PeoriaStory

Open Letter to Peoria Symphony Board

UPDATE 2/3/09. Here's the latest from the Peoria Journal Star on the symphony situation.

PEORIA -- Here's a letter being mailed on 1/26/09 to the Peoria Symphony Board of Directors. It cannot be faxed, because the fax number doesn't respond, and there is no e-mail contact on the symphony website.

Orchestra director Commanday received a spontaneous standing ovation the moment he walked onto the stage at the beginning of the Jan. 24 concert. He thanked the audience by placing his hand on his heart.

UPDATE 1/27/09: See comments below!

OPEN LETTER TO THE PEORIA SYMPHONY BOARD

We are shocked and saddened to see that the board apparently has fired David Commanday from his position with the symphony after this season.

Aside from the cruelty of dismissing Commanday in this severe economic recession after his years of loyal service, you are in danger of jeopardizing the survival of Peoria’s strongest cultural institution, the symphony.

Plans for the symphony as presented in the Peoria Journal Star stories sound half-baked, and remind us of similar pronouncements concerning the opera and ballet, now gone, and the Amateur Musical Club, also gone.

First comes the reorganization, then the institution disappears in a flurry of excuses.

Look at these passages from a 1994 Peoria Journal Star story:

The theater series now has 1,600 season ticket-holders; the musical club, 400. Though the names of those two veteran groups appear on promotional materials, the Civic Center itself chooses and produces the events and takes the financial risk.

The pattern could be continuing with other groups. The Civic Center also has co-sponsored events with the Peoria Civic Opera and Peoria Ballet, taking or sharing the financial risk but using the names of these groups and their base of ticket-holders to promote shows.

Is this what is in store for the symphony? Letting the Civic Center take over? Then it will disappear as the other groups have done.

(The theater series, now controlled by the Civic Center, has had a good season this year, after several years of plays so bad or so old that we sold our season tickets to others rather than give up our choice seats. Theater seat locations are not the same as symphony seats, however)

You have a first rate orchestra director in Commanday, who has upped the quality of the symphony, brought in world-class soloists, and reached out to the community in a variety of ways to secure new symphony patrons.

In fact the idea of appealing to younger audiences is nonsense. Many national surveys have found that arts audiences are older, as this group has the time, money and maturity to appreciate the events.

To dismiss Commanday is folly.

No doubt you noted the spontaneous standing ovation from the audience at the Jan. 24 concert, as Commanday walked out onto the stage. Audiences like him.

We heard the argument that he makes too much money, some $90,000 a year. That’s not much in today’s economy. Some teachers, police and firefighters make more, and likely most of the board also makes that much or more. Why shouldn’t an artist of his talent and stature be paid a middle-class living wage? (You pay the minimum wage, you get what you pay for!)

Who will replace the work that he does? Board members? Newly minted musicians? The Civic Center staff? What a joke that would be. (We have also heard that several principal players in the symphony plan to resign over this situation.)

And why would season ticket holders renew their subscriptions, based on some ad-hoc thrown-together season? We will not renew, and we are not alone. Many people we know agree with us. Commanday’s fate was the talk of a neighborhood brunch on Jan. 24. You likely will lose hundreds of season ticket holders from this action.

The public has an interest in and stake in this symphony – which has received thousands of dollars in public taxpayer grant funds.

It’s not your toy, board members!

In addition, do you recall the move that the Boeing Company made not long ago, from Seattle to Chicago? That was because of the arts offerings, its executives stated.

Can Peoria’s educated audiences be far behind? Why should Caterpillar executives, or first rate medical people, stay in a town with second rate arts offerings, when Chicago is nearby with its first class organizations?

You are playing with the livelihood of thousands of people in the Peoria area when you allow the symphony to be degraded.

Renew Commanday’s contract now. No need to find a way to save face – just say you reconsidered based on audience reactions. Then get out of his way and let the symphony continue to perform as usual.

Sincerely yours,

Elaine and George Hopkins -30-

COMMENT, posted 10:35 p.m. 1/25/09:

Bravo!! I can only hope that the citizens of Peoria find the means to heed your wise words.

My wife Judith and I played many performances for Opera Illinois. It was a joy to play opera for the many appreciative Peoria audiences. What a terrible loss for the citizens of Peoria that this fine opera company is no longer functioning.

I have performed in symphony orchestras for over forty years under the direction of conductors such as Maurice Abravanel, Aaron Copland, Dennis Russell Davies, Leonard Slatkin, Leopold Stokowski, Michael Tilson Thomas to name a few. As a bassoonist in a major German opera house for five years, I performed with the finest opera conductors in Europe. David Commanday ranks right at the top of this list. It is tragic that the leaders of the Peoria Symphony seem unaware of what a treasure they have in this wonderful conductor. Maestro Commanday has my gratitude for uplifting my musical spirits over the past ten years.

Sincerely,

Michael H. Dicker
Principal Bassoon
Peoria Symphony Orchestra
Professor of Bassoon
School of Music
Illinois State University -30-

COMMENT, posted 1/26/09: As great fans of PSO since the days of jovial Bill Wilsen knocking over scenery, it is wicked and sad to demolish the PSO by lopping off its head.

Peoria has always been a great music town, from its riverfront jazz and blues to uptown's eclectic jam nights. Don't take away the fine golden voice in the Civic Center.

Mike Foster
A Fine Kettle Of Fish -30-

COMMENT, posted 1/27/09: It is alarming to learn that the Peoria Symphony Orchestra may soon be leaderless. Whatever the reason the PSO Board of Directors may have for not renewing David Commanday's contract, remaining without a music director or principal conductor would be a serious mistake.

It may be surmised that the board is trying to make up for a budgetary shortfall and cut corners by eliminating Commanday's salary, but having observed the PSO from a professional point of view since 1993, Commanday's most significant contribution to the PSO was to raise the level of quality of the players and achieve a unified sound.

It may be time for Commanday to move on professionally, but without a music director or principal conductor, the quality of the players will slowly decline and certainly not improve.

Programming will also suffer if there is not one individual who intimately knows the abilities of the players who is responsible for choosing repertoire. That person does not need be resident in Peoria (there are many good conductors throughout the nation who would be excellent replacements for Commanday), but he or she does need to have overall artistic control to ensure the ongoing growth of the PSO.

The advantage of a resident music director is that it is easier for that individual to raise money on a regular basis. Guest conductors are usually helpful to inject new ideas, flavor and style, but you know the old story of how the camel came to be invented - a committee was trying to build a horse.

Most classical arts organizations are going through the same paroxysms of panic brought on by fiscal difficulties and loss of audience, so the first thing they try to do is eliminate costly salaries and to tweak their programming to make it more "relevant" to modern audiences, forgetting that the quality of the music is the real reason for the existence of the organization. If it is excellent, they will come.

It is also worth pointing out that the single greatest obstacle to quality performing arts in Peoria is the lack of an affordable venue of suitable quality. Oh, well... One more reason not to live in Peoria.

William Swain
(former General Director, Opera Illinois)
311 W. Fisher Ave.
Greensboro, NC 27401
309-824-7267 -30-

The corruption of the Catholic church, in Peoria

PEORIA -- It's hardly news that the Roman Catholic church is wrong on many issues. That's been true throughout history and continues today. What's new is that its victims and whistleblowers are not keeping quiet, perhaps because they don't fear being burned at the stake or stoned to death in the good ole separation-of-church-and-state USA. The corruption they point to has taken a mostly modern twist: instead of denying Galileo, the church today has succumbed to the lure of power, money and sex, and the coverups required when this corruption is threatened with exposure. Here are two accusations of Catholic church corruption in Peoria, according to whistleblowers. Church officials have denied or ignored these accusations, which at their core involve the lure of power. SEX: The Survivor Network of Those Abused by Priests, SNAP -- ignored the snow and the 10 degree Fahrenheit temperature on Jan. 25 to leaflet Catholics leaving the main Madison Street Cathedral about sex abuses in the church. They released an open letter to Bishop Jenky, asking him to drop the expensive legal maneuvers and settle the legal case involving Jeff Jones and others sueing over sex abuses by priests. Jones appeared at an outdoor news conference. (See post from Jan. 5, 2009, below under 'religion.') Jones handed out this 1960s-era photo showing him as a child holding hands with Father Walter Breuning on the streets of Chicago. Note the cigarette in Breuning's hand. The letter states: "Catholics -- If you want to see justice done, truth exposed and healing happen, please join us in prodding Bishop Jenky to act like a caring shepherd (not a cold-hearted CEO) and let this case and others get resolved." MONEY: Dr. John Carrol, a former emergency department physician and activist for Haiti's children, has penned this statement about his former employer OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and its conflicts of interest. The Catholic diocese controls the hospital. I was in Memphis several days ago. I ran into a Memphis firefighter. They provide advanced life support (paramedic support) for the citizens of Memphis. The Memphis Fire Department has ambulances and transport patients to hospitals. I ran into another firefighter who works in a suburb of Memphis. His fire department is paramedic also but they do not transport the patient. When this firefighter arrives on the scene of an emergency he told me he provides advanced life support for the patient immediately and does not have to wait for the private ambulance company to arrive. The private ambulance company then transports the patient to the hospital. Things like this have not been in practice in Peoria until last summer when two Peoria Fire Stations were allowed to provide paramedic support. The PFD does not have an ambulance so obviously cannot transport patients like the Memphis Fire Department can. In this weeks New England Journal of Medicine, there is an article entitled: “Online Disclosure of Physician-Industry Relationships.” The first paragraph of the article: “The Cleveland Clinic and some of its leading physicians have been criticized for their financial associations with industry and the limited disclosure of these relationships to patients and the public. In response, the medical center has strengthened its policies and oversight with regard to conflicts of interest and required that all industry relationships be submitted for approval. Since December 2008, it has also disclosed on its Web site (www.clevelandclinic.org) some of the industry ties of its 2000 physicians and researchers and their immediate families.” I think that since OSF-SFMC Emergency Department Director Dr. George Hevesy has received a salary from Advanced Medical Transport in Peoria for many years, he should disclose this relationship on OSF’s website. Dr. Hevesy was Project Medical Director for all of EMS in central Illinois which included Advanced Medical Transport and the Peoria Fire Department. Advanced Medical Transport is a paramedic agency with ambulances and transportation capabilities that has been under the supervison of Drs. Hevesy and other OSF Emergency Department physicians for the past 15 years. Dr. Hevesy is also on the faculty at University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria and many medical schools across the United States require their faculty to disclose relationships they have with industry. The Journal article also states: “Online disclosure is the latest response to concern about financial conflicts of interest and the propriety of various associations between medicine and industry. Advantages of industry funding, such as the support of drug and device development and pivotal clinical trials, must be balanced against the disadvantages, such as the potential for influencing prescribing and use of medical devices and supplies, increasing the costs of care, fostering a mindset of entitlement among doctors, and undermining the independence and integrity of the profession." Peoria EMS system obviously works differently than Memphis. Memphis fire agencies provide quicker care. And there is a reason for that. People in Peoria deserve transparency regarding how our EMS system works and which medical leaders are paid by local industry. Website disclosure of Dr. Hevesy’s financial relationship with AMT would be a start. Sex, money, power -- we hope the Catholic diocese and its officials will choose transparency and do the right thing, but I won't be holding my breath, given the church's track record on other issues. -- Elaine Hopkins

To change the world, educate its leaders

CHICAGO – If change is in the air, how do we make change?

Try changing the leaders, but first educate them.

A Chicago-based group, the Leadership Conservatory, is pioneering this effort, and allowed me to observe the process.

Leadership is too important to be left to chance, these innovators believe. It also can’t be left to the usual suspects, such as the top-down military-style order-givers so often emulated in politics, the business world and elsewhere.

Instead the two women who have developed The Leadership Conservatory and their faculty aim to teach ethical leadership.

That’s not an oxymoron for Gia Interlandi and Susan Singleton, principals at the LC. The statement from their website reads like poetry"

The language of money all too often
defines our leadership and our identity.
We are more than consumers; we are citizens.
We are more than employees or economic actors;
we are a collective of good people.
We worry about the future of our businesses,
the viability of our democracy
and the world that our children will inherit.
We need thoughtful, skilled leadership.
We need it now.

To teach ‘thoughtful, skilled leadership’ the LC has adopted some unusual techniques.

“It’s experiential learning, a process of guided discovery,” Interlandi said. “We are working together to create a civil society so we teach group decision making, presentation skills, strategic planning, ethics.”

Seminar participants are challenged to discover and try out their own ideas, to “use it and see how it works,” she said. They begin to “understand and discover what it takes to create a civil society,” and they learn more about themselves and their true goals, as they get involved in the seminar.

“This makes you a stronger person,” she said. “If you can do a great presentation and lead effective group decision making, that counts for a lot.”

This process of learning and discovery is rigorous, like a graduate school seminar. The “students,” who typically are already in the world of work and want to improve their skills, sign up for four three-day sessions spread out over a few months.

Class sizes are typically six to 10 students with a ratio of one instructor per three students. Costs depend upon the number of sessions attended and are often picked up by corporate training departments.

Students commit to confidentiality agreements, so they can candidly discuss real problems and use the resources of the group to find answers.

They are assigned homework: rigorous reading, presentation preparation, research tasks.
Their homework includes researching the concept of civil society, and e-mailing their classmates a short essay about the concept.

They are assigned books to read and take on the role of the author in defense of the work, as a way to practice dealing with tough situations in a group setting.

In the day-long seminars, which include at least one evening dinner, the participants present and defend ideas, take quick quizzes, engage in roll playing exercises, and post answers to questions on flip charts. These exercises are designed to plumb their knowledge as well as allowing them to share opinions, formulate ideals and stimulate creativity.

After a few sessions they begin to know each other well, and a therapeutic community develops, promoting honesty and openness.

“Each group takes on its own personality,” Singleton said.

But that’s not all. They’re prodded to act on what they’re learning.
For example, during a session on diversity, the students were asked: “write a personal statement about what you can do to confront racism and make the world a better place.” Then they were told to sign their statement.

“This is a personal commitment for inclusion, a pledge we will hold you to,” Singleton said.

“In a racist environment, individuals have to push back,” said faculty member Rogercarole Rogers, leader of the diversity segment.

Rogers, an African American, began her presentation by talking about her own background, and establishing her credibility as a person with broad experience. Then she passed out a quiz designed to test the knowledge of the participants on racial issues.

When they missed most of the answers, they were open to learning new and perhaps for some, controversial knowledge, such as race as a political construct, not a matter of genetics.

Slavery, colonization, native American genocide -- America’s awful past that’s often ignored in history class -- was news to some in the seminar.

“It’s amazing what history we don’t know,” said one participant.

But new knowledge wasn’t the only point of the eye-opening presentation. Instead, the teachers turned it on its head by using the presentation itself as a learning tool.

The students learned to think about the format of the presentation as a lesson in itself, apart from the politics of racial identity. And they analyzed the leadership skills needed to handle this type of presentation. “As a leader, what would you have done?” Rogers asked.

“Everything is a case study,” Interlandi said.

The exchange led to a frank discussion about race and slavery.

“You have to find your voice on this,” Rogers said, “to move the conversation as the leader. “You’ve got diversity (in your workplace). To be in charge you have to have these conversations. Inclusion is not going to happen until we have the conversation.”

“You’re not going to lead unless you know what the issue is,” Interlandi said.

The session continued, only this time the target was stereotyping, including bias against gays. The group was told: “Think of someone who is different from you. Draw that person. Use words (and the drawing) to define the person who is opposite from you and what you think their bias is or what they struggle with.”

After the drawings and the discussion, the faculty member who led this segment, Dominic Cottone, asked, “How did you feel when you were doing this?”

That led to more discussion, and a group list of issues in the world and workplace that need change. Again the group members were asked to affirm their commitment to change, and to pledge to do something concrete to improve the world.

“When we leave here, do we act on it or just go back to our roles?” Cottone asked. “How can you create more awareness?”

They were asked to e-mail him with their actions, which ranged from volunteering at charities to writing letters to the editor.

No one volunteered to organize the revolution, or even mentioned ‘greed’ as a problem for the world, though it had been discussed at earlier sessions. But they had taken first steps out of their comfort zones.

Their final project for this day was to identify a leadership challenge in their own lives, and share the results. “This is the way we’re trying to help you launch,” Interlandi said.

The challenges could include ‘managing up,’ that is, managing their own bosses.
“Your boss is your client,” Interlandi said.

Interlandi reminded the group “Leadership is not formulaic. It’s a journey. It’s about you bringing your ideas into the room, taking risks.”

Interlandi and Singleton said their pet peeve is the ’10 steps to leadership’ approach.
Leadership is a continuous process, Singleton said. “You have to always go back to be a better leader. Each time I come back I learn something.”

“It’s a privilege to teach these classes,” Interlandi added.

Her new challenge, developed from this session, is to turn the LC ideas and materials into a book.

“Thank you for the kick in the pants,” she said later.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Going down -- despite Obama, Peoria is in trouble

PEORIA -- Not even the Obama-messiah can save Peoria if its leaders insist on doing stupid things.

Consider what's going on:

1. School District 150 is circling the drain. Its leaders believe that building new schools will magically cure the low test scores, despite plenty of evidence elsewhere to the contrary. So school taxes remain high while middle class families flee to the suburbs.

District 150 has raised taxes this year, and now wants to close Woodruff High School, close Peoria Central High School, and open a reorganized high school at the Central site. This is soooo crazy -- in an era where experts are calling for smaller schools. But it does get two failing schools off the watch list, and may allow the administration access to Central's fat endowment funds.

Will the public let this happen? Can the public stop it?

2. Cultural institutions gone, collapsing. First the opera and ballet crashed, due to the egos of board members. Now the Peoria Symphony is in jeopardy, with its talented conductor David Commanday ousted.

Again, rumor has it that it's the egos of board members driving this situation. The most important principals of the orchestra are rumored to be resigning if Commanday leaves.

What about passing petitions against this during the symphony intermission at the Jan. 24 performance? Or a standing ovation for Commanday when he walks out onto the stage at the beginning! Would that make an impression?

This is a serious issue! How long will Caterpillar, Inc. executives keep the Cat headquarters in a town with no credible schools or cultural institutions? Chicago is probably already on the phone trying to recruit them to a city where the opera, symphony, etc. are flourishing.

3. In this atmosphere, with the Peoria Civic Center laying off people for lack of business despite its recent expensive expansion and the zoo expansion failing to raise enough money to avoid taxpayer support, the Peoria County Board is poised on Jan. 27 to send a sales tax increase referendum to taxpayers for an April vote. It would be used to Build the Block -- e.g. a downtown history and art museum complex, together with a Cat museum.

The verdict is still out on this initiative, which also failed to attract enough private funds. The tax increase is small -- 25 cents per $100, chickenfeed, really. But that's to build it. What about sustaining its operation?

It could be a good project, if its backers can find a way to sustain it. We'll see.

If the referendum fails, what then?

4. And now the Peoria Journal Star is laying off reporters, copy editors and others, with its failed corporate owner GateHouse likely aiming to loot and destroy this important business, educational and cultural institution, once the largest downstate daily in Illinois. A town without a credible newspaper? Unthinkable. Yet it's happening.

Certain city leaders may like the demise of the Journal Star, as it makes their activities less transparent. A few bloggers and their readers will never replace a good newspaper with its resources to report what's really happening in a fair and objective manner.

Lack of respect for historic preservation, city tax funds risked on a dubious downtown hotel project, no environmental initiative to save trees or realistically promote recycling, the list of Peoria's follies goes on and on.

Meanwhile, city officials are running an ad campaign saying "It's Better in Peoria." Are they smoking crack?

-- Elaine Hopkins

Damn the environment, more mines may come

MACOMB -- How about a proposed strip mine at a site with federally protected Indiana bats, a historic heron rookery, migratory birds and a creek with a provocative name, Grindstone Creek?

Nothing wrong with that? A Macomb group isn't rolling over for it.

The group is asking people to show up at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the Industry Elementary School, 306 East South Street, Industry. This town is about 20 minutes south of Macomb on Illinois Route 136.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Mines and Minerals, will conduct the hearing, to renew the permit for the the Industry Mine.

According to a news release, "citizens requested the hearing because of questions regarding what is happening at the mine site and why the permit has been renewed so many times. Citizen concerns include (whether) proper reclamation is being done," as well as the other environmental issues above.

This is the same coal company that wants to strip mine the site near Banner (see posts under 'environment' -- a powerful, Chicago-based company, part of a huge corporate conglomerate. Wonder who gets their campaign contributions?

So here's the real reason to impeach Blago: his awful DNR bureaucrats, who rubber stamp all mines, and in addition are planning to delist bald eagles and other species from the threatened or endangered list, so their habitat can be ravaged (see below).

-- Elaine Hopkins

Obama in office, now what?

PEORIA -- This is the day we have been waiting for.

Obama is now president. But the inauguration ceremony gets a B-plus at best. Let's hope his administration can do better.

The speech: not bad, but full of the same old generalities. At least he touched on a few good things, such as restoring science "to its rightful place," and "we refuse a false choice between our safety and our ideals."

Does that mean Bush, Cheney & Co. will be prosecuted for war crimes? Probably not.

"The rule of law and the rights of men" were mentioned, as well as restoring America's leadership in the world. But then "we will defeat you," a jingoistic cry against enemies drew applause.

"We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclinch your fist," can be a debatable line. Less ambiguous: "the spirit of service, a willingness to find meaning in something larger than (our)selves."

The old values of hard work, a return to responsibility -- good sentiments but will it put an end to corporate greed? Not likely. It may not even bring universal health coverage.

The rest of the ceremony was very mixed. Rick Warren's 'prayer' gets an F-minus, as sexist -- an appeal to "our father" -- and sectarian, "Jesus."

His assertions in the prayer that his god controls everything, frankly, is superstition and should have no place in government. In fact that assumption undercuts government, instituted by people.

The poem by a professor-friend of Obama's was, frankly, leaden and awful. Another F.

Any number of other poets could have written a better one, or recited a better poem from the past. (Blago -- where were you when we needed you?)

The music was lovely, and benediction was one of the best ever -- no sexism or sectarian appeals here, just lively talk. Both deserve A pluses.

I watched the ceremony with a group of Democrats at Childer's Eatery, 3312 N. University, always a good bet for breakfast or lunch. Their reactions were moving.

The crowd applauded Obama with standing ovations.

There were hugs for newly elected state Rep. Jehan Gordon. Peoria County Democratic chairman Billy Halstead brought in a life-sized cutout of Obama, to the delight of the crowd. Shutters snapped, to record this day in history.

-- Elaine Hopkins

In addition: Here are four great photos from retired Journal Star photographer Al Harkrader of the people at Childers.

Finally, Pat and Warren Harris pose with the Obama cutout.

Thanks, Al!

Cool Cities headed for Peoria

PEORIA -- The Greater Peoria League of Women Voters was asked on Jan. 17 to help form a coalition of community groups in Peoria to push the mayor and city council to join the Cool Cities movement, to work for energy efficiency and reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere.

The Central Illinois Global Warming Group's founders Dave Pittman and Kirsteen Sheets spoke to the League about how to turn the nation's cities green.

Pittman began by presenting the facts on the depletion of the world's natural resources and the threats posed by global warming. "We will be judged by how we measure up to the challenges," of solving these problems, he said.

Quoting Tom Friedman's book Hot, Flat and Crowded, Pittman said, "globalization puts everything on a level playing field." The internet equalizes opportunity and increases expectations, he said.

"It's not just the whales and polar bears. It's about us," he said of global warming and rising expectations. "The other 5.5 billion people want the prosperity we have. Demand grows while resources shrink."

Meanwhile, global warming from energy use threatens us all. "The use of coal to generate electricity has to be stopped. Coal must be gone in 30 years," Pittman said. Clean coal technology has not been developed, and is likely to be very expensive.

That means retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency while turning to other forms of energy generation, he said.

Sheets said that cities and other public organizations have joined the Cool Cities movement, including 48 cities and one county in Illinois. They are working on adoption of green building codes because energy efficiency is the top goal of this movement, she said. Other initiatives include insulating more homes, buying hybred vehicles for government use and breaks such as free parking for drivers of hybred vehicles.

East Peoria has signed onto the Cool Cities plan and is busily pursuing projects, she said. Other cities in the area are interested.

Peoria likely will be the hardest city to move, she said, so a coalition of advocates is necessary to push city officials to join the movement.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Spamalot rocks

PEORIA -- If you've been wavering about plunking down the cash to see Spamalot, now at the Peoria Civic Center, go ahead and see it.

It's terrific.

This is an Actor's Equity company, which guarantees quality performers, and the play meets the criteria of a fine entertainment:

It's funny, full of clever dialogue and satire as well as slapstick. Among the satire targets: gays, royalty, romance, boosterism, Camelot, even Broadway musicals.

The music is fun and not too difficult to follow even if you've never heard it. (Better bet: always listen to the score a few times before seeing a musical theater event.)

The sets and costumes are fabulous.

The actors are also great singers and dancers.

This company is headed to Chicago next, where Richard Chamberlain will star as King Arthur. That tells you the company is good, in itself.

Some Civic Center offerings recently have been weak, so potential audience members may be dubious about paying high prices there. But this production is first rate and worth it.

See it before it leaves town after Jan. 18.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Rock on

PEORIA -- From a news release:

Fine Kettle Of Fish, Peoria’s “amazingly eclectic cover band,” will kick off their 2009 World Tour from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Venue Wine & Art, 112 N. Main St., on the square in Washington.

The group, whose six members range from ages 17 to 69, will offer its usual bouillabaisse of music ranging from Beatles, Motown, R.E.M., and BoDeans to swing jazz, Chicago blues, vintage country, and comic originals like “Blagojevich Farewell.”

Former Journal Star critic David Moll, who penned the description above, praised their creative mix of songs from Richard Thompson to the Rolling Stones. Other writers have cited their improvised medleys: one recent gig saw them blend “Born on the Bayou,” “Smokestack Lightning,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Bang a Gong,” and “Little Queenie” together.

Fine Kettle of Fish grew out of pioneering early ‘60s local rock bands the Tempests and the Heard.

The current sextet includes Mike “Kingfish” Boyer, Tony Glass, and Evan Crebo (lead guitars), Jim Hennessey (bass), Brooks McDaniel (drums), and Mike Foster (12-string guitar).

For more information, call 678-8779 or 222-2480.

This sounds like fun, especially the "Blago Farewell."

No word yet on where this world tour will be going next. Iraq? Afganistan? Mississippi?

Don't touch that dial...

Woodruff supporters mobilize

PEORIA -- The temperature outside was below zero but the Jan. 15 meeting of the District 150 Watch group with Woodruff High School supporters was plenty hot.

More than 150 people squeezed into a room at Godfather's Pizza where they vowed to stop the Peoria District 150 proposal to close Woodruff High School and transfer its students to a reorganized Peoria Central High School.

The group agreed to mobilize and attend the Jan. 20 board meeting, preceded by picketing at 5:30 p.m. outside the Wisconsin Street headquarters.

Students, faculty, parents, alumni and interested citizens were united in their outrage over the plan. They also will reach out to Peoria Central High School supporters to join them.

"They want to divide and conquer, to pit Woodruff against Peoria High. We need to stay united," said Alicia Butler, a former School Board president who is part of the District 150 Watch group.

The 90-minute meeting featured many brief speakers who looked at the implications of the merger. Among their concerns:

-- Previous middle and grade school mergers in Peoria have been disasters, with rival students fighting and being kicked out of school.

-- Students will have opportunities for sports and other activities diminished.

-- The proposal could increase segregation and poverty, since some middle class areas in the Woodruff district will be sent to Richwoods High School.

The district needs to save money, and the closing plan is part of a budget initiative. Many people at the meeting said there are other ways to save, such as ending the district's contract with the Edison schools.

The plan was hatched briefly by a few administrators, without public input, and perhaps based on suppositions about future revenues, said activist Terry Knapp, who helped organize the meeting.

Knapp said 400 people need to turn out for the demonstration next Tuesday, so the board will pay attention. "Wear blue and gold," he said. "Bring your own sign."