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4ETICKETTHURSDAY, NOV. 6, 2003Madonna’s children’s book is hitNEW YORK (AP) - Less than two months after her debut as a children’s author, Madonna has returned to publishing with “Mr. Peabody’s Apples.”The book takes a more conventional approach to a picture book than Madonna’s previous book, “The English Roses,” which debuted atop The New York Times’ list of children’s best sellers and remained there for five weeks.The story in “Mr. Peabody’s Apples” is a little hokey. It begins: “In the town of Happville (which wasn’t a very big town), Mr. Peabody was congratulating his Little League team on a great game. They had not won, but no one really cared, because they’d had such a good time playing.”But when Billy Little (’’who wasn’t a very big boy”), Mr. Peabody’s No. 1 fan, hears a rumor that Mr. Peabody is ashoplifter, Billy turns on his baseball mentor just like everyone else in town.Being a children’s picture book, though, the good guys win in the end, and the rumor monger learns his lesson. The book's full-page illustrations by Loren Long are done in a Norman Rockwell-like style, and there’s a moral learned at the end.Madonna followed these tried-and-true formulas and that’s why Mr. Peabody’s Apples” works and likely will entertain young readers. But it is also why the book seems a little stale.With “The English Roses,” she crafted a more original story of envy and friendship, a story more complicated than “Mr. Peabody’s Apples.” And she utilized colorful line-drawn portraits by fashion artist Jeffrey Fulvimari in “The English Rose.” The illustrations are highly stylized and interesting but they seem targeted more for adults’ eyes than children’s.The audience for “Mr. Peabody’s Apples,” however, is clear: grade-school-ers who need to be reminded that their actions have consequences.In her introduction, Madonna explains that “Mr. Peabody’s Apples” is based on a 300-year-old Ukrainian tale called “The Baad Shem Tov.” She says her instructor in Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, first turned her on to the story, which aims to demonstrate the power of words.But you’d think that a celebrity with Madonna’s notoriety — she’s been the target of rumors for two decades — wouldn’t need a centuries-old story to inspire her to write about the value of truth and the pain that comes with gossip that spreads like wildfire.CELEBRITY FLASHBACKSAssociated PressEntertainment highlights during the week of Nov. 9-15:1940: Walt Disney’s animated film “Fantasia” premiered in New York City.1956: Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender” film was released in the United States.1965: The Velvet Underground made their concert debut at a high school dance in Summit, N.J.1970: Bob Dylan’s “Tarantula,” a collection of narratives and poems, was published.1970: The Doors played their last concert with Jim Morrison, in New Orleans.1974: An impostor posing as Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore borrowed a Porsche and crashed it in Iowa City. He eventually was charged with misrepresentation.1987: Sonny Cher sang “I Got You Babe” for the first time in 10 years, on NBC’s “Late Night” with David Letter-man.1988: TV comedy “Murphy Brown,” starring Candice Bergen, made its debut on CBS.1991: Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” video debuted on the Fox network.Callers to network affiliates complained about the video’s sexual nature and violent content. Jackson later said he didn’t mean to offend anyone.1992: Ozzy Osbourne performed what he said would be his last solo concert, in Costa Mesa, Calif. The show turned into a Black Sabbath reunion when his former bandmates.1992: Elton John broke the house record at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City when two crowds totaling 180,000 people saw his show.1993: Michael Jackson’s $10 million sponsorship deal with Pepsi-Cola ended.CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYSAssociated PressCelebrity birthdays for the week of Sunday- Nov. 15: Sunday: Actor CharlieRobinson (“Night Court”) is 58. Actor Lou Ferrigno (“The Incredible Hulk”) is 51. Drummer Dee Plakas of L7 is 43. Singers Mike and Ike Owensby of Twice are 35. Rapper Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa is 34. Rapper Scarface of Geto Boys is 34. Musician Susan Tedeschi is 33. Singer Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees is 30. Singer Sisqo (Dru Hill) is 25.Monday: Actor RussellJohnson (“Gilligan’s Island”) is 79. Actor Albert Hall (“Beloved”) is 66. Lyricist Tim Rice is 59. Actress Alaina Reed-Hall (“227”) is 57. Singer-guitarist Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer is 55. Actress-dancer Ann Reinking is 54. Actor Jack Scalia is 52. Actor-comedian Sinbad is 47. Actress Mackenzie Phillips (“One Day at a Time”) is 44. Actor Michael Jai White is 39. Country singer Chris Cagle is 35. Rapper Warren G is 33. Singer-guitarist Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World is 28. Actress Brittany Murphy (“8 Mile,” “Girl, Interrupted”) is 26. Rapper Eve is 25. Bassist Chris Joannou of Silverchair is 24. Actress Heather Matarazzo is 21.Tuesday: ComedianJonathan Winters is 78. Jazz singer-pianist Mose Allison is 76. Country singer Narvel Felts is 65. Singer Jesse Colin Young is 59. Guitarist Vince Martell of Vanilla Fudge is 58. Singer-keyboardist Paul Cowsill of the Cowsills is 51. Singer-guitarist Andy Partridge of XTC is 50. Singer Marshall Crenshaw is 49. Singer Dave Alvin is 48. Synthesizer player Ian Marsh (Human League, Heaven 17) is 47. Actress Demi Moore is 41. Actress Calista Flockhart (“Ally McBeal”) is 39. Actor Philip McKeon (“Alice”) is 39. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is 29.Wednesday: Singer Ruby Nash Curtis of Ruby and the Romantics is 64. Playwright-actor Wallace Shawn is 60. Singer Jimmy Hayes of the Persuasions is 60. Singer Brian Hyland is 60. Organist Booker T. Jones of Booker T. and the MG’s is 59. Singer Neil Young is 58. Guitarist Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult is 56. Country singer BarbaraFairchild is 53. Actress Megan Mullally (“Will Grace”) is 45. Bassist David Ellefson(Megadeth) is 39. Actress Tamala Jones (“The Brothers”) is 29. Actress Angela Watson (“Step by Step”) is 29. Singer Tevin Campbell is 27. Actress Ashley Williams(“Good Morning, Miami”) is25. Actress Anne Hathaway (“The Princess Diaries”) is 21. Singer Omarion of B2K is 18. Actress Macey Cruthird(“Hope Faith”) is 11.Nov. 13: Actress Madeleine Sherwood (“The Flying Nun”) is 81. Producer-director-actor Garry Marshall is 69. Country singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard is 57. Actor Joe Mantegna is 56. Actress Sheila Frazier (“Superfly”) is 55. Actress Frances Conroy (“Six Feet Under”) is 50. Actress Whoopi Goldberg is 48. Actress Tracy Scoggins is 44. Trumpeter Walter Kibby of Fishbone is 39. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel is 36. Actor Steve Zahn (“Happy, Texas,” “That Thing You Do!”) is 35.Nov. 14: Actress Kathleen Hughes (“Babe”) is 75. Jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis is 69. Actor Don Stewart is 68. Bluessinger-harmonica player Carey Bell is 67. Singer Freddie Gar-rity of Freddie and the Dreamers is 63. Writer P.J. O’Rourke is 56. Zydeco singer-accordion-ist Buckwheat Zydeco is 56. Guitarist James Young of Styx is 55. Actor Robert Ginty (“The Paper Chase,” “Baa Baa Black Sheep”) is 55. Singer Stephen Bishop is 52. Actor D.B. Sweeney is 42. Actress Laura San Giacomo (“Just Shoot Me”) is 42. Actor Patrick Warburton (“The Tick,” “Seinfeld”) is 39. Singer Butch Walker (Marvelous 3) is 34. Drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182 is 28. Rapper Shyheim is 26.Nov. 15: Actor Ed Asner is 74. Singer Petula Clark is 71. Comedian Jack Burns of Burns and Schreiber is 70. Actress Joanna Barnes (“Spar-tacus,” “The Parent Trap”) is 69. Actor Sam Waterston (“Law and Order”) is 63. Singer Frida of ABBA is 58. Actor J jmes Widdoes (“Animal Hojpse”) is 50. Actress Beverly D’Angelo is 49. Bandleader Kevin Eubanks (“The Tonight Show With Jay Leno”) is 46. Country singer Jack Ingram is 33. Drummer David Carr of Third Day is 29.BRIEFSPLAYERS TO PRESENT BELLS ARE RINGING’The Weirton Community Players will present the musical “Bells are Ringing” on Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 14-16 at the Milton J. Weinburg Theatre at Weir High School on Red Ryder Road.“Bells are Ringing” takes the viewer back to a time before answering machines and high technology, when real people answered the telephone. The musical explores the time-honored tradition of eavesdropping when another is on the phone.“Bells are Ringing” runs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14-15; and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 16. For information, call (304) 723-5215 or (304) 748-5664.UNIVERSITY PRESENTS ‘A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS’Franciscan University of Steubenville's drama department will present “A Man for All Seasons” as its fall theater production.This 1961 drama is about Sir Thomas More, a popular Catholic martyr and saint held prisoner in the Tower of London and eventually beheaded by order of King Henry VIII for disagreeing with the king’s decision to divorce his first wife.The play will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday and Nov. 14-15 in the Anathan Theatre on campus. Tickets are $4 for adults, $2 for seniors and students and free for clergy and children age 12 and younger. For reservations, call (740) 283-6245.WLSC ART FACULTY PARTICIPATING IN EXHIBITIONThree West Liberty State College art faculty members, Brian Fencl, James Haizlett and Robert Villamagna are currently showing their works in the 2003 Appalachian Corridors Juried Biennial Exhibition. The 13-state juried exhibition is on display in the new Avampato Discovery Museum in the Clay Center for the Arts in Charleston. Jurist Eleanor Heartney, an internationally recognized cultural critic and author, selected only 150 pieces, out of 1,100 entries, for presentation in the show.The faculty members’ work represents a variety of mediums that include oil painting on canvas, multimedia and assemblage. The Appalachian Corridors exhibition will remain in the Clay Center for the Arts until Nov. 16.‘MAKING ENDS MEET' OPENS AT THE STIFEL“Making Ends Meet” is running at the Stifel Center. Consisting of more than 100 matted and framed images of West Virginians addressing issues of transportation, housing, health care, work and education, “Making Ends Meet” is a unique statement of life’s journey.Seeing these black-and-white images and reading the attached personal statements allows the viewer to feel the pain, humanity and strength of the subjects in the portraits. All are real West Virginians who struggle but meet the definition of a proud Mountaineer. Many of the photographs show interiors of charitable foundations ministering to the needs of the poor and offer a picture of social service in action. With historical significance and artistic value blended together, this fall exhibition is a contemporary look at what it means to be rural, Appalachian and poor today. “Making Ends Meet” will remain open to the public through Nov. 8. For information, call (304) 242-7700 or (888) 696-4283. Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center is at 1330 National Road Wheeling.Visit the Web site at oionline.comCRAFT SHOW TO BE HELD AT JCCOne hundred crafters are set to participate in the annual craft show at Jefferson Community College on Nov. 15 The show will open at 10 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free for the event, which will feature homemade gift items as well as food treats. Many crafters are returning to the event while several vendors will make their first appearance. Featured during the fair will be a children’s book fair, planned by the college’s Fine Arts Club.OHIO EVENTS CALENDAR
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Steubenville, Ohio, US
Thu, Nov 06, 2003
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