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Plenty
to do, many places to go, even in the dead of winter
By Bob Lowe
Jan. 23, 2006
This
is the time of the year often called "the dead
of winter," that dreary period in mid January when frigid
temperatures keep us indoors and the lack of sunshine makes
many depressed. It is also a time when some feel confined,
suffer from cabin fever and complain "there is nothing
to do."
So
far this winter, the Fox Valley hasn’t lived up
to its reputation of being a forbidden "frozen tundra."
Instead of sub-freezing weather, area residents have seen
little snow and have been enjoying temperatures in the 30s
and 40s for the past month or so. The social calendar has
also been unusually warm and active with events to keep our
minds off the fact that the Green Bay Packers are not playing
in the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl XL between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle
Seahawks kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb.5, at Ford Field
in Detroit.
Both teams put on a dominating performance to win the conference
titles. Pittsburgh defeated the Denver Broncos, while the
Seahawks demolished the Carolina Panthers 34-14 at Qwest
Field in Seattle.
The Seahawks, headed by former Packer Head Coach Mike Holmgren,
will be making their first appearance in the Super Bowl.
Holmgren took the Packers to back-to-back Super Bowls in
1997-1998, defeating the New England Patriots 35-21 in 1997
and losing 31-24 to the Denver Broncos in 1998. The Steelers,
coached by Bill Cowher, will be making their sixth Super
Bowl appearance. Cowher is 0-1 after losing 27-17 to the
Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX in 1996.
For
those seeking a little musical culture, the Fox Cities
Performing Arts Center in Appleton will present the Jazz
at the Lincoln Center Orchestra performing a tribute to "The
Music of Miles Davis" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 25.
Among those performing will be trumpeter Eddie Henderson
and drummer Jimmy Cobb, both of whom have played with Davis.
The ensemble also includes Wayne Escoffery on tenor saxophone,
Dave Kikoski on piano, Edward Howard on bass and Antonio
Hart on alto sax.
Davis,
a trumpet player who grew up in East St. Louis, Ill., is
considered to be the single most influential stylist and
innovator in the post-World War II era of modern jazz.
He created a relaxed, lyrical alternative to the trumpet-playing
techniques. He also is credited with being one of the early
musicians who managed to fuse jazz with rock Robert Levy,
music professor emeritus of Lawrence University and artistic
director of the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison said Davis "moved jazz from a more
structured type of format into several completely new directions."
This
was the Birth of the Cool band, a small ensemble that created
a movement called "cool jazz" or the "West
Coast" style. This style of jazz emphasized arranging
and was more melodic and flowing than the standard bebop,
said Levy, who is leader of the Big Band Reunion, which plays
on Tuesday evenings at Frank’s Pizza Palace in Appleton.
Tickets
for "The Music of Miles Davis" can be
obtained by calling Ticketmaster at (920) 731-5000 in the
Fox Cities and (920) 494-1414 in Green Bay or online at www.foxcitespac.com.
If
you are in the mood for some thick Southern drawl-accented "redneck
comedy, "the place to be will be the Resch Center in
Ashwaubenon at 7:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 26 when 42-year-old
Larry the Cable Guy (aka Dan Whitney) will put on his patented
right wing, politically incorrect blue collar humor. Admission
is $41.75, plus fees. Call 1-800-895-0071 for tickets or
log onto www.ticketstaronline.com.
That same evening, the American Indian Dance Theatre will
put on a performance at the Weidner Center in Green Bay at
7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $9-$19 (1-800-328-8587).
If
your musical is classical, Lawrence piano professor Michael
Kim will appear in concert with the Fox Valley Symphony
Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Friday Jan. 27 at Appleton’s
PAC. The concert, entitled "Honor," will feature
Mozart’s "Symphony No. 40 in G Minor" and
Beethoven’s "Piano Concerto No. 5, Emperor." Tickets
range from $14.50 to $32.50.
Meanwhile, Lawrence University will be presenting the Empire
Brass with organist Douglas Major at 8 p.m. Saturday Feb.
4 at the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Tickets range from $15
to $22 and can be obtained by calling the Lawrence Box Office
at (920) 832-6749.
Also
coming to Appleton’s PAC Feb. 7-12 is the musical
version of Louisa May Alcott’s classic, "Little
Women," starring Maureen McGovern.
This Broadway production follows the adventures of Jo Meg,
Beth and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War America.
McGovern’s portrayal of Marmee earned her a Drama
Desk Award nomination and glowing reviews on Broadway. "Maureen
McGovern, with her strong, vibrant singing and glowing maternal
warmth, is a lovely Marmee in every way," said the Star-Ledger
in a review of the production.
Here is a surprise. At a time when the Attic Theater went
out of business and the Weidner Center recently announced
it was abandoning its Broadway series and laying off employees
to cope with a huge budget deficit, the University of Wisconsin-Fox
Valley in Menasha recently announced plans to build a $9
million arts and communications center on its campus.
The
project would include a 400-seat theater for musical and
theatrical productions, video presentations and public
programs. It would replace the university’s 45-year
old Fine Arts Center, which holds 290 spectators on folding
chairs and gymnasium risers.
No timetable was given. The arts center will require a
$6 million financial outlay from Winnebago and Outagamie
counties, with the state contributing another $1 million
for fixtures and seating. The remaining
$2 million would have to come from private donors and corporations.
The
new center also will house classrooms and office space
for faculty, and space for video. I commend the folks at
UWFV for their vision at a time when such projects are getting
a skeptical eye. Having attended many theatrical performances
on campus, I can attest to the need for more modern facilities
for the performing arts. The theater there is inferior to
some stages at area high schools and that shouldn’t
be.
***
Finally,
a survey by Appleton’s Health Department
showed that the number of bar/restaurant closings in 2005
was the lowest in five years, despite the smoking ban which
has been in place since July 1. City Health Office Kurt Eggebrecht
said four Class B licensed public eating and drinking establishments
closed in 2005, and only one of those, Casa Mexico, 107 W.
College Ave., went out of business after the ban took effect.
An average of six closings have taken place annually since
2000, including a record 11 in 2000-01.
"I can’t help but conclude Appleton’s
smoking ban hasn’t had a negative effect on businesses," Eggebrecht
said. Robbie Johnson, a spokesman for the Appleton Coalition
for Business Owners Rights, said the smoking ban is still
creating hardships on a lot of taverns.
For
comments or questions, contact boblowe@juno.com or by phone at (920)-731-4603.
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