'Whistlestop' actors ready for January performances

Some things are just facts of life: death, taxes and change whenever you print a schedule of events. The February schedule for Student Day and the lecture series that appeared here last week has been completely changed.

Student Day, Saturday, Feb. 2, will now feature Ralph Chizek. He was scheduled for January, but our heavy snow storm made it impossible for anyone to get to the museum that day. So Chizek, past professor of ancient languages, will speak on the ancient pictographic Hebrew language at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The performance of "Portrait of a Pioneer Lady" will take place in March.

The lecture series in February has also been changed. Bob Nylen, curator of history at the Nevada State Museum, will speak on "Treasures of the Nevada Mint." Bob Ellison will now speak in April.

The melodrama is going on as scheduled and tickets are flying out the door. I doubt you can get a ticket for Saturday night now. Friday night could also be sold out. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, run, don't walk, to the museum as soon as possible.

The other afternoon at one of our rehearsals I snapped a few pictures of the action. The cast is almost having more fun than the audience will. There will even be piano music to cue the audience to their reaction to each character. You might want to practice your hissing. My cats have been rehearsing hissing for weeks.

If you plan to nominate a woman for our annual Women in History Month, nomination packets are now available. You may nominate any woman that you feel has made a significant historical contribution to the quality to life in Douglas County and who lives or has lived here. Nomination packets may be picked up at the Gardnerville museum or by calling 782-2555 and requesting that the information be faxed to you or call Marlena Hellwinkel at 782-2010.

The January photo contest is underway. Photos are accepted until 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31. Whatever you choose as representative of January in Douglas County, please send us your photos for our 2009 calendar.

Douglas County Historic Society is also planning a membership drive in the near future. Benefits of membership include free admission to both museums as well as a discount on purchases in both museum gift shop/book stores. Don't wait for a membership drive to join. There is a downloadable membership application on our Web site.

If you have any questions about anything mentioned here, please call the Douglas County Historical Society at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in Gardnerville at 782-2555. Visit our Web site at www.historicnevada.org. And if you have the time, the museum is always looking for interested volunteers.

-- Contact Ellen Caywood at in2my2cats@yahoo.com or at 790-1565.