At the time Shakespeare composed the play lavish entertainments called masques were in fashion at the court of King James I. It is thought that these entertainments inspired Shakespeare as he wrote, and as director Claire Slavovsky notes, “we really have an obligation to live up to the fact that Prospero is able to do amazing things with his magic and to present a feast for the eyes and ears.” This production will contain original music by John Reeder (‘17), performed by Reeder, violist Xaris Emmett (‘18), as well as several vocalists.

The fantastical play revolves around questions of power as well as revenge, justice, and mercy. The magician Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, are left stranded on an island when he is deposed. Prospero conjures a tempest which shipwrecks those who plotted against him. With his enemies stranded on the same island, Prospero seeks a reckoning, aided by his servant, the sprite Ariel.

Meanwhile, Miranda falls in love with the son of one of Prospero’s enemies, and his resentful servant Caliban teams up with two drunken clowns to kill Prospero and rule the island. Slavovsky remarks, “Prospero has the temptation of using his power to follow a dark, vengeful path against his enemies and must choose between that or mercy and forgiveness.”

Peter Upton (‘13) plays Prospero, alongside freshmen Elaine George as Miranda, Emily Cothran as Ariel, and Alex Wilson as Caliban. The Tempest will run November 1, 2, 3 and 9 at 8:00 pm and November 10 at 2:30 pm in Sanderson Hall Auditorium at Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
There will be a Q&A with some of the cast and crew after the Friday, November 2 performance, and a faculty discussion panel after the matinee on Saturday, November 10.Tickets are $10 for adults, and $7 for seniors, military, students, and Covenant staff.
​
To inquire about group rates or to reserve tickets, please contact the box office at [email protected] or 706-419-1051. Tickets may also be purchased online at covenant.edu/theatre or at the door as long as seats remain available.

by Mary Hadley Ozburn
​
Women from all over Chattanooga gathered at Alice Blue Boutique in Riverview in September to peruse unique vintage and vintage-inspired clothing and accessories presented by Cameron Silver, best-selling author of “Decades: A Century of Fashion and Fashion.” Silver is the director of H by Halston and H Halston and has dressed a host of celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts.

The esteemed fashion expert, who has an eye for vintage luxury, doesn’t just focus on the illustriousness of the big cities; he “respects all who are interested in fashion, expressing their personal style and love of vintage.” This explains the success of his trunk show at Alice Blue.

To Silver, vintage couture doesn’t just include the outrageously expensive, high-end finds. He promotes vintage because he feels “fashion is visceral: the clothes we wear are charged with emotions and memories.” He believes that “the prior owner of a piece of clothing brings spirit to its timeless appeal.”
In his book, originally published in 2012 and now in its third printing, he recalls purchasing vintage pieces with sentimentality and admiration. He tells intimate stories of visiting these mistresses of fashion and buying their styles, only to pass their vivacity to the next buyer.

Additionally, he delineates each era of style as a work of art and interprets those styles as they relate to the culture of the times. Silver opened Decades, the LA vintage couture boutique in 1997, after years of collecting unique vintage discoveries. His success was eminent as celebrities began to realize his passion for one-of-a kind finds. He’s also been charmed with the unique fashion of some of the smaller cities he’s visited on his tour: Chattanooga showed an especially impressive turnout for his vintage couture trunk show.

“I can’t wait to return to explore some of the chic closets [of these gals], since I met so many stylish women during my recent visit,” Silver said.

Living in smaller cities can pose a shopping dilemma for even the most creative buyers. Standard department stores hardly provide the unique rarity of vintage clothing; however, Silver advises to mix modern with classic and to choose iconic pieces “such as a perfect 1950s little black dress, an ’80s Chanel jacket, a bold statement necklace from the 1970s, and other timeless designs.”

If shoppers are so inclined to explore the internet or little boutiques on holiday, he offers advice, insisting that condition is paramount, and that quality precludes quantity. Silver reminds us that vintage clothing doesn’t always have to be high-end designer to be fabulous, adding that “sometimes a custom goddess dress from the 1960s with no label can rival the Parisian couture inspiration.”

In Silver’s words, “Decades: A Century of Fashion” is “a refreshing exploration of the 20th century of fashion with unexpected imagery matched with an informative history of fashion.” To us Chattanooga folk, it is not only a beautiful book full of art and photographs to adorn the most prominent coffee table, but also an intricate look at fashion in response to social and political climates through the years. But more importantly, it’s a pretty darn good read.

Sonia Young, aka The Purple Lady, was honored by the Trefoil Society Award, which was presented to her by the Girl Scout Council of Southern Appalachians.

The Chattanooga Golf and Country Club hosted the event, which was absolutely lovely with pretty pepper plants and rolls of delicious Girl Scout cookies decorating each table. The Trefoil award is about girls’ empowerment, including gaining courage, confidence and character through Scouting, something that helped Sonia become the strong, independent, self-directed woman she is today. In fact, she still has her 72-year-old Girl Scout uniform (with a sleeve full of badges) because of how much it means to her.

Jeff Jackson introduced the honoree by reading a very touching letter from her daughter Melanie Ransom, who lives in New York. Representatives from almost every board Sonia ever served on were present, including The Chattanooga Theatre Centre, The Chattanooga Ballet, The Chattanooga Zoo, McKamey Animal Center and the Children’s Hospital at Erlanger Foundation. Her family, David and Finette Winer, and extended family, including Debby Alper, Jacqueline Marschak and Leonard Murray, Nancy Poston and Chip Caldwell, Marty Brown and Hazel McDermott, cheered loudly for her!

First Tennessee Foundation sponsored the event, and both departing president Jeff Jackson, as well as new president Jay Dale sat at the sponsor table. Sonia’s boss at UTC, Steve Ray, as well as some of her former UTC public speaking students, Kate Trundle and Cynthia Dale ,were there, as were Carole Klimesch, Marissa Ogles, Emily Straussberger, Mary Lucille Sharp, Mark Ramsey, JoAnn Yates, Virginia Polley, Margaret Reisman, Barbie Standefer, Linda Thompson, Martha Mackey, Sherry Dahrling, Cora and Ted Feintuch, Andrew Parker, Susan Robinson, Jamie McAloon, Mary Ollie, Paula Hurn, Darde Long, Amy Aallara, Liz Crowe, Chelsea Dale, Julie Taylor, Dee Hardin, Todd Olsen, Lisa Glisson, Nicole Coleman, Lynn and Rodney Strong, Becki Jordan, Owen Allen, Jo Coke and Katie Campassi.
​
Other guests included Donna Killian, Rhonda Catanzaro, Cherie Martinez, Warren Mackey, Kristy Presley, Valerie Carnes, Amy Collet, Kathy York, Carol Alper, Teresa Jones, Lillie Wills, Cheryl Campbell, Amy Campbell, Melissa Youngblood, Kim Fookes, Valerie Rutledge, Marilyn Goler, Barby Wilson, Marguerite Hogan, Elizabeth Kramer, Rabbi Craig Lewis, Stephanie Crowe, last year’s honoree, and many others. Sonia was very moved by the outpouring of support she received, and of course, thanks everyone from the bottom of her purple heart!