Yesterday's Department Reunion

... well, if you weren't visiting us yesterday in Colson Hall, you missed Your English Department Faculty presenting some of their research and programs and outreach activities and puppets.

Yes, puppets.

But you'll have to wait for that.

First, here are Rosemary Hathaway and Gwen Bergner looking like girlhood chums and discussing Rosemary's homemade poster for this year's Summer Seminar, which will focus on "American Magic: The Fates of Folk and Fairy Tales in the Appalachians."

Katy Ryan and son Vincent sat nearby, at the Appalachian Prison Book Project table, but Katy declined to have her picture taken, already fed up, no doubt, with fame (did you hear her on WV public radio recently?) and Vincent was, well, too busy jumping and falling down the stairs. But hi to them and keep up the good work and the jumping.

Among faculty lurking in the basement—I mean, ground floor—of Colson was Brian Ballentine, pictured here with his hot-off-the-presses Professional Writing and Editing poster.

The very photogenic-though-she-doesn't-think-so Laura Brady was also on hand, but scooted out as soon as I began taking pictures...

Back upstairs, I happened upon Gwen Bergner once again—this time with "favorite alum" David Foreman. TCH is still waiting for details on that favored status, but for now this picture, which seems to prove the point.

... while just down the hall, Cari Carpenter and students Casie Fox and Daniel Summers discussed their recent trip to Bolivia.

And, yes, there were puppets. Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, to be exact, as, uh, played with here by Ryan Claycomb who leads the London Theatre Tour and who was more than happy to demonstrate just how Anne's beheading happens courtesy of Henry and then—ta da!—how her head resumes its rightful place atop her shoulders. Lovely.

So, yes, you missed a lot... and this truly is just a portion of what happened. Maybe you better put a big red circle around all the Saturdays in March 2012, just in case, and be sure to visit us next year. You don't want to miss out, do you?

And thanks to everyone, especially Rudy Almasy and his committee, Donald Hall, and Bill French, for working so hard to make this first annual event happen. And, most of all, thanks to our alumni and former faculty who stopped by and oohed and aahed just as we had hoped.