A&E

IU student comes in 3rd at Miss Gay Indiana pageant

By Jenica Schultz · Sunday, July 11,2004 9:13 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Returning senior Chris Grooms put on his makeup, donned a wig, zipped on a white Elvis-styled jumpsuit covered in gem stones and stepped onto the Talbott Street Theater stage in Indianapolis Friday as his drag persona Miss Bianca Defy at the 26th annual Miss Gay Indiana USA pageant. Grooms placed third and won the Glamour award in what was his first state pageant. "For his first Miss Indiana pageant, I think he did exceptionally well," said Grooms' roommate and recent IU graduate Andrew Rehrig.

'Twelfth Night' is uniquely entertaining

By Kacie Leblong · Sunday, July 11,2004 9:12 p.m.

The young members of the Youth Theatre Ensemble capped off their four-week learning experience with performances of Shakespeare's comedy "Twelfth Night" at the Bloomington Playwrights Project Thursday through Sunday. The cast, ages nine to 15, sparkled with heart and energy, lending a youthful enthusiasm to the well-known words of William Shakespeare.

Brown County Playhouse premiers 'The Foreigner'

By Christopher Gagnon · Wednesday, July 7,2004 9:11 p.m.

Brown County Playhouse premiers "The Foreigner" tonight, its second play of the season. Written by American playwright Larry Shue in 1983, "The Foreigner" is a comedy following two Englishmen in Georgia through their fishing lodge escapades.

Young actors take on Shakespeare

By Kacie Leblong · Wednesday, July 7,2004 9:11 p.m.

The Bloomington Playwrights Project stage will be invaded by a group of young artists performing William Shakespeare's comedy "Twelfth Night," which begins tonight and runs through Sunday. The group has been working together for four weeks and promises to deliver a twisted comedic plot full of laughs, mistaken identities and crazy schemes.

Student composers featured in harp semifinals

By Steven Chung · Wednesday, July 7,2004 9:10 p.m.

Recent IU doctoral graduate and composer Mischa Zupko was never interested in composing for the harp. But, a few years ago when he heard harpist and then-IU student Maria Luisa Rayán wanted to work with a composer on a harp composition, he jumped at the opportunity. Rayán was one of the most accomplished harpists to come through IU, having finished second twice and eighth once at the USA International Harp Competition.

Triennial harp competition returns to Auer Hall

By Steven Chung · Wednesday, June 30,2004 9:48 p.m.

Since winning the gold medal at the 2001 USA International Harp Competition in Bloomington, IU alumna Dan Yu has achieved tremendous success and notoriety with a recording contract and recitals around the world. Her prizes included a $55,000 golden harp, a recording contract and debut recitals in New York, London, Paris and Tokyo. In 2002, Egan Records released her debut CD "The Nightingale."

Former IDS food columnist reveals 'Cookie Dough Delights'

By Brittany Terwilliger · Wednesday, June 30,2004 9:09 p.m.

Graduate student and former Indiana Daily Student food columnist Camilla Saulsbury recently published "Cookie Dough Delights," which hit bookshelves in June with mixed reviews from critics.

Opera Theater opens summer season with Bock's 'She Loves Me'

By Sheeba Madan · Wednesday, June 30,2004 9:08 p.m.

The School of Music's Summer Music Festival kicks off its elite summer opera season next week with Jerry Bock's 1964 musical "She Loves Me." The opera is scheduled for July 9 through 11 at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre. "She Loves Me," the basis for the films "You've Got Mail" and "In the Good Old Summertime," was inspired by 1940 film "The Shop Around the Corner" starring Jimmy Stewart. The film was an adaption of Miklós László's play "Parfumerie," set in Budapest.

Miss Gay IU competes for crown at state

By Jenica Schultz · Wednesday, June 30,2004 9:07 p.m.

Glitter, glamour, sequins and makeup consume senior Chris Grooms' life these days as he prepares to compete as Bianca Defy in the Miss Gay Indiana pageant July 7-9. "I always get butterflies during competitions," he said. "I think those butterflies are a signal to me that I'm ready. If I don't have those butterflies, I think something's wrong. They are good, nervous butterflies."

Borromeo Quartet comes to IU archive' to IU

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, June 30,2004 9:06 p.m.

Borromeo Quartet, a world-renowned string ensemble that has been declared "simply the best there is" by The Boston Globe will participate in the Summer String School at the School of Music. Its members, first violinist Nicholas Kitchen, second violinist William Fedkenheuer, violist Mai Motobuchi and cellist Yessun Kim, who will perform in a master's class on chamber music Tuesday and Wednesday, play more than 100 concerts annually and are all on staff at the renowned New England Conservatory.

Barbecuing in Hamburg

By David Kanter · Sunday, June 27,2004 9:19 p.m.

Ahhh, the joys of summer. Sun, pools, short shorts (not on me), warm nights, excessive lounging and, of course, barbecue -- that pit of fire and smoke that has sustained people around the world for thousands of years. The historical and social importance of the barbecue may be too long and boring to divulge in this article, but I have come to put another argument to rest.

Chamber Music Series attracts world-class musicians

By Sheeba Madan · Sunday, June 27,2004 9:18 p.m.

International musicians will visit Bloomington in the Chamber Music Series this summer as part of IU's School of Music Summer Music Festival. The music series began June 25 and will run until July 21. Jerzy Kaplanek, an associate professor who teaches violin and chamber music at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, will perform at the Summer Music Festival for the fifth time.

Union Board throws outdoor concert

By Sheeba Madan · Wednesday, June 23,2004 9:28 p.m.

National singer-songwriter Ari Hest and Bloomington bands The Swell and After Mars will play in Dunn Meadow from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday in a summer concert arranged by Union Board. Hest, who hails from New York City, will perform at the concert as part of the promotional tour for his forthcoming debut album, "Someone To Tell," which will be released by Columbia Records Aug. 10.

Wide variety of ethnic foods offered locally

By Brittany Terwilliger · Wednesday, June 23,2004 9:28 p.m.

Grub-hunting IU students may flock to the nearest pizza place, but the array of ethnic restaurants in Bloomington still flourishes. In fact, out of the 253 restaurants in Bloomington, nearly 100 are independently owned -- a high ratio considering the conservative eating habits of Midwesterners who usually prefer restaurant chains. Food lovers looking for meals from any ethnicity, from Indian to Greek, Irish to Mediterranean, Mexican to Thai, can find it in Bloomington.

Big Ben and the Tower of London

By Britany Ausmus and Brittany Ausmus · Wednesday, June 23,2004 9:26 p.m.

After I collected my bags at London Heathrow, a predicament emerged. I had with me the luggage from four months in Denmark, which is way too much to manage by myself in one trip. So I settled on leaving half of my belongings behind at the luggage desk, dropped the rest of my bags at my hostel and set out to find my flat.

Students catch up on leisure reading

By Erika Biga Lee · Sunday, June 20,2004 9:17 p.m.

Many students see summer as a chance to catch up on reading without the worry of pending school assignments hanging over their heads. But finding the right summer book to read proves to be a challenge in itself. Everyone has his or her own opinion about what others should read.

'Ivan the Terrible' takes Dark Alley

By Sara Darbro · Sunday, June 20,2004 9:16 p.m.

Last weekend, Bloomington Playwrights Project premiered "Ivan the Terrible," the last of this season's Dark Alley Series plays, on its Lori Shiner Studio stage. Written by local resident Marta Jasicki, "Ivan the Terrible" is a short, hopeful and comedic drama. Located only a few blocks from Kirkwood Avenue, on Washington Street, BPP's Dark Alley Late Night shows have been the home of some of Bloomington's more cutting-edge risqué plays.

Local group tours many area gardens

By Jacquelyn Janowski · Wednesday, June 16,2004 9:29 p.m.

The Bloomington Garden Club will tour diverse and private gardens this weekend in its 15th annual Summer Garden Walk from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, which includes Hilltop Garden and Nature Center and Oliver Winery. "The summer garden walk is great because you are able to view so many different types of gardens, from very big to small and personal," said Pat Bartlett, a member of the Bloomington Garden Club.

Truly Remarkable Loon comes to Bloomington

By Sheeba Madan · Wednesday, June 16,2004 9:26 p.m.

With a quarter century's experience in juggling giant bean bag chairs, spinning plates and tossing flaming torches, Truly Remarkable Loon will perform Friday as part of Buskirk-Chumley Theater's Family Series. Loon, who goes by his stage name in real life, said he is excited about his second performance in Bloomington. "I really like this town," he said. "It reminds me of Madison, (Wis.) where I live.

FROZEN delights

By Maurina Paradise · Wednesday, June 16,2004 9:19 p.m.

With summer in Bloomington heating up, it is the perfect time of year to enjoy ice cream or, for the lactose intolerant, some cool dessert. Bloomington is full of ice cream parlors and their chilled delights. Each place has its own story and its own uniqueness that pulls people to them. A free standing brown stand, The Chocolate Moose, 401 S. Walnut St., has been open and operated by the same family for more than 70 years. Two of its employees have been there for more than 50 years.