Chautauqua 2008
A Stroll on Spring Street: Jeffersonville in 1958

See Photos of May 11^th Audition and first Rehearsal
See Photos from Scrapbook of Cherrish Curry
See Photo of Hula Hoop Contest

The play A Stroll on Spring Street: Jeffersonville in 1958 was written and directed by Cherrish Curry, with the collaboration of Janice Peters Molnar, who wrote narratives based on the historic context of the play. Cherrish is a 13 year-old student at Parkview Junior High. The play has been written to commemorate the Howard Steamboat Museum’s birthday on May 18, 1958. Set in downtown Jeffersonville, the play will be run three times during the festival. The play begins in Warder Park with a Hula-Hoop contest.

On Saturday at 11, audience participants are invited to practice for a present-day Hula-Hoop contest which will take place at 3pm on Saturday.

On Sunday, winners are invited to reprise their act at 1 pm.

The Hula-Hoop contest actually did happen in 1958, in front of the old IU Southeast Extention just newly opened. The Whamo company sold millions of hoops that year and Jeffersonvillians–especially the young at heart--discovered they had hips for both the hoop and dancing rock to Elvis or "The One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater", a 1958 single.

At the 1pm, Sunday showing, the play’s finale will include an Elvis Sighting at Schimpff’s. According to Jill Schimpff, speculations include that Elvis has returned for the "Rock Candy" or their malts that are "All Shook Up!"

Synopsis of A Stroll on Spring Street: Jeffersonville in 1958

The setting of the play is downtown Jeff in 1958. Mom has borrowed the family car. She drops off her clean-cut well-behaved kids at the Library, went shopping at the A&P, and got her hair done at the House of James Beauty School. The kids were warned to stay in the library and not run off down Spring Street on their own. And for sure, "Stay Away from the Trolley Inn." But the kids join a Hula-Hoop Contest in Warder Park and Bobby goes off with Ace, the Greaser to Schimpff’s Candy Store. Trouble between the safe, clean 50's ideal and the world of Rock and Roll ensues.

The Setting

Warder Park and Spring Street, Jeffersonville, Indiana in the year 1958.

The Cast

Mom:	Merrick Bartlett
Bobby:	Patrick Jackson
Betsy:	Patty Ballard
Beverly:	Clara Burton on May 17 at 11:00 AM and 3:00 Alisha Wheat on May 18 at 1:00 PM
Ace:	Yosh Gonzales
Tudi:	Annabelle Horton
Guy 1:	Michael Molnar
Guy 2:	Rich Wessel
Narrators:	Mary Kramer and Don Feeney

Extras:

Alisha Wheat

Phyllis Lewis

Rich Wessel

Technical Credits

History resourses:	Jeanne Burke, Jane Sarles
Adviser:	Janice Molnar
Director:	Cherrish Curry
Writer:	Cherrish Curry, Janice Molnar
Artwork:	Brette Chodyniecki, Chad Curry
Framework:	Bob Curry
Costumes:	Terri Curry
Program:	Cherrish Curry and Janice Molnar
Set Coloring:	the cast, David Reinhardt, Jena Reinhardt

Financial Credits

Funded in part by the Youth Philanthropy Council of Clark County, which is part of the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana. Additional funding was provided by Terri and Bob Curry

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