Friday, May 18, 2012
The musical will run Thursday, May 17, through Saturday, May 19, at the school's Performing Arts Center.
Lemont High School students will bring the corruption and intrigue of the Prohibition era to the stage this weekend in their spring musical, Chicago. The show will run Thursday, May 17, through Saturday, May 19, at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center, 800 Porter St. Chicago satirizes the Prohibition-era corruption of the criminal justice system, as well as the phenomenon of celebrity criminals. The musical—made famous by the music of John Kander and choreography of Bob Fosse—originally debuted on Broadway in 1975, and is based on a 1926 play of the same name by Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins. She based her story on the criminals and crimes on which she reported. The Chicago of the 1920s featured hot jazz and cold-blooded …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Johnny Depp delivers a memorable, Van Winkle-esque performance
Has Johnny Depp ever turned in a poor performance? If so, I’ve never seen it. Whether he’s channeling Keith Richards (Pirates of the Caribbean), Hunter S. Thompson (The Rum Diaries), Ed Wood or even Edward Scissorhands, Depp always turns in a wonderful performance, and in Dark Shadows he again demonstrates his remarkable acting prowess. Depp is easily the best actor of his generation, sporting the intelligence and depth of Laurence Olivier, the suave charm of Adolphe Menjou and the humorous potential of Charlie Chaplin. He does whore himself out with the endless Piratestrain of sequels, but hey, in some ways, we all have to sell out somehow. Even Orson Welles pimped wine (when it was time). I arrived at the Cinemark Louis Joliet Theater a …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Tate Music Group recording artist Conor Matthews, 16, released his album, "It's the Change," last week on Amazon and iTunes.
Conor Matthews always dreamed of making it in the music business; he just never thought it would happen before he graduated high school. At just 16, Matthews already has a record deal with Tate Music Group, an independent recording company based in Oklahoma. His debut album, “It’s the Change,” became available on iTunes in February, and was officially released May 1 on Amazon.com. The Christian, pop/rock album has eight tracks, all written by Matthews himself. “This has been one of the most exciting times of my life,” he said. "It's definitely a dream come true." Matthews, a junior at Lemont High School, has wanted to be a musician for as long as he can remember. His parents, Linda and Craig Matthews, bought him a piano when he was 6, and…
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Crowds and the film’s length challenge the drama of "Avengers."
Usually I wait until later in the review to mention the overall time at the movies, but this week extenuating circumstances and a huge crowd of fans did affect our experience (I went with my three kids). But don’t worry, we still enjoyed it. Heading out to the Louis Joliet Cinemark was an adventure. A carnival in the mall parking lot snarled up traffic, and opening night of this spring’s blockbuster The Avengers meant a longer line than usual to get into the theater. Even though I ordered tickets online a day in advance, we still had to queue up behind four generations of moviegoers, which was cool. The last time I saw this many people at the theater was for Chronicle, but far and away the crowd at that one was around age 16 (despite its R…
Ensembles from Lemont High School and Old Quarry Middle School performed together Sunday.
Music students from Lemont High School and Old Quarry Middle School came together Sunday for the programs' annual Mega Band Concert. The concert featured performances from the Old Quarry beginning and concert bands, as well as the combined symphonic band and wind ensemble. Also performing were the Lemont High School concert band and the state champion symphonic band. During the event, band directors and parents paid tribute to Old Quarry music teacher Ken Marx, who is retiring this year after leading the middle school program for 33 years. Related stories: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Like what you see? Sign up for our daily email newsletter. Like us on Facebook for a slightly different take.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Old Quarry music teacher Ken Marx is retiring after leading the middle school band for 33 years.
Hundreds of students, teachers and parents paid tribute to longtime band director Ken Marx during the annual Lemont Mega Band Concert on Sunday. Each year, the Mega Band Concert brings together ensembles from Old Quarry Middle School and Lemont High School for a celebration of the town's exemplary music programs. On Sunday, however, the schools also celebrated Marx, who is retiring next month after leading the middle school band program for the past 33 years. The Lemont Band Boosters presented Marx with a lifetime achievement award during the concert. They also announced the new Kenneth R. Marx Award, which will be presented annually to an outstanding eighth-grade band student who shares his same love and passion for music and band. "Over …
Ensembles from Lemont High School and Old Quarry Middle School performed together Sunday.
Music students from Lemont High School and Old Quarry Middle School came together Sunday for the programs' annual Mega Band Concert. The concert featured performances from the Old Quarry beginning and concert bands, as well as the combined symphonic band and wind ensemble. Also performing were the Lemont High School concert band and the state champion symphonic band. During the event, band directors and parents paid tribute to Old Quarry music teacher Ken Marx, who is retiring this year after leading the middle school program for 33 years. Photos from the Mega Band Concert were provided by Lemont resident Peter Marzano of La Vita Bella Photography. Check out the complete gallery at http://pmarz.zenfolio.com/p32009872. Related stories…
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Seniors are invited to enjoy refreshments and a showing of the school's spring musical, Chicago, on Wednesday, May 16.
Lemont High School will host its annual “Senior Citizen Spring Social” on Wednesday, May 16, in conjunction with a dress rehearsal of its spring musical. A reception will be held from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., prior to a 7 p.m. showing of Chicago. The event is free of charge and is geared toward adults ages 55 and over, giving them a chance to mingle with the school’s students. Due to the event’s increasing popularity and space limitations, attendance will be limited to 120 guests. Senior citizens interested in attending the Senior Citizen Spring Social should call 630-243-3217 to RSVP. Attendees who call outside normal school hours are asked to leave a voicemail message with their name and phone number, and indicating the number of people …
Friday, May 4, 2012
Lemont was named top band in Class 3A at the 2012 State of Illinois Invitational High School Concert Band Contest, which was held April 27-28 at Illinois State University.
The Lemont High School Honors Symphonic Band added another major award to the music program's already impressive trophy case last month. Lemont was named topped band in Class 3A at the 2012 State of Illinois Invitational High School Concert Band Contest, which was held on April 27-28 at the Center for the Performing Arts at Illinois State University in Normal, IL This marked the eighth time Lemont has earned top honors in its class since 1994, but the first time since 2003. The State of Illinois Invitational High School Concert Band Contest, which is hosted by Illinois State University Bands, is an invitation-only event that brings together the state’s top bands, dividing them into six classes. Lemont’s Honors Symphonic Band not only was …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Cusack and crisp dialogue make this a moody classic.
The Raven isn’t really based on Edgar Allan Poe’s famed poem of the same name. Rather, it’s a sendup of his best writing, a greatest hits compendium of the macabre, murderous plotlines that Poe weaved into his short stories. Fellow English majors take note: This flick alludes to a libraryful of Poe’s works, many of which are quoted outright by John Cusack (who plays Poe here). The Masque of the Red Death, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Cask of Amontillado and a bunch of others are referenced in this picture, the stylishness of which is going to create a whole new generation of Poe fans. The eloquent dialogue here is both crisp and rife with sarcasm, in a dark, 19th-century way. For instance, Poe refers to fellow bar patrons as “mouth-…
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5:55 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Mr. Marx, Congratulations on your retirement. I enjoyed working with you immensely when I was accompanist at the grade school some years ago. You are truly a dedicated teacher! more ›