I I r r!^> Cll 11^1 THE brunswick^kacon Btm
IV lyyl lVV >j|j| 1 X THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1 7, 1 994 |^p H
INSIDE THIS SECTION:
Plant Doctor, 5
TV Listings , 6-7
Young Singer To A/lake The Most Of His ' Big Chance
BY SUSAN USHER
It was the break of a lifetime and Shane Pittman came
within minutes of missing it.
Auditions started at 1 p.m. that Wednesday in late
October, and it had been one of those days.
When the West Brunswick High School junior and his
cousin and music mentor, Jackie High, arrived two
hours later at the Myrtle Beach Opry House, the
Opryland regional auditions were almost over.
He was the 95th and last singer, and by six years the
youngest, to take the mike in front of five talent scouts
seated behind a long table holding only a "dinky tape
recorder." The competition included experienced enter
tainers already on the payroll of the Carolina Opry,
Myrtle Beach Opry, Dixie Stampede, and Alabama
Theater.
On request the 16-year-old, dressed in scuffed white
jeans and a red, white and blue American flag jacket,
launched into his "best song" ? Clint Black's "Put
Yourself In My Shoes".
The scouts started talking among themselves.
Halfway through the number, they stopped Shane.
Assuming the worst, he turned to leave, only to be called
back with a "Where do you think you're going?"
To his amazement, the audition had just begun.
Before it was over Shane had learned and auditioned a
dance number, completed vocal range and sight reading
checks, and sung three songs instead of the usual two.
After a slow Clint Black number. "Nothing's News,"
Shane sang part of the standard "What Kind of Fool Am
I?", from the West Bruaswick Show Chorus's 1994
spring clown show, a piece chorus teacher Patty Jordan
had recommended as a good vehicle for his voice. Then
> he sang it all, on request.
After struggling all week with a cold, his voice had
been a big concern for Shane going into the audition. "I
was praying." he recalled. "I finished it really well."
"Jackie says I have the power to imitate anyone." said
Shane "But I have my own voice as well and some peo
ple recognize that too."
In similar settings across the nation Opryland repre
sentatives were scouting for new talent to fill 1 .(MM) posi
tions in an entertainment stable that includes Alabama
Theater at Myrtle Beach. Opryland in Nashville and lo
cations in Fiesta, Texas, Branson, Mo., and Las Vegas.
The Myrtle Beach scouts who auditioned Shane liked
what they heard. Out of the 95. he was one of 12 called
back and offered letters of intent. Sometime between
January and March ? a schedule that seems a lifetime
STAFF mOTO BY SUSAN USHEK
A SUCCESSFUL AUDITION in Myrtle Beach may launch West Brunswick High School junior
Shane Pittman on the musical career of his dreams. It's already thrust him into the spotlight among
schoolmates.
away to Shane ? he will rcccive a telephone call and an
offer.
Shane ha* dreamed of a career in music since second
grade "I was raised in the church, with music," he said.
"Everybody at this school knows I'm a music freak."
One of his biggest fans, along with Jackie, is his
mother. He's the son of Virginia Pittman of Calabash
and Ronnie Pittman of Nevada.
With his mother's encouragement, Shane has done
more than dream about his career; he's been preparing
for i(. Help has come from a variety of sources and
doors seem to keep opening.
Only in the past year or so has Shane developed a lik
ing for country music, and then only the more "upbeat"
cross-over branch of its genealogy. Versatile, he also
sings show tunes and pop.
This is his second year in the West Brunswick Show
Choir, an ensemble that sings and dances, and his fourth
year in vocal music under Mrs. Jordan.
"She has been a major influence," he said. "She
taught me how to sight read, and that was a big advan
tage. I was one of only a few who auditioned who could
read music. She has also helped me develop vocally and
she helped with my dance."
A schoolmate, Casey Reaves, helped with dance as
well, choreographing a number which he learned for the
Opryland audition.
Shane's also getting mike time with the help of his
cousin Jackie. Shane's sung three times on WPDE TV
station's Star Time, a show she owns, and has performed
at Suspenders, where she is karaoke hostess. That's
where he was singing the night before school started this
fall.
Myrtle Beach Opry cast members in the audience told
him about the Opryland auditions and encouraged him
to try out.
"I had almost decided not to go out that night because
the next day was a school day," he recalled. "If I hadn't
gone, I wouldn't have learned about the auditions and 1
would have missed my chance."
Waiting for that phone call in early 1995 is tough.
Shane isn't sure what he'll be offered. The audition team
discussed several options for the youngest among those
auditioning.
"The director said they would plant us somewhere
and watch us grow." said Shane. "1 was mentally plead
ing 'Please plant me.'"
He's hoping to be 'planted' at the Alabama Theater in
Myrtle Beach, where there may be as many as 10 jobs
open. That assignment might allow him to remain en
rolled at West Brunswick. Scouts discussed other op
tions such as private tutoring or earning a GED at a
community college and then continuing his education.
"I do want to finish school, but 1 don't necessarily
want to finish it here. I've told them I'm available to
move," said Shane, determination in his voice. "I've
wanted to make it in music. I've worked hard for this
chance and I deserve it. I'm going to do what it takes to
make it."
Thanksgiving Blossoms
Mrs. Ivren (Ann) Hughes of Shallotte displays the beautiful 5
year-old Thanksgiving cactus she raised from a 2-inch seedling. To
guarantee a burst of blossoms in the fall, she keeps it in the garage
all winter, bringing it outdoors to a shady spot each spring.
FROM DAPHNE'S KITCHEN
Build Your Own Thanksgiving Traditions
BT UAHlNt McWHITE
For many people. Thanksgiving is
a big event! It is a time for family
and friends to
congregate, en
joy laughter and
good times.
It is at this
season that I
head home to
beautiful rural
Virginia, where
at my childhood
home, four gen
McWHITE erations gather
together to partake of tradition.
The Thanksgiving meal is always
the same. Mom cooks the turkey
with dressing, and Dad does the
carving. In between bites of corn
pudding and candied yams, we eat
those delicious melt-in-your-mouth
yeast rolls that Granny makes.
Early Thanksgiving morning.
Dad, sons and several guests go out
on the farm with the dogs to hunt
deer. Back at the house. Mom,
daughters and friends prepare the
feast, talk, sip hot cider and play
with the little ones.
When we finally sit around the
holiday table, filled with our extend
ed family. Dad reads from the Bible
and a thankful blessing is prayed.
You know at that moment that life's
most treasured gifts are health and
the love between family and friends.
With today's families scattered
across the globe, an old-fashioned
family gathering is not easy for
everybody to accomplish. But no
matter where you grew up, or where
you live now. Thanksgiving is a tra
dition, and a tradition is something
you can build upon every year.
It is your own. It is in your heart
and it can grow into memories that
can last for generations.
The recipes that follow are from
my family's Thanksgiving table.
Enjoy!
LENA'S SWEET
POTATO CASSEROLE
3 cups cooked mashed sweet
potatoes
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, well beaten
1 stick margarine
Mix ingredients and place in a
baking dish. Add the following top
ping: Mix 1 cup brown sugar with A
cup all-purpose flour and A stick soft
margarine. Crumble together and
sprinkle over mashed sweet potato
mixture. Broken pccans can be
added to the topping. Bake at 350
degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm.
?
SHYRLE'S PECAN PIE
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup dark Karo syrup
'A stick margarine
Dash sale
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup broken pecans
9-inch deep dish pie crust
Combine eggs, sugar and syrup.
Mash margarine with a fork and add
to egg mixture along with salt and
vanilla. Stir and add pecans to mix
ture. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 450
degrees for 10 minutes. Turn over to
350 degrees and bake 30 more min
utes or until pie is firm. Jiggle to
check firmness.
?
MACKJE'S CORN PUDDING
2 eggs, well beaten
15-oz. can shoepeg corn
% cup white sugar
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Dash salt
1 cup milk
'A stick margarine
Mix together and bake at 400 de
grees for 45 minutes to one hour.
?
DAPHNE'S BROCCOLI
CASSEROLE
2 10-ounce packages frozen
broccoli florets
1 8-ounce package Velveeta cheese
10-15 Townhouse crackers
'A stick margarine
Cook broccoli in a small amount
of water and rain. Place in a baking
dish. Melt Velveeta and margarine in
a small saucepan over low heat. Stir
until blended. Pour over broccoli.
Top with crushed crackers. Heat at
350 degrees for 5 minutes.
?
KRISTIE'S SPICED CIDER
2 quarts apple cider
3 inches stick cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
3 oz. frozen lemonade
Orange or lemon slices
2 Tb&p. sugar
Combine all ingredients in a large
saucepan. Heal and serve in warmed
mugs. Serves 8.
?
MYRA'S FRUIT SALAD
'A cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
20 oz. can pineapple chunks;
drain and reserve juice
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1 oz. can mandarin oranges,
drained
2 medium apples, chopped
*2 bananas, sliced
Stir sugar and cornstarch together
in a saucepan. Blend V* cup pineap
ple juice, lemon juice and orange
juice and add to saucepan. Cook
over medium heat, stirring constant
ly, until mixture thickens and boils
for 1 minute. While hot, pour over
fruit. Refrigerate uncovered over
night or several hours. (Pour % sauce
over fruit and stir, then pour remain
ing sauce over fruit and do not stir.)
*Add bananas just before serving
so they won't turn brown.
Daphne McWhile lives in
Calabash. She and her husband
John are the parents of daughters
ages 5 and 2. She holds a
bachelor 's degree in economics
from Longwood College in
Farmville, Va., and taught school
in Virginia for seven years before
moving to the Carolinas. She will
be a regular contributor to The
Brunswick Beacon, writing about
cooking and nutrition.
Morning Has Broken
BY BILL FAVER
One of my favorite hymns became a popular song
some years ago and gave a new meaning to the early
morning at the beach. This
reminder of the dawn and
the new beginning of
daylight gives us an
opportunity to ponder some
of the treasures associated
with daybreak. "Morning
Has Broken" belongs with
the beach.
This transition time
comes each day with
almost a hush as the night
creatures begin to still their
activities and the light
awakens the day creatures.
The ghost crabs return to
their sandy burrows after
spending the dark hours
searching for food along
the beach.
Pelicans and gulls and
dot the awakening sky with silhouettes against the
new sunrise. Sandpipers and willets begin following the
waves for mole crabs and coquinas.
Morning breaks with a special kind for feeling, too.
The beach strand is washed of footprints by the
nighttime tides. Only the fine markings left by waves
and the fresh probing of sand by birds interrupt the
smoothness.
The soft morning light gives a special sparkle to
shells and grains of sand. The water glistens with soft
hues of morning: all in grays and blues and greens. As
the sun rises, touches of soft pinks, yellows and reds are
added and the early morning coolness slips away.
Morning has broken and the words of the hymn have
special meaning as they are remembered:
Morning has broken; like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning.'
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.
Mine Li the sunlight! Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play !
Praise with elation; praise every morning,
God's re-creation of the new day!
___ _ PHOTO ?Y MU FAVM
I Ht rAMILIAR HYMN "Morning Has Broken" seems to belong with the beach.