Town & County section’s History Calendar for week of May 13-19:

LOCALLY

“Songs and Remembrances of the Civil War.” 9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 19. Robert E. Lee’s birthplace, Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County. Concert of Civil War-era music by the Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg, living history, heirloom document scanning by the Library of Virginia. Learn about the Civil War in the Northern Neck. Genealogy expert Laura Hazel will give tips on researching Civil War ancestors. Library of Virginia staff members will digitize 1861–65 photos, documents and artifacts for inclusion in the 150th Legacy Project; bring items to the duPont Library. To register, call 804/493-1972 or email jbachman@stratfordhall.org. Drills by Civil War re-enactors include 53rd Virginia, Company H, Mattaponi Guards and the Original Richmond Howitzers bivouacking on the Oval. Diorama on action at Camden, on loan from Steamboat Era Museum. Admission includes Great House tour. $10/ adults; $5/children; under 5 free. Friends of Stratford and donors to Library of Virginia Project, free. StratfordHall.org; 804/493-8038.

150th Anniversary of Lincoln’s Visit to Stafford, Chatham and Fredericksburg. Saturday, May 19. National Park Service hosts programming to commemorate sesquicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s visit here during the Union occupation of 1862. At 10 a.m., NPS historian John Hennessy will lead “Mr. Lincoln’s Fredericksburg,” a 90-minute walk tracing Lincoln’s footsteps during his May 23, 1862, visit to Fredericksburg. Meet at City Dock, lower Sophia Street. Free. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., historian Jane Conner will be at Chatham in southern Stafford to sign and discuss her book “Lincoln in Stafford.” From 2 to 3 p.m., join NPS historians Donald Pfanz and John Hennessy for “Rambling Man: Lincoln’s Visits to his Virginia Army” in the shade of Chatham’s “witness trees” to discuss Lincoln’s many visits to the Army of the Potomac, including his April 1863 review of the army in Stafford and 1865 visit to City Point and Richmond, just days before his death. Free. Lawn chairs recommended. From 3:30 to 4 p.m., Hennessy will present “Lincoln in 1862: The Great Arbitrator,” discussing efforts to keep a teetering Union war effort on track. Lawn chairs recommended. Free. Built in 1771, Chatham served as a Union headquarters and hospital during the Civil War. nps.gov/frsp; 540/ 654-5121 or 540/373-6122.

Spotsylvania Civil War Weekend and Re-enactment. Saturday and Sunday, May 19–20, Spotsylvania Courthouse Village, corner of Old Battlefield Boulevard and Spotsylvania Courthouse Bypass. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday. Living-history interpreters, sutlers, speakers, vendors. Children will experience civilian and military life. Battles, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Taps bugle ceremony 8 a.m. Sunday at Confederate Cemetery opposite battle site at Spotsylvania Courthouse. Rain dates: 2 p.m. June 16 and 17; spotsylvaniacivilwar.com.

“Bricks and Boards in the ’Burg.” Join the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center and Hallowed Ground Tours on Saturdays for architectural walking tours of historic downtown. Hour-long tours depart Market Square/Town Hall at 10 a.m. They highlight four centuries of history and architecture, Rappahannock River, spires and steeples of Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg’s Town Hall, Market House and Market Square; $4/adults, $1/children. Discounted museum admission for walk participants. Hallowed Ground Tours: 540/809-3918.

“Come Retribution: The Confederate Secret Service in the Closing Days of the Civil War.” Wednesday, May 23. Author David W. Gaddy, a former senior cryptologic executive with the National Security Agency, will address the Civil War Round Table of Fredericksburg. Gaddy, who has been called “the pre-eminent expert pertaining to Civil War-era espionage,” is the last surviving co-author of the breakthrough history book “Come Retribution: The Confederate Secret Service and the Assassination of Lincoln.” University of Mary Washington’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center, 1119 Hanover St. Bar opens 5:45 p.m.; social, 6 p.m.; dinner, 6:45 p.m.; program, 7:30 p.m. Reservations required, 540/361-2105. Coat and tie, equivalent attire for ladies. $30/members, $35/others—cash or check at door; civilwarroundtablefredericks burg.com.

President Lincoln in Stafford and Fredericksburg. Historian Jane Hollenbeck Conner, author of “Lincoln in Stafford,” will speak at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 24. Coordinates with library’s Sesquicentennial Series. Afterward, Conner will display never-before-seen item from Lincoln’s funeral procession. Her books will be available at a reduced rate; all proceeds go to Stafford Museum Fund. Event is part of Civil War Sesquicentennial Lecture Series at England Run branch of Central Rappahannock Regional Library, 806 Lyons Blvd., off U.S. 17 in southern Stafford; 540/899-1703; librarypoint.org.

Preschool Palette. 10 a.m. Thursday, May 24. Classes at Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont introduce art and art museums to children 2 to 5. Students will enjoy a picture book, view original art and make an art project. Michelle Crow–Dolby, 540/654-1851, garimelchers.org. 224 Washington St., Falmouth.

Tour of Fredericksburg city, Confederate cemeteries. 6:30–8 p.m., Saturday, May 26. Amateur historian Dan “Big French” Janzegers will cover notables, military burials and local citizens, and highlight his latest research in the third annual version of his walking tour of the City Cemetery and Confederate Cemetery in Fredericksburg. Janzegers is an honorary member of the Major General John Bankhead Magruder Chapter 258, Military Order of Stars & Bars, and Matthew Fountaine Maury Camp 1722, Virginia Sons of Confederate Veterans. Free. Donations to Fredericksburg City Cemetery are welcome. Rain date: Sunday, May 27.

ELSEWHERE

“Drewry’s Bluff: A Marine’s Perspective 1862–1865.” To commemorate the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff’s 150th anniversary, this newly opened exhibit focuses on Confederate and Union Marines who occupied this James River bend during the Civil War. See Civil War artifacts and Marine uniforms, read about the first U.S. Medal of Honor recipient and the military actions of May 1862. Chesterfield County Museum, open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Saturday; ontorichmond.com.

Armed Forces Day tours of Fort Ward. Saturday, May 19. Soldiers will lead 90-minute tours in honor of Armed Forces Day. Saturday, May 19, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Free; weather-dependent. Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria; fortward.org, 703/746-4848.

“If This Valley Is Lost: Preserving the Legacy of Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign.” 6–9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 9. Widow Pence Farm, Cross Keys battlefield near Harrisonburg. 150 years after Jackson’s Valley Campaign climaxed at the Battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic, guests will gather for a sesquicentennial program co-sponsored by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation and the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission. Barbecue dinner, period music, on-site interpretation, living history, youth activities. Guest speakers include Dr. James I. “Bud” Robertson Jr., professor emeritus at Virginia Tech and leading Jackson biographer. $20/person, $30/family (two adults and children under 18); youths 13 and under, free. For tickets, download registration form at svbf.net, email info@svbf.net or call 540/740-4545.

Please enter information at events .fredericksburg.com; select “History” category. You may also email to tandc@freelancestar.com (subject: History Calendar), or fax to 540/373-8455. Deadline: noon Thursday preceding the section’s Tuesday publication. Questions: 540/368-5029.

MUSIC: SPOTSYLVANIANS ARE SHAKING THINGS UP

BY EDIE GROSS

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

From blue suede shoes to Broadway tunes, there’s a little something for everyone at this year’s Spotsylvanians Spring Concert.

The show next Saturday and Sunday (May 19 and 20) celebrates the community choral group’s 10th anniversary with a variety of music.

“Anything you could want is on the menu,” said alto Margaret Stanchik. “It’s a little bit of everything.”

Under the direction of Alexander Smith, the chorus will perform new arrangements of tunes from Broadway shows, including “Pippin” and “Rent,” country music, an Elvis Presley medley, several spirituals, some favorites from movies like “Pete’s Dragon” and “An American Tale,” and several other numbers.

This year’s theme is “A Bouquet of Love,” and most of the songs touch on emotion, said Smith.

“The bouquet represents the love we’re sharing with the audience through the music,” Smith said. “I just wanted people to get to hear some beautiful music and be happy when they leave.”

The show should last about an hour, he said.

The concert opens with a rousing rendition of “Festival Sanctus,” composed by John Leavitt.

“It’s a powerful thing,” said tenor John Haskins. “It starts out reasonably nice, and we entice the audience to sit up and listen, and as we go on, it gets pretty loud. I’m telling you, that is a zinger. When we get to the end and we start doing our hosannas, it gets pretty exciting.”

The Spotsylvanians, made of 64 singers from all over the region, hold two public concerts each year.

Their Christmas concert is free, but a small fee is charged for the spring show to cover the organization’s expenses.

The group rehearses on Mondays from 7 to 9:30 p.m., in the old band room inside the Marshall Building. They’ve been gearing up for this concert since January, and it will be their last with accompanist Barbara Powell, the daughter of former Spotsylvanians director Stephen Burton.

Smith promises the show will be “high energy” and includes a surprise for the audience and most of the chorus.

“The music is awesome. The choir is ready to go,” he said. “They’re ready to have an audience.”

WANT TO GO?
The Spotsylvanians 10th anniversary Spring Concert takes place Saturday May 19 at 8 p.m., and Sunday May 20 at 3 p.m., in the Spotsylvania Middle School auditorium, 8801 Courthouse Road.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students, and will be available at the door.
Sweet Harmony from Battlefield Middle School will provide pre-concert entertainment on Saturday, and Belle Musique and Beau Geste from Freedom Middle School will do the same on Sunday.
For more information, visit spotsylvanians.com or call 540/582-8541.
Edie Gross: 540/374-5428
egross@freelancestar.com

BY EDIE GROSS

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Henrietta Propps needs a new heart, and 8-year-old Alexa Kincaid has a rather large one.

So Alexa, a third-grader at Battlefield Elementary School in Spotsylvania, is doing her
very best to help Propps—a woman she’s never even met.

It all started with a homework assignment in Alexa’s SCOPE, or gifted, class. The students had learned about the importance of making a difference in their communities and then were tasked with doing just that with their families.

Alexa knew she wanted to raise money for a good cause, but there are so many that choosing one was a challenge.

A soccer player, Alexa originally thought she might support a sports-related cause.

She also kicked around the idea of doing something for children with special needs.

Then on April 8, she came across a story in The Free Lance–Star about Propps, a Spotsylvania mother and grandmother who needs a lifesaving heart transplant.

The only thing keeping her off the transplant waiting list right now is a lack of funds. Propps needs to have at least $12,000 set aside to pay for anti-rejection drugs before she’s eligible.

“I thought it was sad that she couldn’t be put on the list to get a transplant,” said Alexa, the youngest child of Violet and Aaron Kincaid.

“We happened to read the story, and we looked at each other and said, ‘This is what we’re doing,’” said Alexa’s mom.

A PERSONAL CAUSE
Alexa is selling discount cards that people can use at a variety of retailers as a way to raise money for Propps.

Her efforts mean a lot to Propps’ family, said the woman’s daughter, Virginia Bradshaw.
They were originally told that Propps needed to raise $6,000 to cover costs before Medicaid would pick up the rest. But Medicaid recently revised that estimate to $12,000, which could delay her being added to the transplant waiting list, Bradshaw said.

The family has raised close to $7,000 through yard sales and HelpHOPELive, a nonprofit that helps patients raise funds for medical bills through donations on its website, helpHOPElive.org.

The family was thrilled to hear about Alexa’s efforts, said Bradshaw, who added that her mother hopes to meet the youngster soon.

“We’re more than grateful for everything this little girl’s doing,” Bradshaw said. “We are just so blessed and so honored she was willing to do this for us.”

The importance of a successful organ transplant isn’t lost on the Kincaid family.
Violet’s sister, Robin, was born with only one functioning kidney, and she required a transplant at the age of 20. She just celebrated her 43rd birthday.

Thankfully, she’s remained healthy, said Alexa’s grandmother, Judy Vassar of King George. But Robin’s husband, Michael, who suffered kidney failure after a battle with strep throat, died about 18 months ago when his body rejected a second donor kidney.

“We know the value of a transplant,” said Vassar.

“The whole transplant thing to me is a really big deal,” added Violet.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Alexa set her goal at $1,100. A friend of her mother’s had sold gift cards as a fundraiser once, so the Kincaids decided that was the way to go.

Alexa pulled her crayons out and drew a picture with the words “The Happy Helper” in the middle of it, and her parents had the image printed on 100 discount cards from an Arizona-based company called Xtraman Fundraising.

The cards entitle purchasers to discounts at thousands of businesses across the country, from movie theaters and museums to restaurants and contact lens manufacturers. Even Disney World participates.

Alexa is selling the cards for $20, and each one comes with a $25 restaurant.com credit, so they pay for themselves instantly. Half of the money she raises will cover the cost of the cards, and the rest will go to Propps through HelpHOPELive.

With help from family and friends, Alexa has sold all but about 30 of the cards. She’s also hoping to raise more money for the cause by recycling ink cartridges.

Alexa said her Battlefield Elementary classmates have supported her efforts, and she earned kudos from SCOPE teacher Catherine Killough.

“She said it was for a great cause and it was marvelous,” said Alexa, beaming.

When she’s not helping her community, Alexa enjoys running around with brothers Aaron Jr., 16, and Andrew, 13, turning cartwheels and spending time at the Dollar Tree.

She said she has enjoyed receiving help from the whole community, and she’s optimistic that her homework assignment will help Propps.

“I hope my project makes a difference in her life,” she said.

WANT TO HELP?

Alexa Kincaid, 8, is selling discount cards to raise money for Spotsylvania resident Henrietta Propps, who needs a heart transplant.
For information about the cards, which cost $20, go to Facebook and type “SCOPE Project for www.helphopelive.org in honor of Henrietta Propps” in the search field. To see which businesses accept the discount card, visit xtramandiscounts.com.
You can also make a tax-deductible donation directly to Propps’ account by typing her name in the patient-finder box at HelpHOPELive.org.
HELP HOPE LIVE
HelpHOPELive is a nonprofit that helps patients raise funds for medical bills through tax-deductible donations on its website. Propps is one of four patients in the Fredericksburg region using the organization. The others are:
Greg Brown of Fredericksburg, who needs a heart transplant.
Debbie White of Locust Grove, who needs a heart and kidney transplant.
Larry Carter of Rappahannock County, who is recovering from a severe spinal injury.
You can see more information about the patients by entering their names in the patient-finder box at HelpHOPE Live.org.

Edie Gross: 540/374-5428
egross@freelancestar.com

BY EDIE GROSS

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

No tick is a match for Dr. Minh Tran and his tweezers.

During the last few weeks, the Patient First physician has removed one to three ticks a day from visitors to his Fredericksburg-area clinics.

They often hitch rides on construction workers, landscapers and others who work—and play—outside, he said.

“Believe it or not, I just removed a tick from a 4-year-old patient a few minutes ago,” he said Wednesday morning. “She was not real happy.”

Who can blame her?

‘REALLY PECULIAR TASTES’
The bloodsucking hitchhikers normally show up in late April in these parts, but ticks and other bugs came early this year due to an unseasonably warm winter.

Tran said he’s been removing ticks from disgusted patients since March.

“These critters have no wings, no means to fly, but every time you go outdoors, they magically appear on your body,” Tran said.

What’s worse is they often migrate to places where you’re not likely to notice them immediately: on your scalp, upper back or underarms.

“They have really peculiar tastes,” he said.

THEY’RE HERE & HUNGRY
It’s too early to say whether a longer tick season will result in more reported cases of Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which are transmitted by tick-borne bacteria, said David Gaines, state public health entomologist with the Virginia Department of Health.

But there’s another complicating factor this year. The fall acorn crop was flimsy, which means the rodents who depend on those acorns also dropped in numbers, said Gaines.

That might sound like a good thing, but black-legged ticks feed on those rodents. And if the ticks can’t find rodents, they may go looking for people, he said.

“They’ll be out there, and they’ll be hungry,” Gaines said. “They’re going to bite whatever they can.”

Your best bet is to wear closed shoes, long sleeves and pants in wooded areas and to tuck the pant legs into your socks, he said. That way, as ticks travel from your shoes on up, they don’t find any exposed skin.

Tran also recommends wearing light-colored clothing so ticks are more visible.

Bug repellent can also help keep ticks at bay. Gaines recommends creams over sprays when it comes to warding off ticks.

DEET is one of the more common repellents on the market, but Gaines mentioned several others, including picaridin; BioUD, made from an extract of the wild tomato plant; IR3535, which is found in Avon’s Skin So Soft; 2-undecanone, which can be manufactured but is also found naturally in bananas, ginger, strawberries and wild tomato plants; and oil of lemon eucalyptus.

WATCH FOR WASPS, BEES
In addition to ticks, mosquitos and wasps also arrived early this year.

While you can steer clear of a wooded tick habitat, mosquitos can fly, so they’re harder to avoid, said Gaines.

Most folks know to empty containers of standing water, he said. But mosquitos can breed in hidden habitats too, like inside corrugated downspout extensions and internal drain trays within decorative flower pots.

Ultrasonic devices and bug zappers aren’t effective against mosquitos, he said.

Wasp stings tend to increase in late summer and early fall when the nests are more crowded and inhabitants are defending their queens, said Gaines.

But those nests could be much larger much earlier than usual this year, so outdoor enthusiasts should be careful, he said.

“If you stir up a hornet’s nest with 20 hornets, it’s not as bad as if you stir up a nest with 2,000 hornets in it,” he said.

Wasps won’t leave behind a stinger, but bees will, said Tran. It’s important to remove it with the blunt edge of a knife and apply a cold compress and hydrocortisone cream.

Be especially vigilant about stings near the nose, mouth, neck and eyes because inflammation can affect the respiratory system, he said.

Of course if you experience any serious reactions, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or dizziness, seek medical attention, Tran said.

CHECK YOURSELF
If you’re bitten by a tick, use a pair of tweezers and pinch the bug as close to its head as possible before pulling it straight out of your skin, Tran said. If you don’t have tweezers, try covering the tick with masking tape and peeling the tape back from your skin slowly, he said.

Don’t handle it with your bare hands.

If you’re worried about whether any of it was left behind, freeze the specimen and bring it to a doctor, who can make sure all its parts are accounted for, Tran said.

Do not use alcohol or a match to try and loosen the tick’s grip. You may cause it to salivate or regurgitate the bacteria-laden contents of its stomach into your bloodstream, which can make you sick.

Symptoms of Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever can show up as long as two months after a bite, Tran said, so it’s important to note on a calendar when you removed the tick. In addition, symptoms of ehrlichiosis may take a week or two to appear.

If you experience unexplained fever, fatigue, chills, a rash, joint or muscle pain, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, red eyes, a change in vision or a skipping heart beat, see a doctor, Tran said. Patients can still be successfully treated with antibiotics even if the bite occurred weeks beforehand.

Better than treatment, though, is prevention, Tran said. So keep your eyes peeled after you—and your pets—have been outside.

“Make a habit of when you go outdoors, come home, shower off and check yourself over,” he said.

PLANTS BETTER OFF THAN PEOPLE
A longer bug season doesn’t necessarily mean that farmers and gardeners are in for a frustrating summer, said Guy Mussey, an agent in the Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Stafford County office, specializing in environmental horticulture.
“Yes, insects and pests will come out earlier but so are their predators, and the good guys as well,” he said. “Sort of a balance is going to occur.”
Insects that feed on people, like ticks and mosquitos, have a ready food source.
But insects that feed on plants are programmed to emerge when it gets warmer because that’s when the crops are ready, he said.
If those bugs come early because of the warmer winter and there’s nothing to eat yet, they could starve, driving the numbers down, he said.
“I would not expect things to be any worse this year than any other year,” he said.
Edie Gross: 540/374-5428
egross@freelancestar.com

BY KATIE THISDELL

A generous squirt of lemon juice would fix my pasta salad right up, my mom told me last weekend.

We were putting the final touches on our dishes for a potluck wedding, but my orzo-and-lentil salad was bland. Lemon juice is a cure-all, my mom said. And she was right.

My mother, Amy, started sharing her kitchen wisdom long before my sister and I could reach the countertop.

Emily and I would stand on chairs next to the rolling island in our kitchen, wearing chef’s hats, aprons and great big smiles.

Mom would give us bowls of flour and water to play around with while she followed the “real” recipes.

“I always let you play in the kitchen,” she told me recently, reminiscing about her two blond little girls who are now all grown up.

We’d make simple but delicious oatmeal pancakes from a kid’s cookbook I found at the library, and my mom would pour out the batter in letter shapes.

Or we would mix chocolate wacky cake right in the pan, following directions from a book my mom had as a kid.

All the neighborhood girls would come over to make cookies, and I’m sure we all snuck plenty of dough right into our mouths while my mother wasn’t looking. But Mom encouraged us to have fun. And we did, covering the table with cookie cutters and way too much flour.

With each recipe, she was instilling in us a love of food fresh from our own kitchen, a love she had learned from her own parents.

But as I turn 23 this weekend–I was a Mother’s Day baby, my first (and maybe best?) present to my mother–I don’t make it home to Roanoke that often.

Browsing the Internet earlier this year, my mom came upon the blogging challenge “Tuesdays with Dorie.”

Over several years, an ever-growing group of bloggers baked their way through one of Dorie Greenspan’s cookbooks, and had just recently finished.

This February, a few hundred bakers and bloggers took up another one of Greenspan’s books, “Baking with Julia,” which chronicles much of the PBS series by the same name. On that show, chefs from across the country share techniques and recipes with Julia Child.

Hundreds of novice and experienced bakers are now trying their hands at these same recipes, starting with simple white sandwich bread and eventually ending with an elaborate, three-tiered Martha Stewart wedding cake. (I’m hoping it will be quite a while before we get to that one!)

Two recipes are selected each month. On the specified Tuesdays, bloggers post their photos and stories, chronicling the ups and downs of the recipe.

It didn’t take much to convince me. Like my mother, I’m game for any kitchen projects, especially if I get a new cookbook out of the deal.

But we didn’t realize there were more than 200 recipes in this massive cookbook before we signed on to the challenge. We did the math and figured out it will take at least four years to go cover to cover. And who knows how many pounds of butter, flour and sugar we’ll go through. We may have to start buying in bulk pretty soon.

We call our participation in the project “Baking Together,” although we’re not physically together.

I toil in my Fredericksburg kitchen, while mom does hers about 200 miles away in Roanoke. My mom emails me her comments, and I craft the words and photos into a post for my personal blog, katiethisdell.wordpress.com.

You can check out all the recipes and comments at tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com.

In the last five months my mom and I have made rich chocolate truffle tartlets, decadent fruit- and nut-filled

rugelach, simple Irish soda bread, sweet and savory pizza rustica, loaf cake and Hungarian shortbread.

We’ll call each other with questions or text photos of our finished products. My iPhone has seen its share of flour.

My mom hopes one day we can even Skype while baking.

Over Easter weekend, Mom and I stood physically next to each other in her colorful, artfully decorated kitchen. Together, we made a magazine-worthy spread for brunch with my grandparents, including salad greens topped with fresh feta cheese from the farmers market, fruit salad, deviled eggs from the colorful eggs we dyed the day before, and galettes (mini free-form pies) filled with cheese, asparagus and prosciutto.

Dessert was the lemon loaf cake from “Baking with Julia,” a simple-to-mix cake batter that we expected would end up like pound cake. She did the mixing, I did the picture-taking.

The cake turned out beautifully, but unfortunately it wasn’t as moist as we had hoped. Other bloggers had recommended adding a glaze, injecting the cake with extra lemon juice, or spreading on lemon curd.

Oh, well, most everything else was delicious.

Next up are pecan sticky buns. (Want to come over for breakfast?)

For this intense, decadent recipe, I have to make the drive down to Roanoke.

The brioche dough takes a day to make, using a stand mixer for kneading–my roommate’s hand mixer isn’t up to that task, and neither are my hands and arm muscles.

With a recipe that calls for resting, chilling, rolling and finally baking, my mom and I have allotted an entire weekend to make the sticky buns, packed with at least six sticks of butter. I imagine they still won’t be done until dessert Sunday.

Divide and conquer was my mom’s idea. And at least now I don’t have to pull a chair up to the counter.

Katie Thisdell: 540/735-1975
Email: kthisdell@freelancestar.com

Town & County section’s History Calendar for the week of May 6-12, 2012:

LOCALLY

Mother’s Day at Mount Sharon Gardens. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday, May 13. Rare opportunity to visit 10 acres of lovely gardens overlooking 60-mile views of the Piedmont and Blue Ridge. Regarded as one of the East Coast’s most beautiful private landscapes, the garden features 10 themed spaces, accented by pavilions, fountains, pergolas and statuary. One-time only tour benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Orange and Preservation Virginia. Mount Sharon, off State Route 20 in Orange County, is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Seilheimer Jr. Tickets: $30 at the gate; accompanied children under 16, free. 19184 Mount Sharon Lane (Please enter via the lane, State Route 600, from State Route 20). For details, visit preservationvirginia.org and read this past article, virginialiving.com/articles/the-vantage-and-the-vista.

“Beyond Gettysburg: The Life of Richard S. Ewell.” Monday, May 14. Ewell biographer Don Pfanz, staff historian at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, will address the Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table during its meeting at Brock’s Riverside Grill, 503 Sophia St. Fredericksburg. Social, 6 p.m.; dinner, 6:45 p.m.; program, 7:30 p.m. Dinner reservations due by May 9: rvcwrt.org. Questions? Gene Beverly, 540/775-3711.

“Songs and Remembrances of the Civil War.” 9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 19. Robert E. Lee’s birthplace, Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County. Concert of Civil War-era music by the Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg, living history, heirloom document scanning by the Library of Virginia. Learn about the Civil War as it was waged in the Northern Neck. Genealogy expert Laura Hazel will give tips on researching Civil War ancestors. Library of Virginia staff members will digitize your 1861–65 photos, documents and artifacts for inclusion in the 150th Legacy Project; bring items to the duPont Library. (Appointments encouraged; limited number of walk-ins. To register, 804/493-1972 or email jbachman@stratfordhall.org.) Drills by Civil War re-enactors include the 53rd Virginia, Company H, Mattaponi Guards and the Original Richmond Howitzers bivouacking on the Oval; and a diorama on action at Camden, on loan from the Steamboat Era Museum. Admission includes Great House tour. $10/ adults; $5/children; under 5 free. Friends of Stratford and donors to Library of Virginia Project, free. StratfordHall.org; 804/493-8038.

Spotsylvania Civil War Weekend and Re-enactment. Saturday and Sunday, May 19–20, Spotsylvania Courthouse Village, corner of Old Battlefield Boulevard and Spotsylvania Courthouse Bypass. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday: interpreters, sutlers, speakers, vendors will bring Civil War to life. Children will experience civilian and military life. Battles held 2 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Rain dates: 2 p.m. June 16 and 17; spotsylvaniacivilwar.com. Volunteers needed; download application at bit.ly/spotcw, mail to Debbie Aylor at the Spotsylvania County Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Volunteer coordinator is Mark Wakeman of Friends of Wilderness Battlefield; email him via the Battlefield Volunteers category at fowb.org/contact.

Bricks and Boards in the ’Burg. Join the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center and Hallowed Ground Tours on Saturday mornings for architectural walking tours of historic downtown. Hour-long tours depart Market Square/Town Hall at 10 a.m. They highlight four centuries of history and architecture, the Rappahannock River, spires and steeples of Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg’s Town Hall, Market House and Market Square; $4/adults, $1/children. Discounted museum admission for walking tour participants. Hallowed Ground Tours: 540/809-3918.

“Come Retribution: The Confederate Secret Service in the Closing Days of the Civil War.” Wednesday, May 23. Author David W. Gaddy, a former senior cryptologic executive with the National Security Agency, will address the Civil War Round Table of Fredericksburg. Gaddy, who has been called “the pre-eminent expert pertaining to Civil War-era espionage,” is the last surviving co-author of a breakthrough history book, “Come Retribution: The Confederate Secret Service and the Assassination of Lincoln.” At the University of Mary Washington’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center, 1119 Hanover St. Bar opens 5:45 p.m.; social, 6 p.m.; dinner, 6:45 p.m.; program, 7:30 p.m. Reservations required, 540/361-2105. Men expected to wear a coat and tie, with equivalent attire for ladies. $30/members, $35/others, payable by cash or check at the door; civilwarroundtablefredericksburg.com.

President Lincoln in Stafford and Fredericksburg. Historian Jane Hollenbeck Conner will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 24, about Lincoln’s many wartime visits to the front line here. Part of the Civil War Sesquicentennial Lecture Series at the England Run branch of Central Rappahannock Regional Library, 806 Lyons Blvd., off U.S. 17 in southern Stafford; 540/899-1703; librarypoint.org.

Preschool Palette. 10 a.m. Thursday, May 24. Classes at Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont introduce art and art museums to young children (ages 2–5). Students enjoy a picture book, view original art and make an art project. Michelle Crow–Dolby, 540/654-1851, garimelchers.org. 224 Washington St., Falmouth.

Third annual  City Cemetery & Confederate Cemetery tour. 6:30-8:00 p.m. Saturday, May 26. Amateur historian Dan “Big French” Janzegers will cover notables, military burials and local citizens, highlighting new research. Free. Donations to the Fredericksburg City Cemetery welcome. Rain date: May 27.

ELSEWHERE

“Drewry’s Bluff: A Marine’s Perspective 1862–1865.” To commemorate the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff’s 150th anniversary, this exhibit—opening Tuesday, May 8—focuses on Confederate and Union Marines who occupied this James River bend during the Civil War. See Civil War artifacts and Marine uniforms, read about about the first U.S. Medal of Honor recipient and the military actions of May 1862. Chesterfield County Museum, open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday; ontorichmond.com.

Drewry’s Bluff Panel Discussion. 7–8:30 p.m. Friday, May 11, Chesterfield County Central Library. Topics: “Defending the James River” by Sam Craghead of the Museum of the Confederacy; “The Battle of Drewry’s Bluff” by National Park Service historian Mike Gorman; “Political and Home Front Reaction to the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff” by National Park Service historian Ashley Whitehead. Scott Williams, chair of Chesterfield Historical Society’s Military History Committee, will moderate. 9501 Lori Road; chesterfield.gov/Library.

Living History Weekend at Drewry’s Bluff. Saturday, May 12, and Sunday, May 13. Drewry’s Bluff Unit, Richmond National Battlefield Park. U.S. Marine Corps Historical Company living history and exhibits, including “The Marines of the Civil War and Their Relevance and Impact on Today’s Corps,” “Brother Against Brother: the Marines at the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff” and “Civil War Texting,” demonstrating the use of telegraphy during the Civil War. See what life was like at Drewry’s Bluff in 1862. Interactive family and children’s activities, demonstrations by Richmond National Battlefield Park and Marine Corps; nps.gov/rich/planyourvisit/events.htm and 1.usa.gov/drewry7days.

“The Story of Alexandria’s Civil War Crimean Ovens and Camp California.” 1 p.m. Saturday, May 12. Wally Owen, assistant director of the Fort Ward Museum and co-author of “Mr. Lincoln’s Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington,” will lecture on research into rare archaeological features used to heat hospital tents and their relationship to Camp California, 1861–62, home to 10,000 Civil War soldiers in the city’s West End. The camp was an early training ground for the Union’s Army of the Potomac. $10/person. Reservations recommended; limited seating. 4301 West Braddock Road; fortward.org, 703/746-4848.

Armed Forces Day tours of Fort Ward. Saturday, May 19. Soldiers will lead 90-minute tours in honor of Armed Forces Day on Saturday, May 19, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Free; weather-dependent. Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria; fortward.org, 703/746-4848.

“If This Valley Is Lost: Preserving the Legacy of Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign.” 6–9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 9. Widow Pence Farm, Cross Keys battlefield near Harrisonburg. 150 years after Jackson’s Valley Campaign climaxed at the Battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic, guests will gather for a sesquicentennial program co-sponsored by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation and the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission. Barbecue dinner, period music, on-site interpretation, living history, youth activities. Guest speakers include Dr. James I. “Bud” Robertson Jr., professor emeritus at Virginia Tech and leading Jackson biographer. $20/person, $30/family (two adults and children under 18); youths 13 and under, free. For tickets, download registration form at bit.ly/svbftj, email theder@svbf.net or call 540/740-4545.

Please enter information at events.freder icksburg.com; select “History” category. You may also email to tandc@freelance star.com (subject: History Calendar), or fax to 540/373-8455. Deadline: noon Thursday preceding the section’s Tuesday publication. Questions: 540/368-5029.

FILM: SPOTSYLVANIA GIRL ACTS IN TV MOVIE 
By CATHY DYSON

Rachel Rose Lynch is talking about the many parts she’s played as a 10-year-old actress, including the time she pretended to have a seizure.

She was doing an instructional video for the American Red Cross. She watched about five minutes of YouTube videos—of people in real distress—to better understand what happens.

Then, as her mother, Pat, described, Rachel “nailed it” on camera.

A reporter interviewing Rachel says she’d like to see that. Would Rachel do an encore performance?

Without further ado, the preteen throws herself on the wooden floor of the family kitchen. She skews her legs in an awkward position, turns her head to the side.

She rolls her head back and starts convulsing. She looks so realistic that those watching worry they might do the same.

Rachel pops up and brushes herself off, but won’t tell all her secrets.

She doesn’t disclose how she caused herself to foam at the mouth on camera.

“It’s kinda disturbing and I’m not gonna reveal it,” Rachel says in an exaggerated Southern accent.

Such is the life of a budding actress who’s been attacked by zombies, survived an apocalyptic disaster and screamed her way through a car crash.

But the biggest star in the her crown—so far—will hit the Hallmark channel tonight.
Rachel has a role in the movie “Lake Effects,” a family film shot on location at Smith Mountain Lake in Southwest Virginia.

Rachel, the youngest of four daughters of Robert and Pat Lynch of Spotsylvania County, tells people she plays Catherine, “a snotty little girl” who sticks her tongue out at the art teacher.

Her mother adds a dose of realism, confessing that Rachel’s in the first 10 minutes of the film and never did a scene with actress Jane Seymour, the star of the movie. But she did get to ride in a limousine with Mary McDonough, who played Erin on The Waltons, and have her picture taken on the red carpet during the première.

“They gave her the Hollywood treatment, and that was so special,” said her mother.

‘REMARKABLY VERSATILE’
Rachel watched her older sisters do shows at Riverside Center Dinner Theater and liked what she saw. She also liked that they earned a little spending money.

She started taking classes and doing auditions when she was 6.

She played a school girl in “Evita,” a beggar child in “Scrooge: The Musical” and a little monster in “There’s a Monster in My Closet” at Riverside.

Doing five shows a week, she learned about the demands of theater life.

Rachel quickly demonstrated that she’s really good at conveying different expressions and multiple personalities, said Rollin Wehman, the general manager at Riverside and part of the bell choir at Falmouth Baptist Church with Rachel.

“She’s remarkably versatile and a joy to work with,” he said. “She’s just a sweet kid, and she has not let the success change her at all.”

Her contacts at Riverside led to contracts with agents up and down the East Coast. Once she got the part for “Lake Effects,” which was shot in October 2010, she got more auditions, callbacks and parts. She played a young Jena Malone in an episode of Biography Channel’s “Celebrity Close Calls,” and got to do a simulated car crash with so many rolls she had to struggle to keep from laughing.

She also played a child eaten by zombies in a remake of the cult classic, “Plan 9.”
Rachel has agents in Baltimore, Raleigh, Portsmouth and Philadelphia. Her manager is working to get her into the New York market.

She also takes vocal, dance and acting lessons, plays soccer and softball and does her schoolwork on location.

At home, she has to do chores like her older sisters.

“We want her to have as normal a family life as we can,” her mother said.

Rachel’s flair for the dramatic surfaced again.

“This family’s not normal, and it never will be,” she said.

COMING INTO FOCUS
If Rachel had been the first child, she probably would have been the last, her mother said.

“I am so offended,” Rachel quipped.

As a child, she was nothing short of outrageous. All over the place, into everything, demanding immediate attention.

“Acting was the one thing that brought her focus, it gave her a way to apply all this energy,” her mother said. “That’s why I really encouraged it in the beginning, not because I wanted her to be famous or to make a lot of money. I thought, this is going to be an opportunity for her to focus on things.”

Rachel has an outgoing personality all the time, but “she just comes alive when you put her on camera or put her on a stage,” said Ruth Daiger, one of several Riverside mothers who share tips about agents and auditions.

Daiger believes Rachel is already successful at acting because she understands the process. She knows there will be a series of auditions, that she’ll need stamina and discipline to get through them and she’ll have to handle the rejection that comes with the turf.

“She really enjoys the process, and she thrives because of that,” Daiger said.

Daiger predicts that the movie roles and commercials, parts on stages and appearances in videos are just the beginning for Rachel Rose Lynch.

“I feel fortunate to know her now,” she said.

WANT TO WATCH?

Spotsylvania 10-year-old Rachel Rose Lynch appears in “Lake Effects,” premièring tonight at 8 on Hallmark Movie Channel. Shot at Smith Mountain Lake in Southwest Virginia, it stars Scottie Thompson, Jane Seymour, Madeline Zima, Eyal Podell, Sean Patrick Flanery, Ben Savage, Jeff Fahey, Casper Van Dien. Watch a demo of Rachel’s work at fredericksburg.com.

Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425

cdyson@freelancestar.com

BY EDIE GROSS

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

I STARTED wearing a pedometer this week to quantify how truly sedentary I am.

The answer is very.

I logged 6,000 steps the first day, about 4,000 shy of a healthy goal. And in the interest of full disclosure, half of those steps were earned by me flopping around like a crazy person trying to get a bug out of my hair.

The American Heart Association remains mum on the health benefits of a prolonged bug freak-out, but I’m here to tell you that it’s quite an aerobic workout.

The pedometer was a gift from my employer, who would very much appreciate it if I didn’t die of heart disease, at least while I’m under the company’s health insurance plan.

The way I figure it, heart disease can get in line—there are plenty of other things waiting to kill me.

For starters, I inhaled a lot of chalk dust as a kid. For our younger readers, in the old days, before white boards and dry-erase markers, teachers wrote stuff on blackboards—oddly, these were usually green, not black—with chalk made of asbestos, phosphorus, arsenic, gun powder, attic insulation and other equally lung-friendly ingredients.

Every now and then, I cough and out comes a plume of chalk dust reminiscent of one of Mrs. Darrow’s interminable long-division lessons.

Between that and the red M&M’s they fed us during snack time, it’s a wonder any of us survived to adulthood.

For those of us who did, it appears our days here are numbered. Try Googling “harmful to your health” and you’ll see what I mean.

It’s not just the obvious stuff that pops up, like telling “Yo Mama!” jokes to rodeo bulls or mixing up your scented candle collection with your scented dynamite collection.

Something as seemingly innocuous as accepting a receipt from a cashier can shorten your life span. Recent studies show that some receipts contain a chemical called bisphenol-A or BPA, which has been shown to cause cancer in the wallets of lab rats.

Worse yet, if that receipt was for the purchase of a soda, the brown coloring in the drink can contain 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, which is chemist-speak for “you will choke on your tongue and die trying to pronounce these words.”

You might think that holing up in your house—assuming you live in a rodeo-bull-free environment—would keep you safe. But you’d be wrong.

First of all, there’s the television, also known as the silent killer if you keep it on mute. A study published by the American Heart Association in 2010 concluded that watching TV increased the risk of death by 11 percent.

That was largely due to the elevated suicide rate among people forced to watch “Jersey Shore,” but it’s still pretty alarming.

So to save yourself, you turn off the TV and fix something to eat. But be careful how you do it.
Everyone knows that a steady diet of fried food can lead to a chronic thick Southern accent, but apparently grilling is risky, too.

According to the American Cancer Society, grilling meat can release two potentially carcinogenic compounds: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which are fancy chemist words for “substances akin to what you might inhale if you sucked on a city-bus exhaust pipe.”

Also, there’s that pronunciation choking hazard again.

You could commit yourself to a monosyllabic existence and take solace in the fact that you and your loved ones don’t really need words to communicate your feelings.

But be sure you don’t kiss each other either. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, couples can share more than 500 different disease-causing germs and viruses with just one kiss.

Nothing says “I love you” quite like a lip-ravaging communicable disease.

Then again, all that running up and back to the doctor will put miles on your pedometer, which I’m told goes a long way toward preventing heart disease.

Plus, the faster you move, the harder it is for bugs to settle in your hair.

Edie Gross: 540/374-5428
egross@freelancestar.com

Town & County section’s History Calendar for week of April 29-May 5

LOCALLY

UMW characters and events: Chappell Great Lives Lecture Series. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 3. In a “Great Lives” lecture-series bonus, William Crawley, author of “University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History,” will speak about interesting individuals and events in UMW’s history. Lecture at Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall, UMW. Free; umw.edu/greatlives; 540/654-1065.

Music at the Museum: A First Friday Concert Series. Historic Market Square, corner of Princess Anne and William streets. Free, 7–9 p.m., on first Friday of each month, with activities for children; 5–9 p.m., free admission to Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center. May 4: Fredericksburg’s own street brass band, Elby Brass. June 1, World Jam Club. July 6, Steve Jarrell & Lee Quisenberry of Sons of the Beach, Unit 2. Aug. 3: Sabor Afrocubano. Sept. 7: Pan Masters Steel Orchestra. Oct. 5: a family-friendly film. 540/371-3037, ext. 135; famcc.org.

“TO FREEDOM: A CELEBRATION.” Saturday and Sunday, May 5–6. A Civil War weekend, hosted by the Fredericksburg–Stafford–Spotsylvania Sesquicentennial Committee, to mark the passage of 10,000 slaves to freedom on the Rappahannock River in the spring and summer of 1862. Includes historical drama, walking tours, bus tours and culminating program of music, performance, words and illumination of 10,000 lights along the Rappahannock River. Complete schedule on home page at Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center, famcc.org.

On Saturday, May 5: 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., “River Jordan: Crossing the Rappahannock to Freedom,” a two-act historical drama. The George Washington Foundation will present a performance, interpreting newly discovered research into Civil War stories at Historic Kenmore and George Washington’s Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm. First act will be at Kenmore; second act at Ferry Farm. By reservation only: contact Vickie Hayes, 540/370-0732, hayes@gwffoundation.org. Rain or shine. $15 per person. Appropriate for ages 12 and over.

11 a.m.–3 p.m. “A Slave’s World and Beyond, Fredericksburg: A Walking Tour.” Departs Market Square, 904 Princess Anne St., every hour. 75 minutes. Free. A National Park Service program.

6:30 p.m. Culminating Event: “Bearing of the Stones.” A community procession beginning at Riverfront Park Sophia Street, next to Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), and proceeding to below City Dock. After a brief ceremony, participants will be asked to carry a small stone, symbolic of one of the known slaves who crossed to freedom in 1862. Along Sophia Street, the procession will pass children reading the names of those whom historians have been able to identify. At the crossing site below City Dock, participants will separate the stones from the names and place the stones—both as a remembrance and as a symbol of the shedding of slavery.

At 7:30 p.m., “Ten Thousand Lights to Freedom” will feature vocalists Anthony Campbell, Jim Thomas and Dana Foddress–Bland. This program will blend music, words of those who were there, theater, readers of power, and storytelling to convey the Journey to Freedom, the Crossing. Sunset program will conclude with illumination of 10,000 lights on far bank of the river, symbolic of the 10,000 who passed to freedom 150 years ago.

On Sunday, May 6: 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., at Ferry Farm and Kenmore. “River Jordan: Crossing the Rappahannock to Freedom,” a historical two-act drama at Ferry Farm and Kenmore. (See Saturday item.)

1:30 p.m. “Traveling the Trail to Freedom: A Bus Tour.” Gathers at Market Square in downtown Fredericksburg, and will visit sites in town, John Washington’s crossing site on the Rappahannock, the Moncure Conway House, Chatham, sites associated with Lincoln’s visits, Brooke Station, and Aquia Landing. Presented by NPS historian John Hennessy. Three hours. $20 per person; reservations required. Call Eastern National at 540/372-3034. Buy tickets at bookstore behind the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center, 1013 Lafayette Blvd. For more on Civil War sesquicentennial events, see famcc.org or VisitFred.com.

Book-signing with author Jeff Toalson. 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Saturday, May 5, at Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center. Toalson’s latest book is “Mama, I Am Yet Still Alive,” a composite diary of 1863 in the Confederacy as seen by Southerners from all walks of life, including soldiers, wives, farmers, clerks, merchants, surgeons, nurses and chaplains. Includes previously unpublished diaries, letters and journals in the archives of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Richmond. Also available: two Civil War books previously edited by Toalson, “No Soap, No Pay, Diarrhea, Dysentery & Desertion” and “Send Me a Pair of Old Boots & Kiss My Little Girls.” 540/786-0759.

10th annual Dinner and Auction, Friends of Wilderness Battlefield. Saturday, May 5. Daniel Technology Center, Germanna Community College, Culpeper. Proceeds benefit the Ellwood Manor Cultural Landscape Project. Reservations: fowb.org.

148th anniversary of the Battle of the Wilderness. Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6, Ellwood Manor. Friends of Wilderness Battlefield will commemorate the 148th anniversary of the Battle of the Wilderness with two full days of living history. On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jackson Foster will display and discuss his collection of Union Gen. U.S. Grant memorabilia. On Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will be a multitude of presentations and activities. The 13th Virginia Infantry, Company D, will set up camp on the grounds and demonstrate an array of activities, including weaponry, uniforms and other soldiers’ gear, as well as food and cooking practices. The interpreters enjoy the opportunity to interact with inquisitive visitors. Steward Henderson of the 23rd Regiment, United States Colored Troops, will discuss uniforms, gear and stories of the 23rd. The unit’s hospital steward, Kevin Williams–medical kit in tow–will talk about his duties. Men of the original 23rd were born in Spotsylvania and neighboring counties. Denise Benedetto, a local resident, will present “Uncommon Women with Uncommon Courage,” a talk on the rolse of African American women in the Civil War. Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park’s cannon crew will fire a 12-pounder Napoleon at 11 a.m., 12, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Admission free; donations always welcome. Visit fowb.org, or call 540/373-6240 or 786-2880.

Tea and Madeira at Historic Kenmore. 5 —9 p.m., Sunday, May 6. The George Washington Foundation will host a supper, tea and Madeira tasting at Historic Kenmore with Lord Alan Watson, Baron of Richmond, England, and author of “The Queen and the USA.” Watson will share stories and enlighten the group about British tea rituals. Tickets for the event, a fundraiser for GWF, cost $100 and also include a tour of Kenmore, a peek at Ferry Farm artifacts and tasting of Madeira, a fortified wine often enjoyed at the end of an 18th-century meal. For reservations, contact Louise Morton at morton@gwffoundation.org or 540-373-3381 ext. 18.

Mount Sharon Garden Tour. Orange County’s spectacular, private Mount Sharon Gardens will be open for Mother’s Day touring on Sunday, May 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advance tickets are available at $20 each, $30 on the day of the event. Accompanied children under age 16 are free. Advance tickets can be purchased by phone, mail or online by contacting Cheryl Greenday, Preservation Virginia, 204 West Franklin St., Richmond, Va. 23220. Call 804/648-1889, ext. 319, or browse preservationvirginia.org. Proceeds will benefit the Orange Boys & Girls Club and Preservation Virginia.

“Beyond Gettysburg: The Life of Richard S. Ewell.” Monday, May 14. Ewell biographer Don Pfanz, staff historian at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, will address Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table during its meeting at Brock’s Riverside Grill, 503 Sophia St. Fredericksburg. Social, 6 p.m.; dinner, 6:45 p.m.; program, 7:30 p.m. Dinner reservations due by Wednesday, May 9: rvcwrt.org. Questions? Call Gene Beverly, 540/775-3711.

“Songs and Remembrances of the Civil War.” Saturday, May 19. Robert E. Lee’s birthplace, Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County, Northern Neck, hosts concert by the Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg. stratfordhall.org

Spotsylvania Civil War Weekend and Re-enactment. Saturday and Sunday, May 19–20, Spotsylvania Courthouse Village, corner of Old Battlefield Boulevard and Spotsylvania Courthouse Bypass. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday: interpreters, sutlers, speakers, vendors will bring Civil War to life. Children will experience civilian and military life. Battles held 2 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Rain dates: 2 p.m. June 16 and 17. spotsylvaniacivilwar .com. Volunteers needed; download application at bit.ly/spotcw, mail to Debbie Aylor at the Spotsylvania County Department of Economic Development & Tourism. The volunteer coordinator is Mark Wakeman of Friends of Wilderness Battlefield; email him via the Battlefield Volunteers category at fowb.org/contact.

President Lincoln in Stafford and Fredericksburg. Historian Jane Hollenbeck Conner will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 24, about Lincoln’s many wartime visits to the front line here. Part of the Civil War Sesquicentennial Lecture Series at the England Run Branch of Central Rappahannock Regional Library, 806 Lyons Blvd. 540/899-1703; librarypoint.org.

ELSEWHERE

Please enter information at events.fredericksburg.com; select “History” category. You may also email tandc@freelancestar.com (subject: History Calendar), or fax to 540/373-8455. Deadline: Noon Thursday preceding the section’s Tuesday publication. Questions: 540/368-5029.

THEATER: IT’S ‘ANYTHING GOES’ FOR THE START OF RIVERSIDE’S 15th YEAR

BY EDIE GROSS

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

The first time Kathy Halenda stepped onstage at Riverside Center Dinner Theater, it was five days before opening night for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”

A seasoned actress, she was recruited at the last minute to play Miss Mona Stangley, the madam, after the original actress could no longer participate.

Halenda, a Richmond native who lives in Wilmington, N.C., had a little more notice for her starring role in “Anything Goes,” which opens at Riverside Saturday.
But playing Reno Sweeney, an evangelist-turned-nightclub performer, wasn’t exactly a stretch for Halenda.

“I’m kind of a broad, often inappropriate, with a heart of gold, and I like people,” she said, laughing. “So she’s similar to me.”

With plenty of tap-dancing, humorous high jinks and music by Cole Porter, “Anything Goes” is considerably more sunny fare than “Cabaret,” the Nazi-era drama that closed at Riverside on Sunday.

“I thought it was time to go with a fun, family-friendly musical that’s current,” said Associate Artistic Director Patrick A’Hearn.

Though the show dates to the 1930s, it won a Tony award last year for best Broadway revival.

“It’s funny. It’s got great songs, dancing, lots of energy. It’s fast-paced, so people will be in for a good evening,” said A’Hearn.

The show, which takes place aboard a cruise ship, kicks off Riverside’s 15th season. Still to come: “Phantom,” “The Sound of Music,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “The Full Monty.”

In addition, Riverside has been granted permission to stage an “epic Broadway musical”—they’re forbidden from saying which one just yet—for Season 16.

EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
Season 15 is a mix of “epic, tried-and-true and more current” shows, said A’Hearn. And indeed that formula has been key to Riverside’s success over the years. While many regional theaters have struggled to keep their doors open in a difficult economy, Riverside’s popularity has only grown since it christened its stage with “Oklahoma” in June 1998.

General Manager Rollin Wehman, who spearheaded the effort to open Riverside, is hard-pressed to choose his favorite show over the years.

He loved the music in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in season four and the diversity of the cast in season eight’s “Ragtime.”

But then he points to the fabulous costumes and choreography that accompanied “Cats” in season nine. Not to mention the artistic achievement of “Evita” and the sparkle of the youngsters who starred in the theater’s productions of “Oliver!” and “The Sound of Music.”

“In terms of the caliber of presentations, it has exceeded my expectations,” said Wehman.

“In terms of the absolute number of challenges that take place, that has also exceeded my expectations,” he said, laughing. “Sometimes I walk out here and look at the grounds and think, ‘This is a miracle.’”

He gives a lot of credit to the facility’s original investors, who believed in the project and were willing to spend money upfront to make sure the theater and convention center were state-of-the art. At least 10 current employees, from stage technicians to box-office associates, have worked at Riverside since Day One, Wehman said.

The team operates like a tight-knit family, he said, despite the facility’s growing profile. Actors auditioning for parts hail not just from Fredericksburg but from New York, Philadelphia and North Carolina. Reviewers travel a considerable distance to see the shows as well.

It didn’t hurt that in 2010, Riverside was the only theater in the Mid-Atlantic region to be licensed to stage “Chicago.”

It was similarly good for business when actress Sally Struthers of “All in the Family” fame agreed to star in the theater’s season 14 opener, “Hello, Dolly!” Every performance was sold out—and each ended in a standing ovation.

‘A LOT OF SHENANIGANS’
Theater officials say they expect “Anything Goes” to be popular as well. The story follows a young Wall Street broker who stows away on a cruise ship in the hope of winning one particular passenger’s heart. He gets help from Halenda’s character—along with a few fugitive gangsters.

Several Riverside veterans round out the cast, including Kim Fox Knight (“Hairspray” and “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”), Mason Reich (“Cabaret”) and Robert Beard (“Fiddler on the Roof”). The show is directed by Justin Amelio with choreography by Penny Ayn Maas, who also choreographed “Cabaret.”

Come prepared to have a good time, said Halenda.

“It’s a tongue-in-cheek vaudeville farce. There’s a little bit of love, mistaken identity, a lot of shenanigans. There’s tap-dancing. There’s singing, love ballads and comedy. Nothing deep,” she said. “It’s like an ice cream cone—sweet, light and fluffy.”

WANT TO GO?
“Anything Goes,” a family-friendly musical, opens at Riverside Center Dinner Theater on Saturday and runs through July 22.
Tickets are $37 to $58 and can include lunch or dinner. For more information, visit riversidedt.com or call 540/370-4300.

RIVERSIDE’S ON A ROLL
In its first 14 seasons, Riverside Center Dinner Theater has showcased 62 productions on its main stage, including:

“Oklahoma!” (twice)
“1776”
“Mame”
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” (twice)
“The Music Man” (twice)
“South Pacific”
“The Sound of Music” (twice)
“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
“Hello, Dolly!” (twice)
“Carousel”
“Annie”
“Damn Yankees”
“My Fair Lady”
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (twice)
“Scrooge: The Musical” (three times)
“The King and I”
“Guys & Dolls”
“Annie Get Your Gun”
“Oliver!”
“Fiddler on the Roof” (twice)
“Gypsy”
“Show Boat”
“Camelot”
“West Side Story”
“Man of La Mancha”
“Brigadoon”
“Kiss Me, Kate”
“Big River”
“Ragtime”
“Cats”
“Nunsense”
“Bye Bye Birdie”
“Shenandoah”
“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”
“Thoroughly Modern Millie”
“Grease”
“42nd Street”
“Peter Pan”
“Nunsense II”
“The Pajama Game”
“Evita”
“Little Shop of Horrors”
“Smokey Joe’s Cafe”
“Footloose”
“Into the Woods”
“Chicago”
“A Wonderful Life”
“Hairspray”
“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”
“All Shook Up”
“Dreamgirls”
“White Christmas”
“Cabaret”
COMING IN SEASON 15
“Anything Goes”
“Phantom”
“The Sound of Music”
“Ain’t Misbehavin’”
“The Full Monty”

Edie Gross: 540/374-5428
egross@freelancestar.com