DATE: Friday, June 6, 1997                  TAG: 9706050212

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:  102 lines

TOWN TALK

The Hurrah Players, a family oriented performing ensemble based in Norfolk, triumphed again with its recent musical revue ``Zip-A-Dee-Hur-Rah,'' held the last few weekends at the Wells Theater.

The production was directed and choreographed by Hugh Copeland and featured performances of Disney, Broadway, country, pop, rock, gospel and patriotic tunes as performed by the troupe's young cast, many of whom hail from Chesapeake.

Local theater reviewer Montague Gammon III lauded the production, its songs and energy.

``This revue is an achievement of the entire Hurrah Players ensemble,'' Gammon wrote.

Chesapeake cast members were Angel Trent, Jennifer Jenkins, Liz Alford, Nakeya Hudson, Ryan Braaten, Catherine Deaver, Leslie Roger, Katie Lee, Ryan Smith, Ellie Hall, Jack Hall and Nicole Kuzmich.

Gammon mentioned a few of the Chesapeake players for their stellar performances.

``Trent, whether she is singing a solo in `Happy Days Are Here Again' and `Part of Your World,' serving as a featured dancer or a member of the ensemble, marks her every moment on stage with headlong commitment and crisp execution,'' he wrote. ``She's a consummate song seller, overflowing with charisma.''

He also lauded Hudson, hinting that she could rival Trent for future stage presence. He wrote that ``some of the youngest performers can be picked out of groups by their nascent abilities. Nakeya Hudson is one who will be a stellar presence in a very few years.''

And finally he singled out Catherine Deaver, who joined three other performers as the Four Comic Ladies who commented on the revue's action or performed at various times.

- Eric Feber Renken also reigns

And while we're in the process of patting people on the back for their performances, let's not forget the job done by Western Branch resident Heather Renken.

The transplanted Chicago native, who came to Chesapeake with her husband by way of Denver, has already worked the light board at several Little Theatre of Norfolk productions and starred in its season highlight production of the comedy ``Bell, Book and Candle.''

She starred along with Michael Skoraszewski in the LTN's recent lauded production of the musical ``I Do, I Do,'' which chronicles the life of a married couple.

Reviewer Gammon praised Renken's work when he wrote about one of the musical's numbers, ``Flaming Agnes,'' a near show-stopper.

``This song-and-dance number is one of the best moments for Heather Renken,'' he wrote, ``whose performance is a key element of the production's strength.''

``Renken often relies on a toothy smile,'' he wrote, ``that blends a hint of youthful mischievousness with an eager openness to all that life offers.''

Gammon even hinted at Renken's potential.

``There is a sense she has untapped talents,'' he wrote, ``like a thoroughbred pulling a cart.

Even Guy Friddell, in a May 10 column applauding the show, had nice words for Renken as he introduced her to his large reading audience.

- Eric Feber State of culinary art

The area's only Hindu temple, which burned down a few years ago, has been rebuilt.

It now stands off Dominion Boulevard as the Hindu Temple of Hampton Roads.

In an itinerary of its opening ceremonies, to take place June 14, the schedule announced that the day will include a mahaprasad, a full dinner and lunch cooked on temple premises by ``professional cooks from New Jersey.''

Interesting.

Do New Jersey residents have a special way with tandoori cooking? Do they know their way around a mean curry?

And we always thought the best Indian cooks hailed from Bombay or New Delhi.

- Eric Feber Going, going...gone

Is it possible to start a yard sale too early?

That's what those who were holding a ``Giant Moving Sale'' in Kemp Woods were wondering last Saturday.

The sale was advertised to start at 8 a.m.

At 6:30 a.m., setup began.

At 6:45 a.m., the first customers arrived - and were turned back.

By 7:15 a.m., with merchandise still being pulled out, the hordes were too numerous to fight off. Cash began changing hands.

These were professional shoppers, the kind that hit every yard sale in Chesapeake.

This particular yard sale was benefiting from another nearby ``Estate Sale.'' Signs along Kempsville Road and Volvo Parkway directed customers to Kemp Woods. But many of the potential buyers stopped at the ``Giant Moving Sale'' thinking they had found the right place.

Old pots went like hot cakes, and kids toys and games disappeared quickly. But a multitude of girl's clothes - priced to sell - remained displayed at the end of the day. Even a box of clothes marked ``Free'' was still mostly intact.

But the traffic was constant.

One Kemp Woods neighbor, who stopped by to see if a bicycle was available, said her yard, too, had been invaded.

``My husband was just cleaning out the garage, and people stopped to try to buy stuff,'' she said.

- Mark Kozak

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