I know it sounds like the name of a law firm (as so many things do in my head) but I think that “hither and yon” is an old-timey way of saying “here and there.”

To be sure, I did what I always do. According to my trusty Merriam-Webster (yep, I’m that old) it means “here and there: many different places,” so I’m good. 

As for “yon,” it’s literary dialect for “over there,” as in “There’s some big ranches yon side of the Sierra” and “Don’t let yon dog nod off.” I think I’ve got it now, so… moving on. 

What I do know for certain is that over the last week, I’ve been hither and yon, to and fro, out and about, far and wide and blah, blah, blah.

With Memorial Day just around the bend, activities and events are gearing up big time in the Upper Delaware River region, and That Dog Named Gidget is getting quite an education about how we roll: sticking her adorable head out the window and letting her adorable ears fly in the breeze as we zip from village to town to hamlet, all in the name of the award-winning River Reporter.  

Don’t worry, she’s fine and tethered (Attorneys at Law) so no letters, please; I wouldn’t let her do it behind a truck filled with scrap metal. Moving on.

On Thursday last, Gidge and I could be spotted in Liberty, NY and the new Bold Gold Media studios, where the 13th annual Thunder 102 Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon (yeah, it’s a mouthful) was taking place. Scads of people were in and out of the place over the course of two days, and the community at large rallied as always, calling in pledge after pledge in a herculean effort to eradicate childhood cancer. All told, more than $147,000 was raised—and that ain’t chump change. Kudos to all involved. Moving on.

On Friday, we went to the Rivoli Theatre in South Fallsburg to catch a play presented by the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop. But I’m still thinking about it, so more on that later—maybe next week. For now, suffice it to say that it was the dog’s first play and she was pretty well behaved, all things considered. Moving on.

Since the dog wanted to know more about live theatre, I suggested she “come hither” and we schlepped out to beautiful Roscoe, NY and the ribbon-cutting grand opening of Catskill Public Theater (dot com) and their brand-new state-of-the-art mobile stage. There were vendors, entertainers, friends, fans and a couple of dogs, which mine was thrilled to observe from a distance. She was whining up a storm because she “just wanted to say hi.” 

Managing director Marshall Shnider was all smiles and took time out to share a few words with me. “We’re thrilled to be at the Fireman’s Field in Roscoe, where we are deploying our really cool mobile stage for the very first time,” Shnider said. I was impressed with the sheer size and scope of the stage, which looked like it could be used for concerts, plays and just about any kind of performance that would be associated with an actual honest-to-goodness theatre. It was replete with sound, lighting and “the whole nine yards” as Barbara Fox would say. “This is impressive!” I enthused to Marshall. “Does it really fold up and fit in a truck?” 

“It goes in a trailer,” he said by way of explanation. “We fire up a hydraulic system and then it becomes a Transformer like in the movies. Legs fold down, wings go out, things go up—it’s all ready to go in about thirty minutes.”

“This is an actual stage,” I said, reiterating my amazement. “It’s not just a platform you move around from site to site.”

“It is not,” Shnider said, nodding in agreement. “In the past, I think our area has lived and died with platforms up on blocks—which there is nothing wrong with at all,” he was quick to add, “but this is the next generation. The idea of Catskill Public Theater is to be able to present free admission, pay-what-you-wish live theatre all over the region.

“The goal of acquiring the mobile stage” he continued, “is that when we aren’t using it, we will rent it to others, and that income will subsidize the mission of presenting free live theatre to the general public.” 

Noting the enthusiastic response from others, Shnider happily shared that Catskill Public Theater (CPT) has already booked the mobile stage for seven upcoming events. Based on a similar business model for the Gates Foundation, which Shnider has worked with in the past, he said it’s called “venture philanthropy”—which is “a business that has a positive philanthropic output.” Sounds like a win-win to me. CPT has its own productions lined up, so stay tuned. Moving on.

It was a gorgeous drive to Narrowsburg and the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA), where author Bill Fellenberg was slated to read excerpts from his brand-new memoir, titled “Sayonara Cowboy” (Red Hawk Publications). It’s described as a “coming-of-age story that navigates the turbulent waters of racism, familial complexities, and the search for identity in the aftermath of World War ll.”

I know Bill, and have great admiration for his writing skills, his dry wit and his (IMHO) self-deprecating charm. So it came as no surprise that the place was packed with well-wishers and fans, excited to hear Bill read snippets, chat with DVAA director Ariel Shanberg and field questions from the audience. (Bill: “Writing is hard!”) “Why ‘Sayonara?’” he was asked. Answer: his Japanese mother left him at age nine, and he never saw her again. Why “cowboy”? You’ll have to buy the book.

“I came here to read,” Fellenberg told the audience, “so that’s what I’m going to do.” He proceeded to share the author’s notes, beginning by addressing what he referred to as “the primary source of the book: memories.”

“When you invoke memory, it may offer you a soft shoulder to lean on,” he read, “as you reminisce about those times you were kind, funny or maybe even heroic. This is memory as your personal sidekick… it screens your past with a soft lens. It might remind you of things you’d prefer to forget. This is memory as your personal prosecutor,” Bill read to the hushed audience, “whether or not you invoke memory, or it’s memory that beckons you, there’s usually more to it than what first meets your eye.” 

Instantly drawn into what I knew would be a great read, I immediately bought the book, packed up the pup in her sling and drove home to curl up on the couch where yon dog was sure to nap and I could dig in. I’d say I’ll let you know how it all turns out, but instead would encourage all to buy the book and see for yourself, For more on Bill, the memoir, and how-to, visit www.sayonaracowboy.com. 

All told, I managed to put 154 miles on the car, not including side trips and chores (Attorneys at Law) both hither and yon. Moving on.

Ask the Google: Q—What’s the difference between “theatre” and “theater”? A—In the United States, we commonly see both spellings, although many performing arts spaces might prefer theatre (for live productions) to theater, usually reserved for film.