The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 28

Si Singing the blue Ribbit! ribbit! ribbit! Once in a blues mood Virtual-reality mind-bender 0 The Garvin Gates Blues Festival eases into three '1 Head out to the Kentucky Fair Exposition Center this weekend to cheer on Louisville's Two classic guitar slingers and a raucous blues belter team up tonight when Buddy Guy, right, Koko Taylor and Lonnie Brooks get together at the Palace Theatre. See Concerts, Page 5. "Strange Days," a sci-fi film starring Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett, centers around the black-market trade of vicarious thrills made possible by virtual-reality headgear that taps into the cerebral cortex and touches every nerve. The film opens today. uctys.

uuiee uiues anu soul tonight at Garvin Place, one block west of Fourth and Oak streetsV Tonight's headliner is Magic Slim and the Teardrops. See newest sports team, the RiverFrogs. The ice hockey team plays the Erie Panthers tonight and the Dayton Bombers on Saturday. See Spectator Sports, Page 7. Concerts, Page 5.

I i Jin' i i.i iiiniWfl-i in. i i I KENNY THE KIDS By Ken Neuhauser Ride the rails to a Civil War 'battlefield' EDITOR: MAUREEN McNERNEY PHONE: 582-4684 FAX, 582-4665 mrns irs A AnF AM! Kentucky Kingdom's fright night isn't for the fainthearted A Civil War drama unfolds this weekend in Corydon, and getting there will be half the fun. Betty Sue and Ferdy two 44-ton diesel locomotives will power the Corydon Scenic Railroad from the depot to the battlefield, where nearly 200 Civil War re-enactors will be encamped tomorrow and Sunday during the Battle of Big Indian Creek. Although this is not a commemoration of a battle that actually took place, it is designed to give visitors historical perspective, showing the war's divisiveness and its impact on people in the 1860s. The railroad will shuttle passengers and re-enactors every 30 minutes, from 9:30 a.m.

to 4 p.m. both days. The train ride, which takes about 30 minutes each way, should delight children. The depot is at the corner of Water and Walnut streets. At the battlefield visitors can see military drill, mock trials of deserters, period costumes and a visit by President Abraham Lincoln (from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Sunday). Periodic skirmishes are planned both days, with one major battle highlighted by 14 firing cannons at 2 p.m. each day. Admission to the encampment is free with the regular train-ride charge: $8 ($5 for children ages 4 to 12, free for children 3 and under). Directions from Louisville: Take Interstate 64 west to the Corydon exit (Exit 105).

Follow the signs. For more information, call, toll-free, (800) 999-3171. 1 Si, MmW IMk 1 I ill "1 I if- mil i i 01 Jit Stage One 5 By KEVIN BAKER Staff Writer Halloween is full of frights zombies, goblins and witches. But a new terror to brave this year might make you lose your lunch and your courage. The Hellevator, a new ride at the Kentucky Kingdom, will leave you screaming and howling as though you're being chased by Freddy Krueger.

It's part of Halloscream, a Halloween-themed mask the amusement park dons today and wears over the next three weekends. "The feeling we want to convey is that the Thrill Park becomes the Chill Park," said John Mulcahy, general manager of marketing for the park located on the grounds of the Kentucky Fair Exposition Center. By day, the park will embrace the fall holiday with spooky attractions for the young- or faint-at-heart. Pumpkins, graveyards, spider webs and cornhusks decorate the park. A 35-foot-tall, glowing jack-o'-lantern will greet visitors as they enter.

Vampires, mummies, sorcerers, witches and ghosts some nearly 30-feet tall will stroll throughout the park. Children under 12 can collect goodies at 20 trick-or-treat stations. Youngsters under 54 inches tall are encouraged to wear costumes. Adults in costume won't be admitted. "Kids always want to wear their See IT'S Page 3, col.

1, this section viTKT1! ill STAFF PHOTO BY PAM SPAULDING 5 i mm I if TO' Chris Sears, left, and Kevin Baker ride the Hellevator at Kentucky Kingdom. If you Tickets for Halloscfeam, which will be featured at Kentucky Kingdom today through Sunday, next Friday through Oct. 22 and Oct. 27-29, are being sold for a particular weekend, so you can go Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Tickets for this weekend and next weekend are $12.95 for adults and $9.95 for children under 54 inches tall.

Tickets for the weekend of Oct. 27-29 are $14.95 for adults and $9.95 for children under 54 inches tall. Kentucky Kingdom passes will be honored next weekend. Nekropolis will cost an additional $3 this weekend. Park officials haven't decided on a price for subsequent weekends.

All other rides and attractions (except the water rides) will be open for Halloscream. Discount tickets can be purchased at any Thornton's Gas and Food Marts. Storytelling sessions are 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Sunday. Halloscream operates from 5 to 1 1 p.m. Friday, noon to 1 1 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

PHOTO BY CHRIS FIELDHOUSE Ke and the other characters from Halloscream gather to greet visitors to the kingdom. Here's where to scare up some other thrills served in this historic structure's hallowed halls. Cynthia Changans, a Corn Island storytelling vfiteran, will provide the goose bumps. Call (502) 897-2944 to make reservations by Oct. 20.

Halloween in the Forest. Oct. 27-28, 6 p.m., Jefferson Memorial Forest, 12304 Holsclaw Road. $2 and a canned good per See SCARING Page 3, col. 1 this section Pino and Razz, a clown duo from San Francisco, will kick off the 50th anniversary season of Stage One: The Louisville Children's Theatre.

They will perform "Eyes Wide Open" at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. tomorrow and at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the Bomhard Theater at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Sixth and Main streets. Their act combines music, drama, dance and humor with traditional circus skills.

In "Eyes Wide Open" poor Razz can't sleep a wink because of the antics of pesky Pino, who succeeds in preventing Razz from dozing off by playing several characters, including a mosquito, a gibberish-spouting storyteller and a baby. Pino, played by Diane Wasnak, and Razz, played by Jeff Razz, are members of the New Pickle Circus, which was founded in 1974. Tickets are $10. Call (502) 584-7777 or (800) 775-7777. Raptor Day Tomorrow is Raptor Day at Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville.

Programs are planned inside and outside the Interpretive Center, giving visitors many opportunities to learn about and see such birds of prey as ospreys, owls, red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons. Raptor viewing from the deck in front of the center will be from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 and from 11:15 to noon. Live raptor programs are planned inside the center from 10:15 to 1 1 a.m. and from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m.

Hands-on activities for children, including making paper falcons and testing nest-building skills, will be at 12:30 p.m. A slide presentation about reintroducing eagles to Indiana will begin at 1 p.m. At 3:15 p.m., participants can take a short drive to the George Rogers Clark Homesite to look for raptors from the lower falls. Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

daily. The raptor program is free with regular admission: $2 ($1 for children ages 2-12). Call (812) 280-9970. Directions from Louisville: The center's address is 201 W. Riverside Drive.

Take Interstate 65 north to Exit 0 and follow the signs. "Kenny the Kids," a family-activity column, runs each Friday in the Weekend section. and holiday fun. Hayrides begin about 6 p.m. Wear a costume and bring a carved pumpkin; judging for both begins at 7.

Storytellers start spinning yarns about 8 p.m. Call (502) 245-0643. Halloween at Whitehall. Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m., Whitehall Historic Home, 31 10 Lexington Road.

$20 per person, $18 for Historic Homos Foundation members. Scary stories and hors d'oeuvres will be Kentucky Kingdom's Halloscream is one of a variety of ways to scare up Halloween thrills and chills. Here's a peek at some other attractions for ghouls and goblins of all ages. Halloween Harvest of Horror Tales. Oct.

21, 6 p.m., E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park gym, 3000 Freys Hill Road. $8 for adults, $3 for children ages 6-12 (under age 6 free). The International Order of E.A.R.S. and WAVG Radio provide a night of spirited tales 'MAD WEEKEND WATCH By Kevin Baker 1978 musical about high school sweeties (John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) in the 1950s is still one of the best-selling videos.

Stockard Channing sings "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" with devilish glee. Can't get enough of Larisa Oleynik? She pops up all night in tomorrow's SNICK lineup on Nickelodeon cable (TKR-27) beginning with "The Secret World of Alex Mack" at 8 p.m. In "All That" at 8:30, she plays "Alex Sax" in a comedy skit. Then, following another episode of "Alex Mack," she appears on "The Adventures of Pete Pete" as a nurse who cures Big Pete of creamed-corn poisoning. A musical selection by Paul and Linda McCartney spices up "The Simpsons" at 8 p.m.

Sunday on Fox. Executive producer David Mirkin says to listen for "cool, secret backward stuff." The walrus is dead. "Weekend Watch," a guide to what's hot and maybe what's not on television Friday through Sunday, appears each Friday in the Weekend section. "Saturday Night Live," by keeping the skits short. The humor doesn't fizzle or drag out and if it rums you off, it'll be over in no time.

And you don't have to wait long for an animated segment of "Spy vs. Spy" or "The Don Martin Department." The fleeting, quickwitted, 30-second re-creations of the classic cartoons pop up twice apiece. So drop your defenses, relax your standards and size up this late-night newcomer with a MAD attitude. Other weekend highlights: "The Heidi Chronicles" has its premiere on TNT cable (TKR-28) at 8 p.m. Sunday (repeats at 10 p.m.

and midnight). Jamie Lee Curtis stars as Heidi Holland, a baby boomer faced with the possibilities and uncertainties of her generation. Wendy Wasserstein's celebrated comedy-drama won a Tony Award for best play and the Pulitzer Prize upon its 1988 theatrical debut. "Grease" gets a replay on TBS cable fTKR-25) at 8:05 tonight. The It's sick and twisted.

It's not politically correct. Ample reasons to tune in to "MAD TV" when it makes its debut on Fox-41 tomorrow night at 11. But is it going to liven up Saturday nights? Maybe. "Saturday Night Live," which this week will be seen at 2 a.m. on WAVE-3, has been in the doldrums.

Whether you'll like "MAD TV" depends on how sensitive you are. In the tradition of MAD magazine, "MAD TV" takes caustic comedy to its limit. What's more, the MAD magazine we used to read gets meaner in the '90s. Some skits won't offend the PC-minded. A bubble-headed sendup called "Star Trek: Deep Stain Nine" is good, clean fun.

It follows the adventures of high-tech launderers who wash the clothes of Federation personnel. On the other hand, a foul-mouthed monologue about freedom" of speech from cast member Debra Wilson might not be your cup of comedy or Constitution. Eventually, there are more bleeps than words during her dirty diatribe, but that's the joke. It's parody with parity. Everyone is ridiculed equally and nothing is sacred.

The seven-member cast makes fun of speech, physical challenges, race, weight and sex, for starters. Even the homeless become targets in one skit about McDumpster's food. Makes you wonder, "What? Me worry?" Brian "Kato" Kaelin will be' tomorrow night's guest. So maybe we should freak out. Those segments were unavailable for review, but it's certain the skits will lack taste, decorum and talent on Kaelin's part.

If jokes like these turn your stomach, at least this troupe does better than its veteran counterpart, fill? 10 5 10,11 2 Ann Landers Calendar Comics Television Debra Wilson, left, Brian "Kato" Kaelin, Mary Scheer and Nicole Sullivan on "MAD TV.".