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About the musical itself If you have seen a 1984 film Footloose, starring Kevin Bacon, then you are probably familiar with all the clichés that surround this motion-picture: teenage rebellion, repression, democratic constipation and fluffy dialogue. It's all fun and 80's... that's pretty much it actually. That is, plenty of Spandex and those humongous shoulder pads that make you look like someone out of a Stanley Kubrick film. (Ed. Note: Jeez. Louise.)
| Its 8 p.m. August 6th. A sudden laughter pierces the silent air of Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center. It emanates through every crack, door, every small opening of the building. It is a warm, loud, whole-hearty kind of laughter that fills the room and makes one feel comfortable and welcome. The remainder of the people (including me) are bustling around trying to find a comfortable seat in a dimly lit room. Everyone seems to be ready.
From 40 North's website: "Karen Vacarro transforms herself into three radically different real women — a poet, a pianist and an actress — in this hilarious and poignant one-woman play about the lives of artists and the art of living as a woman in America," which is interesting all by itself. Performances will take place at the Independent Media Center, 202 South Broadway in Urbana on Friday August 6 (8PM), Saturday August 7 (8PM), and Sunday August 8 (7PM). Tickets …
The Little Dog Laughed | July 29 - Aug 1; Aug 4 - Aug 7 | Station Theater$8: Wed | $10: Thursday & Sunday, $15 on Friday & SaturdayAll shows at 8 p.m. After 112 performances on Broadway and a Tony Award nomination for Best Play, Douglas Carter Beane's, "The Little Dog Laughed" finally made its way to Urbana's Station Theater. Choosing to perform a play with such notable history, it need not be stated that The Celebration Theater Company …
The Little Dog Laughed | July 29 – Aug 1; Aug 4 – Aug 7 | Station Theater All shows at 8p.m. $8: Wed | $10: Thursday & Sunday, $15 on Friday & Saturday Premiering this Thursday, July 29 at the Station Theater in Urbana is "The Little Dog Laughed." This play, written by American playwright, Douglas Carter Beane, explores the homosexual relationship between Mitchell, an up-and-coming Hollywood actor, and his lover, Alex. Mitchell's agent, Diane, does everything in her …
I have to admit that shortly after the opening curtain for Ug, The Caveman Musical, I caught myself nearly praying that the show would turn into more than a Flintstones-style musical revue — and it certainly does. Let it be known that no part of the following section of criticism is directed, specifically, at the Station's production, but rather the sometimes cliché-ridden work as it was written.
Think Waiting for Guffman meets cavemen, suggests David Barkley, veteran Champaign Urbana Theatre Company director, about the forthcoming Station production, Ug, The Caveman Musical. If you don't know Guffman, don't beat yourself up too hard. It's the hardly famous 1997 cult classic from Spinal Tap and Best in Show mastermind Christopher Guest. It's a niche film that anyone involved with Mid-Western community theater should have, and probably has, seen by now.
As if you didn't have enough to worry about already, here's one more thing: peak water. Start with the premise that aquifers aren't constantly fully replenished, regardless of what the water cycle's doing, in part because demand for water steadily exceeds an aquifer's rate of replenishment. The aquifer gives more and more water until it reaches its peak, then gives less and less until nothing's left. You could graph it as a Hubbert curve. Even better: the remaining water's harder …
Normal 0 0 1 41 235 1 1 288 11.1287 0 0 0 C-U's newest bar, the Lapin Agile, a name which I'm told is literally French for "Nimble Rabbit" (thanks, Babelfish!), is currently under construction at the Station Theatre, a former railway depot on Broadway near downtown Urbana. And this isn't exactly some "magic of theatre" crap either.
As is often the case, I entered the Krannert Center's Colwell Playhouse knowing next to nothing about what I was about to see. If I'd read more about this particular play, I'd probably not have attended. Christopher Durang's "A History of the American Film" is a parody of the classic 1930s–1940s musicals and films that the WWII Generation enjoyed. Good Girl Loretta falls in love with Jimmy the Gangster, and through their adventures we're treated to an historical account of …
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Karen Vaccaro is a remarkable person as well as a dedicated performer. I couldn’t imagine a better night at theater!
The director should’ve added the wrinkle that the ban on dancing’s the only thing keeping Bomont from attracting the green/tech/jobs of the future!
Now that’s Class!
I have read several of her books and liked them. I guess because I’m not an overweight, lesbian, intersexed Jewish amputee with divorced parents I can’t comment on the offensiveness of some of her jokes.
You forgot to mention fat people. She made fun of obesity. And divorce. Children of divorce were lampooned, too. Jewish people. She hit on a lot of “groups.“ I fit into a number of them. If you didn’t like her speech you won’t like her books. If…
Lesbians: Anecdote about her mom being a lesbian, and getting her mom introduced to Rosie O’Donnell, and mom and Rosie talking about oral sex, and Weiner acting disgusted. She probably meant the disgust in a “don’t wanna hear about my mom’s vag” kind of way, but all…
Oh. Wow. What exactly did she say, Emma? Do you remember?
I went to this. In the first 5 minutes of her talk, she made fun of lesbians, intersexed children, and amputees. I was honestly surprised at how offensve she was—it was like she thought the Champaign Public Library was a venue for Last Comic Standing. I…
Theresa—are you speaking generally about that monologue, or did you attend the Friday night showing at UIUC?
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Illinois has simply had no luck at all in these Mizzou games. None. I think maybe we’re do for a couple of bounces to go our way. If we get one or two (or sever or eight) breaks, I think it’s a win.
Jason, Savoy could easily join the CPL tax district, which is probably closer to most Savoy residents than the Tolono library is. But my impression is that Savoy residents as a whole don’t want to pay the cost of the CPL (Tolono’s library taxes are cheaper), even…
Sorry, but I am lagging behind on updates to the map. Also, some construction projects were delayed from their original start date. On a more positive note, I am putting together a map of haunted houses in Central Illinois. I have a few plotted already, and I…
I’ve never gotten the privilege of all the services CPL cardholders get. I just want to be able to go out of my way to drive to the CPL to check out books, pay fines, maybe buy some coffee, and enjoy the library. None of those activities…
These days, there is more to using a library than checking out books. At one time, paying into the Lincoln Trails system probably would cover the expenses incurred by other libraries in the system. Now, with Internet, videos, coffee shops, wireless Internet hubs, etc., I suspect the…
(speaking as a Savoy resident) By paying taxes to support a member of the LTLS, we are paying our “fair share” to use any LTLS library—Tolono, Champaign, Urbana, etc. This is how library systems work. The 6% of CPL’s circulation represented by Tolono users is NOT significant…
I read Timbo’s argument. I think the key word is “speculating.“
I would be interested to hear more about the “word on the street”—how are individual hauling companies fulfilling their promise to recycle?
Timbo makes a smart, sound argument. Reread it.
I joined on 09-09-09 after living here over a year, and having to listen to my dad tell me how his best friend is, like, #27 or something crazy like that, and how said friend never lived further than 50 feet from the Illini Inn while going…
And, I might add, no one is being prevented from using the Champaign library. They are just being asked to pay their fair share if they are going to use it as their primary library.
The equation is pretty simple here. If you want social services, then pay the taxes required to run those social services. These things only work if everyone puts in their fair share. As a heavy user of the Champaign Library, I say bravo to this new policy.
Curtis Orchard is always good for an hour or three, especially if you have rugrats.
What is the increased marginal cost of serving a resident of Savoy or Mahomet? I suspect negligible. What is the increased revenue to be realized by this new policy? I suspect very little. Aside from these financial aspects, what are the most probable results from this new…
Looks like you are also all members of the killer sideburns club.
Thanks for the article, Ben. I was not familiar with this band until now and even though I won’t be able to attend the show on Friday they are now on my radar. A *good* jam band is hard to find, and these folks appear to fill…
Nice article, love the Dead quote in the beginning. If they can get down here to Central FL I’ll definitely be heading out to the show. Some of my friends have finally stopped wincing when I say “jam band.“ I’ve now tried my best at more descriptive…
@Annie: Yeah, my bad. That was the best part! Drinking + memory exercises = fun @Rob: According to Ask the English Teacher, “My dictionary says ‘drunk’ is an archaic past tense of ‘drink.‘“ We’re all about the new grammar around here.
Katie, have the residents of Savoy and Tolono thought about having their taxes raised a little to help their public library expand? That’s a possibility for them. And then everybody wins.
good call on that Herring recording, Josh. Love that version of Exit Music….here’s a clip of the Cinco de Mayo show (from about six months prior). As I recall, this Shakedown went on for roughly a half hour, while getting into the Trampled Underfoot jam in the…
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The main character’s name is actually Lisbeth, in case you want to correct.