Places To Go,  Book Look,  Movie & Videos,  The Arts,

Games,  Crossword

Book Reviews Elsewhere  (fresh daily from the Web)

 Movie Reviews Elsewhere  (fresh daily from the Web)

Places To Go

[NOV. 14, 2001]  ^“Among the Impostors," by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Simon & Schuster, 2001. 172 pages. Grades 5-7.

"Sometimes he whispered his real name in the dark, in the middle of the night. He was sure no one could hear."

Luke Garner is terrified, but he must act normal and try to blend in. He has a fake ID with the name of the deceased Lee Grant. Living in a society where it’s illegal to have more than two children, Luke, as the third child, has been hidden in his home for 12 years. Being found by the Population Police would mean certain death.

In this sequel to "Among the Hidden," Luke as Lee has entered the Hendricks School for boys. What he thought would be a wonderful, freeing experience has turned into a nightmare. The school has no windows. He feels lost and confused and is being hazed nightly by his roommates, especially "the jackal." All of the boys seem to be afraid of the hall monitors and teachers.

Just when Luke thinks he can’t endure the food, classes and name-calling any longer, he discovers an unlocked door to the outside. He can see grass and trees and sky, and in a flash he is outside running toward the woods. When Luke returns to the school building hours later, he realizes he got away with it… "and he could get away with it again."

[to top of second column in this review]

The suspense builds as Luke makes daily escapes into the woods, finds a way to plant a garden and has it trampled by someone unknown. The actions of the other boys and the teachers remain a mystery, but he is determined to go back into the woods no matter what.

On one of his trips outside he stumbles on a meeting of boys who seemed to plotting an escape. As he gains the courage to confront this group, he must make decisions he’s never had to make before. The action becomes intense as he decides he can trust this group and then must face the consequences. Everything is not what it seems.

Luke is determined to change the world, and Haddix leaves the door open at the end for a third book in this series. You do not have to read the first book to enjoy this one, but when you’re done you’ll want to read "Among the Hidden" to see what happened during Luke’s first 12 years.

For more information, visit the library at 725 Pekin St. or call (217) 732-8878 or 732-5732.

[Pat Schlough, Lincoln Public Library]

• Lincoln Community Theatre

• Logan County Arts Association

[NOV. 15, 2001]  When the curtain rises for the Lincoln College production of "12 Angry Jurors," a new face can found behind the scenes. Guest director Tom Quinn will inspire theater students to get into the mind-set of 12 jurors who will ultimately make the decision between life and death.

Quinn was asked by Lincoln College Fine Arts Chairman Dan McLaughlin to direct the performance. Quinn says he jumped at the chance to direct a show that is topical and introduces the students to critical thinking. "I have the challenge of motivating actors who have just moved from the high school level to college level. It’s a jump from just doing a show to asking them to critically think about illusions and truth. The show starts to look at life with an adult perspective."

The entire cast is on stage for the duration of the show. Quinn says it is a great learning experience for young actors. "Most learning comes from being in front of an audience, and with everyone on stage at the same time, it challenges the actor to learn how to keep the story interesting."

Quinn says he is working with students who are experiencing their first time on the stage. "I’m working with a group of kids who represent a mixed bag of talent. The running joke among the cast and crew is to keep your eyes on the ball. My goal is to achieve balance for the entire performance, which hopefully will give our viewers something to think about."

Quinn is no stranger to the stage. He is an Equity actor, and his experience ranges from working at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago to helping with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival in Bloomington. He even directed a production of "Grease" by Lincoln Community Theatre. He feels he learned his trade from working on stage at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. "The quality of directors that I worked with at the Arena were known throughout the world, and they taught me how deeply personal acting can be."

[to top of second column in this article]

Quinn, originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, came to central Illinois about five years ago to finish his bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University. He and his wife moved to Lincoln after she got a job teaching vocal music at Lincoln Community High School.

Quinn says his plans for living in Lincoln were short-term because of the limited opportunities of creative outlets available. "I’m a rare creature in central Illinois because I’m probably the only equity actor who lives in Lincoln. I am glad that I’ve found places like Lincoln College and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, which allow me to keep my creative juices flowing." Quinn is hoping to direct more at Lincoln College and is currently directing the winter play, "Crimes of the Hearth" by Beth Henley, at LCHS.

"12 Angry Jurors" opens tonight at 8 at Lincoln College’s Johnston Center. The show runs Friday and Saturday with performances at 8 p.m., and there is a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available at the door for $5 for adults and $3 for children and senior citizens.

[Jean Ann Miller, Lincoln College]

[NOV. 12, 2001]  Lincoln College Theatre Department opens its second production of the season, "12 Angry Jurors," on Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Johnston Center for Performing Arts.

The drama "12 Angry Jurors" was written by Reginald Rose. It is a story told against the backdrop of a murder trial in which a young man has been accused of killing his father. The 12 jurors who have heard the testimony and seen the evidence must decide the fate of the young man. In the initial vote, one juror stands alone with a vote of not guilty. What unfolds is a story of people facing their own past, their convictions about illusion and truth, and ultimately discovering the truth about themselves.

Guest director Tom Quinn feels this play will help people to explore and understand prejudice, stereotyping and the concept of reasonable doubt. "This play was first presented on television in the late ’50s, and the subject matter and theme in this production remains as important and insightful as it was then," he says.

[to top of second column in this article]

Cast members include Jemel Washington of Decatur as the Guard, Rachel Brancecum of Canton as the Foreman, Chad Pedigo of Springfield as Juror 2, Ashley Lyons of Waverly as Juror 3, Michael Heath of Annawan as Juror 4, Ben Fulks of Rushville as Juror 5, Larry Jones of Hartsburg as Juror 6, Kelly Wiegand of Henry as Juror 7, Nichelle Bringham of Oak Park as Juror 8, Nathan Beagle of Muskegon, Mich., as Juror 9, Annemarie Windhorst of Mahomet) as Juror 10, Jessica Buck of Effingham as Juror 11 and Courtney Cooley of Springfield as Juror 12.

Show time is at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15; Friday, Nov. 16; and Saturday, Nov. 17; with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18.

Ticket prices are $5 for adults, $3 for children and senior citizens. To reserve tickets, call (217) 732-3155, Ext. 280, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

[Lincoln College news release]

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.

Back to top