Branwen Arts Presents “Bilbo Baggin’s Birthday” to Benefit Creations for Parkinson’s in SL

Bran, Second Life – The famous literary journeys The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy both began with the character Bilbo Baggins, and parties: one an unexpected dinner party with dwarves, and the second an intentional birthday bash to punctuate Bilbo’s dramatic exit from the Shire.  Virtual Storyteller’s Dubhna Rhiadra and Caledonia Skytower have organized a celebration of “special magnificence” by Shire standards, and invited some of their storytelling friends to join them in raising funds and awareness for the work of Creations for Parkinson’s in Second Life.

The party starts at 11:30 am SLT this Saturday, September 20^th at Rhiadra’s Hobbit Home on Bran, and will feature selections from the adventures of J.R.R. Tolkien’s hobbit hero, presented live in voice. (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bran/27/56/24)

Tolkien was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the

classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. After Tolkien's death, his son Christopher published a series of works based on his father's extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts, including The Silmarillion. These, together with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings form a connected body of tales, poems, fictional histories, invented languages, and literary essays about a fantasy world called Arda, and Middle-earth within it. 

While the recent Peter Jackson film epics have added to the enduring popularity of Tolkien’s works, they have always been popular with lovers of fantasy fiction and other creative media minds. In 2008, The Times in London ranked him sixth on a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945", Forbes magazine ranked him the 5th top-earning "dead celebrity" in 2009. 

The author’s characters and works are well represented in Second Life and other virtual worlds. Rhiadra and Skytower will be joined by Kayden Oconnell, Corwyn Allen, Luna Branwen, and Aoife Lorefield – all well known actors, poets, writers, and storytellers in the virtual world.

Bilbo Baggin’s Birthday Party at The Hobbit Home on Bran

(Please note that scheduled times are estimates, and the subject to change without notice, because that’s life in the virtual world)

~~ 11:30am - Caledonia Skytower – Introduction & Dinner with Dwarves

(from “An Unexpected  Party” – THE HOBBIT)

~~ Noon - Kayden Oconnell – Meet the Trolls

(from “Roast Mutton” – THE HOBBIT)

~~ 12:30pm - Corwyn Allen – Riddles in the Dark

(from the Chapter by the same name – THE HOBBIT)

~~ 1:00pm - Kayden Oconnell – The House of Beorn

(from “Queer Lodgings” – THE HOBBIT)

~~ 1:30pm - Luna Branwen – Bilbo Meets Smaug

(from “Inside Information” – THE HOBBIT)

~~ 2:15pm -  Caledonia Skytower – A 111^th Birthday Party

(from “A Long Expected Party” – THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING)

~~ 3:00pm - Dubhna Rhiadra – Bilbo & Frodo in Rivendell

(from “Many Meetings” ~ THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING)

~~ 3:30pm - Aoife – Leaving Middle Earth

(from “The Grey Havens” ~ RETURN OF THE KING)

Creations for Parkinson’s was founded several years ago by Barbie Alchemi and her brother, pursuing a desire to give meaning and purpose to the hours they spent in-world. Their father had died with Parkinson's and their mother, Fran Seranade, was diagnosed shortly there after. To quote Ms. Serenade "I may have Parkinson's, but it does not have me." At 85 years young, she has entered Second Life and is thrilled to see herself running and dancing again. New World Notes featured and article about the benefits Fran has received from being in SL and the medical research she has inspired.

http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2013/02/second-life-possible-parkinsons-therapy.html

To learn more about Creations for Parkinson’s, visit http://creations4parkinsons.com/ and view the video featuring their work in Second Life that was part of Draxtor Despres The Drax Files: World Makers series.

All selections will be presented live in voice.  All the performers are volunteers and the sessions are free to all Second Life residents. 

Branwen Arts Cooperative is a group of artists who work singly or together with other artists.  Their home base on Bran provides a stage for performance and a gallery for exhibitions.  Branwen Arts is always looking for artists, visual and performing, who want their work to be seen and appreciated: writers, storytellers, dramatists, visual artists, dancers, musicians.  Contact Dubhna Rhiadra, Fae Varriale or Safi Farspire

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