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 […]
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 & Culture
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 […]
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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 […]
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Doing what makes you happy is the most important thing
As the house lights went down, music from a favorite era filled the Hoogland’s Peggy Ryder Theatre. While the show is not a musical, the pre-show tunes like “Beautiful Girls,” “I’ve Got The World on a String” and “Goody Goody” had me singing along, filled with anticipation for this world-renowned play. You Can’t Take It […]
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A playwright’s prediction
In a divided, dystopian America, science is outlawed, books are burned and freedoms are stripped away. If any of that sounds a little familiar, that’s the point. This unsettling reality is brought to life in Doctor Vonyich and Her Children, a powerful and poetic play by Leanna Keyes. Set in a future that feels eerily […]
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The Lifespan of a Fact examines what it is to be human
An exceptionally well-written article – sorry, essay – about the suicide of a 16-year-old boy who jumped from the observation deck of a Las Vegas casino has the potential to breathe life into a struggling magazine. The demanding editor-in-chief hires a millennial fact-checker to verify the essay’s content before publishing. The deadline is very tight, […]
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Disney’s Mary Poppins dances on air
I’m guessing most people are familiar with some aspect of the show Mary Poppins: either the beloved children’s book by P.L. Travers, the iconic Walt Disney film, or at the very least, the fact that Dick Van Dyke is still alive and entertaining at 98 years old. The live production captivated Broadway audiences for over […]
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Hello Dolly! – It’s nice to have you back
When it debuted in 1964, Hello, Dolly! set a record for the most Tony Awards, which it held for the next 37 years. (The Producers moved into the top spot when it won 12 awards in 2001). The cast recording of the original Broadway production reached No. 1 on the Billboard album chart in 1964 […]
