| Big Read focuses on 'Tom Sawyer' |
|
|
| By Donna Korando, Features and commentary editor | |
|
Posted 4:25 p.m. Fri., 01.29.10 - Given that 2010 is the 100th anniversary of the death of Mark Twain, the choice of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" as this year's Big Read book holds no surprise. Missouri has boasted of Twain being a native son, and Tom Sawyer drew heavily on the author's memories of growing up in Hannibal. Several events took place in late 2009, but the formal kickoff of the Big Read programs in St. Charles County and St. Louis County and city are coming up. The Foundry Art Centre is the sponsor of and the site for many of the St. Charles events. Cultural Festivals in partnership with the Kirkwood Public Library is putting on the discussions, workshops and plays in the St. Louis County and city. read moreTo find Nick Otten's analysis of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," click here . (Note: This article has a more complete list of events.) The kickoff for the programs in St. Charles will take place at the Foundry Art Center, 520 North Main, from noon - 4 p.m. Jan. 31. Events will include Tom & Becky from Hannibal performing the "Engagement" and "Cave" scenes from the book, and copies of "Tom Sawyer" will be distributed. The Old Courthouse downtown is where St. Louis/St. Louis County's Big Read will get its start. Cindy Lovell, executive director of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum, will give the kickoff address on Feb. 2 at a reception that runs from 6-8 p.m. Lovell will be at the Foundry Art Centre the next day, Feb. 3, where she will address a luncheon. (For reservations, call 636-255-0270.) And on Feb. 4, she will lead a workshop at noon on "Teaching Twain in the 21st Century" in the Daniel Conoyer Social Sciences Building auditorium at St. Charles Community College. To reserve a spot at the workshop, which runs from 4-6:30 p.m., call 636-225-0270. St. Louis Sponsored by Cultural Festivals Inc.
Bradburn's Teacher Supply Store discussion: "Outlaws: Were Tom and Huck truly bad?" Free reader's guides and books. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Feb. 4, Bradburn's, 2166 Hampton University Public Library youth discussion: "How has American childhood changed since the 1840s?" 1-3 p.m. Feb. 6, at the library, 6701 Delmar Blvd. Brentwood Public Library discussion: General discussion of the book. 7-9 p.m. Feb. 9 at the library, 8765 Eulalie Ave. Bradburn's Teacher Supply Store discussion: "Aunt Polly's fence as a symbol." Noon Feb. 13. Free reader's guides and books at 4377 Manchester Rd., Manchester Open house for educators: from 2-4 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Washington University. Susan Cryer narrates a program that discusses how Twain and painter George Caleb Bingham helped establish the mythic status of the American explorer. Stage Performance: "The Assorted Adventures of Tom, Huck and Becky" That Uppity Theatre Company presents a lively selection of adventures, plus audience participation and original songs. The play by Lee Patton Chiles will be at 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Feb. 18 and 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at 560 Trinity Ave., University City Bradburn's Teacher Supply Store discussion: "What would Tom be like in the 21st Century?" 4-5 p.m. Feb. 18. Free reader's guides and books at 734 N. New Ballas, Creve Coeur Kirkwood Book discussion: 4:15 p.m. Feb. 25, Rohan Woods School, 1515 Bennett Ave. Storytelling: Workshop on Tom Sawyer as seen through the Arts. Rosie Lee Willis, puppet making and other ands-on art and writing projects. 1 p.m. Feb. 27. Compton Drew Investigative Learning Center, 5130 Oakland. St. Louis Book discussion: 2 p.m. Feb. 27, Compton Drew Investigative Learning Center, 5130 Oakland. St. Charles Sponsored by Foundry Art Centre Faux-Funeral Procession to bury illiteracy: Horse and carriage (w/empty coffin) travels down Riverside Drive to the Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main, where the St. Charles Big Read program will kick off. noon-4 p.m. Jan. 31. Storytelling: Annette Harrison recreates the white washing scene from the "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." The audience also participates in silly Ozark tales and a scary Indian Legend about the Piasa Bird. 1 p.m., Feb. 6, Foundry Art Centre. Frog Jumping Contest: Make your own origami frog and see how far it will jump. 2 p.m. Feb. 6, Foundry Art Centre River Music: Raven Moon reaches into the heritage that has blended sounds from Native American drumbeats to Anglo-Celtic ballads, French folksongs to African field hollers. 1-3 p.m. Feb. 7, Foundry Art Centre. Teen Program: Youth will be given copies of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" A discussion of the book and how it relates to kids of today will be encouraged. 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 10. Foundry Art Centre. Film: St. Charles Community College will show the documentary film, "Mark Twain: A Concise Biography." Free. 6-8 p.m., Feb. 11 St. Charles Community College, Daniel Conoyer Social Sciences Building, Auditorium, 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, St. Peters. Mystery Night @ The Library: Faculty and community members 12 and older are invited to bring their flashlights and work in teams to search for clues to solve a mystery in the library featuring characters from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." 6-9 p.m. Feb. 12. Advance registration required by Feb. 5, 2010. 636-922-8620 for reservations and directions. St. Charles Community College. Games of the 1830s: A chance for younger people to learn about old, traditional games and to create their own checker set. 1-3 p.m. Feb. 13. Foundry Art Centre. Poetry: Poetry Out Loud - Regional Recitation Contest 10 a.m. Feb. 17. Foundry Art Centre. Printmaking: Firecracker Press will bring in two printing presses, one from the 1890s and another from the 1960s. They will demonstrate the 1890 press, a Baltimore, and talk about the history of handset type. Using pre-arranged handset type, participants will make a print. 1-5 p.m. Feb. 20. And 1-4 p.m. Feb. 21. Foundry Art Centre. Teen Program: Youth will be given copies of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" A discussion of the book and how it relates to kids of today will be encouraged. 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 24. Foundry Art Centre. Ice Cream Social and Raft Building Contest: 1-4 p.m. Feb. 27. Foundry Art Centre. Contact Beacon features and commentary editor Donna Korando.
|
St. Louis County Library hosts author Roy Morris Jr.: Writer discusses new book, "Lighting Out for the Territory: How Samuel Clemens Headed West and Became Mark Twain;" 7 p.m., Monday, March 22, at Library headquarters, 1640 S. Lindberg Blvd. | St. Louis County Library
"Ulysses," "The Heather Blazing," "Trinity" top list of best books about Ireland: Literature abounds from those who were inspired to write about the Emerald Isle. | The Christian Science Monitor
Webster U. Professor David Clewell is Missouri's new poet laureate: He likes taking poetry to places where it doesn't often go, like factories or prisons. | STLtoday
Dick Francis, jockey turned mystery writer, dies at age 89: He sold 60 million books and his novels were translated into 20 languages. | BBC
Dance St. Louis presents Azure Barton & Artists: Contemporary choreographer headlines performances at Touhill Performing Arts Center; 8 p.m., March 26, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., March 27. Tickets are $30-$50 for general admission and $27-46 for students, seniors, and groups of 20 or more. | Dance St. Louis
Malashock Dance Co. comes to SIU-E's Arts & Issues stage at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 1: Tickets for performance in Katherine Dunham Hall are $27; SIUE employees and retirees, and all senior citizens, $25; SIUE students, $13. Ticket
information, subscription rates and ticket sales are available on the
Web site: artsandissues.com, or by calling (618) 650-5774.
| PRWeb
The Repertory Theatre will present "Crime and Punishment" March 10-28 in the Emerson Studio Theatre, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University). Tickets start at $35. For times and tickets go to www.repstl.org .
"Menopause The Musical" will return to The Playhouse at Westport Plaza on March 5, with a run going through May 8. The show will be performed Wednesdays through Sundays. For tickets ($45) and information: 314-534-1111.
UMSL Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 24 at the Lee Theater at the Touhill , One University Blvd. Free. Information: 314-516-5980
Iggy Pop and the Stooges finally make it Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Also inducted in this year's class were ABBA, the Hollies, Genesis and Jimmy Cliff. | New York Times
Michael Jackson estate signs recording contract valued at up to $250 million, largest in history: The deal, reached with Sony, includes unreleased music, DVDs and video games. | Los Angeles Times
New music festival scheduled for Forest Park in August: LOUfest will feature 18 bands on two stages in Central Field on Aug. 28-29. | STLtoday
On Arbor Day, April 2, the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden , 4344 Shaw Blvd. will be giving away trees for planting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or while supplies last. Included with Garden admission.
Come to the Zoo on March 20-21, 27-28, April 3, 2010 for Breakfast with the Bunny. 9 and 11 a.m. seatings. $18-$22. www.stlzoo.org . Reservations required
March Morpho Mania will go on from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, March 2-31 at the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, 15193 Olive Blvd. at Faust Park. $4-$6. www.butterflyhouse.org
Legends of St. Louis Blues Music exhibit, on display at the Sheldon through Aug. 28, offers free gallery talks. KDHX DJ, Gabriel will speak (TBA) and Robert Koester, Delmark Records Founder on Sat., May 1 at 11 a.m.
The Bruno David Gallery presents Cindy Tower's "Decadense" from March 19 - May 8. Also showing: Nanette Boileau "Heard but not Said" and Dickson Beall "Membrane Moments: Journey through Loss"
Marbles Yoga Studio & Art Gallery , 1905 Park Ave., will show "UNFOLDING," paintings & drawings by Galina Todorova. Free opening reception 7-9 p.m. April 3. Gallery talk 7-9 p.m. April 30, the last day of the exhibit. Open prior to scheduled yoga classes or by appointment.
"The Art of Labor" is showing through April 1 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday) at Gallery Visio, 170 Millennium Student Center at UMSL, One University Blvd. Free. Information, click here .
Atrium Gallery , 4728 McPheson Ave., presents "Prints," a group exhibition from March 12-May 9. The show includes prints from Claudio Bravo, Suzanne Caporael, Sam Gilliam, Karen Kunc, Nicola Lopez, Judy Pfaff and ManoloValdes.
Christiane Amanpour switches to ABC from CNN: News maven will be new anchor of "This Week," replacing George Stephanopoulos. | New York Daily News
Fess Parker, TV's Davy Crockett, dies at age 85: After he hung up his coonskin cap, he became a real estate magnate in California. | Los Angeles Times
Actor Peter Graves dies at age 83: He spoofed his own serious image from "Mission: Impossible" in the comedy "Airplane!" | Los Angeles Times
Actor Corey Haim dies of apparent drug overdose at age 38: The one-time teen idol appeared in movies such as "The Lost Boys" and "Lucas" in the 1980s. | Chicago Tribune
Video by Elia Powers
Rollerderby isn't just for women in St. Louis anymore. The StL Gatekeepers team lets men get out on the rink. Read the story and see a larger video .
Posted 9:30 a.m. Thurs., 03.18.10 - The University of Chicago is a prestigious institution and the intellectual home of both the atomic bomb and the bombastic economic and political theories that caused the great financial meltdown in 2008, writes columnist M.W. Guzy, who wonders which "bomb" caused the most damage.
Posted 2:45 p.m. Mon., 03.15.10 - The congressional ethics committee can't be trusted to demand high standards. The Supreme Court says wide-open corporate spending cannot be curtailed in elections. And President Barack Obama raised more than anyone else. D.C. can't say no to money, so Matt Vianello says the people should say no to the big spenders
Posted 6 a.m. Sun., 03.14.10 - Mike Lawrence calls for support for amending the Illinois constitution to do away with the draw-from-the-hat mechanism that for three consecutive decades has permitted the lottery winner to dictate the new boundaries required after every census.
Posted 5:00 p.m. Thu., 03.11.10 - In this week's Beacon Roundtable, Dick Weiss, Robert Joiner, Jo Mannies and Dale Singer sit down to talk about President Obama's trip to…
Read more...
Posted 6 a.m. Thurs., 03.18.10 - It's called Anyclip (www.anyclip.com ), and according to its publicity, it will "empower you to find and relive any moment from any film, instantly." It sounded promising, but a search of the site itself, which launched on March 15 proved to be far less successful.
Posted 10:47 a.m. Mon., Feb. 15 - On March 2, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in an Illinois gun case that could end up pleasing liberals and conservatives…
Read more...@
Register to receive our daily email of new content. If you're already registered, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with the subject line "subscribe".
Join the folks who have already found the Beacon on Facebook, the social networking site. See the most popular stories of the day, photos, videos and upcoming events. Visit the St. Louis Beacon page on Facebook and become a fan.
Twitter is a "microblogging" service where users can provide short updates about what they are doing. stlbeacon is our official Twitter feed – check it out to find our featured stories and the news that matters.
In St. Louis, race affects virtually every important aspect of community life. Yet it’s difficult to talk productively about race. Race, Frankly invites you to look at race with fresh eyes.
The Missouri History Museum, the Beacon and KETC/Channel 9 have partnered to create a yearlong series of events, in-depth articles and video pieces.
What's this icon? It's the standard icon for RSS.
RSS gives you another option for reading the Beacon, in a way that may be more convenient for you. As explained below, you can use our RSS feed to get alerts about new Beacon content. The Beacon's main RSS feed is here.
For more about RSS, read this quick introduction or watch this video: RSS in simple English.