PARENTS' LOVE LIVES ON WARTIME LETTERS INSPIRING.Byline: CAROL ROCK Staff Writer NEWHALL -- A curious daughter's accidental discovery of a cache of letters has evolved into a moving tribute to her parents and veterans throughout the ages. ``Wartime Romance,'' written by Newhall resident Marilyn Johnson Hackett, takes audiences back to World War II days in Horton, Kan., where Margaret Wolff -- Hackett's mother -- corresponded with a bomber bomber Military aircraft designed to drop bombs on surface targets. Aerial bombardment can be traced to the Italo-Turkish War (1911), in which an Italian pilot dropped grenades on two Turkish targets. pilot named Tom Johnson Tom Johnson may refer to:
The play, a benefit for the Veterans Historical Plaza in downtown Newhall, will debut Friday at the Performing Arts Center A performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is a multi-use performance space that can be adapted for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. at College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. . The letters are like thousands of others written from a war zone -- filled with small talk in grave circumstances. The possibility that each letter could be the last is unspoken. The optimism from each writer is necessary for survival. ``When I found the letters, I was nervous, but I told my mom I had read them,'' Hackett said. ``She was embarrassed for my dad. She thought I might have intruded in·trude v. in·trud·ed, in·trud·ing, in·trudes v.tr. 1. To put or force in inappropriately, especially without invitation, fitness, or permission: on his thoughts. As a performer, as I read them, they (referred to) songs that each was listening to, and I thought this was a great story to be put to music.'' The show will feature performances by singers from the Harmony Hills Barbershop Chorus A barbershop chorus is a chorus that sings a cappella music in the barbershop style. Most barbershop choruses belong to a larger association of practitioners such as the Barbershop Harmony Society, Sweet Adelines International or Harmony, Inc. and a live big-band orchestra will provide the musical acccompaniment. Chuck Sloan, who plays a postman POSTMAN, Eng. law. A barrister in the court of exchequer, who has precedence in: motions. and minister in the show, has been a friend of Hackett's since college, and he remembers getting a call from her when she found the letters in her parents' attic. ``She called me and said she'd found these letters and thought it would be a great thing to mix with music,'' he recalled. ``She knew it needed to be presented as so much more than straight letters. But there's that uneasy feeling when you read your parents' thoughts. It's so personal you have to be very careful.'' Margaret and Tom Johnson gave their daughter their blessing to proceed with her idea, but, busy with other projects, she put the draft in a drawer A person who orders a bank to withdraw money from an account to pay a designated person a specific sum according to the term of a bill, a check, or a draft. An individual who writes and signs a Commercial Paper, thereby becoming obligated under its terms. . Her mother died in 2001, and her father came to live with Hackett and her husband in Newhall. When ground was broken for the plaza, she felt it was time to finally bring the project to life. ``After 9-11, I wanted to do something,'' she said. ``I couldn't do anything about the situation, but I could do something about the guys who are over there sacrificing for us every day.'' She called in lots of personal favors, starting right at home, where her husband, Wayne, agreed to serve as director. She recruited actor friends for roles -- Beth Maitland Beth Maitland (born May 12, 1958) is an Emmy Award-winning American actress, best known for her portrayal of Traci Abbott Connelly in the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless from 1982 to 1996 and from 2001 to the present on a recurring basis. to play Sarah; Eddie Frierson Edward Davies Frierson (born November 22, 1959 in Sherman Oaks, California), better known as Eddie Frierson, is an American voice actor and stage actor who is also known as Christy Mathewson, Ted Richards, and Eric Frierson to play her father, Tommy; Sam Musso to play Sarah's beau, Socs; Sloan to play the postman; Lorie McMahon to play the daughter (young Marilyn) and newcomers Sam Lewis and Eric Kilpatrick to play two of Tommy's fellow Marines. She saved the role closest to her heart for herself -- as a young version of her mother. ``I had no idea it would be this hard, playing my mother,'' she said, blinking See dry eyes. back tears. ``I thought, `You're in showbiz; it's just another role,' but it's not like that at all. ``Chuck knew my mother. He's kind of my coach. He's my gauge so I know if I've got it. He told me when I did a certain thing, I became her and it gave him chills.'' Other technical help and sponsors joined in, and the debut performances -- Friday, Saturday and Sunday at College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center -- will include an opportunity to send postcards and packages through Prayer Angels for the Military. Hackett hopes that future performances might be sponsored by the United Service Organizations or veterans groups. The man who wrote those original letters, Marine Capt. Tom Johnson, now 88, hasn't seen any rehearsals or read the script yet, but he's proud of his daughter's efforts. ``I thought if it would do some good to help the veterans who served our country, then I'll go along with it,'' he said. Johnson became a dive-bomber pilot in 1942 when he joined the Marines and was sent to the Pacific theater Pacific Theater or Pacific Theatre may refer to
``At my age, I'm not seeking any glory, and I don't like a lot of praise. I don't feel like I was a hero. I flew planes, bombed targets, was shot at and came home,'' he said. ``The real heroes were in Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor, land-locked harbor, on the southern coast of Oahu island, Hawaii, W of Honolulu; one of the largest and best natural harbors in the E Pacific Ocean. In the vicinity are many U.S. military installations, including the chief U.S. or crawling on the beaches at Guadalcanal or in Normandy.'' Performances of ``Wartime Romance'' are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with matinees scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $20 per person. For ticket information, visit www.wartimeromance.com or call Pam Hogan hogan Dwelling of the Navajo Indians of Arizona and New Mexico. The hogan is roughly circular and constructed usually of logs, which are stepped in gradually to create a domed roof. at (661) 251-7870 for information. carol.rock(at)dailynews.com (661) 257-5252 CAPTION(S): 7 photos Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) Marilyn Johnson Hackett, above, playing Margaret, kisses Eddie Frierson as Tommy during a rehearsal of ``Wartime Romance.'' At right, Elise Herrera, left, and Lee Kersten watch Christine Smith Christine Smith may refer to:
(3 -- color) At rehearsal, Lorie McMahon, playing the role of young Marilyn, reacts after finding love letters written by her parents during World War II. Based on reality, ``Wartime Romance,'' a play written by Newhall resident Marilyn Johnson Hackett, will debut on Friday. Her father, now 88, was a bomber pilot. (4) Dancing in rehearsal, Marilyn Johnson Hackett, writer, producer and star of the play, portrays her mother, Margaret, in a World War II romance with Tommy, played by Eddie Frierson. (5) Director Wayne Hackett shows he is pleased after a rehearsal. (6) Sam Musso, playing the role of Socs in ``Wartime Romance,'' delights after he finds a girl who loves him. (7) Eddie Frierson, playing a wartime pilot, reviews the script. Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News |
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