Beauty and The Beads

The critically acclaimed Bristol Old Vic production of Swallows And Amazons, a new musical play by Helen Edmundson with songs by Neil Hannon, will come to the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, from February 7 11 February.

Based on the much-loved book by Arthur Ransome, this imaginative production is directed by Tom Morris, artistic director of Bristol Old Vic and co-director of the National Theatre’s Tony Award-winning smash hit War Horse. It boasts music and lyrics by Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy fame.

All aboard The Swallow as you follow Captain John and his able crew, setting sail to Wildcat Island on an exotic adventure to encounter danger, capture dastardly pirates and defeat mortal enemies.

An action-packed musical adventure for the whole family (aged six and above), Swallows and Amazons is a story of an idyllic era, of endless summer evenings and the beauty of youthful imagination.

It opened at Bristol Old Vic in December 2010 for a sell-out run and was a critical and popular hit. It was originally developed at the National Theatre Studio.

The director of movement is Toby Sedgwick, who won an Olivier Award for War Horse, with set design by Robert Innes Hopkins, costume design by Robert Innes Hopkins and Liesel Corp, musical direction and arrangements by Sam Kenyon, lighting design by James Farncombe, sound by Jason Barnes and additional musical arrangements by Andrew Skeet.

Published in 1930, Swallows and Amazons was the first in a series of twelve books by Arthur Ransome (1884-1967). Set in 1929 in the Lake District, it tells of the school holiday exploits of the Walker and Blackett children and their sailing dinghies – the Swallow and the Amazon.

Neil Hannon is a singer, lyricist and composer. Although he is best known for writing, recording and performing as The Divine Comedy, he has also written extensively for TV and film, including the music to Father Ted and The IT Crowd. He has collaborated with everyone from Michael Nyman to Tom Jones, and his cricket-themed project The Duckworth Lewis Method was nominated for an Ivor Novello Award. Swallows and Amazons is his first venture into the world of theatre.

Tickets are £10-£19. Call the box office on 0115 9895555.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The Cedar Falls Historical Society has
ended a year-plus-long search for a new director.

Karen Smith recently took over as executive director. Her
predecessor, Jeff Kurtz, held the job for six years before leaving
in the fall of 2010.

In the meantime, collections manager Josh McDonnell served as
interim director during a busy year when the group reopened the Ice
House Museum.

We believe she is the ideal person to lead the organization in
the years to come, said Don Redfern, president of the Historical
Society.

Smith has a background in managing volunteer workers and
experience in working with historical collections. She earned a
doctorate in American studies from the University of Iowa in 2011
and has worked at the Old Capitol Museum in Iowa City and Terrace
Hill in Des Moines.

She had spent a few years in Minneapolis coordinating volunteers
for Chrysalis, an organization that works with women and
families.

I had a lot of nonprofit experience already. I wanted to move
into more cultural non-profit work, rather than social services,
Smith said.

Smith started work last week and has been meeting with
volunteers, board members and staff. Shes also working to immerse
herself in the history of Cedar Falls.

I am excited about getting settled in Cedar Falls with my
family and becoming part of a community with such a rich history.
This is a great opportunity to lead an organization that has worked
so hard to preserve and promote its history, Smith said.

Smith has moved to Cedar Falls with her husband, Nathaniel Baer,
who serves as energy program director with the Iowa Environmental
Council, and their young daughter.

The society will host an open house and reception for Smith from
3 to 5 pm Feb. 7 at the Victorian Home amp; Carriage House
Museum, 308 W. Third St.

Now that the freezing temps and snow have arrived in the Chicagoland area, the early feelings of cabin fever begin making its way into our everyday lives. A few joy filled days of sledding with the kids and some light shoveling of the driveway tend to be quickly outlived and before we know it, we cant wait for spring to show its face again. Like most Chicagolanders, you will likely try to make the most out of this winter by either engaging in more fun winter activities or by taking a trip to places of warmer climates.

If the first option sounds too cold for you, then youre likely the type of person to fall into the latter group and fly away to your favorite destination. Whats that? Cant afford a trip this year? Well, youre definitely not alone, but I bet you would at least love to dream about such destinations, right? And what about those you who can afford it, but arent sure where to go. Are you looking for better ideas than what your computer screen can offer? Whether you can afford a trip or would like to just do some dreaming, you could most likely benefit from a visit to their local travel agency to browse through brochures and get their mind off the things that causes cabin fever. Better yet, how about going to the nations largest travel and adventure show at the Rosemont Horizon this weekend to get a wonderful dose of ethnic cultures and places to visit?

While the wars outcome hardly hinged on this battle, it was nonetheless a significant loss for the Confederates.

The Cow Army in Fort Meade was supplying cattle for food to the Confederate troops, said Priscilla Perry, executive director of the Fort Meade Chamber of Commerce. This battle halted that, forcing the Confederates to look elsewhere for cattle.

Participants will stage a re-enactment of the battle Saturday and Sunday at the Fort Meade Outdoor Recreation Complex, along the Peace River. The event is part of the communitys third annual three-day heritage festival, which includes homemade crafts, entertainment, living history exhibits and a folk music festival. Representatives and volunteers with the chamber are organizing the event.

This marks the second year for the battle re-enactment, Perry said.

It was so well received last year, she said, and its important that people know the role Fort Meade played in the Civil War.

In 1864, the Union Army marched into Florida to shut down the food supply to Confederate troops. On April 7, Union soldiers clashed with the Confederate Army near the area where Bowlegs Creek splinters from the Peace River, just south of Fort Meade.

After a brief skirmish, the Confederates, including Bartow benefactor Jacob Summerlin, retreated back to Fort Meade. A Confederate soldier, James Lanier, died in the battle.

But the Union Army wasnt finished. A month later, on May 19, they returned to burn Fort Meade to the ground, leaving only a log officers quarters as a remnant of the fort. That building was dismantled 40 years later.

Terri Davies, an organizer of the re-enactment, said about 150 re-enactors will participate in the battle.

They are dressed in period-appropriate apparel, which is made of the materials that were available at that time, she said. There are civilian re-enactors, as well. Our goal is to be as historically accurate as we can.

Along with the battle, the group will have an encampment with sutlers, which are tradesmen or vendors with period-correct stores under canvas tents, Davies said.

They have books, toys, furs, leather goods, clothing and handcrafted antique beading, she said.

Living history exhibits in the encampment include cooking demonstrations and musket firings.

The heritage festival opens Friday at 10 am with living history exhibits, crafts and food vendors. Saturdays events include entertainment beginning at 10 am The re-enactment will take place at 1:30 pm, and entertainment will continue until 7 pm

A second staging of the Battle of Bowlegs Creek will begin at 1:30 pm Sunday.

Admission to the event is free, but theres a $5 charge for parking. Returning guests pay $2 to park.

The Fort Meade Outdoor Recreation Complex is located on US 98 East in Fort Meade, at the Peace River bridge.

If you ever thought the presidents State of the Union address was kind of like a made-for-tv movie youre not far off. Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution requires the Commander and Chief from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union. But of course the Constitution says nothing about television or even speaking for that matter. That part can be credited to contemporary times.

For a good chunk of our nations history, the State of the Union was simply a letter delivered from the Executive Office to Congress. This happened as recently  as 1981 with Jimmy Carter.

Though the concept of giving it as a speech is nothing new. George Washington and John Adams both personally meet with Congress. Though, the tradition wasnt again picked up until Woodrow Wilson gave it as a speech in 1913.

Senior Vice President at the Council on Foreign Relations Dr. James M. Lindsay wrote a special column for CNN containing all sort of State of the Union fun facts.