Last weekend my mom, Betty Boeglin, and I were overwhelmed by the quality of the production and acting at the Lincoln Amphitheatre as the Evansville Civic Theatre performed the Wizard of Oz, one of my childhood (and adulthood) favorites. I remember being mesmerized as a child in front of the TV when it aired once a year. The production, directed by Chris Tyner, is dramatic, humorous and musical. From Toto to Dorothy to the Scare Crow, Tin Man, and the Munchkins, the play is fabulously executed. Crowds have been plentiful even with the warm evenings, which, by the way, cool off nicely when you are nestled in the thick woods and covered seating area. If, by some chance, you missed the Wizard of Oz, you still have another option for entertainment. August 19-27, a local team of actors will perform Our American Cousin. This is the play President Abraham Lincoln was watching at Ford's Theatre when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Though I have been to Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, there cannot be a better setting for this play than at its namesake Lincoln Amphitheatre. I hope you will join me there. You can find all of the details at www.lincolnamphitheatre.com. To celebrate their 65th anniversary, Holiday World made an announcement this week that it will build the world's longest water rollercoaster. This $9 million investment in the park will further Holiday World's reputation as a fun destination. TripAdvisor not only listed Holiday World as one of the "Top 10 water parks in the nation," but as the number one water park in the nation. Our hats are off to the Koch family and the nearly 2,000 Holiday World employees each summer that make friendliness, cleanliness and safety look easy. Finally, I hope many will get out and enjoy the Schweizer Fest, which kicks off next weekend in Tell City. Not to be outdone by their Spencer County neighbors, the Schweizer Fest is hosting the King and I, one of the all-time greatest musicals. I have heard rave reviews about past performances and have high expectations for this one as well. The performances are scheduled for this weekend. For those who have been known to say, "There is nothing to do in our rural communities", I suggest they look around, visit one of these wonderful performances or venues, eat the delicious homemade foods, and visit with friends, new and old in the warm, small town settings of beautiful southern Indiana. -30- Rep. Sue Ellspermann (R-Ferdinand) |
