By DOUG BATES/Editor/The Herald — The lead illustration with this commentary may look like an ad, but it isn’t. It’s free space The Herald is giving to Oakridge-Westfir volunteers who have worked literally hundreds of hours over the past year to bring live performing arts back to town in the face of a morale-crushing pandemic.
Take a bow, Loren Christopher Michaels, Rachel Nehmer and a cast of many others whose creative energies will culminate Sunday, May 16, in the premiere of The Spotlight Project Presents. The family-friendly variety show, streaming at 7 p.m. on Facebook Live, will feature musical guests Kai Botak and Kerri Vanden Berg, magician Jeff Martin and special guest Mayor Kathy Holston, and will be hosted by actor and director Becky Chamberlain.
The show will also feature a segment called Community Corner with Catrina Davis, highlighting local artisans, businesses and special events in our community.
The founders of the not-for-profit project, Michaels and Nehmer, have spent the past nine months renovating the old stage at the Willamette Activity Center in Oakridge. In that time, with the help of several volunteers, they have repainted the stage, resurfaced the floors and installed curtains, lighting and sound equipment along with building a complete broadcast system to give local talent a safe environment to share their talents with the people of Oakridge, Westfir and beyond.
The format of The Spotlight Project Presents is part talk show and part variety show with guest interviews and live stage performances. There will be a different broadcast every other Sunday at 7 p.m. starting with the May 16th premiere.
To watch these live broadcasts go to https://www.facebook.com/Spotlightingtalent and click on The Spotlight Project Presents Facebook Live event to reserve your seat today. (Note for non-techies like yours truly: For most users, Facebook Live is a feature of the social network that uses the camera on a computer or mobile device to broadcast real-time video to Facebook. Michaels’ Spotlight Project is taking the feature to a whole new level.)
Michaels, who achieved an extensive and successful career in show business before settling in Oakridge, wants this project to be what he calls “a blessing to uplift the spirits and give the talented a forum – a place for those theater people who are invested in show business to come back to.”
It’s a blessing, indeed, for a community that has long supported the performing arts. Any who care to donate money or materials toward The Spotlight Project may contact [email protected].
In the meantime, mark your calendars for 7 p.m. Sunday, May 16. It’s been far too long since the stage lights have been switched on in Oakridge, and a grateful community needs to support those who have worked so hard to bring live entertainment back into our lives.
Herald Editor Doug Bates is a retired newspaper journalist who lives in Oakridge.
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