BY KATIE SCARVEYkscarvey@salisburypost.com

Leland Nelson wasn’treally sure what to expectlast Friday morning whenhe took the stage with fiveother people in the base-ment of Park Avenue Unit-ed Methodist Church.

He probably didn’t ex-pect to be reciting crazyrhymes:

“I knew a man fromArkansas who ate a rockthat broke his jaw. ‘Whatdo you think,’ he said witha grin, ‘Perhaps it’s best toeat them raw.’”

After that particular ex-ercise, Nelson turned to thegroup leader Michael Con-nor and laughed.

“You know I’m fromArkansas, right?” he asked.

A shelter guest at RowanHelping Ministries, Nelsonwas taking part for the firsttime in a drama workshopheld at the church severaltimes a week. The work-shop is led by Connor, whois a professor of theatrearts at Livingstone College— and a former profession-al actor and director whohas appeared in movies in-cluding “Fast Times atRidgemont High” and“Taxi.”

The drama workshop ispart of New Tomorrows, ayear-old partnership be-tween Rowan Helping Min-istries and Park AvenueUMC that helps the home-less become self-sufficient.

Connor began leadingthe drama sessions in Jan-uary.

An outsider might won-der how theatre improvisa-tion could possibly give lifeskills to the homeless, butthose shelter guests whotake part believe it hashelped them.

Plus, it’s simply fun,they say, a time of explo-ration and play that is re-laxing and invigorating.

Connor began the morn-ing session with some vo-calization exercises.

“Cucka-cucka-cucka-cucka.

“Wooooo-Woooooo!”Following that was an

exercise that involvedstomping and clapping.

Then it was time forsome tongue twisting, in-volving Betty, bits of but-

ter and batter. Things got a little more

serious after warm-upswhen Connor gave thegroup a scene to act out.

It had to do with awoman who has just discov-ered that her son’s biologi-cal father is not the manwho raised him but anoth-er man who hasn’t been apart of their lives.”

Shelby Clark — who is aparent herself — played themother.

Nelson took on the roleof her son in the scene.

It hit pretty close tohome with him.

“We just acted out mylife,” he said.

“I was raised by mystepfather,” he explained.“My father wanted to bethere but my mom would-n’t let him.”

After the improv sessionwas over, Nelson gave Con-nor some more details ofhis own life story.

“This is what stories andplays are built on,” Connor

told him. “I could write aplay based on what you justtold me.”

And, in fact, Connor haswritten a play based on atleast some material that hegathered during the work-shop sessions with the shel-ter residents — althoughhe used poetic license, hesays.

The play, “Seven to Sev-en,” is about the plight ofthe homeless, and was per-formed recently at Living-stone College.

Connor wants to draw at-tention to the problem ofhomelessness through theplay.

“It helps open a dialoguein the community,” he says.“These people are not invis-ible.”

Terry Jeffery, who hasbeen coming to to the work-shops for a while, says thathe’s become more outgoingbecause of them.

“I was, like, in the shell,”he says. “I wouldn’t talk atall.”

The sessions havehelped him gain confi-dence, he says.

“It makes you realizeyou’ve got to believe inyourself.”

By the end of his firstsession, Nelson was a be-liever as well.

Nervous at first, he saidhe warmed up to the exer-cises.

“It’s all about takingchances,” he says. “And notjust here.”

It was also the first timefor Clark, who’s from Chi-na Grove.

“I was nervous, but afterI got going, I was OK,” shesaid. “I went with it.”

David Abbott, who hasbeen coming to the sessionsregularly, says he enjoysimprovisation — though headmits he’d never heard ofthe concept before Connorintroduced it.

“It helps with yourlearning skills,” he says.

Plus, Abbot adds, “It’sfun.”

He gives Connor thecredit for that.

Abbott appeared to beenjoying himself during ananimal sounds portion ofthe morning.

His rendition of a strut-ting, crowing rooster pro-voked applause from thefew people in the audi-ence.

After Friday’s sessionwas over, Leland reflect-ed on it.

“I was into it,” he says,“but not at first.”

“When I was in highschool, I always wanted todo stuff like this. I’ve al-ways been shy.”

Troy Honeycutt says heenjoys participating in theimprov. But he also appre-

ciates Connor performingfor them.

Connor has presentedthe “I Have a Dream”speech by Martin LutherKing Jr.

Connor understandshow to draw creativityout of people, even if theymay initially be reluctant.

“People have certaincreative abilities thatthey use every day anddon’t know they’re us-ing,” he said. “You justhave to bring them out.”

Connor enjoys his ses-sions at Park AvenueUMC.

“I’m making a differ-ence in their lives,” hesays, “and by doing that,I’m making a differencein my life as well.”

One surprising mo-ment for Connor camewhen he was showing thegroup the movie “The Col-or Purple.” Connor, whohas been a professionalactor, appears in the film.

One woman, he says,would typically not par-ticipate in the group; shewould sit, all curled upand everyone would thinkshe was falling asleep, hesaid.

But during “The ColorPurple,” they were allshocked when she beganto spout the movie’s dia-logue — before it hadbeen said on screen.

As it turned out, sheknew the movie well — itwas her favorite film, shesaid.

Connor is often sur-prised by what comes outof the sessions, which,he’s convinced, help buildbridges.

“We’re all part of hu-manity, he says.”

SUNDAYMarch 28, 2010 1E

Katie Scarvey, Lifestyle Editor, 704-797-4270 kscarvey@salisburypost.com www.salisburypost.com

PEOPLES A L I S B U R Y P O S T

It could have been any ofthem.

It could have been any one ofthe competitive cyclists whospend hours on North Carolinaroads and highways, stretchesof pavement that motorists arerequired to share but oftendon’t.

It could have been Suzanne’sRyan.

Sarah’s Bret.Sonja’s John.Laura’s Derek.It could have been my Char-

lie.But it was Melissa’s Adam.Adam Little, a guy who loved

to ride his bikeso much that hewas commut-ing on it fromhis home inMount Pleasantto his job inCharlotte whena motoriststruck andkilled him onSt. Patrick’sDay in Con-

cord.At the funeral, hundreds of

North Carolina and South Car-olina cyclists filled the pews,standing two and three deeparound the chapel and spillingout into the hallway.

Many had arrived withgleaming carbon fiber bicyclesperched on top of their vehicles.Many had raced that morning,changing into suits and ties atthe funeral home, pinning blackand orange ribbons to theirlapels in Adam’s memory.

It could have been any one ofthem, and they knew it. They’veall been honked at, cursed at,buzzed by angry motorists.

They’ve all had near misses.And it could have been any

one of us as well, the ones whostay home during the long rides.Any one of us, rushing to thehospital, hearing the unthink-able, suddenly planning a funer-al when we should have beenplanning a life together.

But it was Melissa, mourn-ing the loss of her high schoolsweetheart and father of theirtwo children, delivering themost brave, insightful and lov-ing eulogy I’ve ever heard.

I wish I’d known Adam. Hiswife, teammates and friends de-scribed a hilarious, hard-work-ing 35-year-old who was fanat-ical about his bike and his kids.

He always ordered the mostobscure item on the menu. Heforgot his cycling shoes for a 30-mile ride through the desert andwore leather boots instead.

He sustained himself and afriend on a loaf of bread and jarof peanut butter during a 26-hour drive halfway across thecountry.

He laughed when a supervi-sor asked if he could weedwhack a section of trail at aCabarrus County park by theend of the day. Along with hisfuture brother-in-law and a bagof candy corn, Adam trimmedthe entire 26-mile trail in oneday while jogging.

Most of the cyclists at thefuneral raced against Adam,not with him. But team rival-ries meant nothing that day ascyclists faced the tragic resultof a universal risk they takeevery time they ride.

Adam died after a 24-year-old woman struck him whiledriving on N.C. 49.

Cyclists were shocked tolearn that she was chargedwith misdemeanor, not felony,death by vehicle. Rumors cir-culated that it had been a hitand run.

But Cabarrus County Dis-trict Attorney Roxann Va-neekhoven said she has no ev-idence that the driver left thescene. As for the misde-meanor, the DA’s office willconsider upgrading the chargewhen police finish the investi-gation.

In a split second, Melissa’sAdam was gone.

When you encounter a cy-clist on the road, please be pa-tient. Be alert. Pay attention.

If you don’t, your actionscould kill someone.

Contact Emily Ford ateford@salisburypost.com.

It couldhave been

any of them

‘We just acted out my life ...’Michael Connor’s New Tomorrows drama workshop tapsinto shelter guests’ creativity — and gives them confidence

“People have certain creative abilities thatthey use every day and don’t know they’reusing. You just have to bring them out.”

MICHAEL CONNORTheatre arts professor at Livingstone College and leader of a

New Tomorrows drama workshop

Michael Connor, right, interacts with workshop members,including, left to right, Leland Nelson, Terry Jeffery, Shel-by Carr and Troy Honeycutt.

JENNY TENNEY/FOR THE SALISBURY POST

Drama workshop participant Terry Jeffery pretends to put Leland Nelson asleep during an improvisation exercise at Park Avenue UnitedMethodist Church last Friday.

EMILYFORD