February directives

Sorry to be bossy, but we do have a few instructions for you:

Do not miss your chance to see Shakespeare in Hollywood at the Civic Theatre. The remaining performances are Friday and Saturday, February 22 and 23, at 8 p.m. You'll enjoy the show and, in particular, the opportunity to see Mary Teutsch treading the boards. She--oh, and the show--got a boffo review in the Gazette. Call 343-1313 for tickets, or check the Civic's website.

Speaking of the Kalamazoo Gazette, see also the Young Artists column in the Sunday, February 17, edition--page D5. It doesn't seem to be available online yet, but it does feature four great young artists from Gull Lake High School.

The Battle of the Bands continues at Richland Area Community Center on certain Saturdays--for example, February 23 and March 22--from 5 to 11 p.m. Admission is only $8, and you can hear a whole host of up-and-coming local bands. Hear them here first!

And, HEY! Now you can buy a CD or download an MP3 file of the Gull Lake Girls' "Let's Have Some Fun (Hey)" at PayPlayFM, iTunes, CDBaby, and All Music. That's assuming you've had a chance to see their infectious video.

Jordan Lunardini has taken his blues guitar on the road and is playing in Florida and Nashville, Tennessee, about the time of this writing. But you can hear him closer to home at 9ine Lounge and Grill on Tuesday nights, February 19 and 26--that's at the Twin Star Ice Arena near 9th Street and N Avenue (take exit 72 off I-94). He'll be at the State Theatre in downtown Kalamzoo on February 29, Louie's Trophy House on March 1, and right here in Richland at the Blackhawk on Saturday, March 22. Check his website for more info.

Finally, we'll justify this listing as a "performing arts" item because it features a performance of a new song written in honor of Captain Crochet, one of Louise Hanavan's illicit chickens. If you missed seeing Louise (and her three chickens) on the Canadian national television news, you can still hear an interview with her and coverage of a rally in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in support of her keeping three chickens within the city limits. Go to the CBC radio program The Current and listen to a podcast of their February 12 program, "Diet For A Hungry Planet: Urban Agriculture."

More photos from A Little Princess

Excellent! Now we have some photos by the pros, i.e., Jack and Marcia Sizer. Many thanks, Sizers! These came from last Saturday's performance of A Little Princess by Gull Lake High School's Performing Arts Company. Enjoy.

First, Robin Nott introducing this year's seniors:

A Little Princess is off to regionals

After a great home stand--shortened slightly by the snow day on Friday--the Performing Arts Company's production of A Little Princess is off to regional competition in Olivet on Saturday, February 9. They will be first to perform that day, so be there by 8:30 a.m. if you want to see the show . . . and then relax for the rest of the day and enjoy the other productions that moved up from district festivals in our region.

Gull Lake scored a solid 1 at district competition, in spite of running a minute over the allotted time, and won several special citations for the total content of the production, acting, and original music.

A win at the regional festival would take the production to state competition February 15 and 16 at Auburn Hills Avondale High School.

Break a leg, Gull Lake!