December Addenda

It's getting to be a habit that I leave things out of my monthly previews, either because they were on the wrong list or I didn't know about them on the first of the month. But that doesn't mean they're any less worthy of your time or attention!

Here are this month's quick additions...

On this busy weekend, you have a lot of choices for entertainment. You also have a choice for shopping when Sheila Allen and Gayla Betts, a local artist and jewelry maven, offer their 5th Annual Holiday Open House. They're featuring art, jewelry, ornaments, and cards at 903 Broadway in Normal this Saturday the 4th from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday the 5th from noon to 4. Gayla promises, "We'll have lots of unique gifts and plenty of holiday cheer!"

For more information about their art and jewelry items, you may visit Sheila's site or Gayla's site.

The McLean County Museum of History is also gearing up for a holiday celebration with Christmas at the Courthouse this Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. This year’s theme is "Christmas through the Years," and they're planning a visit from Saint Nick, craft-making opportunities for kids, and musical performances from the Bloomington High School Quartet, Loving Missionary Singers, State Farm Singers and a barbershop quartet. Mike Lockett, the Normal Storyteller, and Mike Matejka and his magical model trains will also return. Plus they're promising homemade holiday refreshments.

All exhibits will be open for visitors to explore, along with the the Museum’s gift shop. In the spirit of giving, the Museum also will be collecting canned goods for Clare House. You are invited to "Bring your canned food items and enjoy a great McLean County holiday tradition this Saturday at the Museum of History located in the old courthouse on the square in historic downtown Bloomington. This event is held with support provided by State Farm Insurance Companies and is free and open to the public.

My next one -- and I can't believe I left this out the first time -- is the Pantagraph Holiday Spectacular, written by Nancy Steele Brokaw and directed by Lori Adams, scheduled for December 10 and 11 at 7:30 and December 12 at 2. "Come see a cast of 150 as they act, sing, dance and tell a holiday story about the magic of giving," they invite. "Be astonished by the precision of the Wooden Soldiers and the tapping Raggedy Ann dolls. See the Nativity story in a fresh new way. Enjoy the Christmas musical standards and some new songs, too, presented by our soloists and ensemble groups. Santa, Frosty and many, many more – they’ll all be on stage in the 2010 Holiday Spectacular."

You can purchase tickets for the Holiday Spectacular at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts box office or click here to buy tickets online.

Do you know the play "Proof" by David Auburn? Buckets of Tonys, a Pulitzer, all that good stuff? It was on Broadway with Mary Louise Parker and on screen with Gwyneth Paltrow as the depressed daughter of a deceased mathematical genius. He was brilliant but also mad, and she's afraid if she inherited his math prowess, the madness will come along with it. Heartland Theatre will be producing "Proof" in February, but auditions are coming up very soon. Director Cyndee Brown is looking for four actors: a woman in her mid-to-late 20s to play Catherine, the Mary Louise/Gwyneth role; a woman in her later 20s or early 30s to play Catherine's more together sister; a man in his late 50s or early 60s to play the genius dad; and a man in his late 20s to play a former grad student of the father's who develops an interest in both Catherine and the existence of a possible last proof from the dad.

Auditions for "Proof" will be held at Heartland Theatre on Monday and Tuesday, December 13 and 14, at Heartland Theatre. Performances are scheduled for February 17th through March 6th. If you have questions, you are invited to email boxoffice@heartlandtheatre.org or visit the website for more information.