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Review: MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at Stolp Island Theatre Aurora
Little did Elvis know when he recorded that song how appropriate it would be for December 4, 1956, at Sun Record Studios in Memphis. The new Stolp Island Theatre in Aurora is presenting Million Dollar Quartet as its premiere production. Rock and roll pioneer Sam Phillips (Sam Pearson) started the studio in 1950. During the course of the day, Carl Perkins (Christopher Wren) had come into the studio to record some new material. Jerry Lee Lewis (Garrett Forrestal) was yet unknown and he was in the studio to play the piano on the Perkins session. Later in the afternoon, 21 year old Elvis Presley (Alex Swindle) stopped by to pay a casual visit. Elvis’ girlfriend, Dyanne (Madison Palmer), is along as well. She has a few solo numbers and joins in on the harmony. She holds her own against this million dollar group. As the Perkins session started, Elvis joined in. During the session, Johnny Cash (Bill Scott Sheets) arrived at the studio. The woman running things in the control booth is Marion (Haley Jane Schafer). She is in the booth the entire show until the end when the jam session is really going on. She sings some beautiful harmonies. This group of extraordinarily talented actors – they are also gifted musicians – entertained the audience in the new, intimate 98 seat Stolp Island Theatre for 2.5 hours. You are right there. You feel you are part of the show. Sam Phillips is the “narrator” if you will. He takes the audience through the story of that day plus all the other things these recording artists were going through. Lots of talk about RCA and Columbia record companies and contracts. He is a wonderful weaver of stories. For those who do not know, Carl Perkins wrote Blue Suede Shoes and he was not thrilled that Elvis sang it on the Sullivan show. He felt he should have been the one. The songs performed in this show are the ones that they actually sang on December 4. There was a studio engineer who had the sense to realize this session needed to be recorded. We should be very grateful he did. These were four of the best musicians and recording artists – all pioneers. It’s about time Sam Phillips gets some well deserved recognition. He created it. The music is classic rock and roll. You will sing, clap and cheer. Completely spontaneous. These performers bring Elvis, Carl, Johnny and Jerry Lee back to life. Jerry Lee was the last of this quartet. He passed in October of 2022. At the end of Sam’s telling of this once in a lifetime session, he brings out a camera and takes the very famous photo of the 4 of them around the piano. You do see it and hear the actual recording. It is an emotional moment. What might have been…
Staggering IRS Data Shows 262,000 People Fled Illinois in 1 Year
I'm no math genius, but this is a stunning number of people who said goodbye to Illinois in just one calendar year. New data just shared by the IRS reveals more than a quarter million residents left the Land of Lincoln recently. I saw this story today by Wirepoint which...
City of South Bend to hold annual Parking Ticket Fee Amnesty Day
The City of South Bend’s Ordinance Violations Bureau will hold the annual Parking Ticket Fee Amnesty Day on Friday, July 26 from 8am-5pm at the County-City Building. Each year, the Ordinance Violations Bureau grants fee amnesty to parking citations by waiving late fees assigned to parking citations paid that day.
Bowling 4 The Beacon fundraiser in South Bend Aug. 10
SAINT JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The annual Bowling 4 The Beacon fundraiser will take place on Saturday, Aug. 10 this year at Chippewa Lanes in South Bend. This fundraiser will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and promises fun, camaraderie, and a chance to make a difference in the community.
Emergency water service and gas line repairs in South Bend, traffic restrictions expected
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The City of South Bend reports there will be two areas of traffic disruption due to emergency repairs for gas line and water service. The eastbound lane of W Colfax Avenue will be closed for emergency water service repair at 220 W Colfax Ave. starting Monday and is expected to last until Wednesday.
Michiana Unsolved: Man accused of killing baby still on the run
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - Right now, South Bend police are looking for Martin Avelar, the man believed to be responsible for killing a 14-month-old baby in October of 2002. On October 30th, 2002, the then 32-year-old was watching his girlfriend’s 14-month-old son named Alexis Garcia so she could go to work. In court documents, Avelar said it was the first time.
Headlines in History 1947: Holes in county roads are a peril to motorists and cyclists
What was making news in our area during this week in years past? The History Museum offers these newspaper excerpts to give you an idea. July 21, 1906: “An effort is being made to try and secure the Five Flying Moores as a special free attraction for Springbrook park. These clever people do the most daring act now before the public and should prove a great drawing card.” — The South Bend Tribune.
What's Cooking: Community meals this week
• Thursday Burger Night, 4 to 8 p.m. July 25, Galien American Legion Post 344, 402 N. Cleveland Ave., Galien. Burgers, hot dog, shrimp, chicken strips, or sloppy joe baskets. Cost: $9 to $5. Baskets include fries and slaw. Menu may vary except for the hamburgers. Enjoy a Car Cruise with your burger each Thursday until Oct. 3, free entry, all car enthusiasts welcome!
A calm couple of days to start this week
Very light and patchy fog will develop for some this morning as our dewpoints begin to slowly climb through today. Sunny and seasonable weather awaits this afternoon with slightly muggy conditions lasting into tomorrow. A slight daily rain chance is possible in the afternoon/evening hours today and Tuesday as well, but any wet weather will be scattered. Lows fall into the bottom of the 60s tonight only for high temperatures tomorrow to return back to the low to mid 80s. Our next best chance for rain will be late Tuesday night into all of Wednesday as a cold front moves through the region, bringing showers and non-severe thunderstorms that will cool us down and lower humidity Thursday and Friday.
Despite pervasive perception, South Bend still less violent than 2023, city officials say
SOUTH BEND — After a June everyone perceived as violent, South Bend officials were as surprised by the actual statistics as anyone else. Mayor James Muller, along with South Bend Police Operations Division Chief Dan Skibins, the department's detective bureau's Lt. Kayla Miller and Chief of Police Scott Ruszkowski, spoke about the city's most serious crimes in their Quarter 2 Public Safety Update on July 18 as Ruszkowski differentiated that "feels like" and "fact" are two very different things.
South Bend Community School Corporation will discuss Empowerment Zone
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — The South Bend School Board will meet Monday to discuss the empowerment schools. The South Bend Empowerment Zone board voted last week to end the Zone. The Zone schools — Coquillard, Harrison and Wilson Elementary, along with Navarre Middle School — will be managed...
2024 Scrabble Players Championship taking place at Century Center
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - The popular word game Scrabble was invented back in 1939 as a way for Americans to distract themselves during the Great Depression. Today, the game has come a long way, as South Bend’s Century Center plays host to the 2024 Scrabble Players Championship. The...
Arlington Heights apartment shooting: Man killed, 2 detained for questioning
CHICAGO - A shooting at an Arlington Heights apartment complex resulted in one man's death and two other people being questioned by police. The incident occurred at 1:40 p.m. Sunday in the 4200 block of North Bloomington Avenue at the Arbor Lakes Apartment Complex, south of Bloomington and Lake Cook Roads.
Endangered Piping Plover Chick Named 'Nagamo' Thrives at Chicago's Montrose Beach Dunes
The Montrose Beach dunes have witnessed a bittersweet development in the saga of Chicago's adored endangered species, the piping plovers. A sole survivor from a full clutch of eggs has taken a significant step into the limelight, bearing the name Nagamo—an Ojibwe term meaning "he/she sings," according to a recent announcement by the Chicago Bird Alliance, alongside the Chicago Ornithological Society and the Illinois Ornithological Society. The unique moniker, chosen through a culturally reflective process and submitted by one Mike Doty, is a direct nod to this chick's vocal presence on the Chicago beaches, complementing the species' scientific name Charadrius melodus, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
MLB Rumors: Cubs create trade war, Cardinals ideal addition, Skubal-Yankees
The MLB trade deadline is coming quicker than we could have imagined. There has been very little action up to this point, with a few players being dealt, but nothing overwhelmingly exciting. That could change quickly, though. Over the next week or two, the deadline should really heat up. Stars...
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