Moonlight Cultural Foundation's WordsWork Series
June, 2010
North County Celebrity Sonnets
Celebrity Presenters
- Raymond & Patricia Lynch, Professional actors, educators
- Cameron Hamnquist, 10 year-old Scottish bagpiper
- Richard Lederer, Noted Author and Lecturer
- Susan Abernethy, Actor/Singer & Frederick Persons, Student
- Eleanor Rudolph, Student, Carlsbad High School
- Leigh Scarritt Productions, some 30 students ranging in age from 5 to 15
- Pam Kragen, Arts & Features Editor, North County Times
- Common Ground Theatre Youth Academy, Monique Gaffney, Director
- Jason Connors and his band, Award-winning playwright, actor, musician
- Arielle Algaze, Student, La Jolla Country Day School
- Dr. Lynne Thrope, Ph.D., Author & Founder of The Reading Room
- Tangocentric Dance Project, Susan Lake, Director & Sylvia Enrique, Reader
- Jacob Schaeffer, Student , Bonita Vista Middle School
- Tiffany Moon, DM,, Baltic Harpist & Educator
- Jonathan McMurtry, Associate Artist, Old Globe Theatre
For photos click here!
June, 2009
North County Celebrity Sonnets
Celebrity Guest Presenters
- Rupert Essinger, Software Engineer, Director of SDSS Readings
- Prof. Yoshiko Higurashi and Stephen Jensen SDSU Prof. of Japanese, and Actor, Teacher respectively
- Antonio "TJ" Johnson, Actor, Director, Educator
- Victoria Mature, Actor, Singer
- Austyn Meyers, Actor, Singer, Student (10 years old)
- The Myers Family, Jeffrey, Rebecca, Daniel, a multi talented family
- Prof. William A. Nericcio, Chair, English & Comparative Literature, SDSU
- Jenni Prisk, Communications Coach & Theatre Columnist
- San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, Danika Pramik Holdaway, Artistic Director
- Leigh Scarritt & Ensemble, Actor, Director, Educator
- Tangocentrics, Susan Lake Director
- Matt Thompson, Actor, Playwright, Director NCRT Theatre School
- .....and other surprise guests
M.C.'s Kathy Brombacher & Alex Sandie
Excerpt from Jenni Prisk 5/28/09 BEHIND THE SCENES column SDTheaterScene.com
"On Memorial Day, the Avo Theatre in Vista was the venue for Celebrity Sonnets, presented by the Moonlight Cultural Foundation, WordsWork and the San Diego Shakespeare Society. Kathy Brombacher and Alex Sandie emceed the event, which played to an almost full house (300+). There was a plethora of Myers! Rebecca and Daniel delivered sonnets accompanied by their father Jeffrey on the cello. Austyn Meyers (no relation) delivered two beautiful sonnets. He is very excited about his upcoming debut on The Old Globe stage in new musical The First Wives Club opening July 15. He will share his role with Ari Lerner. Antonio TJ Johnson performed his sonnets with backup from his great jazz band, The Brutha Earl Band. Jason Connors was on keyboard and Rhys Greene on drums. (Contact TJ at: eman1492003@yahoo.com to hire this band.) Jeffrey Myers, who is also an officer in the military (CDR, U.S. Navy) , spoke about our armed forces in a moving tribute. Charlie Riendeau closed the program with great style.
Review from Melissa Crismon, PlayShakespeare Correspondent
Click here to read the review!
What some said:
"Thanks so much for asking us to be a part of this wonderful evening! The girls all had a great time, and I am sure they learned a lot as well J. It was amazing to see so many different interpretations of Shakespeare in one evening"....Danika Pramik Holdaway, Artistic Director, SD Civic Youth Ballet.
"Congratulations! It was certainly an eclectic evening with Shakespeare as it's never been heard/seen. I so enjoyed being a part of it"......Veronica Murphy.
"....CDR Jeffrey Myers personal message, in full naval uniform, for Memorial Day was most appropriate and we applaud you for your professionalism. It was so well received by the audience and such a perfect way to close the program. And additionally capped by the bagpipers playing Amazing Grace".....A disciple of the Society
"This was a Monday night Sonnet Spectacular! It was amusing, musical, dance worthy, touching and just grand!! The evening was perfectly eclectic, resulting in great family entertainment! It was a beautiful evening to celebrate Memorial Day as well, in well chosen style. The Shakespeare Society of San Diego should be very proud!"......Kathy Brombacher, Artistic Director, Moonlight Stage Productions/The City of Vista
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June, 2008
An Evening Celebrating Jonathan McMurty
Excerpt from San Diego Theatre Scene "CURTAIN CALLS" #249, by Pat Launer, 7/4/08:
"Where There's a Will… Jonathan Has a Way
The 71st birthday tribute to Jonathan McMurtry, co hosted by the San Diego Shakespeare Society and the Moonlight Cultural Foundation Community Outreach Program of Moonlight Stage Productions, was a stellar 
event in every sense. The first act was a veritable master class on Shakespeare, with McMurtry illustrating his insights on the Bard's brilliant writing with outstanding performances of an array of speeches, soliloquies and sonnets. His crisply natural style, making every word audible and comprehensible, was dazzling, and served as a gorgeously rendered lesson to all actors to "speak the speech… trippingly on the tongue." After an intermission, the surprises and fun began, thanks to coordinator/director Alex Sandie. June 30 was proclaimed Jonathan McMurtry Day by the Mayor of Vista and County Supervisor Pam Slater Price. The list of luminaries who weighed in – in person or by note – was spectacular: from Jack O'Brien, Richard Easton and Katherine McGrath (by proxy) to David Ellenstein, Sandra Ellis Troy, Antonio TJ Johnson (very funny), Sam Woodhouse, Christy Yael, Ron Choularton and Darko Tresnjak. And, driving in from Los Angeles, the funny comic duo (though they haven't really worked together very much) Peter van Norden and Armin Shimerman (best known as Quark in Tv's "Star Trek" series). There were many heartfelt comments, many beautiful sonnet readings. And many many people talking about how much Jonathan had influenced them, how much he'd taught them, how wonderful it was to be onstage with him. His wife and daughter got the final words, and were, perhaps, the most proud. If you missed it, you really missed something very very special.
I was honored to be among the presenters. As my personal tribute (in addition to having given Jon a Patté Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2005), I wrote a sonnet for the occasion:
A Sonnet for Jonathan
By Pat Launer
Shall I compare thee to a Shakespeare song?
Thou art melodic and as filled with joy;
Though other thespians may come along
There's none ebullient as our Birthday Boy.
He wears the beard, the ruff, the tights, the robe,
Assuming roles both comical and tragic
He has a voice familiar 'round the Globe
(And other theaters where he makes his magic).
His talent and commitment can't be weighed
His skills command a scope Wagnerian
And his eternal summer shall not fade
Though Time proclaim 'Septuagenarian!'
For fifty years exalting Avon's swan
We glorify and hail our own King Jon!
Click here for the photos
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