Archive for April, 2009
April 30th, 2009
Pianist Emily Bear, appearing about 10 minutes ago on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for the fifth time in a year and a half, surprised DeGeneres on her 999th episode.
DeGeneres told the audience that every time Emily, 7, of Rockford, appears on the show, she plays a new piano piece she’s written for DeGeneres. But Emily, wearing a long white dress that she performed in at the White House last year, smiled and quickly, but politely, corrected DeGeneres. “This time it’s not for you,” Emily said. “It’s for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.” She entitled the piece, “Tomorrow’s Wishes.”
After playing the dreamy-sounding, classical number for a minute or two, DeGeneres told Emily, “You’re amazing. Again, amazing.”
April 30th, 2009
The third annual “A Cook’s Tour of Downtown” Rockford will be from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, June 18.
Last year, eight eateries served sample-sized portions of gourmet foods ranging from almond-crusted scallops to seared yellowfin tuna with cucumber jicama salad. The first two years, the tour sold out. It was started when chef and TV star Anthony Bourdain came to town as part of the now-defunct One Book, One Rockford program run by the Rockford Public Library.
Cost is $40, plus tip, this year, up from $35 last year and $25 the year before. More details will be released in the coming weeks. For a reservation, call 815-964-6221 or go riverdistrict.com or to the River District Office at 127 N. Wyman, second floor; or call 815-969-7990 or go to Chocolat by Daniel, 221 E. State St.
The library, the River District and Chocolat by Daniel are presenting the event.
April 30th, 2009
“9 to 5: The Musical,” which opens today on Broadway, is an ”11″ on a scale of 1 to 10, said Rod MacDonald, 83, of Rockford. He saw a preview of the show produced by a former student of his on April 17 at the Marquis Theatre in New York City.
The production that Dolly Parton wrote songs for ranks at least in the top 5 percent of the 300 to 400 theater shows MacDonald has seen in his lifetime, he said.
“9 to 5″ is produced by Robert Greenblatt, who was a student at Boylan Catholic High School in Rockford when MacDonald was theater director there from 1974 to 1978. Greenblatt is Showtime president of entertainment. The show features former Rockfordians who also attended Boylan high school around the same time as Greenblatt — Joe Mantello as director and Paul Castree as actor. (Read my September 2008 column about the trio here.) 
(Greenblatt and Dolly; photo by Ryan Miller, Capture Imaging)
A Los Angeles Times story out today quotes MacDonald talking about the the talented Boylan kids. “I am very proud to know these fellows and have some history with them,” MacDonald told me.
MacDonald said he talked with Greenblatt after the show for about five minutes. They mostly discussed the financing of the play, MacDonald said. Greenblatt told the LA Times the production cost more than $10 million.
Here’s MacDonald’s take on “9 to 5: The Musical,” which he viewed from the the top of the balcony in the 2,000-seat-or-so theater: “The set is miraculous; the colors, the costuming … the dancers would be involved in office activities, and then before you knew it, there’s been a set change. …The audience was on its feet, and everybody jumped up and gave a long-lasting applause” at the end of the show, he said. “It was a real hit.”
April 30th, 2009
Whet your appetite for this weekend’s Junior League home tour of 10 Rockford-area homes by taking an online tour of a home owned by Kelly Killoren Bensimon (at Luxis.com). Photos of inside the home are on the Web site.
Bensimon, a model and editor who grew up in Rockford, is a star on Bravo’s reality TV show, “The Real Housewives of New York City.”
The East Hampton home is for sale for $10.9 million. The house had been on the market in 2007 for $14.5 million, according to newsday.com.
Now, back to reality in Rockford. Find out more about the Junior League’s tour of sophisticated local homes Saturday and Sunday here.
April 29th, 2009
The Obama administration joined a federal judge Wednesday in urging Congress to end a racial disparity by equalizing prison sentences for dealing and using crack versus powdered cocaine, according to this Associated Press story.
It’s the right thing to do.
April 27th, 2009
 Emily Bear, the 7-year-old pianist from Rockford who writes her own compositions, on Thursday, April 30, will appear on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for the fifth time in a year an a half.
Emily’s appearance is part of the 999th “Ellen” show. In DeGeneres’ “Weekly Newsletter,” DeGeneres writes: “Every once in a while, a young kid comes along who is so talented that I am absolutely blown away. Emily is one of them. Her piano skills are unbelievable. And the most impressive part is that she’s just 7 years old!”
(Emily Bear, 7, gives her final bow after she debuted with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at the Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford. Rockford Register Star photo by Katy Mull.)
The “Ellen” show airs at 3 p.m. on WIFR-23 (Comcast 5). For more information, go to emilybear.com.
April 27th, 2009
Say good-bye to the 6-year-old One Book, One Rockford program that brought TV star and author Anthony Bourdain to town in 2007 and author Greg Mortenson last year, fueling a local effort that raised $100,000 to build schools for girls in Afghanistan.
(Anthony Bourdain)
The Rockford Public Library can’t afford to run One Book, One Rockford anymore because it isn’t collecting the kind of taxes it used to, said Emily Hartzog, community relations officer. The program encouraged everyone in town to read the same book at the same time and to talk about it.
Blame the recession. In 2007, the library received nearly $1 million in corporate replacement taxes; this year, the library expects to get about $784,281. The One Book, One Rockford program cost $20,000 to $30,000 each year the library brought in an author to lecture, Hartzog said.
Bourdain, star of the Travel Channel’s “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations,” drew 1,000 people to his lecture focusing on his “Kitchen Confidential” book. Mortenson, co-author of “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time,” drew 2,500. Both lectures were free to the public. Mortenson’s visit was coupled with the local Pennies for Peace fundraising drive.
In 2006, Sandra Benitez, author of “A Place Where the Sea Remembers,” was the first author to be brought to town as part of One Book program.
“Finding someone within our price range, yet with a broad enough appeal, is always challenging,” Hartzog said in an e-mail.
She said a smaller author visit may be part of the Rockford Public Library Foundation’s fundraising efforts or another library program. “We’re taking a conservative approach,” she said.
April 27th, 2009
Way to go, Harriet!
Harriet Brown, 81, of Rockford, was on the winning team in the Oreo Double Stuf Racing League “lick race” April 24 in Miami.
Her team was coached by tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams. The losing team was coached by NFL brothers Peyton and Eli Manning.
Brown is pictured here in this provided photo shaking hands with Peyton Manning at the event.
Brown received $2,000 for her win, plus trip accomodations for her and three family members.
April 24th, 2009
Two seniors who’ll graduate from local high schools this spring will be recognized as 2009 Gary S. Wilmer Memorial Scholarship recipients Thursday, April 30, at the 18th Annual Rockford Area Music Industry Awards Ceremony at the Tebala Shrine Temple in Rockford:
Colleen Bartimoccia of Boylan Catholic High School will attend Augustana College in Rock Island, majoring in music education. She wants to teach at the college level. She’s a member of the Jazz Choir and Jazz Band at school and has performed at Starlight Theatre in Rockford. She received $2,000. 
Katie Colletta of Hononegah High School in Rockton will attend Millikin University in Decatur, pursing a degree in musical theater. She has performed in several local theater group productions, including those at New American Theater, and with Mendelssohn’s Broadway Bound. She received $1,000. The scholarships are administered by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. 
Along with the scholarship awards, musicians in various genres will be named winners at the RAMI ceremony, which starts at 7 p.m. at 7910 Newburg Road, Rockford. Tickets cost $7, $5 in advance. Performers include the 2009 RAMI Youth Charity Jam winner Britches and Hose, Miles Nielsen, Juelane and Gid-E-Yup, Jodi Beach, Jinger Christal and Holland Zander, New Royal Travelers, Revolucion De Amor, X51 and The Merkins.
April 24th, 2009
Can you scream louder than a chainsaw? That’s what organizers of Trail of Screams wants to find out when you audition for a half hour or so from 4 to 7Â p.m. Monday, May 4, in Room 719 of Auburn High School, 5110 Auburn St., Rockford. You have to be at least 16 years old to try out. Other auditions will be announced later.
Actors chosen for the “Scream Team” will learn how to use makeup to create a gory experience and how to develop a scary character.
Trail of Screams is adding a new location for its October haunted house/yard experience at the Belvidere Park District pool house, 1006 W. Lincoln Ave., Belvidere. Other locations are Camp McCormick in Stillman Valley and in South Beloit with the Haunted Barn and the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department Hayride at 6512 Manchester Road.
Oh, yeah. Parental guidance is recommended for ages 13 and younger.
For more information, call 815-965-6772.
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