The Caterwauling Critic

The Caterwauling Critic A Selection of Theater and Concert Reviews from Florence, Oregon, by Burney Garelick There is no denying that the central Oregon coast is a picture-perfect marvel of scenic splendor. But it also rains a lot and frequently the wind blows hard and cold, putting a damper on outdoor recreational pursuits. That's when the arts come to the rescue. Florence, a small town with a population of about 9,000 located at the center of the coast, is home to actors and musicians and fine artists and art galleries. But the visual arts are another story. The Caterwauling Critic focuses on the performing arts. The Caterwauling Critic includes twenty-seven reviews of plays and concerts performed from 2013 to 2017. Burney Garelick has selected these from an abundant archive of reviews she wrote since the turn of the 21st century. The reviews review drama, musical drama, comedy, musical comedy, and a variety of musical performance including classical, jazz, pop, and country. Many of the reviews have appeared in the Siuslaw News, Florence's twice-weekly newspaper. Some have been posted on Facebook, and some have not yet seen the light of day. Among the theater pieces are Florence's extraordinary productions of Broadway classics-The Sound of Music, Chicago, Les Miserables, Once Upon A Mattress, The Addams Family, and The Pirates of Penzance. And there are lesser known hilarious and poignant plays. The reviews do not only cover who, when and where; these reviews embrace the ambiance of the performance, allowing the reader to experience or re-experience the show. Florence residents of all ages participate in theater, children learning their craft in a youth troupe taught by professionals, working adults making time from their employment, and retired seniors treading the boards as long as they can tread. Sometimes visiting thespians and musicians from other Oregon cities will strut their stuff and blow their horns on Florence stages and the Florence concert association books an annual season of multiple concerts featuring music makers from other states and Canada. Florence, Oregon, is a center for the performing arts, according to The Caterwauling Critic. Although truth be told, that adjective is ironic because there is very little cat fighting in this book. Writing reviews has been a labor of love for the author. Enough said. Whatever the weather, visit Florence because there's always another opening of another show. In the meantime, enjoy The Caterwauling Critic.
About the Author: A longtime writer, editor, and wordsmith, Burney Garelick created fiddle and bluegrass music publications, wrote freelance articles for periodicals in California and Oregon, worked in graphics and typesetting in San Diego and for the Siuslaw News in Florence, Oregon, where, in addition to her assigned tasks, she wrote countless reviews of concert and theater productions. She also edited a number of books, and wrote and published two books of opera reviews, one novel splashed with non-opera reviews, and a collection of short stories. The Caterwauling Critic contains 27 reviews written between 2013 and 2017, after she retired from the newspaper. Reviewing is an avocational habit she can't seem to break! An aging, perennial English major, she has a couple of degrees from the University of Michigan. When she's not writing her own books, she enjoys editing manuscripts for other writers. She also enjoys reading novels and The New Yorker and Smithsonian Magazine, listening to jazz, and attending performing and visual arts events. She continues to live in Florence with her cat Katrina who graces the back cover. Katrina is the muse that rules and seldom caterwauls.