The Pierian Study Club met March 10, 2011 at the High School Cafeteria to view the San Saba High School One Act Play with Martha Leigh Whitten, Vickie Stephenson, Martine Miller, and Ann Allison acting as hostesses for the event. Linda Sloan very graciously contributed to help out the committee.

Other members present were: Connie Adams, Donna Baker, Loy Nell Behrens, Millie Burnham, Sharon Clawson, Kathleen Hawkins, Joycelyn McRorey, Anita Miles, Dorothy Miller, Susie Nettleship, Kay Nettleship, Debbie Shahan, Patty Shaw, Sandy Smith, Becky Whitley, Louise Williams, Nancy Bannister, Betty Jo Miller, Elsie Millican, Martha Roe Terry, Lisa Theodosis, and several guests.

The President, Kathleen Hawkins, called the meeting to order and the Club Collect was led by Kay Nettleship. There was a brief business meeting where the Project Chair, Kay Nettleship, announced that the members would bring their donations for the dove project to the April meeting and it was also announced that the April meeting will be held at the Mill Pond Park at the Garden Club Center. Linda Sloan and Patty Shaw gave a wonderful report on David Gilger, as they had been to visit the day before, and it pleased the club members to hear that he is once again saying, "Barbara, Barbara, Barbara" which proves that he is back to his old self and will soon be totally recovered and back at the Cactus! Hallelujah!

Susie Nettleship, yearbook committee member, introduced the director of the One Act Play, Elizabeth Chambers. Ms. Chambers has been the director for eleven years and our play has always competed and won many various awards. Ms. Chambers related that she was pleased to have the opportunity and help from Ms.Tiffany Haley who is a new teacher at San Saba High.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Ward and Mopsy Locklear of Brownwood and her grandfather was Jock Locklear a beloved principal and coach of San Saba years ago. Elizabeth graduated from Brownwood High School in 1985 and received her BA in English from Tareleton along with her teacher certification. Elizabeth has a husband, Steve, and four children. A son, Connor, who is 17 and a member of the cast. She also has a daughter Brenna who has recentely turned 10 and is making sure her mother is "paying for her raising." She also has two-step daughters, Paige - 17 and Ashia 15 who also live with her and she is glad they are also cast and crewmembers in the play. Elizabeth stated that she loves working with the kids and they almost become like family, as they spend so much time together. Family does come first with Elizabeth Chambers.

The play will go to contest on April 1, 2010 so this was a dress rehearsal that they always look forward to.

This year’s play is a drama entitled, Teach Me How To Cry. Melinda Grant, played by Courtney Pryor, is the illegitimate daughter of a gentle, mildly demented seamstress, played by Jenna Sloan, living in a small town under the shadow of scandal. She yearns for her mother’s love and guidance, for young companionship, for personal identity. This identity she seeks in the role of Juliet in a school production of Romero and Juliet and thereby meets William Henderson, played by Morgan Mixon. He also lacks roots, for his father is a traveling salesman: and the constant moving, combined with family discord has made the boy insecure and sensitive to rejection. Though the boy and girl are separated by their parents who refuse to acknowlede one another’s worth, the vital steps to maturity have been taken and through their love for each other they emerge as important people. Other cast members are Paige Chambers, Jose Vega, Gennie Hamilton, Allison Nettleship, Connor Arrington, Allison Christian, and Jessica Ramirez. Crew members were Nick Tasker, Ashia Chambers, Audrey Pierce, Cory Rixse, Nina Paradez, Bonnie Hunt, and Taylor Smith. The members enjoyed the play and were impressed with the students and their presentation. Good luck at contest! We’ll all be pulling for you, as they say "break a leg!"

Following the production the cast and club members were presented an array of sandwiches, chicken salad, tuna, pimento cheese, and peanut butter and jelly, lemon squares, rice crispy treats, chocolate chip cookies, brownie bites, chocolate chunk cookies, kettle chips, roasted pecans, and a French cookie by Martine, palmiers, and a ginger ale sherbet punch. The table was decorated in all the spring colors which made it most festive and served from silver platters.

The April meeting will be at the Millpond Garden Club Center on April 14, 2011 with Anna Wilson, Connie Adams, Chair, Bebe Bagley, Barbara Hardy, and Clione Rochat actings as co-hostesses. Alieen and Buddy Roberts will be presenting a skit "Confederate Women Spies" w/banjo accompaniment which should be most entertaining, so you don’t want to miss this meeting!