Mannheim Steamroller rolls into town
Every November and December for the past 35 years, the neoclassical new-age band Mannheim Steamroller goes on tour, its three troupes giving 80 performances in the space of two months. “The music is so uplifting and full of joy,” said Roxane Layton, group spokesperson and one of its 20 members. She plays percussion and recorder. “Like a steamroller, it really moves you. It’s... READ MORE
Historian makes history as Smithsonian secretary
A girlfriend convinced Lonnie G. Bunch III to jump out of an airplane when he was 17 years old. “I jump out, and I’m yelling, screaming, cursing,” Bunch — now the new head of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. — recalled in an interview with the Beacon. But he learned something important from the experience. “It taught me that I could do things that scare the... READ MORE
Structure in the wintertime garden
The leaves have fallen, nothing is blooming, the garden looks forlorn. Can you stand three more months of this? If not, how can you create beauty in the winter garden? Structure provides the interest you need now as well as the framework for all seasons. Of course, structure can mean literal structures: pergolas, potting sheds, garden gates, stacked stone walls. However, structure... READ MORE
Cabaret series honors legendary singers
Richmond theater aficionado Mark Singer, 69, has attended performances in major cities all over the world, but he is still impressed by the “fantastic talent” he sees among Richmond performers. Because of the quality of local talent, Singer subscribes to Legends on Grace, a series of cabaret-like performances presented by the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance (RPAA). RPAA... READ MORE
Today’s shiftless youngsters don’t get it
There are many ways for a 20th-century baby to feel his or her age: —When some youngster says he has just discovered this cool rock group called The Beatles. —When you realize that Watergate happened almost 50 years ago. —When your knees crack and clatter every time you stand up. —When you mention the unforgettable date of November 22, 1963 to an all-younger crowd and... READ MORE
At harvest season, books by and for cooks
The Bibliophile For many of us, a printed recipe is handier than a mobile device in the kitchen, where food stains and splatters are ubiquitous. These cookbooks will help you prepare dishes to wow your guests this holiday season. Read the stories that accompany the recipes with relish. The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2019: Every Recipe from the Hit TV Show... READ MORE
Celebration of the Arts contest to return
The Beacon Newspapers has announced that its popular amateur art competition for adults over 50, the Celebration of the Arts, will return in 2020. First launched in 2018, the Celebration of the Arts was inspired by moving stories from Beacon readers who have either turned to the arts for the first time in retirement, or have returned to an earlier passion for art later in life. The... READ MORE
Exhibit highlights Marian Anderson’s life
Singer Marian Anderson is perhaps best remembered for her most famous performances. On April 9, 1939, because segregationist policies denied her access to the DAR’s Constitution Hall, Anderson sang at the Lincoln Memorial. She performed from the steps of the monument before an integrated audience of 75,000. In 1942, the DAR changed its policy and invited Anderson to sing at... READ MORE
Sophia Loren comes to town
Take one look at Sophia Loren, who was born in 1934, and it’s clear she knows the secret of aging well. “There is a fountain of youth,” Loren once said. “It is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” Loren, 85, is still bringing her passionate... READ MORE
Illuminating life by making light of death
Death is in the air this fall at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Everybody. In fact, Death is even in the theater. But Death, played by Nancy Robinette, is a far cry from the creepy, cloaked Grim Reaper who usually comes to mind. Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Death is amicable, even funny. Like a stand-up comedian, Death heckles the cast’s five other members ... READ MORE
