Talent Machine

We're approaching the dog days of August, my air conditioning isn't working properly and, still, I'm spending a lot of time whistling happily. What I've been whistling are songs from two of the wonderful musicals crafted by lyricist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe, whose works are de rigueur from one end of the Annapolis Historic District to the other. At Summer Garden Theatre across from City Dock, Professor Henry Higgins is busily at work elevating the horrific speech patterns of Eliza Doolittle in the classic My Fair Lady.

Each summer for about the past 15 years, theater in Annapolis has entered the machine age. That's machine as in Talent Machine, of course. The brainchild of the late Bobbi Smith, the demanding, dynamic director-choreographer who had hundreds of kids hoofing with primal energy and immense joy during her remarkable career, Talent Machine has become an integral part of Annapolis' summer season in the arts. What a proud legacy this appropriately named ensemble has bequeathed to its audiences over the years.

MANY FAMILIES begin their Thanksgiving celebration by remembering the things for which they are thankful. One thing for which I have been thankful these past five years has been this column. Through writing "Neighbors," I have been able to meet some of the most interesting, outgoing, generous and talented people in our area. This week, I would like to reflect on some of those people, what they have been doing and what they mean to our area. West County is rich in civic organizations. Busy people take the time to help make our area a better place to live.

Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre has extended its season through Sunday, ending the way it began in May, by rocking the dock with high-voltage talent. "Rock Around the Dock - Take II" is a bolder, brassier show with a dazzling set constructed of yards-high wedges of vibrant color that makes a great backdrop for a dynamic ensemble of singers and dancers. Directors Jeff Hitaffer and Kevin Wheatley, who conceived the idea of opening the company's current season with a rock show, are back directing this latest incarnation.

The Harbor City Music Company, a women's a cappella chorus, is holding auditions Wednesdays through Oct. 2. Rehearsals will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesdays. Directions and information: Call 410-647-2773 or e-mail harborcitymusic @comcast.net. Talent Machine Company. Auditions for the 2002 Holiday Show will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Stage Workz Studio, off Benfield Road behind Benfield Ice Arena, and from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday at West Annapolis Elementary School.

The more I see our toxic youth culture spiraling into the depths of moral and aesthetic bankruptcy, the greater the joy I take in watching gifted youngsters use their talents to produce something sassy, sophisticated and laden with oodles of savoir-faire. A Cole Porter show is all that in spades, which explains why I enjoyed such a lovely evening at the theater Saturday when Annapolis' Talent Machine Company presented Porter's musical Anything Goes at Key Auditorium on the campus of St. John's College.

PASSION IS the most important thing in life," reflects Sam Willocks, speaking about his daughter, Karley. "My daughter has a passion for theater and music. Karley has been saying the word Broadway for as long as I remember." The Crofton 15-year-old has studied dance since she was 4 years old and has been a member of the Talent Machine Company for seven years. Despite the hours of practice and frequent rehearsals, Karley's dad says his daughter never falters. "She's never complained about long or boring rehearsals," he said.

A cruise ship filled with colorful passengers, including Wall Street moguls, debutantes, escaped convicts, noblemen and a former nightclub singer turned evangelist - accompanied by her own group of guardian angels - will dock at Key Auditorium at St. John's College on Aug. 2. These characters from composer Cole Porter's 1934 hit musical Anything Goes will be brought to life by the 14- to 18-year-old Talent Machine cast, a 26-member troupe of familiar favorites...

A cruise ship filled with colorful passengers, including Wall Street moguls, debutantes, escaped convicts, noblemen and a former nightclub singer turned evangelist - accompanied by her own group of guardian angels - will dock at Key Auditorium at St. John's College on Aug. 2. These characters from composer Cole Porter's 1934 hit musical Anything Goes will be brought to life by the 14- to 18-year-old Talent Machine cast, a 26-member troupe of familiar favorites...