Photo Show Winners

The 5th Annual Arts in McNairy Photography Contest
and Show, once again, drew great interest and more than 200 stunning, amateur photos from around the region. A well attended reception, awards ceremony and exhibit opening took place Sunday Oct. 18 at the UTM center in Selmer. "The show just keeps getting better every year," commented contest coordinator Mark Boehler. "I would put it up against any amateur show, anywhere, as far as the quality of the artistry is concerned," he added.

Nathan Harrison of Michie, TN (Left) captured Best in Show honors as well as several other awards. Winners in each category are listed below. The show will be on display through November 20 during the Center's normal hours of operation. Much thanks to Boehler, George Souders and the AiM Visual Arts committee for another great photography contest and show!

Category: Natural Landscape
First - Brandy McClain of Selmer, TN. with "Make A Wish"
Second - Nick D'Acquisto of Finger, TN. with "The Beauty of Life"
Third - Cindy Smith of Walnut, Miss. with "Cypress I"
Honorable Mention - Charles Randolph of Bethel Springs, TN. with "Heavenly Sight"

Category: McNairy County
First - Cindy Smith of Walnut, Miss. with "Big Hill Pond"
Second - Debbie Harbin of Adamsville, TN. with "A Rose for a Legend"
Third - Nathan Harrison of Michie, TN. with "Dad and Boo"
Honorable Mention - Janet Holley of Guys, TN. with "Summer Days"

Category: Black & White
First -- Asa Black of Bolivar, TN. with "New Mexico - Land of Enchantment"
Second - Anita Nichols of Ramer, TN. with "Window to Tomorrow"
Third - Nick D'Acquisto of Finger, TN. with "Shadows at Play"
Honorable Mention - Lorie Null of Walnut, Miss. with "Peek-A-Boo"

Category: People
First - Michael Edwards of Corinth, Miss. with "Portrait of Claire"
Second - Brandy McClain of Selmer, TN. with "Always my Angel"
Third - Lisa Wilbanks of Corinth, Miss. with "Oh-Wow"
Honorable Mention: -- Virginia Williamson of Jackson, TN. with "Last Tango"

Category: Architectural Landscape
First - Lisa Wilbanks of Corinth, Miss. with "Heat of the Night"
Second - Karen Barclay of Tupelo, Miss. with "Rainbow Bodies"
Third - Daniel Patterson of Selmer, TN. with "Barn by the Lake"
Honorable Mention - Amy King of Bethel Springs, TN. with "Floating Market

Category: Pets and Animals
First - Anita Nichols of Ramer, TN. with "Mama G and Company"
Second - Steve Vetter of Bethel Springs, TN. with "Blue India Bunting"
Third - Karen Barclay of Tupelo, Miss. with "The Ancient One"
Honorable Mention - Nathan Harrison of Michie, TN. with "Peek-A-Boo"

Category: Digital Manipulation
(All Categories) Best of Show - Nathan Harrison of Michie, TN. with "Self Portrait"
First - Kala Mercer of Pocahontas, TN. with "Blue Beauty"
Second - Nathan Harrison of Michie, TN. with "Mirrored Fence"
Third - Brandy McClain of Selmer, TN. with "Dragon Fly Resting on a Toad Stool"
Honorable Mention: Nathan Harrison of Michie, TN. with "Sketch Compass"

Community Band Goes Online

The Arts in McNairy Community Band now has it's own website! The new site just went live this week thanks to band member John Weeks who has designed and customized the content to reflect the needs of the growing organization. Band members can check updated rehearsal schedules and visitors will find information about upcoming performances. There are also photos from past events and information about requirements for joining the band. A million thank to John for his hard work on the site and to band member Fran Yount for providing many of the photos. Check out the community band website at: www.aimcommunityband.com

White Christmas Cast and Crew Announced!

Congratulations to everyone for two great days of auditions. We are proud to be among the first arts organizations in the country to present White Christmas! This is a great cast and crew and it will be a great show. We are also proud to have the McNairy Central Jazz Cats joining us for some ensemble parts and even a few smaller roles. Though we have always had a great working relationship with area schools, this marks the first time we have attempted a collaboration of this scale with two performing arts groups coming together for one show. Much thanks to Sarah Lemons for being the unifying force in this effort and for everything else she does to improve the arts in our community. Director Bryan Essary will be in contact soon with rehearsal schedules.

Cast
Bob Wallace - James Strachan
Phil Davis - Thomas Elam
Betty Haynes - Kelly Gilson
Judy Haynes - Tonya Freeman
General Waverly - Brad Woolworth
Martha Watson - Christi Charmack
Susan Waverly - Autumn Shackelford
Ralph Sheldrake - Tom Cook
Rita - Allie Pitts
Rhoda - Courtney Wilson
Mike - Dillon Rorie
Tessie - Mary Ann Pope
Cigarette Girl - Diana Moss
Ed Sullivan (Announcer) TBA
Ezekiel - Zach Martin
Seamstress - Mary Ann Pope
Assist. Seamstress - Julie Martin
Ensemble - Kelley Johnson; Emily Pitts, Julie Martin, Glenda Doles,
Sybil Dance, Linda Dixon, Molly Woolworth, Mara Campbell, Jessica Campbell, Dillon Rorie,
Dianna Moss,

Production Team
Director - Bryan Essary
Assistant Director/Stage Mngr. - Joanna Pitts
Assistant to Directors - Crystal Reece
Musical Director - Sarah Lemons
Assistant Music Dir./Accompanist - Jennifer Chambers
Choreographer - Jennifer Threadgill
Costumer - Barbara Tennyson
Prop Mistress - Patty Cook
Lighting - Alexis Carter
Sound - Jared Walters
Set Construction - Scotty Ashe
Box Office - Lynda Walters

White Christmas Auditions

Sept. 28 & 29

Based on the book by David Ives and Paul Blake, White Christmas is best remembered as the beloved, timeless film, staring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Danny Kaye. The heartwarming musical theatre adaptation features seventeen Irving Berlin songs including Blue Skies, I Love a Piano, How Deep is the Ocean and the perennial favorite, White Christmas. Arts in McNairy is proud to be one of the first arts organizations in the area to present Irving Berlin's White Christmas November 20-24, 2009 at the MCHS Little Theatre.

The show is under the direction of Bryan Essary and Auditions are being held 6:00-8:00 PM, September 28 & 29 at the Selmer Community Center. White Christmas will support a large cast with strong male and female principal roles and several other feature parts. Actors should be 12 or older to audition and come prepared to read and demonstrate basic singing and dance skills. Choreography will be by Jennifer Threadgil and musical direction will be provided by Sarah Lemons.

2009 Broomcorn Festival Canceled

What can you do about the weather? We are sorry to report that Hockaday Handmade Brooms has been forced to cancel the 2009 Broomcorn Festival. Jack Martin and Parks and Rec. Director, Sybil Dancer inspected the park this morning and there has been extensive flooding that will make it impossible for vendors and visitors to get in and out of the low lying areas around the track. There is no rain date due to the busy fall schedule that Jack and the rest of the artists maintain, but Martin pledges that next year's landmark 15th annual Broomcorn festival will be bigger and better than ever. Make plans to attend!

Broomcorn Festival

September 19

Now in it's 14th year, the Hockaday Broomcorn Festival just keeps getting bigger and better. What started as a fall harvest event on Jack and Dee Martin's farm has grown into one of the South's premier folk art festivals. The popular festival is now held annually in the City Park at the south intersection of Highway 45 and Highway 64 in Selmer. This year's festivities begin at 9:00 AM and conclude at 5:00 PM on Saturday, September 19. Admission is $3.00 for all adults but as an added incentive, this year, children through 8th grade will get in free. Organizers hope the change will attract more area young people and interest them in exploring their unique cultural heritage.

Jack Martin's dedication to preservation of traditional, American, folk art and craft can be seen in every detail of his

brooms but no where is that passion more evident than at the annual Broomcorn Festival. More than thirty, first rate, folk and craft artists will be on hand demonstrating traditional techniques in textiles, pottery, glass, woodworking, basketry, blacksmithing and, of course, broom making to name just a few things. The whole family will find plenty of other activites to hold their interest throughout the day with wagon rides, face painting, numerous food vendors and live music from beginning to end. Legendary, Beale Street, Blues guitarist, Don McMinn will headline this year's music.
For more information about the Hockaday Broomcorn Festival call 731-645-4823 or visit: www.hhbrooms.com

Rockabilly Highway Homecoming

McNairy County Mayor, Jai Templeton; Bethel Springs Mayor, Norma Smith and Selmer Mayor David Robinson, have signed an official proclamation naming next week "Rockabilly Highway Homecoming" throughout the county. September 17 marks the 55th anniversary of the famed meeting between Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins at a Presley performance in Bethel Springs, TN. Many county residents fondly recall the event but admit that they were unaware they were witnessing music history at the time. Perkins' would later note in his memoirs and various interviews that meeting Presley at Bethel Springs was a turning point in his career and it was listed as an historic American cultural event in Jay Warner's 2004 book, On This Day in Music History.

It is hoped that the proclamation will further awareness about the significance of this historic date as well as other facets of McNairy County's rich musical heritage. Significant attention has already been focused on McNairy County's Rockabilly roots with the 2008 designation of Highway 45 as Rockabilly Highway and the 2009 addition of the Rockabilly Highway Mural and Revival in downtown Selmer. Bethel Springs is said to be considering several other ideas that would preserve the memory of this historic occasion.

The official Rockabilly Highway Homecoming proclamation reads:

Whereas, American cultural icons Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins met for the first time in Bethel Springs, McNairy County, Tennessee on September 17, 1954; and Whereas, this meeting is universally acknowledged as a significant event in the history of American music; and Whereas, Tennessee House Bill #2489 and Senate Bill #2546 have designated state highway forty five throughout it's length in McNairy County, "Rockabilly Highway" in an effort to call attention to the musical heritage of Southwest Tennessee; and Whereas, Bethel Springs, Selmer and other McNairy County communities played an important role in the development of Rockabilly Music and are geographically situated on Rockabilly Highway, and Whereas, the people of Bethel Springs, Selmer and McNairy County Tennessee value their rich musical heritage and desire to preserve and promote it in meaningful ways; and Whereas, Thursday, September 17, 2009 marks the fifty fifth anniversary of the aforementioned Presley and Perkins meeting; Now Therefore We, McNairy County Mayor, Jai Templeton; Bethel Springs Mayor, Norma Smith and Selmer Mayor, David Robinson do hereby proclaim the week of September 17, from this day forward as Rockabilly Highway Homecoming in Bethel Springs, Selmer and McNairy County Tennessee and call upon the people thereof to observe this date with all appropriate programs, activities and ceremonies. In Witness Thereof, we have hereunto set our hands this eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine.

Jai Templeton, County Mayor

Norma Smith, Bethel Springs Mayor

David Robinson, Selmer Mayor

Annual Photo Contest
Now Accepting Entries

The annual Arts in McNairy Amateur Photo Contest is now accepting entries to bring exposure to the art of photography and showcase McNairy County. The contest, which routinely draws hundreds of entries from around the state and region, is open to amateurs of all ages. Only the judging panel and their families are barred from participation.

The cost is $10 for the first entry; $10 for the second entry; $10 for the third entry and thereafter $5 per entry. All entries fees must be check or money order made payable to Arts in McNairy. Deadline for entry is 4:00 PM October 16 at the UTM Campus in Selmer just off of Highway 45 North. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by
October 12 and addressed to:

attn: George Souders
c/o AiM Photo Contest
U.T. Martin/Selmer
1269 Tennessee Ave.
Selmer, TN 38375

Prizes will be awarded in eight categories: Natural landscape; architectural landscape; people; pets; wildlife or animal; digitally enhanced or computer manipulated images (any subject); McNairy County subjects and black and white (any subject). Entrants must choose one category per image. McNairy County category entries must be taken in the county. In each category $50 will be awarded for 1st place; $25 will be awarded for second prize and ribbons will be awarded to 3rd place and honorable mention. One $100 prize will be awarded for the honor of Best in Show.

Double click, download and print the form above for all entries. Copies are acceptable. Though original forms are not necessarily required each entry must be accompanied by essential information including entrants name; address; phone number; photo title; category of entry; date and location photo was taken; and the price of the photo if applicable.

Additional photo contest rules:

• Photos must have been taken since the year 2005
• No professional photographers are eligible for awards
• Photos can be taken anywhere except for entries in the McNairy County category
• Photos must be submitted in 8x10 or 5x7 format
• Photos must be unframed
• Photos must be matted (preferably in white)
• Entry forms or the above information must be affixed to back of the photo
• Digital, conventional SLR camera film, color or black and white are all eligible
• Photos can not be previously published
• Photos awarded prizes in any past AiM contest are ineligible
• All entrants must agree to be on display at the UTM Selmer campus through November 20
• All winning entries must agree to be published in the AiM newsletters, websites and possibly local newspapers.
• Winners will be contacted by phone
• All photos must be picked up November 30
  

There will be an opening reception and awards ceremony at 2:00 PM, Sunday October 18 at the UTM campus in Selmer and the photo contest show will be on display there through November 20. For more information about the contest, contact organizers Mark Boehler at 662-808-6275 or George Souders at 731-645-5441.

AiM Community Band Announces Organizational Meeting September 14

The first Community Band meeting of the fall season has been scheduled for Monday, September 14, 6:30 at Selmer Middle School band hall. Director Ronnie Brooks will provide information about upcoming opportunities to participate in community music programs including the holiday band and chorus concert and Big Band style orchestra for the AiM production of White Christmas. This years Christmas concert in tentatively scheduled for Thursday December 10, 2009 at First Baptist of Selmer. White Christmas will be November 20-24 at McNairy Central High School Little Theatre.

These community music programs are open to the public and no audition is required for participation. The band welcomes musicians of all age and skill levels and it is not unusual to see student band members playing alongside retirees who have picked up their instruments for the first time in years. There are no fees for participation but members are required to provide and maintain their own instruments. Rehearsals are typically on alternating Monday nights throughout the season. Schedules and more information will be available at the September 14 meeting.

If you've been considering dusting off that old instrument or looking for a new opportunity to improve your current musical skills, Community Band is a great place to start. It provides an excellent opportunity to meet, practice and perform with other musicians in a very relaxed, fun and informal environment. Arts in McNairy invites you to come out and see what Community Band is all about.

The Secret Life of Bees

The August Book Club selection is Sue Monk Kidd's "The Secret Life of Bees." Come join the group for a lively discussion and light snacks Thursday, August 20 at 7:00 PM. The club meets each month at the Jack McConnico Memorial Library, 225 Oak Grove Rd in Selmer, between McNairy Regional Hospital and Home Banking Company. Participation is free and everyone is welcome to attend. The following titles have been selected for the remainder of the 2009:

Sept. 17 - The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Oct. 15 - Walking Across Egypt - Clyde Edgerton
Nov. 19 - Fair and Tender Ladies - Lee Smith

Contact Arts in McNairy, Literary Arts Chair, Leanne Emmons at (731) 646-3851 for further details.

Dames of Broadway
July 24-26
New Season
Just Announced!

Just when you thought the theatre season was over, Arts in McNairy presents, The Dames of Broadway! The show is a musical revue of the greatest Broadway hits from the most memorable ladies of the stage. From the tantalizing Dream Girls theme to the beautiful "Some things are Meant to Be" from Little Women; the unforgettable "Sisters" made popular in Irving Berlin's White Christmas to the energetic "Dancin' Queen" in Mama Mia; "For Good" from Wicked; "I Got the Sun in the Morning" from Annie Get Your Gun; and the list goes on and on! All of Broadway's best! All your favorites! Sung by some of the most gifted ladies of the Arts in McNairy stage with a few special guest appearances, the show is being directed by Ben Wilkinson and Choreographed by Jennifer Threadgill.

Saturday night audiences at "Dames" will have the added pleasure of sampling the outrageously decadent, dessert bar. Several mouthwatering treats prepared by Sonya Ruby will be available during intermission for an additional fee.

Please support cultural development in McNairy County by attending The Dames of Broadway: July, 24 and 25 at 7:30 P.M. and July 26 at 2 P.M. Admission is $10.00 for everyone and dessert bar tickets are an additional $10. All shows will be at the McNairy Central Little Theatre and tickets for the show and dessert bar are available on a first come first served basis.

Don't miss the show! It will be a great ending for a great local theatre season. Don't forget to mark your calendars now for the newly announced 2009-10 season listed below:

Irving Berlin's White Christmas
November 20-24
7:30 nightly; 2 P.M. Sunday
Auditions: September 28 and 29;
Ages: 12 and up;
Directed by Bryan Essary
Music by Sarah Lemons
Choreography by Jennifer Threadgill

Mother Goose and Friends
February 19-21
7:30 nightly; 2 P.M. Sunday
School Shows: February 19 and February 22
Auditions: January 5 and 6
Ages: 6 - 18
Directed by Bryan Essary and Joanna Pitts

Steel Magnolias
April 9-11
7:30 nightly; 2 P.M. Sunday
Auditions: February 22 and 23
Ages: 18 and up (Ladies)
Directed by Tom Cook

Oklahoma!
June 25-30
7:30 nightly; 2 P.M. Sunday
Auditions: April 3 and 4
Ages: 12 and up
Directed by Bryan Essary
Music by Sarah Lemons and Shawn Pitts
Choreography by Jennifer Threadgill