Herbal Expertise
A guide to growing your favorite flavorful plants

Herbs have been part of our kitchens and medicine chests since medieval times, when herbal wisdom was abundant in every community and home. Today the appreciation for herbs is rising again.

Herbs are wonderful additions to a landscape—rubbing your hand across rosemary or lavender as you walk by gives a momentary lift to your spirits. Adding herbs to a meal stimulates your digestive system and your appetite preparing you to eat. Herbs also provide a nutritional boost with the vitamins they contain.

Best of all—growing them requires very little effort.

Choosing the Right Spot

The first order of business is deciding where to plant your herbs. They need about five hours of sunlight a day to be their best. If they don’t get enough sun, they get long stalks and few leaves. This makes for an unattractive, unproductive plant.

Also, don’t plant your herbs in a windy environment. Planting near a brick or stone wall can provide both protection and a warm environment for your kitchen herbs. A spot between your driveway and sidewalk could be used for a wonderful raised kitchen garden. Alternatively, you could lay stone paths through the area and let herbs grow over them.

Helping Your Herbs Thrive

The next step to having a successful herb garden is making sure you’re using the right soil. If you don’t know what type of soil you have, you can do a simple test in a mason jar with a twist-on lid. Fill the jar halfway with soil then add water until the jar is full. Shake the jar well. If the water is distributed through the soil or leaves about a third of the water undistributed, it is acceptable. (You can see photos of the Mason Jar Soil Test online.) If needed, you can amend your soil with compost and/or sand to improve the texture.

Basil, chervil, coriander, dill, lovage and sage prefer rich, balanced soils. Sandier soils are preferred by lavender, thyme, tarragon and rosemary. Cultivation information can be found on seed packages, plant tags or from the nurserymen where you are purchasing. It is assumed that most herbs thrive in hot sun with well-draining soil. But some, like lemon balm, parsley and chamomile, need conditions to be a little bit cooler so they don’t wilt in the afternoon sun. The more you know about your plants’ growing conditions and habits, the more successful you’ll be.

Some herbs, such as mint and oregano, spread and get messy over time. You can contain them by planting these herbs in a grid pattern with pavers. Separating them like this also gives you a way to walk through for harvesting.

Herbs like to dry out between watering—none of them want to have wet feet constantly. To be sure it’s time to water again you can stick your index finger in the soil about an inch deep. If it’s dry, water. If it’s damp, wait.

Growing in Pots

One idea for those with limited space is to grow herbs in pots. This will allow you to give your herbs exactly what they need.

When choosing a pot, it is best if it drains into a saucer and is at least 6 inches in diameter. If you want to grow parsley or basil, your pot should be around 20 inches deep because they have long taproots. If your pots don’t have drainage holes, add a layer of stones or clay shards at least two inches deep in the bottom of the pot before planting. If you are buying your herbs from a nursery, make sure you buy, or have on hand, a pot that is twice as big as the pot you purchased them in. Re-pot your herbs quickly in the appropriate soil and give their roots plenty of room. It is better to have your pot too large rather than too small.

You can always combine herbs that require the same conditions in larger pots to simplify. Window boxes are also great choices for growing herbs. Watch for dry soil—potted plants need more water than those planted in the ground.

Herbs in the Off Season

Thyme, rosemary and lavender plants all do fairly well for me overwintering outside. If it’s mild, I sometimes will find mint and oregano still growing near the warm stone wall in my raised bed. What a treat to have fresh mint in hot tea on a cold day!

Other herbs such as parsley and basil will hang on by a thread until spring after I move them inside for the winter. Herbs should be ignored when brought in—give them only the minimum amount of water. For the best chance of survival, move these herbs out to your covered porch when temperatures are mild.

To overwinter your larger pots of herbs, pull them up close to your house and cover with mulch or wrap.

Harvesting and Storing Your Herbs

You can enjoy your herbs even after the growing season by planning ahead. Begin storing your herbs at their peak. And don’t rush. If done incorrectly, your herbs will quickly spoil. Here are a few harvesting tips:

• Their flavor is best when harvested on a dry day after the dew has evaporated and before the sun is hot. Also, keep your herbs from producing flowers, which ruins the taste, by pinching them back.

• Most herbs can be dried by hanging small bunches in a dry room out of the sun. Once they are brittle, you can run your fingers down the stem and store the leaves in a jar with a tight lid.

• Basil, dill and fennel can be frozen on the stalk when they are picked young, small and in perfect shape. Wash them and let them dry. Lay them on a towel on a cookie sheet, flash freeze and store in a freezer container. Fresh dill can be stored in a fridge for two weeks or more in a little water.

• Flowers like borage and calendula can be clipped off the plant leaving no stem and dried on a cookie cooling rack until they feel like tissue paper to the touch. These are also best stored in jars.

Place your herb jars out of direct sunlight to prolong freshness. Your herbs will store well for a year.

All of my favorite herbs are easily started from seeds so don’t be afraid of trying different herbs that can take you on a culinary journey! When you have grown your herbs yourself, you know they are fresh, pesticide-free and have optimal flavor.

My Favorite Performers
Check out a few of the herbs
I love to use in my kitchen.

• Lovage is a striking, perennial herb that tastes like celery. It can grow up to 6 feet tall!

• Rosemary is beautiful and hardy here when planted in a warm spot. It’s a very aromatic herb and it makes a great addition to poultry. It’s a food source for bees when flowering.
You can start new plants easily from cuttings or layering branches.

• Basils can add endless flavors to foods and vinegars because there are so many varieties to grow.

• Dill is beautiful, easy and like most herbs also draws beneficial insects. Keep the blooms “pinched back” to get the most production.

• Parsley adds a nice touch to salads. It will keep in a vase of water by your sink as you use it.

Caring for Cut Flowers
Before bringing those lovely blooms inside, learn the “dos and don’ts” of taking care of your bouquet

Surrounding ourselves with flowers can improve our physical and mental health. Flowers stimulate our dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin levels—the happy chemicals in our brain. They also remind us to slow down and enjoy them before they are gone. Because as we all know, cut flowers don’t last forever. While that’s part of their charm, there are a few things you should do (and not do) to make them last as long as possible.

Do give your flowers a “spa treatment” before arranging. This is commonly called “conditioning.” I use a Chrysalis floral conditioner during this step. Fill a bucket about a third of the way up with water, making sure every stem reaches the water. Put the bucket with flowers in a cool, dark room for about three hours and allow them to rest. This will lengthen vase life by maybe four days. Follow the directions on your flower food exactly.

Don’t use a dirty container. You should never reuse a vase without washing it first. A good rule is to add a few drops of bleach mixed in water to your vases after each use and let them soak before you wash and then put them away. If your glass vase gets “cloudy” over time you can clean it with vinegar, a dishwasher rinse aid, or a toilet bowl cleaner.

Do pay attention to the water temperature. The water in your vase should be tepid—something you would like to have your feet in! And a caution here to those using a water softener: the added salts in your water will sometimes kill the flowers. If your flowers always die quickly, this may be why.

Don’t obsess over floral “foods.” Using these for cut flowers is fine but not necessary. There are all kinds of tricks people use—a penny in the vase, a shot of gin or vodka, an aspirin, or floral food packs. The best food for your plants is simply keeping the water clean.

Do remove all the leaves that will be below the water line in your vase. Not only do they look ugly, they rot, smell and make your vase water look disgusting.

Don’t use dull clippers when cutting your stems. Stems that look “stringy” when cut show it’s time to sharpen your clippers. After this step do not get distracted by your kids, the phone or your dog. Move them into your prepared water quickly so the stems don’t close.

Do have some fun arranging your flowers. There is no right or wrong—place your flowers in the vase in a way that pleases you!

Don’t spray or mist your arranged flowers. This can cause fungal issues.

Do be prepared to troubleshoot problems. If you notice a flower either not opening or wilting, remove it from your vase. Re-cut the stem and place it in hot water from your tap. Leave it in the hot water until the water temperature has cooled. Also, place flowers out of the direct sun and/or away from heat ducts.

Don’t forget to do some maintenance. Every two to three days, re-cut your stems and change the water so your flowers stay hydrated.

Pro Tips on Some of Lynchburg’s Favorite Blooms:

• Hellebores are the first to bloom and we are anxious for flowers. Resist the urge to cut them too soon. Wait until a seed pod is formed in the center of the flower before you cut it.

• Harvest your peonies when they are soft like a marshmallow and not after they’ve blown open.

• Hydrangeas should feel like paper when you cut them. Strip all the leaves off the stem. Condition them up to their necks in water with a flower food. Cover their heads with damp paper towels and leave them to sit in your basement for a couple hours. Use care when arranging them as they drink water out of a vase much faster than you think.

• If those lilies or roses you bought just won’t open, trim the stems by about an inch and stick them in HOT water. Force the issue!

• Soft necked flowers, like a zinnia, that just won’t stand tall can be made to behave by sticking a toothpick deeply through the center of the flower into the stem. Stick it far enough in that the “trick” is invisible to others.

SAGE ADVICE ON RECIPES THAT WERE MINT TO BE

If you enjoy food but have not yet fully explored the world of fresh herbs, you are in for a treat! Most of them are easy to grow in a patio pot or backyard garden. So, throw out those old jars of bland, dried herbs in your spice cabinet, plant your own, and get ready to infuse your cooking with supercharged flavors! (For easy, herb gardening how-to tips, flip to page 57.)

My favorite way to cook with herbs is to make them the star of the dish—from salmon with lots of freshly cut dill to an ice cold Mojito with bright green mint that you can smell as much as taste! On the next few pages, learn how to create some of my favorite herb-inspired recipes that will wow your family and friends.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

One flavorful, easy-to-grow herb is sage. Sage is a cousin of mint and has been grown and used since ancient times for medicinal purposes. My hands-down, favorite application is in a Sage Brown Butter, served over Butternut Squash Ravioli. The subtle sweetness of roasted squash and nutmeg spice combined with the rich aroma of sage butter makes for a very understated, yet unforgettable meal.

Make Some Easy Dough

To many, the idea of handmade pasta is too intimidating, but here’s a secret—it’s super easy! All you need is three common ingredients and some elbow grease.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (I like the King Arthur brand)
3 eggs (farm fresh, please!)
1 teaspoon salt (Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt will change your life)

DIRECTIONS

Mix the flour and salt together. On a baking board or (very) clean countertop, make a mound of flour with a hole in the middle—sort of like a volcano. Crack the eggs into the “crater” without letting any spill over the walls. Using a regular fork, start whisking the eggs and gradually incorporate more and more flour until it becomes a thick batter-like consistency. With your (very) clean hands, keep mixing and eventually folding in the dough. Keep folding until the dough is very firm and you have incorporated most, if not all, of the flour. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.

Create My Favorite Filling

The filling for your ravioli can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but the foundation is a butternut squash puree. Here’s how you make it:

Find a nice looking, medium-sized butternut squash at your local grocer or farmer’s market, where they are typically available during late summer or early fall. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Using a regular potato peeler, peel the whole squash. Cut off the top and bottom and then cut into half-inch cubes and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of your oven for 25-30 minutes, or until soft. Puree in food mill or for a few seconds in a blender or food processor. Set aside 1 cup for the filling (recipe below) and freeze the rest.

Ingredients

1 cup butternut squash puree (see instructions above)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 shallot or small yellow onion
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
Salt and pepper to taste
Eggwash: 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS

Over medium heat, melt butter in a saucepan. Chop the shallot very finely and sauté in the butter until translucent. Add the puree, parmesan, cream and nutmeg and cook for a minute. The goal is to have a mixture that is fairly dry so keep stirring over medium heat a couple minutes if necessary. Set aside.

Assemble The Ravioli

Making ravioli is fairly effortless if you own a basic pasta roller ($20 at Home Depot or Amazon), but a regular rolling pin will do just fine. I strongly advise against the over-priced electric varieties or the expensive stand-mixer attachments unless you plan to make pasta daily—or for large crowds.

DIRECTIONS

To make the pasta sheet, take a quarter of the pasta disc that’s resting in your fridge and roll out to a 6×18 rectangle. If you’re using a pasta roller, you should not go thinner than setting #2. If you’re using a rolling pin, roll it as thin as you can. Cut the pasta sheet into 3×6 rectangles and place about a heaping teaspoon of filling on one side of the rectangle. Using a pastry brush, paint eggwash along the edge of the rectangle, fold the side over, and crimp lightly with a fork, creating a sealed 3×3 ravioli “pillow.”

Whip Up The Sauce

Ingredients

1 stick salted butter (make sure it’s good quality, preferably grass-fed)
10-15 sage leaves, julienned or chopped (must be fresh)

DIRECTIONS

Melt the butter in a stainless saucepan or skillet. Add the sage leaves and cook over medium heat just until the butter starts turning golden brown.

Serve And Enjoy

Finish the ravioli right before serving by dropping carefully into boiling water for about two minutes. Serve 4-6 ravioli per plate and spoon over the sage butter. Top it off by sprinkling some chopped sage leaves on top, along with parmesan cheese and a dash of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Tarragon Potato Salad

Tarragon is a mild yet distinct herb commonly used in
French cooking. I think it tastes like spring! Its flavor works
great in chicken salad, deviled eggs—or, like here,
paired with dill in this creamy potato salad:

Ingredients (serves 6)

2 pounds medium yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Scrub potatoes lightly to clean and place in a large saucepan. Add enough clean, cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until tender and still a bit firm. Drain in a colander. Cover with a towel and let potatoes rest for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and cut into half-inch cubes.

In a mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients with potatoes and mix carefully. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and any leftover tarragon. Serve at room temperature.

Mojito with Fresh Mint

In my experience, mint is the easiest of all herbs to grow. In fact, it may be a bit too easy because it spreads quickly and, left unattended, may take over your garden! But if you like to mix your own drinks, that may not be such a bad thing.

The mixed drink Mojito is what the word “refreshing” tastes like—and mint has a lot to do with it. This traditional Cuban beverage is the perfect combination of sour, sweet and fresh… and is easy to make at home. A word of warning: The fresh flavors mask the taste of alcohol very well— so sip slowly!

Ingredients

2 cups of good, clean ice
6 ounces light rum
10-12 leaves of your
home-grown mint
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons regular, white sugar
Sparkling water or club soda
A few slices of lime and a sprig of mint for decoration

DIRECTIONS

Pour a half cup of ice into a highball (tall and skinny) glass and set aside. Place the mint leaves and the sugar in your favorite beverage shaker. Using a muddler, crush the mint into the sugar with a twisting motion. Once the mint and sugar reaches a paste-like consistency, add the lime juice, rum, a handful of ice—and shake that shaker! Add a splash of sparkling water to your shaker and strain into a highball (tall and skinny) glass filled 1/3 with ice. Decorate with lime slices and a sprig of mint. Enjoy responsibly!

A guide to the area’s upcoming theater opportunities.

Information Compiled by
Emily Mook Hedrick

Whether you prefer mesmerizing musicals or murder mysteries, there is a little something for everyone on the local theater scene this year. But with so many talented groups, from high schools to community organizations, it can be hard to keep up with what’s playing and when. Our 2019 Theater Guide is here to help—flip through to see the year’s upcoming shows!

Endstation Theatre Company
2500 Rivermont Avenue, Lynchburg
endstationtheatre.org

Tuesdays with Morrie
“The autobiographical story of Mitch Albom, an accomplished journalist driven solely by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch happens to catch Morrie’s appearance on a television news program and learns that his old professor is battling Lou Gehrig’s disease. Mitch is reunited with Morrie, and what starts as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a last class in the meaning of life.”
June 6-9 & June 12-16

The Bluest Water
“In August 1969, Hurricane Camille, the second-most intense hurricane on record to hit the United States, brought devastation to Nelson County. The Bluest Water follows survivors Jared and Liz, 50 years later, as they try to figure out what happened to a friend who lost his family to the storm, and as they remember the dead and try to heal from their own wounds.”
June 21-23 & June 26-30, special performance on August 11 at 6:30 p.m.

My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra
“My Way relives the legendary career of Frank Sinatra as four actors share more than 50 of his beloved hits that span the breadth of his career from the 1950s to the 1990s. Performing songs that include ‘Fly Me to the Moon,’ ‘Chicago,’ ‘New York, New York,’ and ‘That’s Life’ are four professional performers straight from the stages of New York City.”
July 12-14, July 17-21, July 23-28
All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. All matinee performances begin at 2 p.m.

Wolfbane Productions
618 Country Club Road, Appomattox
wolfbane.org

Cabaret
“In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the Cabaret. With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, Cabaret explores the dark, heady, and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich.”
April 11-14, 18-21, 25-28, & May 2-4

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is a murderous romp filled with unforgettable music, non-stop laughs and a scene-stealing role for one actor playing all eight of the doomed heirs who meet their ends in the most creative and side-splitting ways.”
June 6-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-29

Wolfbane’s Tempest
“At long last, this beautiful adaptation of the Shakespearean masterpiece returns to the woods of the Wolf PAC. Tempest is a tale of magic, deception, revenge, and forgiveness. Learn what happens as Prospera, the deposed Duchess of Milan, plots revenge against her foes on the remote and enchanted island of Oilean.”
August 8-10, 15-17, 29-31

The Crucible
“Winner of Wolfbane’s 2019 Audience Choice poll, Wolfbane is excited to put its unique twist on this Arthur Miller classic. In The Crucible, fear runs rampant through Salem, Massachusetts, resulting in unreasonable accusations and ridiculous behavior pitting neighbor against neighbor. Journey into the woods with Wolfbane and experience this show like never before.”
October 3-5, 10-12, 24-26

Thursday, Friday, & Saturday Performances:
All shows start at 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.
Sunday Performances: All shows start at
6 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m.

Renaissance Theater
1022 Commerce Street, Lynchburg
renaissancetheatrelynchburg.org

Driving Miss Daisy
“When Daisy Werthan crashes her car, her son arranges for her to have a chauffeur named Hoke Colburn. Daisy and Hoke’s relationship gets off to a rocky start, but they gradually form a close friendship over the years, one that transcends racial prejudices and social conventions.”
April 19-20, 26-28 & May 2-4

Drinking Habits
“Two nuns at the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing have been secretly making wine to keep the convent’s doors open. Two reporters go undercover as a nun and priest to break the story. Their presence, combined with the addition of a new nun, spurs paranoia that spies have been sent from Rome to shut the convent down. Wine and secrets are inevitably spilled as everyone tries to preserve the convent and reconnect with lost loves.”
July 12-13, 19-21, 25-27

Mamma Mia!
“Donna is preparing for her daughter’s wedding with the help of two old friends. Meanwhile Sophie, the spirited bride, has a plan. She secretly invites three men from her mother’s past in hope of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her big day. Join us as we present the musical sensation Mamma Mia!, based on the music of ABBA.”
October 4-5, 11-13, 17-19

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!
“In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids—probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won’t believe the mayhem—and the fun—when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on!”
December 6-7, 13-15, 19-21

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m. Sunday matinees begin at 3 p.m.

Academy Center of the Arts
600 Main Street, Lynchburg
academycenter.org

Barter Players Presents: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Historic Academy Theatre)
“Whether it’s fishing with Huckleberry Finn or convincing his friends to whitewash Aunt Polly’s fence, nobody loves life more than the irascible Tom Sawyer. Then one night in a spooky graveyard, Tom and Huck stumble upon a deadly secret. Will they be able to save Muff Potter from the treacherous Injun Joe before it’s too late? Join Tom and Huck on the most exciting adventure of their life, where they learn that man’s greatest treasure is the gift of friendship.”
March 17 at 3 p.m.

Academy Presents: Aquila Theatre’s Frankenstein (Historic Academy of Music Theatre)
“Written two centuries ago in 1818 by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus is the first true science fiction novel. Years ahead of its time, the story has since become the inspiration for countless film and stage adaptations. Frankenstein is a living, breathing, gruesome outcome of scientific discovery.”
March 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Beauty and the Beast, Jr. (A Youth Theatre Production at the Historic Academy Theatre)
“The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.”
April 20 at 2 p.m.

Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest Presents: Jefferson & Adams, On Stage and in Conversation (Historic Academy Theatre)
“Written by Howard Ginsberg and based on his original play, this is the story of the turbulent 52-year friendship of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Adams’ wife, Abigail. Based on the collection of letters between these prolific founding fathers—and one equally astute wife—the play fuses compelling political thoughts with passionate personal beliefs.”
April 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Community Through Theatre Presents: Follies (Historic Academy Theatre)
“A true theatrical event, this legendary masterpiece is considered by many to be the greatest musical ever created. Surreal, sophisticated, compelling, heart-wrenching and epic in scope, Follies—by musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim and author James Goldman—uses the musical theatre as a metaphor for the collapse of American innocence and naiveté in the post-Kennedy years.”
May 10-11, May 17-18 at 7:30 p.m.,
May 12 at 2 p.m., & May 19 at 2 p.m.

City on a Hill Youth Theater
219 Breezewood Drive, Lynchburg
facebook.com/CityOnAHillYouthTheater

Ladies of the Jury
“In a small town, a jury is selected and a murder trial is held. The dramatic proceedings are amusingly interrupted from time to time by Mrs. Crane, an eccentric juror. When the jurors retire to deliberate, the first ballot is eleven for ‘Guilty’ and one ‘Not guilty.’ Mrs. Crane has her own theories and she will not give in; she knows that capitulation means sending an innocent woman to her death.”
April 4-13, times TBD

Cavalier Theatre
(Jefferson Forest High School)
1 Cavalier Circle, Forest
sites.google.com/bedford.k12.va.us/cavaliertheatrehome/home

Footloose: The Musical
“One of the most explosive movie musicals in recent memory bursts onto stage! When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, Ren is prepared for the inevitable adjustment period at his new high school. What he isn’t prepared for are the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, determined to exercise control over the town’s youth.”
April 30-May 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Brookville Theatre (Brookville High School)
100 Laxton Road, Lynchburg
facebook.com/BrookvilleHighSchoolTheatre/

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats
“Cats is a sung-through musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as ‘the Jellicle choice’ and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life.”
March 28-30 at 7 p.m. & March 31 at 2 p.m.

Glass Theatre (E.C. Glass High School)
2111 Memorial Avenue, Lynchburg
ecglasstheatre.org

Hairspray
“It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad has only one desire: to dance on the popular ‘Corny Collins Show.’ When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network… all without denting her ‘do!”
April 25-26 at 7 p.m. & May 2-4 at 7 p.m.

Pioneer Theatre (Heritage High School)
3101 Wards Ferry Road, Lynchburg
lcsedu.net/schools/hhs/about/activities/pioneer-theatre

Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
“Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe is a musical that follows the tragic life of Edgar Allan Poe and the internal struggles he faced which later on inspired his writings. The script contains many references to Poe’s poems and short stories.”
April 4-7, times TBD

Liberty Christian Academy Theatre
3701 Candlers Mountain Rd, Lynchburg
lcabulldogs.com

2019 shows are in the works. Stay tuned!

Liberty Tower Theater/Alluvion Stage Company
1971 University Blvd, Lynchburg
liberty.edu/academics/art/theatre & alluvionstage.com

The Diary of Anne Frank (Academic Performance at the Box Theater)
“In this transcendently powerful story, Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young girl, who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of her time with astonishing honesty, wit, and determination.”
March 22-23, 29-30 at 7:30 p.m., March 23, 30 at 2 p.m. & March 24, 31 at 3 p.m.
Special showings for school groups only on March 25 & 29 at 10 a.m.

Annie Get Your Gun (Academic Performance at the Tower Theater)
“Annie Oakley is the best shot around, and she manages to support her little brother and sisters by selling the game she hunts. When Col. Buffalo Bill discovers her, he persuades this novel sharpshooter to join his Wild West Show. It only takes one glance for her to fall head over heels for dashing shooting ace Frank Butler, who headlines the show. She soon eclipses Butler as the main attraction, which, while good for business, is bad for romance.”
April 12-13, 19-20, 26-27 at 7:30 p.m., April 13, 20, 27 at 2 p.m. &
April 14, 28 at 3 p.m.

Original Works
Student-written original plays: To Sail Away
(May 2 & 4 at 7:30 p.m. and May 5 at 3 p.m.)
and Treason with a Cup of Tea (May 3 & 5 at
7:30 p.m. and May 4 at 2 p.m.)

<hr

University of Lynchburg Theatre
1501 Lakeside Drive, Lynchburg
lynchburg.edu/academics/
majors-and-minors/theatre/

New Works Initiative
March 20-21 at 7:30 p.m.

Curtain Call
Mar. 29-30 at 7:30 p.m.

Student Honorary Theatre Production (title to be announced)
Apr. 18-20 at 7:30 p.m.

Dance Works Concert
May 2-4 at 7:30 p.m.

Curtain Up! Curtain Call Musical Theatre Ensemble Original Works
“Join us for our unique partnership with emerging musical theatre writers from New York City. Curtain Call sings songs written for individual students and the entire ensemble. Mature themes and language.”
May 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Randolph College Theatre
2500 Rivermont Avenue, Lynchburg
randolphcollege.edu/theatre

She Kills Monsters
“She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she stumbles into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly’s refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.”
April 18-21 at 7:30 p.m. & April 20 at 2 p.m.

Sweet Briar Theater
134 Chapel Road, Sweet Briar
sbc.edu/arts/theatre-productions/

The Importance of Being Earnest
“The Importance of Being Earnest is the most renowned of Oscar Wilde’s comedies. It’s the story of two bachelors, John ‘Jack’ Worthing and Algernon ‘Algy’ Moncrieff, who create alter egos named Ernest to escape their tiresome lives.”
March 21-23 at 7:30 p.m. & March 24 at 2:30 p.m.

For the third year in a row, Lynchburg Living is your source to find the region’s best lawyers. From criminal defense to adoptions to wills, our 2019 Top Lawyers list shows you who lawyers themselves recommend in 26 practice areas.

Why is this peer-to-peer recommendation important? Because if a lawyer has a good reputation among their peers, you have some assurance knowing they will be honest, professional and hardworking when they work with you or your business.

On the following pages, learn more about two top-rated lawyers in the wills, trusts and estates specialty along with five common mistakes people make when writing (or, in some cases, not writing) their wills. You’ll also find the complete listings as well as informative profiles about lawyers in the region.

When you see those teal banners or plaques around town at your favorite restaurants, shops and destinations, those businesses deserve the bragging rights! This year in our annual Best Of Lynchburg contest, we logged more than 203,000 votes on our website. The businesses and people who made it onto the following pages have earned a spot on our 2019 list.

So sit back, prop up your feet and flip through to see who is the best of the best, according to our loyal readers.

The intermission is over, and The historic Academy of Music’s story picks up where it left off more than 60 years ago.

The first time Clifton Potter saw a woman sawed in half was at Lynchburg’s Academy of Music. As a child in the 1940s and ’50s, Potter spent many Saturdays there watching western movies on the silver screen. It was there, too, that he witnessed the magical marvel.

“I remember seeing a magician,” Potter, a longtime history professor at University of Lynchburg, told the Lynchburg News & Advance in 2015. “The first time I ever saw anyone sawed in half was at the Academy, which was kind of wonderful.”

In 1958, the Academy closed its doors and the magic ended. Urban sprawl and the popularity of television spelled the end for the Academy and other downtown theaters—the Paramount, Isis, Warner and a half-dozen others.

But in December of 2018, after 60 years, the marquee lights were illuminated again. Reborn as part of the Academy Center of the Arts, the Beaux-Arts–style theater was once again ready for magic.

The Beginning
The Academy of Music first opened its doors on February 1, 1905, on the site of an old tobacco warehouse at the corner of Main and Sixth streets.

It was largely the brainchild of Richard Apperson, president of a local streetcar and electricity company. He and about two dozen business partners purchased the old warehouse and within seven months, on February 1, 1905, the Academy of Music was open for business.
Lynchburg’s morning newspaper, The News, reported that about 800 people attended the opening night festivities, which included the musical comedy “The Show Girl,” starring vaudeville actress Stella Mayhew.

In a front-page article the following morning, The News called it an “auspicious occasion” attended by “a notable and representative assemblage of Lynchburg people.” Those who attended were not only “notable,” but reasonably affluent. The Baltimore Sun reported that those attending the opening night show paid $10 a seat—more than $280 today.

‘Prettiest in the entire South’
Designed by local architects Frye & Chesterman, the Academy of Music was described by The News as “the prettiest opera house in the State and among the prettiest in the entire South.”

According to The News, the Academy cost $45,000 to build—almost $1.3 million today. “Nothing has been spared to make the play-house a dream of beauty on the inside, while the exterior compares favorably with any other theatre in the State,” the paper reported, adding, “It must be seen to be appreciated.”

The News praised the theater for its “comfortable” seating and said there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. Fire safety, a common concern at a time when the words “theater” and “fire” graced many a newspaper headline, also was addressed.

“The stage is equipped with an asbestos curtain, which will be in use at all times, except when the other scenery is set for use during a play,” The News reported. “This curtain is hung on wires and cables, and will be so that it can be lowered instantly, should there be an occasion to protect the audience from a fire among the stage settings.

“There are fifteen exits in all portions of the main building, through which a large audience could quickly empty itself in cases of fire or panic. The balcony and gallery have ready access to fire escapes on both sides of the structure.”

The Fire
On April 20, 1911, a fire broke out at the Academy, presumably in resident manager Corbin Shield’s apartment. Under the headline, “Narrow Escapes in Theatre Fire,” the Richmond Times Dispatch reported that the Academy was “destroyed by fire … with a loss of $50,000.”

The writer went on to say that Shield and his family safely “made their escape through dense smoke and in scanty attire.” Two others weren’t so lucky.
While fighting the fire, a “hoseman” with Company No. 1 was “overcome with smoke and had to be carried from the building by two fellow firemen.”
While surveying the damage, Arthur T. Powell, the Academy’s vice president, fell through the floor, “dropping twenty feet into burned and twisted debris.” Powell suffered multiple fractures and a bruised hip, but at press time was expected to recover.

After the fire, some debated about whether to rebuild the Academy. The Times Dispatch reported in July of 1911 that rebuilding was “a question that is uppermost in the mind of the theatre-goer of the city, but at present there seems to be no way to restore the playhouse.”

But rebuild they did, thanks again to determined local investors, among them prominent merchant Charles Guggenheimer. This time, architect C.K. Howell, who designed theaters all over the South in the early 1900s, transformed the Academy into a Beaux-Arts showplace.
It reopened in December of 1912.

Ms. Boonie
In its early days, the Academy hosted an A-list of performers, among them concert violinist Efrem Zimbalist Sr., actors Douglas Fairbanks and Ethel Barrymore, cowboy-humorist Will Rogers, and W.C. Handy, the “Father of the Blues.”

It presented vaudeville shows and lectures, and Floyd Ward, who taught generations of Lynchburg children to dance, held her annual revues at the Academy. The theater also screened silent movies and, starting in the late 1920s, “talkies.”

Because the Academy operated at the height of the Jim Crow era, though, African Americans had to enjoy these events from nearly atop the rafters. African Americans entered through a side door and sat in a segregated balcony.

It was from a tiny booth outside this balcony that a woman named Lottie Payne Stratton made Saturday mornings magical for many of Lynchburg’s African American children.

For 30 years, Stratton, an African American herself, was the cashier for the segregated balcony. Somewhere along the way, she started letting children in for free. Stratton, who the neighborhood kids called “Ms. Boonie,” didn’t have children of her own.

Perhaps it was kindness and a mothering instinct that led her to smuggle children into the theater. Perhaps it was civil disobedience. Regardless of the reason, when restoration of the Academy’s historic theater began in earnest a few years ago, Stratton’s ticket booth was preserved as a sacred space.

“Everyone knew that it was a special part of the Academy’s history,” lead architect Amanda Adams, of local architecture firm CJMW, said. “It’s rare for it to be intact. Most of that [sort of thing] disappears as theaters evolve.”

The Academy’s opening week of events celebrated the full integration of the theater. It started with a sold-out concert, featuring gospel legend Mavis Staples, blues artist Devon Gilfillian, and the Diamond Hill Baptist Church choirs. It concluded with a black-tie affair with Wynton Marsalis.

Also, awards also were given to people who had contributed to Lynchburg’s art and culture scene. One was named for Stratton, who passed away in 1965.

The Phoenix
After the theater closed its doors in 1958, there were numerous attempts to save it. In the 1960s, the Friends of the Academy of Music saved it from the wrecking ball.

In 1969, it became the first structure in Lynchburg to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hope was that the designation would make the Academy eligible for federal grants and lead to its restoration.

Still, it remained dormant.

In the 1990s, after a windstorm destroyed the theater’s fly tower, there was another surge of activity. Geoff Kershner, executive director of the Academy Center of the Arts since 2015, remembers visiting the Academy with his father around that time.

“My father was involved in some of the early efforts to save the theater,” Kershner said. “He’d gone there to see the theater with a couple of other community members. He took me along because he thought it would be interesting to see.

“I remember going in with him. I don’t remember how old I was. We went in with flashlights. It’s a little surreal. As a kid, it was interesting and clearly stayed in my memory, but I had no clue as to how much it would be attached to my adult life.”

In the early 2000s, after what remained of the Academy of Music organization combined with Lynchburg’s Fine Arts Center, a restoration effort started to gain momentum. “There was a leadership team, community leaders and philanthropists who had really, behind the scenes, made a decision to push this rock up the hill,” Kershner said.

“They committed a fairly large amount of money, but that triggered the city having a belief that it was worth investing city funds as well. Then the city came in, along with the Economic Development Authority. … That was really a tipping point, along with a grassroots effort.”

When the Academy restoration was complete, Potter was one of the first people to see it. “[We] went down for the soft opening for those of us who had contributed, and dreams really do come true,” he said.

“It’s just amazing, more beautiful than I remembered it. It was like going into a theater in Vienna. It’s very Beaux-Arts. It’s like stepping back into 1912. It’s gorgeous. It’s just amazing…

Dreams really do come true.”

The annual Wreaths Across America ceremony in Lynchburg has grown in
attendance every year. Its purpose is to Remember, Honor and Teach.
This special ceremony remembers all veterans who have served in times of
war and peace, and honors those who are currently serving. All branches
of the Armed Forces are recognized: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force,
Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, as well as the POWs/MIAs. It is an
inspirational and educational event, with various community
organizations and leaders participating. Individuals, families, and
groups are encouraged to attend the ceremony. After the formal ceremony,
attendees are invited to place fresh evergreen wreaths on veterans’
graves.

In 2011, the Blue Ridge and James River Chapters of NSDAR joined
together to co-sponsor the event. The two Chapters raised funds to
provide over 1,000 wreaths. More than 330 people gathered at the Old
City Cemetery for the Fourth Annual Ceremony.

Each year since then, the chapters have been able to place at least
1,000 wreaths.

The Tenth year of the celebration saw the largest attendance to date and
the placement of 1,200 wreaths.

Planning is currently underway for the Eleventh Annual Wreaths Across
America Ceremony scheduled to be held promptly at 12 noon, Saturday,
December 15, 2018, at the Old City Cemetery, 401 Taylor Street,
Lynchburg, VA 24501.

Note: Please arrive no later than 11:30 a.m. Gates will close at 11:45
a.m. (or earlier, depending upon the volume of traffic.)

How You Can Help:

Sponsor a single wreath for $ 15. or two wreaths for $30. For every two
wreaths, the wreath company will provide a third wreath free-of-charge;
that is, Three for the price of two.

Checks payable to Blue Ridge Chapter, NSDAR, with WAA in the memo line,
should be sent to: Mrs. Janet Bogacik, Treasurer, 3509 Gregory Lane,
Lynchburg, VA 24503.

Donations in any amount are also accepted.

Questions? Please call one of the following persons:

Arlene Cundiff, Blue Ridge Co-Chair: 434-237-1189

Penny Swisher, James River Co-Chair: 434-237-3354

Helen Davis, Blue Ridge Regent: 434-239-4148

Julie Dias, James River Regent: 804-815-235