Matthew T. Dearing (Mitch Albom) and Barry Weiss (Morrie Schwartz) play the leads in the moving drama Tuesdays with Morrie. Tuesdays with Morrie centers on Mitch, an accomplished journalist driven solely by his career, and Morrie, his former college professor. Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch catches Morrie’s appearance on a television news program and learns […]
Illinois Times
Posted inArts & Culture
Poetic playing
Classical guitarist Francois Fowler performs Feb. 19 at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church for the Springfield Classical Guitar Society. He has impressed numerous audiences in Canada, the United States and Mexico with his technically impressive and poetic playing and with his unique and interesting repertoire that combines new and original music, traditional classical guitar music and […]
Posted inOpinion
Still alternative after all these years
I don’t often look at calendars – so often they remind me that there is an editor somewhere, impatiently drumming his fingers on his desk because the article draft I’d promised him is late. But look at a calendar one must do occasionally, and last week it reminded me that it has been 35 years […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Light dance with organ
Timothy Spelbring, University of Illinois doctoral candidate in organ performance and Yale School of Music graduate, leads this Halloween and All Saints concert with pieces such as Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach, Phantom of the Opera (Overture) by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Fugue in C (Gigue Fugue) by Dieterich Buxtehude and Rhosymedre by Ralph Vaughan […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Eerie ensemble
Halloween evening at Sangamon Auditorium mixes holiday fun with fantastic music. The Illinois Symphony Orchestra plays the spooky soundtrack to the 1921 feature film, Nosferatu, projected above the orchestra. Dress in your Halloween best to compete in the costume contest. Grab your treat as Dancing with the MONSters makes the audience scream with laughter. Halloween […]
Posted inFood & Drink
These Cajuns add seasoning to life in central Illinois
By the time you read this, I’ll be back down by the bayou. There’s a pretty good chance I’ll be eating oysters harvested that morning, or shrimp and crabs from the Gulf of Mexico, only a few miles south. Then again I might be eating tangy gumbo z’herbes, made of greens and onions and thickened […]
Posted inNews
Board worries building plan may cause voter sticker shock
Bill Castor, president of the Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association, was once a staunch supporter of keeping Springfield High School rooted to its historic downtown location. One of 59 members of a community committee charged with proposing a new plan for Springfield’s three public high schools, Castor initially hoped to see the Springfield High campus doubled […]
Posted inOpinion
A corporate Monster v. “The Vermonster”
Where are those lawsuit abuse groups when you really need them? Chance are that you’ve seen ads, letters-to-the-editor, op-ed pieces and other materials put out by outfits with such civic-sounding names as Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse. By whatever name, the message is always the same, usually delivered in a sort of urgent, basso profundo voice […]
Posted inNews
Illinois Symphony votes to unionize
The new season for the Illinois Symphony Orchestra brings not only new management, but also a recent announcement that musicians have voted to officially unionize. On Oct. 20, representatives from the National Labor Relations Board sub-regional office in Peoria counted 64 ballots that were mailed in by ISO musicians. (The NLRB sent ballots to 107 […]
Posted inOpinion
FUNKY FRESH FRIDAYS
ReChad Bradley, an algebra teacher at Southeast High School, decided this year that he was going to challenge his students in more than just math equations. Instead of dressing down and wearing jeans on Fridays, Bradley dresses up in a new sweater vest and matching French cuff shirt at the end of each week. “I […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Soileau’s Dirty Rice
Dirty Rice is a Cajun classic. If you’re fond of chicken livers, you’ll love this dish. The livers are essential for truly authentic Dirty Rice, however I have seen versions that substitute finely ground hamburger for some or all of the livers. 1 pound chicken livers, rinsed and drained pound smoked sausage, ground or very […]
Posted inOpinion
Remember to not forget
The bronze sculpture commemorating the 1908 race riots was finally dedicated this summer on Aug. 6, a century late. As all mayors must, Mayor Davlin said a few words at the ceremony in Union Square Park. “I think we also put up a monument over here,” he said, “to remind . . . current and […]
