Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Pizza Party Pizzazz: The Story of Pilled-High Pies

Pizza is as popular
As Italy’s famous boot.
First you roll the dough
Into a face that looks cute.
New York-style Pizza
Is wide with a thin crust.
Folding it when you eat
Is an extra tasty must.
Neapolitan pizza comes
With a fork and a knife.
Margherita style with
Tomatoes brings a good life.
Sicilian-style is thick
And squarer than the rest.
It’s cut in a rectangle.
With herbs, it tastes best.
Chicago-style pizza is
Deep with cheese and meat.
It takes a while to bake,
So, turn up the oven heat!
Detroit-style is square,
But it’s also lighter than air.
Wisconsin brick cheese
Instead of mozzarella fare.
Calzones are like dumplings
But apples aren’t their fill.
Cheese, veggies, and meat
Are folded in with a skill.
Crispy crust, soft crust,
Extra spicy pizza sauce.
Pizza toppings abound.
Sprinkle them with a toss.
Ham and pineapple,
Bacon and alfredo,
Barbecue and chicken
Is a very good credo.
Onion with caramel
And mushrooms on top.
Throw on the pepperoni,
Plop, chop, plop.
Cheese is nice for melting.
Flavor it all away!
Parmesan on mozzarella
Is good any ol’ day.
If you want to go all out,
Make a pizza cake
Like a bundt cake roll.
It won’t be a mistake.
Or pigs in a blanket,
Pizza pretzels for a change.
Stromboli, or fruit pizza
With a theme you can arrange.
Everyone loves pizza!
You can never loose.
Have a party day or night!
Dessert pizza with a juice.
Pile your pizzas high
With lots of pizzazz.
Turn up the music
Pizza has a lot of jazz!

Copyright 2018 Jennifer Waters 

Thursday, November 9, 2017

MR. PENGUIN SINGS THE OPERA synopsis

LOGLINE 
A penguin with an amazing voice dares the doubts of others and a dangerous ocean voyage to follow his unusual dreams and successfully sing in the New York Metropolitan Opera.

PITCH 
Born to sing the Opera, a singing penguin named Emperor finds a pamphlet featuring “The Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart at the Opera House in New York, starring Alberto Matteo dressed in a black and white outfit, which looks like his own penguin suit. Despite his family’s discouragement, Emperor courageously sets off on his ice raft to New York City. He meets a dolphin family who travels with him, keeping sharks away, and an albatross, who feeds him fish. When Emperor goes to the Opera House, the manager decides that a penguin who can sing might attract crowds. During his audition, the casting director is impressed he’s already dressed for the job, and he is hired as Alberto Matteo’s understudy. Matteo tells Emperor he must follow his dreams. Months later, Emperor’s family surprises him by arriving at a concert in New York, and Emperor becomes as famous as Alberto Matteo, not only for his voice, but his perfect suit. 

SYNOPSIS 
Emperor the Penguin of the Antarctic loves to sing, even if his friends and family don’t appreciate his talent. One day he comes across a pamphlet drifting in the ocean. It features “The Marriage of Figaro” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. He notices a male vocalist named Alberto Matteo dressed in a black and white outfit, which looks like his penguin suit with tails. Despite the discouragement of his family, Emperor decides he is born to sing the Opera and must travel to New York City. Emperor courageously sets off on his ice raft with the pamphlet. Along the way, he meets Delfina Dominique and her dolphin family who love to sing. They travel with Emperor, keeping sharks away. He also meets Jack the Albatross, whose unlucky luck helps by feeding him fish. Persevering through lonely nights, wind, and storm, Emperor arrives months later in New York. The dolphin family says goodbye to Emperor, while Jack goes with him into the big city. He asks Delfina to send word to his family that he made it to New York and to please come visit him.

Walking through Times Square, most pedestrians wondered what a penguin was doing on the sidewalk, insisting he is meant to sing Opera at the Metropolitan Opera House. Emperor budges at the front doors until the manager asks him to come back tomorrow for tickets. Emperor explains he needs to audition. The manager says penguins don’t sing and turns off the lights. To prove him wrong, Emperor croons with a beautiful baritone voice in front of the dark Opera House. As the penguin keeps singing, a crowd gathers. The manager bursts through the doors, telling him to come back tomorrow morning for an audition. Of course, a penguin who can sing might attract crowds. Emperor pleads to sleep in the Opera House for the night with Jack. So, Emperor snores on a soft chair in the auditorium. In the morning, Emperor stands inside the stage door, nervously.

After the penguin finishes singing a gorgeous passage from “The Marriage of Figaro” he bows and stands with pride. The casting director is impressed that he is already dressed for the job, and he is hired immediately as Alberto Matteo’s understudy. After meeting Mr. Matteo with the help of Jack, Alberto tells Emperor he must follow his dreams. Months later, Emperor’s family arrives in New York to happily see him perform the Opera. Emperor the Penguin becomes as famous as Alberto Matteo, not only for his voice, but for his black and white suit. It all started because Emperor had enough courage to take a journey alone on an ice raft through unchartered waters.

Copyright 2022 Jennifer Waters