Thank You Joe Ferlo

On Saturday evening the "Oshkosh Goes to the Movies" fundraiser, sponsored by the Grand Opera House and the Mid-Morning Kiwanis Club to support student programs and held at the Grand, was a ton of fun and a great success.

The efforts of many individuals are required to make such events work, but special thanks must go to Grand Opera House Executive Director Joe Ferlo. He was able to recruit and rehearse performers, while he too performed in the show. Joe's passion for the cause and for the arts inspired the entire cast.

All seven of us on the Common Council performed the "Do Re Mi" bit from "The Sound of Music" with local singer/songwriter Dorothy Zerbe in the Julie Andrews role. In our take, Dorothy was a citizen asking the council to support music. We micromanaged her statement, which she responded to by teaching us how to sing. The audience was in hysterics through most of the routine, I think in part because the image we presented on stage was so contrary to the uptight and tense tone that too often pervades our meetings.

So thanks again to Joe Ferlo and the Grand Opera House, two Oshkosh treasures.

Below is the Do Re Mi scene from "The Sound of Music." I'm pretty sure in the first grade I had a major crush on Julie Andrews.