Champaign Park District's Youth Theatre program will present Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. May 16–18 at the Virginia Theatre. Performances begin at 7:00 p.m. each night, and there is an additional matinee performance at 2:00 p.m. on the 18th.

Tickets for the event are $9 for adults and $7 for kids; seating is general admission.

Per the Virginia's website:

"In a magical kingdom fathoms below, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that she’s the girl with the enchanting voice!"

This all-ages musical is adapted from Disney’s 2008 Broadway production and features the popular songs "Part of Your World," "She’s in Love," and "Under the Sea."

From the press release:

Piato and Piato Too, located in Lincoln Square Mall, will be hosting a charity buffet for Rape Advocacy, Counseling and Education Services on Thursday, May 16 from 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. This organization provides free and confidential services to survivors of sexual violence who live or work in Champaign, Ford, Douglas, and Piatt counties. R.A.C.E.S. operates a 24-hour hotline, provides medical and legal advocacy, public education, and professional training. Individual, group, family, and child counseling is available for those age three and older for both survivors and their non-offending significant others.  

Piato will also be accepting donations of the following items off of R.A.C.E.S. wish list:

• 20 lb. copy paper
• security envelopes
• small increment gas cards ($10–$20)
• small increment pharmacy gift cards ($10–$20)
• women’s athletic style shorts (S–XXL)
• women’s yoga pants (S–XXL)

The cost of the buffet is $5. This is a dine in OR carry out event. You may not bring your own carry out containers. Piato will be accepting cash, credit, or check; no gift certificates.

Visit our website for more information. For more information about Rape Advocacy, Counseling and Education Services contact their office at (217) 344-6298.

From the press release:

ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival at Krannert Center: September 5-7, 2013

Cindy Cashdollar Named Artist-in-Residence

Austin-based Dobro master Cindy Cashdollar has recorded and toured the world with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Leon Redbone, Willie Nelson, and Rod Stewart—and that’s only a handful of her world-class musical partners. Her imaginative virtuosity has earned her five Grammy Awards, and Krannert Center audiences have flocked to hear her at three previous festival appearances. As the 2013 ELLNORA artist-in-residence, Cashdollar will bring her dynamic artistry to sets with Dan Zanes and Friends, Kevin Breit’s Sisters Euclid, and The Lee Boys and other special events. 

David Spelman, ELLNORA’s artistic advisor, notes that “Cindy Cashdollar’s performances at the festival have included collaborations with Jorma Kaukonen, Redd Volkaert, and Daniel Lanois. Her adaptable style has made her one of those artists that everyone wants to work with, so she was a natural fit for an artist-in-residence position. We couldn’t be more pleased that she accepted our invitation.”

The full lineup for ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival at Krannert Center (September 5-7, 2013) will be released on June 11. Please visit EllnoraGuitarFestival.com for information on previous festivals and for up-to-the-minute announcements.

About ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is situated on the campus of the University of Illinois, in the micro-urban community of Champaign-Urbana, and is North America’s premier university-based performing arts complex. ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival (originally called the Wall to Wall Guitar Festival), held biennially, was launched in 2005 and through its eclectic global mix has presented many of the world’s most influential guitarists and bands, including Buddy Guy, Ani DiFranco, Luther Dickinson, Jerry Douglas, Pepe Romero, John McLaughlin, Bill Frisell, Vernon Reid, Derek Trucks, Richard Thompson, Kaki King, Andy Summers, The National, Los Lobos, and the North Mississippi Allstars.

Thomas Nicol and Joe Taylor's Heartshot was reviewed on Ain't it Cool News after the film won "Best Short" at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival & Cthulhucon in Portland, Oregon. Heartshot, a 2013 New Art Film Festival selection, was produced by Sleepy Creek Films in Oakwood. The film is based on a story by Mike Byers and it stars Mike Trippiedi, Bill Kephart, Cara Maurizi, Steven Keen, Chris Lukeman, and Elin Skottene.

tonight market monday menu:

beef tongue, arugula, red onion, shaved parmesan, A1 vinaigrette

fettuccine, spring beef ragu, ramps, green garlic, spring onions

Triple S strip steak, asparagus, twice-baked potato with ramps and bacon

Prairie Fruits Farm chevre, blood orange marmalade, chive

strawberry cheesecake, blueberry compote

50 USD

Illinois Public Media's May Community Cinema event looks at the work of Amlan Ganguly to empower India’s poorest children to become activists and educators.

Ganguly doesn’t simply rescue children living in Calcutta’s slums. He helps them transform their own neighborhoods and lives—cleaning up trash dumps, going to school, reducing malaria infection. The film The Revolutionary Optimists follows Ganguly and three of the children he works with as they fight for a better future.

A free screening of the film, as well as a discussion of the community issues it raises, will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, at the Champaign Public Library, Robeson Rooms A & B.

On the discussion panel are University of Illinois law professor Suja Thomas, whose interest in raising awareness of personal responsibility and charitable giving is reflected in her blog, The Give Blog; Ratisha Carter, youth engagement specialist for the Champaign County ACCESS Initiative’s YOUTHMOVE program; and Sally Carter, founder and executive director of Tap In Leadership Academy, an after-school and summer enrichment program in Champaign-Urbana. YOUTHMOVE  and Tap In are partnering with Illinois Public Media for the event.

Proposing a workable solution to intractable problems associated with poverty, Ganguly's story suggests that education and child empowerment are crucial keys to lifting entire societies out of hopelessness.

The C-U Folk and Roots Fest takes place every November and has announced the first artists booked for the 5th annual festival, taking place November 1-2, 2013. Many more to come, but this is where they're at right now:

• Los Condenados Huastecos
• Danny Schmidt & Carrie Elkin
• Red Sea Pedestrians
• Birds of Chicago
• Rosie Newton & Richie Stearns
• The Whipstich Sallies

Check out our coverage of last year's festival.

I just happend across this, and while I don't drink, personally, it scored so high on my "what the hell?" meter that I had to share it.

Apparently the good people over at Sleepy Creek Vineyards host a little something called "Sunday Bloody Sunday" every...y'know...Sunday. And sure, that's a clever name and all, but the real attraction is this little nugget of information, lifted from their website:

"Every Sunday, enjoy Winey Mary with our Bloody Mary Bar! Crazy, but so good. Our Winey Mary is our Tomato & Jalepeno wine! It's great naked (straight up), but we also love it mixed with traditional Bloody Mary ingredients."

They also offer a self-service Bloody Mary bar with mixers, tomato juice, spices, celery, pickles, olives, and whatever the hell else goes on in one of those things. So, if you're so inclined (or, by the third or fourth one of these, reclined), check out Sleepy Creek and try your luck with a Winey Mary.

The Art Theater Co-op and Psychic Joker Entertainment have joined forces to re-introduce yet another classic form of entertainment, the Classic Spook Show. Fans of William Castle will know exactly what they're in for when David der Geist hosts an evening of magic, mayhem, and lots of scary fun. The evening's feature film will be The Tingler, directed by William Castle and starring the incomparable Vincent Price. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., the live show is at 9, and the film will follow at around 9:45. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door. You can also RSVP here.

To The Wonder is the most recent film by acclaimed (and moderately perplexing) filmmaker Terrence Malick, auteur of such films as The Tree of Life, The Thin Red Line, and Days of Heaven. The new film—starring Oscar winners Ben Affleck and Javier Bardem, as well as  Rachel McAdams—is a romantic drama about love and all its many complications and consequences. In his final movie review, Roger Ebert said that Malick "has attempted to reach more deeply than that: to reach beneath the surface, and find the soul in need."

The film opens Friday at the Art for an extended run. Be on the lookout for a Smile Politely review of this sure-to-be intriguing film in the days to come. For more information about this and other great film offerings, check out the Art website.