SL ARTS & LITERATURE: The Fruit Islands Embraces Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland May 7th & 8th

All in the golden afternoon
Full leisurely we glide;
For both our oars, with little skill,
By little arms are plied,
While little hands make vain pretense
Our wanderings to guide. . .

Thus grew the tale of Wonderland:
Thus slowly, one by one,
Its quaint events were hammered out--
And now the tale is done,
And home we steer, a merry crew,
Beneath the setting sun.

Alice! a childish story take,
And with a gentle hand
Lay it where Childhood's dreams are twined
In Memory's mystic band,
Like pilgrim's withered wreath of flowers
Plucked in a far-off land.

Lizzo Dreamscape is one of the best Events Coordinators in the Virtual World.  This is not a subjective opinion, this is fact.  Lizzo manages events for the Fruit Islands – an estate with 115 sims and the biggest private sea in SL.  There are more than 40 public sims to enjoy in the estate: diving, golf, horseback riding or surfing. It is a handful for the most talented events manager with daily events, like concerts, sailing lessons, ballet, art expos and film festivals. Only someone with Ms. Dreamscapes skill and talent could manage a schedule this bold and weave together a Wonderland themed weekend chocked full of diverse activities: Literature, Music, Dance, Art.

One of the centerpieces of the weekend is an amazing art exhibit at the Mango Art Gallery of HATS created by virtual artist Saraid Dalglish.  Ms. Dalglish has turned early childhood experiences with fabric and color, inspired by her Mom, into a lifetime love of working with textiles and fabrics. “I am inspired by wild mixtures of color but I also love complementary hues as well as monochromatic palettes. Decisions on my compositions are based on what I find pleasing to my eyes. I study fashion shows and fashion magazines always finding new combinations to play with.”

Saraid found herself watching the trailers for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland in November of 2009 and thinking, “something just clicked . . .  ‘Theres a wave coming - catch it’ so I did and since December 2009 have been making hats. Ergo the title for my shop, The Mad Hattery.”  http://themadhattery.tumblr.com/

The Seanchai Library will also be presenting the entire Lewis Carroll classic read aloud in voice in four separate sessions over the course of the weekend.  The Library has been working as a partner with Fruit Islands for nearly two years, bringing live voice readings of literature to the Fruit Islands and inviting others to join the Library Staff in contributing to non-profit organizations doing good in the corporeal world such as War Child North America, Habitat for Humanity, Project Children, and The Red Cross Relief to the recent Pacific Tsunami/Japan Earthquake. The first installment of the book will be preceded by a talk about the works of Lewis Carroll with Bookstack’s Kghia Gherardi.  The whole weekend will wrap up with a Wonderland Themed Dance on Sunday at 4:00pm.

Here’s just a taste of the preliminary schedule.  More events pending.  All times SLT:

SATURDAY, MAY 7^TH

9am: Lewis Carroll; A Lecture by Kghia Gherardi

Learn more about the man behind the fascinating stories about little Alice and her magical world.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fig/143/16/22

10am: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Part I with the Seanchai Library

We begin Lewis Carroll's original classic with the White Rabbit, The Mad Hatter, and all other sorts of delightful insanity. Join us as we tumble down the rabbit hole! Presented Live in Voice Chat.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fig/143/16/22

1pm : Noma Falta Live at the Mango Theater

Noma Falta is a musician playing blues and soulful rock in virtual worlds and In-person around the globe.  Although she is a classically trained  violinist, at a young age , she left a 10 year career with symphonies  to pursue her love of singing and playing live  rock and blues music - and never looked back. Her shows are filled with delightful, energizing, rocking fun!  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mango/69/52/27

3pm: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Part II with the Seanchai Library

An oblique Catepillar and a mischief-making Cheshire Cat lead bewildered Alice closer and closer to her encounter with the Queen of Hearts.  Presented Live in Voice Chat.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fig/143/16/22

SUNDAY, MAY 8^TH

10am : Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Part III with the Seanchai Library

Part III: Painting the Roses Red!  We’re Painting the Roses Red! We are ALL mad here!  a Tea Party like no other followed by the most absurd croquet game in literature as Alice's journey through Wonderland continues.  Presented Live in Voice Chat.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fig/143/16/22

1pm : Alice in Wonderland Ballet/Performance by Dramatiques Performance Troupe  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mango/69/52/27

2pm: Alice in Wonderland Reception at Fruit Islands Art featuring HATS by Saraid Dalglish - the only 1/2 Mad Hatter.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mango/45/49/21

3pm: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Part IV with the Seanchai Library

Part IV: Off with their heads!  Alice has her final encounter with the chimerical Queen and her loonytoons court of justice, and shows the assembled masses just who is wearing the big girl pants! Presented Live in Voice Chat.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fig/143/16/22

4pm-5.30pm: Mad Hatters Tea Party with DJ Derry McMahon

Dress up as Alice, or one of the characters, wear a great hat, or an animal avatar...or come as you are for a good time.  http://slurl.com/secondlife//182/20/22

~ Caledonia Skytower, Reporting

“Any ink is good ink, even if it is virtual”