Chapter 27: Media Circus II

Interlude: 25^th Anniversary

Cindy:

I said earlier, Aunt Jo used to be punk/goth/grunge, or whatever you call it. Considering what she wears now, it is a bit hard to believe, but I've seen pictures and handled the Army boots. The gown she wore to the wedding ball seems to draw the line between before and after. Mom wanted Aunt Jo to look good dancing with men in military uniform. You've seen the picture. The distinguished man in dress greens is Gerald, our head of security. Aunt Jo says that she hated him growing up. It doesn't look like hate in that picture. Gerald gave her away at her wedding.

That wasn't the only picture from the Ball. Aunt Francine was everywhere, doing everything. One I love is when she led the Irish clog line-dance. You won't understand that unless you see a video called Riverdance. Another great shot is Edith Dryden dancing with Pedro de la Garza. Pedro's wife, Angela Molinari is in the background, smiling. Then there is Jason Porter and his fifty dates. I find it interesting that his last dance was with Nanny CC. You can check the time stamps.

Of course, this was a wedding ball. Dad is no one's Hollywood star, but he did Mom proud. The bride and groom traditionally have the first dance. Mom chose a waltz.

Entertainment Tonight—May 26, Monica Parsons reporting.

ET: I am standing in front of the Richards Estate with Francine Martel. We just attended the marriage of Sean Richards and Sheila Schwartz. Miss Martel was one of Mrs. Schwartz-Richards attendants. How did that come to pass?

Francine Martel: It's simple. Sheila asked me to.

ET: I doubt you would do this favor for most people. What made you accept in this case?

FM: I've known Sheila since she was ten. We trained together for four years. We were even cast together once.

ET: What was that?

FM: It was The Nutcracker. Sheila danced the Sugarplum Fairy, with Susan Farwell as Clara.

ET: Wait. The Susan Farwell?

FM: Is there two? Sheila was fourteen. She had to give up ballet after she matured, but I have known few to compare and none better.

ET: Wow. Is that why you cut your tour short?

FM: Sheila has a special place in my life, but I also knew Ricky, that's Sean Richards, the groom. We dated in high school. I even knew his sister Siobhan. She's the tall one in the lavender gown. In the ceremony, she wore a suit and stood with the groom.

ET: Still, you have the reputation of getting out of a hospital bed to make practice, much less a performance.

FM: [laughing] That only happened once and there was no one to cover the part. In this case, it was a good chance to get Diane some exposure.

ET: Diane Franklin, your understudy, will complete the tour. What are your plans now?

FM: Good question. I will be going back to California, but that is unfinished business, not show business. Sorry. No announcements of soon-to-be-shot films. After that, we'll see. I hear the orchestra. Want to see me dance some ragtime?

Saturday 6:53 PM—Smithwin@Bloomberg.net

Saturday, 7:17 PM ET–broadway.com/divawatch/martel

Tickets to the Richards/Schwartz wedding were impossible to get, but getting in after the vows proved easier. We tracked down the diminutive star just after she gave an interview to Entertainment Tonight. According to ET's Monica Parsons, Miss Martel will be returning to LaLa land, but not for a new film. She cited unfinished business reasons.

Does that mean Miss Martel is still pursuing real estate near the studios? Is a move to the left coast inevitable? When we know, so will you. Meanwhile, the diminutive dynamo is the life of this party. As you know, she researches all of her parts, including period dance. That background is coming in quite handy.

Saturday, 7:12 PM—janice.springer@coxandhart.com

David,

Now that I have seen the event, I completely understand why Immons took the job. The scale was massive and the results were impressive. As nearly as I can tell, the bridal party never posed for anything. Everything was done on the fly and with natural light, though I saw the Maid of Honor carrying a good quality Nikon. She may be giving her take to Immons. At this event, my ten year old could shoot good prints.

Sheila Schwartz, now Schwartz-Richards, could be a tyro or a genius. We will never tell from what comes out of this party. I just wish I could attend the dance.

3:4 Magazine—June edition

How often do we cover weddings? How often do we cover John Phillip Sousa? After all, 3:4 is a dance time; Sousa wrote in 4:4 and 2:2. This is the first I have covered either. Then again, this wedding is quite unusual and Sousa was a genius.

The event drew national attention by using Amish horse drawn carriages. It was a good place to start, but it was just the beginning. The pre-wedding party was memorable, featuring a full sized Merry-go-round surrounded by an old fashioned country fair. The ceremony took place on the water, with the attendees packed on the shore. The Bride wore a handmade linen dress, with handmade lace covering, while the groom's sister wore a British mens suit and stood next to the best man. I will be telling stories about this for decades.

What does all this have to do with dancing? I'm glad you asked. The reception to the wedding, not counting the carousel, roasted peanuts and lemonade, was a formal ball. 3:4 is the dance beat and this party not only danced, it was to live music. Any music published by 1910 was fair game—classic waltz and foxtrot, antebellum reel and quadrille, early 20^th ragtime and tango. The orchestra, led by John Phillip Sousa (portrayed by Dr. Michael Foxworth, see inset photo), played them all.

As a lesson in the history of American party music, the event was outstanding. Dr. Foxworth has written extensively about Sousa and his times. While remembered as a writer and conductor of marches, Sousa was primarily a teacher. After leaving the Marine Corps, he formed the famous band and toured many small communities, playing both his own and traditional music. Dr. Foxworth cited his own band as being indicative of Sousa's versatility. Prior to the wedding ceremony, the band played Sousa's martial music, which suited the fair-like atmosphere. During the ceremony, the music shifted to Bach, Handel and Mozart. After a break to change instruments, the same personnel played everything from Strauss to Scott Joplin. So might Sousa have done it a century earlier.

I am not saying that a marching band is our first choice for wedding music, but, in this case, it was a successful one.

New Jersey Architectural Institute Quarterly—July-September

We often refer to the "marriage of styles." Integrating new ideas into a old structure, or adding an addition to an existing building, is one of an architects most challenging duties, and one of the most common. New Jersey's rich architectural heritage spans a dozen generations and uncounted style motifs. In this article we examine the challenges of renovating four homes built more than two centuries ago...