Monday, March 31
Poetry out loud
Lawrence poet gives local voice to national poetry month
There's something about a poem read aloud, extracted from the page and given audible life. "When a poem is published ... that's it. It's nailed to the wall," said Thomas Zvi Wilson, a Shawnee poet.
People
¢ Filmmaker hears drug stories ¢ Zora comes home ¢ Ringo takes 'spiritual plane'
'Head of State' wins campaign for box office
Audiences gave their votes to Chris Rock and put his presidential farce "Head of State" in the lead with a weekend box office of $14 million.
AMC aims high for new audience
American Movie Classics wants a younger, hipper audience. Time was, one associated AMC with its former host Bob Dorian and films like Ginger Rogers' 1940 Oscar vehicle "Kitty Foyle."
Journalist says war plan failed
NBC reporter's interview may draw ire of war supporters
Journalist Peter Arnett, covering the war from Baghdad, told state-run Iraqi TV in an interview aired Sunday that the American-led coalition's first war plan had failed because of Iraq's resistance and said strategists are "trying to write another war plan."
Sunday, March 30
Fans revel as Van Gogh turns 150
If Vincent van Gogh were alive for his 150th birthday celebration today, he probably wouldn't know if he should laugh or cry.
Duvall dances into best roles of his career
Many actors in their 70s gripe that they're lucky to land marginal roles as somebody's grandpa. Not so with Robert Duvall, who says he's getting more acting offers the older he gets.
The Olive ripe for filling hip downtown gallery niche
Kermit the Frog once lamented, "It's not easy being green." But Kansas University art students Jill Kleinhans and Bailey Kivett say they're ripe for the challenge.
People
¢ Letterman plans return ¢ Vaughn gets birthday punch ¢ Brown donates tickets to troops ¢ Ross will share pain in book
Sunday news shows announce guest lineups
Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows:
TV viewers begin to exhibit combat fatigue, study shows
Television viewers are showing their first signs of war fatigue, according to a poll released Friday.
Arts notes
¢ Donors give paintings valued at $2.5 million ¢ Benefactor helps museum buy Reynolds portrait
Arts notes
¢ Professor's composition part of symphony concert ¢ Topeka Ad Federation to hold art fund-raiser
Arts notes
¢ Local photographs displayed at United Way ¢ Baldwin City Theater issues audition call ¢ Free State graduate lands leading role
Arts notes
¢ Shakespeare the focus of humanities lecture ¢ Environmental author to begin Haskell residency ¢ East Coast poet to sign books at Raven
Arts notes
¢ KU art graduate students stage thesis exhibitions ¢ Blues-folk-country artist to play Lawrence show ¢ Wetlands-inspired art wanted for exhibition
Books push without filling closet
It's spring, and the urge to shop is almost overwhelming. The brightly colored frocks are practically calling your name from newly decorated store windows.
Harlem theater troupe finds audience outside its home turf
Black actors coax a white woman from the audience to the stage. There, bathed in awkwardness, she reluctantly launches into a minstrel dance.
State-funded Cuban ballet company produces world-class dancers
It's hot and muggy in the dance studio at Cuba's National Ballet, but the aspiring ballerinas don't seem to notice as they twirl and execute their moves to the piano music with scrupulous precision.
Abstract art used to torment prisoners in Spain's wartime torture chambers
It was torture with a creative flair : Build tiny cells that kept prisoners from sleeping, sitting or pacing, and decorate the walls with mind-bending art.
20th-century futurist's lost art rediscovered
Armed with monacle and airbrush, A.C. Radebaugh was ahead of his time
The post-World War II optimism that pervaded the nation extended to the not-too-distant future, with its promise of spaceship-traveled skyways whirring in a utopia of streamlined cityscapes.
Times have a-changed for political music
A conspicuous absence of politically motivated music has given way to a wave of songs both protesting and supporting the war in Iraq.
Nonfiction prize winners announced
Books on slavery, the environment and American foreign policy have received awards from the J. Anthony Lukas Prize Project for nonfiction writing.
Lyric Opera announces 2003-2004 season
The Lyric Opera of Kansas City has announced the programs for its 46th season.
Author to conduct Haskell residency
Haskell Indian Nations University professor Denise Low took her English class on a birdwatching trip last week at the Baker Wetlands to teach them about creative writing.
Writers offer taste of what's to come during public poetry readings
Here are selected works by a few participants in the inaugural Lawrence Poetry Series, to be held Friday nights in April, National Poetry Month, at the Lawrence Arts Center.
KU thespians to stage 10-Minute Play Festival
Kansas University's William Inge Memorial Theatre Series will cap off its 2002-2003 season with the 10-Minute Play Festival Tuesday through April 6 at the Inge Theatre in Murphy Hall.
Legendary dance troupe bound for Lied Center
Twyla Tharp will work with KU choreography students during rare visit with company
Modern dance legend Twyla Tharp has spent her five-decade career setting innovative choreography to provocative pieces of music by everyone from Beethoven to the Beach Boys.
Sisters pull clues from 'Dog in the Picture'
Barbara and Jane Brackman document canine and American history in book
Nowadays, we call them man's best friend. We buy them sweaters and fancy collars. Some pups even score visits to doggy spas or pet psychics.
Veteran of first Gulf War hailed for gritty, uncompromising memoir
Twelve years ago, Marine sniper Anthony Swofford was in the middle of America's first war against Saddam Hussein. He stalked Iraqi soldiers, rejoiced as enemy shells exploded around him and opened his mouth to catch petroleum drops raining from oil wells torched by Saddam's men.
Saturday, March 29
'Rudy' offers frantic look at mayor's life story
If you want your hero to wear a halo, don't cast James Woods in the lead. The always intense actor dominates "Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story" (7 p.m. Sunday, USA). He makes the most of the tempestuous mayor's drive, prickly personality and marital failings.
Writer sues Queen Latifah over idea for hit movie
A New York lawyer who claims she had the original idea for the box-office hit "Bringing Down the House" filed a $15 million copyright lawsuit Friday against star Queen Latifah and the movie's other producers.
ABC fumbles breaking news
Network scrambles to catch up with competitors
ABC News offers the latest example of how the reputations of television news organizations can rise or fall in the time it takes to flick a remote control.
'Core' star Eckhart unearths ambition to be leading man
First noticed for his turn as a misogynist in 1997's "In the Company of Men," Aaron Eckhart is trying to place himself in the company of leading men.
New Works concert delights
It's hard to imagine 10 more strikingly different pieces than those performed Friday night by the Prairie Wind Dancers and their apprentice company at the troupe's New Works Concert, which annually premieres creations by area choreographers.
People
¢ Rooney misses Pyle style ¢ Moore chose hard way ¢ Benefit cans Sarandon ¢ Madonna pans pop market
Friday, March 28
Rock unqualified for 'Head of State'
At this rate, Chris Rock might never headline a good movie ... unless it's a concert film of his stand-up act.
The Hefners :: Lawrence playboys seek stateside success
For most Lawrence bands, the quickest route to fame is to tour relentlessly. Start with the Midwest, maybe hook up with a bigger band to hit the East Coast and do your best to make friends along the way. Unless, of course, you happen to be The Hefners. In that case, you mount a 19-date European tour without ever playing outside of Lawrence and Kansas City.
Blinx: Review - Xbox
The concept is good, but the execution should've been so much better.
The concept is good, but the execution should've been so much better.
People
¢ Ono strikes chord for peace ¢ Sheen protests in silence ¢ Rocker going out with flourish ¢ Ripa touts alma mater
Potter book fetches $8,000
A Harry Potter fan has paid $8,000 for a signed copy of the latest, unreleased installment of the boy wizard's adventures.
'Regular Joe' hard to take
It must be tough being the poster boy for male menopause. Daniel Stern has learned to laugh again in two "City Slicker" movies. He moped his way through recent divorce in the 2001 sitcom "Danny." And now he stars as a recently widowed father of two teens in "Regular Joe" (8:30 p.m., ABC). "Joe" may not be as pathetic as "Danny," but at least that comedy -- mercifully canceled after only two weeks -- didn't ask us to watch Stern cooing with an infant, nuzzling her chubby cheeks and talking baby talk.
Actor enters innocent plea
Former 'Baretta' star pleads not guilty to murdering his wife
Actor Robert Blake pleaded innocent to murdering his wife Thursday in his first appearance since he was released on bail.
Swede emotion
The Soundtrack of Our Lives leads Swedish rock invasion
The Soundtrack of Our Lives is on the road in America, and guitarist Mattias Bärjed is craving isterband. "It's this sort of sausage," Bärjed says of the traditional Swedish food. "It's extremely fat -- made of pig, of course. That's typical Swedish: a lot of meat and potatoes. It's like farmer type of food; working man's type of food."
Thursday, March 27
At Best, a 'Basic' Thriller
"Basic" is a "Usual Suspects" wolf in sheep's clothing of a military thriller. What seems to be a routine investigation into the disappearance of an elite Special Forces team in the Panama jungle turns into a twisteroo mystery with a "Rashomon" edge.
Middle Earth Mayhem
"The Core" is "Armageddon" all over again . . . except down instead of up.
Travolta's Freedom of Choice
Lithe, alert, definitely switched on. That's John Travolta, in Washington recently to promote "Basic," a military thriller.
People
¢ Antiwar hockey fans update Wayne Gretzky statue ¢ R.E.M. offers newest antiwar song ¢ Flu scare won't stop Stones tour ¢ Maybe the Stones will fill in
'Road Trip' teases film fans with trivia
Travel Channel visits movie locations
Hollywood may be the Mecca to young acting hopefuls, but it isn't where the movies are made. Films are shot in places as far afield as Australia, Czechoslovakia or Podunk, USA.
Show explores teenage girls in pain
After years of "Survivor" and "The Mole" episodes, you'd be forgiven if you never wanted to watch another "video diary." But the hackneyed "reality TV" staple is put to powerful use in the documentary "Cutters: Self Abuse" (7 p.m., Discovery Health).
Wednesday, March 26
Wonder Woman gets makeover
Her bullet-deflecting bracelets are gone, her golden tiara has disappeared, and her long, flowing locks have been shorn.
People
¢ CNN drops 'Connie Chung Tonight' ¢ Dixie Chicks in new squawk ¢ Kravitz has song for peace ¢ MTV shows restraint
Discover roots of anti-U.S. sentiment
In "Spotlight: Searching for the Roots of 9-11" (9 p.m., Discovery), New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman travels throughout the Muslim world asking students, clerics and intellectuals about the origins of anti-American sentiments.
Polanski wins new respect
Roman Polanski's surprise Oscar win for directing "The Pianist" has returned Hollywood's attention to a filmmaking career that includes at least two films considered cinematic classics, "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown."
Tuesday, March 25
Oscar victory may revive musicals
Now that "Chicago" has been crowned with the best-picture Oscar and continues to draw droves to theaters, Hollywood stars and producers say they're eager to revive the long-dormant musical.
Game Boy Advance SP : Hardware Review
Will the backlight eat up the battery? Our Review.
You can buy the best worm light available for the regular Game Boy Advance, but nothing compares to having a backlit screen.
People
¢ It's a boy for J.K. Rowling ¢ Give war a chance ¢ The criminal kind ¢ From soaps to sitcom
Don't say neigh to Animal Planet horse tale
Men can be beasts, and sometimes only a critter's love can return us to our humanity. This simple theme has animated dozens of movies over the years.
Tao Feng: Review - Xbox
The saddest part? This could've been a pretty good fighter with some very minor tweaks.
Breakthrough fighter or gimmick? Our full review.
Monday, March 24
After '24,' Hope springs eternal in new drama
The last time most TV viewers saw Leslie Hope, she was dying. The actress portrayed Jack Bauer's estranged wife on the first season of "24."
'House' rules for third week
"Bringing Down the House" led the box office for the third straight weekend, but the overall numbers dropped significantly during the first weekend of the war in Iraq.
'Chicago' the toast of Academy Awards
The razzle-dazzle musical satire "Chicago" won the Academy Award as best picture Sunday, while top acting honors struck a more somber note: Adrien Brody as a Holocaust survivor in "The Pianist" and Nicole Kidman as suicidal novelist Virginia Woolf in "The Hours."
Sunday, March 23
Arts notes
¢ Journal-World seeking anniversary dates ¢ Indian Arts Show lands at Arts Center ¢ Peking Opera cancels Lied Center show
Nominations open for governor's arts awards
Nominations for the 2003 Kansas Governor's Arts Awards are being accepted by the Kansas Arts Commission until May 1.
Van Cliburn gold medalist coming to town
Olga Kern to play Lied Center concert
Pianist Olga Kern's climb to international acclaim has included two names, two hair colors and two trips to the career-defining Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Children's books show world is both big and small
It takes all kinds of people, places and things to fill the interesting world we live in, and such diversity is celebrated -- and explained -- in several new children's books.
Motley flock of Hawks
These birds and their caretakers have been caged up for weeks in garages, studios and even the basement of a veterinarian's office.
By leaps and bounds
Prairie Wind Dancers stretch imaginations, skills at New Works Concert
Once a year, the Lawrence Arts Center stage becomes fertile ground for experimentation for the Prairie Wind Dancers.
People
¢ Diaz ditches limo for Prius ¢ War knocks out comedy's release ¢ Public memorial set for May ¢ Air Force One retires to library
'Swept Away,' Madonna 'win' at Razzies
Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie swept away the competition at the Razzies, an annual spoof of the Academy Awards singling out the worst achievements in film.
Oscar planners to muzzle festive mood
The hoopla hushed and the merriment muted, the show still goes on Sunday for the Academy Awards, whose organizers promise a tastefully toned-down celebration considering the war with Iraq.
Arts notes
¢ Best-selling author to speak on life choices ¢ Auction of faculty work to benefit art students
Arts notes
¢ Cartoonist to speak in Hallmark Symposium ¢ Religious poetry contest open to Lawrence writers ¢ Tango Buenos Aires to heat of Yardley Hall ¢ Heartland Men's Chorus explores gays in military ¢ Famed actors stage Missouri Rep benefit ¢ KC Women's Chorus to sing soothing program ¢ KC Symphony premieres famed composer's work
Book notes
¢ Mystery author to appear at The Raven Bookstore ¢ Book-collecting contest seeks student entrants
Saturday, March 22
People
¢ Filmmaker blasts Bush ¢ Liz Taylor leaves spotlight ¢ Dog all that's left after J.Lo ¢ Memphis fetes musical roots
The Sea and Cake find time for nearly perfect show
Considering the number of projects each member of The Sea and Cake is involved in, it's remarkable that the four musicians can synchronize their schedules for a tour, which made a stop Friday at a packed Bottleneck.
Weekend fun includes exhibitions
If you're up for a road trip this weekend, exhibitions by Lawrence artists David Vertacnik and Lisa Grossman continue at Kansas City, Mo., galleries. Here are a few other weekend activities to choose from:
Oscars have often seen controversy, politics
To Oscar or not to Oscar? That is the question. Is it appropriate, or unseemly, to celebrate movies at a time of war?
War with Iraq latest blow to Broadway
First the bitter winter weather. Then the four-day musicians strike. Now the war with Iraq.
Friday, March 21
Sku'd Wax Clash
DJ Sku hopes win at Wax Clash will avenge recent loss
People
¢ S.C. lawmakers seek Dixie Chicks performance for U.S. troops ¢ Lewinsky re-enters reality TV ¢ Actor sued for failing to disclose mental illness ¢ Minnelli makes rehab pilgrimage
Oscar wild: Academy Award upsets may abound
Political events may have postponed the Academy Awards in the past, but America's inevitable descent into war will not affect this year's show.
Writer, serial killer hang out in thriller
The popular fascination with Ted Bundy never ends. How could this smart, handsome man turn into the serial monster responsible for the murder of dozens of women? Billy Campbell ("Once and Again") employs all of his boy-next-door charms to play the yuppie killer in "The Stranger Beside Me" (7 p.m., USA).
Minorities less prominent in '03 Oscars
A year after two black nominees won the lead-acting prizes for the first time, the Academy Awards are back to a likely sweep of the four actor categories by white performers.
Palmer documents 'Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll'
"The bulk of my films are about people," says documentary filmmaker Tony Palmer.
Thursday, March 20
Oscar makes war concessions
Barbara Walters special postponed; Joan Rivers still will have show
Barbara Walters is stepping away from the Oscars, but Joan Rivers isn't.
This 'Spot' just rolls over and plays dead
Tim Conway returns to primetime in the half-scripted, half-improvisational series "On the Spot" (8:30 p.m., WB). Other familiar faces on "Spot" include Chip Esten and Jeff B. Davis from ABC's "Whose Line is it Anyway?"
People
¢ Cronkite sees dark future ¢ Lisa Marie makes singing debut ¢ No time for cancer ¢ A star for Morgan Freeman
Wednesday, March 19
Academy abandons red carpet
Subdued Oscars planned in anticipation of war
One of the Academy Awards' signature scenes and a worldwide pop culture spectacle -- the arrival of celebrities along the red carpet -- will be eliminated at this year's show over concerns that it would be unseemly display for a nation on the brink of war, Oscar organizers said Tuesday.
Panzer Dragoon Orta : Review - Xbox
Rapid-fire shooter that doesn't get repetitive? It's true!
Let's get real, these types of games are all about the mindless explosions and rapid fire weapons against huge bosses. Panzer Dragoon Orta delivers.
People
¢ Dire Straits singer in accident ¢ Fergie's father dies ¢ Actress thinks Oscar chances dim ¢ Statue will honor Wolfman Jack
Changing the world one stomach at a time
If we are what we eat, then we have certainly changed over the last 30 years.
'Platinum' a rare hip-hop venture
UPN will try six episodes of drama about music empire
"Platinum," a UPN series billed as the first network hip-hop drama, is poised to make its debut next month.
Tuesday, March 18
Antiwar anthems battling for attention
The growing antiwar songbook in 2003 raises some intriguing questions about protest-as-pop: Can Madonna's "American Life" add to her list of hits?
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - Review - PS2
Without a doubt, Vice City is a great game. But if you've already played through GTA3, it's going to get old real fast.
"Without a doubt, Vice City is a great game. But if you've already played through GTA3, it's going to get old real fast."
Lawrence parades St. Patrick's Day celebration
For Ellie Parr, the highlight of St. Patrick's Day wasn't the candy or floats at the annual Lawrence parade.
People
¢ Something to Crowe about ¢ 'Sopranos' talks are on ¢ Anniversary party delayed ¢ Entitled to their opinions
Documentary shows horrors of N. Korea
What's the weirdest and most frightening place on earth? The one-hour documentary "Welcome to North Korea" (6:30 p.m., Cinemax) offers a chilling travelogue about a communist regime caught in a totalitarian twilight zone.
Networks pull reporters from Iraq
ABC and NBC ordered their reporters out of Baghdad on Monday, as news organizations weighed safety concerns against the desire to be in the center of the world's biggest story.
Monday, March 17
Chicago cop rescued Ireland's music
On this St. Patrick's Day, raise a glass to Francis O'Neill. If the name doesn't ring a bell, he was police superintendent in Chicago a century ago. If it still doesn't sound like he warrants a toast, listen to traditional Irish music. He saved it.
People
¢ 'Sorry' doesn't cut it ¢ Johnson says he's clean ¢ Detroit's hometown boy
'House' holds No. 1 ranking
A rush of new movies could not evict "Bringing Down the House" from the top spot at theaters.
Irish eyes won't smile on tonight's lineup
There was a time when you could count on watching "The Quiet Man" and other good, bad and corny Blarney-centric movies on St. Patrick's Day. Not any more.
Sunday, March 16
Biographers uncover colorful character in Zora Hurston
This is about a white man, a black woman, and a dead novelist whose writing spoke to them both. And this is about a job that passed from him to her: telling the novelist's life story.
Blake released after posting bail
Actor Robert Blake, walking out of jail and straight into a pack of reporters, said he would spend his first days of freedom in nearly a year resting as he prepares to face trial on charges of murdering his wife.
Stores protest direct selling of 'Harry Potter'
The U.S. publisher of the new "Harry Potter" novel is selling some copies straight to readers. Bookstores complain that means less business for them.
News shows
Here are the guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:
People
¢ Mambo creator gets star of fame ¢ Britney, company on bad footing ¢ Fonda, film composer to wed ¢ Model may be mystery mom
Give peace a glance
Lawrence artists craft a visual anti-war campaign
A young woman dressed in the black-and-patch regalia of punk pieces together cardboard with packing tape. Across the room, a handful of other people tear newspapers into strips and paste them to inflated balloons. Serene music plays beneath the hum of their conversations.
Jewel of the auction
23rd annual Lawrence Arts Center benefit to feature metalsmith Jim Connelly
Longtime Lawrence metalsmith Jim Connelly treads a fine line in his craft -- the line that separates jewelry that people will wear with jewelry that makes an art statement.
Plays explore relationship between man, machine
The latest story from William Kennedy has no back-room pols, no natty gangsters, not even a trolley.
Bronte novella to get first publication
For many years, the kingdom of Angria has been known only to scholars who struggled through a manuscript crammed with tiny spidery writing.
Old culture, war's legacy get first exhibit in America
Vietnam is portrayed as tranquil and alluring in a new exhibit that blends colorful folklore and ancient traditions with telling references to the war.
William Kennedy among PEN/Faulkner nominees
William Kennedy's "Roscoe," the latest of the author's affectionate novels about his native Albany, was among the nominees for the PEN/Faulkner award.
Erdrich explores European roots
'Master Butchers Singing Club' covers father's side of family
For author Louise Erdrich, the funky furnishings of her bookstore in south Minneapolis could be a metaphor for her life.
Heart of America opens Baldwin summer season
Heart of America Performing Arts, a new nonprofit performing arts organization, has announced its inaugural summer season at Baker University.
'A happy-ever-after story'
Fledgling Lawrence writer publishes first novel
Laurie Fitzgerald drags herself out of bed about the time a lot of college students are just getting home and delivers three routes worth of newspapers before the sun rises.
Bathed in golden lights
Beauford Delaney used yellow as his signature
Artist Beauford Delaney chose his worlds like colors from a palette: He glided through Harvard Yard and Harlem, from Greenwich Village to Paris, equally at home in smoky jazz halls as he was in art galleries.
Quartet Accorda to play with acclaimed pianist
Van Cliburn gold medallist teams up with faculty musicians from KU and UMKC
An upcoming collaboration between Quartet Accorda and Van Cliburn gold medallist Stanislav Ioudenitch promises to harmonize cultures as well as music.
Lange says warnings are meant to intimidate
They can't scare Jessica Lange away. Entertainment industry insiders for weeks have suggested that actors who rant against U.S. policy in Iraq risk alienating their fans or losing lucrative endorsement contracts.
Exhibit looks at role of Jews in American entertainment
Settle into a cozy couch, flip on a black and white television and watch a show about an endearing, somewhat scatterbrained 1950s homemaker and her family -- starring a woman who was also the show's creator and producer.
Kennedy Center to explore Tennessee Williams
Garry Hynes, Zoe Caldwell and Gregory Mosher will direct three American theater classics as part of the Kennedy Center's 2004 celebration, "Tennessee Williams Explored."
Persian art highlights shown in West for first time since Islamic revolution
He was the "king of this world." The inscription on a polished rock, referring to this title in the ancient wedge-shaped cuneiform writing system, recalls that almost 2,500 years ago Persia was the world's first superpower.
Baltimore show celebrates magical ballet troupe
'Art of the Ballets Russes' reveals Russian impresario's revolutionary role
The man who revolutionized ballet wasn't a choreographer. He wasn't a dancer or a composer or an artist.
Salgado exhibition 'Exodus' explores world of migrants, refugees and exiles
Young children play in the dirt behind a towering bramble of barbed wire; an exhausted woman cradles her infant beside a spluttering campfire; an old man crouches in the straw and stares disconsolately at his worn boots.
Grand Ole Opry House to get $7.5 million facelift
A new gift shop and box office will be added to the Grand Ole Opry House as part of a $7.5 million renovation.
Book aims to solve 'Life's Little Emergencies'
Confidence is the perfect accessory, according to model and fashion designer Emme. It fits all shapes and sizes and it can be worn at any age, for any occasion.
Arts notes
¢ Mixed media artist in landscape exhibition ¢ Gardner native to play with U.S. Navy band
Arts notes
¢ Community writing class still accepting students ¢ Youth symphony to hold auditions
Arts notes
¢ 'Know Your Antiques' to feature toy tractors ¢ Organization expert to share secrets ¢ Writer to discuss "Embalming Mom" ¢ Domestic violence series to premiere on KCPT
Arts notes
¢ Deaf theater troupe to perform varied show ¢ Free Fridays features Chinese music, dance ¢ Lyric Opera stages Mozart's 'Abduction' ¢ Postcards feature disco-era fashions
Saturday, March 15
Actors anchor gender-bending HBO drama
What if your spouse of 25 years suddenly announced that he felt like a woman trapped inside a man's body?
Stern files suit against ABC over 'Are You Hot?'
Howard Stern has sued ABC and the producers of the series "Are You Hot? The Search for America's Sexiest People," claiming the show is based on ideas that aired on his radio program.
People
¢ Chick's remarks ruffle feathers ¢ Pneumonia hospitalizes Cash ¢ Court rules on Paltrow stalker
Festival films return to gore
Midnight screenings of two tiny horror flicks drew some of the biggest buzz at an otherwise low-key South by Southwest film festival.
Friday, March 14
'Impact' one hail of a TV movie
If you lie to your wife, you will be punished with a storm of biblical proportions. That seems to be the lesson of the weird new TV movie "Frozen Impact" (7 p.m., PAX).
People
¢ Image an issue for Springer ¢ Eastwood in on Armstrong film ¢ 'The District' co-star dies at 54 ¢ Tax man eyes Neverland
Reeve surgery shows promise
Doctors have implanted electrodes in Christopher Reeve's chest in an experimental procedure that could someday enable the paralyzed "Superman" star to breathe without a respirator.
Sincere 'Bread' rises to emotional challenge
A spate of recent movies have attempted to unite ethnic themes of food, family and romance. "Chocolat" and "Eat Drink Man Woman" were a pair that successfully found a way to make a viewer both amorous and hungry. Whereas disastrous entries such as "Woman on Top" left audiences with the emotional sensation of glutting on a sickeningly sweet meal.
Scott Baio breaks away from sitcom rep to headline art film
TV veteran relishes role in indie romance
"I had one woman come up to me and say, 'I had to tell you I did not want to see this film because YOU were in it,'" Scott Baio recalls. "It was because of all my television baggage. Then she said, 'But it made me forget everything I knew about you.'" That reaction is common from audience members who witness the former sitcom regular transform into a commanding leading man in the indie romance, "The Bread, My Sweet."
Macy Gray brings funky flamboyance to The Granada
Even before anyone took the stage it was obvious there would be dancing.
Lawrence's St. Patrick's Day Parade turns sweet 16
James Michael "Jimmy Mack" Jones had all the makings of an Irishman. He celebrated every St. Patrick's Day with corned beef and cabbage and beer. He played the guitar and the spoons, no matter that he lost his right hand in a railroad accident when he was 18.
Mortal Kombat co-creator releases new game
With plenty of interactive environments, fighting styles, breaking bones and real time clothing effects, Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus is guaranteed to be eye candy at the very least.
Judge orders Blake to stand trial in wife's slaying
A judge ruled Thursday that Robert Blake will be tried for murder because the actor "had the time, the opportunity and the motive" to gun down his wife nearly two years ago.
Thursday, March 13
Daughter of darkness
Ozzy's offspring Kelly Osbourne tells America to 'Shut up'
There is probably no family more recognizable in America right now than the Osbournes. Since coming to MTV last year in the popular half-hour reality show "The Osbournes," this foul-mouthed but cohesive household -- led by "Prince of Darkness" Ozzy, his cutthroat manager/wife Sharon, their doughy entrepreneurial son Jack and bubbly (sometimes bratty) daughter Kelly -- has rivaled the fame of the Kennedys.
Cat Power purrs at Bottleneck show
Known for her emotionally fragile shows almost as much as for her music, Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) lived up to both halves of her persona Tuesday night at The Bottleneck.
PlayStation serious work for gamers
Want to know more about the subculture of video gaming experts and fanatics? "True Life: I'm a Gamer" (9 p.m., MTV) looks at the gaming aficionados who are pushing their Pentiums to their utmost, even if it's at the expense of their social lives. "Gamer" focuses on two champions who have each won more than $100,000 at tournaments, and looks at one house where seven hardcore players share nine televisions and 15 game systems.
Prosecution fails to tie evidence in Blake hearing
The prosecution rested Wednesday in Robert Blake's preliminary hearing after a gun expert testified that ammunition found in the actor's home differed from the bullets used to kill his wife.
ABC leads nominees for Daytime Emmys
'The View,' 'All My Children' earn nods
It's "all my nominations" for "All My Children," whose crop of 17 exceeds every other show on daytime TV.
People
¢ Beastie Boys offer free song on Web site to protest war ¢ China limits '40 Licks' hits when Rolling Stones perform ¢ All in the Family' producer plans to co-write 'South Park' episodes ¢ Ex-Spice Girl settles slander case
Super Mario Sunshine: Review - Gamecube
Another great Mario entry, but not as groundbreaking
Another great Mario entry, but not as groundbreaking.
Wednesday, March 12
Zelda: The Wind Waker breaks pre-order sales records
Nintendo's beloved franchise beats GTA: Vice City pre-order records
Nintendo's beloved franchise beats GTA: Vice City pre-order records
Eternal Darkness: Review - Gamecube
Finally, a Survival-Horror game that actually gives you the creeps.
It's a survival horror game that doesn't seek to keep you guessing at inane puzzles for hours on end, it focuses on what it should, inspiring fear in the hearts of excited gamers.
People
¢ New from the Beatles ¢ 'Sopranos' countersuit filed ¢ 'Washington' song explained ¢ More troubles on the road
ABC goes 'Girl' crazy with new contest series
The makers of "All American Girl" (8 p.m., ABC) promise us that it will be "more than a beauty pageant."
Broadway strike ends; shows will go on
After a four-day walkout that cost the city $10 million, Broadway musicians settled the first strike on the Great White Way in nearly 30 years Tuesday by agreeing to cut the number of orchestra players a show must hire.
Tuesday, March 11
Fox's 'Idol' waste of time
Why do we need a two-hour episode of "American Idol" (7 p.m., Fox) to showcase the final 12 contestants? Simple math boils that down to 10 minutes per finalist.
Playstation 3 in 2003?
Bloomberg reports PS3 in 2003. Sony says report is erroneous.
Bloomberg reports PS3 in 2003. Sony says report is erroneous.
People
¢ Letterman still recuperating ¢ Steve Martin's body of work ¢ Ford rolls to 100 ¢ Oscar vs. the stork
Punk's British invasion hits rock hall of fame
Elvis Costello, Clash, Police among inductees
The Police reunited for their first public performance in 18 years Monday, celebrating their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with classmates the Clash and Elvis Costello & the Attractions.
Monday, March 10
People
¢ 'Bringing Down the House' brings in the box office profits ¢ Gibson finances church complex ¢ School profits from singer's
Lifetime movie not much of a temptation
"Tempted" (8 p.m., Lifetime) begins as all Lifetime movies must, with a woman in peril. No, Emma (Virginia Madsen) is not being chased by a deranged madman or stalked her husband's secret lover.
'Chicago' reigns at SAG awards
Crime paid at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, as the musical "Chicago" and lead actress Renee Zellweger proved that a murderess can become a celebrity, and Daniel Day-Lewis won for playing a vicious 19th-century thug in "Gangs of New York."
Metroid Prime: Review - Gamecube
Best game of all time? Our full review.
Best game of all time? Our full review.
Sunday, March 9
Review: Seem-To-Be shows shine
Audiences are in for a surprise when the Seem-To-Be Players perform a two-for-one show of "The Adventures of Nyfrm the Sprite, Part 8" and "The Ugly Duckling" at the Lawrence Arts Center through today as part of their 30th anniversary.
Current events cast shadow on Milan catwalk
The global economy and the prospect of war in Iraq are the macro-concerns of the population at large, but in the fashion microcosm, brows are furrowed over the fact that the contracts of Ford and Gucci Group CEO Domenico de Sole expire early next year and neither has signed a new one.
Exhibit celebrates Tupperware design history
It may have been the most famous party of the last century. The Tupperware party, introduced in 1948 and raised to a marketing art by a poor Detroit housewife in the 1950s, put the fun into food storage.
Finckel, Han to play at Lied Center today
A husband-wife duo that ranks among the top international musicians is coming to the Lied Center. Cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, who began playing together in the early 1980s and married in 1985, will play an all-Russian concert at 2 p.m. today.
Sale of art to benefit Haitian people
This month, acrylic paintings, direct from the markets of Haiti, line the walls of La Tasca, 943 Mass. The everyday images of people working the land with animals and of nature enveloping communities may seem foreign to many city-dwelling Americans.
Area youths earn spots in Honor Recital
The talents of a dozen young area musicians will be showcased today during the Lawrence Arts Center's Honor Recital.
New gallery will be venue for 'hopeful' art
'Signs of Life' combines art space, gallery, bookstore into one cultural center
The hope of all serious artists is that their work will compel viewers to stop, take notice, ponder its meaning.
'Hemingway Book Club' tells moving discovery tale
Most people returning to teaching in their 50s don't choose to do so in a country ravaged by war, but Paula Huntley did, and her story, "The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo," makes for gripping, heartbreaking reading.
Expatriate's novel published 20 years after his death
For 40 years, a manuscript about growing up black and poor in Kansas City sat on a shelf in Bern, Switzerland, apparently just another failed effort by an unsuccessful writer.
Exhibit showcases talent of mentally ill artists
One day, a middle-aged woman looks in the mirror and notices her wrinkles. "You look so old," she thinks. So she decides to draw herself, complete with the creases and lines of age.
Poetry in motion
Sculptor transforms mechanical to organic in 'Kinetic Bouquet'
It's the thick of winter, and the trunks of David Vertacnik's apple trees jut upright from the frozen sod, their bare branches outstretched against a gray Kansas sky. He can see all 95 of them from the windows of his studio, east of Lawrence off Kansas Highway 10.
Comedian George Miller, Letterman favorite, dies
George Miller, a stand-up comedian who appeared on David Letterman's late-night shows more than any other comic, has died. He was 61.
Sunday news shows announce guest lineups
Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:
People
¢ Chelsea maps future ¢ Krauss takes vocal rest ¢ Moose defends book deal ¢ War may drive Oscar fashion
Arts notes
¢ New England trio to play at KU ¢ Baker professor wins arts, disabilities award ¢ Youth Symphony to play recognition concert ¢ Adult actors needed for summer theater ¢ Honor society sponsors worldly photo contest ¢ KC Celtic band to play at La Tasca
Arts notes
¢ New art exhibit opens at CornerBank ¢ Folk-rock singer to play Hawk's Nest
Arts notes
¢ Jane Austen descendant to give lecture at KU ¢ Mystery writer to sign books at The Raven
Arts notes
¢ Illustrator, KU alumna to speak at symposium ¢ Concert to help restore historic German organ ¢ Fields Gallery welcomes artist Diana Dunkley¢ Choir reunion rescheduled ¢ Voice students perform in Brown Bag Series ¢ Missouri Rep introduces Marivaux to KC area ¢ Rossetti String Quartet returns to Carlsen Center ¢ Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to play KC gig ¢ Topeka choirs join to present Evensong
Saturday, March 8
Halo 2: Delayed
Microsoft announcement hits Xbox gamers hard.
Microsoft's most important game of 2003 delayed until 2004.
Gandolfini in battle with HBO
James Gandolfini, the star of "The Sopranos," has filed a complaint claiming HBO breached his contract for a fifth season, a newspaper said.
Strike silences Broadway
Virtually every musical on Broadway shut down Friday as musicians went on strike, and actors and stagehands said they wouldn't cross their picket lines.
Pow! Bam! 'Batman' returns -- but why?
Holy travesty, Batman! "Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt" (8 p.m. Sunday, CBS) may put the final nail in the coffin of 1960s nostalgia.
People
¢ Nolte back in control ¢ Parks snubs NAACP ¢ Pacino returns to Broadway ¢ Connery loyal to homeland
Friday, March 7
The Getaway - PS2 Review
A Grand Theft Auto knockoff? Or a solid original? Our full review.
A Grand Theft Auto knockoff? Or a solid original? Our full review.
Pope explores life, death in new poetry collection
Pope John Paul II's new book of poetry, a three-part meditation on nature, life and death -- including his own -- makes clear he has no plans to step down.
Deception has never been so entertaining
Can an ordinary slob get a job where he hobnobs with snobs? The debut episode of the new unscripted series "Faking It" (9 p.m., TLC) sets out to transform David, a construction worker from Boston, into a Beverly Hills interior decorator.
People
¢ Cher reclaims wig ¢ Naked show doesn't fly ¢ A 'Nutty' legacy ¢ American idol in trouble
Out of Focus to showcase Lawrence filmmaking talent
Small cities constantly face losing creative minds to the promising lures of a larger metropolis. But Jeff Ruggles hopes to channel the hidden talents of local filmmakers out to the public and establish a thriving indie scene in Lawrence.
Rising to the occasion
Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis returns to basics for latest tour
It's one thing for a musician to win a Grammy, but Wynton Marsalis has collected a Pulitzer. The respected jazz icon earned the Pulitzer Prize for Music five years ago for his 3-hour, 27-part suite "Blood on the Fields," an episodic tale of two Africans brought to America and sold as slaves. The past few years have seen the trumpeter actively trying to eclipse his own towering ambitions.
There's more to 'Tears' than mindless action
A misleading marketing campaign is going to either help or harm "Tears of the Sun" at the box office. But whatever the financial fallout, the fact remains that audiences who watched trailers and commercials for this Bruce Willis vehicle are going to sit through a different picture than they'd been led to believe.
Bruce Willis endures blood, sweat and 'Tears'
Actor discusses difficult ordeal of filming role
The characters Bruce Willis plays are often put through a lot. He gets shot in "The Sixth Sense," battered repeatedly in "Die Hard," blown up in "Armageddon" and ... well, how do you explain what happens to him within that dungeon in "Pulp Fiction?" But those are just roles the 47-year-old actor has dramatized. Until shooting his latest action movie, "Tears of the Sun," Willis himself had yet to truly be tested while working on a picture.
Thursday, March 6
Different folks
Conner stoked to NOT sound like The Strokes
This time last year, the Lawrence band Conner finished its first demo. James Duft, the trio's singer and guitarist, dropped the nine-track CD off up at KJHK 90.7 fm, without the slightest expectation for what was to come.
Olympic rivals share ice
Who can forget Jamie Sale and David Pelletier? OK, I did. They were the spunky Canadian ice-skating pair who got to share a controversial gold medal with their Russian rivals Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze at last year's winter Olympics. I'm surprised that the current crop of French-bashers hasn't revived that outrage. Remember, there was a compromised French judge at the center of the contretemps.
Antiwar movement takes poetic turn
Poets brought their antiwar verse to Congress on Wednesday, handing lawmakers thousands of poems to protest pending military action in Iraq.
People
¢ Lord of the Dance in hot water ¢ Splitsville in L.A. ¢ 'Pretty Baby' ready to be mom ¢ Cher's company wigged out
Toby Keith leads country music nominees
Toby Keith received a leading eight Academy of Country Music nominations Tuesday, including song and single of the year for "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)."
Wednesday, March 5
HBO throws first punch in series
HBO has rummaged through its attic of outtakes to present "Legendary Nights" (9 p.m., HBO), a series of 12 half-hour documentaries about the most memorable fights in the 30-year history of HBO's ring coverage.
Jackson allegedly put curse on Spielberg
Is the King of Pop now the Viceroy of Voodoo?
Witness: Blake expected celebrity immunity
A retired stuntman who claims Robert Blake tried to have his wife killed testified Tuesday that Blake wanted to be there when the slaying took place and wasn't worried about police questions because "I'm an actor."
People
¢ Who wants to be a co-host? ¢ MTV goes to the Dogg ¢ Fonda recuperating from crash ¢ U.S. House honors Mr. Rogers
Tuesday, March 4
'Cradle 2 the Grave'
Is "Cradle 2 the Grave" a movie or an infomercial for Wilson's, the Leather Experts? Turquoise, tan, red, black, purple -- there's every color of leather except cow in "Cradle 2 the Grave" and, despite its impracticality for people who run and dodge bullets a lot, virtually every character wears it (there is an 8-year-old whose leather isn't visible, but even she's probably wearing a suede teddy).
Konami confirms Metal Gear for Gamecube
Most reports suggest that the new game won't be yet another port of Metal Gear Solid 2, but a brand new game, debuting first on the Gamecube.
EA announces new Medal of Honor game
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun will be released for the PS2, Xbox and Gamecube only.
Now showing: Theater chains turn to advertising for new revenue
Bob Morales and his wife sat through advertisements for the Cartoon Network, the NBC show "Boomtown" and AOL Broadband.
Updated 'Deal' offers the door less chosen
Come on down! Is America really clamoring for a warmed-over primetime reincarnation of "Let's Make A Deal" (7 p.m., NBC)?
People
¢ Hopkins' new role: husband ¢ Seinfelds welcome a boy ¢ Madonna becomes author ¢ Sheen fears war risk -- to show
Monday, March 3
New Game Boy due in March
Nintendo finally took to heart all of the complaints about the visibility of games on previous versions of the handheld system. A backlit Game Boy Advance is due in stores later this month.
'Cradle' rocks
The pairing of a rap star and a martial arts heavyweight pushed "Cradle 2 The Grave" to the top of the box office.
Fox looks down aisle with new reality show
Is television taking us back to the Middle Ages? Time was, most weddings were arranged affairs. Brides were sold off as chattel like so many sacks of gold or flour. Kings and nobility arranged marriages to fortify their power.
Around the world, theaters protest possible war in Iraq
From the Brooklyn Academy of Music to a coffeehouse in northern New Mexico to the National Theatre of Iceland, actors are planning a day of international theater protest against a possible war with Iraq.
Washington benefit aids Ford's theater
Celebrities and artists from the country music and Latino community entertained President Bush and the first lady Sunday evening at the annual presidential gala benefit for Ford's Theatre.
People
¢ Life in the fun house ¢ Diddy plans Detroit diner ¢ Tanks for the memories
Sunday, March 2
Hershey, Pa., savors 100 sweet years
It has been 100 years since the first shovels of dirt were turned for a factory that created a community, where residents still are mindful of founder Milton S. Hershey, his generosity and his business acumen.
Scorsese awash in film honors
Directors Guild gives filmmaker lifetime award
Hollywood honors are ganging up on Martin Scorsese. The day after the filmmaker's star was unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Scorsese received a lifetime achievement honor Saturday at the annual Directors Guild Awards.
Hurston discussion to kick off Women's History Month
Biographers to share details of late author's life
Kansas University Chancellor Robert Hemenway spent seven years immersed in the life and work of Zora Neale Hurston and wrote the first biography of the author of "Their Eyes Were Watching God."
Poet's work portrays combat horrors
It took nearly 35 years for Baldwin resident John Musgrave to be able to write about the day in 1967 when he and his fellow Marines were ambushed by North Vietnamese soldiers.
Common ground
New Yorker Stephanie Mendez figured teens in Holcomb, Mo., were simple folk with twangy drawls and closets full of overalls. Dustin Broglin imagined New York kids sported snotty attitudes, fat wallets and Gucci suits.
Arts notes
¢ Energetic, Irish music trademark of bohola ¢ Underground venue to exhibit artwork ¢ Deadline for Carnegie use proposals nears
News Shows
Here are the guest lineups for today's TV news shows:
People
¢ Iraqi crisis delays 'Mad Max' ¢ Moore bemoans media laziness ¢ Diddley disdainful of rap music ¢ McGraw's uncle gets life in killing
'Royal Family' a royal success for University Theatre
"We're held together by more than just tables and chairs," declares the matriarch of the Cavendish family during the third act of "The Royal Family," a play that raises issues of personal versus professional life and the continuation of a family legacy.
Cast of 'Miracles' shines
A small but entertained crowd witnessed the phenomenon of Kansas City playwright Frank Higgins' "Miracles" on Friday at the Lawrence Community Theatre.
Images of death camps shown for first time in U.S.
Photographs of 30 Nazi concentration camps taken over a dozen years are on display for the first time in the United States at Houston's Holocaust Museum, where photographer Michael Kenna hopes his images will be "impossible to forget."
Trio Voronezh serves diverse menu
It certainly wasn't a sell-out crowd that turned out for Friday's Trio Voronezh performance at the Lied Center, but the modest audience size was refreshingly appropriate for the intimate delivery of the Russian folk trio.
Arts notes
¢ Ottawa theater to stage dark comedy ¢ Workshop designed to break writing barriers ¢ 'Buffalo Soldier' comes to JCCC stage ¢ Aeros to take flight at Carlsen Center ¢ Mime troupe to play Topeka stage ¢ Acclaimed organist headlines conference ¢ Mulvane Art Museum offers art classes
Lied Center sponsors western Kansas residency
The Lied Center is partnering with Aquila to present a statewide education residency project with classical guitarist Robert Bluestone.
Lawrence artists among statewide fellowship winners
Five Lawrence artists have received fellowships and mini-fellowships from the Kansas Arts Commission. Lawrence musician Maria Anthony has been awarded a $5,000 Kansas Artist Fellowship for interdisciplinary/performance art.
Ensemble to play adventurous concert
The Kansas University Instrumental Collegium Musicum will present "The Spirit of Marco Polo: The Chinese Pipa Meets Italian Medieval and Renaissance Culture" at 7:30 p.m. March 9 at KU's Spencer Research Library.
Literary review features work by local artists
An acquaintance of Lawrence poet Gary Lechliter once told him that poetry was a dying art. That couldn't be further from the truth, Lechliter says. "It has blossomed beyond anyone's wildest imagination," he says. "It is becoming a much more accessible literary art."
Arts notes
¢ Hall Center to honor faculty authors ¢ Award connects theatre students, actors ¢ KU Press showcases design contest winners
Seem-to-be players: Actors ready to reunite for weekend
Players from across the country will perform next weekend in productions that will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Seem-To-Be Players and generate money to keep the troupe alive for decades.
Lawrence Children's Choir prepares for spring concert and London tour
It's only a few months into 2003, and the Lawrence Children's Choir is already in the midst of another busy season.
'Clara' reveals 'Pygmalionesque' life of musician
A novel about Clara Schumann, a musical superstar of 19th-century Europe, could easily focus on celebrity and glamour. Janice Galloway takes the less obvious but more rewarding path in "Clara," delving into interiors rather than gliding over surfaces.
KU alumna's book investigates still-unsolved mass lynching
Some people can't remember. Others can't forget. Though the details of who fired first, how the bullet-riddled bodies looked afterward and who looted souvenirs from the crime scene remain contentious, the facts of the Moore's Ford Lynching are indelibly etched among the most shameful chapters in American history.
Saturday, March 1
Cuban models don tobacco togs
Designers add fashionable flair to annual cigar festival
Runway models wore earth-toned fabric and gigantic hats resembling tobacco leaves as Cuba's annual cigar festival presented a celebration of high fashion inspired by this island's famed tobacco business.
Now playing: First sound in world's longest concert
First there was silence -- 1 1/2 years of it. But that was just a brief lead-in for Friday's playing of the opening notes in what's planned as the world's longest concert, a 639-year piece being performed in a former church in east Germany.
Small-town talk show makes big-league debut
For decades, late-night talk-show hosts have brought the best of Broadway and Hollywood to America's homes. But who knew that America's latest talk-show sensation was making magic in his very own living room? Make that his parents' living room.
Musical event to light up Lied stage
Blast II ¢ Shockwave, a spectacle that combines the traditions of marching band music with fast-paced choreography and flashy lights, comes to the Lied Center stage tonight. Here's a look at other entertainment options this weekend.
Skeeters aims for unique mix
Bar and grill offers gadgetry in rustic setting
A new Lawrence restaurant aims to combine rustic, western ranch decor with the newest technology. Skeeters Bar & Grill, 3300 W. 15th St., is scheduled to open Monday, and its owner, 21-year-old Tricia Higgins, is ready for the challenge.
People
¢ Rowling lends voice to 'Simpsons' ¢ Letterman's diagnosis: shingles ¢ Channing set to wed again ¢ Bridget Fonda in car accident
