Friday, May 18, 2012
The summer reading kick-off event at the Woodridge Public Library will take place June 3.
Registration for summer reading at the Woodridge Public Library begins Monday. Jim Cruise, the "Spoon Man" will be the main act at the summer reading kickoff event June 3 at 2 p.m. Note all of the spoon references in Cruise's description: "Bring the entire family and get spooned at this hilarious interactive program for all ages. Jim Cruise, Spoon Man, gives a real stirring performance. Everyone will really eat him up. Spoon Man has a totally clean act and never uses dirty silverware. He will get us all inspired and ready to read the summer away. This is a spoonful of family fun!" Cruise is a published author and has been playing spoons for more than 30 years. His program will include several "outrageous" impersonations, such as Glen …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Johnny Depp delivers a memorable, Van Winkle-esque performance
Has Johnny Depp ever turned in a poor performance? If so, I’ve never seen it. Whether he’s channeling Keith Richards (Pirates of the Caribbean), Hunter S. Thompson (The Rum Diaries), Ed Wood or even Edward Scissorhands, Depp always turns in a wonderful performance, and in Dark Shadows he again demonstrates his remarkable acting prowess. Depp is easily the best actor of his generation, sporting the intelligence and depth of Laurence Olivier, the suave charm of Adolphe Menjou and the humorous potential of Charlie Chaplin. He does whore himself out with the endless Pirates train of sequels, but hey, in some ways, we all have to sell out somehow. Even Orson Welles pimped wine (when it was time). I arrived at the Cinemark Louis Joliet Theater a…
Friday, May 11, 2012
The band performed the song Thursday for the Lakeview eighth-grader recovering from a February accident.
The Lakeview Jr. High School Wind Ensemble dedicated a song to eighth-grader Hunter Himes at its concert Thursday. Himes was riding his bike through a crosswalk in Darien Feb. 26 when he was struck by a car and trapped underneath. He has been recovering from brain trauma and other injuries and continues in rehab to regain function of his body.
The band, made up of fifth- and sixth-graders, competed last Saturday.
Woodridge School District 68's Second Year Band took first place in its division at the Music in the Parks Festival May 5. The Second Year Band, which consists of fifth- and sixth-graders, received an "Excellent" rating with a combined score of 87.5 out of 100 points. The band placed 14th overall for the day, ahead of 20 middle school, junior high and high school ensembles. It was the 10th year in a row the band participated in the competition, which attracts bands, orchestras, jazz ensembles and choirs from surrounding states and area communities. Students competed in the auditorium at Evanston Township High School, then traveled to Six Flags Great America for the award ceremony. Gary Clemson from Harper College and Richard Frazier …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Crowds and the film’s length challenge the drama of "Avengers."
Usually I wait until later in the review to mention the overall time at the movies, but this week extenuating circumstances and a huge crowd of fans did affect our experience (I went with my three kids). But don’t worry, we still enjoyed it. Heading out to the Louis Joliet Cinemark was an adventure. A carnival in the mall parking lot snarled up traffic, and opening night of this spring’s blockbuster The Avengers meant a longer line than usual to get into the theater. Even though I ordered tickets online a day in advance, we still had to queue up behind four generations of moviegoers, which was cool. The last time I saw this many people at the theater was for Chronicle, but far and away the crowd at that one was around age 16 (despite its R…
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
DGN student Kelly Egan will have her piece displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year.
Downers Grove North artists took first and second place in a Congressional Art Competition showcased at Woodridge Public Library. DGN Student Kelly Egan took first place for her piece, “Painted.” Her artwork will be displayed in a corridor of the U.S. Capitol for one year as part of a national exhibit dedicated to the talent of America’s youth. Egan also received two round-trip tickets to Washington, D.C. to attend a national award ceremony with other young artists from across the country. “Kelly’s digitally-altered photograph was equally imaginative and creative,” said Biggert in a release. “Our judges, who are artists themselves, were delighted at how her work engages the viewer and urges you to look longer and discover more.” DGN's …
Thursday, April 26, 2012
About 1,000 pieces were submitted to the show, which requires students to conform to the dimensions of four inches by five inches.
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Thursday, April 26
Editor's note: The following is a press release from Community High School District 99. Thirteen visual art students from North High and South High Schools in Downers Grove were recently recognized with awards at the William Fremd High School 4×5 ArtShow. “The show at Fremd is a unique opportunity for our students,” said North High Fine Arts Chairperson Brayer Teague. “Every piece of art submitted for juried exhibition must conform to the exact dimensions of four inches by five inches. In some ways it constrains the artist, yet it also forces students to think very imaginatively about how they can best utilize the space available.” South High Fine Arts Chairperson Glenn Williams reflected on the recent successes of District 99 visual art …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
See the comedic play April 27-29.
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Wednesday, April 25
Students at North High School in Downers Grove will present the comedy “Lend Me a Tenor” this weekend. “Lend Me a Tenor” is an award-winning comedy by Ken Ludwig. Set in September 1934, the general manager of the Cleveland Opera Company, Saunders, is preparing for the performance of the famous Tito Morelli. But alas, through an odd turn of events, Tito turns out to be a no-show, and Saunders gives the part to his assistant, Max. Max succeeds as Morelli, but suddenly the real Morelli shows up, and soon two Titos are running around in costume, along with two women in lingerie that believe they are with the real Tito Morelli. Cast members include Andy Krupin, Colleen Gorecki, Matt Brill, Martaza Karpasi, Arielle Evans, Sara Batchu, Alexa …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
This scarefest has a lot of charm.
I was prepared to despise The Cabin the Woods based on its previews, and until the last minute, I debated going to see Chimpanzee instead. I am so glad I took a pass on the primates and opted for the horror instead. There’s nothing subtle about Cabin (and subtlety is overrated anyway), but there’s enough humor and tongue-in-cheek (more like tongue-on-the-floor-after-it’s-been-chopped-off) pop culture references in this one to keep even the most desperate-for-amusement moviegoers intrigued. The premise seems like one we’ve all heard before: Attractive college-aged kids decide to escape for a weekend to a remote destination, enjoying their time “off the grid” and entertaining nature-based possibilities like swimming, off-road motorcycling …
See "All the King's Women" April 26-29.
Benet Academy will present an Elvis Presley-inspired production this weekend with a Woodridge resident working behind-the-scenes. "All the King's Women" by Luigi Jannuzzi tells the story of Elvis Presley through the eyes of 16 women. It's "a fast-paced series of comedic plays and monologues based on the life of Elvis Presley, from Tupelo Mississippi where 11-year-old Elvis wanted a BB Gun instead of a guitar, to the Steve Allen Show," according to a school release, "from President Richard Nixon’s office to Andy Warhol’s studio, from Cadillac Salesmen, to Graceland guards. This is a touching, bring-the-family comedy with a heart that captures the effects that fame, generosity & just being a nice guy can bring to others!” Kenzie Franklin…
Dave Wilson
2:40 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Haha thanks Flora Dora! more ›