June 2001
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Spring Fling: Under blue skies, sync-opation rules
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This year's judges for the fling made a ceremonial entrance. Leading
the procession is wheelchair-riding Susie Siders (UCAR President's
Office), who'd broken her leg just days before. Other judges were
incumbents Carol Manteuffel (SaSS), Susan Montgomery-Hodge (UCAR
President's Office), and Bonnie Slagel (COMET) and newcomers Norma
Beasant (HR), Terri Cantrell (HAO), Barbara Middlebrook (RAP), Susan
Stevens (SaSS), and Sandra Petrie (DIR). Perched above the crowd is
Wes Wildcat (SCD), who videotaped the proceedings; a dub will be
available from the NCAR Library. (Photos by Carlye Calvin.)
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Nifty dance moves and blonde wigs were the order of the day on the
basketball court at the Foothills Lab on 11 May. It was a new FL
setting for the sixth annual lip-sync competition, part of UCAR's
Spring Fling. Overcast skies that morning segued into perfect weather
for the beach-themed Fling, organized by the Employee Activities
Committee (EAC). The clear, balmy afternoon was a far cry from the
cold winds and graupel that peppered
last year's party at the Mesa Lab.
Once again, judges had plenty to sync their teeth into. Making good
use of Eron Brennan's sound system, SCD and CGD both mounted production
numbers to rival their lavish efforts from last year. With its
three-act send-up of The Sound of Music,
CGD took the grand prize--the "Big Mouth Billy Bass, the Singing Fish"
trophy--as well as the Best Use of Mike Moran award. Mike portrayed
the youngest daughter, Gretl.
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What do you call an actor like Tim
Barnes? A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!
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Maria (Tim Barnes, at left), counsels her musical brood: (left to
right) Liesl (Roger Dargaville, partially obscured), Friedrich (Sylvia
Murphy), Louisa (Paula Fisher), Kurt (Julie Arblaster, center),
Brigitta (Julie Caron), Marta (Judith Berner), and Gretl (Mike Moran).
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The dancing Von Trapps included Sylvia Murphy, Judith Berner,
Julie Arblaster (background),
and Paula Fisher.
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SCD's stylishly clad hoofers wowed the crowd with their take on Will
Smith's rap from the film "Wild Wild West," scoring the Best Costumes
and Best Choreography awards. (People of a certain age might have
recognized the base track as Stevie Wonder's "I Wish.")
Renaissance performer Tim Barnes (OEO) won a Lifetime Achievement Award
for willing himself into Smith's persona for SCD, then in-habiting the
role of the perky nun Maria for CGD. According to Lana Soller (SCD),
"Tim's been part of our [lip-sync] group for a long time. [SCD
director] Al Kellie gave Tim a plaque at our retreat last fall and made
him an honorary part of SCD."
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The bawdy dancers of SCD took UCAR back to the 19th century--with a
modern beat--through their rendition of "Wild Wild West."
The black-hatted Tim Scheitlin, Steve Hammond, and Ethan Alpert
(partially obscured) flank Tim Barnes.
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Hoofing it are Tamara Rittner, Scot Colburn, Lana Soller, Bob
Campbell (obscured), and Mary Haley.
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Secrets of the stars
Curious how SCD and CGD put together their show stoppers?
Check out these behind-the-scenes reports from
Mary Haley (SCD) and
the Julies of CGD
(Arblaster and Caron).
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EACers Craig Hartsough (HAO) and Wendy Abshire (COMET) kicked off the
syncing and won the Judges' Fantasy Award with their robotic take on
Aqua's "Barbie Girl." "The original idea and motivation were from
Wendy, and I was asked to join in because I'm so easy to enlist," says
Craig, who earned the Quick Change Award by switching outfits six times
in three minutes. Wendy adds, "The idea was always that G.I Joe would
win Barbie's heart over Ken." She notes that her costume included a
dress bought in New York and accoutrements from "Toys R Us, Candy's
vintage clothing store, and my closet!"
Next up was a live performance by Thelma Haline and the SSTs: Zhenya
Gallon and Bob Henson (UCAR Communications) on vocals, with Robbie
Stauffer and Sue Schauffler (ACD) on percussion. In a sequel to their
1998 rendition of
"Blame It on El Niño,"
(see links for lyrics), the SSTs saluted the other half of ENSO with
"The La Niña Song,"
set to the tune of Harry Belafonte's classic "Matilda." The SSTs were
recognized for Cheapest Exploitation of a Weather Phenomenon and for
the Best Non-Lip Sync Lip Sync.
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Wendy Abshire's Barbie Girl finds true love with one of Craig
Hartsough's six Ken-carnations.
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Thelma Haline and the SSTs--(from left) Bob Henson, Zhenya
Gallon, Robbie Stauffer, and Sue Schauffler--were the epitome of
cooler-than-average as they performed "The La Niña Song."
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Pearl Street earned the Wettest Act Award this year with a truly
mutilayered work: Steve Hinson portraying Eddie Murphy portraying
James Brown. Murphy had performed "James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub" for
"Saturday Night Live" in 1983. Steve and company gave the piece new
life with the help of a kid's wading pool and some frenetic
choreography that earned them the Soul Train Award. "We discussed
several songs," he notes, "and when we saw this act, everybody
immediately agreed this was the one, except me, of course. I had to
take vacation to practice my elegant and stately dance routine. (I'm
kidding on all fronts)."
Post-sync, the Fling expanded across the Foothills campus. On the
FL1/2 patio, beach-party food and drink from Velma Ryan and Food
Services accompanied the surf-rock-redux of The Invaders. Children
took to FL's rear sidewalks for a chalk-art contest, while kids of all
ages enjoyed frisbee golf on the front lawn.
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Steve Hinson feels good--and we knew that he would. Pearl
Street's dance team included Connie Cage (Ieft) and Stacy Dobbs
(right); not pictured is Tina Sedillo. Anita Monk-Ryan was the
host/emcee/robe manager for the Hardest-Working Man in Show Biz. The
air-instrument band included Janet Campbell, Kelly Coleman, Jennifer
Strange, Melissa Miller, Missy Boone, and Denise Frederiksen.
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Stacy Dobbs preps the crowd.
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The folks behind the Fling
Tina Arthur and Craig Hartsough (lip-sync emcee, along with Jennifer
Delaurant) spearheaded the months of planning required to put on the
Spring Fling. Tina adds:
"Jennifer Delaurant put together the certificates and awards. Wendy
Abshire organized the sidewalk chalk-art contest Megan Donnelly took
photos with the digital camera. Teresa, Craig, Wendy, and I cleaned up
the horseshoe pits. Other committee members put up fliers and helped
at the event. We all chip in however we can! It's a great committee."
For more Fling photos, see the
Web gallery from Carlye Calvin and the
SCD News report.
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In this issue... •
Other issues of Staff Notes Monthly
UCAR •
NCAR •
UOP
Edited by Bob Henson,
bhenson@ucar.edu
Prepared for the Web by Jacque Marshall
Last revised: Thu Jun 21 11:00:53 MDT 2001