twist and shout january 2012

W i s h i n g y o u a P r o s p e r o u s 2 0 1 2 !

ARTS MUSIC FOOD FILM BOOKS THEATREJanuary 2012

MMaannssoonn NNoorrtthhwweesstt WWeebbsstteerr Manson Northwest Webster CCoommmmuunniittyy SScchhoooollss Community Schools

MMNNWW 2211sstt CCeennttuurryy TTeecchhnnoollooggyy MNW 21st Century Technology

Learning Today. Preparing for Tomorrow.

mnwcougars.com mnwcougars.com

High School 712-469-2245

Elementary 515-542-3211

Central Office 712-469-2202

MMaasstteerriinngg MMaasstteerriinngg Mastering NNeeww WWoorrllddss NNeeww WWoorrllddss New Worlds

“We believe all children can achieve”

For Tickets: Stephens Auditorium Ticket OfficeTicketmaster: www.ticketmaster.com or

1-800-745-3000 | All Ticketmaster Outlets

Supported byFriday, February 17 at 7:30 pm Tickets: $37 and $33

$25 ( 18 & under)

GET AWAY THIS FEBRUARY TO A GREAT SHOW!

MONTANA REPERTORY THEATRE

2005 PULITZER PRIZE FOR DRAMA

JOHN PATRICKSHANLEY’S

DoubtA PARABLE

Tuesday, February 23 at 7 pm Tickets: $51 and $47 | $28 ( 18 & under)

Sponsored by

University Park

(

w w w . t w i s t a n d s h o u t . n e t • j a n u a r y 2 0 1 22(

These are just a few of the great photos on our new 2012 Historic Calendar. They will be available at all participating advertisers or by sending your order to Twist & Shout.

F OR Y OUR 2012 C ALENDAR : S END $6 T O T WIST & S HOUT • P. O . B OX 303 • F ORT D ODGE , I A 50501

# of calendars: ___

name:

address:

2012 T WIST & S HOUT H I S TO R I C P H OTO C A L E N DA R

P IC K U P Y O UR 2012 C ALEN DAR A FTER D EC EM BER 10 TH A T A N Y O F T HES E A DVERTIS ERS !

Iowa Hea rt, M a g g io Den ta l, A-1 Hom e Hea lth C a re, C S Ba n k, Brow n ’s S hoe, M a ria n Hom e, Fron tier C om m u n ica tion s, G u n d erson Fu n era l Hom e, Frien d ship Ha ven , Tea Thym e, The C ella r, Trin ity

W ou n d C en ter, La u fersweiler’s Fu n era l Hom e, Da n iel Tire

(

w w w . t w i s t a n d s h o u t . n e t • j a n u a r y 2 0 1 2 3(

Lynne & Jack Gonner took Twist & Shout to Samburu Village in Loisaba, Kenya and shared it with

the youth of the village.

LOOK WHO’S READING!

nside this issue you’ll read about some of the fun

ways to start off 2012.

The annual Hospice Ball will be held on Saturday,

February 4th. Read inside how a fun evening can truly

benefit a fabulous cause. Twist & Shout had a wonder-

ful visit with Betty Geist, who knows first-hand what a

great thing Hospice is.

St. Edmond is gearing up for the annual ‘CatholicSchools Week’, which starts at the end of January. The

students spend the week doing all kinds of fun activi-

ties, and immerse themselves just a little more into the

Holy Trinity Parish life. Read more inside- and find out

how you can be part of it.

Katie Averill’s column this month has to be one of my

favorites. It does a great job of reminding us just what

is important, and also gives you some super New

Year’s Resolutions, that is, if you don’t already have

some yourself. I’m going to name of few of my

favorites from her list.

• Don’t compare your life to others; you have no idea

what their journey is all about.

• It’s ok to get angry with God; He can take it.

• When in doubt, take the next small step.

• Believe in miracles.

• However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

• Be eccentric now.

Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

• Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

And my favorite.

• Burn the candles. Use the nice sheets. Eat off the good

china. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is

special.

Nick and I would like to wish you a very Happy NewYear. Twist & Shout is heading into their 20th year of

publication. We honestly don’t know where the years

have gone- but we do know it’s been a great ride. We

would like to hear from you in the coming months-

what you’ve most enjoyed about the entertaining

opportunities we’ve brought to you over the years, as

well as your favorite interviews, columns and stories.

(FROM THE EDITOR

)

*All photos submitted to Twist & Shout

become property of Twist & Shout.

We are not responsible for their return.

Twist & Shout is published monthly by Ogden

Newspapers, Inc.

All content and opinions expressed may not be

those of the publishers. twistandshout.net

TWIST & SHOUT723 central avenue, fort dodge, iowa 50501

fax 515-574-4510 phone 515-576-0250www.twistandshout.net

MANAGING EDITOR:

anne kersten

LAYOUT AND DESIGN:

nick manwarren

SALES:

mary sherman

jennifer schertz

COVER PHOTO:

submitted by Hospice

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

tom tourville

bill mcintyre

sarah estlund

angela trevino

katie averill

DISTRIBUTION:

pam haldin

JANUARY 20121

INSIDE! WHAT’S

Trinity Hospice Ball 2012

Volume 21 • Issue 1

Stella’s Stories �activities for you and

7&8

A Boomer’s Story �the feminine touch

10

Indoor Triathlon �February 25th at The Rec Center

A Look Back remembering the vultures

Catholic Schools Week �january 29th thru february 4th

10

12

15

18-19

your best friend

21

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 1JANUARY,

2 0 1 2

Member of Greater Fort Dodge Area Chamber of Commerce

(


I

From the EditorFrom the Editor( )

ST. EDMOND CATHOLIC SCHOOL pre-school - high school

“Where values & academics meet”

955-6077 CALL

When it comes to your child, isn’t it worth it?

To learn about sponsorship opportunites or to donate silent or live auction items. Call Deb Johnson at 515-576-7394.

Brought to you by:

2012 Webster County Sweetheart Gala

Saturday, March 3, 2012 • 6:00 pm - 12:00 am Fort Dodge Country Club

Honoring: Trinity Regional Medical Center & Iowa Heart Center

(


WELCOME

to Webster City Medical Clinic

Abhishake Kaapuraala, M.D.

Now accepting patients. Please call for an appointment.

Specializing in Family Practice, seeing all ages.

WEBSTER CITY MEDICAL CLINIC 1610 Collins St., Webster city, IA 50595

515.832-6123 www.webstercitymedicalclinic.com

Caption

First Place: Rob Brennan“A responsible storm trooper dosn’t drink

and fly!”

Second Place: Joel Hamlow

"All aclone”

Third Place: Darren Driscoll

Go to our facebookpage to CaptionTwist next months picture.

or email us at [email protected]

“Note to self...awesome for Comicon doesn’t equate to

awesome for job interview”

February’s Photo!

Think Yougot thechops?

A Trusted Friend, when you’re in need.

Still Looking for a New Year’s Resolution?

“It is easier

than you think.”

-Janet Hubbell

Funeral Pre-planning is a great one.

1615 North 15th Street • Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 • 576-7128 www.gundersonfuneralhome.com

Licensed Funeral Director Pre-Planning Consultant

wwwwww..ffddwwaatteerr..ccoomm wwwwww..ffddwwaatteerr..ccoomm www.fdwater.com YYoouurr CCoommpplleettee WWaatteerr SSttoorree Your Complete Water Store

612 S. 32nd St. Fort Dodge, IA 50501

515-576-6481 800-397-0025

Start the New Year off with the perfect cup of coffee

12 cup stainless steel. Very High quality and

automatic shut off after brew cycle is completed.

Stop to see and sample the many flavors.

(


(


night of dancing, food and fun awaits those who attend the

20th Annual Hospice Ball. The Ball will be held at the Starlite

Village, in Fort Dodge on February 5th, and begins with a social

hour at 6:00 pm. A buffet dinner will follow with short program

sand dancing. There will also be a silent auction throughout the

evening as well, and includes three quilts, a $500 Hy

Vee card as well as a $200 Hy Vee Meat bundle; and two

Casey’s gift cards, valued at $300 and $200.

Co-chairs for the Ball are Dan and Sheila Cole and Anita

and Jim Burr. The Development coordinator for Trinity

Health Foundation is Carol Grannon. She also works

closely with Hospice and said; “All our chairs have been

affected by Hospice, in one way or another. Dan Cole

has been the Medical Director since Hospice started 30

years ago. And Jim Burr was also on the task force that

met in the early 1980’s for Hospice.” Grannon added that

a daughter of a patient commented to her that after

admitting her Mother to Hospice, “it allowed me to be

her daughter, not her caregiver.”

Anita Burr said she feels Hospice is important because it

provides care beyond cure, “and that means physically,

emotionally mentally and spiritually. Everyone is special-

ly trained for end of life care, clear down to the wonderful

volunteers who assist in many ways,” said Burr.

Anita said she first experienced Hospice when her hus-

band Kenn Patterson was dying in 1998. “Following his

death, I went to every ‘grief and growth’ class they offered

that winter. Soon afterwards I was asked to serve on the board.”

Jim Burr said he feels Hopsice is important, “because death is a

normal part of life. Not everyone will need all medical specialists

during their life but everyone will die. Hospice helps make what

can be a physically and emotionally painful process an easier and

more edignified one.”

Burr’s wife Lisa died of lung cancer.

“Because of Hospice she was relatively

comfortable up to the very end. She

was able to die at home. She visited with

her family in the comfort of familiar surroundings. Her death

came peacefully during the night. I believe all of this was made

possible by her participation in Hospice.”

Betty Geist also had very good things to say about how Hospice

affected she and her family. Betty’s husband of 41 years, John,

died of lung cancer on March 24th, 2011. When asked what she

thought of Hospice, she had one word. “Peace”. She said it

was so com-

forting. “They were so good to John. I remember watching one of

the nurses with him towards the end and thinking- ‘she’s like an

angel.””

Betty explained that John had been sick and in and out of the hos-

pital quite often. “I remember the Dr. telling us that there was

nothing more that could be done for him, and it was time for me

to be his wife and not his caregiver,” said Betty. At that point, she

said one of the Hospice personel, Michelle Johnson, took over. She

took care of details and took a huge weight off of my shoulders.”

Betty had high praises for one remembrance Hospice gave to her

event( )

“

“

When asked to describe Hospice... she had one word.Peace.

Trinity Hospice presents the 20th annual

A

(

8( w w w . t w i s t a n d s h o u t . n e t • j a n u a r y 2 0 1 2

and her children, Laura and Brad. “They

took an impression of John’s finger and had

it made into a charm,” explained Betty.

“Laura and I wear ours as a necklace every

day.” She explained that they received a lot

of donations to Hospice after his death. “ So

we asked Hospice to make charms for other

people,” said Betty.

The Hospice Ball, hosted annually by

Trinity Hospice, is a celebration of the com-

passionate program and the long history of

caring that Trinity Hospice has in Fort

Dodge and the surrounding area.

One hundred percent of the proceeds

raised stays in our community to provide

staff education, family education materials,

community bereavement programs and

Hospice volunteer training. The funds

raised also assist with supplies or equip-

ment, special celebrations such as birthdays

or baptisms, communication devices,

library resources, music, Angel hands

molding, supplies to assist with dementia

patients, travel and covers end of life care

for individuals without funds.”

According to Janna Emick, manager of

Trinithy Hospice, Trinity Hospice is very

fortunate to have the support of so many

committed and talented individuals.

“Everyone who comes to the ball has a dif-

ferent connection, but they all share the

same passion- to support Trinity Hospice.

We are grateful for the support and believe

in what we do- and for the privilege of car-

ing for your loved ones.”

hospice ball(

Hospice Statistics

(based on a 12 month period)

Home Hospice:

Number of admits: 299

Average daily census: 74

Average length of stay: 82 days

Total hospice patient days: 22,493

Paula J. Baber Hospice Home:

Number of Admits: 286

Average daily census: 5

Average length of stay: 11 days

Total hospice patient days: 1,601

moreinfo :

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AT WILLOW RIDGE : JANUARY 26-28, FEBRUARY 2-4, 2012

“DEADPAN” MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE THURSDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE

5:30-9:00PM—$35/PERSON SATURDAY MATINEES—MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE

11:30AM– 2:30PM—$25/PERSON SUNDAY - JANUARY 29

EVENING ART EXPOSÈ (4-7 PM) (Cash bar—Complimentary Hors d’ oeuvres)

MONDAY - JANUARY 30 EVENING OF IMPROV (6-8PM) AND FRENCH CUISINE (5:30—9:00PM)

TUESDAY - JANUARY 31 ARTISTS @ THE MIC (6-8PM) AND FRENCH CUISINE (5:30-9:00PM)

WEDNESDAY - FEBRUARY 1 AN EVENING OF CABARET (6-8PM) AND FRENCH CUISINE (5:30-9:00PM)

WORKSHOPS AT IOWA CENTRAL MONDAY—JANUARY 30

SINGER’S WORKSHOP11:30AM-1PM—MUSIC DEPT. TUESDAY—JANUARY 31

ACTOR’S WORKSHOP 10:00AM-NOON—BHS 105 WEDNESDAY—FEBRUARY 1

SONGWRITER’S WORKSHOP 12:45-2:00PM—MUSIC DEPT.

**THESE WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC**

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-800-362-2793, X 1292

FOR RESERVATIONS FOR THE MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE CALL 515-576-5711

IOWA CENTRAL CULINARY AND FINE ARTS WEEK

“ARTS AT THE RIDGE & MORE” JANUARY 26—FEBRUARY 4, 2012

)

Trinity Hospice Ball 20·12

To every thing there is a season... ...a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3

February 4, 201220th Annual Trinity Hospice Ball

Starlite VillageJunction of HWY 7 & 169, Fort DodgeTickets go on sale January 9, 2012For more information contactTrinity Health Foundation515.574.6509

$40 individual$50 a�er January 29, 2012Reserved table of 4 = $300Reserved table of 8 = $600

y 4, 2012raurbeF

y 4, 2012

y 4, 201220th l Taunn A

gealli V ViteilratSHf n oiotcunJ WY

le Jal n so oets gkicTmaroe inf foror moF

oh Ftth Flalety HinirTTr515.574.6509

ice Bposty Hinirl T TrgeWY 7 & edgot Dro F9,6 1&

y 9, 2012raunale Jtactnn coiotma

niotatduno

laice B l

s a se ierre ihg tnihy tverry to eTTo e

d a tnn, aruoo me tmi...a t

laluidvdi$40 iny 29, 2012raunaer J�$50 af 4 = $300le obabd tevveerResf 8 = $600le obabd tevveerRes

n...oases a s

e.cnao de tmid a tes 3tsalesiccE

y 29, 2012f 4 = $300f 8 = $600

(


�,)*�*�0��.�$)/��**')#�*�0��#�+,)�*��')��(�&��,&�"�0��# +��"'((��(%��+"��-�&,��',+"�0��')+��'�!��

��

�Special"Thymes"on a ColdJanuary

Afternoon!

�#**/��#$$*��

�#$��&��$%�)*��

�#**/� �)$*'&��

��$�/��#$$*��

��#&�

ark your calendars now for the 2012American Heart Associations’

Sweetheart Gala. Event Organizer DebJohnson said this will be the 15th annualgala, and over $550,000 has been raisedsince 1996. “All funds raised are used foreducation and research to fight cardiovas-cular disease, the number one killer of bothmen and women in the United States,” saidJohnson.

The event will be held on Saturday, March3rd at the Fort Dodge Country Club.Johnson said they will also feature the par-ticipants of the Trinity Healthy Weight 4 lifeInitiative. “I’m very excited that our themeis once again ‘Stayin’ Alive,” said Johnson.“So dig out your best 70’s attire!”

The evening will include live and silent auc-tion, appetizers and dinner as well as an all-night dessert buffet. Music will be providedby Dean Vinchattle, who promises to keepthe disco rocking. For more informationcontact Deb Johnson at 576-7394.

Sweetheart Gala

Stayin Alive!

Watch for more on the Sweetheart Ball in the February Twist & Shout

moreinfo :

M

(


t. Edmond Catholic school teachers and students

are busy getting ready for their annual Catholic

Schools week, which will be held the week of

January 29th through February 4th. The week will be

filled with many different activities, and will culmi-

nate with an all-school Mass. Twist and Shout met

with Catholic Schools

president Dr. Tim

Barry to discuss the

upcoming week.

Barry said the theme

for the week is

‘Catholic Schools-

Faith, Tradition and

Service.’

“This theme echoes

our mission state-

ment, ‘where values

and academics

meet”, said Barry.

“Catholic Schools

week is not just a tra-

dition; it is a celebration of Catholic Education in our

nation.”

Barry said that Catholic education began in the Fort

Dodge area in 1862. “Since then our school has pros-

pered because of the long standing message that we

reinforce every day. Our students learn the lessons

that will help to form their character for the rest of

their lives,” he said. “Our teachers and staff are the

core of this task. Because of their dedication to our

mission, they nurture and grow the hunger for

knowledge within each of our students.”

Monsignor Kevin McCoy added that Christian for-

mation that takes place at the Catholic school is

aimed at serving the needs of the student far beyond

his or her academic formation. “The Christian

atmosphere promotes a safe environment to query

the greater meaning of our earthly existence.” He

added that students learn about the Lord’s saving

passion and death as they observe the liturgical cycle

within the school itself. “These are faith realities that

will serve the student well into his/her adult years

as he or she faces life’s challenges and opportuni-

ties.” He stressed that the students will have a moral

system with9in which to form their conscience

choice. “Decisions are not a matter of whimsy they

are a matter of our intellect being formed by the

truths of our Christian faith.”

january 29th thru february 4th

education( )St. Edmond to Celebrate

S

(


Fr. Shane Deman comment-

ed that he feels Catholic

School’s week give every-

one a chance to reflect on

who there are. “We’re pri-

marily a community of faith

seeking to do the will of

Christ. In education and

forming our young stu-

dents in the ways of the

Lord, we always strive to

do so through vibrant

faith, strong academics

and generous service.”

Fr. Shane added,

“Catholic school’s week also helps us real-

ize that as a school, St. Edmond wouldn’t exist

without the generosity of many past alumni,

teachers and benefactors. Hopefully we continue

to live up to the vision they set forth.”

D r .

Barry is excited about the newest academic ven-

ture the school has embarked upon. “We have

issued new laptops to our high school students.

Technology continues to advance and we are

embarking on the journey of moving our students

in the direction that will prepare them for their

lives beyond the walls of St. Edmond. Each of our

teachers is enthused about incorporating this new

tool for their students learning into their lessons

each day and has come up with some neat ways to

use the laptops. Our staff and students continue to

exceed our expectations.”

During the week all the mass ministries such as

greeters, gift bearers and lectors will be filled by St.

Edmond students or family members. “The week

gives St. Edmond an opportunity to show our

appreciation for Holy Trinity’s commitment,” said

Barry.

““

St. Edmond wouldn’t exist without the generosity of many pastAlumni, Teachers, and benefactors

event( )

Indoor Triathlon rganizers are preparing for the 4th annual Indoor Tri- atriathlon that will be held on Saturday, February 25th at

the Fort Dodge Rec Center at 1422 1st Avenue South. Alongwith the regular division, there will be a youth triathlon aswell. The adult Tri will include a 10 minute swim, a 20

minute bike and a 15minute run. The youth Triwill be shorter, by a fewminutes for each event.There are also different agedivisions and they include;10-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39,40-49, 50-59 and 60-69.

There will also be a ‘Team’event, with up to three peo-ple on a team. For example,one to swim, one to bikeand one to run, or any com-bination.

The ‘first wave’ for theadult division will began at7:30 am, with the first waveof the youth division start-ing at approximately noon,when the adults are done.

According to one of the organizers, Craig Jarrard the RecIndoor Triathlon is for any age and any level athlete. “Wehave two distances for the kids and another distance for any-one; kids, adults and teams. Jarrard said the event is toencourage participation and offer a personal challenge to beaccomplished by anyone. He said they started it to encour-age working out through the tough winters. “We wanted togive people something to train for during the ‘indoor sea-son’ in Iowa.”

Jerrard said the triathlon is “basically 45 minutes of workingout.” He stressed that those interested should not be afraidof the swim. “We encourage any level of swimmer; you canwalk the shallow end, use a kickboard, or hang on to thelane markers if needed.” He said there will be workoutsoffered through the Rec Center during January andFebruary.

He added that there will be individual awards for the topmale and top female of the race, as well as medals for 1st,2nd and 3rd place in each age division, male and female.“We will also give individual team medals to the top 3 teamsand participation medals for everyone.”

Jerrard said if you are interested in volunteering for theevent, to contact Dave Pearson, Event Coordinator, at 573-7107.

February 25th at Fort Dodge Rec Center

For more information go to fdcrc.org or fortdodgetrisport.com

moreinfo :

(


O


DANIEL TIRE CO. 515-573-7621

GET THE RIGHT TIRES FROM THE RIGHT TIRE DEALER.

DANIEL TIRE CO.

P A S S E N G E R

Tiger Paw® Touring T-Rated

Michelin® offers safe, fuel efficient, long-lasting tires provide exceptional performance and extraordinary value.

• Provides efficient w

acuationater ev• Provides efficient w

xceptional performance and eovide e pr

.dinary valueaorxtr nce and e

TIRE COANIEL Dve S • Ft DodgeAAve S • Ft Dodge520 1st

Monday - Friday 8:00 - 5:00 • Satur

G

• Provides efficient w

G

wa detaat

• Offers the responsive handling of a performance tire

All-season tread delivers • all-weather performance

.TIRE CO IA 50501,, IA 50501ve S • Ft Dodgeday 8:00 - 12:00Monday - Friday 8:00 - 5:00 • Satur

515-573-7621

acuationater ev• Provides efficient w• Offers the responsive handling

of a performance tireAll-season tread delivers all-weather performance

515-573-76217621

for information

& enjoy the delicious food at

Cellar The

Junction of 169 & 20 (Budget Host Inn) 576-2290

The Opera House

573-3395 or 576-2290

The perfect spot for: Business Meetings • Receptions

Private Luncheons

Come in from the Cold!

Riley-Armstrong Plumbing & Heating

11 No. 20th St. • Fort Dodge

(515) 955-2232

FFOORR AALLLL YYOOUURR FFOORR AALLLL YYOOUURR FOR ALL YOUR PPLLUUMMBBIINNGG NNEEEEDDSS!! PPLLUUMMBBIINNGG NNEEEEDDSS!! PLUMBING NEEDS!

High Water Bills?

24 Hour Service!

Wishing you a

Great 2012!

OPEN SATURDAYS & TUESDAY EVENINGS TO SERVE YOU!

24 S OUTH 14 TH S TREET • F ORT D ODGE , IA Hours: MWTHF 7:30am - 6pm T UES. 7:30am- 8pm SAT . 8am - Noon

Treating All Forms Of Acute & Chronic PAIN! CALL 515-576-2183

Dr. Brady Pearson Certified in A.R.T.

Dr. Carrie Jo Calisesi Certified in Acupuncture

Dr. John Calisesi Utilizing Decompression &

Acupuncture for Pain Control

(


he Tony Award-winning Best Musical of2005, Monty Python's Spamalot, will visit

Stephens Auditorium, Ames for one perform-ance on January 14.

Lovingly "ripped-off" from the internationallyfamous comedy team's most popular motionpicture, Monty Python and the Holy Grail,Monty Python's Spamalot is the winner ofthree 2005 Tony Awards including BestMusical and Best Director (Mike Nichols), aswell as the Drama Desk and Outer CriticsCircle awards for Best Musical.

The original cast recording of Monty Python’sSpamalot won the 2006 Grammy Award forBest Musical Show Album.

Based on the Tony Award-winning direction of MikeNichols and the riotous choreography of CaseyNicholaw, Monty Python's Spamalot features a bookby Eric Idle, based on the screenplay of Monty Pythonand the Holy Grail by Monty Python creators GrahamChapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, TerryJones and Michael Palin, with music and lyrics by theGrammy Award-winning team of Mr. Idle andJohn Du Prez.

Telling the legendary tale of King Arthur and theKnights of the Round Table, and their quest forthe Holy Grail, Monty Python's Spamalot fea-tures a chorus line of dancing divas and knights, flatu-lent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and one legless knight.

Monty Python's Spamalot is produced by Stephen B.Kane, Michael McFadden and Phoenix Entertainment.

Mike Nichols has been acclaimed as one of the great-est American directors in film, theater and television.He has won the Academy Award and eight TonyAwards. He recently received the Directors' Guild ofAmerica Award for Lifetime Achievement as well as aDGA Award for the direction of the HBO adaptation ofAngels in America.

Casey Nicholaw’s outstanding work on MontyPython’s Spamalot earned him nominations for theTony Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award and theDrama Desk Award. He followed up Monty Python’sSpamalot with another smash hit Broadway musical,The Drowsy Chaperone, for which he earned numer-ous nominations as director and choreographer.

Aside from his work with MontyPython in films and on TV, EricIdle has written a West End play,Pass the Butler; three novels,including The Road to Mars, TheRutles - A Mockumentary; andmany songs too rude to men-tion. He has sung opera, actedin movies, appeared on televi-sion and crossed America per-forming comedy on The GreedyBastard Tour. His diary of his15,000 mile journey by bus wasrecently published by HarperCollins, and his long awaitedsequel The Rutles2: Can't BuyMe Lunch was released by

Warner Video in March. There's no saying what hemight do next...

John Du Prez has composed over 20 feature filmscores including A Fish Called Wanda, A PrivateFunction, The Meaning of Life, Personal Services, UHF,and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I, II & III. He hasworked with Eric Idle since 1978.

Monty Python isn't a person, but a group of Britishactors and writers (and one American) that performedtheir famous comedy show Monty Python's FlyingCircus on the BBC from 1969 to 1974, with subsequentinternational fame and success.

The Celebrity Café Preview speaker will be Matt Fossof ISU Theater. This presentation is free for allSpamalot ticket holders and begins one-half hourbefore curtain time.

“

“

Monty Python’s Spamalot features a chorus line of dancing and knights, flatulent Frenchmen, Killer Rabbits and one legless kinight

T

(


’m sure the name of the Vultures does not bring a lot of recognitionfor Fort Dodge rock and roll fans, especially that they only played

Fort Dodge once, and that was in the Fall of 1965.

Given that fact, one of the most fun aspects in doing this column, is tolook back at those often “one hit wonders” in terms of appearances orimpact on the Fort Dodge rock and roll scene over the years.

This past Spring a reader of the column sent me an e-mail asking if Iremembered the Vultures. My response, was yes, as I have long consid-ered this SouthernMinnesota band havinghad one of the very bestrecords to come from thegopher state’s recordingscene from the decade ofthe 1960's.

The group calledWestbrook, Minnesotahome, and might havebeen the only rock bandto have hailed from thistiny S.W. Minnesota com-munity.

The group consisted of:Wally Bloch- bass guitar,John Pederson-lead gui-tar, Jim Pederson-rhythmguitar, and Roger Sondergaard-drums. The Pederson brothers were iden-tical twins.

The band was only together for a short two years, 1964-1966, but thatwas not unusual for high school based bands from the 60's.

In the Summer of 1965, they would travel to Mankato, Minnesota. In theKTOE Radio Studios they recorded their only record release . It is simplyan incredible two-sider titled, “Baby, What You Want Me To Do/GoodLovin”. It was released on the JRJ Records label (JRJ Rec. 105) that at thetime was owned by Jim Rudd and Roger O’Day, two well known So.Minnesota radio DJ’s.

I’ve been asked before, what does the record sound like? It’s got the early60's pop feel of the Everly Brothers vocal style, meeting an amped upgarage style music arrangement, for one incredible 60's record. Can youbelieve this, the record was pressed into only 500 copies for a whoppingcost of $275!! Can you see a record company of today putting out a CDsingle for under $300?

One of the more popular ways to promote bands in the 60's was a “Battleof the Bands”. The Vultures hooked up with the Continental Co-ets, theall girl band from Fulda, Minnesota and drew huge teen crowds withtheir “Battle of the Sexes” rock and roll package show.

At this time, they traveled a sizeable territory. Because not that manybands had their own record out, they were booked all over the Midwest.On the lone date they played our Fort Dodge on a Friday night, the verynext night they performed in Minot, North Dakota. About a 16-18 hourone way drive.

They had the good fortune to open for the Everly Brothers and MitchRyder & the Detroit Wheels. Once they were booked in South Dakota toopen for J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers. The problem, J. Frank had noCavaliers with him, so the Vultures had to quickly learn the J. FrankWilson song list in just a matter of minutes. Ah yes, you had to love rockand roll.

After the breakup of the Vulture, the various members went on to playwith such groups as: Bar None, D.C. & Company, Split Image Band,Night Sounds and Loose Change.

When I look back at a storylike this, I really do appre-ciate all that some incredi-ble Midwest based musi-cians have given to us forso many years.

Side Bar: I’m saddened tonote the passing of a realFort Dodge rock and roller,Dean Morris of the SkiBand. I’ve never met amusician that was moreproud to be from Ft. Dodgeand his love of music andhis band mates. We’ll misshim!

from page 7B The Pulse

Until Next MonthTake Care &

Remember The Music

REMEMBERING THE VULTURESA Look Back( )By Tom Tourville

A LOOK BACK BY TOM TOURVILLE

LOOKING FOR THEIR ROCK AND ROLL PREY

I

answers

SUDOKU

( )

By Katie Averill

Acts of Kindness

1. Be kind.

2 . Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

3. When in doubt, just take the next small step

.

4. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is fu

tile.

5. You don't have to win every argument. Agr

ee to disagree.

6. Life is short, eat dessert first.

7. Your job won't take care of you when you ar

e sick. Your friends and

parents will. Stay in touch.

8. Pay off your credit cards every month.

9. Cry with someone. It's more healing than cr

ying alone.

10. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can

take it.

11. Save for retirement starting with your firs

t paycheck.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry

.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You

have no idea what their journey

is all about.

14. Everything can change in the blink of

an eye. But don't worry; God

never blinks.

15. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

16. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, b

eautiful or joyful.

17. Whatever doesn't kill you really does m

ake you stronger.

18. When it comes to going after what y

ou love in life, don't take no for an

answer.

19. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets,

eat off the good china. Don't save

it for a special occasion. Today is special.

20. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old ag

e to wear purple.

21. No one is in charge of your happiness

but you.

22. Frame every so-called disaster with th

ese words 'In five years, will this

matter?'

23. What other people think of you is non

e of your business.

24. Time heals almost everything. Give tim

e time.

25. However good or bad a situation is, it w

ill change.

26. Believe in miracles.

27. Growing old beats the alternative.

28. Your children get only one childhood.

29. If we all threw our problems in a pile

and saw everyone else's,

we'd probably grab ours back.

30. Envy is a waste of time.

31. No matter how you feel, get up, dress

up and show up.

32. The best is yet to come...

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of th

e Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

My wishes for a joyous, kind and successfu

l new year!

New Year’ s Resolutions

The Christmas season is over and we loo

k to 2011. It’s time for

a fresh start and new beginnings. Perh

aps you are pondering

your new year’s resolutions? Start with

this list composed by

a 90 year old woman. I believe when y

ou live to 90 you have

great perspective on life and what is

important. Being kind

always seems to top the list!

(


*Writers note: I wrote this for my colu

mn in January of 2011.

When I re-read this list I find a new pe

rspective. That woman

from Cleveland has some wise words t

o share. May the new

year bring us peace, hope and joy.

17(w w w . t w i s t a n d s h o u t . n e t • j a n u a r y 2 0 1 2

T HESE F INE B USINESSES S UPPORT C ATHOLIC S CHOOLS W EEK .

F ORT D ODGE Asphalt Co.

2516 7th Ave. S. • Fort Dodge, IA (515) 573-3124

110 South 21st St. • Fort Dodge

Design-Sales-Installation-Maintenance

• Experienced • Reliable • Insured • Certified Computer

Cabling • Restaurant Equipment

Repair • Energy Efficient Lighting

Thank you for voting us Best Electricians “A Complete Solution”

ELECTRIC AND TELEPONE INC.

• INDUSTRIAL • COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

55 11 55 -- 99 55 55 -- 33 22 55 77 5 1 5 - 9 5 5 - 3 2 5 7

Email - [email protected] • www.bemrich.com

Air Conditioning • Sheet Metal

COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • RESIDENTIAL

2120 2nd Avenue South • Fort Dodge, IA 50501 Phone: 515-573-2561 • Fax: 515-573-8855 • [email protected]

• ROBERT W. PATTERSON • MICHAEL J. OMANN • DAVID R. LANSING • DON B. LIVASY

Complete Plumbing & Heating Needs!

9 5 5 - 4 1 9 0

PEDERSON SANITATION

COMPACTOR & ROLL-OFF SERVICE

INDUSTRIAL • COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL • RURAL Fort Dodge, IA

Locally Owned Since 1950

WHERE VALUES & ACADEMICS MEET

CCAATTHHOOLLIICC CATHOLIC SSCCHHOOOOLLSS SCHOOLS WWEEEEKK WEEK

JANUARY 29 th - FEBRUARY 5th • ST. EDMOND CATHOLIC SCHOOL S p i r i t u a l Environment.

P e r s o n a l Attention.

A c a d e m i c Excellence.

Tipsters Remain

Anonymous

REWARDS UP TO $1,000

Phone Tips (515) 573-1444 Email Tips

www.wccrimestoppers.com

Text Your Tips 1. Enter C-R-I-M-E-S

(274637) for the number

2. Enter “LEC” at the start of the text message

3. Enter the rest of the Tip you want to send

4. Send the message

201 North 15th Street • Fort Dodge, IA 50501 (515)955-6125 DQ: 11:00am - 10:00pm

Double Cheeseburger & Fries $ 3 99

Open 6 AM - 10 PM • 7 Days a Week

CATERING AVAILABLE

Drive Thru “Dine In or Carry Out Food”

BB AA RR RR EE TT TT MM OO VV II NN GG BB AA RR RR EE TT TT MM OO VV II NN GG B A R R E T T M O V I N G && SS TT OO RR AA GG EE && SS TT OO RR AA GG EE & S T O R A G E

Long distance • International Intra-State • Electronics Call Ed Augustine for free estimates. 515-576-6333

I.C.C. MC 65781

We Sell New & Used Packing Material

Affiliated with United Van Lines

(


s you gaze around the popular musical landscape today you see as many women as

men among the best selling artists. In fact many of the world’s biggest pop stars are

women. It doesn’t matter if it’s rock, country or rhythm and blues the ladies are often

front and center. It isn’t always just as solo acts either. Many women are key pieces of

rock and country bands.

It wasn’t always that way. In fact during the Golden Era (1963-75) rock and roll was strict-

ly a man’s game. It was rare in the 60s and early 70s for a woman to have more than a

backup singer role in a rock band. There were a couple of notable exceptions of course,

with Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, but for the most part women weren’t showcased in rock

music as instrumentalists or as composers, and only rarely as lead vocalists.

Rock music, at least in its application, was for the male crowd, and women in those days

(Joplin and Slick aside) were not going to scream above the howl of Les Paul and

Telecaster guitars the way a Roger Daltrey (The Who) or Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)

would. It would not have been lady-like to prance about the stage the way Mick Jagger

did (and still does). Right or wrong, in those days, it was harder to take a woman seri-

ously in the business of heavy duty rock. The British Invasion bands of the 60s rarely

employed women. There were women singers, of course, who had hit records during that

time period on the pop side of rock. Motown actually featured more successful female

artists than any other branch of pop music at the time.

There had been popular female folk singers (Joan Baez), country

singers (Patsy Cline) and the early rock Doo-wop groups of the 50s fea-

tured many women. But rock and roll, as it evolved in the mid 60s, was

all about the men. From Dylan and the Beatles forward, through

Monterey, San Francisco, Woodstock and the singer songwriter years

of the early 70s, a disproportionately high number of popular rock

stars were men.

Jefferson Airplane vocalist Grace Slick was really the only female 60s rock star firmly

integrated in a high octane rock band. Slick was not an instrumentalist, but she was a

songwriter and vocalist with the power to carry above the thunder of a typical large

venue show by the San Francisco-based psych rock band.

The late Janis Joplin fronted several San Francisco rock bands, most notably Big Brother

and the Holding Company, during a short, but furious career. Originally a folk and blues

singer from Port Arthur, Texas, Joplin migrated to San Francisco and ultimately over-

powered any band she assembled. She didn’t play an instrument and wrote sparingly,

but her vocals were the stuff of legend. Even watching the very talented Lady Gaga sing

and perform on today’s stage it doesn’t compare to the manic vocal acrobatics of Janis

Joplin.

Cass Elliott and Michelle Phillips formed half of the pioneering folk rock band the

Mamas and the Papas in the mid to late 60s. Elliott was the star vocalist of the group, and

had she not died a premature death at age 32 may have risen to Bette Midler or Liza

Minnelli levels in the pop music world. It was Mama Cass who introduced David Crosby

and Stephen Stills to Graham Nash, thus helping to create one of the great rock and roll

bands in history.

Cher was another who could have been a major force in rock music. Instead, she became

a major force in pop music. It would have been fun, if during her short and ill-fated union

with Gregg Allman in the 70s, the lone surviving Allman Brother could have lured Cher

into a vocalist role with one of the greatest blues rock bands of all time. Of course Cher

had about as much chance of being a vocalist for the Allman Brothers Band, as Gregg had

of becoming a pop star. It was miserable failure on all counts. Still, the thought of Cher’s

sultry vocals on Gregg’s composition Midnight Rider, is an idea that should have hap-

pened. Sadly, it did not.

There are those who believe Aretha Franklin is the greatest female vocalist of all time. It

would be difficult to argue with that belief. The Queen of Soul had a voice like no other

and rhythm and blues was her territory and hers alone. She was a soloist and performed

with studio musicians. Again it would have been fun to see Aretha fronting a band like,

say, Sly and the Family Stone. Wow.

As Motown rockers go, none could top Tina Turner. Before moving on to disco and

lighter pop music, she was a rock and roll singer whose 1971 performance with her late

husband Ike Turner’s band on John Fogerty’s Proud Mary is still among the most dynam-

ic four minutes in rock and roll history. I wasn’t fond of much of anything Yoko Ono did,

including helping to break up the Beatles, but John Lennon said she and Paul McCartney

were the two greatest artists he ever worked with. Who are we to doubt John Lennon?

Arizona born songstress Linda Ronstadt was equally at home fronting a rock band or

country band. She also possessed the big voice that could handle the electric volume of

the country rockers of the period. In the beginning she was a member of the Stone

Poneys, a west coast folk rock band, but like most of the other women of the era, achieved

her greatest fame as a solo artist.

The late Sandy Denny was the terrific lead vocalist for England’s Fairport Convention in

the late 60s and early 70s. Fairport Convention remains to this day one of the greatest

overlooked bands in all of music during the Golden Era. Denny was a powerful English

folk rock singer and composer and was the driving force behind the original Fairport

band that also included Richard Thompson and Ian Matthews. She was 30 years old

when she died in 1978.

Carole King pumped out a string of hits in the early 70s for herself and others (James

Taylor). Unlike a lot of her female counterparts of the era, King was a strong songwriter

and played the piano too. But again, she achieved her success as a solo artist, not as a

band member.

Bonnie Bramlett was half of the husband and wife rock and roll team of Delaney and

Bonnie. A wailer on the order of Joplin, but a little less chaotic, Bonnie Bramlett was a

wicked blues rock singer. Los Angeles-based Delaney and Bonnie always were able to

surround themselves with some of the best musicians in the business from Eric Clapton

to Leon Russell. Their biggest hit song of the period, Never Ending Song of Love, is actu-

ally one of the tamest pieces the duo ever recorded.

Rita Coolidge rose to stardom as a member of Leon Russell’s rock music entourage, then

as a solo act and finally as Kris Kristofferson’s duet partner. Coolidge performed with all

of the Los Angeles-based country rock acts of the period. Emmy Lou Harris first surfaced

as a duet partner for country rocker Gram Parsons then went on to an iconic career of her

own.

The late Karen Carpenter was a pop singer, and a great one. Together with brother

Richard, the Carpenters cranked out some of the most familiar pop songs of the early 70s.

To call them rockers would be a stretch, but like with Cher, it might have been fun to see

what Karen Carpenter could have done with a straight ahead rock and roll song. I’m

guessing it would have been good.

To include Dolly Parton on this list might be even more of a stretch than adding Karen

Carpenter. During the 60s, Dolly was hard core country while singing with Porter

Waggoner. She began to cross over into pop music when she teamed up with Kenny

Rogers in the 70s, but Dolly, like several other women on this list, could sing high ener-

gy pop rock songs if she wanted to. Dolly was a triple threat. She could sing, play and

write and she’s as much at home with mountain music as she is with pop rock. It might

have been fun just once to sub in Dolly for Grace Slick during a Jefferson Airplane show

in 1968. Would have been great!

A Boomer’s Story( )THE FEMININE TOUCHA

By Bill McIntyre

““

but Rock and Roll, as it evolved in the mid 60s,was all about the men.

CCEERRTTIIFFIIEEDD PPUUBBLLIICC AACCCCOOUUNNTTAANNTTSS

��"�� "�"�� "�� ""��&��!�� $��'� �� "�"�� "��#!��!" ��

�#��%� ��# �� !"��

Tax, Accounting & Financial Planning Services

101 North 27th Street • Fort DodgeToll Free: 855-576-0706

www.TrevinoCPAs.com & TrevinoAssociatesFinancial.com

• Tax Planning & Preparation

• Retirement & Financial Planning

• Bookkeeping

• Compiled or Reviewed Financial

Statements

• QuickBooks ProAdvisors on staff

• Business Succession Planning

& Financial Consulting

MMoorree tthhaann jjuusstt aa ttaaxx rreettuurrnn!!

Is it time to switch

accountants?

Bill McIntyre’s(


20bestfemaleartistsofpoprock

Don Woodruff, Bennett O’Connor, Steve Kersten and Jeff Coulson in New York City at the Packers game!

1963-75

Janis JoplinThe Jimi Hendrix of female

vocalists.

Rita CoolidgeEvery male singer wanted her

as duet partner.

Michelle PhillipsComplimentary voice to themore powerful Mama Cass.

Bonnie BramlettMy favorite rock and roll female

vocalist.

Carole KingGreat writer, great singer

(female counterpart of kindredsoul James Taylor).

CherGreat singer who preferred life

as a pop star.

Dolly PartonDelicate, but powerful voice

could cover any musical ground.

Emmy Lou HarrisDiscovered by country rock

pioneer Gram Parsons.

Diana RossThe Supremes were Motown’s

best female vocal group.

Joan BaezFolk music giant dabbled in

country and rock.

Joni MitchellDitto Joan Baez.

Yoko OnoInspired Lennon’s Plastic Ono

Band excursion.

Karen CarpenterRadio friendly songs were her

specialty.

Carly SimonFolk rock singer who could work the pop charts too.

Sandy DennyEnglish folk rock master stylist.

Linda RonstadtCountry or rock with a

big, big voice.

Cass ElliottIt took the Mamas and the

Papas too long to realize shewas the star of the group.

Grace SlickBest ever hard rock female

vocalist.

Tina TurnerWatch the Proud Mary

performance.

Aretha FranklinQueen of Soul

(female counterpart of the late,great Otis Redding).

(


RELEA

SE DA

TE: SE

PTEMB

ER 13

, 2011

Who: GROUPLOVE What: INDIE ROCK Album: Never Trust a Happy Song

RELEA

SE DA

TE: O

CTOB

ER 4,

2011

Who: MUTEMATH What: ALT ROCK Album: Odd Soul

Hear This!

RELEA

SE DA

TE: SE

PTEMB

ER 29

, 200

9

Here is a little taste of what the design staff at Twist and Shout is listening to this month... H E A R T H I S ! J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 2

Who: THE AVETT BROTHERS What: FOLK ROCK Album: I and Love and You

Coming AttractionJanuary 2012

ContrabandJanuary 13th

Cousins ReadingTwist & Shout at Steve’s Chili Dinner

hen was the last time you left your cell phone and laptop at home andreally spent quality time with your best friend? Here are a few ideas

to get you started. Your best furry friend will truly appreciate it and youwill wish you had done it sooner.

Take a walk/hike!I know, it sounds obvious but I can promise you there is nothing your dogenjoys more than taking a walk with you. Leave your iPhone at home.Make this about you and her. Just bundle up and take a nice long walk.Head to Crawford Park and hike through the woods!

Snuggle on the couch (or floor).Turn off your phone, turn off the TV and put down the book. Lay downon the couch, bed or floor with her. Pet her. Look at her and cherish thatmoment. I promise you one day when she is gone you will be so glad youdid. While you’re petting her, gently rub her all over (like a dog massage)and pay special attention to any lumps or bumps you may feel. This is agreat way to be proactive about finding cysts or tumors. Try to work thisin daily. She will love you for it.

Have a puppy play date.Know other dog lovers? Invite them to bring their dogs over for a puppyplay date. Have bagels and coffee and watch the dogs smell, play and thenwatch them sleep all afternoon! This is very important for socializationand will mean the world to your dog, as spending time with you WHILEplaying with others is a bonus!

Go on a car ride/through a drive-through.Unless he gets car-sick, roll the windows down slightly and watch himtake in all the smells. Go through the bank drive-through (most havetreats for dogs!) an ice cream shop drive-through (again, most have icecream doggie treats) or, a fast-food drive through. As a vegetarian, I havestill been known to go through a fast-food drive-through for the occa-sional treat for Stella and Max. Most veterinarians would cringe that I saidthat as obviously you shouldn’t feed him a Big Mac every week but I thinkthe occasional treat is good for the soul. Yours and his.

Play fetchIf your dog is of the fetching sort (mine are NOT) block 30 minutes intoyour schedule of uninterrupted time where you can go to a park andthrow the ball for her. Watch her tail wag, see her smile and know you’vejust made her very happy!

Get away for a night!Did you know Ft. Dodge has four dog-friendly hotels? Book a night andget away with him! Not your husband, your dog! What a great way tospend quality time together away from all the stresses of home.

Budget Host Inn116 Kenyon Road

Comfort Inn2938 5th Avenue South

Days Inn3040 5th Avenue South

Quality Inn2001 Highway 169 South

One activity I wanted to add to this list, although I did extensiveresearch for this in the Ft. Dodge area and was unable to find any busi-ness that offers it – is dog agility classes. I know Des Moines has aplethora of options. Agility class for him will be like spending an hourat Disneyland. If you’re able to make a day of it, go to Des Moines andlet him participate in a class. (I will continue researching Ft. Dodge andsurrounding areas for agility classes.)

Product Review: The Kong

The Kong is a rub-ber toy built towithstand destructionand powerful teeth!They retail for between$6.99 and $11.99. I recom-mend putting peanut butterinside the Kong – hours of distrac-tion for your dog! “Kong Stuff’n” isanother product, sold separately, that yousqueeze inside the Kong (comes out likecheese whiz) in liver, chicken and bacon/cheese flavor. I highly recom-mend the Kong, especially for larger dogs.

Stella’s Stories( )

By Sarah Estlundwith Stella & Max

W

Stella’s Stories ACTIVITIES FOR YOU AND YOUR BEST FRIEND(


(


@ the civic center( )

Civic Centerof Greater Des Moines

he Civic Center will be welcoming the new year

with a great new comedy at the Temple Theater

perfect for a “girls night out” or the perfect “date

night.” The show is BLIND DATE and is 90 minutes

of light-hearted fun and improv with lots of laughter.

Created by (and starring) Rebecca Northan, a

Canadian comedienne/improv master, BLIND DATE

takes a very simple premise and turns it upside

down.

The show opens with “Mimi,” a tempting Parisian,

waiting to meet her blind date – who doesn’t show

up. Getting sympathy from the audience, she resorts

to picking an unsuspecting gentleman from the audi-

ence to be her blind date. This unscripted roller-

coaster of genius improvisation is much like a real

blind date – but with an audience watching.

The show’s creator, Canadian-born Rebecca Northan,

stars as Mimi. An experienced actor and improviser,

Rebecca has appeared in leading roles in two

Canadian television series’ (CTV’s “Alice, I Think”

and Showcase’s “The Foundation”, as well as having

Guest Hosted CBC’s “This Hour Has 22 Minutes”).

Rebecca did her improv training at the world

renowned Loose Moose Theatre Company; is a

Second City Alumna and has appeared in countless

theatre productions. She is the recipient of a

Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Award for

improvisation, and a 2010 Betty Mitchell Award

(Calgary) for “Best Female in a Musical or Comedy”

for BLIND DATE. Rebecca has also been nominated

for a Gemini (Canada’s equivalent of The Emmy’s);

two Dora Award nominations for BLIND DATE

(Toronto); five Canadian Comedy Awards for “Best

Female Improviser and several Betty Mitchell awards

(Calgary), including one for Evil Dead the Musical .

Currently, Rebecca’s new play, Kung Fu Panties ,

which received rave reviews and a sold out run in the

Spring of 2011, is in further develop

I saw this show in Denver a few months ago and was

delighted and amused. While I felt for the man she

plucked from the audience, I also couldn’t wait to see

what was going to happen next. What’s so smart

about this show is that while it is considered to be

improv, “Mimi” keeps the blind date on track and

task. There’s even a Timeout Box – a place the date

goes when he gets out of line and is coached to

improve his “date manners” or calm his romantic

moves. But more importantly, after a few visits to the

Timeout Box, he earns the approval of the audience

and soon you begin rooting for the date to be a suc-

cess.

BLIND DATE is the first presentation of this 2011-

2012 Prairie Meadows Temple Theater Series at the

Civic Center’s Temple Theater and plays Jan. 4-22.

Tickets are on sale now.

It will be the funniest 90 minutes of the new year!

T

(


YOUNG ADULTMovie Reviews( )t seems to be that this holiday season there haven't been a lot of great

movies coming to the theatres. Or, maybe I should say there haven't

been anything that has struck a cord with me. Yes, the action-packed

movies are still around along with the great kid movies like "Hugo,

Sherlock Holmes, and We Bought a Zoo". But, I had heard great things

about "Young Adult" directed by Jason Reitman (Juno) and from the pre-

views was excited to see this drama. How disappointed I was after leav-

ing!

Mavis Gary played by the brilliant Charlize Theron, is a writer of young

teen books (the movie title refers to the genre of books Mavis authors).

We get the vibe from the very beginning that Mavis is a self-destructive

"young adult" that can't even seem to keep her life together. We first see

her in her junk ridden apartment in Minneapolis, she's drinking too

much, eavesdropping on teenagers when she's out for material for her

book, and having loveless sex on a regular basis. As she mindlessly

keeps going on with her life she has a sudden breakthrough, she wants

to reconnect with her high-school sweetheart. Now on a mission, she

heads for her hometown in search of re-kindling a romance with this guy

(played by Patrick Wilson) and doesn't bat an eye to the fact he is mar-

ried. For Mavis, nothing is standing in the way of her getting him back,

not even a wife or baby. Once a prom-queen why wouldn't he want to

run off with her?

While being home Mavis runs into an old highschool classmate Matt

Freehauf (Patton Oswalt). She has no recollection of who this guy is but

he sees right through her sad, depressing attempt at life and together

they form a bond. Both seem to come from two different planets but as

one looks closer they are painfully similar. Matt was a victim to a hate

crime back in high school leaving him disabled and Mavis is trying des-

perately to get back her married high school sweetheart. As you will see,

Mavis is most definitely disabled mentally and emotionally.

While this movie got rave reviews I just didn't get it. There is no doubt

Theron is a star on screen. We've seen her play a iron miner in "North

Country" and a prostitue/serial killer in "Monster". She's beautiful and

pulls the part off without a hitch. But this reviewer just didn't enjoy the

story-line. It doesn't mean you won't love it! Some dark, sardonic humor

hits home with a huge audience while other times it falls flat as it did

with me. I found it depressing and shocked that Mavis couldn't get out

of her funk. However, the actors in this film play their parts beautifully.

Wilson is good, he plays the happily married man with a new baby and

wife he adores to perfection. He has no clue what Mavis is up to and he's

playfully charming. While I won't be renting this movie I hope that you

all do. One wonderful thing about the movies is we all are able to come

away with our own interpretation of the film and what strikes a cord

with each one of us.

By Angela Trevino

3 . 5o u t o f 5 s t a r s

I

Civic Centerof Greater Des Moines

February 7 - 12

“GUARANTEED TO BE EVERYTHING YOU WISHED FOR, NOTHING LIKE

YOU EXPECTED, BUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL LOVE”

Rival ries Take to the Civic Center S tage in February

™ © BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

ies rries ll rRivaRival

e to the Civic Cenkke to the Civic CenaakTTaies

e to the Civic Cen

tr Sr S ttee to the Civic Cene to the Civic Cente

ebFFebge in aage in tta

ryuauaryrruaeb

Feb

12

CC I V I

ry 7 -ry 7 - 12ruaruary 7 -Feb

12

C E N T E R O F G R E A

. 28 – MAR

T E R D E S M O I N E S C E N T E R O F G R E A

FEB

. 28 – MAR

T E R D E S M O I N E S

. 4

T E R D E S M O I N E S

. 28 – MAR

twist and shout january 2012

Documents