Richmond Hill Barn Theatre in Geneseo is like something from an actor's dream. With "theatre-in-the-round" seating, high ceilings for easy lighting capability, entryways from four sides, and an intimate acting space, one would think any play could succeed with these standards. Even a weak performance can be positively impacted by quality set pieces and a connection with audience members.
If you saw John Music, the lead singer of Provoke, you would probably be able to guess he was part of the hardcore music scene, with the tattoos that peak out from his chest and run down his left calf. But looking at Terry Johnson from another local hardcore/progressive band named Transmission 13, you could never guess that they had any affiliation at all.
A lot has changed about the annual Miss America Pageant, starting at the bottom rung of a tiered process that used to elevate women for their beauty and performing talents, but now rewards them more for their community service, grasp of current issues, and career goals.
It's easy to blame the legislative leaders at the Illinois statehouse for accumulating so much power. I've done it a lot, myself. Dozens of reforms have been proposed to curtail their influence. The leaders raise the vast majority of all legislative campaign cash, so some reformers want to cap the amount of money they can contribute to candidates.
I think we might have missed the trees for the forest last week. Many major media outlets just barely skimmed the charges last week when federal prosecutors indicted three of Illinois Governor George Ryan's friends.
• This Tuesday the Fuel 2000 label issues Ride Pony Ride, a terrific new anthology documenting The Golden Palominos and the band's 1980s underground avant-funk clique. Built on the rhythm of drummer and bandleader Anton Fier, the group's ever-changing coil featured ace players such as saxophonist John Zorn, guitarists Nicky Skopelitis and Arto Lindsay, and bassists Bill Laswell and Jamaaladeen Tacuma.
Ten years ago, Bill Holland was one of the most hated people in the Illinois Statehouse. As Democratic Senate President Phil Rock's chief of staff, Holland had a difficult assignment. Rock was a nice man.
The inventor of the modern computer and the Blues Brothers are among the figures that could be memorialized through public art as part of a capital-improvement project over the next few years on and near the Great River Plaza of Rock Island.
MidAmerican Energy Company (MEC) sent notices to its customers on March 14, 2002, advising them of its intention to increase natural gas rates by an average of 4.3 percent, generating an additional $26.6 million for the company.
So, here's the deal: If you're being investigated, questioned, subpoenaed, etc. by the U.S. Attorney's office in connection with the Illinois secretary of state scandals, the governor's campaign fund will pay your legal bills, unless you were one of those low-level mopes actually selling commercial drivers licenses.

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