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Champaign Park District’s Youth Theatre Program accepting summer camp registrations

Anonymous SPlog Submission — 2013-05-23T20:46:29+00:00

Champaign Park District Youth Theatre Program Accepting Summer Camp
Registrations through Friday, May 31, 2013

Six week summer camp program will present The Fiddler on the Roof JR at the Virginia Theatre

The Champaign Park District’s Youth Theatre Program invites area residents to register their 2nd through 8th-grade children for the 2013 Youth Theatre Summer Camp, featuring a production of the stage musical The Fiddler on the Roof JR. at the historic Virginia Theatre in Champaign. Presented as a special edition of one of Broadway’s great masterpieces — based upon Sholem Aleichem's stories, with music by Jerry Bock, book by Joseph Stein, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick — The Fiddler on the Roof JR offers youth a thorough introduction to the world of musical theatre.

The 2013 Champaign Park District Youth Theatre Summer Camp will be held Monday through Friday, June 3 through July 13, from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at Stratton Elementary School in Champaign. A before-care and after-care program is also available June 5 through July 10, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. For details and to register online visit our website. The deadline to register is Friday, May 31, 2013.

Participants in Youth Theatre Summer Camp will present The Fiddler on the Roof JR at the Virginia Theatre Thursday through Saturday, July 11–13, at 7:00 p.m., with a special 1:00 p.m. matinee on Friday, July 12.

All children registered for Youth Theatre Summer Camp will be cast into roles in the play and will spend time every day learning the music and working with directors to present the show. As part of the camp they also learn “theater basics” in costuming, audition instruction, understanding stage directions, proper use of stage makeup, stage movement and singing, and other introductory theater training. Special recreational activities are planned daily.

The Fiddler on the Roof JR will be directed for the Champaign Park District by Caitlin Dobbs and produced by Patty Dudley.

For more information contact Patty Dudley.

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Children’s author Sarah Weeks to launch Summer Reading Games

MathewGreen — 2013-05-23T19:02:40+00:00

Sarah Weeks, author of the bestselling children’s novel So B. It and more than fifty other books for young readers, will be at the Champaign Public Library on Saturday, June 1, to help launch the library’s summer reading games.

Weeks will give two different hour-long talks at the library, located at 200 W. Green St. At 10:30 a.m., the focus will be on her picture books and easy readers. At 2:00 p.m., her focus will be fiction for older children. These events are free and open to the public. A book sale and signing will follow each presentation.

Registration for Summer Reading Games will begin June 1 at the library and online. The reading games run through August 15 with the goal of helping children keep their reading skills strong while school is not in session.

So B. It was awarded a 2004 Parents Choice Gold award and numerous state book awards, including the Rebecca Caudill Award in Illinois.

This event is made possible, in part, by funding from the Franklin I. and Irene List Saemann Foundation. For more information, email the library or call (217) 403-2030.

Information in this post taken from Champaign Library press release.

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Laura Taylor recognized by Illinois Safe Schools Alliance as Ally of the Year

Tracy Nectoux — 2013-05-23T14:08:38+00:00

From the press release:

Dr. Laura Taylor, Assistant Superintendent for Achievement and Student Services, is being recognized by the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance as their Ally of the Year.

The Illinois Safe Schools Alliance will recognize Dr. Taylor at its Alliance Launch Event on Sunday, June 9 from 3–6 p.m. at Emerald City Lounge in Champaign. In addition to honoring Dr. Taylor, the Alliance will officially celebrate the opening of its Champaign office in the Champaign Schools Family Information Center (1103 N. Neil St., Champaign). East Central Illinois Safe Schools Alliance (eCISSA), Central Illinois Safe Schools Alliance (CISSA), and Heartland Safe Schools Initiative (HSSI) will also be recognized for their leadership and partnership at the launch event.

"The Illinois Safe School Alliance has long worked with students, schools, and communities throughout the state, but it is great to see the Alliance establish its first office outside of Chicago in Central Illinois," said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch. "The Alliance's work to ensure all students are learning in safe and nurturing schools, where differences are accepted and honored, can only grow stronger as schools and communities come to know this organization. Students who have the freedom to express their sexual orientation and gender identity are more likely to reach their fullest potential both inside and outside the classroom."

Dr. Taylor will be recognized for her social justice work in her former role as Principal of Urbana High School and for her leadership in founding the Champaign Unit 4 Schools Social Justice Committee. The District committee — which holds monthly meetings open to all staff, students, and families — aims to systematically improve the District’s ability to support student learning through the lens of social justice.

"The Alliance is thrilled to honor Dr. Laura Taylor — an outstanding leader — for her exemplary work to help advance the Alliance's vision of a world in which youth can develop to their fullest potential in safe and nurturing schools," said Alliance Executive Director Shannon Sullivan. "Dr. Taylor has been a visionary in the work to make Central Illinois schools safer for all youth regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression."

For more information about the event and the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, please visit our website.

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Central student scores a perfect on both ACT and SAT

Jeremiah Stanley — 2013-05-22T20:13:14+00:00

Likith Govindaiah of Central High School recorded a perfect score on both the ACT and the SAT this year (I didn't even show up to the right campus branch for my SAT).

According to the News-Gazette, the scores put Govindaiah in the company of “about 0.1 percent of students who take the ACT each year” and “about 0.022 percent” of SAT test takers. But it seems like this isn’t anything new for the high school senior, who got a perfect score of 5 on the AP Statistics test without having stepped into a statistics classroom (In comparison, I once went on a field trip with my high school's statistics class without having been in the class).

If you’re interested in what other crazy feats Govindaiah has accomplished, you’ll want to see the full article because I only made it about halfway. I have to go watch some Honey Boo Boo, download the latest Us Weekly, and check my Facebook feed.

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Goonies Never Say Die…at the Art Theater Co-op

MathewGreen — 2013-05-22T02:49:37+00:00

Heyyy Youuuu Guuuuuyss!

Richard Donner's beloved 80s kid adventure The Goonies will start a limited run this Friday, May 24 at the Art Theater Co-op. The first round of showings will be at midnight on Friday and Saturday, with additional showings at 11:30 AM on Sunday the 26th and at 10:00 PM on Thursday, May 30.

This incredibly quotable tale of misfit kids, bumbling criminals, and pirate booty features a recognizable (if pre-stardom) cast, including Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Martha Plimpton, and Corey Feldman. And for a filmmaking pedigree, you can't do much better than director Richard Donner (Superman), screenwriter Chris Columbus (Gremlins, Home Alone), and producer Steven Spielberg (E.T., Jurassic Park).

There is sure to be plenty of audience interaction with this very 80s but somehow timeless tale, so be sure to arrive early, get some caffeine in you, and enjoy yourself.

Check out the Art Theater Co-op website for more details, and relive the retro awesomeness of the Cyndi Lauper theme song here. See this film before someone turns it into a sandtrap...and never get their balls out.

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Krannert Center’s OUTSIDE at the Research Park shows announced

Patrick Singer — 2013-05-21T18:32:13+00:00

From the press release:

KRANNERT CENTER, FOX/ATKINS DEVELOPMENT, LLC & THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PRESENT

OUTSIDE AT THE RESEARCH PARK 2013 | June 14 and July 12 at 6:30pm | FREE

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts once again joins forces with Fox/Atkins Development, LLC and the University of Illinois for a two-show series of summer concerts at the University of Illinois Research Park. Both concerts are free and open to the public. OUTSIDE at the Research Park plays upon a simple concept: great music, fresh food, a green state of mind, and an open, relaxed environment. The performance space and seating area are located just south of the building at the corner of First Street and St. Mary’s Road in Champaign. The tree-lined, grassy space has hosted thousands of audience members each summer since the inception of OUTSIDE in 2007.

Headliners for the 2013 series will be ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival alum Vieux Farka Touré with his signature Malian blues on June 14 and the alternative American roots band Spuyten Duyvil on July 12.

Come Together

Krannert Center’s senior associate director Rebecca McBride notes, “It has been a pure pleasure to see OUTSIDE at the Research Park become a beloved summer tradition in our community. Through the generosity of our donors, we’ve been able to help create a joyous celebration that recognizes our region’s diversity, talent, and dedication to solving problems such as sustainability and that offers an opportunity to witness the power of the arts to transform lives and connect people.” The 2013 OUTSIDE series will continue to demonstrate Krannert Center’s commitment to reduce waste, decrease energy consumption, and provide environmentally friendly services to patrons.

The performance on Friday, July 12, is the perfect launching point for the forthcoming 2013-14 season at Krannert Center, which begins with ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival on September 5-7; tickets for these events go on sale at10am on Saturday, August 10. The July 12 event will also feature a green fair that will invite sustainability-minded local businesses and organizations to take advantage of free exhibit space to share information about their green efforts. Interested parties can contact Lisa Lillig at 217.244.6298 or lillig@illinois.edu for more information.

Performances

Friday, June 14, 2013, at 6:30pm, FREE

Vieux Farka Touré with opening act Mhondoro Rhythm Success

CU’s own Mhondoro Rhythm Success simmers with enchanting Zimbabwean pop songs that blend traditional regional music with electric guitar. Sharp percussion and appealing melodies from that southern African nation create the ultimate dancing atmosphere. The evening then journeys into the desert as the Hendrix of the Sahara and ELLNORA 2011 alum Vieux Farka Touré boosts the temperature with scorching rock solos and thrilling vocals. In penetrating bluesy licks and joyful tunes “straight from the heart of Mali,” he charges ancestral grooves with modern energy (NPR.org).

http://mhondororhythmsuccess.com/

http://www.vieuxfarkatoure.com/

Friday, July 12, 2013, at 6:30pm, FREE

Green Fair starts at 6pm

Spuyten Duyvil with opening act The Diva & The Dude/Kathy Harden & Andy Baylor

A refreshing night kicks off with The Diva & The Dude/Kathy Harden & Andy Baylor, who cover songs by saucy women ranging from Patsy Cline to Koko Taylor. Then prepare yourself for the rowdy roots music of Spuyten Duyvil (that’s Spite-en Dive-el). “All the playing is hot” on ripping bluegrass-meets-country-meets-blues from this eight-piece force of nature (Huffington Post).

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-DIVA-The-DUDEKathy-Harden-Andy-Baylor/160776970611179

http://www.spuytenduyvilmusic.com/

Location, Parking, and Services

These concerts will be held just southwest of Assembly Hall on First Street in the Research Park. Free parking is available in the lot south of the Caterpillar/SAIC Building at 1901 South First Street.

All performances are free and open to the general public.

Beverages, wine, and food are available from Houlihan’s Restaurant in the concession area located at the northwest corner of the Caterpillar/SAIC Building.

Restrooms are available inside the Caterpillar/SAIC Building at 1901 South First Street.

Bacaro’s Special Market Monday Menu: May 20th: Benefit for the Davis McKay Foundation

Anonymous SPlog Submission — 2013-05-20T19:57:35+00:00

burrata, spring vegetable salad, grilled ramps, tomato marmalade

foie gras torchon, honey, black summer truffles, brioche

lobster mac & cheese

grilled prime strip steak, napini, ham scalloped potatoes

cheese course - hand-picked from Artmart by Brian & Davis McKay

strawberry shortcake, chocolate whipped cream

75 USD/ 100 USD with wine pairing

All proceeds donated to the Davis McKay Foundation

Reservations encouraged!

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Oscar nominated Chilean film NO with Q&A at the Art tonight

Jeremiah Stanley — 2013-05-20T19:08:01+00:00

"Interested in what makes for a sexy media justice campaign?"

Go to the Art Theater Co-op tonight for the screening of Pablo Larrain's 2013 Oscar nominated film NO. The film stars Gael Garcia Bernal as a young ad executive who comes up with a campaign to defeat Augusto Pinochet in Chile's 1988 referendum.

Monday night's screening is a special event that will include a Q&A with Karla Palma after the sceening. Palma is a doctoral student of Media and Communications at the University of Illinois. She is also a journalist from the Universidad de La Frontera, with a specialization in human rights and public policies, and is a Senior Fellow of the Melton Foundation, and a Fulbright scholar. She is currently studying zones of conflicts in Chilean mining projects and focuses on interactions between local communities, the state, and global organizations. Palma has worked with different non-governmental agencies in Chile, and has experience in the development of communication strategies for resistance of communities affected by the violation of their rights, the development of community media, and methodologies of participatory research.

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Common Ground Food Coop Weekly Special May 22–28

Anonymous SPlog Submission — 2013-05-20T17:54:43+00:00

Check out this week's specials at Common Ground Food Co-op!

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Homer Soda Fest publishes festival guide

Susanna Kline — 2013-05-19T15:19:46+00:00

The Homer Soda Festival, an annual gathering celebrating glass bottled sodas, just published its 2013 festival guide that details all vendors and a map of the upcoming festival. The event, on June 1 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., will include soda tastings, a barbeque cook off, other food vendors, and live music.

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