The ‘Absolvo!’ spell

By SKIP MENDLER

A few weeks ago, you may recall, a flurry of discussion followed after J.K. Rowlings announced the possibility of some casualties in the last book in her Harry Potter series. People all over the planet are awaiting the resolution of this saga, which like most good sagas pits ultimate evil, in the person of the dreaded Lord Voldemort, against the forces of love and simple decency, as embodied by Harry and his friends.

Many folks have put forward their ideas for the final installment—so let me share mine with you. (I’m assuming that you’re familiar with the basic premises of the story—if not, please excuse me, and consult your nearest 12-year-old to help you get up to speed.)

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The ladies of Chinquipin Parish

We couldn’t be more different, nor more alike. Seven women, who came together for a summer-long project that will end this weekend, with the final performance of “Steel Magnolias,” at the Rivoli Theater in South Fallsburg, NY.

The Rivoli, a once-elegant small-town movie theater, now abandoned by the movies for a sterile multiplex, is the home of the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop. The workshop, whose name conveys an institutional aura, is an invention of a few small-town theater buffs who needed an outlet for their underused talents. It has been putting on plays for 56 years now, giving life to a community through productions that employ the talents of that community.

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