Back to 1859
Members of the West Side Civic Theatre reenact the marriage of Lewisville’s founder, Lewis Case Laugenour, to Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Nissen in 1859. The onlooker in the foreground, dressed in period attire, looks as though he, too, could have stepped out of the 1800s.
Lewisville Celebrates 150 Years
On Saturday, October 17, 2009, the Town of Lewisville, North Carolina celebrated its 150th anniversary with the Lewisville Sesquicentennial Celebration at Shallowford Square. Members of the Lewisville Historical Society had worked for more than a year on the celebration plans.
Despite the cloudy, cool weather, the celebration began at 11:00 a.m. with an old-fashioned vehicle parade, followed by a variety of activities, exhibits and tours until the celebration ended at 4:00 p.m. Some of the activities and exhibits included:
- Bluegrass music
- Brass band
- Square dancing
- Storytelling
- Wagon rides
- Post Office memorabilia & the 150th year commemorative stamp
- Genealogy and Lewisville history exhibits
- Poster and essay contest awards presented to local school children
- Nineteenth century craft exhibits
- Flower show
- Historic sidewalk tour
- Old-fashioned children’s games
The Big Wedding
The final and defining event of the day was the reenactment of the 1859 marriage of Lewis Case Laugenour to Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Nissen. The talented members of the West Side Civic Theatre gave a most engaging rendition of the marriage, complete with children and the sounds of brass music by the Brookstown Band. The cake and ice cream reception following the wedding put the finishing touch on the Sesquicentennial Celebration.
For more on Lewisville’s Sesquicentennial Celebration — including lots of PHOTOS — please continue to the NEXT SECTION. CLICK for more on Lewisville’s 150th anniversary
Lyrical Love Story
Mary Lea Williams and Josh Collier play the love-struck Mabel and Frederick in the witty and colorful comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance, performed at Shallowford Square in Lewisville, North Carolina.
The Pirates of Penzance
I guess I just don’t get out as much as I should. You see, I’ve never been to an opera before, much less to a comic opera. At least not until I spent several recent September evenings photographing The Pirates of Penzance at Shallowford Square in Lewisville.
I wasn’t sure what to expect of this classic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. But any doubts I had about the musical quickly evaporated as the talented cast of the West Side Civic Theatre began unveiling a truly delightful and entertaining story.
Plus, there wasn’t a single word of Italian to be heard! So the lyrics were easy to understand and were laced with humor. The music was also wonderfully performed, with the musicians seated in an orchestra pit at the front of the stage.
For more PHOTOS and a link to the extensive PHOTO GALLERY of the musical, please continue to the NEXT SECTION. CLICK for more Pirates of Penzance
Peter Pan Prevails
Peter Pan (Joy Dorsey Rushton) battles Captain Hook (Jim Shover) in the 2009 production of Peter Pan by the West Side Civic Theatre at Shallowford Square in Lewisville, North Carolina.
Update
Where have I been for the last four days? Well, I’ve been with Peter Pan. More specifically, I’ve been immersed in the editing and processing of the more than 6,000 photos I shot during the recent performances of Peter Pan. I’ve finally come up for air!
Peter Pan — A Great Show
I hope you had an opportunity to see Peter Pan, because it was so well done, and so enjoyable. Everyone affiliated with the West Side Civic Theatre can rightfully be proud of the efforts made to pull off a great rendition of Peter Pan.
Of course, the production cost for Peter Pan was considerably higher than any other show the theater group has produced in its eleven-year history. A significant portion of the expense had to do with the setup and training for the flying aspects of the show.
Mark Your Calendar
The next musical by the West Side Civic Theatre will be The Pirates of Penzance. The dates for that show are September 4–6 and 10–12. So mark your calendar and get ready for more pirates at Shallowford Square in September.
Photo Gallery
Finally, the moment some of you have been waiting for — visiting the Peter Pan photo gallery. CLICK for more Peter Pan
Something’s Afoot
I don’t know this young man’s name, but I’ll call him Mr. Cool, because he stepped up to this railing with an air of confident optimism…and a sporty pair of sunglasses.
Feet Planted
Sometimes, if you plant your feet in one spot, you’ll be amazed at what happens around you. And although you can’t know exactly what will transpire, you can expect to be surprised — especially when children are around.
Standing Still
The Town of Lewisville and the West Side Civic Theatre recently brought the delightful musical, Peter Pan, to life in Shallowford Square for a period of several evenings. Before each performance, I’d usually stroll around the Square looking for nice record shots, as well as interesting photo moments. My meandering usually meant I’d stop by the playground area several times before the show started.
The playground area can sometimes be like a pinball machine gone haywire, depending on how many children are there. On show nights, there were usually a lot of kids at the playground, and they were “bouncing” all over the place. Up, down, backwards and forward, and every angle in between.
On one particular evening, I changed my strategy when photographing in the playground area. Instead of following kids wherever they were climbing, scooting, crawling, or running, I decided simply to stand in one spot and see what kind of shots I’d get. I rather like how those photos turned out. They have soul — or is that “sole”? Find out in the NEXT SECTION. CLICK to see more PHOTOS
