Three New Operas

Saint Louis hosted an opera collective in which the company produces and promotes new works. I decided to check it out last night (3/15/24) when three such productions were presented at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. 

The evening was a delightful ride through emotional life experiences that were entertaining and thought provoking. Unbroken: A family manages the loss and birth (circle of life), Mechanisms: another family revolves around a child that is struggling in school and finally On My Mind:  two womnen of color connect at a conference (through micro-aggression and comic drama around "networking" and friendship). 

Bravo to Crew, Orchestra, Opera Theatre Leadership, New Works Collective Leadership. A special shout out to Libretto by Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton and Music by Jasmine Barnes. (That choreography, music and performance around NETWORKING was something special.)

As a bonus, The Kirkwood Performing Arts Center featured art by Daven Anderson and others. 

TEXT SAVVY

No real typing skill involved in the fumbling thumbling cell phone texting. Today I could not help but punch out this small novela to the group text that includes Sundance (New Orleans), Lynn (Columbus), Greg (Tampa), Dan (Cleveland), Rob (Novato, CA) from yours truly Wes (Saint Louis). PHOTO: Above includes the six siblings flanked by Greg's boys Wes (left) and Matt (right). 

My Text:

So uncle Joe helped with inital down payment on Edgewater zround 1952. Anna Benson, Annie Avery and a few more housekeepers  kept the cobwebs in check, polished silver, did laundry, sereved fried balogna...John Latham got to live in teh basement for a time. Sundance (formerly Jimmy) got royal treatment complete with bendy straws but didn't quite cut it with the Jesuits or the Navy. Lynn coulnt wait to bust out of the repressive confines of the Edgewater compound. With Rod's help she busted out of jail. The twin headaches made the island paradise Key Biscayne the perfect retreat. Greg and Dan took turns keeping Morgan Studio viable. Rob knew he didn't need anybody after he finished at the original Miami (in Ohio). So in 1985 the homestead went on the block...Thankfully the Kiz family DID NOT buy it. With the help of Betty Rice and Keys Realty mom figured out how to rent to own until two houses flipped to one at Harbor Lane. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 took it's toll but mom and dad were conveniently away (in Tampa) at impact. The Kunkles were able to hang out, drink beer with mom, and support the Morgan recovery (along with Greg and Dan). Finally they agree that THE BEST is in Dallas area ...around 2000. All is well until around 2007 when it becomes clear that mom's short term memory is slipping. ...Eventually Rob steals dad's car (read the police report). 

Yes, I am a funny man but I've had a lifetime of joy repeating my take on the Morgan legacy and family snapshots. "The truth belongs to the teller after all." As the famous line from The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance goes: "When the legend becomes the truth, print the legend" 

Above: The Edgewater Compond as it looks in circa 2021. 

I'm quite sure my siblings would quibble with me on the details but most accept I do have more facts (and maybe a keener sense of observation) that they do.