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‘Marco’s
Millions’
[SEPT. 19, 2001] “Marco’s
Millions." William Sleator. Dutton, 2001. 161 pages. Ages
10-14.
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Marco
thought about millions a lot, but it wasn’t millions of dollars.
Since the age of 5 he loved to take trips. He would get on a bus
near his house and ride to the end of the line and back again. Soon
he knew all the bus routes. To Marco, "millions" came to
mean distance. He started reading travel books and memorizing train
schedules so that he could go everywhere.
To
keep his parents from worrying, he told them he was playing with the
neighborhood kids. His parents believed him, but he couldn’t fool
his younger sister, Lilly. She seemed to know exactly where he’d
been even though he hadn’t told her. Marco also noticed that one
evening when his father was late coming home from work, Lilly knew
he had car trouble. Lilly also had dreams about the future and that
she was needed as a medium to help on another universe.
Sleator’s
fantasy really begins to spin when Lilly asks Marco to go down into
the basement with her. "I know you won’t be afraid of what I
saw there," she says. "I’m scared to look at it
alone." Lilly led him through the basement to what used to be a
root cellar. There on the far wall were lights and a tunnel seen
only by Lilly.
With
Lilly’s help, Marco entered the tunnel and saw buildings and
creatures that looked like "insects with six limbs and ridged,
carapaced heads." There was a swing that looked like an
amusement park ride and a spinning light. The creatures had no eyes
but sensed he was there and greeted him. These insect-like
inhabitants were convinced that Lilly and Marco could prevent their
planet from being destroyed.
[to top of second column in
this review]
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Marco
enters the tunnel several times but always must hurry back because
time moves much slower in the tunnel, and he doesn’t want his
parents to become suspicious if he’s gone too long. At age 12, he
decides that he needs more time in the tunnel to be able to save the
universes from being destroyed by a singularity, a force so terrible
it acts like a revolving door, swallowing objects from one universe
and spitting them out into other universes.
"Marco’s
Millions" moves at a fast pace and is action-filled as Marco
communicates with Lilly and the creatures through his thoughts while
traveling through the tunnel trying to capture the boxes necessary
for saving the universes.
Sleator
has written this story as a prequel to "The Boxes"
(1998), but "Marco’s Millions" can be enjoyed by itself.
Those who haven’t read "The Boxes" will want to after
finishing this book.
[Pat
Schlough, Lincoln Public Library]
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Local
arts group plans for a clown,
a classic film and a Spanish guitarist
[SEPT.
18, 2001] The
Logan County Arts Association, meeting at Lincoln Public Library on
Monday night, chose officers and discussed plans for its first three
events, which include a clown, a showing of "Casablanca"
and a classical Spanish guitarist.
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Marshall
Jacobs of Lincoln, previously the organization’s acting executive
director, will continue to lead as its first president. Jean Gossett
as vice president, Louella Moreland as secretary and Jeanie Xamis as
treasurer round out the slate of officers. Chris Gray was selected
as first program chair and Marshall Jacobs as marketing chair.
Mr.
Tone, a clown who presents hands-on children’s programming, will
perform at the association’s first fund-raiser, to be Saturday,
Sept. 29, at 2 p.m. in Fellowship Hall of St. John United Church of
Christ. Admission prices are $1 for children 2 to 6 years, $2 for
children 7 to 12 and $3 for adults. Mr. Tone, of Atlanta Ga., is a
graduate of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown
College. Gossett’s Decorator Studio is co-sponsoring the event.
"Casablanca"
will be shown at the association’s first classic film night,
planned for Thursday, Oct. 11, at Lincoln Cinema. Kerasotes Theatres
is the co-sponsor. Seating will be limited to 200, with ticket
prices of $5 for adults and $2.50 for those 13 and under. Tickets
will be on sale at the theater starting Oct. 1, as soon as the
poster appears in the window. At the showing Marshall Jacobs will
present a brief introduction, including cinematographic techniques
and facts about the film.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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Chris
Culleton, a Lincoln native, will present a classical Spanish guitar
program on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 2 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church.
All proceeds from the three fund-raisers will go to the Logan County
Arts Association.
The
association is also in the midst of a logo contest, with Oct. 10 as
the cutoff date. Local schools have been notified about the
specifications.
Board
members tentatively set a second classic film night for Jan. 10,
2002. An exhibit of paintings by Lincoln artist Leola Dowling has
already been scheduled for October 2002, and other potential
programs include exhibits of ceramics and watercolors.
The
Logan County Arts Association is in the process of soliciting
memberships, beginning at $25 for an individual, and sponsorships.
[Lynn
Shearer Spellman]
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Logan
County Arts Association will join the celebration of Illinois Arts
Week
[SEPT.
7, 2001] Joining
an annual statewide celebration of the arts, the Logan County Arts
Association will host Classic Film Night on Thursday, Oct. 11, from
7 to 9 p.m. at the Lincoln Theater. Classic Film Night will feature
"Casablanca," courtesy of George Kerasotes Corporation.
The film is to be shown in its entirety, without commercial
interruption, on the big screen.
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Gov.
George Ryan has proclaimed Oct. 7-13 as Illinois Arts Week 2001.
"To reach out to the community and beyond, Classic Film Night
will be included in the Illinois Arts Council’s statewide campaign
to promote Illinois Arts Week," said Marshall Jacobs, president
of the local arts association.
"The
Illinois Arts Week theme, ‘The arts are all around us,’ captures
the important message that the arts are present every day, in some
way, in our lives. Arts Week helps to focus our attention on all the
arts activities and programs that surround us in our
communities," said Illinois Arts Council Chairman Shirley R.
Madigan.
"Logan
County Arts Association is pleased to be able to join the Illinois
Arts Council to be part of this statewide initiative," said
Jacobs. "We hope that the entire community and surrounding area
will take the opportunity to attend Classic Film Night and join the
exciting statewide celebration. "
Admission
to the local event is $5 per adult and $2.50 for children.
[Logan
County Arts Association news release]
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Arts
in Logan County
Upcoming events and logo contest
[SEPT.
1, 2001] The
Logan County Arts Association is a newly formed organization
dedicated to introducing all disciplines of the arts to our area.
From hands-on programs for children to classical music for adults,
the spectrum is broad and entertaining. Though it is still very new
and in the setting-up stages, the association has already scheduled
several events.
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"Music,
Magic, and More" by Mr. Tone, a professional clown, is geared
to children's activities and set for Sept. 29. Classic Movie Night
featuring "Casablanca" will open on Oct. 11. An afternoon
performance of classical Spanish guitar by Spanish-trained Chris
Culleton is scheduled for Dec. 16.
"What
we don’t have," says Marshall Jacobs, director of the
association, "is an identifying logo that graphically shows who
we are! Here's where we hope you can be of help and have fun in the
process."
The
association is sponsoring a contest in Logan County schools for a
logo the arts group can adopt. Jacobs says this challenge can be an
exciting art project for students in middle school and high school.
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The
winner will be publicly recognized and receive a cash award and a
free membership to the association’s first-year activities.
Entries
should be sent to:
Logan
County Arts Association
303
S. Kickapoo St.
Lincoln,
IL 62656
Entries
should be postmarked no later than Oct. 10 to be considered in the
judging. For more information, please contact Jean Gossett, (217)
732-7542.
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Lincoln Community Theatre website
Lincoln
Community Theatre’s website serves a number of functions, from providing information on
becoming a season ticket holder to showing what new productions are
being planned. Pictures from past productions are also
posted.
Visit LCT’s website at www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre/index.html,
e-mail LCT at lincolncommunitytheatre@yahoo.com,
or write to Lincoln Community Theatre, P.O. Box 374, Lincoln,
IL 62656.
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