And now for something completely different
Kerasotes’ one “arts” screen is no match for the countless number of excellent movies that never make their way to town. That means if you live in Springfield and love foreign and independent films, you’re usually out of luck. Springfield’s 2004 Film Festival at White Oaks Cinema is a remedy. Between January and April the…
For Jack Nicholson, not all that’s gold has glittered
Jack Nicholson has had the greatest career in Hollywood history. His status as a star is now in its 34th year, which is nearly as long as John Wayne’s run. Even an icon can have some overlooked films, and here are some of Nicholson’s lost gems: • The King Of Marvin Gardens (1972). Nicholson is…
Quick takes
STOCKING STUFFER Christmas came early to Sangamon County Circuit Clerk Tony Libri and his wife, Ann. On Dec. 16, at 9:58 a.m., Santa delivered the Libris a tiny bundle — 7-pounds, 15-ounces, to be exact — named Isabella Noel. Mom and baby are doing great; Tony’s ecstatic. He recites his new daughter’s melodic name with…
Marking time
For some time, civic boosters in St. Louis have been gearing up to do something big to mark 2004 — the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition, or World’s Fair. They’re making quite a go of it even though recalling a time long ago when the city was among the nation’s biggest and most vibrant…
The view from inside
As anyone who enjoys an occasional night out listening to music or watching a good performance can attest to, Springfield doesn’t suffer from a lack of cultural offerings. Indeed, the number of organizations promoting the arts here is surprisingly large, given the capital city’s size. We have independent theater groups, visual arts groups, musical groups,…
Grace about town
I think Christmas is really all about treats. Not that this is a bad thing; on the contrary, I would be most happy on an all-fudge-and-eggnog diet. I attended a (very glittery) party last night where they had an open bar, and many people were imbibing many delectable cocktails. But I found a box of…
State of the Arts
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Recycle that tree
You enjoyed the beauty and aroma of real Christmas tree this holiday season. Now what do you do with it? Springfield and other communities will have special pick-up services for discarded trees after the holidays. But, before placing the tree on the curb, think of alternatives. Consider using the tree in your garden. Discarded Christmas…
Knoepfle 12-25-03
sancta maria please hold the doorfor uswhen we want tocome home © John Knoepfle 2003
Now Playing 12-25-03
Welcome creatures of the nightlife to a special holiday edition of Now Playing. What’s so special about it? Why it’s coming out during the holidays, of course. Our friends in Redd Skyy have some good news to report. At last reading, Lyman Ellerman, lead singer and co-songwriter of the group, had moved to Nashville on…
Film arts
Many filmgoers assume that any movie categorized as an “art” film must be boring. This distinction is unfortunate and inaccurate. Has there been a funnier film, in recent years, than Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine, or a more exciting crime thriller than the Brazilian youth gang saga City of God? Both of these films were…
First night
More than 50 performances are planned for this year’s “First Night Springfield” celebration. Among new acts appearing on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, are: • Reggio “The Hoofer,” who will showcase authentic and traditional tap dancing, incorporating African foot stomping and Irish step dancing. Reggio performs twice at the Center for the Arts. • Comic…
New wrinkles
For months now, the establishment of a citizen panel that could investigate complaints against the police department has seemed all but certain. First proposed by Ward 2 Alderman Frank McNeil more than a decade ago, the idea got new life in November 2002 in the aftermath of a scandal involving false accusations against a black…
Windy City arts
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about viewing visual art in Chicago — whether at museums, commercial galleries, or cutting-edge spaces — it’s this: you can make a list, check it twice, and still never see all that you want. There’s just too much art and never enough time. Yet each year brings its crop…
Genuine Stein
As he was about to be appointed the new Illinois poet laureate, Kevin Stein looked out at an audience that included the state’s top elected official and other luminaries, and couldn’t help but wonder. “A big crowd for poetry,” he said. “I’m always surprised.” Stein, who serves as the Caterpillar Professor of English at Bradley…
Lend a hand
Illinois Times invited area non-profit organizations to share their special needs this holiday season. This feature concludes with this edition. Other organizations requesting assistance include Care Center of Springfield, Central Illinois Foodbank, The Committee for Children, Episcopal Food Pantry, Fifth Street Renaissance, First Presbyterian Food Pantry, Helping Hands of Springfield, Homeownership Coalition for People with…
Veteran’s story teaches every life holds extraordinary moments
Since Sept. 11, 2001, it has become commonplace to see signs outside stores, restaurants, and union halls proclaiming “God Bless America” (often followed by various non sequiturs such as “Fish Fry Friday Night”). But when Kazimir Ladny, at the end of his book about his experiences in World War II as a Polish POW, writes,…
Letters 12-25-03
Letters policy We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity. Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois 62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com GIVE ‘EM A CHEER The Springfield High School Cheerleaders recently won first…
The art of dining
Two local restaurants are blending food and art to creative an appetizing atmosphere for the senses. “I just love the arts,” says chef Augie Mrozowski, owner of Augie’s Front Burner. Evidence of his appreciation for art can be seen throughout his downtown restaurant — from the life-size portraits of nude woman by the front door,…
“Supercharged”
Before it became the Center for the Arts, the old Masonic Temple downtown on Sixth Street was labyrinthine, ugly and outdated. Its bland, dreary innards were a metaphor for Springfield’s cultural life, especially its downtown cultural life. But finally, someone did something about it. Thanks to a $8.2 million renovation that took place throughout the…
Break a leg or two
Next year offers a full playbill of exciting theater, but before we leave 2003, a few exceptional performances bear another mention. A Springfield high school, Sacred-Heart Griffin, raised the bar for local theater with its staging of the musical Les Misérables. Parkland College in Champaign produced an unforgettable The Laramie Project with a cast of…
Movie reviews
Love is hope Ñ and on Cold Mountain, it’s worth the sacrifice Anthony Minghella’s adaptation of Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain initially labors under the weight of the high expectations that have dogged this production since its inception. But much like the heroine at its center, shy Southern Belle Ada Monroe (Nicole Kidman), who finds her…
State of the Arts calendar
Springfield area arts come alive in early 2004. Here’s a listing of significant events through April. Check the “Night & Day” section in Illinois Times each week for the Springfield’s most complete guide to area events. Dance Chummy Chainers Square Dance Club 1022 New City Rd., Sugar Creek Methodist Church, Chatham, 793-0846. Dances from 7:30…
Thom and Kevin
Springfield painters Thom Whalen and Kevin Veara met 15 years ago when they were both Fine Arts undergraduates at Eastern Illinois University. They got to know each other, driving back and forth together to college, but took different career paths after they graduated. Starting in January, they’ll be back together in a classroom, teaching at…
On the big screen
The early months of the year are often viewed as the dog days of Hollywood, but many quality films are released during that period. Here are what appear to be the highlights of the first batch of 2004 releases. Release dates are subject to change. JANUARY The Big Bounce. Adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel…
Small potatoes
“A prosecutor once described political corruption as a ‘time-honored tradition’ in Illinois, but the scandal outlined in a 91-page indictment against former Gov. George Ryan might be the worst yet,” the Associated Press claimed last week. At the risk of sounding like an apologist for this state’s Public Enemy Number one, gimme a break. Most…
One step forward, two steps back
McClernand Elementary at 801 N. Sixth St. has had its share of bad news lately. It made the state’s list of troubled schools based on requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Since 2000, it has had at least four principals. The school’s copier is on its last legs. This fall, a District…
The continuing adventures of Marina V
In our last episode, Russian-born-and-raised singer-songwriter Marina Gennadievna Verenikina packed up her piano and split for LA in hopes of furthering her music career. If you remember, as a 15-year-old, the green-eyed girl beat out about 10,000 other Russian students to win a scholarship for study in the good old U.S. of A. The stateside…
Grace about town
Mom says one good thing about cold weather is that the bottle of water she keeps in her car stays icy-cold. Who wants icy-cold water when you get into the car after being in the icy-cold coldness, is my question. My biggest fear about moving back to Spfld. after years and years in warmer climes…
Lend a hand
Illinois Times invites area non-profit organizations to tell readers what your special needs are this holiday season. To participate, send a description of your organization and a summary of your holiday wish list. Fax the information to 217-753-3958 or e-mail editor@illinoistimes.com This feature appears weekly through the end of the year. Prior “Lend a hand”…
Skating club celebrates the holidays on, um, ice
For almost a decade, the Springfield Figure Skating Club has been ringing in the holidays with an evening of skating set to seasonal songs. Skaters of all ages and skill levels don their best Christmas spandex and choreograph moves to music that matches their festive mood. For the skaters, it’s a chance to let their…
Last minute gift ideas
Many of us have at least one person who is hard to buy for on our holiday gift list. I know, because I’ve been told that I fit into this category. Gardening items could be your rescue. Most of us don’t think about gardening during the winter, but with gardening being America’s No. 1 hobby,…
A ride through time
“The interurban was an American transportation phenomenon. Evolved from the urban streetcar, the interurban appeared shortly before the dawn of the 20th century, grew to a vast network of over 18,000 miles in two decades of excellent growth, and then but vanished after barely three decades of usefulness.” — William D. Middleton, The Interurban Era…
Bad Boys
Going to an anti-globalization protest combines the experience of a high-quality graduate seminar and a really cool international celebration with the experience of being tear-gassed. In other words, it’s full of contradictions. I went to Miami for the Nov. 19-21 protests because it is absolutely necessary to stop the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas…
Letters 12-18-03
Letters policy We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity. Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois 62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com ABE AND GEORGE I think that the piece by Jeannette Batz in…
Movie review
Roberts delivers low-key, mature performance in Smile Art history instructor Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) seems unprepared to handle the overachieving and conformist women of Wellesley College. Her students, ’50s-era debutantes, think they know all there is to know about art from their textbooks. But they’re unable and unwilling to form their own opinions. Forced to…
A Mexican victory
Cinco de Mayo is the Mexican holiday celebrating Mexico’s victory over an invading French army in 1862. It’s also the name of a new Mexican restaurant that does an honorable job of celebrating authentic Mexican cuisine. The restaurant opened in August in space formerly occupied by Reflections at the Travelodge on the city’s south side.…
Now Playing 12-18-03
Hey travelers, let’s take a little trip and hitch a ride on the holiday nightlife express. Keep your eyes peeled. You never know what you’ll find as we go along on our merry way. Springfield drummer and Chicago expatriate Greg Fundis returns home for a trip to the top of the Hilton at Jazz Central…
Quick takes
AS IT SHOULD BE Seventeen candidates – seven Democrats, nine Republicans, one independent – are running to succeed U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, who’s quitting after one term. Judging from the resumes, it’s an impressive lot: Harvard, Stanford, Brown, William and Mary, the University of Chicago, Northwestern, Notre Dame, and Dartmouth. There are lawyers, business executives,…
At home with the dean of Springfield physicians, nearly a century ago
When Dr. Wilber Price Armstrong Sr. died on July 7, 1940, Springfield papers reported his death as the passing of “the Dean of City Physicians,” an accurate and well-deserved appellation for the man whose 54-year medical career was marked by several notable “firsts.” Dr. Armstrong, pictured here today celebrating Christmas with his family in high…
Knoepfle 12-18-03
lines for mid-december when you goto jerusalemI will climb upyour golden hair when the spellis brokenthen you will see me as I am oh dear hearthere in this candle lightthen I will see youas you are © John Knoepfle 2003
Remembering Paul Simon
My father is a Barry Goldwater Republican. He never voted for a Democrat — until 1984. To this day, dad sports a “Goldwater for President” campaign sticker on his prized 1963 Cadillac convertible. But in the year of the Ronald Reagan landslide, my dad voted for his first Democrat, U.S. Senate candidate Paul Simon. My…
Aldermania: Dog time
Sometimes, size really doesn’t matter. Take, for example, this week’s City Council session, which was so lengthy that Mayor Tim Davlin wondered aloud if it set a new record. Such a long meeting must mean major controversy, right? Yup, that’s why the lead story the morning after was Davlin’s 10 percent budget cut — not…
