Page 23 - Fall 2020 Tags and Swipes

Tags and Swipes, Fall 2020

Royal River Chorus

When we heard that Region 1 Sweet Adelines’s spring competition was canceled, Royal River Chorus
quickly got busy creating a virtual chorus video. Thanks to the production genius of Mariah Blodgett and
Lala Carey, we submitted a special video to the region’s Virtual Festival in April that paid tribute to our
retiring director Chris Ferguson. We spiffed up our hair, applied stage makeup (the first time many of us
had used makeup in months) and donned our sparkling competition costumes (some with PJs or
sweatpants hidden below). For her directing swan song, Chris led us in a beautiful and moving rendition
of Can You Feel the Love Tonight.

Just a few weeks later, we managed to pull off a surprise car parade to shower Chris with our love and
admiration for her years of leadership. Nearly 30 cars were festooned with past costumes, prior years’
contest décor, balloons, chorus signs and posters. After nearly ten cars had passed by her—with singing,
yelling, and horns blaring—Chris finally realized the parade was for her and not for one of the graduating
seniors in the neighborhood. We even drove in a big circle and came back through for a second round
(and might have gotten out of our cars for a socially distanced song or two)!

RRC members had a ball throughout the Region’s Virtual Webcast and Chorus Festival weekend of
events. We thoroughly enjoyed watching the entertaining emcees, the educational activities, the other
choruses’ unique virtual submissions, and the amazing quartet festival. Bravo!

At the start of 2020, RRC had a full year of monthly performances on our calendar, but like so many of
you, we’ve had to cancel all of them so far. Our fingers are crossed that we’ll be able to move forward
with our planned three-performance holiday show The Secret of Christmas, December 11 and 12. We’ve
invited Millennium Magic and VOCE to be our special guests on Saturday night and hope to follow that
with an afterglow party with our regional sisters. Only time will tell.

Throughout this extended period of “no in-person” rehearsals, Laura Russell and Rhonda Williams have
led us brilliantly as interim co-directors. RRC members have had several months of fun and challenging
rehearsals on Zoom, learned a couple of new songs, and stayed in touch with each other. Vickie Maybury
graced one of our meetings with her expertise, and we’ve continued our collaboration with Debra Lynn,
through her online postings and PVIs.

The August 13 rehearsal was our first to be held outside. Those who felt comfortable enough met in a
local park, socially distanced and masked, while others were able to watch live from home on Periscope.
In-person turnout was great! It was so nice to be able to hear other parts, other voices besides our own;
and we’ll continue singing a few more practice sessions outside, weather permitting. We do live in the
great State of Maine, after all. We’ll have a few lovely outdoor fall meetings, then the chill of winter will
set in, and that will be that!

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North Atlantic Region 1 Sweet Adelines