CELEBRATE AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS THIS 4th OF JULY WITH SCOTIA BAND & THE CHAMELEON SINGERS

Ferndale’s Repertory Theatre defines Independence Day again this year with the traditional Scotia Band/Ferndale Chameleon Singers Celebrate America! extravaganza to be held on the Fourth of July in the Ferndale Theatre (447 Main, Ferndale) at 3 pm. Scotia Band, Humboldt County’s Community Band, is based in Fortuna and directed by Michael McClimon. Betty Diehl of Ferndale directs the Chameleon Singers, a spin-off group associated with the larger Ferndale Community Choir. These two groups have been performing together at Celebrate America! for twelve years.

This year’s entertaining script, written and performed by Vikki Young and outgoing Executive Director Marilyn McCormick will focus our attention on our country’s National Parks, “From Sea to Shining Sea,” so to speak, beginning with Fort Sumter National Monument in South Carolina. There will be a special presentation by Paul Woodward of the “Casey’s Son, the Story of a Terrible Downfall,” a poem which calls to mind the familiar “Casey at the Bat.”

As tradition dictates, some of the music, such as “Waiting for the Robert E. Lee,” (honoring New Orleans Jazz Historic Park) will be performed exclusively by Scotia Band, and some, such as “Paul Bunyan” (honoring Redwood National Park) will be performed exclusively by the Chameleon Singers. Other melodies, such as “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (America’s Baseball Parks) and the perennially popular “Military Salute,” honoring veterans and members of all branches of the military, will be performed together by the two groups.

The performance will be approximately one hour long, culminating in a grand finale of John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” accompanied by a spectacular red, white, and blue balloon drop. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling Ferndale Repertory Theatre at 786-5483. Get your reservations early as this show always sells out!