Blast From The Past

The Voice staff is looking back at stories covered in past years. This month, we revisited articles on a record-setting flight, Severna Park musicals and a filmmaking crew.

Bill Cloughley Helps Set Unofficial World Record For Formation Flight
Print Date: November 2013

While contemporary Christian artist Matthew West belted the National Anthem before the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders game on October 13, 49 single-engine planes buzzed the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium for the week-6 faceoff. A tribute to breast cancer awareness and research, the stunt was orchestrated by KC Flight. While awaiting confirmation that the stunt earned the Guinness World Record for largest formation flyover in history, Severna Park resident and pilot Bill Cloughley discussed the privilege of participating.

“All the pilots – we paid for our own gas to fly out there, and really didn’t get reimbursed for anything. It was 49 guys … on their own to do this, but it was a lot of fun,” he said, highlighting that the pilots came from Oregon, Texas, Louisiana and across the United States.

Once they were airborne, the airmen formed an enormous arrowhead with their Van’s RV props. Custom-made canisters affixed to each plane – including Cloughley’s RV7 kit plane he built over five years – released miles-long trails of pink smoke to drive home the message of cancer awareness.

Cloughley’s certifications as wingman and flight lead earned the IT specialist and retired Naval officer an invitation to participate in the flyover at a pilot’s clinic in spring 2013, and he jumped at the opportunity.

Although Cloughley was thrilled to support a good cause while out in Kansas City – the flyover raised nearly $30,000 for breast cancer research – he admitted his favorite aspect of the once-in-a-lifetime experience was just that: it was unique. “It was challenging to do it, and [I loved] the camaraderie with the other pilots, all doing something together that you just don’t see every day,” he said.

SPHS Goes All The Way To “Oklahoma!” For Fall Musical
Print Date: November 2017

Based on a tale of cowboys and farmhands searching for love, “Oklahoma!” was a rousing success at Severna Park High School during its two-weekend run in November 2017. The cast was headlined by Alena Carhart as Laurey, Jake Wernecke as Curly, Nolan Marks as Jud Fry, Matt Hall as Ali Hakim and Bianca Radice as Aunt Eller.

Photos by Stephanie Mennell Photography

Local Filmmakers Make Their Mark While Clowning Around
Print Date: November 2017

To some people, clowns are no laughing matter, but Severna Park High School graduates Devin McCord and Adam Narimatsu hoped those people would reconsider their clown phobia in 2017 and tune into their hilarious television pilot titled “Clown Under The Bed.”

The series highlighted two characters – Adam and Devin – in their struggles to navigate post-college life. McCord compared the brand of comedy to “Broad City” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” The pilot won Best Comedy Short at New York City’s Chain Film Festival.

“Of course, there are certain behaviors that are exaggerated, but we are all really playing heightened version of ourselves,” McCord said in 2017. “As for all the characters we run into, they are all based on people we have actually met in real life - terrible or not.”

The duo worked with Nathan Colby and Harry Slattery, friends who they had made videos with since about 2010. Since then, the group — minus Narimatsu — created a short called “Cactus Practice.” At the end of September 2020, the group flew to Los Angeles and filmed a new pilot for a series, which they are shopping to agents and companies.

“It’s called ‘Dungos Palace,’ and it is truly a weird and extremely ambitious concept about the ‘behind the scenes’ production of a children’s show,” McCord said.

Three episodes of “Clown Under The Bed” are available at www.clownunderthebed.com.

Photos courtesy of Carlton Colby Designs

“Cinderella” Brings A Little Magic To Audiences
Print Date: December 2019

During a two-weekend run of “Cinderella” in November 2019, Severna Park High School thespians enchanted audiences with the tale of a girl who tries to escape the oppression of her wicked stepmother and stepsisters to attend the Royal Ball.

Photos by Stephanie Mennell Photography