The cold, dark days of winter may be upon us, but area stages will be merry and bright with plenty of music, dance and theater shows to keep us entertained. Here’s a sampling of what we have to look forward to for the next few months. Bye Bye Birdie A loving send-up of 1950s small-town […]
Mary Young
Mary Young was born and raised in Springfield and has been performing in, producing and directing live theater for decades. She's done film and voice-over work, performs occasionally with local bands and takes part in improv troupe The Portuguese Rodeo Clown Company.
Posted inArts Features
Springfield Theatre Centre’s The Hello Girls
Area audiences have the chance to catch a new (for Springfield) musical about a small group of World War I heroes, and this writer hopes you take it. The Hello Girls is an uplifting and exciting history lesson that chronicles the journey of five courageous women who served as bilingual telephone operators on the front lines […]
Posted inArts Features
Come From Away reminds us of our shared humanity
“To the coves and the caves and the people from the planes…. five days… 19 animals… and 7,000 strays!” Most people of a certain age can vividly recall where they were and what they were doing when they learned on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, that the United States had been attacked. While many […]
Posted inArts Features
Dreamgirls has lessons of love and show biz
If you’re a fan of “American Idol,” you’ve probably heard many young hopefuls audition for their chance at stardom with the number, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” One can assume these auditionees pick the song because they believe it will showcase their amazing singing ability. This often proves to be the case […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Celebrating the life and legacy of Marsha P. Johnson
The Phoenix Center invites the community to a weekend of celebration in honor of what would have been activist Marsha P. Johnson’s 80th birthday. The festivities include a fundraiser dance party, an afterparty and a free film screening, all paying tribute to the life and legacy of one of the most iconic figures in LGBTQ+ […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The Prom at the Hoogland is an inspiration
In 2010, a controversy erupted in the Itawamba County School District in Indiana. A lesbian student wanted to bring her girlfriend to the school prom and the school refused, choosing instead to cancel the prom for all students. A second prom was scheduled which was also canceled, a lawsuit was filed with the ACLU, a […]
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Theatre in the Park: From past to present
When Theatre in the Park began in 1976, it was known as The Great American People Show, a nonprofit theater company focused on American history, particularly the life of Abraham Lincoln. For about 20 years, the popular company performed at Lincoln’s New Salem. In 1995, Illinois designated The Great American People Show as the official […]
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A taste of Ireland
Dancing at LughnasaThe play will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 6; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7; and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 8., plus 2 p.m. Sunday, June 8. Tickets are $22 for adults or $20 for seniors over 60 and students. Call 217-523-2787 or go to hcfta.org to reserve tickets. […]
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STC’s Sound of Music climbs every mountain
“What’s going to happen is going to happen. Just make sure it doesn’t happen to you.” – Max Detweiler in The Sound of Music. Two characters in The Sound of Music, Max and Elsa, choose to remain neutral for the sake of comfort and safety during the rise of Nazi Germany in 1938. Their attitudes […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Summer theater for kids
Central Illinois offers a variety of summer theater programs for kids and teens, providing opportunities to explore the performing arts in fun and supportive environments. Here’s a summary of theater arts opportunities for young people this summer. Youth shows 101 Dalmatians KIDS May 23-25 Hoogland Center for the Arts Based on the classic animated Disney […]
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Rabbit Hole explores themes of loss
Last week, I watched the courageous and artful William Wyler film The Children’s Hour. Originally a play, it’s based on a true story from 1810 about two Edinburgh school teachers whose lives were destroyed when one of their students falsely accused them of engaging in an “unnatural” relationship. During the intro, I learned about how […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Aida explores love, sacrifice and consequences of war
Aida, a musical by Elton John and Tim Rice, revolves around a Nubian princess who is captured and enslaved after her kingdom is overrun by the Egyptian army. She is brought back to Egypt, where she is “gifted” to Amneris, Pharaoh’s daughter, to serve as another one of her many handmaids. Amneris’ betrothed and Aida’s […]
