‘Arts’ Archives
Animal Kingdom & Centurion
by Howard McQuitter Crime Drama Sony Picture Classics Running Time: 113 Minutes Rated: R Writer/Director David Michod Jacki Weaver as (“Mommy”) Jannie Cody matriarch of the Codys, a low-level crime family of sons, gives an excellent performance, Ben Mendelsohn as Andrew ”˜Pope”' Cody, one of her most devious sons””a psychopath””the lean crook went into hiding from the cops. Craig (Sullivan Stapleton) and Darren (Luke Ford) are the other two brothers. The Codys live in one of the working class suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. Center Stage is Joshua (or “J”) Cody, Janny Cody”'s grandson, who lost his “mum” to a heroine overdose, staying with his conniving grandma and drug dealing and bank robbing uncles. Joshua is seventeen years old and not involved in their crime sprees but is sucked into it by default. Smurf, nickname for Jannie Cody, overprotects “J” trying to shield him from her [...]
A New “Ringmaster” at In the Heart of the Beast Theatre
by Harvey Winje In the Heart of the Beast Theatre searched far and wide for an Executive Director to assume the role long and capably performed by Kathee Foran who retired last month. The Board of Directors chose Loren Niemi. Loren has a wide-ranging background that includes decades of involvement in local theater and literary circles.  Loren Niemi was the Tour manager and Ringmaster of HOTB”'s “Circle of Water Circus” in the summer 1983. It was an extravaganza that combined HOTB”'s three venues””education, production, and events””in a tour from the Itasca headwaters of the Mississippi River to many towns along the River, culminating in a pageant near the Gulf of Mexico. Chances are best that Executive Director Loren Niemi and longtime Artistic Director Sandy Spieler will combine to be a dynamic duo of “ringmasters.”  They both have the ability to be in the spotlight just long enough to focus the attention of [...]
A Peace of My Mind a place to hear voices for peace
By John Noltner This exhibit is the result of almost two years of work, exploring the meaning of peace. The seed for this project was planted as two events in my photographic journey coincided. The first was a sort of restlessness I had been feeling for some time that I was not doing exactly what I had been made to do. The second event was the economic downturn, which provided me with some much-needed time for reflection and evaluation. I was born the son of a social worker and an educator, so I suppose there was always fertile soil for this sort of subject matter to thrive. I have always had an interest in social justice issues, serving on several boards for non-profits that did good work both here and abroad. Yet I am not an expert on peace. I have no formal training in the subject, and I hold no related academic degree. You can ask my friends”¦ask my family”¦and they will tell you that I regularly miss the mark when it comes to living in harmony with [...]
