– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young – - What the heck is a wampahoofus?

By Ginna Young

Has anybody ever heard of a snarly yow? No? Me either. That was, until a couple weeks ago, when I got The Cryptid Survival Guide.

If you’re completely lost, it’s OK, it shouldn’t make a lot of sense to you. See, I’m in a play that takes place during the annual Cornell Community Fair.

Normally, I wouldn’t have had time to do something like this, but I stepped down from the Fair Committee after last year, as I just couldn’t devote all that time to the effort. Anyway, the newly revamped committee came up with a few new ideas and one of them, was doing a play – hence, the The Cryptid Survival Guide.

I was approached about being in it, with my theatre partner in crime (Pat Talbot). We’ve been “married” three times in other theatre and community productions, so we play off each other very well. Thanks for letting me borrow him again, Judy, even if I am the “other woman.”

So, back to the play. I don’t want to give away all the good stuff, but I can share a few things. For one, if you like lots of character changes, you’ll like this.

It’s fun to get a glimpse into the “secret” lives of cryptids, what most people call monsters. Those of us in the geek quadrant, call them cryptids. You know, Big Foot, mermaids, chupacabra, the Rhinedlander hodag. And the snarly yow.

That one’s my favorite, because, as Narrator 2, I get to embody the area of the United States it supposedly lives in. I may also have a couple of flashy things for you to see, hint, hint.

Apart from Pat and me, there’s another adult in the cast, three elementary school kids and a middle schooler. It’s hard staying in character sometimes, because their lines and especially their expressions, are hard not to laugh out loud at.

I hope you’ll join us, Saturday, June 14, at 2 p.m., at Mill Yard Park pavilion in Cornell, as we present our production. It’s free, but donations are welcome and the beer garden will be open at that time, to purchase an adult beverage, water or soda.

It’s our hope there will be overflow crowds outside, that have so many people who come to see our performance. You are sure to get a laugh (or two) out of it, as the poor, skittish cryptids try to navigate their lives away from the prying eyes and cell phones of the world.

Also, please don’t pet the snarly yow, it usually doesn’t end well.