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Places To Go

YMCA Battle of the Bands

When: Saturday, May 18

Time: noon-?

Where: YMCA Activity Center, (old Odd Fellows Gym), 721 Wyatt Ave., Lincoln

The event is open to all bands (including garage bands) that would like to compete for this year’s title in the YMCA Battle of the Bands. For more information, call the YMCA office.

Admission is $3.

There will be a beverage and food stand. T-shirts and hemp jewelry will also be available.

Bring blankets or lawn chairs, kick back and enjoy a variety of music.

All proceeds help support the YMCA Art Outreach program and YMCA NYPUMS (minibikes program).

[YMCA news release]

[MAY 8, 2002]  ^"The Eyre Affair," Jasper Fforde, Viking, 374 pages.

"The Eyre Affair" is a wonderfully fun alternate history adventure set in 1980s Great Britain. Literature is king, time travel is commonplace, and the most important issue of the decade is who actually wrote the works of William Shakespeare.

In addition to the thrilling story line, we are treated to an array of interesting characters such as Next’s Aunt Polly, who gets trapped in a Wadsworth poem; her wonderfully eccentric Uncle Mycroft, inventor of a machine that takes people "inside" the great literature masterpieces; Next’s time-traveling father, who pops in on the present at the most unusual moments to ask Next a question or two in an effort to set history right; and the nefarious villain Hades.

The main character in the story is Thursday Next, an "operative grade I" for SO-27, the Literary Detective Division of the Special Operations Network based in London. Although her title sounds flashy, the job for the most part involves following the trail of counterfeiters, apprehending the oh-so-common gang of criminals well known for stealing and selling first editions, illegal trading, copyright infringements, and fraud.

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Next unexpectedly gets a visit from an SO5 operative (Search and Containment of literary criminals with permission to use deadly force), who persuades her to transfer to his department to aid in the capture of a criminal who is stealing characters from national characters and killing them.

After Next’s promotion to SO5, the story takes off at an alarming pace. Suddenly the boring literary tech turns into James Bond meets Sherlock Holmes meets Austin Powers meets The Time Traveler.

Jasper Fforde recently traded a varied career in the film industry for staring vacantly out the window and arranging words on a page. He lives and writes in Wales.

[Bobbi Reddix, Lincoln Public Library]

• Lincoln Community Theatre

• Logan County Arts Association

Wicked stepmother, torrential
rains don’t stop Cinderella

[MAY 13, 2002]  At 6:45 p.m. Saturday it looked bleak for the 75 students involved with this year’s musical production of "Cinderella." Heavy rains had caused the LCHS auditorium ceiling to resemble a tropical rain forest, as buckets strategically placed in the seating area played their own musical melody of plop, plop, plop.

School officials concerned for the safety of the public could not allow the play to go on as planned. The leaks from the roof were one thing; the possibility of a section of the heavily plastered ceiling coming down was another.

The students, who had two performances under their belt but were looking forward to the big audiences the weekend shows always bring, could be seen in the halls, their emotions running from disappointment to tears. Residents who had started to show up to choose the best seats mingled in the halls with them, sharing the sadness that hundreds of hours of practice were being washed away by a roof giving in to the elements.

At 7 p.m., director Tom Quinn advised everyone mingling about the halls not to leave. The decision to move the set to the school gymnasium meant that the show would go on.

With that announcement, a mass exodus of students and audience, many carrying something from the stage area over to the gymnasium, began.

[Photos by Bob Frank]
[Though they're in the stands, this is no basketball game.]

There was no question that some of the play would be hampered in this "theater in the round" atmosphere. No pyrotechnics, no exit stage left or right was possible. The light show would be relegated to turning the gym’s big overhead lights on and off to take the place of the auditorium’s spotlights. The evening would show that these problems would be relegated to mere inconveniences by the band, cast and crew giving their all during the performance.

The actors, now only a few feet from the 400 to 500 in attendance, ignored the fact that their markers were now free-throw lines and out-of-bounds lines rather than stage points. The play must go on and it did. Remarkably well, this observer must add.

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Without the stage to hide the activity a set change brings behind a curtain, the audience ended up being privy to all the machinations that make up a multi-set play. The students involved also showed their resourcefulness by not letting the mere inconvenience of becoming a road show in less than an hour deter them from delivering their lines on time with the same skill and determination as they had in the two previous performances in the auditorium.

There were a few non-scripted moments during the play. Since they added to the event by showing the students’ resiliency and effort, they in no way detracted from the performance.

At one point when the fairy godmother is supposed to exit stage left amidst smoke and darkness, she simply walked a few feet past the performance area. When Cinderella asked the fairy godmother’s helper if she always exited that way, he replied: "Many times, but usually more impressive than that." The line broke up the cast as well as audience.

[By Sunday's matinee, the lighting crew had their spotlights in place.  But gym or stage, it never phased Betsy Buttell, LCHS's Cinderella.]

At another point when the transformation of the little mice to horses was supposed to occur amidst darkness, swirling lights and smoke, the gym lights were turned off as stage crew flitted flashlight beams around the area in a brilliant improvisation.

In still another scene, a crew member noticing the lost slipper was not "on stage" slid across the gym floor, planted the slipper and hid behind the prop bridge till the scene was over.

These minor gaffs didn’t detract from the play. Rather they enhanced it as audience and cast alike reveled in the resiliency of the students to pull off a first-class rendition of Rogers and Hammerstein’s play under less-than-perfect circumstances.

The two composers would have liked what they saw that evening. The audience surely did.

[Mike Fak]

LCHS spring musical, ‘Cinderella’

[MAY 9, 2002]  LCHS will present its spring musical, "Cinderella," this weekend. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on May 9, 10 and 11 and at 2:30 p.m. on May 12. All shows will be in the LCHS auditorium.

This production is directed by Tom Quinn and Kim Peterson Quinn. The pit orchestra is directed by David Swaar. Choreography is by Heather Bean.

The lead role of Cinderella will be played by Betsy Buttell. Eric Agostino will play the prince; Heather Bean will play the fairy godmother; Kerry Dobihal will play the stepmother; Kelly Dowling and Mallory Coons will play Joy and Portia, the stepsisters.

[Photo by Bob Frank]

Movie classics

Logan County Arts Association upcoming films

[MAY 9, 2002]  All upcoming monthly features in the Logan County Arts Association series of classic films will start at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Cinemas, 215 S. Kickapoo.

Thursday, May 9

"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939)

Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains

A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn’t back down.

Thursday, June 13

Alfred Hitchcock’s "Rear Window" (1954)

Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, Raymond Burr

A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.

Thursday, July 11

"Top Hat" (1935)

Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers

Showman Jerry Travers is working for producer Horace Hardwick in London. Jerry demonstrates his new dance steps late one night in Horace’s hotel, much to the annoyance of sleeping Dale Tremont below. She goes upstairs to complain, and the two are immediately attracted to each other. Complications arise when Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace.

Thursday, Aug. 8

John Ford’s "Fort Apache" (1948)

John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen

In John Ford’s somber exploration of "Custer’s last stand" and the mythologizing of American heroes, he slowly reveals the character of Owen Thursday, who sees his new posting to the desolate Fort Apache as a chance to claim the military honor which he believes is rightfully his. Arrogant, obsessed with military form and ultimately self-destructive, Thursday attempts to destroy the Indian warrior Cochise after luring him across the border from Mexico.

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Thursday, Sept. 12

"Breakfast at Tiffany’s" (1961)

Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Buddy Ebsen, Patricia Neal

Based on Truman Capote’s novel, this is the story of a young jet-setting woman in New York City who meets a young man when he moves into her apartment building.

Thursday, Oct. 10

Horror/sci-fi double feature

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1931)

Frederic March, Miriam Hopkins

Based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson. Dr. Henry Jekyll believes that there are two distinct sides to men: a good and an evil side. He faces horrible consequences when he lets his dark side run wild with a potion that changes him into the animalistic Mr. Hyde.

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951)

Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe

An alien (Klaatu) with his mighty robot (Gort) lands their spacecraft on cold-war Earth just after the end of World War II. He tells the people of Earth that we must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.

Tickets will be available at Serendipity Stitches, 129 S. Kickapoo; the Lincoln Public Library Annex; at the door; or by calling (217) 732-4298. Ticket prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2.50 for children 13 and under. These features are one show only, with limited seating.

[Logan County Arts Association ]

‘Silk Satin and Swing’ closes
Community Concert series

[APRIL 25, 2002]  All this season, the Community Concerts have been lively, energetic and perhaps focused a bit more on entertainment than on good musicianship, though all of the artists who have been featured are wonderful musicians. Some people, though, prefer to go to a concert and listen to good music by good musicians. They don’t want gaudy entertainment, just serious strings. This concert was for them.

Concert number five of this year’s Community Concert series was much more toned down than the first four. With two violins and a piano, there is not a whole lot of room for rowdiness outside of the music.

The Galaxy Trio consists of Lenny Solomon, a jazz violinist who has won many awards (including Violinist of the Year three years running at The Jazz Report Awards); Moshe Hammer, a violinist and leader of The Amadeus Ensemble for 17 years; and Bernie Senensky, a pianist "recognized as one of the foremost accompanists in the world."

Their concert, "Silk Satin and Swing," consisted completely of instrumentals (it is rather hard to sing with a violin under your chin), including pieces by J.S. Bach, Beethoven and even Gershwin. There were smooth classical pieces (some originally written for violin and orchestra), inspiring jazz pieces and a suite written specifically for the group by Bill Bridges, entitled "Celtic Suite." The group performed the "Air" and the "Reel" from this suite in their concert, and then delighted the audience with the second movement, the "Gigue" (pronounced "jig"), as an encore.

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Many of the pieces were arranged for two violins and piano by pianist Bernie Senensky.

Other songs included "Blue Room" by Richard Rogers, "A Nightingale Sang in Barkley Square" by Eric Maschwitz and even "Matchmaker" by Jerry Bock (yes, that is from "The Fiddler on the Roof").

Smooth sounds and jazzy tunes dominated this concert. Though Solomon and Hammer tried to spice it up with witty comments and jokes between songs, the real appeal was in the music.

Yes, it’s true; this year’s Community Concerts are over. It’s sad, but don’t worry! The Concert in the Park series is right around the corner! (Bring your own lawn chair.)

[Gina Sennett]

Auditions for summer shows

[APRIL 9, 2002]  Lincoln Community Theatre is looking for local talent to sing, dance and act in its summer 2002 productions. Singing and non-singing roles are available.

If auditioning for a role in one of this summer’s musical productions, individuals should have a song prepared. An accompanist will be available. Individuals should also be prepared to learn a few basic dance steps at the audition.

Those auditioning for non-singing roles will be required to do cold readings from the script. Scripts may be viewed at the Lincoln Public Library two weeks prior to each audition. Library scripts may not be removed from the building.

All auditions will be conducted at St. John Church of Christ, 204 Seventh St. in Lincoln.

Production and audition dates are as follows:

•  "Hello, Dolly!"

Performance dates: June 14-22

Auditions:

•  Friday, April 12, 6 p.m.

•  Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m.

•  Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m., callbacks only

You will be asked to sing a song, your choice or one from "Hello, Dolly." You will also be taught a simple dance (you do not need to prepare one). The director is looking in the age range of 25 to 60, but all are welcome to audition.

•  "Dearly Departed"

Performance dates: July 12-20

Auditions:

•  Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m.

•  Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.

The director is looking for actors age 20 and above. There will be four to six men, six to eight women, a trio of singers and a part for one teenage girl. There are lots of parts for older mature actors. People auditioning should plan to be there for entire audition session (1½ to two hours).

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[Judy Rader, LCT publicity chairman]

Lincoln Community Theatre’s website is at www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre/index.html. Pictures from past productions are included.  The LCT mailing address is Lincoln Community Theatre, P.O. Box 374, Lincoln, IL  62656.  E-mail: lincolncommunitytheatre@yahoo.com.

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