Friday, December 11, 2009

Springfield Ballet to stage 35th annual ‘Nutcracker’

In December 1975, The State Journal-Register reported on the swearing in of a new Supreme Court justice, carried an ad for “handsome shirts in a blend of acetate and polyester” (“perfect for leisure suits”) and noted that the newly formed Springfield Ballet Company would debut with a performance of “The Nutcracker.”

Today, Justice John Paul Stevens is the senior member of the Supreme Court, plastic shirts have gone out of style and the Springfield Ballet Company, led by artistic director Julie Ratz, is preparing to stage its 35th annual performance of “The Nutcracker” this weekend at Sangamon Auditorium.

Article by Brian Mackey
The State Journal-Register
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Thursday, December 3, 2009

Avenue Q is for you!

When Tim Kornblum auditioned for the latest national tour of “Avenue Q,” his being cast was not exactly a safe bet.

“This was my first professional audition,” Kornblum said in a recent telephone interview.

He was number 135 (“or something like that”) out of hundreds of men, went through four callbacks over the next month and was — much to his surprise — cast in the show at the end of July...

Article by Brian Mackey
The State Journal-Register
Read the article