Song Dawgz, two Zero Clearance players to take the WAC stage at Sunday’s ‘Spotlight Project Presents’

By DOUG BATES/Editor/The Herald — A recently formed trio of Oakridge musicians and a 10-minute play starring two Oakridge actors will highlight the next production of the community’s unique live-performance series called “Spotlight Project Presents” this Sunday evening, July 18.

The band, called Song Dawgz,  features singer-songwriter Gary Battles on guitar, Keith Dailey on percussion and Ben Olson on bass, harmonica and vocals. Popular at local venues for their mix of classic rock, country, pop and original tunes, the trio also appears every Thursday this summer for an open-mic evening at 3 Legged Pub and Brewhouse in Oakridge.

The show’s second major highlight is “The Mating Season for Flying Monkeys,” a brief play by Ann Wuehler. It will feature Zero Clearance Theater performers Jessica Howatt and Holly Olson playing Belinda and Marjorie, a pair of elderly sisters on the front porch of their shared trailer house.

Also taking the stage will be host Becky Chamberlain, doing an interview with animal-rescue advocate Trudy Hammond of Oakridge.

Sunday’s production will feature another “Community Corner” segment with interviewer Catrina Davis, as well as another episode of  “Mountain Kids Minute.” It’s a short feature hosted by Averi Rhule and her mother Chelsi Rhule, highlighting talented children in the community.

Produced by Loren Christopher Michaels of Oakridge, the show is set to begin at 7 p.m. Sunday, live-streamed on Facebook from the newly refurbished stage in the Willamette Activity Center (WAC) auditorium.

Despite the recent relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, “Spotlight Project Presents” is still not ready to open up the WAC auditorium to live audiences. Like the first shows in the series, this one will be live-streamed on Facebook. Anyone can view the program at no charge online by going to https://www.facebook.com/Spotlightingtalent and clicking on The Spotlight Project Presents.