I just got back from Ashes of Roses, a play based on short stories by Mary Ward Brown (Mary T), a Judson graduate and Marion resident. I've read all of Mary T's books - Tongues of Flame, It Wasn't All Dancing, and her memoir, Fanning the Spark. I highly recommend them! The play was a meshing of stories, but still quite true to the tone of the books.

The play was written by Dr. Norman McMillan, a retired University of Montevallo English professor. The director was Col. Deborra Street, the band director at MMI. The play only had five characters. Sarah Looney Eckermann, the daughter of my old ballet teacher Libby Looney, played a salesgirl in a hip clothing store. Dr. Betty Campbell, my voice teacher, played the shop owner of a fine established dress shop, much like Nathan Harris' in downtown Marion. Dr. Winnifred Cobbs, my French, Women in Society, and English Composition professor had a huge role, playing the daughter of the main character, "Mrs. Rose Merriweather." The two actors that I didn't know were Georgette Normal, the director of the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, and Neil Richardson, an actress and former teacher from Birmingham. I was impressed by how well the natural personalities and voices of each person fit their roles.

The play was a nice break. On a normal week I have Biochemistry class 4-9 and go straight to a SGA meeting from 9-10 if Biochemistry doesn't run over. Today Dr. Bartley couldn't make it to Marion, so gave us lab instructions to make it through to next Monday. Because of the play, SGA was cancelled as well. It felt odd to get home before 10!