Sondheim at Signature is musical magic
The best theater creates a sort of air-tight chamber in which you are totally isolated from the world of reality. Indeed, your only “reality” for a time is the world conjured up before you, enveloping you with words, the music, in this case, and the physical aura of the actors.Those elements combine with the skill and technical expertise of artists and craftspeople to release... READ MORE
Inside PBS’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’
A few years ago, a coin shop owner in Vienna, Va., had a customer who coveted a few of the coins in the store. In exchange, the customer offered a set of 15 posters made for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Each poster was signed by the artist, including such modernist luminaries as Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg. The shop owner figured the coins he exchanged were worth about... READ MORE
Rep Stage begins its 25th theater season
Rep Stage, the professional regional theater at Howard County Community College, will mark its 25th anniversary season with three award-winning contemporary American plays —The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill by Lanie Robertson, and True West by Sam Shepard — along with a world premiere about two eccentric sisters from... READ MORE
It’s back to school season for everyone
If you miss school — but not the homework or exams — look into the many continuing education programs offered in town. From aerobics to zoology, there is sure to be something to pique your interest. Here are just a few:Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson UniversityThe mission of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University is to offer adults age 50 and... READ MORE
Find your inner Picasso and de-stress
Feeling stressed? Pick up a paintbrush and you might just feel lighter and happier.Getting rid of stress was one reason Deborah Hoffman opened Paint and Sip in Owings Mills, a do-it-yourself (DIY) art studio that offers a “unique way to uncork your creativity,” with two-hour classes for painting and glass decoration. Paint and Sip classes cost $40 per painter, which... READ MORE
Live long advice: belly up to the (grab) bar
How I See ItBy Bob LeveyAmong my many guilty pleasures (bad novels, oldies rock, Greek wine), I rank one higher than all others: Newspaper stories about people who have just turned 100.Usually the lucky duck is female (sorry, fellas). And very often, she has a saucy answer to explain her longevity.Drink a shot of bourbon every day.Smoke unfiltered Camels whenever you like.And, quite often,... READ MORE
Appraisals added to annual 50+ Expos
Who will be the lucky winner of a 10-day vacation for two to China? Two lucky registrants at the 2017 Beacon 50+Expos, that’s who! For the 18th year in a row, the Beacon Newspapers expects to attract thousands of attendees to its two expos — free, annual events featuring health screenings, informative resources, an expert speaker, flu shots and entertainment for older adults and... READ MORE
Libraries branch out with ukulele lessons
The Howard County Library is offering its card-carrying members a chance to pluck along with what appears to be a comeback for the ukulele.Since July 1, the county’s four full-time operating libraries have made learn-it-yourself ukulele kits available for three-week loans. The libraries now taking part in the program include Miller in Ellicott City, Central in Columbia, Savage in... READ MORE
Launching a bartering network for artists
Bruce McKaig first became interested in cashless, or barter, economies when he was living in a small village in Guatemala. He noticed that the residents there fared better by trading with each other to meet their needs.Not only that, but he observed that the community thrived because, as he put it, “Bartering fosters personal interaction and strives to find a common ground where all... READ MORE
Electric and eclectic Joseph now at Toby’s
From Elvis-inspired rock and roll, to Calypso music, to the Charleston dance of the 1920s, there is something for just about everyone in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, now playing at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Md. The classic musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice has been entertaining audiences for nearly 50 years.Joseph began as a short... READ MORE
