Wednesday, May 26,2010

Calipers for clouds

New online database will quantify arts

by Lawrence Cosentino

Absurd stories ' unless you run them in reverse. Several times a year, understaffed arts groups have to lay down their trumpets, chisels and scripts to work on spreadsheets, cost-revenue charts and other hoops their major funders put in front of them..

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

All in the family

Humorous and heartfelt, ’Home’ is a winner for Williamston Theatre

by Tom Helma

Written by Annie Martin and Suzi Regan and directed by Regan, “Home” follows 2008’s "Maidens, Mothers and Crones," which focused on women, and last year’s "Flyover USA," which dealt with men’s concerns. Approximately 50 people shared family stories that inspired the vignettes in "Home.

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

The power of positive sinking & Past control

by Amy Alkon

It’s terrible, what happened to his roommate, but moving into somebody’s place and then announcing, “Oh, by the way, I’m traumatized by people having sex'” is like saying, “Did I mention that I’m deathly allergic to cats? Not to worry, I hear they don’t feel a thing when they get put down.

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

Michigan State’s treasure trove

Special Collections has Batman, Pulitzer winners, antique wallpaper samples

by Bill Castanier

It’s not a plot for a comic book. They make space for each other in the University Library’s Special Collections unit, which has one of the world’s largest collections of comics and can also brag about holding the papers of such literary luminaries as Richard Ford, Robert Coles and Russell Nye.

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

A touch of Poison at Common Ground

by City Pulse

Tickets are on sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays at the Common Ground office, 901 N. Washington Ave. in Lansing, or by visiting www.commongroundfest. com. Call (800) 585-3737 for more information..

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

’Late’ is great

Icarus Falling delivers powerhouse production of Sam Shepard drama

by Mary C. Cusack

While Studio 1210 in Old Town makes a nice art gallery, its limitations in lighting and its lack of a backstage make it a challenging venue for a play. Shortly into the work, however, emotional immediacy easily trumps environment.

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

Wright on

Country star is grand marshal for Pride March June 12

by James Sanford

Wright will be grand marshal of the Pride March June 12 in downtown Lansing; it’s part of the Michigan Pride Diversity Festival. The march begins at noon at Grand Avenue along Riverfront Park and proceeds south on Grand, west on Shiawassee Street and south on Capitol Avenue to the Capitol steps.

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

Rattling the rafters, stirring the heart

’Phantom’ retains its allure at Wharton Center

by James Sanford

It’s been nearly a quarter of a century since Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” made its debut in London’s West End and the show has remained a money-spinner ever since. That’s quite remarkable in the theater world, where today’s hot ticket can easily turn into tomorrow’s big yawn.

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

The Screening Room

'Sex' and the sandy: Fun is just a mirage

by James Sanford

Once upon a time ' way back in 1998 ' there was a fresh new HBO series about four single women slashing and sashaying their way through the Big Apple dating scene. It was called “Sex and the City,” and it was witty and sophisticated and steamy and, in some eyes, scandalous.

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Wednesday, May 26,2010

’Guys were staring at me, paralyzed in fear’

World War II vet and retired MSU professor receives Silver Star — 65 years later

by KURT ANTHONY KRUG

Surviving a deadly bombing run over Germany during World War II and saving the lives of his fellow soldiers was reward enough for Louis Stamatakos, a retired professor of educational administration at Michigan State University who served as a B-17 tail-gunner with the 8th Air Force for 31 missions.

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