Burlington Fireworks

The Coates Family glowing on the 3rd

The view from the ECHO balcony overlooking the marina and directly across from barge.

Bay Day Fun

Shooters

Daria Bishop and out annual shoot-out portrait.


A haunted Forest spyglass


Steven Shepard, shooter and world traveler.

Fourth Favorites 2009

Bay Day Fireworks

Champlain at Champlain College

Unveiling the statue of Samuel de Champlain at Champlain College on July 2, 2009


Guest check out the new statue with a view

Upclose and personal with the statue's polished surface

An amazing new focal point for the campus

Queen City Radio Hour

Festival director Jay Craven


Rusty Dewees


The QCR Players

Host Tom Bodett (Wait, Wait....)

Lost Fingers and Horse Flies

Lost Fingers from Quebec at Queen City Radio Hour taping

The Horse Flies from Ithaca, NY

Anais MItchell at the Flynn

More Baltimore

More Inner Harbor scenes from a Father's Day afternoon in Baltimore

Baltimore Moments

Camden Field - unfortunately, no Orioles games until Friday


The Babe was from Baltimore - a statue of him right outside the gates of Camden Field


Of course, Elvis was playing at the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Beautiful sunny afternoon and tons of people everywhere.

Saturday Night In Burlington

Prof Wang Canfa

Chinese Environmentalist Wang Canfa and Free Press Photographer Alison Redlich.


A toast to Wang Canfa's visit to Champlain College

Presenting a book to Champlain College - China's environmental laws - in Chinese, of course.

Sunset moments

Champ Sighting at Waterfront

These photos are authentic and may represent one of the first times Champ has been photographed in mid-day and on land. I think these certainly add to the case that the video currently circulating and written about in the Free Press today is legit. I can attest that these have not been photoshopped.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT49LQMxthg Check it out for yourself



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT49LQMxthg

Marathon Faces

Marathon starts

Memorial Day Weekend

Mother's Day Visit to Sheep Farm

Derby Dames Finale Fatale

Like a candle in the wind

Kiva-style candlelight memory sharing at Swift House in honor of Al Myers.

More OZ Favorites

Wizard of Oz favorites

COTS WALK 2009

You can call me Al

Rest in Peace ~ Al Myers

Al Myers passed away today after a tragic accident while he was working on the set for his next WCS Drama production of "Wizard of Oz" It was the traditional school vacation work on all the sets and rush to get ready for the dress rehearsal on Monday or Tuesday and opening night on Thursday. Apparently he was working alone late in the evening Thursday when he fell from a ladder. He wasn't found until the morning and despite being rushed to the hospital for head injury surgery, it wasn't to be. He died early Saturday morning.

My first experience seeing Swift House teacher Al Myers in action was back when he produced "Hello, Dolly!" My oldest son, Noah, ( a sixth grader then) was cast as Barnaby. "Holy Cabooses, Al!" Little did you know you were about to set in motion a lifelong love of theatre for him that led him to adapting a play and producing it in high school, and then going on to Middlebury College where he is learning the craft of stagecraft in his work study and playwriting as his major (along with Spanish).

Along the way, I started taking photos to help publicize the shows and to make some shots available to other parents. Since that first show, I have had the privilege of taking photos of just about all his shows over the last decade.

Among my favorites - Camelot (an amazingly lit show), Oklahoma, Music Man (The opening train scene) , Once Upon This Island (driving around the island), Suessical (everything). In each and every show, Al brought kids to the stage that might never have taken the leap without his ability to make it seem cool and the thing to do.

Taking the pictures of the musicals meant I also often saw it in the rough rehearsal stages. There were a couple Mondays before opening night shows that had me (and probably some other parents) wondering how it was all going to come together by opening night.

But it always did. Al always orchestrated the pieces together at just the right moment to have a spectacular opening night. And it usually got better from there.

He brought the same magic whether it was a bottle drive to raise money for Washington trips, or encouraging students on their 8th grade challenges and in their daily work. His parent teacher meetings were organized and he especially like to get on the schedule the next meeting.

The Swift House trips to Washington D.C. were planned with military precision, right down to the chaperone money at the breakfast stop and procedures to make sandwiches for the day at the youth hostel. Not even a sneaky attack by bed bugs ruffled his feathers - he just got on the phone, made new arrangements, rounded up the troops and moved everyone to a new and better place to stay. Hardly a monument was missed. He especially like to walk on the Mall at dusk and see the Washington Monument illuminated.

He liked Monty Python, Groucho Marx and bad jokes. He instilled a love of learning in countless Swift House kids over the years - working in an amazing team setting that earned Williston national recognition for cutting-edge educational innovation. Julie, Amy, Gary and Bernie, my heart goes out to you.

So I hardly know what to say today.

Al, I am grateful for your friendship and the times we spent together. I especially thank you for allowing me to discover something I now love to do - taking photos of musical theatre. Thanks for being a great role model, teacher and mentor to my sons.

My Dad sent me a poem that he found in my mother's cedar chest after she passed away last December. Today is good day to share I think:

Poem for the Living
By Theodora Kroeber

When I am dead,
Cry for me a little.
Think of me sometimes,
But not too much.
It is not good for you
Or your wife or your husband
Or your children
To allow your thoughts to dwell
Too long on the dead.
Think of me now and again
As I was in life
At some moment which it is pleasant to recall.
But not for long.
Leave me in peace
As I shall leave you, too, in peace.
While you live,
Let your thoughts be with the living.

Mulan Junior Miss

Good Eggs

Opening Night Favorites

If I was marketing the Derby Dames...

Tribute to Star Slayer

Star Slayer and the

Green Mountain Derby Dames at the Expo

Hello, Dolly Opening Night

Pre-show warm-up

The Dancers


The showstoppers in action

Cast and Crew of Lyric's Spring 2009 show

Slam for Sudan

Keep your eye on the ball, Rusty!

Slam Dunk action


Miss Vermont USA and Mr. Late Night Saturday

View from the balcony at Memorial Auditorium

Williston Talent Show Slide Show

Jazz Makers

The Vermont Student Jazz Festival was Tuesday, March 10 at the Flynn. A few favorite photos from the festival. There will be more posted at www.stevemease.com and printroom to order reprints.


Max Erickson on the Bass for CVU Jazz Band


Asa Mease on the tenor sax for two solos.


Sierra Marcy of South Burlington Jazz Band - Her dad is Dan Marcy, voice teacher. The combo of genetics and training was amazing. She can sing.

South Burlington Jazz Band conductor David Grippo gets down with the Harwood Union High Jazz Band.
Next year, the VT Assoc. of Jazz Education needs to let more people know about the evening concert so they can come and enjoy it. The Vermont Jazz Ensemble also played in the evening concert.

End of Winter moments

The ice breaking up on Lake Champlain


Sunset at 7 pm.

Working late and still getting to see the sunset

Late winter ski bums. They look a little tired after the Battle for Burlington.

Four very different Days

Four days of photography in very different settings

First - The Thursday night taping of Late Night Saturday at Champlain College with guests from Lyric Theatre's Hello, Dolly!



Then the Williston FAP 10th Annual Talent Show -local community show with some nice talent on Friday


For something completely different - aSaturday evening with the Green Mountain Derby Dames at the Expo. Tattoos and attitude on wheels - lots of fun and challenging lighting conditions.


And then back down to the Flynn for a full run of "Hello, Dolly!" rehearsal. The show opens April 2.


That's the great thing about photography - so many places and pictures to take.

Hello Dolly at the Flynn

Electronics Dump

Flower Show Favorites

 
 
 
 

Lola Aiken Hall Rededicated

Black and White Skiing - Almost

Rusty DeWees at Champlain College

It's always a good time when Rusty DeWees, aka The Logger, come by for a visit. This time it was at Champlain College for a BYOBiz Speaking From Experience talk with students and the public.
The faces are many - including some crazy,evil eye looks.

$15 and you too can get into Rusty's pants.

Trucker songs are his specialty.

Mark Vogelzang Leaves VPR

Marko the Magician

Bolton Valley Skiing

Winter Brrrr...eak

A road trip to the Champlain islands on a frigid Saturday morning.
The Grand Isle Ferry breaking through the ice

A wind/snowboarder near Sand Bar State Park


Sleigh riders at the Inn at Essex

Beautiful backdrop for a winter's ride

-12 and the lake is freezing

Baby, it's cold outside

Champlain College students returned to this on Monday. It's going to hit 20 below by Thursday.
brrrr or should I say grrrrrrl

Chloe on a Sunday afternoon snowshoe jaunt in the woods behind our house

Where is that dog treat you promised?

The Quad Fun Begins

The Vermont Quadricentennial Celebration is officially underway with First Night Burlington's parade down Church Street Marketplace. Burlington Taiko drumming set the beat for marking 400 years since Samuel deChamplain floated into the region and named the lake.

The official flag of the Quad led the parade.

How cold was it? Bundling was required on stage. For the closing ceremonies on Dec. 31, 2009, let's plan on an indoor ceremony!

We all wished those flames were real!

Get the scoop on the Quad events at http://www.celebratechamplain.org/

CVU Winter Concert

A wonderful concert at Champlain Valley Union High School - The Winter Concert with Band III and the Men's and Women's Chorus, including Madrigals. See more photos from the concert at http://www.stevemease.com/

Band conductor Andy Miskavage




Carl Recchia - all things choral - an amazing teacher!

First Night Burlington 2009 Favorites

Just a small sample of some favorite photos from Burlington's First Night 2009. These girls were enjoying a magic show at Memorial Auditorium. A matched set of smiles.

Below, fireworks at 7 and I had a perfect view right outside the Flynn Theatre

Duncan Yandell of Williston, the featured Soloist with the Vermont Youth Orchestra - amazing fiddling

And this sums up how cold it was at the Quadricentennial parade down Church Street. I'm sure all the Quad events in July will be much warmer!

Memorial Service

These are photos from my mother's memorial service on Dec. 22. My youngest brother Kirk (next to my Dad) arranged for a dove release after the formal service. Twelve doves plus one (representing Mom) were released from the parking lot behind the Newcomer Funeral Home.

My Dad is holding the one dove and released it after the other dozen had flown up into the sky.

Except for the fact that the "Mom" dove almost flew into a passing SUV, it was a nice ending to the service.
I should have taken a photo of Kirk's windshield though, as we were leaving, since there was a fresh bird splat on it.

No doubt, Mom getting in the last word. :)



The Christmas stocking is the one my Mom made for me when I was a baby. I read a piece I had written 23 years ago about how she had finally sent it to me to hang at Christmas in Vermont.
All five of the brothers and her oldest grandson, Joe, spoke about her and her meaning to each of us. Amazingly, it all fit nicely together without our talking about what we were going to say in advance.


That's the brothers and Dad, from left, Kirk, Jason, Chris, Dad (Roland), me and Jim.
This photo was actually taken the week before Mom died, when I was back in Denver visiting her in the hospice care center.

I called my Dad the other day and the answering machine still had Mom's voice on it.
That was a bit surreal.

First Night Rising Stars

A collage of photos from the Burlington First Night Rising Star Teen Talent Competition.
You can see many more photos from the competition and order reprints at www.stevemease.com

Grace Potter at Higher Ground

Denver Art Museum

Some favorite snaps from our Christmas Eve Day visit to the Denver Art Museum. It was a wonderful way to spend the day - far from the crowds of last-minute shoppers and the rush of the season.

Denver Lights

Sights of the Mile High City during Christmas

Remembering Mom

My mother, Nancy Lee (Keating) Mease passed away on Dec. 14, 2008. Her memorial service was on Dec. 22 in Denver. These are just a few of my favorite photos of the young Nancy, and yes, that is me in the last two photos back in 1955. I was fortunate enough to be able to be with her for about a week before she died and through the haze of Alzheimer's and cancer, we shared a few great moments of clarity and connection. I left Denver on Wednesday and she died four days later.
Rest in Peace Mom!

Obama Encounter

Look who we ran into on the way back to Vermont, stopping in Washington's Dulles Airport.

City Lights

Church Street Marketplace - bright lights, big city.
Not a crowd of shoppers, though

Manual and zoom in on the tree

More traditional street shots

Santa's Posses

CVU Madrigals were back in full force this year
They even added some fancy handwork to their vocal stylings

Williston Central School's Swifties flew to the North Pole to help Santa on Polar Express Saturday afternoon.

Polar Expressions

Some of the best kid faces are found at the Polar Express. This year was no exception

Blue Skies, Fresh Snow

What a great morning Saturday for some sunny snow pictures by the Lake, Champlain College and down Pine Street.

Rossignol Park Sledding

On my way to photograph the Polar Express I had to stop for some sledders at Rossignol Park - too bad I had the wrong shoes on or I could have gotten closer.