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Chicago Tribune
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Waukegan Theatre Festival opens Friday night; ‘As a playwright, it's a chance prove yourself'
Connor Daley of Lake Villa started acting on stage at age 9, and started writing songs when he got his first guitar. Now, the Illinois State University sophomore theater major has written his first play — a musical — that will be part of the Waukegan Theatre Festival this weekend. 'Singing and writing songs became an outlet for me,' Daley said. 'I feel it is a very powerful story,' he added, referring to 'The Point of Return.' 'I'm very excited it's going to be part of the festival.' The Waukegan Theatre Festival opens Friday at both locations of the Three Brothers Theatre and the Waukegan Music Exchange in downtown Waukegan, with multiple showings of four productions. Three of the four playwrights are from Lake County. Josh Beadle, an owner of Three Brothers and the festival organizer, said the event has taken place for most of the last seven years, though not during the coronavirus pandemic. The schedule is arranged to enable a theatergoer to see all four productions in the three days. The cost is $30. 'There's one price, and you can see as much as you want of the festival,' he said. 'People will get to see a little bit of everything. They can catch everything if they want to.' All four plays — two are musicals — are never-before-performed shows. Beadle said part of the purpose of the festival is to give playwrights, both experienced and first-timers, an opportunity to show their work to the public. It could launch a career. 'This is an opportunity for playwrights to write something new,' he said. 'We're looking for the next (William) Shakespeare or (Christopher) Marlowe. This is one avenue to get a play performed. As a playwright, it's a chance to prove yourself if you're a bit of an unknown.' Opening with two shows Friday night, there will be four performances throughout the day Saturday and two more on Sunday, giving each of the four plays a pair of showings. Beadle said the timing was intentional to give people multiple opportunities to see all four of the productions. Starting the festival is 'The Perfect Team' by Henry Allan at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Three Brothers' 221 North Genesee Street location, and Kevin Blair's 'It's Coming From Inside the House' at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Three Brothers' 115 North Genesee building. Daley's 'The Point of Return 'will be performed at 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at Three Brothers' 115 Genesee building, while 'Sitting, Standing, Lying' by Beadle opens at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Waukegan Music Exchange and 4 p.m. Sunday at 115 North Genesee. Daley said 'Point of Return' tells the story of the 'inner workings' of a woman's mind as she copes with her father's death. Telling the story with songs and duets, it shows how she works through her emotions to the 'point of return.' 'The show aims to bring awareness to mental health and grief,' Daley said. 'When I was going through a hard time in my own life, writing songs helped me through it.' A Mundelein resident, Allan said, 'The Perfect Team' is his sixth produced play. Four are musicals. It tells the fictitious story of a Broadway composer who died, but his soul 'cannot rest' until he finishes a last story. He enters the body of a young composer to finish the job. 'I start writing a play with an idea,' Allan said. 'When I know who the story is happening to, I know the lead and the gender. I figure out who surrounds him. I look at songs I've written to see if they can be repurposed. As I write, I make a note that a song belongs here.'. Bringing his 10th play to the stage, Beadle, a Waukegan resident, said 'Sitting, Standing, Lying,' a comedy, is about two actors 'mysteriously locked in a rehearsal room.' They have no director, stage manager or crew, and must figure out what to do. 'It's one of my more abstract productions,' Beadle said. 'It goes from the abstract to the absurd. It's a combination of (Samuel) Beckett and (Franz) Kafka. It's much funnier than we realize. It's an homage to Beckett, but really a comic version of two actors trying to figure it out.' Blair, who lives in Chicago, said 'Coming From Inside the House' is four separate plays produced as one performance. He wrote three while Brandon Wright, also from Chicago, wrote the fourth. They like giving the audience a variety of genres. 'You'll laugh, cry and scream,' Blair said. 'There's science fiction, a dark comedy, one about a cult and magic taking place during the zombie apocalypse.' Not only do the playwrights have an opportunity to present their show to a live audience, Beadle said, they get to hear the words spoken when they have only been able to read them before. With comedy, it is easy because it needs to evoke laughter. With drama, it can be harder. 'Sometimes with a joke, it lags too long before the punchline,' he said. 'A lot of times plays open in Chicago before going to Broadway so they can be tweaked.' Beadle said it is not at all uncommon for the writer to make changes after a first or second performance. There are often alterations between previews and opening night. For Daley, it is nearly a certainty. 'I'll tweak it after the performances,' Daley said.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Impressive new Louth mural brings mythical Drawda urban art trail to a fiery finish
Commissioned by Love Drogheda BID and Droichead Arts Centre, the latest mural depicts Balor, an imposing one-eyed giant from Irish legend locked in battle with his grandson, the warrior Lugh. The piece is one of the largest murals in Ireland, and now occupies a prominent position on the wall of Scotch Hall. Balor, a central figure in the lore of the Fomorians, is remembered for his destructive "evil eye" and his role in ancient conflicts with the Tuatha Dé Danann. His mythological links to the Boyne Valley, particularly the Standing Stones at Baltray, make him a fitting final figure for a project so deeply rooted in local legend. The DRAWDA trail has transformed Drogheda into an outdoor gallery of myth and storytelling. Other featured deities and figures include The Morrigan, The Dagda, and Amergin, all brought to life by a blend of local, national, and international artists. A self-guided audio trail, accessible via QR codes beside each mural, allows visitors to delve deeper into each myth. The stories are based on retellings by Anthony Murphy, adapted by Gráinne Rafferty, and voiced by Niall O'Brien and Gráinne Rafferty, with original music by Niall Gregory and editing by Sean McCluskey at Basement Sounds. Set against the backdrop of Drogheda's medieval walls, ancient gates, and sacred sites, the project celebrates the town's unique position within Ireland's Ancient East and the rich storytelling traditions of the Boyne Valley. The DRAWDA Urban Art Trail was produced by Droichead Arts Centre in partnership with Love Drogheda BID, and funded by Louth County Council, Fáilte Ireland's Urban Animation Fund, the Arts Council's In the Open, Faoin Spéir initiative, and the Town & Village Accelerated Measures programme. Additional support came from The Marcy Hotel, Murtagh's of Drogheda, and Drogheda Height for Hire. With Balor's fiery presence now towering above the town, Drogheda has firmly cemented its place as a modern-day capital of Irish myth and urban creativity.
India.com
20-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
China's $167 Billion Mega Dam Project on Brahmaputra in Tibet Kicks Off — How Could It Affect India?
China on Saturday officially kicked off the construction on a mega dam project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo, upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River in Tibet. The project has reportedly sparked concerns in nations including India and Bangladesh, which are the downstream countries. After China had announced its plans to build a mega dam on the Brahmaputra River, India voiced its concerns with Beijing last year, including 'the need for transparency and consultation' with the nations that lie downstream. China Dam's Affects On India The government of China has insisted that the project aims to deliver electricity for external consumption and address local demand in Xizang. However, the construction of the dam could harm the downstream nations of the Brahmpautra. India has reportedly been carefully monitoring the developments relating to the Brahmaputra River, including China's plans to develop hydropower projects. Moreover, New Delhi has also taken necessary measures to protect the nation's and citizens' interests, including preventive and corrective measures to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of the people residing in downstream areas. According to a report by India Today, with an investment of billions of dollars, the project is expected to generate over 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. According to the report, the project's hydropower station will be built at a significant gorge in the Himalayas, specifically where the Brahmaputra River makes a U-turn before entering Arunachal Pradesh and subsequently flowing into Bangladesh. Thus, the project has raised concerns in India and Bangladesh. India's Concerns On Dam Construction The concerns of India regarding the construction of the dam were also raised during the visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Beijing for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism between both countries on January 26 and 27. Fast forward to July 2025, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and discussed the trajectory of India-China bilateral relations. During the talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the EAM emphasised a long-term approach to resolving bilateral issues. Groundbreaking Ceremony Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the groundbreaking ceremony and announced the official start of the Yarlung Zangbo River Lower Reaches Hydropower Project in the Tibet region. Responsible persons from relevant departments of the central and state organs, relevant central enterprises, members of the expert advisory committee for the construction of the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River hydropower project, project research, testing and construction units, and local people's representatives attended the groundbreaking ceremony, Xinhua news agency reported. According to IANS, the state-owned press agency reported that the project mainly adopts the development method of straightening the bends and diverting water through tunnels, and builds five cascade power stations with a total investment of about 1.2 trillion yuan, which is about 167.8 billion US dollars. Also Read: Indus Water Treaty Suspension: Can Pakistan-China Make Brahmaputra A Weapon Against India? Expert Says… India's Bridge Over Brahmaputra River According to ANI, the Indian Railways sanctioned the construction of the Second Rail-cum-Road Bridge at Saraighat over the Brahmaputra River, under the doubling project of the Agthori-Kamakhya railway line in Assam. The project, approved under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), is estimated to cost Rs. 1,473.77 crore and is targeted for completion by December 2029. The bridge will cover a total length of 7.062 km between Agthori and Kamakhya stations, and will feature a 1.3 km-long steel composite girder over the Brahmaputra.
United News of India
24-06-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Role of Central Zonal Council is important in achieving goal of developed India: Shah
Lucknow 24 June (UNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the states of the Central Regional Council have an important role in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of building a developed India by 2047. While chairing the 25th meeting of the Central Regional Council here, Shah said that the Central Regional Council is the only regional council where there is no problem or dispute of any kind between two member states and this is a great achievement. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav and Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Dev Sai participated in the meeting. Senior ministers of member states, Union Home Secretary, Secretary of Inter-State Council Secretariat, Chief Secretaries of member states and other senior officials of state and central ministries and departments also attended the meeting. He said that while only 11 meetings of Zonal Councils and only 14 meetings of Standing Committees of Zonal Councils were held from 2004-14, 28 meetings of Zonal Councils and 33 meetings of Standing Committees of Zonal Councils have been held in 2014-25, which is a 2-fold increase. He also said that so far 1,287 issues have been resolved in these meetings, which is historic and encouraging in itself. In the meeting, the Home Minister also asked the member states to increase the income of Gram Panchayats and make rules for it. He said that India's three-tier democratic Panchayati Raj system will become more effective only by increasing the income of Panchayats. A total of 19 issues including broad topics of national importance were discussed in the meeting. These included various issues such as implementation of fast track special courts for prompt investigation and speedy disposal of rape cases against women and children, brick-and-mortar banking facility within the designated radius of each village and implementation of emergency response support system. In the meeting, the Home Minister said that all the states of the regional council should ensure to eliminate malnutrition among children, reduce drop-out ratio to zero and strengthen cooperation. UNI AB BM
The Star
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Modern economy creates new insecure social class, says expert
KUALA LUMPUR: Changes in the modern economy have led to a new and growing social class impacted by job and living condition insecurity, says Basic Income Earth Network founder and honorary co-president Prof Guy Standing. Termed the "precariat," this class includes part-time and gig industry workers, arising from the decline of traditional employment and social safety nets. Standing stated that individuals in the precariat often miss out on crucial benefits such as healthcare, pensions, and job security, leaving them exposed to financial instability. He then noted that corporate and household debt is also escalating. "Insecurity is a pandemic in itself, eroding the mental bandwidth and the capacity to be rational and make future decisions. We live in a world of chronic uncertainty, unable to predict when or who will be hit by a shock, with a diminished ability to cope or recover, particularly for the precariat," he said at the International Social Wellbeing Conference 2025 (ISWC 2025), themed "Living to A Hundred: Are We Prepared?" at the Shangri-La Hotel on Tuesday (June 17).
