Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 15

Tuesday, November 17, 1992 Mattoon (ID.) Journal Gazette B7 UfttiDe ped moimseG' IhieDps Big IBBcd, cEDDDcareirB ion Sesame Sceetl: Live Entertainment By DEBBIE CARLSON Staff Writer A I FT) 1 A I 11 i V' mm fink Cast members of the Street Live show, 'Sleeping Birdie' AP Photo A little, red, 2 V-year-old monster was on the phone. Not the scary kind of monster, but sort of a fun, little boy kind of monster that everyone likes. Elmo, the popular little monster on Sesame Street, was calling about his upcoming appearance in Champaign. Okay, okay, so it really wasn't Elmo, but it was the woman who plays Elmo in the Sesame Street Live production of "Sleeping Birdie." Patti Coffin, who has played Elmo on the Sesame Street Live Production tour since 1990, said "Sleeping Birdie" is sort of like "Sleeping Beauty." "There's a Yellow Queen and she's from the Planet Crayon and she wants to be the yellowest of them all," Coffin said. "The three monsters tell her that Big Bird is the yellowest in the universe.

So she flies to Sesame Street and she plans to put Big Bird to sleep and puts purple polka dots all over him so she can be the yellowest of them all." Naturally the plan doesn't work and the Yellow Queen's plans are foiled. The moral of the story, Coffin said, "is that it's okay to be who you are, you're the best you." Elmo has been a mainstay on the television program for about seven or eight years now and has become more popular each year, she said. For those not up-to-date in their Sesame Street characters, Elmo looks a little like a tall, red Grover. "He's very energetic, he's always asking questions, and he's very curious," she said about Elmo's personality. Coffin, who has played Baby Kermit in Tee Hee she is the one who gets Big Bird 1 Sherwooa" Schwartz, left, with Blair Bybee as Gilligan cGiDD5garQ's DsDand' mow is a Dnus3cciB woken up by turning the children into princesses and princes and they blow kisses fo' wake Big Bird up." ifi Children who come to the show get very excited about it, and Coffin equates it to fans at a music concert.

"They're like rock-n-roll groupies, they're really funny," she said, laughing. "They jump up and down and wave at you at scream. They're kind of like teen-agers at a rock concert." Tickets for Sesame Street Live are $9.50. 1989-90, said being Elmo is like a natural extension of herself. "I've been studying him for about three years now," she said.

"I was more like him when I was a child I guess he was in me already and I just expanded on him by watching what Kevin Clash (who is Elmo on television) does with him on the Sesame Street show." Aside from the moral in the hour and one-half show, Sesame Street live emphasizes reading by having the characters read the story out of a book. There also is a lot of audience participation during the show which gets the children very excited, she said. "They get really involved in the story," she said. "They also get to help wake Big Bird up. but several discounts are available from atea merchants.

Performances are scheduled fbT Nov. 20-22 at The Assembly Hall in Chap-A paign. Times vary. For more information CHICAGO (AP) -s- Now sit right back and ybull hear a tale, only this time with singing and dancing. "Gilligan's Island: The Musical" opened last week as a dopily pealing stage show with every-ing the television series had, dmore.

"This is a big, original musical work," said Sherwood Schwartz, who created the "Gilligan's Island" TV series and produced and 333-5000. Charleston artist donates sketch for calendar i 1 would ratheiidonate the art work (1 it didn't materialize," she artist in our community," said in a phone in she explained. wrote the musical version with to nelp us witn the tund-raiser. Wilen said while he used to do best-known characters in Ameri-can history," according to Schwartz are identical to those of the TV sitcom, which aired on CBS from 1963 to 1967 and in reruns ever since. The setup: a charter boat out of Hawaii is shipwreckedoon a deserted island.

The five passengers a rich man and his wife, a starstruck actress, a brainy professor and a sweet Kansas farm girl are marooned along with the blustery skipper and his dimwitted first mate, Gilligan, who fouls up every rescue scheme with his incessant bumbling. Cast members were chosen for their physical resemblance to the TV actors, although they are not trying to mimic the originals. "It's sort of a tightrope act," said director Steve Rothman. "You've got to give the audience a sense that that IS Gilligan, that IS the Skipper, yet you want to let the actors create their own take on those characters." He was terview. This is son, Lloyd.

our first year we had serious oil paintings, the drawihgH 1 a1 A -i -l? The expensive-looking pro- choice more uction features 16 songs by ne am ior mevrxs uouncu is more-fun. SL i time a A ISA ope and Laurence Juber, lots of "I have always created and special effects, sical machines," he said "It's fun" and enjoyable to create fanciful machines. I usually create more surrealistic (drawings). Thafc's, how this one came about. I use.

seven-piece band and an elabo-i ate tropical-island set that ex-t Jnds into the lobby of the 400- eat Organic Theater. The goings-on include a spaceship landing, a rocket launch and hurricane. But the premise and cartoon-ifeh castaways "seven of the machinery to reflect happening)." Saturday's signing was Wilen's idea, Whitworth "It's kind of like an autograph By DEBBIE CARLSON Staff Writer CHARLESTON As part of a fund-raiser, the Charleston Area Arts Council is holding an artist signing Saturday at the City Art Gallery in the Charleston City Hall. Charleston artist Carl Wilen has created an original drawing for the 1993 calendars the Arts Council is selling and will be signing his work from 2 to 4 p.m. Debbie Whitworth, president of the Arts Council, said the sketching will be printed on high quality art paper and attached to the top of the calendar.

After the year is over, the print will be left and suitable for framing she fsaid; The calendar is the main fund-raiser for the group and will retail at $15, she said. Arts Council members will be able to purchase it for $10. The idea to have a calendar sale as a fund-raiser was tossed around for a while before it was actually attempted, Whitworth said. "We had the idea last year, but because of everybody's schedule session that people have at book-. stores," she said.

"And so I went EIU Jazz Band to perform Si i back to the board and thought it was a good idea topYtb' licize the event and the organize- CHARLESTON The Eastern Illinois University Jazz Latri band will present its fall concert Thursday DvorakUall. uon. i plan it." The Lab Band is one of two big bands 16-20 players) in the East- a jazz studies program. Director Sam Fagaly has programmed a For those who cannot mak riiA aicmincr flip rnlpnrlnrs will hi! Mem artist ide variety of contemporary jazz music for the concert, including bers of the to go to 0 0, available at other areas arouitd 5 council talked and say selection Pressure Cooker by Sammy Nestico, The Heart of Matter" by Bob Mintzer, and "To You" by Thad Jones. Pianist to Wilen about the 'what do you Charleston including Eastern Illinois University's Tarble Artsv Imes Pryor, trumpeter Simon Rowe, and a number of other soloists be featured.

Center gift shop and possibly I tu tji, ou iui-, think about this idea; we want to do it as a And we were going to pay him an honorarium and he said that he idea of doing the print for the Arts Council. "We approached Carl, he's a very well-liked and appreciated The concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and admission is $1 for stu ntssenior citizens, $2 for the general public. Square. 'ffi Horoscope to kind of fizzle out midweij' ff your birthday is today: It you're an un tnrougn.

uaiung ah near (Come Back Home)" is anothrj halfhearted effort. "This Romeo Ain't Got Juliet Yet" is a great title but falls far short of the humorous "Norm manages to disappoint like a block of ice in January in Minnesota. Diamond Rio sprang onto the scene with the hits "Mirror, Mirror," "Meet in the Middle" and "Nowhere Bound" off their self-ti-tled debut album. Maybe they spent too much time enjoying and promoting that first one to worry much about the second. "Close to the Edge" needs to be pushed off the edge, and Diamond Rio needs to start over.

The band's talent is mostly hidden under trite songs about heartache, temptation and the good, old days. "Oh Me, Oh My, Sweet Baby" sounds like it might be another Diamond Rio trademark song fast-moving, foot-tapping only Jean" from, yes, that first album, Heyguys.isitpossibleyourejifet a flash in the pan? Sure hope By Teresa M. Walker, APWrlter. weasel in "Stand by Your Man." This album is targeted at children, and since country music sometimes is intended for mostly adult audiences, some lyrics have been changed. Adults might notice that in Mary-Chapin Carpenter's hit, "I Feel Lucky," a pack of Camels has been replaced by a pack of Twinkies, "Chipmunks in Low Places" makes a good Christmas stocking stuffer.

By Teresa Walker, AP Writer. "Close to the Edge" (Arista) Diamond Rio A first album that yields several hit singles can raise expectations to the boiling point. It's just too bad when the second album "Chipmunks in Low Places" (Sony) Alvin and the Chipmunks The Chipmunks have been laying low for the past few years, but Alvin, Theodore and Simon are back and ready to take advantage of country music's booming popularity. The album's title "Chipmunks in Low Places," clues you in early that the Chipmunks are ripping off some of country's biggest hits. But the thievery comes with the rpeitaission of the artists.

No harm, no foul. That is, if you don't mind hearing Alvin try and destroy Alan Jackson's hit "Don't Rock the Jukebox" or ask Billy Ray Cyrus for advice on how to attract girl chipmunks in "Achy Breaky Heart." One cute song is turned in when Tammy Wynette advises Alvin's girlfriend to dump the oi8 WOf or I lO) praculaim 4:30, 7:66 I ENTER YOURSELF OR YOUR NEIGHBOR IN THE CHRISTMAS DECORATION DISPLAY "ight "lip Mottwn Zontet" CATEGORIES: (Check One) Decorated Door Residential Lighting Display Neighborhood Display (4 or more homes with continuous theme) Religious Display Most Effective Use of Decorations Commercial Display 1 Past Winners' Display One Entry Per Category Deadline to enter is December 8, 1992 Judging To Be Held December T1 from 6-1 0 P.M. attached Scorpio, you might meet someone in he year ahead who'll fulfill all your ro-mi ntic requirements. However, it's likely that this relationship may start out where you're just good friends. to gamble with friends today, even for insignificant stakes.

There's a chance a misunderstanding could arise over something petty. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Give toppriority today to situations that could save or make you money. Time and attention devoted to these factors should prove profitable.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) A significant objective can be achieved today, provided you don't tip your hand prematurely. There is a competitor lurking in the wings who would love to know your game plans. AQUARIUS (Jan.

20-Feb. 19) Don 't take to heart advice offered you today from someone who does not have an accurate handle on your affairs. While this individual's intentions may be good, the counsel may not. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) In a partnership today, It might be wise to let your cohort do most of the talking.

There 's a chance you may say the wrong thing at the wrong time. ARIES (March 21 -April 19) Thepossibil-ities for achieving your ambitious and practical objectives today look very good. However, you might have to contend with some petty frustrations on the road to victory. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You're likely to be painfully aware of the flaws in others today, but it will serve no useful purpose to call them to their attention. Instead, work on your own shortcomings.

'GEMINI (May 21 -June 20) In commer-cial matters today, you might find it necessary to make small concessions in order to reap larger gains. Don't expect optimum conditions. 'CANCER(June21-July22)lfyou'redo-ing'critical work today, have' others double-chick your efforts, especially if you 're deal-ing'with the written word. There's a chance you might miss some small oversights. IEO (July 23-Aug.

22) It you're looking to get something expensive today that you've been wanting, don't settle for label prides. With a little negotiating, you should be able to sweeten the deal. yiRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) When conversing with friends today, try to'avoid discussing subjects that are too personal for yoi or them.

Focus on fun and non-offen-sivl topics. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Your greatest 'Obstacles today could be self-defeating thoughts. Youcantio whatever you set your miid to if you have the mind-set to do it.

Th Last The 7:30 The Mighty Ducks (PQ) 5:00, 7:1 5 A River Runs Through It (PQ) 4:30, im Your Holiday Source Consenting Adults (R) 7:15 Singles (PQ 13) 7:00 BBS mm Awards Donated by General Electric 1 riEED nor.iE deliuehy? "1 iinuE seiiuice phoblehs? Call the Circulation Office 1 Mail Entry To Mattoon Chamber of Commerce I 1701 Wabash-Mattoon, IL 61938 Jname 'AHHroc Phnno iffli Regular Office Hours: Delivery Deadlines DAILY -J SAT5A.M.-10A.M. 1.