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

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.

[to top of second column in this review]

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

‘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.

[to top of second column in this article]

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).

[to top of second column in this article]

[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.

Back to top