They say history often repeats itself. For director Gus Gordon, who has performed in or directed 1776 a half-dozen times, in this case, it’s about bringing back the perfect show to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing. “I’m old enough to remember our nation’s bicentennial and how emotional and exciting that […]
Newsletter – Event
Posted inArts & Culture
Taylor Noel interview
“Death has a way of teaching us about life.” This week on The Mosaic Project, Tony Stang sits down with Taylor Noël, a young funeral director navigating one of the most tradition-bound, male-centered professions. They talk about what working around death has revealed about grief, how younger generations are mourning differently, why funerals are changing, and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Fourth of July celebration at ALPLM
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is joining the America 250 Celebration in a big way on the Fourth of July. The day begins with free admission to the museum starting at 9 a.m., where visitors can fully explore the life and legacy of our 16th president – including a new exhibit, “The Second […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Stephanie Mamaga Avi and Josephine Kamwela interview
Leaving home to study in a new country is about more than academics. It is about navigating loneliness, building community, and finding your place between cultures. Stephanie Mamaga Avi and Josephine Kamwela, international studies students at UIS, share their experiences adjusting to life in Springfield, the challenges of being far from family, and the cultural […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Footloose meets Jailhouse Rock
When talking with All Shook Up director Kelly Robertson, she cleverly offers, “If you bring the wine and crackers, we’ll bring the cheese.” The show, a jukebox musical packed with Elvis songs and loosely based on Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, indeed stands as a high-energy, crowd pleaser with lots of corny jokes and a campy storyline. […]
Posted inTurning Points
Delores J. Martin
Delores J. Martin; beloved family matriarch, tireless community organizer, esteemed lawyer/urban planner, and a devoted, decades-long member of Springfield’s Baha’i community, passed peacefully from this world on March 22, 2026, in Cary, North Carolina, surrounded by her loving family. A Celebration of Life will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at Sacred Heart […]
Posted inNews
Muni president addresses controversy
It may not have been the full-throated apology critics wanted, but a top official from Springfield Municipal Opera says mistakes were made in the handling of sexual harassment complaints against a man ultimately banned from participation in the organization. Kevin Burke III, president of the Muni Board of Managers, told Illinois Times that the 76-year-old […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Michael Thomas interview
Michael Thomas was incarcerated five different times but sobriety and faith have changed his life. His story is one of brokenness, consequences, grace and the kind of hope that refuses to give up. But this episode is more than a testimony. He discusses the complex family dynamics that often fuel substance abuse, how faith evolves […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Follow this rainbow
“These last few weeks working with this group of beautiful Black women and this amazing staff has healed me in ways I can’t even put into words! We don’t usually get opportunities like this. This is so much more than a show. It’s poetry, it’s art, it’s truth, it’s life!” – excerpt from Brianna Gude-Price’s […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Leah Wilson interview
As executive director of the Kidzeum, Leah Wilson recently helped secure a National Science Foundation grant to create a new community-designed STEAM Center, an investment not just in science education, but in imagination itself. This conversation explores curiosity, leadership, play and why children’s dreams might be one of the most important resources a city possesses.
Posted inArts & Culture
Visit ISM to get free State Fair admission
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of historic U.S. Route 66, visitors to the Illinois State Museum’s new Route 66 exhibit in Springfield this summer can earn free weekday admission to the 2026 Illinois State Fair, happening Aug. 13-23. The promotion began June 8 and runs for the next 66 days. Each visitor to the Illinois […]
Posted inFilm
Masters of the Universe is fun, Backrooms leads nowhere
Fun is front and center in this Universe Realizing their mistake in passing up the opportunity to license toys for a little movie named Star Wars, the suits at Mattel charged their head designer, Roger Sweet, with coming up with something to rival George Lucas’ universe. Released in 1982, the result was Masters of the […]
