October 10, 2008
An open letter to Des McAnuff, director of the upcoming Broadway revival of "Guys and Dolls."
Mr McAnuff,
You don't know me, but having seen your productions of "The Who's Tommy," "How to Succeed in Business Without
Really Trying," and "Jersey Boys,"...
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October 10, 2008
The well-sung but nondescript production of "The Sound of Music" currently running at Beef & Boards got
me thinking about the musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Some random thoughts:
--The R&H reputation pretty much rests on "Oklahoma!," "Carousel," "South Pacific," "The King...
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October 8, 2008
"Show, don't tell" is a mantra of dramatic writing. And it's a mantra pretty much ignored by Gueseppi Verdi
in his opera "Il Trovatore."
In its early scenes, exposition nearly overwhelms, and even when it looks like there’s going to be...
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October 7, 2008
One of the biggest sociological buzz books in recent years was Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point," in
which the journalist looked at the root causes of popularity--what are the circumstances that lead to a sudden
skyrocketing of awareness
His next book,...
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October 5, 2008
For me, the weekend (I'm counting Thursday evening in this) included a stop at "Chocolate: The Exhibition"
at the Indiana State Museum, a visit to Indianapolis Opera's "Il Trovatore" at Clowes Hall and, in between,
a run to Dearborn, Michigan,...
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October 3, 2008
The fall TV series is off and running. Well, not running. Stumbling is a better word.
What used to be an exciting time in TV land is now, well, just ask yourself when the last time was that
people in your...
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October 1, 2008
As I mentioned Monday, I finally got to Art vs. Art (Sept. 26), the crazed art auction/game show/demolition
derby that uptowned from Fountain Square to the Vogue this year.
I’ll confess to getting caught up in the same blood lust...
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October 1, 2008
Zondervan, one of the world's leading publishers of Bibles, announced that it will be printing a hand-written
version, with more than 31,000 Americans performing the penmanship. It's being called Bible Across America
and, yes, there's an RV involved. You can find the...
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September 30, 2008
Classical music fans, musicians, critics and administrators around the country are taking sides in a battle
that's been raging in Cleveland.
The situtation: After years of blasting Cleveland Orchestra music director Franz Welser-Most, Cleveland Plain
Dealer music critic Donald Rosenberg has...
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September 28, 2008
So how was your weekend?
For me, it included a run to Ball State to visit its art museum and check out the student production of
the music "Violet" (a show I've wanted to see for years that I, unfortunately, missed...
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September 26, 2008
Check out this smart Los Angeles Times piece about the "well, duh" observation that culture won't be a subject
for any question during the Presidential debates.
"If I were moderating tonight's TV debate," writes Times art critic Christopher Knight, "...
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September 25, 2008
A few months back, when blogging about an arts-centric Washington, D.C. visit, I mentioned that one of my
most memorable college moments was a spontanious road trip to the city, including a silent midde-of-the-night
walk through a tourist-free Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
As...
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September 24, 2008
Singers of a certain age often coast on nostalgia. The primary pleasure of attending one of their concerts
isn't so much the sound of their voice or the wit of their banter. It's being able to say you saw them....
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September 22, 2008
Neither engagingly mysterious or particularly thrilling, “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure,” the season opener
for the Indiana Repertory Theatre (running through Oct. 11) offers a handsome but passionless production that
lacks either a convincing threat or a committed style.
Despite...
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September 22, 2008
For me, the very busy weekend included visits to two art shows in Bloomington prior to quality time with
Bill Cosby at IU Auditorium--and the drive-time opportunity to listen to Ricky Ian Gordon's new American opera
"The Grapes of...
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September 19, 2008
A few weeks back, in my A&E Season Preview in the print IBJ, I picked as one of the highlighted events
David Foster Wallace's scheduled talk at Butler University.
That won't be happening. The acclaimed writer, best known for his essays and...
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September 18, 2008
Space is limited in this week's print IBJ, so instead of cutting down the week's reviews, I thought I'd
share my thoughts here on three recent theater production openings. (FYI: You can find A&E reviews every
week in IBJ's Not Strictly Business...
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September 17, 2008
When a major company goes under, it's not just the employees and shareholders who take hits. It's also the
not-for-profits that the company helps support. A Bloomberg story today reports on Lehman Brothers endowment,
which contributes to over 200 causes...
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September 16, 2008
So, were you among the crowd at the sneak preview of "Lakeview Terrace," the new film directed by former Hoosier Neil LaBute?
What did you think?
Comments encouraged.
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September 16, 2008
"Traditionally, it isn't over until the fat lady sings. But it seems it will soon be over for the singing
fat lady."
So opens a piece in The London newspaper The Independent concerning the slimmer and fitter brand of opera...
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September 15, 2008
It seemed like theater was everywhere this weekend--and I caught as much of it as I could, with visits
to the Phoenix Theatre's "November," Indianapolis Civic Theatre's "Little Shop of Horrors," and Actors Theatre
of Indiana's "Perfect Wedding." More on...
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September 11, 2008
As part of its Flashback Feature series of Wednesday night classics, Circle Centre 9 will be screening "Pulp
Fiction" on Sept. 24 at 8.
If you'd you'd like to take advantage of this rare chance to see it on the big screen, e-mail...
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September 11, 2008
With David Mamet's latest play, "November," opening this week at the Phoenix Theatre, I was interested in
reading the acclaimed playwright's latest words on his art.
What I found in his recent book "True and False: Heresy...
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September 10, 2008
Heartland Truly Moving Pictures announced today that its Opening Night Event, Oct. 16, will feature the North
American premiere of the Miramax film "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas."
Actor David Thewlis (best known from the Harry Potter films),...
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September 9, 2008
Time to empty the notebook with some quick items.
--It was announced today that Indiana's own Twyla Tharp will be the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honors
this year. She'll be joined by Morgan Freeman, Barbra Streisand, George Jones, Pete Townshend...
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Ameriana Bank took over Westfield Farmers Market for 2013 and it is held in their parking lot, corner of 32 and Carey road, 5 to 8. I am selling soap and candles there. great market!
B&T certainly has enough of our taxpayer dollars to do this thanks to Mayor Ballard. Given the firm's exceedingly poor reputation in the legal community, the basement would seem a better option.
Should read MAY hire 20 people.
Not a good location for a 300,000 home. 10th Street fumes, buses, noise. Max for this location 150,000.
The state constitution also does not say that the majority has a right to quorum, nor that the minority is required to allow them quorum. In fact, denial of quorum has been a parliamentary maneuver since the establishment of the first parliaments in the early 1600s. The right to deny quorum (and the requirement fore quorum) are to prevent exactly what happened in Indiana: A tyrannical majority pushing through odious, objectionable legislation. Denial of quorum is totally legitimate, and lest we forget, a tactic the GOP has employed many, many times to ensure their issues weren't given short shrift. By allowing the majority to impose "fines" on the minority for exercising the authority the constitution grants them (to deny quorum,) they are violating the constitution.