Death by a thousand cuts

Looking back on it now, I realize that I took Lake Redman and Lake Williams for granted while I was growing up in York County, Pennsylvania. The lakes were a three- mile drive, bike ride or walk from my house. They were the first things I would see on the highway coming into town and the last things I would see as I would leave. Even though York is nowhere near the level of hustle and bustle of Baltimore, it was always nice to go out to the woods where there was nothing but the quiet sense of reflection that nature brings. Always sort of a backdrop to the area, I could never really imagine what the idyllic lakeside would look like if developers were left to run rampant and build as much as they wanted to, right up to and on top of the shoreline.

Previewing Weary Shoreline: The Chesapeake Bay's Death by a Thousand Cuts—which airs on MPT tonight at 9 p.m.—was a shock to me. All along the Chesapeake Bay, industrial complexes and residential communities are being thrown up on top of one of the most important areas of the bay’s health—the shoreline. Granted, having a bayside home affords many luxuries: a great view, easy access to fishing and sailing, a sense of detachment from the chaos of city living. But those shorelines are one of the most vital areas of concern for the bay’s health. Shoreline development leads to deforestation, which leads to increased sedimentation, which basically means a bunch of mud and dirt washes into the bay.

What’s the big deal about that? Well, the more dirt that gets pushed into the bay, the more cloudy the water gets. One of the most important species essential for bay health is what’s called Submerged Aquatic Vegetation, or SAVs. Not only do they break down CO2, (which gives underwater creatures much-needed oxygen) but they also provide homes for baby crabs as they turn from larvae into adults. Dirty water cuts off the supply of sunlight to the SAVs, putting the entire habitat in danger.

Another problem the SAVs face is that the more people that live bayside, the more people there are that want to sail and boat. The more people that want to sail and boat, the less they want these huge underwater vegetative forests to clog up their motors or tickle their feet as they swim. So what happens? The SAVs get cut down en masse.

You might say, “Yeah, all you’re doing is getting worked up about mud and some underwater plants.” In a way, yes. But these plants are one of the most important species necessary for the continued survival of the blue crab. This year’s blue crab harvest was the lowest, I believe, in 15 years. The crab is one of Maryland’s biggest and most famous exports, and gives the bay a sense of uniqueness. Should we as a community fail to keep the crab thriving, we will all be guilty of letting a beautiful natural resource go to waste.

Watching Weary Shoreline tonight will certainly make you think about what’s best for us and what’s best for the bay. Check it out and see what you think.


Kevin Sunday
Communications Intern

Weary Shoreline

Everyone loves a good waterfront view, but most of us have probably never stopped to think about what price local ecosystems pay for waterfront development.

As the Maryland General Assembly meets to debate new, stricter regulations on Chesapeake Bay waterfront development, MPT will air a riveting new program that examines Maryland’s Critical Area Law. Weary Shoreline, airing Wednesday, February 27 at 9 p.m., explores how Maryland’s Critical Area Law—enacted in 1984 to preserve sensitive Chesapeake Bay shoreline by limiting growth—has instead fostered development, lawlessness and community animus through its complexity and ambiguity.

The program is featured on today's Baltimore Sun’s Bay & Environment Blog. Read all about it here.

CENTERSTAGE and MPT: The Company We Keep

Tonight’s Great Performances production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company has an ironic Baltimore connection that might not be obvious to MPT audiences. While viewers watch Barbara’s Walsh’s amazing rendition of “The Ladies Who Lunch,” she’ll be right here in Baltimore working on another Sondheim classic as CENTERSTAGE prepares our production of A Little Night Music, which opens in our Pearlstone Theater on March 13th. She’ll be joined here at CENTERSTAGE by her Company co-star Amy Justman—and a cast of other Broadway veterans including Polly Bergen, Stephen Bogardus, and Maxwell Caufield—actors of a caliber usually not seen outside of New York or Los Angeles.

CENTERSTAGE is proud to bring such a celebrated cast to town—and appreciates MPT for its ongoing commitment to the performing arts. We share a mission of showcasing the best artists in the country and making professional theater available to people of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds. As a producing theater, CENTERSTAGE rehearses, designs, and presents our plays exclusively for Baltimore audiences. The Broadway-caliber cast of A Little Night Music won’t be packing up and moving on to a new city when the show closes. This jewel of a production is exclusive to our theater—and our city.

With shows like Great Performances and ArtWorks This Week, MPT proves that the arts are vital and alive—not only in New York and Los Angeles, but right here in Baltimore. CENTERSTAGE encourages Baltimore area theater lovers to show their support to MPT in return.

A Little Night Music
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Hugh Wheeler
March 13—April 13, 2008 at CENTERSTAGE



Michael Ross
Managing Director, CENTERSTAGE

Spicy!

So I know my last blog entry was a tear-jerker, but after a Super Bowl Sunday filled with good-time cooking and rowdy television watching, I need to confess my simple, unadulterated love for a show on MPT I just discovered: America’s Test Kitchen.

You may have already guessed that this entry isn’t going to be deep. And, to be frank, beyond ATK (that’s my new shorthand for American’s Test Kitchen), it’s going to focus on pretty much one thing: HOT AND SOUR SOUP. Believe it or not, I’ve only recently discovered this delightful Chinese soup. Tasting it was a sensory revelation. Two of my favorite tastes—hot AND sour—in ONE soup? With meat? And mushrooms? And tofu? Oh my gosh, you’ve got to be kidding. I love this soup.

Until yesterday afternoon, it's makeup was veiled in secrecy. But now, thanks to ATK, I can actually make it at home with ingredients from an average supermarket. Watching the ATK cooks make hot and sour soup really took the mystery out of the dish. Now I know what makes it sour (vinegar) and what makes it spicy (white pepper). The hosts/cooks broke down what’s what in the recipe, explaining the more exotic ingredients (like black Chinese vinegar) that can be difficult to find and suggesting easy-to-find alternatives (a combination of red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar). They even walked viewers through a no-fail method of “wisping” the egg just so. That’s helpful for a sometimes-clueless cook like myself. (Plus, because the ATK folks test recipes 50, 60 even 70 times each, you know everything they feature is gonna taste good.)

Also appreciated was their no-nonsense discussion of corn starch. Who knew the soft, powdery stuff could be so versatile in Chinese cooking? (Their reviews of non-stick pans were also very cool.)

Now that I’ve totally gotten myself in the mood for hot and sour soup, I’m contemplating take-out. I know, I know. But next time! I promise, next time I’ll cook it myself…


Jessica Leshnoff
Communications Specialist & Blog Administrator