LOVES PARK, Ill. — The 41st Annual Young at Heart Festival is set for Friday-Monday, May 25-28, on the grounds of Loves Park City Hall, 100 Heart Blvd., Loves Park, Ill.

The event will feature live music, carnival rides, fireworks, a beer garden, food, a kids’ fishing derby and Young at Heart Parade.

Headlining this year’s festival is country star Jo Dee Messina, along with fan favorites The Blooze Brothers and festival newcomers Generation.

Sunday, May 27, is Kids’ Day and will feature popular children’s entertainers Jim Gill and Susan Salidor.

Those who purchase buttons in advance save $2 off gate prices. Buttons are available at outlets all over the region (visit www.youngatheartfestival.com for locations).

Buttons are good for all four days of the festival and cost $6 in advance or $8 at the gate. Children 8 and younger are admitted free.

Family Fun Packs of four buttons and four coupons good for $2 off ride wristbands are available for $24 (a $32 value).

Call the Parks Chamber of Commerce at (815) 633-3999 for more information about the 41st Young at Heart Festival.

The Young at Heart schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 25 (gates open at 6 p.m.)

Special event

5 p.m. — Opening Ceremony

Music schedule

7-8:30 p.m. — Howard and the White Boys

10-11:30 p.m. — The Blooze Brothers

Saturday, May 26 (gates open at noon)

Special events

9 a.m. — Young at Heart Parade (starts at Woodward, 5001 N. Second St., Loves Park)

3-4:30 p.m. — Young at Heart Idol Contest

9:30 p.m. — Fireworks Spectacular

Music schedule

(Country Music Day)

5-7:30 p.m. — Kharma

8-9:30 p.m. — Jo Dee Messina

10-11:30 p.m. — Anthony Billups

Sunday, May 27 (gates open at noon)

Special event

3-5 p.m. — Home Depot Craft Tent

Music schedule

1:15-2 p.m. — Jim Gill

2:15-3 p.m. — Susan Salidor

5-6:30 p.m. — Redline 7000

7-9:30 p.m. — Green Thirteen

10-11:30 p.m. — Generation

Monday, May 28 (gates open at noon)

Special event

Noon-2 p.m. — Memorial Day Variety Show

Music schedule

3-5:30 p.m. — Clutch Cargo

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

Fans of Todd Rundgren are in for a rare treat June 1-2 when he takes the stage with the award-winning Rockford Symphony Orchestra at the Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford.

The two concerts will feature Rundgren performing some songs many of his long-time fans have never seen him perform live, despite attending dozens to even hundreds of his concerts during his 40-plus-year career. Tickets for both concerts are available at the Coronado’s website, coronadopac.org/, or by calling (815) 968-0595.

The Rockford concerts will mark Rundgren’s first-ever symphonic shows in the United States. Last September, he performed shows in the Netherlands with the Metropole Orchestra. The producer of the event, Co de Kloet, decided which songs they would perform, and according to Rundgren, the choices were based principally on songs where the original arrangements on the records had an orchestral flavor to them. The symphonic charts have not been performed since.

The setlist for the two shows included songs Rundgren had never performed live, such as his first hit song, “We Gotta Get You A Woman,” and the quirky “Onomatopoeia,” which, as the name suggests, is full of vocal imitations of different sounds. Another song performed during the Netherlands concerts was “Wailing Wall,” a beautiful ballad believed to be performed live only once by Rundgren more than three decades ago.

As part of the agreement for Rundgren to perform with the Metropole, he was given the charts to all of the songs they performed together, and those are now in the hands of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. Along with the songs mentioned earlier, Rundgren and the orchestra will be performing his popular mainstream hits like “Hello It’s Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends,” “I Saw The Light” and fan favorites such as “God Said,” “Pretending To Care” and “Love Of The Common Man.”

Rundgren announced on a recent RundgrenRadio.com online radio show that he would be performing with the Metropole Orchestra again this fall, but with a different list of songs.

“I’m going back this November and performing again with the Metropole Orchestra, and we’re going to alter the show somewhat — we are going to come up with some other songs,” Rundgren said. “I don’t know which ones are getting cycled out, but there will be some other songs orchestrated.”

Melinda Cain from RundgrenRadio.com said: “Looking at Todd’s calendar for the rest of the year, it appears these two shows in Rockford will be his only symphonic shows in the United States in 2012. The concerts at the Coronado could very well be the only opportunities in the U.S. to see some of these songs performed live by Todd with an orchestra. If he performs in the U.S. with an orchestra next year, he will have new charts from the November concert with the Metropole Orchestra, and the setlist would likely be different.”

Another unique happening for the fans attending the Rockford shows is the addition of guest guitarist Jesse Gress to the Rockford Symphony Orchestra for the two concerts. Gress has served as Rundgren’s touring guitarist for more than 20 years.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

The aerial hoops act in Cirque du Soleil’s “Quidam.” (Photo by Matt Beard)

Staff Report

Cirque du Soleil’s critically-acclaimed production Quidam will perform seven shows in Rockford June 13-17 at BMO Harris Bank Center, 300 Elm St.

Tickets are available for all performances at www.cirquedusoleil.com/quidam or by calling (815) 968-5222.

Quidam had its world premiere in Montreal under the Big Top in April 1996. Since that time, the production has toured on five continents and been experienced by millions of people.

In December 2010, Quidam embarked on a new journey — performing the same captivating production, but now in arenas throughout North America. The international cast features 52 world-class acrobats, musicians, singers and characters.

Following is a synopsis of the show: Young Zoé is bored; her parents, distant and apathetic, ignore her. Her life has lost all meaning. Seeking to fill the void of her existence, she slides into an imaginary world — the world of Quidam — where she meets characters who encourage her to free her soul.

Show times will be 7:30 p.m., Wednesday-Friday, June 13-15; 3:30 and 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 16; and 1 and 5 p.m., Sunday, June 17.

Tickets range from $35 to $70 for adults, $28 to $56 for children 12 and younger, and $31.50 to $63 for military, seniors and students.

For show and ticket information, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/quidam.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

Rosie’s Birthday Club will be celebrating its 1,000th birthday at Northwest Community Center, 1325 N. Johnston Ave., Rockford, from 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, May 30.

Over the last 1,000 birthdays, Schnuck’s has been generously donating birthday cakes for Rosie’s to help make these celebrations a success. Presents have also largely been donated by Heartland Community Church.

Rosie’s Birthday Club’s mission is to celebrate a child’s special day. The goal is to provide and deliver a present to children in the Rockford area who may otherwise not receive a gift on their birthday.

Rosie’s believes children, no matter their circumstances, should be honored and made to feel special on the one day of the year that belongs just to them.

Rosie’s Birthday Club provides birthday presents and birthday parties for children at Northwest Community Center Boys and Girls Club, Carlson Boys and Girls Club, Second Congregational and RockHouse Kids.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

The Avalon String Quartet are, from left, Cheng-Hou Lee, Blaise Magniere, Marie Wang and Anthony Devroye. (Photo provided)

Staff Report

Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center will present the Avalon String Quartet in a concert titled “Rasumovsky Gets The Last Word” at 7 p.m., Friday, June 1, in Mendelssohn PAC’s Emerson Auditorium, 415 N. Church St., Rockford.

Concertgoers can experience the power and passion of Beethoven, enjoy light refreshments, and mingle with the artists after the concert.

The Avalon String Quartet, one of the country’s leading string ensembles, was formerly in residence at Juilliard School and Indiana University, and is now in residence at Northern Illinois University.

This concert is part of the quartet’s special six-concert series of Beethoven’s string quartets for Mendelssohn PAC this season. This program features three of Beethoven’s most revolutionary and popular works, commonly known as the “Rasumovsky” quartets after the Russian nobleman who commissioned them. These three pieces occupy completely distinct sound worlds, but Beethoven links them with brilliant musical threads. Though composed as a set, they are seldom performed that way; now, the Avalon String Quartet presents them as they were originally conceived.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. The sixth concert has been postponed until the fall of 2012.

Mendelssohn can be reached at (815) 964-9713 or online at www.mendelssohnpac.org.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

Staff Report

Rockford Area Arts Council is taking applications for ArtsPlace 2012, the summer arts apprenticeship program for youth ages 14-18. Applications will be accepted until seats are filled.

ArtsPlace will run from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays, June 18-Aug. 9, at Rockford College Clark Arts Center. ArtsPlace is a free program, supported by grants and donations. Bus transportation is provided, if needed.

ArtsPlace artists and teams are dance with Tamara Newquist, theater with Richard Raether, spoken-word poetry and/or jewelry with Tricia Sheridan, sculpture with Marco Basurto and painting with Maya Simmons. Printmaking artist Bruce McDonald is the on-site project director.

Youth work on teams directed by the artist and create original work that is performed and exhibited at the conclusion of the program. Apprentices share in the proceeds from ticket and art sales. Through the process of creating art, participants learn valuable work skills such as productivity, reliability, perseverance, respect and cooperation.

Applications are available online at www.artsforeveryone.com or at the Rockford Area Arts Council, 713 E. State St., Rockford. Call (815) 963-6765 for more about ArtsPlace.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

As the good weather approaches, we begin thinking of vacations. Door County is a favorite spot for folks around here. The Clearing in Ellison Bay, Wis., is especially enchanting. It offers classes from March through October in a tranquil retreat setting overlooking Green Bay, Wis. Please Google “The Clearing” for class listings.

This poem, by Wilda Morris, celebrates the architect of The Clearing, Jens Jensen.

Jens Jensen’s Tree: a Cento

The old tree down the lane

the old oak tree

touched by the storms

and fires of many ages

roots deep in native soil

has a message to tell

He has listened

to the tramping feet

of the Indians

to the pioneers

in search of grain

He speaks of the past

his offspring will carry

his memories

into the future

he still sings the song of spring

— Wilda Morris

Wilda Morris is president of Poets & Patrons of Chicago and a past president of the Illinois State Poetry Society. Her poetry has been widely published and has won a number of awards. Her blog at wildamorris.blogspot.com provides a monthly contest for other poets. Rockford Writers’ Guild published her book, Szechwan Shrimp and Fortune Cookies: Poems from a Chinese Restaurant.

Christine Swanberg is a local author and poet.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

Pictured from left are Megan Marie Smith, Dan Sherrill, Brittany Watne and Brianna Varacalli. (Photo provided)

• Theater group presents evening of theater, poetry, formal wear, photography and live music

Staff Report

DEKALB, Ill. — The House Café, 263 E. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb, Ill., will host area theater group Wooden Box Theater May 30 as they showcase an evening of theater, poetry, formal wear fashion, photography and live music with their production of Flashing Lights Come From Everywhere.

The production will display an array of new music artists in the DeKalb area, as well as new formal wear fashions by 13 local models.

Also featured will be theatrically-performed storylined scenes on stage, as well as photography on display by group member Ashley Joann Cifonie of Sycamore, whose photography company is presenting the event. The event will be hosted by Cifonie and singer/songwriter Dustin Thomas.

Special guest stars include local runway model Brianna Varacalli, who is the theater group’s co-leader, along with debuting models Ashley Schmidt and Jaclyn Elise Whitehair, both of Chicago.

Other models will include Vanessa Marie Howell, Chastity Beck, Emily Mayberry and Jordan Adamson, all from DeKalb, and Brittany Pivonka, Megan Marie Smith and Courtney Wilcox, all from Sycamore.

“We have many new faces for our summer/fall season, as we have been working on expanding our fashion team and exploring lots of different local venues for modeling events,” said Director Dan Sherrill.

The group will present a local modeling expo this fall with area vendors.

Live music for the event will be provided by poet Manuel Montalvo, a longtime member of the group, as well headliners Sycamore rap group Krazy Boy Productions, classic rock group Apex, and hip hop favorites True Flight. They will be joined by J.R. Red and his hip hop collaborator, Candy Irene, along with acoustic artists Nathan Dettman, Lions Love & Breakdowns, and Megan Herself and Her.

The lineup is completed by performances by Sharon Kus with Tony Danca, the Bill Leighly band, Demetra Dokos and songwriter Christopher Dobelman.

The event will also feature three separate formal wear fashion displays set to music and co-written by the models themselves, and are led by Varacalli.

“Brianna has been with us for exactly one year, and always shows an outstanding level of heart and dedication to our projects,” Sherrill said of Varacalli.

Varacalli was recently named the group’s vice president and co-leader. Wooden Box Theater is managed by the team of Jade Cook and Brittany Watne, who work closely with founding member Sherrill on the group’s bi-monthly productions at the House Café and other area venues.

Flashing Lights Come From Everywhere begins at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 30. Admission is $6 at the door with a “semi-formal” dress code. The House Café is an all-ages venue and can be reached at (815) 787-9547.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

Staff Report

In Print, a local writers’ group, is hosting its first writing contest. Short stories of 1,000 words or fewer and poems of 30 lines or fewer will be accepted through June 10, with winners announced at the Aug. 11 In Print meeting.

The only requirement is that the story or poetry be something about writing — an author, group or how to beat writers’ block.

Three judges will judge in three categories: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Prizes will be determined on the number of entries, and one winner will be chosen per category.

Fee is $10 per entry for members, $15 per entry for non-members. Submissions should be sent to In Print, P.O. Box 2146, Loves Park, IL 61132, with checks made payable to In Print. Each submission should include entry fee, a cover letter with name and contact information, and story or poetry. A separate fee, cover letter and story or poetry should be included for each entry.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has announced that entry forms are now available for the Eighth Annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award. Forms and other information may be found at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/lda96.pdf.

“Illinois has a long and rich literary heritage, and these new poets are adding to the storied tradition established by legendary Illinois authors such as Gwendolyn Brooks,” White said. “Many of our previous winners have had their works published. Great poems have the ability to enrich and enhance our lives, and I’m looking forward to discovering talented new poets in this year’s competition.”

The competition is named for the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks, and is co-sponsored by the Illinois Center for the Book and Kevin Stein, who succeeded Brooks as Illinois Poet Laureate. Stein selects the winners of the first, second and third prizes.

The competition is open to Illinois residents age 18 and older. Entries must be postmarked by June 30. Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place, and winning poems will be submitted for possible publication in Ninth Letter, RHINO, and Quiddity magazines and Poetic License Press publications. Winners will read their poems and receive their prizes from Secretary White and Kevin Stein at a ceremony later this year at the Illinois State Library in Springfield.

For more information, contact Illinois Center for the Book Coordinator Bonnie Matheis at (217) 558-2065 or bmatheis@ilsos.net.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

John Kurman, “The Smokemakers,” 2009, part of Rockford Art Museum’s “2012 Rockford Midwestern.”

Staff Report

Rockford Art Museum’s (RAM) 72nd Rockford Midwestern opens with a free public opening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, May 19. The public opening will feature a gallery walk from 11 a.m. to noon and a free children’s art activity.

A Members’ and Exhibiting Artists’ Preview is set for 5 p.m., Friday, May 18, with awards presentations and gallery walk by RAM Curator Jessica Caddell, and a reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The 2012 Rockford Midwestern marks the 72nd presentation of RAM’s juried exhibition, which began in 1913 as an annual showcase of local artists. Now a biennial competition that surveys the breadth and depth of contemporary art in the Midwest, the exhibition is open to new original artwork in any medium by artists in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin; 675 works by 234 artists were submitted for consideration.

Juror Lisa Stone selected 109 works by 91 regional artists (see list below) for the 2012 Rockford Midwestern. She is curator for the Roger Brown Study Collection at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and serves on the boards of SPACES (Saving and Preserving Arts and Cultural Environments) and Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art.

Awards presented at the preview for members and exhibiting artists May 18 include the prestigious Dean Alan Olson Purchase Award, Best of Show, First Place 2-D and First Place 3-D.

RAM is inside Riverfront Museum Park, 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Call (815) 968-2787 or visit www.rockfordartmuseum.org for more information.

2012 Rockford Midwestern related programming

2012 Rockford Midwestern Teacher Workshop — Wednesday, May 30, 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Free for teachers. Registration required. Call (815) 972-2874.

Artist Lecture: Drew Helge and Katherine Webb — Thursday, July 19, 7 p.m.: Free. Rockford natives and exhibiting artists Drew Helge and Katherine Webb offer an inside look at the 2012 Rockford Midwestern. Both have shown their work in glass and fiber, respectively, around the region.

Exhibition children’s classes

All supplies are included with all children’s classes. Registration is required by calling (815) 972-2874.

Illinois WPA Posters — Saturday, June 16, 2-3:30 p.m. For ages 5 and older ($8). Start off this class by checking out the awesome posters created by Illinois artists under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Once you’re inspired, make your own poster to express your thoughts and ideas.

Head of the Glass — Saturday, July 21, 2-3:30 p.m. For ages 7 and older ($10). Hone your artistic skills in this exciting introduction to glass fusion. Get inspired by the glasswork of 2012 Rockford Midwestern artist Drew Helge and create your own one-of-a-kind pendant.

Mini Midwest Diorama — Saturday, Aug. 25, 2-3:30 p.m. For ages 6 and older ($8). Make your own mini-world in this exciting class. Create a scene from everyday life in the Midwest by designing figures and backgrounds that encapsulate a moment in time.

$5 Fix

$5 Fix — Fourth Thursday of every month (May 24, June 28, July 26, Aug. 23), 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $5. RAM offers a program designed for the lunch hour. Use the Art Annex to eat your lunch before heading into the galleries for a bite-sized self-guided tour of the newest exhibitions.

2012 Rockford Midwestern exhibiting artists

“Invisible Man” by Graehound, 2011.

Aviva Alter, Chicago; Leslie Arbetman, Rockford; Christian Arrecis, Peoria, Ill.; Nicholas Barron, Oswego, Ill.; Jay Paul Bell, DeKalb, Ill.; Katie Bell, Rockford; Landis Blair, Crystal Lake, Ill.; Patricia Borowiec, Chicago; Mark Bowers, Evanston, Ill.; Jason Brammer, Chicago; Pamela Callahan, Highland, Wis.; Javier Chavira, Crown Point, Ind.; Chris Cicala, Orland Park, Ill.; Jan Clough, Macomb, Ill.; Mary F. Coats, Iowa City, Iowa; Gina Dabrowski, St. Paul, Minn.; Susan Danko, Parma, Ohio; James Deeb, Evanston, Ill.; Megan Klazura Dehner, Iowa City, Iowa; Christina Ditzler, Rockford; Tabatha Dougherty, Roscoe, Ill.; Jennifer Dyer, Rockford.

Martin Edlin, Louisville, Ky.; Drew Eurek, Rockford; Yale Factor, DeKalb, Ill.; Juan Fernandez, Highwood, Ill.; Aralina Ferrella, Toledo, Ohio; Jeffrey Fraas, Bartlett, Ill.; Emily Franklin, DeKalb, Ill.; Sheila Ganch, Chicago; Julie Ganser, Sun Prairie, Wis.; Teresa Getty, Fitchburg, Wis.; Joseph Goral, Rockford; Meico Gowan, Rockford; Graehound, Bloomington, Ill.; Corey Hagberg, Rockford; Matthew Hagemann, Chicago; Megan Harrigan, Grayslake, Ill.; Drew Helge, Rockford; Paula Henderson, Chicago; Jeanine Hill-Soldner, Algonquin, Ill.; Leslie Hirshfield, Evanston, Ill.; Nikki Hollander, Rockford.

Javier Jimenez, Rockford; Greg Jones, Sylvania, Ohio; Sarah Kaiser, Evanston, Ill.; Lisa Koch, Madison, Wis.; Emily Koehler, White Bear Lake, Minn.; John Kurman, Arlington Heights, Ill.; Tom Linden, Rockford; David Linneweh, Shorewood, Ill.; John Linquist, Machesney Park, Ill.; Victor Lopez, Glenview, Ill.; Kristy Luck, Chicago; Jeanne Ludeke, Rockford; Elyse Martin, Northbrook, Ill.; Nate Mathews, Bartlett, Ill.; Sable Matula, Rockton, Ill.; Sari Maxfield, Chicago; Kari McDonald, Rockford; Donald J. McKenna, St. Louis; Alyssa Miserendino, Chicago; Stephen Moss, Hammond, Ind.; Scott Mount, Rockford.

Hironobu Nishitateno, Loves Park, Ill.; Erin K. Nolan, DeKalb, Ill.; Bradley Nordlof, Rockford; Connie Noyes, Chicago; Alice O’Neill, Madison, Wis.; Sheila Oettinger, Chicago; Brad Pogatetz, Batavia, Ill.; Mary Porterfield, Chicago; Johwey Redington, Loves Park, Ill.; Todd Reed, Bolingbrook, Ill.; Jilian Reints, Belvidere, Ill.; Kelly Riker, Forest Park, Ill.; Tim Roby, Lake in the Hills, Ill.; Ulli Rooney, Sycamore, Ill.; Tammie Rubin, Champaign, Ill.; Jacinda Russell, Muncie, Ind.; Barbara Santucci, Rockford; Vera Scekic, Evanston, Ill.; Corrie Slawson, Cleveland Heights, Ohio; Amelia Spinney, DeKalb, Ill.; John Stanicek, Aurora, Ill.; S. Gayle Stevens, Downers Grove, Ill.; Michele Thrane, Arlington Heights, Ill.; Kimberly Thurston, Chicago; Diane Washa, Madison, Wis.; Katherine Webb, Rockford; and Jessica Witte, St. Louis.

From the May 16-22, 2012, issue

Gee’s Bend, an isolated community in Wilcox County, Alabama, became the home of slaves brought there in the 1840s by Joseph Gee. Playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder has written their history based on extensive interviews with their descendants.

The community could only be reached by ferry, and thus remained very much like it began. It is the tale of three generations of women caring for their families and using scraps of material to create quilts that warmed their loved ones.

In Rockford’s Artists’ Ensemble Theater’s production, Jenniel Wright is Alice, remembering the earliest times from the stories of her grandmother’s days as a slave. As the play begins, daughters Nella (Dorothy Paige-Turner) and Sadie (Jaimie Nicole Turner) are teen-agers living in the ramshackle home much like that of the early slave quarters. Alice is a quilter, and Sadie has acquired her skills. Nella can’t be bothered. David Causey is Macon, a local farmer determined to marry Sadie, and so the story begins.

Marriage and children is the only future for young women of the community, and so Sadie’s fate is decided. It is 1939, and with the Depression, the former slaves have been given the opportunity to buy their land, and better times begin. By 1965, the Civil Rights movement has begun, and Sadie becomes an advocate for voting rights, suffering with others the violence of white racists.

An opportunity arises for these brave women when an Atlanta collector, William Arnett, discovers their quilts. He sees their artistic value, when formerly quilts had been viewed only as utilitarian. By the early 2000s, their value has skyrocketed, and the work of the women of Gee’s Bend is displayed in the New York museums.

Richard Raether’s interpretation of the play incorporates a musical ensemble: Stella L. Adams, Ariana Sanders, and Jayla Williams-Craig with Dorothy Paige-Turner as musical director, sing the music that so well represents the African-based songs of the Gullah people who evolved into the spirituals of Thomas Dorsey and others.

The actors are exceptional. They become the story. Genny Bonavia’s costumes, make-up and hairstyles make the aging process completely realistic, and by the end of the play, Paige-Turner and Jaimie Turner are the tottering old women so familiar to us all.

Do see this exceptional work at Rockford College’s Cheek Theatre, one of Artists’ Ensemble’s best. Playing through May 27, tickets are available by calling (815) 904-2277. Tickets are also available for next season.

From the May 16-22, 2012, issue

American Craft Beer Week is upon us yet again. Monday, May 14, kicked off a weeklong celebration of craft beer all across the nation, while places like Chicago, Seattle, San Antonio, Colorado and Long Island, N.Y., celebrate their own regional beer weeks.

Rockford’s Screw City Beer Festival is celebrating American Craft Beer Week with ScrewDrive, a beer-tasting and exclusive one-day-only pre-sale for 2012 Screw City Beer Festival tickets.

ScrewDrive caps off Beer Week Saturday, May 19, at Kryptonite Bar, 308 W. State St., in downtown Rockford.

From 4 to 7 p.m., ScrewDrive will offer a top-flight selection of more than 20 craft beers to sample, with appetizers provided by The Olympic Tavern.

An additional selection of rare and vintage beer from Founders Brewing Co.’s Breakfast Stout line will be sampled to a limited group of 30 people. The Founders tasting includes a 2012 Screw City Beer Festival promotional T-shirt and Founders glass.

Aside from an evening of sampling rare and limited brews, ScrewDrive will be the only chance to purchase 2012 Screw City Beer Festival tickets before they go on sale to the general public in July. This limited block of general admission and VIP will be available for purchase at discounted prices only for those who attend ScrewDrive.

For those unfamiliar, Screw City Beer Festival is Rockford’s annual craft beer festival held every September in downtown Rockford near the intersection of Main and State streets. Founded in early 2011 by a group of local business owners and craft beer enthusiasts, Screw City’s inaugural fest was met with a virtually sold-out crowd, rave reviews, and awarded the State of Illinois Governor’s Award for Best New Event/Festival of 2011.

Visit the festival’s new website at www.screwcitybeerfest.com for more about Screw City Beer Festival and ScrewDrive.

American Craft Beer Week is important because it celebrates an industry whose economic impact often goes overlooked. In an industry completely dominated by a few corporate breweries, craft beer has seen double-digit annual growth in both dollar value and volume over the past few years. This speaks volumes for a small and independent sector that comprises just more than 5 percent of the overall beer industry in the United States. Besides sales and production growth, the industry is constantly expanding with a 10 percent increase in operating breweries from 2010 to 2011, adding to the 100,000-plus existing jobs.

Held every May since 2006, American Craft Beer Week exists to highlight an industry that not only produces a fresh, high-quality, and locally-made product, but also an industry that gives back to their communities and neighborhoods, values innovation and tradition, helps promote the idea of quality over quantity, and has helped cultivate the United States into the best place on Earth to drink world-class beer.

This year, American Craft Beer Week spans May 14-20 with hundreds of breweries, retailers and bars in all 50 states accounting for thousands of special events

For more regarding American Craft Beer Week, visit www.craftbeer.com.

From the May 16-22, 2012, issue

Volbeat drummer Jon Larsen

Heavy-metal band plays at May 27 Rock Monkey Fest

By John Parks

Volbeat is a fast-rising heavy-metal group from Denmark that will be headlining the WXRX Rock Monkey Fest at Rockford Speedway May 27, an all-day show that will feature countless other acts, including All That Remains.

Volbeat has an extremely unique sound that incorporates everything from Johnny Cash to a heavy dose of Metallica, a band Volbeat has opened for and become close with.

Their fans are fiercely loyal and will no doubt travel to see the band here in Rockford. So, get your tickets at the WXRX offices or www.universalticketing.com.

Rockford Speedway is at the intersection of Forest Hills Road and Illinois Route 173 in Loves Park.

I recently talked with longtime Volbeat drummer Jon Larsen about the show and the band’s rising fortunes. Following is that interview.

Q: I recently went to the Gigantour that you were a part of to go see Megadeth and Motorhead, and walked away totally a totally converted, impressed Volbeat fan. Is that the ultimate goal or something you hear a lot of?

A: Yeah, we do actually! Of course, it’s always really nice to hear, especially on such a high-profile tour as that was. That whole run was definitely a very special experience for us because we were out there with these bands that totally have their own big fanbase. It was a real challenge for us every night we stepped out there. We really hoped a lot of people would like us, and it seems like they did, so we’re really making some headway.

Q: You’re gearing up to do a lot of these big summer shows and festivals, like the one coming up here in Rockford May 27. Is it nice getting outside to play these gigs, or does that summer heat make it tough as a drummer?

A: (Laughs) I think it’s always tough and physical being a drummer, no matter what. It’s equally tough and demanding, whether it’s indoors in the winter or outdoors in the summer. The nice thing about being out and on the road in the spring and summer is that the sun is shining, and all the people coming out are so happy in general. We’re headlining a lot of these outdoor shows, so it’s really nice to be able to play a little bit longer set than what we were doing during the Megadeth tour. We’re able to play a much longer set most nights. We’re just happy to play, to be honest. It’s always nice to do these big shows, but then again, it’s also nice to headline clubs where you can look all the people right in the eye. Either way, it’s a great thing.

Q: I wanted to ask you a couple questions about the band’s past, since you’ve really come quite a way since the debut album in 2005. Your singer, Michael Poulson, was playing very different music in his previous band, Dominus, which was more extreme metal, while Volbeat is certainly more melodic. You excel at a lot of that “blast beat” drumming prominent in the really heavy music. Did that have anything to do with you and Michael joining forces in Volbeat?

A: No, not really. Like you said, his band Dominus was a more extreme style, but they did four albums, and each one was very, very different. The first one was just completely a death or black metal-type album, the second one was sort of punk metal, and by the third album, they were starting to move into the style of music more like what we do in Volbeat. The third Dominus album is actually called Vol.beat, volume and beat. We never really talked about that heavy drumming when we got together. He really just wanted someone to basically keep the beat like Charlie Watts of the Stones or a guy like that, believe it or not. That’s where it started from, and it’s really still a part of what we continue to do to this day.

Q: You’ve said before that you never really even imagined being able to make a living playing music. Were you guys surprised by the initial success of the debut album, The Strength/The Sound/The Songs?

A: We all were surprised because everyone kept talking about us being a new breed or a new hybrid, or talking about how we were doing some kind of music that had never been done before. We never understood why anyone hadn’t done this before, and we just knew we liked what we were doing. We thought it was kind of funny that everyone was surprised by it, and then that people seemed to like it like we like it. People would really be like “What is this? Is this punk or metal or rock and roll?” Whatever it was, we really had fun playing it, and were as surprised as anyone when we got the attention for it.

Q: I know you’re a big Misfits fan. They are another very unique band. Do you think that band had an influence or shares some of the same characteristics of Volbeat?

A: Yeah! I know that Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only were very into that stuff and share that love for the 1950s stuff. The melodies and tunefulness and some of the punk edge of that band has always demonstrated itself in Volbeat.

Q: It seems like each Volbeat album retains a signature sound, but sort of changes or evolves a little. Was it clear that melodies were becoming more and more a part of the albums as you moved from the second album to the third?

A: It wasn’t something we were really aware of or conscious of, to tell the truth. We just do what we do (laughs). We did the second album, Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil, and had some of those songs like “Sad Man’s Tongue,” which were a part of it, but were really happy with the album in general. We were especially proud of it going to No. 1 in Denmark, of course. We had a great time recording and touring for it.

Q: A lot of things started really happening for you after the Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood album. A lot of the singles and videos started getting attention here in the United States, especially after you opened up the Metallica tour and with your last studio album Beyond Hell/Above Heaven. Is it hard to predict what’s going to go over well, or do you have a pretty good idea just based on testing the songs live?

A: You can get a sense for it from the live shows. But again, we just do what we do, and if people like it, that’s great. If they don’t like it, that’s great, too (laughs). It’s pretty hard to predict, of course, especially since we like all of it to begin with (laughs). We just really are thankful that fans like it like you do and that people really respond to it. We just try to do the best we can every single time we go in the studio or on stage, and if it seems like we’re getting better or making more progress, well, that’s great! The Metallica thing was very good for us, though. It was very cool to see how the big boys do it!

Q: I have never been so moved by a live band in my life. Watching the people go crazy at your shows, it’s almost infectious. So I can see why you’d have a song like “Thanks” dedicated to the fans. The crowd at a Volbeat show is almost another member of the band, would you agree?

A: Absolutely. It’s totally real, and we love their energy. Without those dedicated fans, we don’t have anything. If you don’t appreciate or take note of your fans, then it’s over. We mean every word of that song.

Q: You guys are out there supporting the new live CD/DVD Live From Beyond Hell/Above Heaven, which is fantastic. Has Michael been busy writing songs and kicking around new ideas at soundcheck?

A: Always, always. We’re sorting through a lot of new ideas and have started working on things. So, hopefully, there will be a great new album in 2013.

From the May 16-22, 2012, issue

Rockford Auburn High School Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) will present Beauty and the Beast at 7:30 p.m., May 17, 18 and 19, with 2 p.m. matinee performances May 19 and 20. The school is at 5110 Auburn St., Rockford.

The Rock River Times spoke with Adam Ball, student producer, who also plays “The Beast.”

TRRT: How did you decide to do this particular play?

Ball: They decided to do it because it’s a fun show, and people enjoy seeing it. It would bring in an audience.

TRRT: Who is starring in the CAPA version?

Ball: Belle is being played by junior Hannah Poorman. I’m the Beast.

TRRT: What songs will be featured?

Ball: All the songs from the Disney movie, including the award-winning “Beauty and the Beast” and “Be Our Guest” — including new songs that were added to the Broadway classic.

TRRT: So, this play is based on the Disney version rather than the original French tale?

Ball: It’s definitely the Disney version. The full title is Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. It has the same characters where people play the objects.

TRRT: What is the impression you would like audiences to get from this play?

Ball: The main message is it’s a fun show. Everyone knows the story of Beauty and the Beast — don’t judge a book by its cover. Take people as they are. What we’re really looking for is that people have a good night of entertainment.

Tickets are $5 on the Thursday preview night and $8 each day afterward. Tickets can be purchased by e-mail at ahscapatheatre@gmail.com; phone at (815) 966-3300; or online at www.seatyourself.biz/auburncapa.

From the May 16-22, 2012, issue

Rockford musician Vito Dangelo (left) poses for a photo following the April 13 Rockford Area Music Industry (RAMI) Cocktail Party and Awards Ceremony. Dangelo was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the event. Pictured with Dangelo is RAMI Community Service Award recipient John Russell Ghrist. (Photo provided)

Staff Report

Rockford musician Vito J. Dangelo, 93, who was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 21st Rockford Area Music Industry (RAMI) Cocktail Party and Awards Ceremony April 13, died Wednesday, May 9.

Born June 13, 1918, Dangelo played alto saxophone in area dance bands for more than 70 years. His tenure included time with Rockford’s Bill Engberg Orchestra, Kay Howard Band, Mark Rose’s Old Towne Band and the East Bank Commanders.

Over the years, Dangelo’s musical groups performed at many venues, including Rainbow Gardens in Belvidere, various hotels, and high school dances and reunions. He also played in bands at the old downtown location of the Tebala Temple known then as the Sodatorium, the Rockford Armory and events at the Faust Hotel and Landmark.

By day, Vito worked at Cotta Transmissions for 42 years and played his sax along the “kerosene circuit,” which included many nighttime area dances. He once performed during an NBC nationwide broadcast with the Bill Engberg Orchestra in 1946 at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Dangelo recalled being involved in a car accident on the way to a dance in Beloit, Wis., and playing with a busted lip that evening. He also appeared in a band on his wedding night in 1944, as his very understanding wife looked on.

Dangelo and his late wife, Gladys, had three children, Carey, Cynthia and Jim. He graduated from Rockford High School in 1936.

From the May 16-22, 2012, issue

Jamie Nicole Turner, Jenniel Wright and Dorothy Paige-Turner in Artists’ Ensemble Theater’s production of Gee’s Bend. (Photo by John Cobb)

Staff Report

On the playwright’s first visit to Gee’s Bend, Ala. (pronounced “jeez”), she was greeted with the words, “God has blessed us here in Gee’s Bend.” Those are the opening lines of this award-winning play.

Gee’s Bend, which runs May 11-27 at Rockford’s Artists’ Ensemble Theater, celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.

All through the Depression, family turmoil and the civil rights movement, the women of Gee’s Bend turn to quilting to provide comfort and context to their lives, never dreaming that their quilts would one day hang in museums.

The play spans 63 years in the lives of Sadie Pettway and her older sister, Nella. Performed without intermission, the play opens in 1939 as 15-year-old Sadie bickers with her sister, learns quilting from her mama, and marries her beau.

The play shifts to 1965 when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. arrives to speak at the tiny Gee’s Bend church, inspiring Sadie to register to vote.

The final portion of the play takes place in 2002 when Sadie and Nella, now elderly, leave Alabama for the first time in their lives to visit New York, where Sadie’s quilts are on exhibit in the Whitney Museum of Art.

Although the play is fiction, all the events are drawn from real-life accounts. The playwright, Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder, drove to Gee’s Bend — there is only one road — and literally sat at the feet of the women as they told their stories and admonished her, “Just write it honest.”

The Artists’ Ensemble production features an entirely local cast with Jamie Nicole Turner as Sadie and Dorothy Paige-Turner (no relation) as her older sister, Nella.

Paige-Turner, well known as a popular jazz vocalist, also acts as music director for the production.

Director Richard Raether explained: “The gospel music that is woven throughout the play is crucial to this story. There are a couple of songs that are specifically written into the script; however, early in the planning, Dorothy and I began discussing adding more.”

All of the songs used in the play are traditional gospel songs of the region, many drawn from actual recordings made in Gee’s Bend during the 1930s.

“A number of these songs were never written down — the cast had to learn them from the recordings,” Raether said. “Like one of the famous Gee’s Bend quilts, the play is a patchwork of scenes from Sadie’s life, all tied together by this incredible singing.”

Other family members and residents of Gee’s Bend are played by Jenniel Wright, David Causey, Stella L. Adams, Ariana Sanders and Jayla Williams-Craig.

Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Thursday tickets are $19. All other performances are $28, $26 for seniors and $10 for students.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.artistsensemble.org or by calling (815) 904-2277. Artists’ Ensemble is an Equity professional theater performing in residence at Rockford College.

From the May 9-15, 2012, issue

Staff Report

Rockford’s downtown music pub crawl Groove Walk is set for 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday, May 12, at 11 downtown establishments.

One ticket ($7 in advance, $10 at the door) is good for admission to all 11 music outlets. Advance tickets are available at Adriatic Café and Live Music Bar, CJ’s Lounge, Deli Italia Lounge, Guzzardo Performance Music, Kryptonite, On the Waterfront, Inc., and Rue Marche.

Following is the lineup of performers:

Basement Blues Band — Adriatic Café and Live Music Bar, 327 W. Jefferson St.;

Combo Loco — Abreo, 515 E. State St.;

Hope Despite — Deli Italia Lounge, 507 E. State St.;

J.F. Gaziano & Beat Merchants — Irish Rose, 519 E. State St.;

Lizzie Neal Band — The Office Niteclub, 513 E. State St.;

Mana Kintorso — Kryptonite, 308 W. State St.;

Missing Links — Bar 3, 326 E. State St.;

Second Wind — Kiwi Café, 211 Elm St.;

Shifty Shafer — Rue Marche, 620 Market St.;

Three Good Men — Octane InterLounge, 124 N. Main St.; and

TRaSH ’80s — CJ’S Lounge, 300 E. State St.

Walk from establishment to establishment or hop on the Rockford Mass Transit District trolley for a free ride.

A portion of the proceeds raised from Groove Walk will benefit Rockford Area Music Industry’s Gary S. Wilmer Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Call (815) 964-4388 for more details.

From the May 9-15, 2012, issue

Staff Report

CHICAGO — Celebrating the first permanent outdoor installation by artist Tony Feher, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in partnership with the Rockford Art Museum (RAM), presents an Art in Architecture lecture with the internationally-recognized sculptor at 7 p.m., Monday, May 14, at RAM.

Feher will discuss highlights from his career and “Super Special Happy Place,” the massive outdoor installation featuring more than 100 flowering trees that he created for the Stanley J. Roszkowski U.S. Courthouse in Rockford. This free event is a unique opportunity for the public to learn from the artist about the new, permanent work of public art in the community.

Feher’s work at the courthouse marks his first foray into the use of natural and living materials. Commissioned by GSA in 2004 and planted in 2010, the artwork’s orchard-like planting scheme extends the order and clarity of the courthouse’s architectural design into the landscape.

“Super Special Happy Place” is part of the GSA Art in Architecture Program, which oversees the commissioning of artworks for new federal buildings nationwide. GSA reserves one-half of 1 percent of the estimated construction cost of each new federal building to commission project artists. These artworks enhance the civic meaning of federal architecture and showcase the vibrancy of American visual arts. GSA’s selection of Feher was based on his understanding of the project’s importance to the greater Rockford community and his desire to create a lasting work of art.

Feher’s lecture at RAM coincides with the opening of a traveling mid-career retrospective of his work organized by the Blaffer Museum of Art that will tour the nation between 2012 and 2014. The exhibition will be accompanied by the first comprehensive publication documenting the work and influence of this important American artist over the past 20 years.

RAM is inside Riverfront Museum Park, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, and can be reached at (815) 968-2787.

For more about the evening with Feher, visit www.rockfordartmuseum.org.

From the May 9-15, 2012, issue

Trish Rooney accepts the Mendelssohn Starr of Excellence Award April 27.

Staff Report

Trish Rooney, assistant director of Music Ministries at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Rockford and the dean of the Rockford Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, was chosen as the winner of Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center’s 2012 Starr of Excellence Award.

The award was presented to Rooney at the world premiere performance of “Songs of the World” Friday, April 27, at Court Street United Methodist Church.

Rooney is a frequent piano and organ performer in the Rockford area, and will perform on the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center’s 2012-2013 concert season. She began accompanying as a student at Rockford West High School and continued throughout her educational career at Rock Valley College, Rockford College and the University of North Texas.

Rooney has also served as accompanist for many local organizations, including Bach Chamber Choir; Camerata Emanon; Kantorei, the Singing Boys of Rockford; Rock Valley Children’s Choir; Rock Valley College Starlight Theatre; and as an elementary music specialist for Rockford Public Schools.

Rooney is the current treasurer and a former president of the Beta Gamma Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (honoring key women educators) and was a longtime volunteer with the Rock River Valley Council of Girl Scouts.

Mendelssohn initiated the annual Starr of Excellence Award in 1985. The award is named after Mrs. Chandler Starr, who established the original Mendelssohn Club in 1884 and was also its president for many years.

The award is given to those who have made a major contribution to the advancement of quality music in the Rockford area, who are significantly involved in the Rockford community, and who can be held up as role models, particularly to youth.

Since 1884, the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center has been a source of quality music experiences for the residents of northern Illinois. Mendelssohn PAC, a nonprofit organization at 415 N. Church St., Rockford, serves the community with a range of concerts, youth music programs and performing ensembles for all ages. Visit www.mendelssohnpac.org.

From the May 9-15, 2012, issue

Roxe Anne Peacock has done it again. The author of Leave No Trace (2011) has written a second mystery novel that incorporates some intriguing personal relationships and local history.

Set in Grand Detour, Ill., along the banks of the Rock River, the story is told from the viewpoint of Missy, 13, one of three children of Dot Canfield. Dot is a widow who definitely believes in getting the most enjoyment out of life. Unfortunately, some of the choices she makes , particularly in the area of male companions, not only reflect unfavorably on her but eventually endanger her children. Following the death of their father in a tragic auto accident, Missy, Katie and Billie are forced to deal with some less-than-reputable live-in “uncles” who catch their mother’s fancy but make life difficult for the children.

Dot, the mother, has a regular job at the Varsity Bar & Grill, and she is skilled at both fishing and cooking. The kids like to go fishing, too. Unfortunately, one day at the Rock River, Billie hooks a “Fatal Catch” that definitely points to murder. Who is this victim, and is there a killer among the residents of this rural community?

Often left on their own, the children try to manage as best they can while trying to unravel the mystery. What is really going on behind the scenes? Is “Uncle Frank” just kidding around trying to scare them, or is there an ominous warning behind his drunken threats?

This story will keep readers busy trying to figure out what’s behind it all. At the same time, here’s a note of warning to parents: the parenting practices of the “Mama” in this story are guaranteed to make you cringe, and if your kids read it, they can be glad not to have any relatives like the mother and her boyfriends. One other thing that makes this reader wonder: Where were the people from Child Protection Services while all these escapades were going on? But then again, if you want a good story …

This is a tale of suspense and intrigue that will keep you interested all the way. Roxe Anne Peacock is familiar with the locale, as she grew up in that region. She remembers camping out at Castle Rock and hearing about the history of the Black Hawk War and Stillman’s Run. She also knows something about barn cats. And if there’s a hidden message, it might be this: Listen to your pets. They are good judges of character.

This self-published book is available either in print or on Kindle. Reference ASIN:B0061TBRVA on Amazon.com. Go to www.amazon.com/Fatal-Catch-ebook /dp/B0061TBRVA. Print edition retails for $10.49, or get it on sale at Kindle for 99 cents.

From the May 9-15, 2012

Illinois is the home of three presidents, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Barack Hussein Obama. It is also the boyhood home of President Ronald Reagan.

Chicago is the largest Illinois city and home to the tallest building in the North American continent, the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower. And for our sports fans, it has several well-known sports teams.

I live in the small community of Caledonia and only 10 minutes from Rockford. I grew up in cities along Illinois Route 2 and the beautiful Rock River. In fact, the Rock River was my back yard for several years. I fished day and night.

I would recommend taking a trip Oct. 1-2 to take advantage of all the beautiful fall colors and festivities.

First, travel Illinois Route 2 south for a side trip to Stillman Valley. The Battle of Stillman’s Run was fought at Stillman Valley, Ill., May 14, 1832, between a detachment of 275 Illinois soldiers and a band of Sauk Indians led by Chief Black Hawk, the beginning of the Black Hawk War. Visit Battle Ground Park to view a 50-foot monument where the battle was fought, and nine out of the 12 soldiers killed are buried in a common grave. The remaining three are buried in another area. The marble monument soberly notes, “The presence of soldier, statesman, martyr, Abraham Lincoln assisting in the burial of these honored dead has made this spot more sacred.”

Journey south to Stronghold Castle in Oregon to experience an Olde English Faire and tour the castle, which is a replica of another in England.

After you enjoy the Olde English festivities, drive a few miles farther south to view the 50-foot concrete statue of Black Hawk across the river on your left at Lowden State Park. Take another side trip to visit Lowden and view the statue up close, picnic or camp.

Or, if you prefer, travel a bit farther to White Pines State Park in Mt. Morris, Ill. If roughing it isn’t in your nature, I recommend staying at White Pines Inn at one of the beautiful cabins. Don’t forget to take your fishing gear; the creek has wonderful tasting catfish and bass.

One of my favorite places to eat is at the Lodge Restaurant. You might want to take advantage of the dinner theater with live stage shows while you enjoy a mostly homemade meal.

Your next stop and my favorite is Castle Rock State Park in Oregon, Ill. Climb the 129 steps to the top of the bluff and enjoy the beautiful view overlooking the river. My family camped at Castle Rock in the 1960s when it wasn’t yet a state park. It used to have a restaurant, bar and gas station on the south side of the bluff.

In the 1960s, I lived in Grand Detour for a few years, and spent many summers fishing and playing at Castle Rock. Most of these memories are my fondest and inspired me to write Fatal Catch.

If you have time, stop at the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour, Ill., and if you are a fan of President Reagan, venture a few more miles south to Dixon.

Also, here are a few extra tidbits about Illinois you might not know. Did you know that the first McDonald’s was in Illinois? Did you know that Metropolis, Ill., is the home of Superman?

Fatal Catch — Author’s summary

It’s 1963, and Chief Riley Bennett knocks on Dody Canfield’s door informing her that her husband died instantly when his car struck a telephone pole. Not wanting to raise her three children alone, it isn’t long before she brings home Frank Billings, and he’s moving in.

Mama sends 13-year-old Missy to take her little brother, Billie, fishing so she can have some alone time with Uncle Frank. Billie casts his line into the murky river water hooking the big one; granddaddy of all fish. He quickly hands the reel to Missy, hoping not to lose his catch. Missy reels in slowly — bubbles begin emerging — releasing an undercurrent of secrets, deadly lies and terror on the Canfield family.

Check out my first mystery, Leave No Trace, at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com

Check out my Civil War cooking blog at www.civilwarcooking.blogspot.com.

E-mail: peacockroxeanne@yahoo.com

Website: www.roxeannepeacock.com

Roxe Anne Peacock is a self-published author who lives in Caledonia, Ill.

From the May 9-15, 2012, issue

Gale Ketteler

By Gale Ketteler
Womanspace Program Coordinator & Marketing Specialist

Whether you’re a member or not, Womanspace is a great place for women, men, boys and girls to relax and renew their body, mind and spirit.

About half of our programs are art classes and camps for all ages. The other half are quite diverse, with a focus on environmental stewardship, interfaith exploration and holistic health.

We are very inclusive and don’t often limit programs to women, but Naturopathic Breast Care May 9 is (not surprisingly) designed for women only. Naturopath Sherri Hamby will offer a combination of Ayurvedic and natural health approaches to clear blocked lymph nodes that can cause an imbalance and lead to cancer.

Find balance of another sort at Yoga Nidra June 9, and our weekly Yoga for Women classes with Una Ryan Thursday mornings. Womanspace welcomes Dr. Shanti Hulsebus as our new Meditation instructor with classes for adults May 16 and 30, and Meditation for Kids age 9-17 May 19. Don’t miss this chance to learn this peaceful stress reduction technique from a lifelong practitioner.

On the artistic front, Art Camps for Kids run June 5-8 and Tween Art and Fun Camps are June 11-14. Pulp Painting is a fun artshop for adults and kids May 12, and you can play with new epoxy clay at Come Clay with Me May 19. There’s an Art Lecture about Diego Rivera with Dorothy Bock at noon, May 10, and we have two art exhibits on view through June 7. Any artists wishing to submit work for consideration in our June 15 Symmetry/Chaos exhibit should see our website for specifications. Art exhibits are sponsored by David Boccignone-Ameriprise Financial.

Lunch and Learns include Reflexology for Fibromyalgia with Melody Pearson May 16 and Rheumatoid Arthritis with Dr. Fred Dietz June 6, with sponsorship by Sandra J. Slaga, Attorney at Law. This month’s Supper and Film is The Queen May 16. Mah Jong meets for friendly play May 23, and our new Tech Support Group for members only will explore Photoshop skills May 26.

Caregiving — Guilt Free with Sanity Intact is May 22, and you’ll learn how Essential Oils can improve your health June 7. Join Professor Kanwal Prashar and his Rock Valley College students June 2 for an Interfaith Bus Tour of Chicago Houses of Worship, with stops at Sikh, Zoroastrian and Hindu temples. Then, study Contemporary Christology with Father Mike Librandi starting June 7. Beginning and aspiring writers are invited to a Writershop June 4. We’ll also discuss a special poetry and prose event for our new Arts @Anjali performance series.

Glitzy Garage Sale is June 1-3 and is sponsored by The Law Office of Jim Black and Associates. We’re accepting donations through May 30, so take this opportunity to de-clutter your home, and please visit our website to see what we will and won’t accept. Then, come back the first weekend in June for our 36th annual mega sale!

From the May 9-15, 2012, issue

Bill and Kate Isles will be featured at the next Concert Conversations at 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 8, at Emerson House, 420 N. Main St., Rockford. The duo uses a variety of musical styles in their performances to carry audiences through a broad landscape of experiences. (Photo provided)

Staff Report

Bill and Kate Isles are an acoustic singer/songwriter duo based in Duluth, Minn. They will be featured at the next Concert Conversations, 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 8, at Emerson House, 420 N. Main St., Rockford.

Using a variety of musical styles, their performances carry audiences through a broad landscape of experiences from metaphorical worlds to small-town family stories and to zany comedy. Consummate performers, they are known for their catchy melodies and memorable songs. They have a deep-seated love for the audience, and each other, and it shows at every performance. They tour nationally, singing for audiences large and small, from house concerts to festival stages and everything in between. Words like “Mesmerizing,” “Transcendent,” and even “Hysterical” are common descriptions from audience reviews.

Bill Isles (born and raised in Duluth, Minn.) performed his first show of original songs after a 21-year hiatus, in February 2000. Since that time, he has become one of the most well-known singer/songwriters in the Minnesota acoustic scene and has been getting national and international attention. Bill’s love of life has strong roots in his childhood, but his urgency to tell these stories comes from an experience in 1993, when he experienced a sudden cardiac arrest and was able to drive himself to the hospital. He arrived with just 10 minutes to spare. After being defibrillated, and before doctors had time to detect and open a blocked artery in his heart, he promised himself that if he survived, he would begin to write again. Those paddles restarted more than just his heart.

Kate Isles (born in Tecumseh, Neb., raised in Rochester, Minn.) was a closet singer/songwriter when she came to a CD release concert for Bill’s first CD, Weightless, after hearing a public radio interview. She bought the CD and signed up on his e-mail list. (“Grounds for marriage!” quips Bill.) Their song, “Public Radio (A True Story)” is a delightful duet that chronicles these beginnings.

Their relationship began in the ensuing months as they enjoyed afternoon sessions with guitars, harmonies and coffee. They’ve been together ever since, marrying in May 2004. They have toured nationally as a duo, full time, since early 2007, performing about 150 shows per year. Their late-2011 album, Still Beneath the Stars and Moon, includes 10 new original songs, and showcases their respective songwriting with several of Kate’s songs as well as a few they’ve co-written. The response has been very positive.

The mission of Concert Conversations is to give the artist a comfortable (and acoustically delicious) space with professional sound and lighting in which to share with an attentive and intelligent audience the passion of the art that drives him/her, which speaks to the passion that drives us.

$10 seating is limited to the first 80 people who arrive. For more information, call (815) 964-2238 or visit www.Snapshotmusic.com.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Fred Hutcherson III

Staff Report

Rockford’s Ethnic Heritage Museum (EHM) will unveil the “Meet Fred Hutcherson III” exhibit from 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, May 6.

Hutcherson, a long-time Rockford resident and former photojournalist at the Rockford Register Star, was featured in an article in the February 2012 issue of Ebony magazine.

Hutcherson is the son of the late Fred Hutcherson Jr., the first African-American pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. He demonstrated outstanding service as a flight instructor at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, and the Tuskegee Airmen were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush in 2006.

The “Meet Fred Hutcherson III” exhibit will display items and photographs revisiting their careers, their accomplishments and their contribution to life in Rockford.

Some of the photographs on display are compliments of the Rockford Register Star achives depicting memorable events in Rockford.

Included in the display will be some of the cameras Hutcherson III used throughout his career with the Rockford Register Star. Also on display is a bronze replica of the Tuskegee Airmen medal Hutcherson received on his father’s behalf.

EHM, 1129 S. Main St., Rockford, is unique in its blend of ethnic groups: African-American, Polish, Italian, Lithuanian, Irish and Hispanic. A visit to each gallery will enlighten visitors of the values and traditions of each of these groups.

The “Meet Fred Hutcherson III” exhibit will be on display until mid-September 2012. Hutcherson will be on hand Sunday, May 6, to greet visitors, explain the display and answer any questions. Admission is free to the public, but donations are appreciated. Light refreshments will be served.

The museum is handicap accessible. Group tours can be arranged by calling (815) 962-7402 or e-mailing ehm1129@comcast.net. For more about the museum, visit www.ethnicheritagemuseum.org.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Staff Report

Treazured Memories, a new downtown shop at 325 W. Jefferson St., had its grand opening Tuesday, May 1.

The shop features antiques, resale, repurposed and handmade items.

Owner Tammy Livingston said, “I am excited to contribute to the renewed interest in the downtown area and be a part of the community of local business owners.”

The shop will be open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

On History’s popular series American Pickers, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz scour the back roads looking for the “rusty gold” their customers love. On HGTV’s new series, Junk Gypsies, sisters Amie and Jolie Sikes dig through dirt looking for vintage pieces worth salvaging and turning into designer pieces.

Thirteen years ago, the Texas-based sisters quit their day jobs and started The Junk Gypsy Company. This month, their brand-new series, Junk Gypsies, debuts on HGTV.

“We never set out to be on TV,” says Amie. “We were just building a business, a business we could work with our family in and do something we loved. Then, the TV stuff came about — we just wanted to make sure we didn’t sell our souls in the process.”

As their company grew more popular, it drew not only the attention of celebrity clients like Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, but of cable networks and production companies.

“Different production companies kept calling, and we kept looking for our perfect fit,” Jolie says. “You know how people say it’s more important what you say no to than what you say yes to? We said no to about 20 different production companies before we found one we liked. And then, we had some other network offers that we didn’t like, but HGTV seemed like the perfect home for us. We held out so long for the perfect production company and the perfect network.”

The sisters were raised going to flea markets, garage sales and thrift stores.

“So, we have an appreciation for everything old and for junk — it just has way more character when something is old than when it’s new,” Jolie says. “It’s so much more fun, too, the thrill of the hunt is for real. You never know what you’re going to find at a flea market — it’s like you’re on a treasure hunt every day.”

They give broken and discarded items new life, turn utilitarian objects into designer accents, and transform old relics into stylish pieces. “You never know where inspiration is going to come from, it’s out of the box,” Jolie says. “You’re going to find something unique, that nobody else has, and it has a story behind it.”

It’s clear that Amie and Jolie love their job, with or without the cameras rolling.

“We’re total junkies for this business,” Amie says, saying the three best things about their business are rummaging for junk, working with family and going on road trips. “We used to be on the road ALL the time, hunting out things, scavenging, going to auctions, setting up at flea markets — that’s how we came up with the name Junk Gypsies. It was really empowering to realize you can do your own thing and pave your own path. It was unlike anything we’d ever done before, so all those things combined have made this the greatest business and life, ever.”

For a new take on the picking life, tune in to Junk Gypsies and watch a pair of fun-loving sisters from Texas find hidden beauty in other people’s junk.

Programming note

Junk Gypsies debuts at 6 p.m., Saturday, May 5, on HGTV.

Paula Hendrickson is a regular contributor to Emmy magazine and Variety, and has been published in numerous national publications, including American Bungalow, Television Week and TVGuide. Follow her on Twitter at P_Hendrickson and send your suggestions to tubetalking-paula@yahoo.com.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Staff Report

Celebrating their 12th year together in 2012, Monroe Crossing dazzles audiences with an electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel and heartfelt originals. They’ll be performing at 6 p.m., Sunday, May 6, at Veterans Memorial Hall, 211 N. Main St.

Based in Minnesota, this group plays an average of 125 shows a year at major venues and festivals, frequently for non-bluegrass audiences, and often win new fans. Monroe Crossing consists of: Derek Johnson: guitar, lead and harmony vocals; Lisa Fuglie: fiddle, mandolin, lead and harmony vocals; Matt Thompson: mandolin, fiddle, baritone vocals; Mark Anderson: bass and vocals; and David Robinson: banjo. Their paths crossed through the music of Bill Monroe, so they like to say they had a “Monroe Crossing.”

Among their many honors, Monroe Crossing was selected to showcase at the 2007 International Bluegrass Music Association Convention, and they were inducted into the Minnesota Hall of Fame in 2007. The only bluegrass band ever nominated as “Artist of the Year” by the Minnesota Music Academy (MMA), Monroe Crossing won the 2003 MMA “Bluegrass Album of the Year” award. The group also took home four awards — for Female Vocalist, Guitar, Mandolin and Banjo — at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s 25th Anniversary Awards Banquet.

Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door. Advance tickets are available at: Rockford Area Arts Council, 713 E. State, (815) 963-6765; both Postal Shoppe locations: Edgebrook Center, (815) 397-7301 and 2205 S. Perryville, (815) 484-0940; and JustGoods, 201 Seventh St., (815) 965-8903; or by mail: send a check and SASE to 420 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103. Indicate artist or performance date on check. Credit card payment accepted only at www.charlotteswebofrockford.org via PayPal. A $2 ticket processing fee is included. Print your receipt. Info: Call (815) 964-2238 or visit www.charlotteswebofrockford.org.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Christine Swanberg

By Christine Swanberg
Author and Poet

We’ve just passed that in-between season, not quite winter and not quite spring. The following poem by Cleo Johnson, a Rock River Times favorite poet, captures that season well.

As a member of the Wednesday writers’ group, Johnson continues to work on improving her poems so they can give readers a positive feeling and some sort of identification with their own lives and observations.

She is fond of traveling, meeting new people and, in general, trying to add a little sunshine to brighten every day.

Crystal Blanket

Clouds bulging with water glide across the sky

And pass through freezing air

Aching to drop their heavy load

Where water turns to sparkling crystal flakes

As flakes drift in slow motion to the ground

They elegantly cover everything

Cars, buildings with large peaked roofs

Birdhouse roofs, yards, fields, lawns

Roads turn white like pearl silk ribbons

Disappearing in the distance

People, critters, abandoned nests in trees

Are gently covered, warmed and enclosed

In a pure pristine whiteness

a blanket appears to cover scars

And the evidence of people

To insulate plants and small animals

Under its shelter, warming them all

The white crystal blanket protects everything

Until the warm spring air comes again and

Changes it all to a soothing smooth carpet of green

Christine Swanberg is a local author and poet.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Be one of the privileged few to participate in the special access evening of the Rare Books in the Tinker Swiss Cottage Collection, from 6-8 p.m., Thursday, May 10.

You are invited for this private, special access event. The evening will begin with light refreshments and a Curator Talk in the conservatory of Tinker Swiss Cottage, 411 Kent St. Then, stroll the rooms of Tinker, where special access areas are available. Your evening will end in the restored “Red Room” Exhibition Space.

Special Access means that under the director of the Tinker Curator of Collections, you will have the opportunity to hold and read the Rare Books from the world-famous Tinker Library.

Rare Books from the collection include a Hawaiian Bible, Quo Vadis by Miguel de Cervantes, Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus by Claus Magnus, and Ke Kumu Mua Ano Hou. Famous authors in the collection include Alexandre Dumas, H.P. Lovecraft, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward, Thomas Moore, Shakespeare and more.

Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum 2012 Year of the Book is sponsored in part by BMO Harris Bank.

Tickets are $50 per person. Limited availability. Ticket sales close at 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 9. Call (815) 964-2424 to purchase your tickets, or purchase online at www.tinkercottage.com.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Rockford Park District and Chicago Kite will host Kites in Flight, a free family kite-flying event open to the public and participants of all ages, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, May 6.

The event will be at Southwest Community Park, 2004 Ogilby Road (next to RESA Middle School), Rockford.

All participants will receive a free kite kit to assemble, decorate and fly, with help available from Park District staff and volunteers.

Participants may bring their own kites if they wish. Skilled professionals from Chicago Kite will fly kites of all sizes, some as large as 90 feet; kites and accessories will also be available for sale.

Concessions will be available for purchase. For more information, visit www.rockfordparkdistrict.org/events or www.chicagokite.com, or call (815) 987-8800.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

There will be no art on display at the upcoming Rockford Art Guild event.

Saturday, May 5, artists will be willing to part with their carefully-hoarded art supplies at the first-ever RAG pARTS flea market. Here’s a chance to get inspired or try out a new media at a fraction of the cost a retail store would charge.

Deal directly with the artists. These natural magpies and packrats can see art in almost anything, but stashes of leftover paper, fabric, yarn, beads, paint and other art supplies can sometimes overflow their spaces.

Anything from canvas and stained glass to scrapbooking supplies could be available. Even frames and display materials are a possibility, but no completed art.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 5, indoors in the meeting room at Katie’s Cup, 502 Seventh St., across from the BMO Bank.

Free admission to the public. This event directly benefits local starving artists and the Rockford Art Guild.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Rockford Park District’s Carlson Ice Arena will host its spring ice show, “Skating Down Abbey Road,” featuring hit music by The Beatles Saturday, May 5. Show times are 1 and 7 p.m.

Approximately 100 local skaters of all ages and levels from Rockford Park District Learn to Skate and Figure Skating programs will demonstrate their skills in performances featuring hit music by The Beatles. The 1 p.m. show will also feature special guest Kyle Shropshire, 2012 U.S. National Junior Competitor.

Ticket prices are general admission, $7 in advance, $8 day of show. Golden Admission tickets (includes both shows) are $10 in advance (not available at the door); admission is free for children ages 2 and younger. Tickets are on sale at Carlson Ice Arena at Riverside and Perryville in Loves Park, and at Park District Customer Service in downtown Rockford, 401 S. Main St.

For more information, visit www.rockfordparkdistrict.org/iceskate, or call (815) 969-4069. For information about accessibility and assisted listening equipment for people with disabilities, call (815) 987-8800.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Do you have fond memories of camp or school field trips at Seth B. Atwood Park in Rockford? Rockford Park District staff invites the public to attend a free open house at Atwood Center (lodge building) to share past experiences and share ideas about future programming.

At the spring and fall events, Atwood Center staff will share information about ongoing projects and volunteer opportunities, and conduct tours of the facility. Homemade snacks from the Atwood kitchen will be served.

Attend one or both of the following days: Saturday, May 5, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (program begins at 12:30 p.m.); and Saturday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (program begins at 12:30 p.m.).

Atwood Center is at 2685 New Milford School Road, Rockford. If more information is needed, call (815) 874-7576. For information about support or assistive listening equipment for people with disabilities, call (815) 987-8800. Visit www.rockfordparkdistrict.org/atwood for more about Atwood Park.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

Camerata Emanon performs at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 5, at Unitarian Universalist Church, 4848 Turner St., Rockford. (Photo provided)

By Libby Parker

How is a recipe for a really good cake like a recipe for a successful chamber singing group? Well, for the cake, you need a high-quality wire whip, the finest ingredients you can obtain, and a big mixing bowl. For the chorus, you need a top-notch director, a good mix of talented musicians, and a space for the community to come to share in their joy of singing.

The Camerata Emanon is just such a group, founded in 1999 by a collection of singers and a director who “thought it would really be nice to have a group to look at a cappella music.”

At the time, the Mendelssohn Chorale and the Bach Choir were the big choral organizations in Rockford, but Rulee Stallmann, a recent winner of the Rockford Area Music Industry (RAMI) Lifetime Achievement Award, wanted to head up a small chorus that would sing without accompaniment (a cappella).

Stallmann had spent two years teaching in London as part of the Rockford College study and teaching abroad connection with Regents College.

“I was extremely inspired by the choirs I heard in England,” she recalled.

When Stallmann returned to the States and to teaching her music classes at the college, she met with singers in the faculty and the community, some of whom had been in the larger groups but were ready for the new challenges of participating in a smaller chamber choir. The new chorus could not come up with a name, so “Camerata Emanon” was born: “Camerata” from “camera” — Italian for “chamber” — and “Emanon” (read it backward).

Like the original camerata in the 16th century, this group of musicians meet to socialize, plan and rehearse for the purpose of performing.

Asked how she selects her music, Stallmann said: “I try to think about a focus for a program. Then, I do a lot of research.”

This past January, the singers performed an ambitious selection of music in a program meant to inspire the listeners for the new year ahead. They performed “Singet,” one of J.S. Bach’s most complex motets for double choir, another double-choir piece by the 16th-century composer Sweelinck, and more works including songs from the very contemporary Eric Whitacre and Morten Lauridsen.

Deb Dew, a founding member of the chorus, thinks the group has grown in the 12 years it has been singing together.

“I think we have much more depth of talent,” Dew said. “We’re larger, so we can sing more divisi.” This means there are enough singers to split into not just soprano, alto, tenor and bass parts, but further subdivisions in each part required for works such as those of Whitacre, an immensely popular composer of choral music who is composer in residence at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University, U.K.

Another original member, Ginny Hatwich, agrees with Dew.

“We’ve included a variety of cultures and languages,” Hatwich said. This is apparent in their upcoming concert scheduled for May 5 titled “Music: The Universal Language.” Stallmann has selected folk songs from 14 countries that will be sung in nine different languages.

Camerata Emanon has many linguists among them, including tenor Brian Gustafson, who coached the choir in both Swedish and Swahili. Others helped with French, Yiddish, Chinese, Latvian and Spanish.

The program promises “a rich, diverse choral program opening windows on the hopes, memories, loves, losses and dances of people from the Americas, Asia, Africa, Australia and all parts of Europe.”

Many songs will be sung unaccompanied, and other works will feature accompaniment from instrumentalists Trish Rooney, piano; Becky Glover, flute; Rachel Handlin, violin; Michael Beert, cello; Ed Pawelski, percussion; and several chorus members doubling on piano, percussion and guitar.

The concert will be at 7:30 p.m., May 5, at Unitarian Universalist Church, 4848 Turner St., Rockford. Admission is $10 and $5 for students.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

The Ninth Annual Unforgettable Art: An Affair for Alzheimer’s will be Saturday, April 28, at Prairie Street Brewhouse, 200 Prairie St., Rockford. (Photo provided)

Staff Report

Help “Bid Alzheimer’s Goodbye” at the Ninth Annual Unforgettable Art: An Affair for Alzheimer’s Saturday, April 28, at the Prairie Street Brewhouse, 200 Prairie St., Rockford. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Kelly Schultz, manager of special events for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Illinois Chapter, said: “2012 marks the ninth year for Unforgettable Art. This unique event allows guests to enjoy specialty cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, stroll around the venue and watch as works of art are created before their eyes by 50 artists. Once the paintings are complete, guests can participate in the always competitive live auction — our theme this year is ‘Bid Alzheimer’s Goodbye.’”

Schultz went on to explain: “We are so excited to have this event at the Prairie Street Brewhouse! Described as ‘Rockford’s newest and oldest space,’ this newly renovated and historic venue helps set the tone for this fun-filled event. We would like to thank them for graciously donating their space again this year.”

More than 5.4 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States, with someone developing the disease every 68 seconds. In Illinois alone, 210,000 have Alzheimer’s and more than a half-million caregivers. Unless something is done, by 2025, Illinois is poised to experience a 14 percent increase in the number of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. It is also reported that more than 800,000 people nationally are living alone with Alzheimer’s disease. Those who have Alzheimer’s and live alone are also at increased risk of wandering away from home unattended and for accidental death, possibly because of a lack of recognition of harmful situations and delays in seeking medical attention. These issues are compounded by the fact that many individuals who live alone are often in denial of how serious their cognitive impairment is and refuse help from others. Advanced planning is critical for this population. Proceeds from Unforgettable Art will help support the mission of the Alzheimer’s Association and fund vital community resources.

Tickets may be purchased by calling the Alzheimer’s Association at (815) 484-1300 or at www.alz.org/illinois. Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door.

The Alzheimer’s Association, the world leader in Alzheimer research and support, is the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and cure for Alzheimer’s. Since 1980, the donor-supported, nonprofit Alzheimer’s Association has provided reliable information and care consultation; created supportive services for families; increased funding for dementia research; and influenced public policy changes. The Greater Illinois Chapter serves 68 counties with offices in Bloomington, Carbondale, Chicago, Joliet, Rockford and Springfield. For more information, call the Helpline at 800-272-3900 or visit www.alz.org/illinois.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

"30 Rock" stars, from left, Tracy Morgan, Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Jane Krakowski and Jack McBrayer. (Photo courtesy of NBC/MCT)

By Paula Hendrickson
Contributing Writer

About 18 months ago, 30 Rock went live, doing two separate broadcasts — one for the East Coast and Central time zones, the other for the West Coast. Being gluttons for punishment, this week they’re doing it again, with director Beth McCarthy-Miller at the helm, just as she was the first time.

When I profiled McCarthy-Miller last year for Emmy, she told me about her experiences with 30 Rock and how she and 30 Rock creator Tina Fey have known one another since they worked together on Saturday Night Live.

“I was really lucky that when I left SNL, Tina started 30 Rock. I started directing episodes of 30 Rock, which was the best calling card I could possibly have,” she says.

Given her experience at directing SNL, McCarthy-Miller was the ideal candidate to direct 30 Rock’s live episodes.

“Live directing is not for the faint of heart. It’s an incredible rush. There’s nothing more exciting than when you’re going on the air live,” McCarthy-Miller says. “It’s crazy, but when you got off the air after doing a show like that, you feel like you can conquer anything.”

Prior to the first live episode, McCarthy-Miller set some ground rules for Fey and co-executive producer Robert Carlock. “I told them they needed to come in short on the script because we couldn’t cut pieces of a storyline during a commercial break to get off the air in time,” she says. “I think that was everybody’s fear, that we weren’t going to be able to get off the air in time, but we did.”

As director, McCarthy-Miller had fears of her own. “I was scared the whole time because, literally, one camera misses one shot, and it’s a house of cards collapsing,” she says.

To give you an idea what’s going on this week as the cast and crew of 30 Rock once again invade SNL’s Studio 8H — located in Rockefeller Center, the real 30 Rock — let’s let McCarthy-Miller recount what happened with their live show from October 2010.

“Because there was an SNL the weekend before, we didn’t get the stage until that Sunday afternoon, so we built our sets Sunday and Monday, rehearsed without cameras Tuesday and did a dry blocking on Tuesday night,” she says. “We rehearsed all day Wednesday with cameras, then Thursday we did a rehearsal, a dress rehearsal and two shows.”

Although that Thursday was a long, hectic day, she says it was a fun, wild ride.

“We were all flying by the seats of our pants for pretty much the entire half hour, but it was exhilarating,” McCarthy-Miller says. “It was so much fun to watch the cast shine in front of an audience and to watch it all come together. “

Thursday, April 26, 30 Rock goes live again — on NBC at 7:30 p.m. — as Jack (Alec Baldwin) attempts to pull the plug on a live broadcast of TGS, the show-within-the-show that is 30 Rock. Later, you can check out the West Coast broadcast on NBC.com.

Paula Hendrickson is a regular contributor to Emmy magazine and Variety, and has been published in numerous national publications, including American Bungalow, Television Week and TVGuide. Follow her on Twitter at P_Hendrickson and send your suggestions to tubetalking-paula@yahoo.com.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

Vito J. Dangelo, 94, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 21st Annual Rockford Area Music Industry (RAMI) Cocktail Party and Awards Ceremony April 13. (Photo by Jon Lambert)

Staff Report

The Rockford Area Music Industry (RAMI) honored nearly 94 years young Vito J. Dangelo April 13 with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 21st RAMI Cocktail Party and Awards Ceremony at Tebala Shrine Temple.

Vito has played alto saxophone in area dance bands for more than 70 years. His tenure included time with Rockford’s Bill Engberg Orchestra, Kay Howard Band, Mark Rose’s Old Towne Band and the East Bank Commanders.

Over the years, Vito’s musical groups have performed at many venues, including Rainbow Gardens in Belvidere, various hotels, and high school dances and reunions. He also played in bands at the old downtown location of the Tebala Temple known then as the Sodatorium, the Rockford Armory and events at the Faust Hotel and Landmark.

By day, Vito worked at Cotta Transmissions for 42 years and played his sax along the “kerosene circuit,” which included many nighttime area dances. He once performed during an NBC nationwide broadcast with the Bill Engberg Orchestra in 1946 at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Dangelo even recalls being involved in a car accident on the way to a dance in Beloit, Wis., and playing with a busted lip that evening. He also appeared in a band on his wedding night in 1944, as his very understanding wife looked on.

Vito and his late wife, Gladys, have three children, Carey, Cynthia and Jim. He graduated from Rockford High School in 1936.

Vito was brought to the April 13 RAMI Awards Ceremony from his current residence at Rosewood by his nephew, Gerald and his wife, Bridget. To get through the large crowd and around the tables, Vito lifted his walker over his head to make his way to the podium.

John Russell Ghrist, host of Midwest Ballroom on WTPB LP 99.3 FM, Rockford’s big-band and easy listening community radio station, read a lengthy presentation for Vito at the 21st Annual RAMI event. The crowd rose in appreciation and applauded when Vito’s age and name were announced. The pair worked together last summer at the Engberg band’s “One Last Time” dance at Veterans’ Memorial Hall. The event was attended by 260 people.

“When I heard that many fine long-time area musicians have received one of these prestigious RAMI awards, I knew that Vito deserved one, too, for his 70 years of dedicated musicianship in the Rockford area,” Ghrist told the packed crowd at the Tebala that night. The entire event was filmed for broadcast on Comcast Channel 57 and will be aired at 7 p.m., May 28.

Before the ceremonies were over, Ghrist was also honored with a RAMI Community Service Award for his volunteer work at WTPB LP. The station is operated by Third Presbyterian Church in Rockford, where Dr. Murray Hanson is the pastor. Ghrist was nominated for his award by Rockford resident Helen (H.K.) Johnson and presented by the RAMI’s Valeri DeCastris.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

Rockford’s Ethnic Heritage Museum (EHM) will host a “Celebrating Our Heritage” fund-raiser from 5 to 9 p.m., Friday, April 27. The event will be at Cliffbreakers Riverside Resort, 700 W. Riverside Blvd., Rockford.

Tickets are $45 for adults and $15 for children younger than 12, or $360 for a table of eight.

The event will celebrate ethnic musical traditions of African-American, German, Hispanic, Irish, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish and Swedish pioneers who were the first to ford the Rock River and build what would become the city of Rockford. Silent auction items and raffle tickets will also be offered.

The museum, 1129 S. Main St., Rockford, is adding 1,800 square feet of space for a multipurpose room, accessible restrooms, a library, office, kitchenette and basement. All proceeds from “Celebrate Our Musical Heritage” will help support the museum’s Capital Building Campaign.

To make reservations for “Celebrate Our Musical Heritage” or for more information about the EHM, visit www.EthnicHeritageMuseum.org or contact Barb Berman at (815) 289-3551.

Located in a historic, six-room 1890 home, the EHM houses fascinating gallery displays of the six primary immigrant groups that originally settled in southwest Rockford: African-American, Irish, Lithuanian, Polish, Italian and Hispanic. The museum’s mission is to preserve these and other cultures in the city.

The EHM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-exempt.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

The 1951 Ferrari Testerossa, owned by Bob Shaw of Richmond, Ill., was the winner of the Special Interest Class at the April 21-22 Classics and Chrome Car Show. (Photo provided)

By Gary Kohn

A spectacular assortment of world-class vehicles was on display April 21-22 at the 12th Classics and Chrome Car Show, presented by State Farm Insurance, and a record-breaking crowd showed up to enjoy it. Show officials reported the two-day attendance totaled 10,201 patrons, the largest draw in the show’s 12-year history.

“From very humble beginnings, Classics and Chrome has grown into one of the premier car shows in the entire state of Illinois,” said Alan Gibby, head of Keith Country Day School. “Our selection committee works extremely hard to bring in some of the rarest vehicles in the world, and as a result, we are attracting more than 10,000 patrons to the show on a regular basis. We’ve become a signature event for the Rockford region that drives tourism, helps the local economy and raises money for education.”

More than 125 vehicles filled up the old Menards building in Machesney Park. The show featured a range of cars and motorcycles including pre- and post-war cars, muscle cars, sports cars, hot rods and custom cars, exotic and race cars, special-interest cars and, of course, motorcycles. Although an official tally is still being totaled, event organizers expect more than $75,000 to be raised for Keith Country Day School.

Ten cars and one motorcycle were given show awards, eight by class, two co-Committee’s Choice Best of Show Awards and the People’s Choice Award.

Ron Schneider of Franklin, Wis., was honored with the People’s Choice Award for his 1936 Stout Scarab after more than 8,000 votes were cast by attendees.

The Committee’s Choice Award featured a tie for the first time in show history. Dana and Patti Mecum, Rockford, (1939 Maybach SW38 Sport Roadster) and John and Elaine Klein, Indianapolis, (1931 Duesenburg Model J) shared the award for their vehicles.

The complete list of winners is as follows:

Co-Committee’s Choice Best of Show — 1939 Maybach SW38 Sport Roadster, Dana and Patti Mecum, Rockford; and 1931 Duesenburg Model J, John and Elaine Klein, Indianapolis;

People’s Choice — 1936 Stout Scarab, Ron Schneider, Franklin, Wis.;

Pre-War Class — 1932 MG Midget, John and Patti Morris, Lake Mills, Ill.;

Post-War Class — 1947 Chrysler Town and Country, Joe Donovan, Poplar Grove, Ill.;

Muscle Class — 1966 Pontiac GTO, Dan Highland, Cherry Valley, Ill.;

Hod Rod/Custom Class — 1960 Nash Metropolitan, Chuck and Ginger Redding, St. Petersburg, Fla.;

Exotic/Race Class — 2008 Lamborghini Superleggera, Randy McBain, Rockford;

Sports Car Class — 1960 Austin Healey Coupe, Bill and Marie Naretta, Rockton, Ill.;

Special Interest Class — 1951 Ferrari Testerossa, Bob Shaw, Richmond, Ill.; and

Motorcycles — 2012 KW Custom, Troy Finner, Rockford.

Perhaps some of the biggest winners of the weekend were Cindy Ralston (Roscoe, Ill.), John Ruud (Machesney Park, Ill.) and Jeff Furst (Rockford). Ralson won the $15,000 grand prize in the Classics and Chrome raffle, while Ruud ($3,000) earned the second-place prize and Furst ($2,000) took home the third-place prize.

Key sponsors of the 2012 Classics and Chrome include State Farm Insurance, SwedishAmerican Hospital, Keith Country Day School, Pepsi, Rockford Linear Motion, Der Rathskeller, Alpine Bank, Mulford Dental, WIFR, Maverick Media and O’Reilly’s.

Proceeds from the 2012 Classics and Chrome Car Show will benefit Keith Country Day School. Keith Country Day School is an independent, nonsectarian, college-preparatory school that serves students from age 3 through grade 12 from the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin area. More about Keith School is available at www.keithschool.com.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

The Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center will present the world premiere performance of “Songs of the World,” a new choral/orchestral song cycle based on folk music from around the world.

The show will begin at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 27, at Court Street United Methodist Church, 215 N. Court St., Rockford.

The award-winning Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra, soprano Jonita Lattimore, baritone Robert Sims, and a massed choir of singers from the Mendelssohn Chorale, Rock Valley Children’s Choir and Belvidere High School Choir will perform the piece, which was written by British Academy Award-winning composer Donald Fraser.

The Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center commissioned “Songs of the World” from Fraser, who was born in England and now lives and works in the greater Rockford area.

Based on folk music from different countries, the piece celebrates the commonality of human experiences everywhere.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students. Groups of 10 or more adults receive $5 off per ticket.

For tickets or more information, contact the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center, 415 N. Church St., Rockford, at (815) 964-9713, or visit online at www.mendelssohnpac.org.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

Charlotte’s Web for the Performing Arts presents bluegrass band Monroe Crossing at 6 p.m., Sunday, May 6, at Veterans’ Memorial Hall, 211 N. Main St., Rockford. The Minnesota-based group features (from left) Derek Johnson, guitar and vocals; Matt Thompson, mandolin, fiddle and vocals; David Robinson, banjo; Lisa Fuglie, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and vocals; and Mark Anderson, bass and vocals. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door. For tickets or more information, call (815) 964-2238 or visit www.charlotteswebofrockford.org. (Photo provided)

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

Whiskey Train was awarded Album of the Year for “For Pete’s Sake” and Big Empty was named the People’s Choice Artist of the Year at the 21st Annual Rockford Area Music Industry (RAMI) Cocktail Party and Awards Ceremony April 13 at Tebala Shrine Temple in Rockford. Pictured, Shattered Picks, who finished second in the 2012 RAMI Youth Charity Jam, were among the performers at the April 13 ceremony. (Photo by Jon Lambert)

Rockford musicians Daniel James McMahon (left) and Miles Nielsen were honored for Outstanding Achievement at the April 13 RAMI Cocktail Party and Awards Ceremony. McMahon and Nielsen scored the instrumental music for the film “Undefeated,” which was co-directed by former Rockford resident Daniel Lindsay and which won an Academy Award in the documentary feature category Feb. 26. (Photo by Jon Lambert)

Staff Report

The best in local music were honored during the 21st Rockford Area Music Industry (RAMI) Cocktail Party and Awards Ceremony April 13 at Tebala Shrine Temple.

Following is a complete list of award recipients by category:

Acoustic Rock/Folk — Kelly Steward

Blues — Lizzi Neal Band

Christian/Gospel — Epiphany

Classic Rock — AudioDrive

Country/Bluegrass — Jaime Campbell

DJ — DJ Jordan Chance

Female Lead Vocalist — Amy Nickel

Funk/R&B — Whalebone

Hard Rock/Metal — IRON CROSS

Indie/Alternative — The Poets Dance

Fresh Hot Fritters perform at the 21st Rockford Area Music Industry Cocktail Party and Awards Ceremony April 13. (Photo by Jon Lambert)

Jazz — Dean Moriarty Jazz Band

Latino — Escape

Lighting Engineer — Erik Myles

Live Sound Engineer — “Johnny B” MacDowell

Male Lead Vocalist — Dan Curington

New Act — Micky Rosenquist & The Black Squirrel Project

Oldies — Vintage Vinyl

People’s Choice: Artist of the Year — Big Empty

People’s Choice: Radio Station — Q98.5 WXXQ

People’s Choice: Special Event — Byron Fest

Kelly Steward, a winner in the Acoustic Rock/Folk category, performs. (Photo by Jon Lambert)

People’s Choice: Venue — Whiskey’s Roadhouse

Pop — Sweet Lucy

Rap/Hip Hop — Static

Recording Studio — Darkhouse Productions

Rockabilly — Dirty Fishnet Stockings

Stagehand/Rigger — Rick Abrams

Stage Manager — Luis Lara

Studio Sound Engineer — Andrew Carlson

Tribute Band — Fake Your Money Maker

Tribute Band — Rubik Steel

Composer of the Year — Michael Mastroianni, “After Dark”

Song of the Year — Epiphany, “Jona”

Album of the Year — Whiskey Train, For Pete’s Sake

Hall of Fame — Dwayne Barker, studio sound engineer, Barker Recording Studio; The Usual Suspects; and Southern Heritage

Lifetime Achievement — Rulee Stallman and Vito J. Dangelo

In Memoriam — Michael Vaccarello and Wanda Rae Boan

Outstanding Achievement — Miles Nielsen and Daniel James McMahon

Community Service Awards — John Russell Ghrist and Steve Summers

Emcees for the evening were Chip Messiner and Don Beinborn. Perfomers included the three top winners of the 2012 RAMI Youth Charity Jam — Daybreak, Shattered Picks and Marie Ivory — as well as New Royal Travelers, Fresh Hot Fritters, Kelly Steward, Galaxia, Radio Stars, Big Daddy Woo Woo with the Rockford Steppers Club, and IRON CROSS.

For more about the RAMIs, visit http://ramiawards.com/.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue

A 1931 Duesenberg Model J, owned by Dr. John Klein of Indianapolis. Once owned by Ralph Pulitzer Jr., son of Joseph Pulitzer. (Photo provided)

By Gary Kohn

A 2008 Lamborghini Superleggera has a top speed of 202 mph. It can go 0 to 124 mph in 10 seconds. A 1951 Ferrari Testarossa goes 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and has a top speed of 187 mph. These are just two of more than 120 cars and motorcycles patrons will have a chance to see at the 2012 Classics and Chrome Car Show.

Scheduled for April 21-22 at the former Menards building in Machesney Park, 10253 N. Second St., and presented by State Farm Insurance, the Classics and Chrome Car Show is more than just the largest indoor show in northern Illinois, it’s a celebration for car enthusiasts.

It takes a certain type of person to modify or restore a hot rod, muscle car or classic car. It’s not just a car to them; it’s a lifetime commitment and a passion. Classics and Chrome 2012 will celebrate this passion by showcasing more than 100 years of automotive history. Expected classes to be on display include pre- and post-war classics, sports cars, muscle cars, hot-rod and custom cars, exotic and race cars, specialty cars and motorcycles.

“Classics and Chrome has grown into the premier car show in the Rockford region,” said Alan Gibby, head of Keith Country Day School. “We have cars coming from as far west as California and from as far east as New York.”

Organized as a benefit for Keith Country Day School, the two-day show will run from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, April 21, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, April 22. Admission is $6 and children younger than 10 are free.

1932 Ford Coupe owned by Jorri and Laura Johnson of Beloit, Wis. (Photo provided)

Although the “heavy metal” is the main attraction, the Classics and Chrome raffle is one of the show’s most popular features. Attendees can buy raffle tickets for just $100 or buy five tickets and get the sixth one free. The grand prize of the raffle is $15,000 cash. Other prizes are $3,000 in cash for second prize and $2,000 in cash for third prize.

In addition to the rare vehicles on display, the event will also feature food provided by Der Rathskeller, guest appearances from the world-renowned Indianapolis 500 magician Bill Hunter, and free prize giveaways offered by some of the show vendor booths. In fact, patrons who stop by the State Farm booth will have a chance to win an iPad.

Tickets to the show can be purchased at the door, but raffle tickets are available for sale in advance of the show. Interested raffle buyers can call Keith Country Day School at (815) 399-8823, or raffle forms can be downloaded at classicsandchrome.com.

Some of this year’s featured cars include the following:

1931 Duesenberg Model J, owned by Dr. John Klein (Indianapolis) — This authentic Duesenberg was once owned by Ralph Pulitzer Jr., son of Joseph Pulitzer, the publisher who established the Pulitzer Prize. It is a Rollston convertible Victoria chassis No. 2460 with engine J472. It was used during World War II to power superchargers for airplane engines.

2008 Lamborghini Superleggera, owned by Randall McBain (Rockford) — In 2008, Lamborghini announced it would cease production on the Superleggera. Only 172 were produced. The Superleggera design pays tribute to the first Lamborghini production model, the famous 350 GT, designed and built by Carrozzeria Touring in Milan. This car has a top speed of 202 mph.

A different kind of wagon

There may not be a more unique car at this year’s show than the Western Flyer Rocket Wagon.

Built by Chuck Redding (St. Petersburg, Fla.), owner of Redding Autoshop in St. Petersburg, Fla., this “car” is a street-legal wagon, five times the size of the toy wagon it models.

The body is completely fiber glass, and the vehicle has all of the same features as your average car.

Redding built the wagon while recovering from prostate cancer. He said the project, which took eight months, took his mind off the recovery.

Redding is also bringing a very rare 1960 Nash Metropolitan to Classics and Chrome.

Movie cars

This year’s Classics and Chrome inventory has two cars with connections to Hollywood. Bob Haddad (Freeport) is bringing his 1949 Plymouth to the show. The car was driven by Robert Conrad (as G. Gordon Liddy) in the made-for-TV movie Will: G. Gordon Liddy. Rebecca Mueller (Rockton) is bringing her 1958 Plymouth Belvedere. Although this car has not been in an actual movie, the car is a clone of Stephen King’s Christine movie car.

A little muscle

Prior to press time, there were 12 muscle cars entered into the 2012 muscle class, including the 1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 owned by Ron Mahnke (Rockton) and the 1984 Chevy Monte Carlo SS owned by Rick Mueller.

The ’67 Mercury car has been restored to its original version. It was the Motor Trend magazine 1967 Car of the Year.

The ’84 Monte Carlo is an extremely rare car (only 250 ever made). It has won multiple awards, including the People’s Choice at the Monte Carlo Nationals and Best of Show at the Lena Fall Festival.

Key sponsors of the 2012 Classics and Chrome include State Farm Insurance, SwedishAmerican Hospital, Keith Country Day School, Pepsi, Rockford Linear Motion, Der Rathskeller, Alpine Bank, Mulford Dental, WIFR, Maverick Media and OReilly’s.

Proceeds from the 2012 Classics and Chrome Car Show will benefit Keith Country Day School.

Keith Country Day School is an independent, nonsectarian, college-preparatory school. On a 15-acre campus overlooking the Rock River, Keith serves students from age 3 through grade 12 from the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin area. The school is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and fully-accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

More about Keith School is available at www.keithschool.com.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue

Jimmy Fallon

By Paula Hendrickson
Contributing Writer

Forget the long-standing feud between late-night kings Jay Leno and David Letterman, and the whole debacle when NBC ousted Conan O’Brien from The Tonight Show and brought Leno back. The real excitement in the late-night arena right now comes courtesy of two guys named Jimmy and a Scottish import named Craig.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (weeknights at 11 p.m. on ABC) has produced an innumerable number of hysterical star-studded taped bits for several years. But recently, Kimmel managed to get Oprah Winfrey to play along. In an extended clip, Kimmel pitches several show ideas to Oprah for her OWN television network, including the ridiculously funny “Book Club Fight Club” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEfNFrMBkBo).

Another recent classic from Kimmel and company was his Oscar night movie trailer parody, “Movie: The Movie,” with cameos by everyone from Oscar winners George Clooney and Tom Hanks to Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3NwB9PLxss).

The reason audiences respond so well to Kimmel’s clips is simple: Who doesn’t enjoy watching A-list celebrities poke fun at their own images?

After Jimmy Fallon settled in as host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (airing weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on NBC), things really took off with recurring TV show parodies — including 7th Floor West, Real Housewives of Late Night, Late and Jersey Floor — to musical mash-ups with Fallon impersonating the likes of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Eddie Vedder and Bruce Springsteen. (Not long ago, Springsteen played a younger version of himself alongside Fallon as Young.)

Two of Fallon’s recent are “Tebowie” — a musical mash-up of David Bowie and quarterback Tim Tebow — and last week’s Downton Sixbey, a letter-perfect send-up of Downton Abbey (http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/downton-sixbey-episode-1/1396331).

Kimmel and Fallon aren’t the only late-night hosts keeping people up at night. As host of CBS’s The Late Late Show, Craig Ferguson also tries new things — like the week of shows he taped, sometimes literally, on the streets of Paris last year. But Ferguson has also experimented with conducting in-depth interviews with just one guest for an entire episode. The first was with Stephen Fry back in 2010, and I found it to be riveting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZb5YbtvYhw. Who expects such substance from a late-night talk show?

Shows like these are more than mindless viewing for night owls and insomniacs. They can be smart, fun and habit forming. Staying up to watch them can also result in extreme sleep deprivation. Fortunately for those of you who aren’t normally up late enough to watch these shows, the good news is you can always find a staggering number of clips online. These should get you started:

Jimmy Kimmel Live — http://www.youtube.com/user/JimmyKimmelLive?feature=chclk

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon — http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/categories/comedy-bits/1255235?view=thumbnail

Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson — http://www.youtube.com/user/TVsCraigFerguson2/

Paula Hendrickson is a regular contributor to Emmy magazine and Variety, and has been published in numerous national publications. Follow her on Twitter at P_Hendrickson and send your suggestions to tubetalking-paula@yahoo.com.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue

Snapshotmusic hosts Mark Dvorak, a modern-day troubadour who has never stopped performing, writing and recording. He has been called folk singer’s folk singer who has an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional songs. See him at 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 24, at Emerson House, 420 N. Main St., Rockford.

Since 1981, Dvorak has performed in most of the United States, and has visited several countries in Europe. Though he often appears on festival stages and in theaters, he is also at home in more intimate settings. His concerts are a mix of the familiar and the new, traditional folk and standards from the American songbook. He plays authentic country blues guitar and picks great old-time banjo. He enjoys involving his audiences in sing-along songs, just like The Weavers used to do, and he mixes in his own well-crafted and often poignant originals.

His roots are in Chicago, but for more than 25 years, he has been crisscrossing the country, performing, teaching and learning all the while. He’s visited big cities and little towns, bonding with audiences wherever he goes. Dvorak continues to be an integral member of the faculty at Chicago’s venerable Old Town School of Folk Music. When he’s not on the road, you can find him there, teaching, jamming with students and passersby, or just hanging out.

Since 1986, thousands of music students have passed through his classes. He has helped many a beginner get through their first chords and strums, and has hosted a catalogue of master classes and workshops on a range of subjects from old-time banjo picking to the legacy of the great Lead Belly, to many other topics related to the study of the American folk song.

Admission is $10. Seating is limited to the first 80 people who arrive. For more information, call (815) 964-2238 or visit www.Snapshotmusic.com.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue

Vocalist and songwriter Claudia Nygaard performs at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 21, at Emerson House.

Staff Report

Once classed as a “late bloomer,” vocalist and songwriter Claudia Nygaard is certainly in top form now. She’ll be performing at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 21, at Emerson House, 420 N. Main St., and Charlotte’s Web for the Performing Arts is proud to host her.

Nygaard is an entertainer known for her quick wit and an affable connection with her audience. She is an incredible storyteller, not just as a songwriter, but also in the charming tales she tells between songs. She started out performing in honky tonks and fairgrounds, learned from other artists, and developed her own unique style. But as strong as she is as an entertainer, it is Claudia’s love of writing that has kept her going.

After winning several songwriting competitions on the West Coast, Nygaard moved to Nashville, Tenn., where she landed a job as a staff songwriter on Music Row. Although she lost that job, Capitol Records developed an interest in her as an artist, and she stayed with them until they cut their roster.

With an up and downhill career, Nygaard has acquired some notable credits. She won the coveted Kerrville Folk Festival “New Folk” songwriting competition, and was chosen an “Emerging Artist” at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Her career has hit some rough spots along the way, but each time, her passion for writing made her choose to go on.

Now, with the release of her new album, Let The Storm Roll In, this “late bloomer:” has finally achieved that long-overdue respect from radio and press. A review from Maverick magazine, a well-known roots music monthly in the U.K., gave the CD five stars, saying, “What a find this is! There are 12 real stunners here … impossible to pick a favorite …”

Radio has embraced it just as warmly, and the eclectic CD has cross-platformed to land on three different radio charts. The opening track, “Big Country,” climbed to No. 8 on the Folk DJ chart, and Let The Storm Roll In stayed on the chart an unprecedented four months with every track getting airplay. The CD went to No. 26 on the Roots Music Americana chart, and then went to No. 1 on the Roots Music Country chart. It has been warmly received in Europe as well.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Advance tickets are available at: Rockford Area Arts Council, 713 E. State, (815) 963-6765; both Postal Shoppe locations: Edgebrook Center, (815) 397-7301 and 2205 S. Perryville, (815) 484-0940; and JustGoods, 201 Seventh St., (815) 965-8903; or by mail: send a check and SASE to 420 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103. Indicate artist or performance date on check. Credit card payment accepted only at www.charlotteswebofrockford.org via PayPal. A $2 ticket processing fee is included. Print your receipt. Info: Call (815) 964-2238 or visit www.charlotteswebofrockford.org.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue

Rockford’s Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center will present local music students in the Young Musicians Series Recital, “The Magic of Music,” at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, April 21.

The recital, which is free to the public, will be in the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center’s Emerson Auditorium, 415 N. Church St., Rockford.

The recital will be devoted to ensemble performances, including duets, trios, quartets, quintets and vocal performances with accompanist, by talented music students from the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin area. A brief reception will follow the recital.

Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center presents three free Young Musicians Series Recitals per concert season. The recitals take place in November, January and April. Each recital is devoted to a specific genre of music, such as blues and jazz, or classical and romantic.

The purpose of this series is to offer local music students the opportunity to perform for the public and to develop their poise, memory and concentration skills, and performance etiquette. Students interested in performing in the series should contact Jea Yi, recital chairman, at (815) 544-4614 or soleemusic@aol.com.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) will bring its brand of “rock theater” to the BMO Harris Bank Center at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 21. The appearance will be part of TSO’s final leg of its “Beethoven’s Last Night” Rock Theater Tour.

Tickets are available online at www.metrocentre.com; at the BMO Harris Bank Center Box Office, 300 Elm St., Rockford, noon-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; or by calling the Box Office at (815) 968-5222.

TSO will be performing “Beethoven’s Last Night” for one final tour before it begins to focus on its new album and new live concert spectacular.

Audiences will immerse themselves into “Beethoven’s Last Night,” with the music and story of the famed composer as he battles for his eternal soul.

With sales in excess of 8 million, TSO is among the most popular groups of the modern era.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue