamed up with Legends Pub. Legends Pub started it. Cape Beard does the cooking and comes up with creative names for food, like Beard Burgers and Stache Dogs. Since 2018, the contest has raised over $7,000.
“We’re hoping everyone sees the camaraderie of the facial hair community and has a great time,” Brack said. “People come out of town for this.”
Registration starts at 6 p.m. and the contest will start around 7 p.m.
Brack said people interested in attending can stay up to date by checking Legend Pub’s Facebook.

(Photo: Two contestants in a Cape Beard contest show off their creativity with their beards. Cape Beard is a non-profit who encourages men, women, and children to show off their beards. Photo courtesy of Cape Beard)