Lakeside Living – June 2023

Don Beaudreau

Email: wbeaudreau@aol.com

June 2023

The Lake Chapala Society hosts Open Circle every Sunday at 10:30am. This community gathering in Ajijic presents a wide range of topics. Entrance is by the side gate on Ramón Corona, opening at 9:30am. We recommend bringing a hat and bottled water. Check the website for upcoming topics, and make your reservation. If you missed a past presentation, you can catch it  online at: https://opencircleajijic.org/

JUNE PRESENTATIONS INCLUDE

• June 4: “Dealing with Chronic Pain”, by Donn Rochlin

Composer, pianist, and creativity consultant,  Donn will share his personal journey from decades of chronic back, shoulder, neck and foot pain, to recovery without surgery, medications, therapy, exercises or any physical intervention—and how others can do the same.  In addition, he will share his piano compositions throughout the presentation.

• June 11: Andre Trevino Luna

“Sexual Diversity: A Human Right”

During this month of Pride, Open Circle is pleased to have with us the Director of Sexual Diversity for the state of Jalisco. His presentation will provide an update on the progress that has been made in Jalisco on human rights relating to the LGBTTTIQ+ community.

Andre is making his mark as a human rights defender from Guadalajara, focused on the promotion of public policies of inclusion, equality and non-discrimination of the LGBTTTIQ+ population.

He has a degree in International Relations and a Law Degree from ITESO.

As Director of Sexual Diversity, he has promoted the implementation of a Mechanism for Attention to Victims of Discrimination (MAViD), the recognition of the right to identity of trans childhoods and adolescents, the prohibition of conversion therapies and the guarantee of civil rights such as equal marriage and adoption without discrimination.

• June 18: Don Beaudreau

Diversity: New Life Comes to the Geriatric Home and Other Stories plus Don’s jazz and ragtime piano.

Don is a retired Unitarian Universalist minister, retired English teacher, and retired professional nightclub pianist, who discovered that he could still do those things at Lakeside without being paid. He also became more dedicated to writing after joining the Ajijic Writers Group. To date he has published 10 books on AMAZON. And, he is the new Lakeside Living Editor for EL OJO DEL LAGO, and the accompanist for the new Lakeside community chorus, a group that has dubbed itself LAS VOCES DEL LAGO under the directorship of Ken Turner. He also acts in Lakeside theatrical productions.

• June 25: “Chant Your Heart Open, a Musical Interlude” by Wendy Cobina & Juanpi Medeles

It’s all about love. Wendy calls their style “kirtan-ish.” Juanpi calls it “a sweet gig.”

Enjoy this sweet duo! ChantYourHeartOpen.com

• “Mostly Mozart” by the Lake Chapala Orchestra

Michael Reason, Conductor

Friday, June 30, 7 pm and Saturday, July 1, 3pm

Lakeshore Presbyterian Church, 250 San Jorge, Riberas.

This time the orchestra turns its attention to the genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by performing his first symphony, composed when he was just 9 years old, and his final symphony, No. 41, completed when he was 32 years old.

Subtitled “Jupiter,” Mozart’s final symphony is considered to be one of the pinnacles of symphonic composition and is a great favorite of concertgoers around the world.

Michael Reason, the LCO conductor, says that this concert will provide the audience with an opportunity to hear two works by Mozart that essentially span his breadth of his creative output.

“It always amazes me that Mozart, who lived for only 36 years, could compose a staggering number of works which include over 30 concertos, 41 symphonies and 22 full-length operas in such a short space of time. When did he ever have time to sleep!” comments Reason.

Nestled between the two symphonies will be a piece by the Canadian composer Malcolm Forsyth. “Sketches from Natal” is a two- movement work for strings, oboes and horns that creates a musical portrait of scenes from the province of Natal which, until 1994, was part of South Africa.

“This work will be accompanied by projected images that will illustrate the musical content of the two movements and will add real clarity to the music,” comments Reason.

All LCO concerts sell out so early booking is definitely advised.

Tickets are $350 and can be reserved by emailing LCCOtickets@gmail.com. Just state how many tickets you require and for which day.

• Exit Laughing by Paul Elliot

Directed by Roxanne Rosenblatt

Friday, June 23, Saturday, June 24, Sunday, June 25

Doors open at 3 pm, Shows start at 4 pm, Tickets held until 3:50pm

When the biggest highlight in your life for the past 30 years has been your weekly bridge night out with the “girls,” what do you do when one of your foursome inconveniently dies? If you’re Connie, Leona and Millie, three southern ladies from Birmingham, you do the most daring thing you’ve ever done. You “borrow” the ashes from the funeral home for one last card game, and the wildest, most exciting night of your lives involves a police raid, a stripper, and a whole new way of looking at all the fun you can have when you’re truly living.

Exit Laughing opened at the Reunion Theater Group outside of Seattle to rave reviews, then went on to become the winner in the 2013 AACT Fest with a record-breaking premiere at the historic Landers Theater in Springfield, MO. By the end of its premiere run, Exit Laughing had broken a 50-year record thanks to packed houses with standing room only every night.

Award Winning Playwright & Novelist, Paul Elliott, is an actor, director and a respected television and screenwriter who has written, produced and/or directed over 60 television shows as well as writing/ producing/ and directing more than 50 theatrical plays including live entertainment spectaculars. But writing for the stage has always been Paul’s first love and his plays are produced all around the world, playing to sold-out crowds.

Our production directed by Roxanne Rosenblatt, features cast members, Sally Jo Bartlett, Linda Freeman, Pamela Johnson, Kathleen Pharis and Ken Yakiwchuk. Show dates are Friday, June 23^rd, Saturday, June 24^th & Sunday, June 25^th. Tickets are $200 to join in the fun. RESERVE NOW at barestagetheatre2018@gmail.com.

We are located at #261 on the mountain side of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar across from the Catholic Church. Door and Bar open at 3:00 pm. All bar proceeds go to Operation Feed. Seats are held till 3:50 pm. Auditorium curtains will be open for air flow. Please Like, Follow & Share our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/barestagetheatre2018/ But please, use the gmail address above for reservations, thx!

• Feria Maestros del Arte – 2023

November 10-11, 9:30 to 5 pm

November 12, 9:30 to 4 pm

Admission Price: 100 pesos

Oaxaca & Danza de las Plumas 

Danza de las Plumas (feather dance) takes its name from the colorful feather headdress with which the dancers adorn themselves. It is a dramatic dance with a plot and characters that alternate with danced parts.

It represents the events of the Conquest of Mexico, with Hernán Cortés and Moctezuma as main characters. Much evidence allows us to suppose that this dance was introduced from the 16^th century by the evangelizing friars who adapted local themes of traditional Spanish drama of the Moors and Christians.

Danza de las Plumas is known in the Valley of Oaxaca and throughout the state of Jalisco. The musical accompaniment is flute and drum. The dance is interpreted in the festivities of the Catholic calendar.

The dance is presented with the two contending factions: the Spaniards, with Hernán Cortés at the head accompanied by Pedro de Alvarado and his soldiers; and the Mexicas, headed by Moctezuma, as well as two female figures that are Malinche and Zahuapila.

All proceeds from the plant sale and bazaar go to Poco A Poco San Pedro Itzican.

Poco a Poco San Pedro Itzican was started by a small group of volunteers dedicated to providing people with opportunities for remunerative employment, education, and basic needs such as food and medical assistance. 

We do this with the guidance of a local resident of the area, Anita Torres Guerrero, who, while not originally from this indigenous area, has made it her mission to help the people there.  People come to her asking for help.  We try to provide that help.  We teach the local people new skills in agriculture and making of items that can be sold in nearby markets. We support these efforts by fundraising activities, including soliciting grant donations for specifically approved projects from local charitable organizations, and by enlisting the help of volunteers with appropriate skills. 

Poco a Poco’s support includes emergency medical help; financial assistance for education and related travel expenses; money towards office overheads; running and maintenance of the organization’s truck and providing clean drinking water (over 100 garrafons each week) for the Kids’ Kitchens program that feeds over 700 children daily.

For more information go to:  https://www.pocoapocosanpedro.com