Archive: Arts & Entertainment

August 31, 2006 (ITHACA, NY) – For two weekends in September, the Hangar Theatre’s KIDDSTUFF Season hops to a close with a fresh take on a classic tale. From September 8th through the 17th, the Hangar presents David Mamet’s The Frog Prince, with performances on Fridays at 7 pm, Saturdays at 10 am and Noon, and Sundays at 1 pm and 3 pm. This beautiful play for young audiences recounts the familiar story of a prince who refuses to relinquish his fresh-picked flowers to an old peasant woman and finds himself transformed into a frog. As the prince and his loyal friend search for the key to undo the spell, families will learn along with them what it means to love unselfishly and to give to another in need.

While major productions are produced on the main stage at the Hangar Theatre a parallel season is offered in The Wedge.  The Wedge is, well... a wedge in the floor plan of the Hangar, a small space off stage right from the main stage where there is barely room to fit a small stage and audience.  It is a flexible space where the 'hallway' to the main theater's house left doubles as a balcony when The Wedge fills up.

Smart Talk SMART TALK
By Dr. Viva Palaver

SOMEONE THAT CARES: As staff psychologist at the Institute for the Linguistically Impaired, I find this a distant, cold phrase. It makes me want to scream.

Someone who cares, however, implies that a real human might be involved. Saying people that…, children that…, and even this woman that… is technically correct, but it makes all of us sound as if we’re cars or something. You don’t say, “I have a car who hardly runs,” do you? Of course not.

We’re not machines! Not yet. We’re persons, and we deserve personal pronouns. You may not know when to say whom, but please, at least say people who…, children who…, and this writer who… We need to speak as if we believed in our personhood.

Thank you.

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August 18, 2006 (ITHACA, NY)- Anyone can see live, professional theatre for less than the price of a movie ticket, thanks to the Hangar Theatre’s PAY WHAT YOU CAN (PWYC) program. On Sunday, August 27th at 7:30pm, a set of seats have been reserved for “Pay What You Can” patrons to see the classic musical farce, Hello, Dolly! ANY AMOUNT will be accepted as payment for these tickets. The Hangar is proud to offer PWYC performances, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to experience live theatre regardless of financial resources. The Pay What You Can program is made possible by the theatre’s PWYC partners, GreenStar Cooperative Market and Community Federal Credit Union.

Smart Talk SMART TALK
By Dr. Verbos Metikulos

RESTROOM: Euphemisms can be hilarious as well as embarrassingly revelatory of their users’ inhibitions. A hundred years ago, an interesting condition meant pregnant. But saying or printing toilet apparently still upsets many. But do you really rush to a restroom for a rest? Do you go the bathroom to take a bath? Well, sometimes. But if it’s a bathroom, it had better have at least a shower in it.

Every shopping mall should have real restrooms, carpeted lounges with soft seats and no noise. But I digress.

About once a year, I attend a language conference in Europe for the Institute for the Linguistically Impaired. What a relief it is — literally — to see signs saying toilet, or a word much like that, in a strange city at a critical moment. Often, the sign hangs right over the street, with an arrow. Now that’s what I call civilization.

These remarks remind me of incontinent ordnance, which is Newspeak from the military for shelling our own troops by mistake.

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ITHACA, NY: Kitchen Theatre Company (KTC), Downtown Ithaca's regionally acclaimed and nationally recognized year-round professional theatre, announces its 2006-07 / 16th Season. With four performance series - MAIN STAGE, FAMILY FARE, KITCHEN COUNTER CULTURE, KITCHEN SINK - KTC's new season offers an engaging mix of contemporary, regional, and world premiere plays and musicals in an intimate 73-seat theatre that encourages a bold relationship between audience and actor. KTC was recognized by the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce with this year's "Small Business of the Year Award," the first not-for-profit to receive this honor. "Important conversations happen in the Kitchen."

Last Saturday the Lansing Theater and Performing Arts (L-TAPA) Booster Club presented a cabaret to kick off their fund raising year.  It was an evening of songs and skits, laced with a little dance.  The group also sold L-TAPA car magnets to raise money and get the word out about performing arts in Lansing.