A&E

How the West was won and French culture was forgotten

PARIS – During the course of the past 11 and a half weeks living in Paris, there are a few things I have learned Parisians simply cannot live without. The most crucial being cigarettes, dark-colored clothing and sitting at a cafe having drinks with a friend.

Around the Arts

Post turkey: The sound of settling

PARIS – It’s funny how returning to a place can make it feel like home. I hadn’t considered Paris a home the entire time I’ve been studying here. But when I returned from Amsterdam last weekend, I felt something I couldn’t recognize until now.

Economic downturn encourages double-duty shopping

You’ve seen it on style.com, you’ve read it in top fashion magazines and you’ve heard it from me.

Local artist creates kaleidoscope career

Jerry Farnsworth often has a distorted perspective, at least when it comes to his work.

Bloomington Playwrights Project concludes ‘PlayOffs’ with packed crowd

Nine plays, nine playwrights, only 24 hours of writing time.

VIDA to be 1st to perform in Indy theater festival

IU Spanish theater group Vision, Identity, Drama, and Art performed a one-act play in Indianapolis this past weekend. VIDA took the one-act “Las nuevas tamaleras” (The New Tamaleras) to IndyFringe Friday, a theater festival in Indianapolis.

Vox Lumiere brings silent movies to life

Performance group Vox Lumiere’s signature shows are rock concerts built around silent movies, and Friday night’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater was no exception.

Comedy takes a stand against homelessness

Local organizations brought together comedy and social awareness Saturday with “Bloomington, Stand Up!” at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.

‘Saved by the Bell’ actor cracks jokes at Funny Bone

Joking briefly about his well-known role as Screech on “Saved By the Bell,” Dustin Diamond’s stand-up comedy act this weekend at The Funny Bone Comedy Club made fun of everyone from his past cast mates to members of the audience.

‘Saved by the Bell’ star to perform at Funny Bone

Almost everyone knows him as Zack Morris’ sidekick from the early ’90s sitcom “Saved by the Bell” or as the contestant who bumped heads with Harvey Walden IV in VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club.”

Around the Arts

Warm up with wool, cashmere sweaters

In case you haven’t noticed, winter is upon us. Sure, officially it’s still fall, but with the temperature routinely dipping into the 30s, it’s safe to say a warmer form of clothing is greatly needed.

IU Soul Revue brings mix of soul, funk, Motown to Bear’s Place

Wednesday night at Bear’s Place, the IU Soul Revue took the stage in front of a standing-room-only crowd, belting out the classics of soul, Motown and funk. The singers performed in groups of four or more, changing with every song.

‘Juno’ musician to perform with local sibling pair

These days, it’s nearly impossible to talk about Kimya Dawson without mentioning “Juno.”

Music school professor to play with Indianapolis orchestra

For the first time ever, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will grace the Musical Arts Center stage for a concert conducted by Maestro Mario Venzago on Sunday.

The American novel vs. Cuban

Partly because of my political leanings and partly because of my penchant for watching prominent figures fall from grace in the public sphere, I cannot stop myself from reading every update regarding IU alumnus Mark Cuban’s battle with insider trading charges.

‘I Am You’ takes the stage at BPP

Even though Stone Belt client Shirley Freeman cannot speak, she doesn’t feel held back. “Often people treat me as though I have a mental disability because I am non-verbal, and they automatically believe I have a low IQ,” said Freeman, one of the playwrights of the play “I Am You,” using gestures and expressions interpreted by IU senior Michelle Davenport. “This does not limit me, and I believe this is a disability of our society. I have the intelligence to accomplish whatever tasks I set my mind to.”

Texas-size rock comes to Bluebird

The enthusiastic crowd got what it came to see Tuesday night: Texas-size country-rock with James McMurtry and his three-piece band. He is touring in support of his new record “Just Us Kids.”

Giving thanks to the entertainment industry

Roasting turkeys, mashing potatoes, passing out by 3 p.m. Yep, it’s Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. Any day that I don’t have to do anything but roll out of bed by noon-ish, pack as much food into my stomach as possible and spend the rest of the day in a food coma is fine with me.