That old adage of “The show must go on,” was the motto of the evening May 16 as the Durango Choral Society presented its annual Cabaret fundraiser.

Amy Barrett and her husband, Kermitt, welcomed a new son May 10, just six days earlier. (He attended the event but slept through the adulation.)

Barrett is the music director of the Durango Children’s Chorale, the new Durango Youth Choir and Durango Narrow Gauge Barbershoppers. It was the Youth Choir that was scheduled to be onstage at the Cabaret, and Barrett was there not just to conduct but to sing “The Frim Fram Sauce” with Devin Acevedo, Amiah Hanson, Anna Haverly, Deana Lancaster, Kate McCourt and Emma Vigil.

As for the appendectomy, DCS Music Director Linda Mack Berven had an emergency operation the evening of May 11. Because she had been feeling ill for two weeks, she said she felt better immediately, but still, it was surgery. The only indications she was still healing were that she sat to rest more often and hugged a little more gingerly.

The Hospitality Committee, headed by Michelle Hegenwald and Sydney Morris, included Debra Lehl and Abby Bowen. Between their cooking marathon and food from Chuck Norton Catering, guests enjoyed quite the spread, including mammoth fruit, cheese and veggie platters, bread bowls with spinach dip, chicken skewers with pineapple, chicken salad sandwiches, a carving station with beef, pork and turkey, with some of those condiments Norton’s is known for, desserts including cream puffs and other goodies and a wide selection of truffles courtesy of DCS Executive Director Dawn Spaeder.

On the say-it-isn’t-so side, a huge tray of crab cakes was stolen from Hegenwald’s car as she was unloading, crab cakes it took her four hours to make. Sometimes, I just don’t understand people.

In yet another show of generosity, Stan Crapo of Star Liquors was the event sponsor. Steve and Marti Kiely also continue to be quite generous. In addition to buying dinner for the performers pre-concert and going in with Wynn Berven to buy a conducting gig for Fort Lewis College President Dene Kay Thomas at the DCS Christmas concert Dec. 6, Steve Kiely had a lot of fun asking the audience to make donations to support the organization, as Megan Lopez vamped her way through the audience.

The choral society, a smaller version than we see at many concerts during the year, opened the show with “Blue Moon” and closed it with “Bushel and a Peck,” from “Guys and Dolls.”

One of the most fun things about this event is that we get to hear the superb soloists from within the choral society. Sarah Choczyczk wowed once again with “Cry Me a River.” I told her I’d kill for her voice, so if she ever ends up voiceless, she’ll know what happened.

Lucy Johnson handled both the delicacy and bravura of “Maybe This Time,” from “Cabaret.” Sara Illsley, accompanied by Ruth Cutcher on guitar, sang “Bésame Mucho” the way it’s meant to be sung, not as a quick-paced pop song but at a measured pace with a bit of lamentation. Illsley told me she once had the honor of meeting composer Consuelo Velázquez, who told Illsley that her entire family lived off the royalties of that one huge hit song.

Mandy Gardner, who may be the biggest ham in Durango, but without a doubt holds the title in the Durango Women’s Choir, which is saying something, sang not one but two solos, the first complaining about aching tootsies in “Ooh! My Feet!” from “Most Happy Fella,” and then with “Ma, He’s Making Eyes at Me” in a solo with the Women’s Choir. The choir also sang “Sunrise, Sunset” from “Fiddler on the Roof,” with Alison Dance taking on a solo and “My Guy.”

The Jewel Tones, an all-female a capella group from Telluride reprised their role as guest artists to great acclaim. After putting the Andrews Sisters to shame on “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree,” they went on to shine on “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows,” “What’ll I Do” and “When I’m 64.” Karla Brown, Ginny Fraser, Anna Robinson and Amy VanDerBosch are welcome back anytime as far as I’m concerned.

After bringing us many serious music moments, Gemma Kavanagh decided to spoof the “Cats” iconic song “Memory” – as in she doesn’t have one anymore – and Curtis Storm and Lopez went to town on “The Song That Goes Like This” from “Spamalot.” (The three come in tied for second for hamming it up.)

As always, Christi Livingston didn’t miss a beat or note as the accompanist, and Kathy Riebau handled the piano playlist as guests arrived, noshed and then noshed some more during intermission. (As I said, it was quite a spread.)

The Durango Choral Society Cabaret maintains its standing as one of the most entertaining and memorable fundraisers of the year.

Bravos to one and all!

HHH

Top of the Gemini birthday wishes go to Jayne Griffith, Bill Roberts, Beth Lamberson Warren, Della Johnson, Richard Vaccaro, Malcom Cannon, Barb Casey, Jacob Peters, Alan TeBrink, Bridget Cahill, Darrell Gardner, Marcy Pugh, Dick Bell, Klare Nava, Mary Jo Rakowski, Gwyn Stites, Kyle Kirchner, Bob McGrath, Ronald Anderson, Roger Hausen, Tracy Kennedy, Dene Kay Thomas, Shelley Plomske, Randy Hatcher, Scott Hagler, Will Connelly, Ruth Wagner, Ment Goehring, Monique Monson, Mary Helen Watkins, Linnea Close, Karen Johnson, June Mason (bittersweet with the recent death of her husband, Wally), Shane Benjamin, Mary Lou Hall, Sandra Mapel, Betsy Williams, Robert Anderson, Shannon Bassett, Karaline Bassett, Michelle Hendrickson, Kathy Stottlemyer, Deb Barnes, Dan Steaves, Shannon Nelson, Char Day, Dony Goodwin, Barbara Corrigan, Cahlie Bartel, Cassie Bartel, Davy Wells III, Dale Wingeleth, Maxine Sproul, Samantha Alverez, David Bennett, Ani Gannone, Dorothy Vaccaro, Jan Scott, Gerri Wilson, Bob Pitmon, Barbara Pevny, Annette Zuccolillo, Richard Jung, Jen Colomb, Betsy Williams, Audra Krull, Paige Krull and Erin Christiansen.

HHH

The La Plata County Historical Society’s Community Heritage honors individuals and organizations who have helped preserve the legacy passed down to us by the early residents of the area.

This year, the honorees were Robert McDaniel and Jill Seyfarth along with the San Juan Mountains Association.

McDaniel is best known for saving the Animas City School and being the moving force behind turning it into the Animas Museum as its founding executive director for 31 years. Project after project, exhibit after exhibit and programs galore put the Animas Museum on the map. Eventually, during McDaniel’s tenure, the organization received the 2008 Governor’s Award, the highest award given by the Colorado Historical Society for preservation, for its restoration of its historic hip-roof structure. His partner in making that happen was Mary Jane Hood, president of the historical society at the time, who was on hand to present the award.

Perhaps Seyfarth’s greatest contributions to local preservation were the creation of the Historic Preservation Board when she worked for the City Planning Department. Or maybe it’s the creation of the city’s inventory of historic buildings. I am only one of many researchers who have found that inventory to be invaluable, and Animas Museum Executive Director Carolyn Bowra said it is one of the most requested resources in the collection.

Seyfarth was also one of the most persuasive voices in saving the old power plant, which, after $4 million of restoration, is one of the jewels in Durango.

But she has also worked on projects far outside the local scene, including in all Four Corners states, Missouri and even a lighthouse-restoration project on Lake Superior.

When your husband stands in front of more than 100 people and says how proud of you he is, that’s romance.

The award for the SJMA was accepted by Executive Director Susan Bryson and Cultural Programs Director Ruth Lambert. The organization also has educational outreach, visitor information services and a bookstore, working in collaboration with the San Juan, Uncompaghre and Rio Grande national forests, the Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios Resource Area and the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument to be stewards of our public lands.

It’s a shame Kathe Hayes wasn’t on hand to personally receive accolades for her many years of service recruiting and directing scads of volunteers in programs such as Tread Lightly, Leave No Trace and the Wilderness Information Specialist Program.

To learn more about both sets of honorees, check out the History La Plata issue that was issued May 3. If you’ve already recycled your papers, then stop by the museum at East Second Avenue and 31st Street to pick up a copy. And while you’re there, if you haven’t done it already, that would be a good time to become a member of the historical society so you can support the work it does.

The party was great fun, with a lot of longtime La Plata County residents and more recent ones who have fallen in love with our area.

The historical society put together a foodie silent auction that inspired bidding wars. Sheri Rochford Figgs and Moni Grushkin swooped in at the last minute to win a Night at the Museum for 16, including appetizers, wine, beer and a special cocktail that will be concocted with the Durango Distillery’s Soiled Dove Vodka. They beat out Ed and Patti Zink and Richard Ballantine, all of whom agreed to match the bid to get a party of their own.

Master rhubarb-pie baker Jan Postler has been requested year after year to make the pie more tart by Ballantine, to the point where she’s dropped the amount of sugar included from 2 cups to half a cup. Then the pie was bought out from under him by Chuck Williams, who I hope realizes what extra-tart means. Ballantine’s matching that bid, too, so he can get his annual rhubarb-pie fix.

Also offered were Board President Kathie McKenzie’s chocolate-chile cake, Helen Ruth Aspaas’ homemade wheat rolls with her special chokecherry jelly, a handmade potholder with a fruitcake made to Marguerite Paulek’s recipe, a cookie kit with the museum’s cookie cookbook and the ingredients to bake from it, a cheesecake with orange-rum sauce, and a multi-course meal by Marilee Jantzer-White featuring recipes I imagine she picked up on some of her travels on the Silk Road. And so much more, but who has space?

HHH

Many of the area’s master barbecuers will be showing their stuff at one of the Women’s Resource Center’s signature events, Men Who Grill, which will run from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Buckley Park. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, kids from ages 6 to 12 eat for $10 and those 5 and younger eat free. Tickets are available at Maria’s Bookshop, Backcountry Experience, at the WRC, 679 East Second Ave., Unit 6, or online at www.wrcdurango.org.

It’s all you can eat, a chance to see half the town, and oh, did I mention the Steamworks Brewing Co.’s Beer Garden and music the Kirk James Blues Band?

I will continue my unbroken streak of judging, which is one of the sweetest (and most savory) gigs in town.

It’s a perfect way to spend a summer Saturday.

HHH

The June brides – and that’s not a myth, based on my records – begin their anniversary celebrations now: Peter and Lynn Rudolph, John and Peggy White, Linda Mack and Wynn Berven, John Condie and Wanda Ellingson, Jim and Carol West, Larry and Roberta Day, John and Mary Walters, Steve Parker and Geni Miller-Parker, Darrell and Sonja Smith, Jack and Bert Baker, Gip and Karen Aldrich, Jerry and Jane Maxey, Gary and Jan Scott, Dan and Kim Osby, Michael and Karen Peterson and Scott and Amy McClellan.

HHH

abutler@durangoherald.com