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‘Dancing
in Cadillac Light’
[MAY
22, 2002] "Dancing
in Cadillac Light" by Kimberly Willis Holt. G.P. Putnam’s Sons,
2001, 167 pages.
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The year is 1968, and
the place is a town in southern Texas called Moon. Eleven-year-old
Jaynell Lambert lives with her family in one of the poorer sections
of town. Bailey’s Automobile Salvage is next door to her house, and
her favorite thing to do is to climb into one of the junked cars and
pretend to drive.
After her grandmother
dies, her grandfather has a hard time living alone. He moves in with
her mother’s sister, Aunt Loveda, but that doesn’t last long because
of Loveda’s high-strung personality.
The Lamberts really
don’t have any extra room, but they make room rather than put him in
a nursing home. This means that Jaynell must share a bedroom with
her prissy sister, Racine. They are only 10 months apart in age but
completely opposite in interests and personality. Jaynell is a
tomboy and likes to hunt and fish with her father. Racine loves
everything girlish, and her dream is to take dancing lessons at
Lynette Logan’s Dance and Baton Twirling School. Even sharing a room
with Racine can’t spoil her excitement about having Grandpap so
close.
The grown-ups fear
that Grandpap is getting senile, so Jaynell’s father asks her to
watch what he does and where he goes. She is excited by the request
not only because it is an invitation to spy, but also because she
gets to spend more time with her grandfather. Daily walks to the
cemetery become their routine, and Grandpap tells her the story
behind each tombstone. He also likes to visit the families where he
used to deliver mail, which includes a dirt-poor family, the
Pickenses, who are regarded as social outcasts by most of the
residents of Moon.
[to top of second column in this
review]
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Since her grandfather
moved in, Jaynell has heard comments from various people about his
past, and she is determined to find out what people are talking
about. An incident on the lake convinces Jaynell that there may be
something wrong with her grandfather, but she decides to keep it to
herself so they won’t send him to a nursing home.
On an impulse one day
her grandfather buys a 1962 emerald-green Cadillac convertible, and
things begin to change. People in town treat him differently when he
is driving the Cadillac. Life seems wonderful to Jaynell when they
are in the Cadillac, and Grandpap teaches her how to drive. He even
lets Racine dance in the light from the headlights of the Cadillac.
Then her grandfather does something unbelievable, and she can’t tell
anyone because for sure they would send him to a nursing home.
One day Grandpap
unexpectedly dies while driving his precious Cadillac. The loss is
almost unbearable for Jaynell and is made even worse when the
grown-ups begin to fight over Grandpap’s possessions. She knows that
things would be better if she tells her secret, but she struggles
with wanting to tell. When the truth is finally revealed, through a
series of dramatic events, Jaynell becomes a heroine and her
grandfather’s wishes are fulfilled.
This story is full of
colorful characters, sensitive moments and laugh-out-loud humor.
Some of the themes that are dealt with are issues of gender, social
class, alcoholism and family secrets. The characters are very
believable and realistic. This book is recommended for ages 9 to 12.
For more information, visit the library
at 725 Pekin St. or call (217) 732-5732.
[Linda Harmon, Lincoln
Public Library District]
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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.
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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.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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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]
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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.
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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.
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[Photo by Bob Frank] |
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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.
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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.
[to top of second column in this
section]
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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 ]
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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.
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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]
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• "The King and I"
Performance
dates: Aug. 2-10
Auditions:
• Friday, May 31, 6 p.m., adults only
• Saturday, June 1, 9 a.m., children only (ages 5-14)
• Saturday, June 1, 1 p.m., adults unable to audition Friday
• Sunday, June 2, 2 p.m., callbacks only
There
are two male child leads. Adult roles include eight men and 11
females. Dancers are also needed. Be prepared to audition with a
song showing your vocal range.
More
information is available at the LCT website: http://www.geocities.com/
lincolncommunitytheatre/.
Season
tickets are still available for this season. Send check or money
order ($20 adults, $12 children through eighth grade) to LCT, Box
374, Lincoln, IL 62656.
For
further information regarding season memberships or the auditions,
call (217) 732-2640 or (217) 732-4763.
[Judy
Rader, LCT publicity chairman]
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Lincoln Community Theatre
information
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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