Books | Thursday, June 3,2004

A capital crime in the capital city

In her last book, Nine Nights on the Windy Tree, Martha Miller introduced Bertha Brannon, a Springfield lawyer who finds herself involved in a mystery. It was a good read, and I was looking for

Feature | Thursday, June 3,2004

Summer theater

By Phil Funkenbusch

Summertime on area stages always seems to hark back to the old days of summer stock -- big tried-and-true musicals, comedies, light fare. That's mostly the case for the summer of 2004, but a fe

Performing Art | Thursday, May 27,2004

Stage brights for Memorial Day weekend

By Phil Funkenbusch

Continuing a recent spate of new, innovative theatrical offerings, Memorial Day weekend features several interesting area openings: • Theater student Matthew Schwartz conceived and directs a sho

Performing Art | Thursday, May 13,2004

Backstage Pass

By Phil Funkenbusch

Springfield stages are busy these days, with more new and experimental works being staged here than in most communities of comparable size. Here are just a few of the new shows being hatched loc

Performing Art | Thursday, April 29,2004

Backstage pass 4-29-04

By Phil Funkenbusch

The new Center for the Arts is showcasing the talents of its tenants with a gala on Saturday, May 1. Titled "Beyond Our Dream," the fundraiser and celebration features performances running simultaneou

Performing Art | Thursday, April 15,2004

Backstage Pass 4-15-04

By Phil Funkenbusch

Forever Plaid, the tuneful show that was an off-Broadway hit in 1990 and has played here several times, is back for two weeks at the Springfield Center for the Arts. The Gordon Productions show, which

Performing Art | Thursday, March 25,2004

Backstage Pass 3-25-04

By Phil Funkenbusch

Sacred Heart-Griffin High School this week reprises the musical Children of Eden, which was produced there a few years back and eventually was performed at Muni Opera. The show, which tells the Old Te

Performing Art | Thursday, March 11,2004

Backstage Pass

By Phil Funkenbusch

Shakespeare's As You Like It, staged by Michael Savage at Springfield Theatre Centre, concludes its run this weekend, at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 12-13, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 13. Utilizin

Performing Art | Thursday, February 26,2004

Backstage Pass

By Phil Funkenbusch

When Roxy Group's Swingtime Canteen opens this weekend at the Center for the Arts, many will remember the weekend after 9/11 when this valentine to the World War II-era USO shows first played a

Performing Art | Thursday, February 19,2004

Backstage Pass

By Phil Funkenbusch

Auditions for Noel Coward's classic 1925 comedy Hay Fevertake place on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 22-23, at the UIS Studio Theatre from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Callbacks are on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The show,