Bill Joyner's FridayMusings May 8, 2024

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FridayMusings since 2003

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Helping define Livonia's Quality of Life

Archive – Bill Joyner's Friday Musings

20 years publishing FridayMusings without bias but not without opinion

A real theatre gem in Livonia. Motor City Youth Theatre

The MCYT is celebrating 20 years since their first Shakespeare production,

which was held at the Livonia Wilson Barn.

The Bard Bums of Motor City Youth Theatre have recently launched their 100-hour Shakespeare workshop, preparing for the July performance of "The Tempest." Nancy Florkowski, co-founder and artistic director of the theatre since 1990, also teaches part-time at Wayne State University. With a 32-year career in special education and drama in South Redford, Nancy, at 64, pursued theatre studies post-retirement at WSU, appearing on stages such as Bonstelle Theatre and Hilberry Graduate Theatre. Her educational pursuits include Children’s Theatre at Eastern Michigan University, Coventry College of Education in the UK, and acting studies in Moscow at MXAT. She has written and directed over a hundred productions in the Detroit area.

The MCYT Bard Bums, a troupe of young actors from grades 2-12, commit to over 100 hours of studying and rehearsing Shakespeare's plays. The Motor City Youth Theatre's Shakespeare for Families program began in 2005 with "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Wilson Barn in Livonia, featuring a cast of adults and children. It was followed by an adult staging of "Hamlet" in their theatre's parking lot.

The then Livonia Observer in 2004 ran this article provided by Florkowski to Musings, on Livonia's first Shakespeare in the Park at the Wilson Barn.

Since its inception, the MCYT program has showcased productions like "The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of Macbeth," "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged," and multiple youth performances of "Hamlet," "Macbeth," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Tempest," and "Romeo and Juliet Meet the Hatfields and the McCoys."

In 2015/16, the distinguished title of "MCYT Bard Bums" was given to a youth ensemble that performed eight shows of the full-length "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Email Nancy Florkowski at motorcityoutheatre@gmail.com

The MCYT website is www.mcyt.org

There are two facebook postings for the MCYT https://www.facebook.com/groups/103464996374124/

Play Ball. LJAL Girls Softball is in full swing this year.

Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan says she was honored to throw out the Opening Day pitch at the U8 Bulldogs v. Sun Devils game. "Big thanks to all the parents who work to make youth sports so memorable for our kids and volunteers like Commissioner Marc Brown."

The Livonia Junior Athletic League aims to offer youths aged 6 to 17, who live in Livonia, attend school in the Livonia or Clarenceville School Districts, or have parents working in Livonia, the chance to engage in organized sports such as Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Football, Lacrosse, and Softball.

The league focuses on fostering sportsmanship, citizenship, and physical development through its programs. It ensures that boys and girls, who might not otherwise participate in organized sports, can enjoy and partake in team play. All sports programs are structured to guarantee active involvement and equal playing time for every participant.

Let's start the weekend on Thursday. That is the new mantra for the typewriter. Thursday starting at 5:00 PM and ending Monday at 5:00 AM. The new weekend paradigm.

Steve Alexander invites you to the Livonia Veterans Connection Month Three. An opportunity for veterans to network and share common needs. Alexander is a Navy Veteran.

Councilwoman Carrie Budzinski continues her coffee (tea for me) and conversation road tour. This month she shares up-to-date information on the City Center, some call the new downtown, and the Senior Center, or Wellness Center.

The Livonia Symphony Orchestra continues to entertain and share the love of music as they kick off their 51st year with Celebration at the Clarenceville Louis Schmidt Auditorium.

And if theatre is your cup of tea, it is mine, then this is the first weekend of Working: The Musical, at the intimate staging at Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church, Two weekends of theatre excellence.

The Trinity House continues to provide an outstanding venue, considered one of the

premier locations to experience live music in Metro Detroit, for a variety of music. This Saturday, May 11 Jo Serrapere will be hosting her CD Release Show.

Classical Bells has been based at St Matthews UMC in Livonia for the past 40 years!

This Friday the Classical Bells will be celebrating 40 years of ringing at a free concert at St. John's Episcopal Church, Sheldon Road, Plymouth.

When you think of musical variety the name Classical Bells is one of the first to think about. Congratulations on 40 years.

Okay, I may have left some out, but there is no argument that Livonia is the home of lots to do in a hometown engaging and celebrating.

The typewriter when thinking of the Livonia Town Hall has memories of a phone call from my mother, urging me to listen to the radio, likely in 1965, to catch Dan Rather's daily commentary. The topic? His visit to Livonia as the guest speaker at the Livonia Town Hall. Spent the entire commentary talking about Livonia and his experience speaking to this group over lunch.

Many years later, while at the Mayflower Hotel in Plymouth, I came across a photo of Ann Landers on the wall outside the restaurant leaving the hotel after a luncheon with the Livonia Town Hall.

My mother would recount the speeches of prominent speakers who visited Livonia and at the time Plymouth for lunch. As a Livonia Town Hall Board member, she relished attending these lunches and discussing the events for years. I remember them so vividly from her retellings that at the time I felt as though I had been present at those programs myself.

As the Livonia Town Hall embarks on its 61st year, Musings seeks to remind its readers of the profound influence the Town Hall has exerted in attracting speakers to our local community, addressing a range of fascinating and thought-provoking topics.

The Livonia Town Hall Speaker Series, which was the recipient of $25,000 from the Hardies Family Trust earlier this year, is now held at the St. Mary's Cultural Center.

With special thanks to the Board of Directors of the LTH for keeping this speaker series legacy alive: From left to right: Beth Stankus, Emily Stankus, Sharron Laing, Suzanne Nix, Charlie Mahoney, Betty Coller, and Carolyn Jackson.

In addition to speakers, luncheons, and the gathering of several hundred residents 4 times a year our LTH provides charitable donations, this year to the Livonia Symphony Orchestra, Livonia Civic Chorus, and Seedlings.

Livonia's longest, continuous running golf outing at 31 years is kicking off plans for Year 32

Charlie Mahoney, Chair of the Livonia Symphony Orchestra's Bob Bennett Memorial Classic Annual Chip in for the Arts, met up with headline sponsor Dan MacIver of Financial & Portfolio Advisors to accept a $7,500 check. MacIver has partnered with LEYTON Orient Football Club and Nigel and Joanna Travis in London, England, to sponsor the golf outing.

2024-2025

Livonia Town Hall

Speaker Series

October 16, 2024

Jean Kilbourne

"How Women are Portrayed in Advertising"

Jean Kilbourne has a doctorate in education from Boston University. The Boston Globe describes her as a “superstar lecturer”. She is known for her wit, warmth and ability to present topics in a way that unites rather than divides. Her focus is on women in advertising, particularly gender stereotypes and the effects on a women’s self-image. In her lecture she will explore the relationship between the images we see in media to actual problems in today’s society.

November 20,2024

Brian Carpenter

"The Art of Aging"

Brian Carpenter, a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at Washington University in St. Louis, focuses his research on enhancing the quality of life for the elderly. He posits that our perceptions of life significantly affect our health, the aging process, and longevity. In his lecture, he will deconstruct the science behind thought processes and demonstrate how our mindset can impact our physical health. Attendees will depart with concrete strategies designed to enrich both the quality and duration of their lives.

March 19, 2025

Jessica Payne

"The Science of Sleep and Stress"

Jessica Payne is the Director of the Sleep, Stress and Memory Lab at Notre Dame University. She holds appointments at both the Harvard Medical School and the University of Notre Dame. Her lecture will address what is going on in your head while you sleep. Her research shows that the non-waking hours are valuable to memory retention and problem solving. She will outline all sortts of practical information on how to control your sleep habits to insure maximum productivity.

April 16, 2025

Kim Hess

"Seven Lessons. Seven Summits."

Kim Hess is a photographer, adventurer, and writer who exemplifies the strength of positivity. She has conquered the Seven Summits, scaling the highest peak on each of the seven continents.

Kim shares engaging stories from her climbs to demonstrate seven practical life lessons that everyone can apply.

Make it a point during May to support "Girl Products. Period."

Daily in Livonia, numerous women and girls cannot afford necessary menstrual products. This problem is especially acute for schoolgirls who might miss school due to a lack of these supplies at home.

The Livonia Democratic Club aims to eradicate Period Poverty in Livonia with our "Girl Products, Period" program. Your support is crucial for this cause.

Purchase menstrual products and donate them by dropping them off in our collection box at the Livonia Senior Center."

Logo Design Competition

The contest is open to all Livonia residents. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize and will be noted as the Livonia 75 Committee’s designer on the website. The winning submission becomes the sole property of the Livonia 75 Committee during the Livonia 75 timeframe. The logo will be used on the Livonia 75 website, social media, posters, printed materials, gifts, novelty items, FridayMusings masthead, or anywhere else the Livonia 75 Committee deems appropriate. The contest opens on MAY 1, 2024, and closes on MAY 31, 2024 at 11:50 p.m.

Mail Address

19514 Bainbridge 48152

E-mail address

rwilliamjoyner@gmail.com

Cell address

734-674-5871

The typewriter is not available for phone calls or emails Saturday and Sunday. Mental health and rehabilitation time. Out and about enjoying life.

What motivates FridayMusings:

We can't only define Livonia as taking small steps toward maintaining the way things were. That will give us mediocre outcomes. Our goal needs to be innovative and transformative.