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Places To Go

[JAN. 3, 2002]  The Illinois Brassworks Jazz Combo will be performing this Friday evening from 7 to 10 at "Coffee with Einstein," at 604 Broadway on the Lincoln square. The group will play a set of tunes mostly from Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane.

The six-piece combo, consisting of a trumpet, two saxes, piano, bass and drums, is a professional jazz ensemble you can see for free in central Illinois. The group plays everything from classic jazz standards, swing and bebop to rock.

The band’s goal is to provide quality entertainment for the community. They love to play, but the experience triples when there is a large crowd in the audience.

The group plays at the coffee shop every other weekend without a cover charge.

[JAN. 2, 2002]  ^"Ghost Soldier" by Elaine Marie Alphin. Henry Holt and Company, 2001, 216 pages.

Thirteen-year-old Alexander Raskin and his father have traveled from Indiana to North Carolina for spring break. They are visiting Paige Hambrick, his father’s girlfriend, and her two children, Carleton and Nicole. Alexander really doesn’t want to be there and is worried that his mother will return and not be able to find them.

He has been waiting for her return since she left three years ago on New Year’s Day. Despite his parent’s divorce, he still believes his family will get back together. His relationship with his father is not great, because he unrealistically blames him for his mother’s leaving.

The first time Alexander saw ghosts he was just 5 years old. He saw a white man cheating some Indians by charging them a dollar for a needle. His mother told him that it had really happened many years ago and that he had found a window in time. He had not seen a ghost since then, but now it happens again.

He reluctantly goes on a sightseeing excursion with his father, Paige and her children to Civil War battle site. He is suddenly transported through a window in time and is there while the battle is raging. It is a frightening and fascinating experience that Alexander describes as follows:

"I sat up. The jagged trenches were only soft grassy depressions in the sunny battlefield park. I felt tears burn my eyes, the relief was so strong, and then the misery of losing the ghost hit me."

On returning to the Hambrink home that evening, he discovers that the ghost of a young Confederate soldier has followed him. The ghost’s name is Richeson Chamblee, and he is searching for information about his family because he was killed before the war was over. He is especially concerned about a younger sister, Louise. Richeson won’t leave Alexander alone until he agrees to help him.

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Alexander has no idea how to begin, but Rich tells him about a small metal box that Louise put in the hollow of a tree in 1865. He is sure that if they can find the box, there will be a note in it telling him where she went and what happened to the rest of the family.

Alexander eventually accomplishes the task and is able to go back in time to the very night Louise put the box in the hollow of the tree. The story ends dramatically with Alexander and Louise meeting and changing history.

The emotions Alexander experiences cause him to talk to his father about things they should have talked about years before, and reconciliation takes place. He begins to accept his mother’s leaving and his father’s need to move on.

The story is a blend of historical, time travel and family themes. It is entertaining as well as giving insight into the Confederate view of the Civil War. The author does a good job of explaining how to research historical information about a person or family name. The book is recommended for grades five to seven.

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

• Lincoln Community Theatre

• Logan County Arts Association

[JAN. 3, 2002]  Lincoln Community Theatre is looking for talented people to assume the paid positions of artistic director, technical director and musical accompanist for each production of the 2002 summer season.

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[DEC. 11, 2001]  The Logan County Arts Association executive board, meeting on Monday night, announced plans to show "It Happened One Night," "On the Waterfront" and "The Ten Commandments" at its Classic Film Nights in February, March and April 2002. The movie to be shown Jan. 10, however, is still unconfirmed.

Marshall Jacobs, president of the arts association, said he has requested "Gone With the Wind" for the January showing at Lincoln Cinemas but has not received confirmation that the 1939 classic is available. Backup possibilities are "The Adventures of Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn, "High Noon" with Gary Cooper and "Singin’ in the Rain" with Fred Astaire.

Scheduled for Feb. 14, "It Happened One Night" was produced in 1934, when it won best actor and actress Oscars for stars Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. "On the Waterfront" (1954), to be shown March 14, stars Marlon Brando, who also won an Oscar for that performance. Cecil B. De Mille’s 1956 blockbuster "The Ten Commandments" will be shown at Lincoln Cinemas on April 11.

The association’s first Classic Film Night was a sellout. Because people had to be turned away from "Casablanca" on Oct. 11, the board is investigating whether future films can be shown at 4 p.m. as well as 7 p.m.

Corporate sponsors for future Classic Film Nights and other arts events are being sought. Those interested should contact Marshall Jacobs, (217) 899-6243, or Stuart Wyneken, (217) 732-4298.

Wyneken, coordinator for the film nights and for the arts association’s project to restore the Lincoln Cinemas building, announced that he has blueprints from when the theater was "twinned," or divided for showing two movies. When Kerasotes Theatres builds its new theater complex, the corporation has indicated that it will transfer the Lincoln Cinemas building to Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce. Jacobs said plans are for the chamber of commerce to hold the theater as part of the downtown historic district and for the Logan County Arts Association to restore the interior of the building. Work will not begin until at least the fall of 2002.

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The arts association is looking for community members with photographs of either the interior or the exterior of the theater building at any point in its history. People with such photos are asked to contact Wyneken. Any photos located will be scanned and returned to their owners.

In more immediate business the board completed plans for the Dec. 16 classical guitar performance by Christian Culleton of Chicago. The concert will take place at 2 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church at 402 Pekin St. Tickets cost $5 and are available from Lincoln Public Library Annex, Gossett’s Design Studio, Serendipity Stitches, arts association board members and at the door. Jacobs announced that the local association will register Culleton with the Illinois Arts Council, which will include him in its next biennial listing of artists.

The regular meeting time of the Logan County Arts Association board was changed to the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The January 2002 meeting, however, will be on the second Tuesday. The meeting place is the lower level of Lincoln Public Library.

In other business the board authorized Jacobs to purchase $1 million in liability insurance from State Farm Insurance. The insurance is to be in effect before the Dec. 16 classical guitar concert.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

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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