From staff reports
Published: May 7, 2008

WTA to benefit from home tour on Mother’s Day weekend

When Jane Pfost first decided to put together a home tour for the Wayne Theatre Alliance, she had no idea how much effort it would take to pull off the event, but she knew that people would be interested in the history that the Waynesboro homes had to offer.
“There are just so many stories about the homes and inns and some of the antiques in them, and I thought people would enjoy knowing something about their own hometown,” said Pfost, co-organizer of the Walk Down Memory Lane home tour.
For the first year of what will likely become an annual event, Pfost worked with area homeowners, museums and inns to put together a lineup of historical treasures to tour on Saturday.
One of the homes to take in on the tour is the Old Stone House at 805 Oak Avenue, along the river. Will and Kat Strickland and their two children now live in the two-and-a-half century old home in Waynesboro.
“It’s not a house for everyone,” Strickland wrote. “It doesn’t have many of the amenities modern people of today expect, the biggest being air conditioning.”
Other homes on the tour include the Lambert House at 633 S. Wayne Avenue, the Geiger House at 701 Locust Avenue and the Heafner House at 607 Oak Avenue.
Also part of the tour are two inns, the Tree Streets Inn on Walnut Avenue and the Belle Hearth Inn on Wayne Avenue. The Heritage Museum and the Plumb House are also included.
“To me, it’s really eye-opening that we live in such an historical area,” said Pfost, who is chairing this event along with Lynn Hilton Conyers. The pair has been busy lining up volunteers at each home, refreshments and getting flower arrangements for display in all of the homes.
“I think this will be one of the most successful events that we do,” said Clair Myers, executive director of the Wayne Theatre Alliance. He is optimistic that people in the community will take advantage of the opportunity to tour homes and gardens on Mother’s Day weekend.
The tour will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advance tickets are $25 per person and available at Waynesboro Heritage Museum or the Wayne Theatre Alliance office, 533 West Main Street, (540) 943-9999.
All proceeds from the home tour benefit the Wayne Theatre Alliance, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Part of the organization’s first Parade of Events, this is the fifth of six events that are part of the parade. The series of events conclude on June 14 with “Bluegrass, Barbecue and Blue Jeans,” which will feature of celebration including music from High Ground, 100 Proof and Blue Mountain Sunrise.
For more information on the Walk Down Memory Lane historical home tour or the Parade of Events, please call (540) 943-9999 or visit http://www.waynetheatre.org.

MBC presents ‘Honour’ as last production of the year

Mary Baldwin College Theatre will present “Honour,” Joanna Murray-Smith’s acclaimed drama, today through Sunday at the Fletcher Collins Theatre in Deming Hall at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton. “Honour” is the last production of the season for the Mary Baldwin College Theatre.
Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday, with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Admission is $5 for children and senior citizens and $10 for adults. Tickets are available at the door and by credit card in advance. MBC Box Office hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 540-887-7189. The play contains some adult language.
Director and MBC theater professor Terry Southerington describes the work as “a story of very three-dimensional people who live, love, learn and grow.”
In this modern drama, the characters navigate the forces passion and betrayal in an intense war of words. George, a respected journalist, leaves Honor, his wife of 32 years. Beguiled by Claudia, a bright yet cynical writer who is only a few years older than his daughter, Sophie, George betrays his family and himself.
The talented cast includes MBC theater veteran Betsy Shortt appearing in the role of Honor in her final performance at the college. Local actor and director Darren Ralston performs as George alongside students Shae Armstrong, who takes on the role of Claudia, and Elisabeth Rutledge, who portrays Sophie.