Melting is Girls Golfer of the Year
Find your holiday
fun!
page 16
page 18 Locally Owned & Operated www.matthewsminthillweekly.com
Volume 7, Number 49 • Dec. 3 to 9, 2014
Student performers will take the stage at Spotlight Performing Arts Academy this weekend for their production of “Fame Jr.” Josh Whitener/MMHW photo
‘Fame Jr.’ to debut at Spotlight Performing Arts Academy Student performers to take the stage this weekend for 1980s-themed musical by Josh Whitener josh@matthewsminthillweekly.com
MINT HILL – Actors at Spotlight Performing Arts
Academy will take audience members back in time this weekend to an era of big hair, heavy makeup and flashy clothing as they present their stage production of the musical “Fame Jr.” Performances are slated for Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are on
sale now and cost $5 in advance when purchased at the studio, or $7 at the door. All performances take place at Spotlight’s studio, located at 7714 Matthews-Mint Hill Road. Set in the 1980s, “Fame Jr.” centers on students attending a high school for the arts, and their ambitions to hone their performing skills and, potentially, reach a point where they become famous. “I love the fact that it encompasses actual acting techniques,” Amanda Bledsoe, the show’s director, said. “It talks about Shakespeare and real things, from dancing to singing and acting.” “Fame Jr.” essentially tells the same story as the popular “Fame – The Musical,” but in a slightly more condensed format, adapted for student performers. The eight student cast members range in age from 11 to 15 years old, with Bledsoe and Spotlight founder Angela Gordon Mills rounding off the cast by playing the two teachers in the show. Elizabeth McNeely, a sophomore at Butler High School, will take on the role of Carmen, an ambitious, “sassy,” fame-obsessed dancer. “She definitely thinks she’s kind of the best thing out there,” Elizabeth said of her character. “She’s not very humble, (and is) kind of caught up in society and what the acting world thinks she should be. She’s not really herself.” Elizabeth said getting into character has been challenging, as she considers Carmen “kind of mean” – a trait Elizabeth says is foreign to her own personality. Elizabeth’s past roles have primarily included “girlnext-door” characters, but she said it’s been fun to play a character with a bit of an edge. (see Fame on page 10)
Board approves speed humps near Sportsplex by Courtney Schultz courtney@matthewsminthillweekly.com
MATTHEWS – The Matthews Board of Commissioners approved the implementation of two speed humps on Tank Town Road, near the Matthews
Sportsplex, during their most recent meeting on Nov. 24. At the board’s Oct. 13 meeting, a group of residents from the Crestdale community presented concerns regarding traffic conditions,
particularly regarding traffic generated by the Mecklenburg Count Sportsplex at Matthews. The group requested the town conduct speed counts, consider installation of speed humps and seek for the county open the new road
from the Sportsplex to Brigman Road, according to a memo presented to the board from Ralph Messera, Matthews public works director. The town’s transportation advisory (see Crestdale on page 11)
INDEX: News Briefs, 6; Crime Blotter, 7; Education, 14; Faith, 15; Calendar, 17; Sports, 18; Classifieds, 23