The back cover of this book reads, “an unforgettable love story, but it is not the one you’re expecting.” The book blurb plays fair with the reader. In Five Years isn’t a romance by any stretch of the imagination. This book covers a friendship as a love story. Serle develops two female characters who lean on each other from their grade-school days and struggle through professional and personal griefs and triumphs. Serle’s evocation of the friendship between Dannie and Bella is one of the reasons to read this book.
In Five Years begins with a perfect couple planning their perfect life in a completely predictable manner. David and Dannie are settled and happy. They are not in love, but they love each other. In fact, Dannie, in the first pages of the book, is charmingly well organized and analytic and supremely unconcerned about the goo of relationships. She is a colorful mix of the Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon and Joan Hickson’s rendition of Miss Marple. Dannie is not much for emotions, unlike her best friend Bella. Dannie is all about work, schedules and doing what’s next in her plan. She presumes that her mate David is on the same path and equally comfortable. By the end of Chapter two, Dannie and David are engaged and celebrating. Bella is in the loop cheering Dannie on.
In chapter three, Dannie has a short dream/prophetic vision and the book changes course. The reader is supposed to take the prophetic vision seriously, but it is a difficult jump. The book is clearly not science fiction or fantasy fiction, so this prophetic vision never quite seats itself. Instead, the main character becomes an unreliable narrator. The switch to suspended realism in an otherwise down-to-earth book and with a particularly down-to-earth main character upends the groundwork already laid by the author in the first two chapters. The reader no longer knows how to read the book. To complicate matters, down-to-earth Dannie becomes a ‘hot mess.’ Remarkably she still performs her work to her very high standards even while her world is upside down.
Without spoiling the book for those who haven’t read it, the ending seems less real than the vision. It was set forth to solve the mystery of the vision with little heed to the characters.
The book is a quick read and the plot twists and turns in ways that keep the reader reading. It is not a book to return to, but the mystery is satisfied and the open ending works.
Read In Five Years for the characterization of Dannie and the crazy plot twists. Thanks for reading.
Roswell Community Little Theatre (RCLT) is holding auditions for Clue On Stage and Mission Improvable.
Auditions for Clue On Stage
Clue On Stage opened its auditions this evening. Tomorrow is the final audition for this play. You know the board game and maybe you have seen the movie. Are you a fan of Mrs. Peacock or maybe Colonel Mustard? Come be a part of it all. Final auditions will be held tomorrow at the RCLT at 7:00 p.m.
Next week, RCLT is holding auditions for their Improv troupe, Mission Improvable. Be a part of this fun and comic adventure. Auditions are one night only at 7:00 p.m. on the sixteenth of March at RCLT. The performance will be lively and LIVE on April 22nd at 7:30 P.M. at RCLT.
Meet Angela Wipperman. Without her the Roswell Community Little Theatre's would be dark and quiet.
Angela spent her earliest years in Dallas Texas. Then, when she was four-years-old, her family moved to El Paso Texas. In the eighth grade and all the way through high school and community college Angela sang in choir. She also helped at her father’s business. Once Angela kept the gas station open late so that Denzel Washington could get gas. Angela’s ornery smile lights up when she remembers that Denzel tipped her one-hundred dollars for staying open.
When Angela was a junior in high school, she joined sixteen of the best youth voices from Texas to sing at Carnegie Hall. There Angela met Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis, and Demi Moore. She admits to still being a little star struck.
As a singer, Angel became comfortable on stage, but even more comfortable behind the scenes. From her first years in live performing, she helped with lights and sound. In her earliest stage experience she had to actually go downstage and physically move stage lights. Angela also really enjoys helping with costumes and sets. She worked with costumes sets, light and sound before ever going on stage as an actress.
Angela acted some in school and even for Roswell Community Little Theater (RCLT) in Unnecessary Farce. With her quick wit and lively personality, she is perfect for improv. Angela plans to audition for Mission Improvable on March 16 at RCLT.
Angela also loves working with children in theater. One of her favorite memories was helping backstage for and elementary school production of the Wizard of Oz. She enjoyed helping the munchkins and lollipop kids get ready and seeing the set and play come together, had her hooked for live theater.
Come see Angela’s latest work in Four Old Broads, which is in its second week of performances. Friday March 4 and Saturday March 5 at 7:30 p.m. The final performance will take place next Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in Roswell Community Little Theatre. For more information go to:
Gina Montague grew up in Tucumcari, New Mexico and moved to Roswell while in high school. She is Louise Montague’s daughter, (read RCLT Spotlight on Louise Montague here.) During Gina’s college years, her mother kept trying to get Gina to audition for Roswell Community Little Theatre (RCLT) but Gina refused.
Gina has a beautiful voice. She sang with a group of women from the Ladies Aide organization. She loves to sing four-part harmony and misses singing with the women of the Ladies Aide.
In January 2012, Gina’s mother finally convinced Gina to try out for the first play presented in the new RCLT building. The play was the musical, Small Talk. Gina won a role and found out she was a natural for both dramatic parts and musical roles.
Gina works for Senior Olympics with Roswell and must budget her time with RCLT. She has made time not only for performances but followed in her mother’s footsteps to direct plays as well. Gina loves to perform and is fabulous to work with. She is a perfectionist for her own personal methods. Gina will ask fellow cast members to work with her on blocking and choreography of scenes until she has it right. She is easy to work with and creative in her roles. In Dearly Beloved, Gina stole the show by climbing onto the table and stabbing the “turkey” while wearing her slip and high heels. The audience roared in laughter at this scene and some still speak of it as a great moment for live theater.
Gina says that directing as opposed to performing is like giving birth. It is a lot of heartache but so gratifying when the show comes together. She enjoys boosting an actors confidence until it shows up in an excellent live performance. She recalls directing the play, Unnecessary Farce, which only came together the night before it went live. It was a great play but nerve-racking until the opening night.
Gina delights in the impromptu and improv of live acting. She was in the scene with Alethea Hartwell mentioned in another spotlight. The bench that was only supposed to “partially” break, dumped both Gina and Alethea. They recovered adeptly. Improvising and delighting in each other’s fast thinking.
Gina admits to worrying about the what-ifs before a performance whether she is directing or starring. She has learned to not let the what-ifs get in the way. Cast members and those working with Gina when she directs a play speak of her professionalism and delight. She is great to work with and a true asset to RCLT.
Come see Gina in Four Old Broads, which is in its second week of performances. Friday March 4 and Saturday March 5 at 7:30 p.m. The final performance will take place next Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in Roswell Community Little Theatre.For more information go to:
I am a mother, author, engineer, farmer, occasional actress, and incurable dog-sap. I think things and write things and embarrass myself often.