The Reader Feb. 20-26, 2014

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2 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER | omaha jobs

Embrace Creativity!Feb. 22 10 a.m. $35

Feb. 22 10 a.m. $35

March 8 10 a.m. $35

Sculptural Party Hats with Natalie Linstrom

Beginning Drawing, Part I with Ann Pape

Watercolor with Madalyn Bruning

Information and RegistrationOmahaCreativeInstitute.org

[email protected]

| THE READER | FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 3

This last Monday, Feb. 17, 2014, The Reader crossed the 20-year mark for covering what’s become an incredibly vibrant, world-famous artistic com-munity and for uncovering the news that the mainstream media misses.

Cultural coverage and watchdog, alternative journalism have been our hallmark and it’s because you, our readers, pick up this paper every week and support our advertisers that we’ve been able to reach this monumental milestone. We can’t thank you enough!

We’re looking forward to another 20 years of doing the same, but obviously the times they are a-changing and we’ve been aiming to change with them.

First off, The Reader has branched out to cover our fastest-growing demographic and most dynamic immigrant community through its purchase of ABM Enterpris-es in 2005 – serving the Latino market every week with our bilingual, community newsweekly El Perico, an annual year-in-review magazine Vision Latina and the an-nual community guide and business directory Directorio Latino. An outstanding team led by Bernardo Montoya, Marina Rosado, Elizabeth Codina and Irvin Islas makes this possible.

We also run one of the busiest employment sites in the area with OmahaJobs.com and manage by far the best-attended, local job fairs. Our employment expert and Delivery Director Clay Seaman is helping the job market rebound daily, as well as insuring your paper is in the rack when you want to pick it up and our digital side delivers. His team of eight drivers covers the city every Wednesday, finishing Thursday, regardless of weather. They are intrepid and relentless.

Your core crew here, Creative Services Director Eric Stoakes, Support Services Director Kerry Olson and Senior Account Executive Dinah Gomez not only man-age The Reader, but also the growth of our digital services offerings, detailed at our new website, PioneerMedia.Me. We’re helping a lot of local businesses with their local search, websites, content marketing, online videos, SEO and more to thrive in the digital age. Every business should be its own media channel now and no one knows niche media better than the team here.

And any thank you would be completely remiss without giving a big shout out to the journalists that make our coverage possible and give you a reason to read. From a team that counts more than 100 writers, our contributing editors Michael Braunstein, Krista O’Malley, Warren Francke, Bill Grennan, Mike Krainak, Chris Aponick, Kyle Eustice, Tim McMahan and Ryan Syrek cover their specialties with passion and professionalism.

Stay tuned for 20th Anniversary coverage and events, including a history of newsweeklies in Omaha and how we fit coming in late March, a special joint birth-day celebration (ABM turns 15 this year) on the street the Friday before Cinco de Mayo and more. (A moment of silence, please, for MoJo Poe.)

Thanks again for reading and supporting our advertisers!

John Heaston Publisher/Editor

THANK YOU FOR 20 YEARS

4 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER |

Fight Hay Fever Now

Do you get those annoying springtime symp-toms of runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and wheezing that we lump into the big

bag known as “hay fever?” And as spring turns into summer, those symptoms simply get worse? Well, don’t feel too bad. The World Health Organization estimates that over 2.1 billion people on the planet suffer from the collective group of symptoms known officially as allergic rhinitis.

And though we’re just beginning to see the organized signs of spring with warmer temperatures and snow fi-nally melting, now is the perfect time to tune up your body in order to avoid the natural reactions that come with the blooming of the buds in just a few weeks.

There are many triggers that can cause the immune system reactions we call hay fever. Typical irritants include pet dander, dust, chemicals, and this time of year we see an increase due to the influence of botanical emanations.Just Say No Of course, a common approach to treat the symptoms of hay fever is to hit up your doctor for some drugs. That’s usually done after the symptoms have already taken hold. The horse has left the barn at that point. It’s better to get a head start on hay fever and pre-pare the body for the onslaught of allergens set to come our way in just a few weeks. Here are some natural remedies people report are successful.Honey Local honey is the “go to” for people who want a natural defense against hay fever. Give yourself a little run-up time before the pollen starts flying, so now is a good time to start. Here’s the theory behind the honey defense: Bees carry pollen from local flora back to the hive. So it’s important to note that honey must be locally gathered to immunize against the pol-len of local plants. As the bees work with the nectars they bring back to the hive, some of the processed and denatured pollen ends up in the honey. Eating honey or using hive products such as bee pollen can reportedly strengthen the immune system against the pollen that causes the allergic reaction. Important: Choose raw, unfiltered and local. Find information at your neighborhood, locally owned health food store. But know your provider. A popular brand carried in Omaha stores advertises in BIG letters on its label that it is local. But beware: “local” is not a regulated term. The owner told me their bees gather from as far away

as North Dakota. Check VoteRealFood.com/honey for local providers.Keep it clean Most allergens attack the body through the air. Keeping a dust-free house cuts down on potential pollutants. Also, dump the bad chemicals like toxic clean-ers, phony “air purifiers” (which have nasty chemicals in them,) air out things like dry cleaning and never treat fur-niture with stain repellent or fire retardants. Those may also be a source of respiratory discomfort. Anything that compromises or weakens balance of the body’s immune

response sets up the potential for hay fever. Some good houseplants help remove toxins and purify the air indoors. Check Heartland-

Healing.com/plants for a list.Garlic and onions These two su-

per foods contain quercetin, a sub-stance that stabilizes the cell walls of histamine-producing cells and

lowers inflammation.Vitamin C In The Green Pharmacy,

Dr. James Duke, cites research suggest-ing Vitamin C lowers incidence of asth-

ma, respiratory and allergy problems. Foods are citrus, peppers, cayenne, guava, kiwis and watercress. Ac-cording to Todd Hurley at No Name Nutrition, pineapple has another anti-allergy substance, bromelaine.Horseradish Horseradish is a spicy root that brings tears to your eyes

and clears sinuses. Duke suggests one spoonful a day of grated horse-radish for about a month before al-lergy season begins; maintenance

doses after that.Stinging nettle Dr. Duke strongly

recommends stinging nettle, a front-line herb in the fight against allergy and

respiratory symptoms. Dr. Andrew Weil suggests the freeze-dried leaves. Immune system supporting herbs like astragalus and echinacea are also high on the list of hay fever fighting herbs.Fenugreek In their book, Folk Remedies that Work, Joan and Lydia Wilen recommend tea made from fenugreek seeds. Red clover tea is also an herbalist’s standby. Both are suggested to relieve allergy symptoms.Acupuncture Seeking the assistance of a licensed and properly trained acupuncturist is a great idea. Newer re-search is finding that along with everything else that acu-puncture and Chinese herbs help with, the body responds well to acupuncture treatments. A 2004 study in Germa-ny found that 85% of those treated with acupuncture and herbal therapy showed significant improvement.

Common side effects of popular allergy drugs are often the same as the symptoms we are trying to avoid. How senseless is that? There are alternatives.

Be well. ,

heartland healing | THE READER | FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 5

HEARTLAND HEALING is a New Age polemic describing alternatives to conventional methods of healing the body, mind and planet. It is provided as information and entertainment, certainly not medical advice. It is not an endorsement of any particular therapy, either by the writer or The Reader. Visit HeartlandHealing.com for more information.

heartlandhealingN E W A G E H E A L T H A N D W E L L N E S S B Y M I C H A E L B R A U N S T E I N

Get ready for the return of parlor games. A sizeable percentage of the population is about to get exhausted from interacting with the world digi-tally, and will form themselves into what they will call “game salons.” These groups will meet regularly to play board games and group games

borrowed from or inspired by the Vic-torian era. These games will generally involve minimal setup and maximum personal interaction, and will really be an excuse to socialize with friends without having to phone chat or com-municate online.

• FEBRUARY 20, 2014 •

6 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER | dish

n Nebraska’s first Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint will open in Omaha this summer. The restaurant will offer made-to-order pizza, salad and sandwiches and will be the first of six units in Omaha, Bellevue and Lincoln as part of franchise-owner Shawn Simmonds’ multi-unit agreement. “We’re really excited about bringing the first Uncle Maddio’s to Nebraska and believe offering

delicious customized pizza and salad with high quality ingredients, is something our community will love,” Simmonds said. Uncle Maddio’s takes on personalized pizza as guests choose from a selection of 48 toppings including six sauces, hormone-free chicken, fresh lo-cal vegetables, Daiya vegan cheese, organic greens and gluten-free crust.n The Flagship Restaurant Group will be opening a Blatt Beer and Table in West Omaha in July. Although you won’t be able to look onto another ballpark like the

popular downtown version of the Blatt, the new loca-tion at the Shops of Legacy next to Baby Blue Sushi, will be pleasing to the west-enders. Not as far to drive for one of the best Bloody Mary’s in the city…n Congratulations to Thomas Malowski and his Im-perial IPA for taking home the gold in the Benson Homebrew Off competition. The aforementioned homebrew winner will be allowed the opportunity to brew his recipe on the 10 bbl system at Benson Brew-ery and then the gold winner will be served on tap.

Very cool Mr. Walowski, very cool.n This Sunday, Feb. 23, is the Visiting Nurses As-sociation Annual Fundraiser Art & Soup. This great event will be held at the Embassy Suites in LaVista from 2-5 p.m. with a plethora of tasty soups and inter-esting art to catch your eye. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online at www.vnacares.org.

— Krista O’MalleyCrumbs is about indulging in food and celebrating its many forms. Send in-formation about area food and drink businesses to [email protected].

Many years ago I worked at a Coca-Cola museum on the Las Vegas Strip where my job was to dress up as various characters and interact with tour-

ists. While being the polar bear was by far the most fun, I also enjoyed my shifts as the “soda jerk” in the soda fountain portion of the museum. People listened to me talk about how soda fountains were once commonplace, and once in a while someone would show up who actually remembered visiting a soda fountain back in the ’40s or ’50s and they’d get so ex-cited about standing in a recreated version of their memory.

Time WarpImagine my surprise years later when I moved to Nebras-ka and found out that there is a fully functioning soda fountain just a short drive away from Omaha in Spring-field. I thought these places simply didn’t exist anymore.

Walk into Springfield Drug & Soda Fountain and it’s a little like stepping back in time, and I don’t mean in that, “Eeew, they really need to update this place” kind of way. What I mean is that the soda fountain looks just like the photos we’ve all seen from the past. The actual soda foun-tain itself is a still-functioning piece from the 1930s. It’s surrounded by memorabilia that all comes together to re-ally make me feel as though I’m stepping into my grand-parents’ world, if only for a moment.

Keith the Renaissance ManKeith Hentzen has been the pharmacist at Springfield Drug for thirty-seven years, and it’s been for the past thir-ty-five years that he’s run the soda fountain. Ask him why

he started the soda fountain and he gives a reason that psychoanalysts would likely refer to as a breakthrough. “Where I grew up in Seward there were two drug stores. One had a soda fountain, and the other one didn’t. My mom always went to the one without a soda fountain. They say you search for the things you’re deprived of as a child,” he says, gesturing at the soda fountain.

Keith is easy to talk to and has some great stories. You can tell that he’s well-versed in the art of conversation, which I suppose you have to be if you run a soda fountain and everyone wants to come in and either ask about the soda fountain or tell their own stories about visiting soda fountains long ago. “What helps is I like people,” he says. “As a pharmacist, I deal with people who are sick. And you know, sick people are crabby. When they’re eating ice cream, they’re happy.”

The Goodness of SimplicityGetting the menu just right has taken a lot of trial and error. Remember – he started the soda fountain back be-fore Google was around to tell you how to do everything. It helps that Keith actually has some pretty impressive schooling in the culinary arts and understands how to make things that taste good. “If it looks good and tastes good, you’ve made it right.” He pauses to hand a spectacu-lar banana split to my husband. “It’s about appearance and presentation.”

“The best food is the most simple food. I don’t have fif-ty flavors. I keep it simple and old-fashioned, and people are happy.”

I asked for a milkshake and watched as Keith expertly crafted my selection, topping it off with whipped cream and a cherry. He then slid the big metal cup with the left-over shake toward me and I think I probably giggled like a child. There’s just something about a well-made shake that turns people into kids again, and this was a good shake. Made from hard-packed Hiland ice cream, this was a shake that was perfect for sipping leisurely while sitting at a soda fountain and chatting with Keith about phosphates, malts and root beer floats.

Whether you’re old enough to remember soda foun-tains, or if you’d never heard of soda fountains until now, the soda fountain at Springfield Drug is absolutely worth a visit. Dig, daddy-o? ,

Springfield Drug & Soda Fountain, 205 Main St., Spring-field, 402-253-2000 www.springfielddrug.com

| THE READER | FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 7

Must be 21 years or older to attend shows or to gamble. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-BETS-OFF (Iowa) or 1-800-522-4700 (National). ©2014, Caesars License Company, LLC.

Tickets available at whiskeyroadhouse.com, Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-300

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BIG HEAD TODD AND THE MONSTERS

MARCH 9

GREAT WHITE AND SLAUGHTER

MARCH 28

101630 – Omaha Reader – TBD

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Omaha Performing Arts Presents

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“The showpiece (of the exhibit) is a large marble Roman copy of a Greek statue of Poseidon. It’s the first thing you

see when you walk into the show,” said Erin Averett, Assistant Professor of Archaeology at Creighton Uni-versity and Adjunct Curator of Antiquities at Joslyn Art Museum.

Averett refers to Poseidon as one of the “big three” of the Olympian gods. Poseidon and his brothers, Zeus and Hades divided up rule of the universe. Zeus controlled the sky and heavens; Hades ruled the Un-derworld and Poseidon got the sea.

Averett explained the sea was extremely central to the life of all ancient Mediterranean cultures. She said she thinks people will be interested because of the connections Poseidon has with the sea, from travel by sea and naval warfare to the sea as a source of food and natural disasters.

“He’s a very powerful deity. And because the sea is not always nice, Poseidon is not always a nice god. Even though he’s one of the main ruling deities, you have to appease him. If you don’t, your ship might get wrecked or be attacked by pirates or lost at sea. He’s a god that could become angry very easily but he certainly has a lot of personality,” said Averett.

The objects in the show are not only from the ancient Greek culture but also the Etruscans, who were an early culture in central Italy – what is modern day Tuscany – and also the Romans. The Romans called him Neptune while the Etruscans called him Nethuns.

So there are objects on view from the three differ-ent cultures and these pieces span a long amount of time. The earliest items in the show come from the end of the 8th century B.C.E. The most recent ob-jects are from the 4th century A.D. More than 1,000 years of history are represented in this one exhibit.

Averett said the types of objects are also varied. There are humble pieces that were used in daily life, things like fishhooks or the tools that fishermen used to fix their nets. And then there are beautiful red and black figure vases that Averett explained would have been very sought after in the ancient world.

The show is divided into three major themes: my-thology, because the Greeks told stories about their gods, the cult of Poseidon and daily life.

“The mythology section features objects that show Poseidon or a hero or divinity related to Posei-don, such as his son Theseus. The cult of Poseidon segment focuses on pieces that show the religious worship of Poseidon as well as items that may have been dedicated to him,” said Averett.

The exhibition comprises three galleries with the first one dealing with myth, the second one myth and the cult of Poseidon and the last gallery has the daily life objects.

It was a conscious decision to break up the items in the show by theme. Averett said they didn’t want to overload visitors with an overly scholarly view. She said this way, museum go-ers won’t get bogged down in the details. It’s a decision Averett believes makes the show more approachable.

In addition to daily life objects, the last gallery holds an illustrated chronological timeline so

people can reflect back on the items they’ve seen to get a sense of the vast amount of time covered in the exhibit.

Averett believes the human element of the show might surprise people.

“There are themes ancient Greeks dealt with about what it means to be human that we still strug-gle with today, especially things like worrying about natural disasters. The ancient Greeks just chose to deal with it by worshipping Poseidon and trying to

make peace with him. Today we deal with it in differ-ent ways,” she said.

Averett acknowledges ancient Greece may seem a little remote to most people living in landlocked Omaha. She said people might know some of the myths but the Greeks may well seem foreign or quite different from those of us living today. But she said the elements the Greeks dealt with in daily life, things like how to get your food, how to prepare your food, how to deal with water issues, these are

all things that still speak to us across the centuries, even today.

Poseidon and the Sea is definitely an exhibit you can appreciate simply for its aesthetic value.

According to Averett, there’s a lot to appreciate in the details of the pieces.

“Visitors have been intrigued by the red and black figure vases because when you see them in person, the care with which these vase painters executed these scenes is really amazing and the stories on them are really interesting to see,” she said.

Other objects that are simply really visually im-pressive include a 14-foot bronze trident and several marble sarcophagi (coffin) fragments.

But if you really want to learn a little something, there’s a mobile stop for that.

Last semester, Averett held an independent study in which eight art history students at Creigh-ton wrote the mobile stops for the exhibition. She said this is a really accessible way, if you don’t want to read a lot, to still learn about 14 of the objects in the show.

“I wanted to involve the students in what it was like to work at a museum and work on a traveling show. This was a unique opportunity for my stu-dents to see antiquities in person,” Averett said.

Students chose pieces that spoke to them from a draft of the catalog, researched them and then had to distill that research down into a two-min-ute sound bite. Averett selected the best ones and edited them for final inclusion into the show.

Using the mobile stops is as simple as dialing a number into your phone when you get to the Joslyn.

Averett said, “Some of the students were experts in antiquity but not all of them so it gave you a vi-sion of what the average museum goer might be interested in and what they might want to learn more about.”

She said students wrote more stops than were needed because they weren’t sure how the layout was going to be done. Stops needed to be scattered and not clustered in only a few locations.

“The students were excited to do this. They had a wonderful time and they were chomping at the bit to see the show when it opened and hear the mobile stops they wrote. They are very invested in it and I think that’s neat,” enthused Averett.

Both the trident and the marble statue of Posei-don are included as mobile stops.

Averett said the opening weekend went well. She spent a lot of time in the galleries listening to peo-ple’s comments and in general said she found view-ers to be impressed.

“I study objects like these all the time so I guess I am sort of jaded about it but these people were like, ‘Wow, this object is 2,500 years old.’ It amazed them that they were so close to these objects. And it was great to see them form connections to these people that lived in such a different culture so long ago,” said Averett. ,

Poseidon and the Sea runs through May 11 at Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge Street, Call 402.342.3300 or visit joslyn.org.

8 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER | cover story

| THE READER | FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 9

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Ronald K. Brown/Evidence Dance CompanyMarch 1 | 8:00 PM | Orpheum Theater

THURSDAY20

Feb. 20SNAKE ISLAND WITH SWAMP WALK AND TIMECAT, The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St.,9 p.m.; Tickets $5www.onepercentproductions.com

The Omaha-based indie rock band Snake Island picked up its third Omaha Entertainment Award last Sunday, so it’s a good possibility the group is on a big, psychedelic cloud 9 right now. Com-prised of vocalist Garrett Schmelzel, guitarist Allan Schleich, bassist Thomas Olk and drummer Mike Zimmerman, Snake Island executes raw, ’60s-style psychedelic rock in a way that screams “listen!” The full experience, however, lies in the group’s live per-formances. Three-minute tracks turn into 10-min-ute journeys through every emotion injected into each individual song. Formed in 2010, Snake Is-land! released a self-titled full length in 2011 and

followed up with 2013’s Evil Music on the Make Believe Recordings im-

print. The group is currently writing new music and pre-paring to play The Waiting Room tonight. According to Schmelzel, Snake Is-land plans on releasing a

series of three-song EPs in the near future.

—Kyle Eustice

Through Feb. 23MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St.Thurs: 7:30 p.m. Fri: 8 p.m. Sat: 2 & 8 p.m.Sun: 1:30 & 7 p.m., Tickets: $30-$90www.omahaperformingarts.org

Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley surge forth again, not as museum replicas, nor exploitative impersonations, but as soulful, gutsy, down-home, full-blown talents. In 1956, almost by accident, they collectively moseyed into a Memphis’ Sun Records studio which gave birth to their careers, This depicts that real, one-time gathering, mostly doing so in a mighty fine bunch of 23 songs. Recall, mind, how such southern white guys learned to emu-

late rhythm and blues from black singers, soul singers and down-home back- country guitarists. Out of those fundamental sources, these good buddies began do-ing their own things, making names for themselves, making hits, making big bucks, the music and words sounding like the origins even when it was their own new stuff. In their 20s, they were there when rock and roll was being born. Great balls of fire, there’s a whole lot of shaking going on.

—Gordon Spencer

Through March 15GNIT Blue Barn Theatre, 614 S. 11th St.Tickets: $20-$25www.bluebarn.org

Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen wrote famed Peer Gynt, a wild, wide-ranging, world-crossing adven-ture of a foolish self-centered man who’s not so easy to love or to idolize, heavens above, told by a cast of more than 50 characters. Oops. Will Eno (called by The New York Times “a Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stew-art generation”) takes the tale and slices off an hour of it, challenging you to decipher who is who while six performers play all the characters in Peter Gnit’s self-discovery trip. Contemporized, it can strike your funny bone while jabbing you where it might hurt with a sharp point about searching for meaningful relation-ships. Peter has problems being faithful. Eno doesn’t stay entirely faithful to the origins “I thought maybe some slight corrective was needed,” he says. Thom Pain (based on nothing) got Eno a Pulitzer Prize place in 2005. As for other places, he’s never been in Norway.

—Gordon Spencer

SUNDAY23

Feb. 23OUTSIDE THE LINES: UNEXPECTED DELIGHTS FROM MAJOR COMPOSERSOmaha Symphony’s Symphony JoslynJoslyn Art Museum’s Witherspoon Hall2200 Dodge St.2 p.m.,Tickets $10-$30www.omahasymphony.org

Leap into “Leap” by 30 year old American com-poser Benjamin Dean Taylor who’s also an ac-cordionist, ukulele strummer and dixieland trumpet player. He’s been commissioned to write for The Omaha Symphony and was in town not long ago to take part in its New Mu-sic Symposium. At the tail end of the concert, KIOS-FM’s news anchor Michael Lyon authori-tatively evokes a lion and other zoo inhabit-ants in versifier Ogden Nash’s whimsical verbal supplements to Saint-Saëns “Carnival of The Animals.” Dmitri Shostakovich makes an aural appearance from when he was in his late 20s, penning a neo-classical, frenchified score for a Russianized stage version of Balzac’s La Come-die Humaine. When even younger, Czech com-poser Leos Janácek created something rather light-hearted, the Suite for String Orchestra. Hints of his future folk-music inspirations sur-face. Likewise on tap is a friendly, gentle one-movement oboe concerto by Englishman Eu-gene Goosens. Expect to be charmed.

—Gordon Spencer

DAYS

T H E R E A D E R ’ S E N T E R T A I N M E N T P I C K S F E B . 2 0 - 2 6 , 2 0 1 4

TOPTV

8“Downton Abbey”Season 4 finale, Sunday, 8 p.m., PBS

“Downton Abbey” erases the memory of last year’s artlessly tragic conclusion with a more satisfying season finale. Rich American relatives Harold and Martha Levinson (Paul Giamatti and Shirley MacLaine) visit the Crawley family in 1920s London, scandal-izing the reserved aristocrats with their improper New World behav-ior. Mary (Michelle Dockery) has recovered from the sudden death of husband Matthew (the dramatically unmotivated shocker from last year’s finale) to the point where she can flirt drolly with two suitors. The family plots to retrieve a purloined letter, and stuffy butler Carson (Jim Carter) contemplates the prospect of having fun — within strict limits, mind you. The family also faces a terrible moral choice: whether to turn in a servant who committed a crime or to repay his loyalty with their silence. For fans who couldn’t care less about the plot, rest assured that there are plenty of gay balls and elegant out-fits. Best of all, there’s a showdown between the American and English grande dames, MacLaine’s Martha and Maggie Smith’s Violet. It’s as vicious as Alien vs. Predator, though this battle is waged with arched eyebrows and almost imperceptible put-downs. You may be stunned to see who wins.

— Dean Robbins

picks | THE READER | FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 11

GNIT

12 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER | culture

“I think there is a lot of misunderstand-ing and disconnect about what is going to actually happen,” said local Fremont

activist, Krista Anderson, of the organization Fre-mont Yes! when talking about the housing provi-sions of Fremont Ordinance 5165.

The Fremont City Council gave voters an op-portunity to vote on the housing provisions of Ordinance 5161 on February 11. Anderson, her colleagues and around five-hundred supporters are disappointed with the outcome of the special election. “I think my reaction went from sadness, disappointment to anger,” said Anderson. In a 60-40 percent vote the residents of Fremont voted to allow the housing provisions of Ordinance 5165 to take effect. According to Anderson, the ordinance is certified and the City of Fremont has thirty days to implement it.

According to Anderson “the police have out-lined the full chart of the steps they are going to take, but as far as the hours they are going to be open, as far as knowing whether the po-lice station will be the only location, we don’t know what people will have to do if they want to find someone to be their agent to go in for them, we don’t know what that will involve.” In fact, this local activist is not the only one that feels uncertain about how the ordinance will af-fect area residents. Anderson’s colleague from the organization Fremont Yes! Virginia Meyer mentioned many residents in Fremont are wor-ried, stating “we are hearing concerns from the community. I’ve seen on Twitter that people are saying they are not going to tell people they are from Fremont anymore and that they want a new hometown and that type of thing.”

One of Anderson’s main concerns is that the City of Fremont will eventually have to pay a high price to defend Ordinance 5165 in court. “The track re-cord for legislation like this in other small towns is not good. It opens us up for more discrimination lawsuits and higher taxes,” said Anderson.

Although the drafters of Ordinance 5165 crafted this particular piece of legislation to discourage immigrants from settling in Fremont, Anderson points out that this ordinance will not address il-legal immigration in Fremont. She points out that

it will simply make people think that Fremont is resistant to change and will make people believe Fremont is not an inclusive community.

“I think people will be leaving,” said a sad-dened Anderson, adding “people won’t want to go through the hassle and they don’t want to deal with the discrimination.” Several of Anderson’s former multicultural students have already encountered unkind comments since the February 11 vote but she is encouraging them to stay strong. “Immi-grants are strong, hard-working, they have a lot of faith and they will continue to be that way, this or-dinance will not change that,” pointed out Ander-son, adding “we are going to continue to support our Latino population and work to provide them with information.”

Even though the results of the election are unfa-vorable, Anderson and Meyer point out that they

will not give up. “One of the things we will be doing is hosting trainings so people know how to docu-ment and report discrimination,” said Anderson. Anderson clarified that she and her colleagues will remain committed to educating the residents of Fremont so they know what Ordinance 5165 means for them and their families. “The ACLU told us they will be helping to document and sup-port people who might be discriminated against,” added Meyer.

Apart from education efforts Anderson and Meyer have plans of working on some community engagement activities that will encourage diversity and inclusiveness in Fremont. In the days leading up to the special election, Anderson pointed out that “the churches came together, people started talking and were open about sharing their views,” and her organization wishes to capitalize on that teamwork to encourage the people of Fremont to work together. “We have five-hundred yard signs in people’s yards all around town that say ‘Fremont Yes!,’ those are people that are fully committed and no one can take that away from us,” said a passion-ate Meyer.

For now the residents of Fremont will have to wait patiently until the ordinance takes effect. “A lot is up in the air as far as what the City Council and what the police force is going to do to make this actually work,” concluded Meyer. ,

PERFORMING ARTSBest Musical: next to normal – SNAP! Productions

Best Drama: Red – Blue Barn Theatre

Best Comedy: Clybourne Park – SNAP! Productions

Best Premier of a New, Original, Local Script: Recom-mended Reading for Girls – Ellen Struve

Best Director (Play): Susan Clement-Toberer – The 39 Steps, Blue Barn Theater

Best Director (Musical): Carl Beck – Evil Dead: The Musical

Best Actor (Play): Jerry Longe – Red

Best Actor (Musical): Brian Zealand – Evil Dead: The Musical

Best Actress (Play): Laura Marr – Gertrude Stein and a Companion

Best Actress (Musical): Echelle Childers – next to normal

Best Supporting Actor (Play): Dan Chevalier – Twelfth Night

Best Supporting Actor (Musical): Jim McKain – The Producers

Best Supporting Actress (Play): Laura Leininger – Recom-mended Reading for Girls

Best Supporting Actress (Musical): Theresa Sindelar – Legally Blonde: The Musical

Best Slam Poet: Greg Harries

Best Dance Production: Momentum – Ballet Nebraska

Best Featured Dancer: Erin Alarcón – Alice in Wonderland – Ballet Nebraska

Best Youth Performer: Charlotte Hedican – The Wizard of Oz

Best Comedian: Heather Jones

Best Comedy Ensemble: Weisenheimers

VISUAL ARTSBest Visual Artist: Tim Guthrie

Best Emerging Visual Artist: Freddy Rincon

Best New Media Artist: Tim Guthrie

Best 2-D Artist: Mary Zicafoose

Best 3-D Artist: Jamie Burmeister

Best Group Show: “The Museum of Alternative History” – RNG Gallery

Best Solo Show: “Tapestries and Prints” – Mary Zicafoose – Gallery 72

Best 2-Person Show: “XO” – Jeff King and Anthony Deon Brown – The New BLK

Best Public Art: “Play Me, I’m Yours” at Various Loca-tions – Various Artists, Organized by The Omaha Creative Institute

MUSICBest Rock: Snake Island!

Best Hard Rock: Never Trust the Living

Best Alternative/Indie: Icky Blossoms

Best Singer-Songwriter: John Klemmensen and the Party

Best DJ/Electronic: Kaitlyn Hova

Best Country/Americana: Matt Cox Band

Best R&B/Soul: Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers

Best Hip Hop/Rap: Purveyors of the Conscious Sound

Best Blues: Hector Anchondo Band

Best Jazz: Omaha Guitar Trio

Best Progressive Rock/Funk/Experimental: Satchel Grande

Best Ethnic: Rhythm Collective

Best Cover Band: Bennie and the Gents

Album of the Year: Matt Whipkey – “Penny Park”

Artist of the Year: Matt Whipkey

Best New Artist: Twinsmith

This year’s list was compiled from hundreds of public nomi-nations submitted online during the open ballot session at oea-awards.com. Hancock & Dana, one of Omaha’s largest locally owned accounting firms, tallied the top nominations in each category.

2013 OEAA winners have been announced at the8th Annual Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards!

| THE READER | FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 13

Thursday, February 27 | 7:00pm holland performing arts Center

After performing extended sold-out runs Off-Broadway and in Los Angeles, Mr. Beaty now brings his explosive solo play EMERGENCY back to Omaha for one night only!

Off-BROAdwAY Hit

“funnier than most serious plays and vastly smarter than most funny plays…” - Jeremy McCarter, New York Magazine

7:00 7:00

After performing extended sold-out runs Off-Broadway After performing extended sold-out runs Off-Broadway and in Los Angeles, Mr. Beaty now brings his explosive solo and in Los Angeles, Mr. Beaty now brings his explosive solo and in Los Angeles, Mr. Beaty now brings his explosive solo

Hit Hit Hit Hit

unnier than most serious plays and vastlyunnier than most serious plays and vastly

7:00 7:00 7:00pmpmpmpm

After performing extended sold-out runs Off-Broadway After performing extended sold-out runs Off-Broadway After performing extended sold-out runs Off-Broadway and in Los Angeles, Mr. Beaty now brings his explosive solo and in Los Angeles, Mr. Beaty now brings his explosive solo and in Los Angeles, Mr. Beaty now brings his explosive solo and in Los Angeles, Mr. Beaty now brings his explosive solo

Hit Hit Hit

unnier than most serious plays and vastlyunnier than most serious plays and vastly

Written andperformed by daniel beaTyemergenCyemergenCy

includes all taxes & feessupported by:

Photo Credit: Nathan Yungerberg: www.njyphoto.com

Tickets available nowwww.TicketOmaha.com402-345-0606Recommended for ages 13 and older

reTurning For one nighT only!reTurning Forone nighT only!

14 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER |

2 Days Only

Order Tickets Now! Only

Order Tickets Now!5,000 YEARS OF CIVILIZATION. LIVE ON STAGE!

MILLIONS HAVE SEEN SHEN YUN. Standing ovations at the world’s top venues, royalty attending in Europe, sold-out shows throughout North America, and packed houses across Asia have made Shen Yun an international phenomenon.

WITNESS THE DIVINE CULTURE’S RETURNAN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY across 5,000 years of Chinese civilization! A journey where the wisdom ofancient China, the world’s � nest classical Chinese dancers, gorgeous hand-cra� ed costumes, and massive animated backdrops come together in one spectacular performance.

A feast for your eyes, a feast for your ears, and a feast for your heart — an experience not to miss!

CLASSICAL CHINESE DANCEFROM BATTLEFIELDS TO IMPERIAL PALACES.Classical Chinese dance has a history of thousands of years, sharing a common ancestry with martial arts. Its dramaticjumping, spinning, and � ipping techniques are just part of the vast repertoire of movements that make classicalChinese dance—one of the most demanding and expres-sive art forms in the world.

PERFECT HARMONYOF EAST & WESTFROM THE MOMENT the gong is struck, you know you are in for something memorable. � e Shen Yun Orches-tra masterfully blends ancient Chinese instruments, like the emotive erhu and delicate pipa, with a full Western orchestra,creating an exhilarating new sound.

MARCH 8—9 ORPHEUM THEATER ShenYun.com/OmahaTicketOmaha.com | 402-345-0606 DoubleTree by Hilton

Omaha Downtown

ACCLAIMED TENORS& SOPRANOS

Resounding voices of bel canto soloists are an integral part of

the Shen Yun experience. � eir impassioned songs give voice to

Chinese culture’s ancient virtues.

“5,000 years of Chinese musicand dance in one night…”

—The New York Times

“Beautiful!A nimble mastery.”

—Chicago Tribune

ALL-NEW SHOWWITH LIVE ORCHESTRA

Presented by Nebraska Falun Dafa Association

TOURING 30 COUNTRIES, SHEN YUN LEAVES MILLIONS IN AWE

“Exquisitely beautiful. An extraordinaryexperience for us and the children... the level of

skill, but also the power of the archetypes and the narratives were startling.”

—Cate Blanchett, Academy Award-winning actress

“So inspiring! One big poetic event.It’s almost like going to the theater and the

movies at the same time.”—Robert Stromberg, Academy Award-winning production designer

“Mesmerizing! Reclaiming the divinelyinspired cultural heritage of China… I encourage

everyone to see and all of us to learn from.”—Donna Karan, creator of DKNY (New York)

• World’s Top Classical Chinese Dancers • Unique East-West Orchestra

• Stunning Animated Backdrops• Over 400 Exquisite Costumes

“Beautiful sound... strikingly intricate melodies.”

—NY� eater.com

culture | THE READER | FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 15

It is cold in Sokol Underground, when the cast of Stephen King’s, The Shining, a play, meet for the first time, and the actors sit coat-clad on

split-vinyl chairs. Director Jason Levering, who is also artistic di-

rector of the Benson Theatre and executive direc-tor (and co-founder) of the Omaha Film Festival, invites the group to form a circle. There is no hesi-tation, no awkwardness, no staring at the cracked concrete floor beneath their feet as the actors in-troduce themselves; and, within moments, the first-ever rehearsal for the world premiere play The Shining, is launched.

Born as a benefit for Omaha’s historic Benson Theatre, the project’s script was co-written by Le-vering and Aaron Sailors, co-author and director of One Eighteen: Migration (a novel and podcast),

short story author and chief instructor at Omaha ATA Black Belt Academy.

“We didn’t want to do something that had been done before,” Levering said of the Benson Theatre initiative. “Mr. King was the first thing that popped into my head. A horror play is a good idea, and The Shining is essentially set in one large location, mak-ing it a sound candidate for a production.”

Levering emailed King’s literary agent with a re-quest to adapt The Shining for stage as a fundraiser. Through his agent, Levering said King expressed an interest in the project, and provided a contract that would mean Levering and his team could adapt the novel at no cost to them (although Levering did re-count sending King a check for the contract-stipu-lated $1, which King politely returned - uncashed). With King’s blessing, the Benson Theatre benefit would move forward, under the premise that King would approve the script, director and actors.

“This is a very faithful adaptation of the story,” Levering said, explaining that before The Shining be-came a novel King envisioned it as a play. “All of the dialogue is still there. The sensibilities are still there.”

As Levering and Sailors went to work on the script, Levering mulled choices for directors.

“I had not intended to direct this project,” Le-vering said, “I’d been busy with the Omaha Film Festival, and had asked a few people about their availability for the project. Ultimately, I submitted my personal resume and King had no issues with approving me as director.”

Once the script and director had been ap-proved, Levering moved to casting the project.

“We could have actually cast the show two or three different ways.” Levering said, “We were very fortunate with the people who came out to audition — so much fantastic talent.”

Levering said casting Danny, the son of charac-ters Jack and Wendy Torrance, whose tragic turn at the Overlook Hotel is dramatically chronicled in the play and in the novel, was “a really tough, tough choice,” because, “outside the audition pro-cess, it came down to two kids and one of them happened to be [my son] Christopher.”

After sharing the audition tapes with crew, and soliciting feedback from the team, Levering sub-mitted Christopher as The Shining’s Danny. King approved.

As the project has grown (see the group’s Face-book and Hatchfund pages below), so has Lever-ing’s role— a role that is not without community, and family support.

“This is truly a family project because we all play a major role in its success,” said Jenna Le-vering, Jason’s wife. “Kiera [our daughter] and I are not acting or directing like Chris and Jason, however we contribute to their success in ways others may not see. Whether it is transporting Chris to and from rehearsals, picking up props and supplies, delivering food, promoting the play or even providing a word of support or en-couragement to the boys when stress levels are high…all of our roles are key when pulling off a project of this capacity.”

Likewise, Levering says the community has em-braced this project, pledging support and talent that will debut a first-of-its-kind immersion in The Shining theater experience, and in the Overlook Hotel as a three-show only destination.

“I am fired on every single piston in my reper-toire about this,” Levering said, adding the effort is collaborative, the crew is expert and the energy is building. ,

Catch the world premiere of Stephen King’s The Shin-ing, a play, at Sokol Auditorium, 2234 S. 13th St. for three shows only, March 21 and 22, sokolunderground.com. Look for a more in-depth article on the play in an upcoming issue of The Reader.

2200 Dodge St. | Omaha, NE | (402) 342-3300 | joslyn.org

Poseidon and the SeaMyth, cult and daily life,

Through May 11, 2014

The realm of Poseidon encompassed virtually every aspect of life in the ancient Mediterranean world, from mythology and religious cult to daily activities. The exhibition centers around an imposing marble statue of the god from the first century AD that sets the stage for more than 100 works of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art produced over more than a millennium. Major SponSor: Douglas County; Contributing SponSor: Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc., Valmont Industries, Inc.; Supporting SponSor: Mutual of Omaha; Additional Support provided by: Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Organized by the Tampa Museum of Art

This exhibition has a $10 ticket fee. Free for members, youth ages 17 and younger, and college students with ID.

Statue of Poseidon/Neptune alongside dolphin (detail), Roman, 1st century AD, marble, Collection Tampa Museum of Art, Joseph Veach Noble Collection, 1986.135

16 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER | over the edge

When Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Dead-lies released their debut album five years ago, I thought for sure it was go-

ing to be a breakthrough.That record was pure bliss. If you haven’t heard

it (and apparently not many of you have), it’s worth seeking out. It’s as good — if not better than — most records that came out in 2009, loaded with heart-wrenching hook-laden folk-rock songs that once heard are impossible to get out of your head.

Despite my growing pessimism about the ever-decomposing music industry, I still believe the only thing that matters is good songwriting — no matter how much music gets thrown into the giant milk barrel we call the internet, the cream will al-ways rise to the top to be discovered by some enter-prising record label exec looking to break the Next Big Thing.

And yet, that Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Dead-lies’ debut album went nowhere. What happened?

Hoshaw said the record’s failure to gain traction outside of Omaha wasn’t for lack of trying. “I did as much as I could to capitalize on that last record, but trying to do the job of a record label by myself was probably unreasonable,” he said over a decaf Americana at a Benson coffee shop.

Hoshaw’s formula to break that first record involved a home-grown college radio campaign, where he personally sat down and called more than 300 radio stations from a promotion list he gleaned off a fellow musician.

“I sent out 120 copies of the CD to radio stations, but when it came time to do follow-up calls, I was burned out,” Hoshaw said. “I hit a threshold with what I could do by myself without going crazy.”

What about touring? Hoshaw said his band went on a two-week East Coast tour, but afterward band members said they couldn’t afford to do any more. “They have families and jobs, and it didn’t make

sense to lose money on the road,” Hoshaw said. Eventually the “Seven Deadlies” evaporated to just one — guitarist Matt Whipkey.

Now Hoshaw has a chance to try again. He’s celebrating the release of his new Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies album, Fu-neral Guns, this Friday night at The Wait-ing Room. The 10-song opus continues along the path as the debut, with songs destined to be radio-station fodder (if they ever catch a programmer’s ear). Tunes like sinister opening bal-lad “New Tattoo,” sleek West Coast-rocker “Company” and album-closing magnum opus “It Falls Apart” contin-ue to define Hoshaw as one of the best songwriters to come out of Nebraska.

So what’s he going to do differently this time ‘round? “I want to widen my fan base,” Hoshaw said. In collaboration with Whipkey, Hoshaw has picked Minneapolis, Des Moines/Ames and Kansas City/Lawrence as target markets where he’ll play gigs at least once a month.

Funeral Guns got made thanks to the support of 130 people who funded a Kickstarter online crowd-funding campaign. Hoshaw said he wants to keep that fan base happy and grow it as much as possible because he’ll need to call on them again when it comes time to fund his next record. Call it a grassroots effort rather than the traditional music career path that involves attracting the attention of a record label with hopes of signing a contract.

“Record companies are difficult; the odds are always against you,” Hoshaw said. “On the other hand, every time you go on stage you have a chance to make connections with new fans. It’s not a com-fortable living, not like having a record deal where you can say, ‘We’ve made it.’ It’s hard work and constant stress.”

That said, Hoshaw still wouldn’t mind landing a record deal or a booking agent or a promotion company that could take some of the load off his shoulders so he could focus on what he says is his biggest priority: songwriting. He’s already talking about recording his next album this year, and has reached out to producers, including Saddle Creek Records’ veteran Andy LeMaster, whose credits include albums by Bright Eyes, Azure Ray and Now It’s Overhead.

And then there’s Nashville. “I have some friends who are songwriters down there,” Hoshaw said. “I’ve considered moving to Nashville. It would be more as a songwriter than a performer.

I would pursue writing songs with other song-writers for other artists. For me, all the busi-

ness stuff begins with the song — it’s the most important thing to develop, and

writing with different people will make that stronger.”

Imagine Hoshaw selling a song like “Funeral Guns” to a hotshot like Blake Shelton. “I would consider it,” he said with a smile. “I would have to look at the contract and decide if it made sense.”

But what would make even more sense is writing songs for other Nebraska musi-

cians. Hoshaw originally wrote the track “Delta King” off the new record for local

band The Black Squirrels, while “New Tattoo” was written in collaboration with three other

songwriters and album closer “It Falls Apart” was written by former Nebraska songwriter now poet Kyle Harvey.

Hoshaw’s contemplated recording an entire al-bum of covers of songs by local songwriters, and would love for a fellow Omaha songwriter like John Klemmensen to record one of his songs.

“I would love more of that to happen locally the same way Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson played each other’s songs,” Hoshaw said. “I would love to see less fear about sharing art and letting other people interpret it, because in the end, it’s really about performing the best songs.” ,

THE SECOND COMING OF BRAD HOSHAW AND THE SEVEN DEADLIES

overtheedgeL I F E S T Y L E C O L U M N B Y T I M M C M A H A N

OVER THE EDGE is a weekly column by Reader senior contributing writer Tim McMahan focused on culture, society, music, the media and the arts. Email Tim at [email protected]. And be sure to check out his blog at Lazy-i.com

Oscar Shorts! The Academy Award Nominated Short Films 2014 First-Run

Don’t miss this year’s Academy Award Nominated Short Films! View the films and cast your own ballot at the Ruth Sokolof Theater before the Oscars telecast (March 2).

Animated Program: Through March 6

Live-Action Program: Through March 6

Gloria First-Run (R) Dir. Sebastián Lelio.Through Thursday, February 27Last chance!

Starring Paulina Garcia, winner of the Silver Bear Award at the 2013 Berlin Film Festival.

First-Run Films Film Streamsat the Ruth

Sokolof Theater14th & Mike Fahey Street (formerly Webster Street)

More info & showtimes 402.933.0259 · filmstreams.org

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram:

@filmstreams

Forever Young Admission just $2.50 for kids 12 and under!

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town 1936 Dir. Frank Capra.February 22, 23 & 27

Coming SoonThe Past First-Run (PG-13)The Grand Budapest Hotel First-Run (R)Tim’s Vermeer First-Run (PG-13)

The Hitchcock 9 Generously supported by Sam Walker.

Easy Virtue 1927 Dir. Alfred Hitchcock.February 27, 7 pmLive score by Ben BrodinTickets: $12 general, $10 for students, seniors, teachers and military, and $8 for Film Streams Members.

| THE READER | FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 17

THURSDAY 20GUY DAVIS W/ FABRIZIO POGGI, (Blues) 6 pm, 21st Sa-loon, Check venue for cover charge.MATT BANTA BAND W/ ROB NANCE & THE LOST SOULS (DURHAM NC) & JOHN LARSEN, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern, Check venue for cover charge.NEW MOON SONGWRITERS NIGHT, (Folk/Singer-Songwrit-er) 7 pm, Crescent Moon Coffee, FREE.SMOOTH JAZZ THURSDAYS AT THE OZONE LOUNGE W/CHAD STONER, (Jazz) 6:30 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, FREE.ACOUSTIC MUSIC THURSDAYS!, 8 pm, Two Fine Irishmen, Check venue for cover charge.SKYPIPER, TIE THESE HANDS, DIGGER, MITCH GETTMAN, HEATHER JOAN NEWMAN & SCOTT NOHRENBERG, (Rock) 8 pm, Vega, Check venue for cover charge.SNAKE ISLAND! W/ SWAMP WALK & TIMECAT, (Rock) 9 pm, Waiting Room, $5.AARON LEWIS, (Country) 8 pm, Whiskey Roadhouse (Horseshoe Casino), $32.STRING DEMONS, (Country) 6 pm, Zoo Bar, $5.GO FUNK YOURSELF, (Funk) 9 pm, Zoo Bar, $5.

FRIDAY 213D IN YOUR FACE, (Rock) 9 pm, 21st Saloon, $5.GRAND THEFT GIRLFRIEND, (Cover Band) 9:30 pm, Arena Bar & Grill, FREE.KAZTE & DJ CAYALA, (DJ/Electronic) 9 pm, Bar 415, $5.24 HOUR CARDLOCK WITH THE SUB-VECTORS AND THE DE-CATURES, (Rock) 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern, $5.REVERSE GENERATION, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Firewater Grille, Check venue for cover charge.DIANE SCHUUR, 8 pm, Holland Performing Arts Center, Tickets start at $30.KARAOKE THEATRE, 9 pm, House Of Loom, FREE.LEMON FRESH DAY, (Cover Band) 8 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, FREE.A MEMORY DOWN (CO), IN THE ATTACK & TBA, (Rock) 9 pm, Shamrock’s Pub & Grill, Check venue for cover charge.CLEEMAN W/ DERECK HIGGINS & LONNIE EUGENE METHE, (Indie) 9 pm, Slowdown, $8.

KARAOKE!, 7 pm, Soaring Wings Vineyard, Check ven-ue for cover charge.THE PACKAGES, (Rock) 5 pm, The Hive Lounge, FREE.SANDY CREEK BLUEGRASS, (Rock) 7 pm, Vega, $6 all ages.BONEHART FLANNIGAN W/ GREEN TREES & WINDPANTS, (Rock) 9 pm, Vega, Check venue for cover charge.MC MARCEY YATES, MC BLACK JONNY QUEST & WE BE LI-ONS, (Hip-Hop/Rap) 9 pm, Venue 51, $5.FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB CONCERT SERIES FEAT. THRIFT SHOP RADIO, (Blues) 5 pm, Venue 51, Check venue for cover charge.BRAD HOSHAW & THE SEVEN DEADLIES CD RELEASE, (Rock) 9 pm, Waiting Room, $5 ADV / $7 DOS.BEL-AIRS, (Blues) 9 pm, Zoo Bar, Check venue for cover charge.

SATURDAY 22BLUE HOUSE, (Cover Band) 8:30 pm, Ameristar Casino, FREE.HOTT2TROTT, (Cover Band) 9:30 pm, Arena Bar & Grill, FREE.ANNUAL WINTER BLUES & BBQ FUNDRAISER FOR THE TROOPS, (Blues) 7 pm, Chance Ridge, To purchase tickets email: [email protected], call 402.709.0153.THE INDULGERS, (Rock) 9 pm, Dubliner Pub, $3.KARAOKE, 8 pm, Firewater Grille, Check venue for cover charges.THE HONEYBOY TURNER BAND, (Blues) 9 pm, Havana Ga-rage, FREE.CHRIS SAUB, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 8 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, FREE.LOW LONG SIGNAL & TBA, (Rock) 9 pm, Shamrock’s Pub & Grill, Check venue for cover charge.HECTOR ANCHONDO W/ CLEVELAND BLUE, (Blues) 9 pm, Slowdown, $8 ADV / $10 DOS.THE PACKAGES, (Rock) 9 pm, Spikers, Check venue for cover charge.AUDIBLY NUTRITIOUS, (DJ/Electronic) 10 pm, Sweat-shop Gallery, $3 till 11:30 pm, $5 After, 18+.THE MEZCAL BROTHERS W/ BUD HEAVY & THE HIGH LIFES, (Rock) 9:30 pm, Vega, $6 21+ / $8 18-20.TEN CLUB, A PEARL JAM TRIBUTE, (Cover Band) 9 pm, Venue 51, $5.

FURIOSITY W/ STALEMATE, SPLITLINE & STOP SIGN RIOT, (Metal) 9 pm, Waiting Room, $8.CHARLIE BURTON, (Rock) 6 pm, Zoo Bar, $5.BLUES MESSENGERS, (Blues) 9:30 pm, Zoo Bar, $5.

SUNDAY 23KELLER WILLIAMS W/ JON WAYNE & THE PAIN, (Rock) 7 pm, Bourbon Theater, $20 ADV / $25 DOS.THE BLIND PETS W/ THE YAWPERS, POWERS & SNAKE IS-LAND!, (Rock) 9 pm, Duffy’s Tavern, $8.RONNY COX, (Folk/Singer-Songwriter) 7:30 pm, Folk-House, $20.SALSA SUNDAY W/ LATIN MADNESS, 7 pm, House Of Loom, $5.OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH JOSEPH & ANDREW JANOUSEK, 9 pm, O’Leaver’s Pub, FREE.SOARING WINGS VINEYARD SUNDAY MUSIC WITH APRIL & FRIENDS, 2 pm, Soaring Wings Vineyard, FREE.LUCAS KELLISON ACOUSTIC CD RELEASE, (Rock) 6 pm, Vega, $5 all ages.THE HOUNDS BELOW, (Rock) 9 pm, Vega, Check venue for cover charge.THE DELTA ROUTINE, (Rock) 4 pm, Venue 51, FREE.AER W/ RDGLDGRN & NEW BEAT FUND, (Rock) 8 pm, Wait-ing Room, $15 ADV / $18 DOS.TOMMY CASTRO, (Blues) 6 pm, Zoo Bar, $15 ADV / $20 DOS.

MONDAY 24OPEN MIC NIGHT, 6 pm, 402 Arts Collective/ Aromas Coffeehouse, FREE.OPEN MIC & SONGWRITER SHOWCASE, (Folk/Singer-Song-writer) 9 pm, Barley Street Tavern, FREE.FIRST CUT INDUSTRY NIGHT W/ DJ DRDRIGGS, (DJ/Elec-tronic) 9 pm, House Of Loom, FREE.GOOCH & HIS LASVEGAS BIG BAND, 8 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, FREE.ROYAL TEETH W/ CHAPPO & PARADE OF LIGHTS, (Pop) 9 pm, Vega, $8.WAITING ROOM MUSIC QUIZ, 8 pm, Waiting Room, FREE.PIANO HOUR W/ EMILY BASS, 5 pm, Zoo Bar, Check ven-ue for cover charge.

TUESDAY 25VIC NASTY, 8 pm, Bar 415, Check venue for cover charge.OPEN MIC NIGHT, 9:30 pm, Dubliner Pub, FREE.ANNI PIPER, (Blues) 6 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, $5.$2 TUESDAYS W/ ROOT MARM CHICKEN FARM JUG BAND W/ FCC BROS, (Rock) 9 pm, Vega, $2 21+ / $4 18-20.OPEN MIC HOSTED BY DAVE YOBEL, 8 pm, Venue 51, FREE.AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE W/ RIGHTEOUS VENDETTA, (Rock) 8 pm, Waiting Room, $15.MIKE ZITO, (Blues) 6 pm, Zoo Bar, $12 ADV / $15 DOS.

18 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER | music listings

SEND CALENDAR INFORMATION — including addresses, dates, times, costs and phone numbers — to The Reader’s calendar editor. Mail to or drop off information at P.O. Box 7360 Omaha, NE 68107; email to [email protected]; fax to (402) 341.6967. Deadline is 5 p.m. the Thursday prior to issue date.

livemusiccalendar

DJ RELIC SOUL PARTY, 8 pm, Zoo Bar, FREE.

WEDNESDAY 26DICEY RILEYS, 7 pm, Brazen Head Irish Pub, FREE.R.O.E. & THE SOUL VILLIANS W/ CONCHANCE, (Hip-Hop/Rap) 9 pm, Duffy’s Tavern, $5.SHAWN FREDIEU, (Rock) 9 pm, Firewater Grille, Check venue for cover charge.BOZAK & MORRISSEY, (Rock) 6:30 pm, OzoNE Lounge at Anthony’s Steakhouse, FREE.NOAH GUNDERSEN W/ ARMON JAY, (Folk/Singer-Songwrit-er) 8 pm, Slowdown, $10 ADV / $12 DOS.SUNNY ROGERS & THE UNDERGROUND TIDE W/ GHOST TOWN RADIO & FOR EDWARD, (Rock) 9 pm, Vega, $5 21+ / $7 18-20.LE FIGS DUO & FRIENDS OF WEEPING WHISKEY WEDNESDAY, (Rock) 10 pm, Venue 51, FREE.SKYPIPER W/ AZP, ELI MARDOCK, SCOTT NOHRENBERG, MITCH GETTMAN & HEATHER NEWMAN, (Rock) 9 pm, Wait-ing Room, $8.AMERICAN BABIES, 9 pm, Zoo Bar, $6.

Tickets $30 in advance | TicketOmaha.com All productions, performers, prices, dates and times subject to change.


Christopher O’RileyMarch 15 | 8:00 PM | Holland Center

coldcream■ This past weekend the Eighth Annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards honored the outstanding achievements for last years the-atrical performances. The Omaha Community Playhouse led the way in overall awards with six as Ellen Struve’s Recommended Reading for Girls took home Best New Script and Best Supporting Actress (Laura Leininger), Evil Dead: The Musical took home Best Director (Carl Beck) and Best Actor (Brian Zealand), Legally Blonde: The Musical earned Best Supporting Actress (Theresa Sindelar) and The Wizard of Oz won Best Youth Performer (Charlotte Hedican).

The Bluebarn Theatre and Snap Productions each took home three awards for the evening. Bluebarn Theatre’s production of Red received honors for Best Play and Best Actor (Jerry Longe) and The 39 Steps won for Best Director (Susan Clement-Toberer). Snap Productions’ staging of Clybourne Park won Best Comedy while last year production of Next to Normal (not to be confused with the current production at Omaha Playhouse) won Best Musical and Best Actress (Echelle Childers).

Other honors that night included a Best Ac-tress Award for Laura Marr in Gertrude Stein and a Companion at The Circle Theatre, a Best Supporting Actor Award for Jim McKain in Lofte Community Theatre’s production of The Producers and a Best Supporting Actor Award for Dan Chevalier in Nebraska Shakespeare Festival’s version of Twelfth Night.

Overall, the reaction to awards night was a positive one, with the exception of attendees wishing for the reinclusion of the technical categories for next year’s awards night. For a total recap of the awards night, visit www.oea-awards.com.■ If you attend the production of Will Eno’s Gnit at the Bluebarn Theatre, opening this weekend, keep an eye (or rather ear) on the sound design. While certain pieces, like the famed Edvard Grieg composition of Peer Gynt, will no doubt be familiar to you, much of the design will feature original compositions from sound designer and local musician Larry Dunn (better known in the Omaha music scene as Lash LaRue).

■ Next week, The UNO Theatre Depart-ment will be present-ing the world premiere of Death by Design: A Comedy with Songs and Murder written and directed by New York-based playwright and UNO Alum Rob Urbinati. The show is

a musicalized version of Urbinati’s play of the same name that was originally commissioned by the Houston Family Arts Center in 2011.

—Bill Grennan

Cold Cream looks at theater in the metro area. Email informa-tion to [email protected]

ROB URBINATI

hoodooB Y B . J . H U C H T E M A N N

HOODOO is a weekly column focusing on blues, roots, Americana and occasional other music styles with an emphasis on live

music performances. Hoodoo columnist B.J. Huchtemann is a Reader senior contributing writer and veteran music journalist who

has covered the local music scene for nearly 20 years. Follow her blog at hoodoorootsblues.blogspot.com.

OEA Awards and More

The eighth annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards were held Sunday, Feb. 16, at the DoubleTree Hilton. The evening ran

smoothly with some excellent performances and a few surprises. The Best Blues Award went to the Hector Anchondo Band. Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers took the Best R&B/Soul/Gospel Award. Matt Cox Band received the Best Country/Americana honors. Best Singer-Songwriter/Folk Award went to John Klemmensen & The Party. Matt Whipkey took two well-deserved awards for his ambitious Penny Park double-vinyl project. Penny Park was named Album of the Year and Whipkey Artist of the Year. See the complete list of winners at oea-awards.com.BRAD HOSHAW CD RELEASE: Brad Hoshaw & The Seven Deadlies are back with a CD release party this Friday, Feb. 21, 9 p.m. at Waiting Room. The current Seven Deadlies’ lineup is Hoshaw with Matt Whipkey, Vern Fergesen and J. Scott Gaeta. Hoshaw had a highly successful Kickstarter to finish the disc, titled Funeral Guns. Admission is just $7 day of show and Omaha favorite Kyle Harvey is back to open the evening. BBQ FOR THE TROOPS: The annual Winter Blues & BBQ fundraiser for Operation BBQ for the

Troops Midwest Division is Saturday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. at Chance Ridge, Dodge Stree and Skyline Drive in Elkhorn. The annual event raises money to fund free barbeque meals that Operation BBQ for the Troops provides to deploying and returning service members and their families. For details see operationbbqmw.org. Performing are The Brad Cordle Band with guest leader Bucky McCann and Us & Them with Alli Fisher. Brad Cordle has been in the hospital and is not expected to be ready to perform Feb. 22. To purchase tickets to the barbeque meal plus live music, email [email protected] or call 402-709-0153.CASTRO & ZITO AT THE ZOO: Superb soul-bluesman Tommy Castro hits Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Sunday, Feb. 23, 6-9 p.m. Castro is touring in support of a new disc, The Devil You Know (Alligator) that just dropped Jan. 21. Mike Zito & The Wheel is up Tuesday, Feb. 25, 6-9 p.m.HOT NOTES: The 21st Saloon puts the spotlight on acoustic blues with acclaimed artist Guy Davis headlining the show, see guydavis.com. Also on the bill are Fabrizio Poggi, Hector Anchondo and Virginia Tanous-Gallner. Honeyboy Turner Band (OEA nominee for Best Blues) are back for an 8-11 p.m. show at McKenna’s Friday, Feb. 21. The band also hits Havana Garage Saturday, Feb. 22, 9 p.m. The Bel Airs play The Zoo Bar Friday, Feb. 21, 9 p.m. ,

19FEB. 20 - 26, 2014| THE READER | hoodoo

Our Cold, Dead Hands

The semi-obscure Florida Statute 790.15 took center stage in January following a Miami Herald report of a resident of the town of Big

Pine Key who routinely target-shoots his handgun in his yard, with impunity, to the consterna-tion of neighbors. The statute per-mits open firing on private property (except shooting over a public right of way or an occupied dwelling), and several cities have tried, unsuc-cessfully, to restrict that right, citing “public safety” in residential neighbor-hoods. (A 2011 lobbying campaign by the National Rifle Association, and a state supreme court decision, nixed any change in the law.) “Negligent” shooting is illegal, but only a misdemeanor. Thus, even skillful shooting next door to a day care center or in a small yard that abuts a high-trafficked pedestrian street is likely perfectly legal. One Florida legislator who was originally from Alaska noted that even in Anchorage people cannot fire at will in their yards.

Cultural DiversitySouth Korea is a well-known hub for cosmetic beau-tification surgery, with a higher rate per capita than the U.S., but the procedures can be expensive, inspiring many young women recently to resort to do-it-yourself procedures for their profes-sional and romantic upgrades. A Decem-ber Global Post dispatch noted that some might try to force their eyes to stay open without blinking (using a novel $20 pair of glasses for hours on end) as a substitute for costly “double-eyelid” surgery. Also in use: a $6 jaw-squeezing roller device for the face to push the jaw line into a fashionable “oval” form. One teen told the reporter she applies an imaginative contrap-tion to her face for hours a day to pressure her nose into more of a point, which is considered a desirable Western look.

-- Acquired Tastes: (1) In December, thieves in Wicklow, Ireland, raided a convent’s field at the Do-minican Farm and Ecology Center, stripping it of its entire crop of Brussels sprouts. A nun at the farm said

the sisters were devastated to miss out on the lucrative market for high-end Christmas

dinners. (2) In January, Wal-Mart in China recalled its “Five Spice” donkey meat sold

in some locations because the popular snack was found to be tainted -- with fox meat.

-- Labor’s Influence in France: The French social security agency URSSAF ini-tiated an enforcement action in Decem-

ber against the Mamm-Kounifl music bar in the town of Locmiquelic for underpaying em-

ployee contributions -- in that the tavern encourages customers to bus their own tables and thus reduces its need to hire more servers. The owner denied he was trying to save money. “It’s (just) our trademark. We want the customer to feel comfortable, a bit like he’s at home.”

Questionable JudgmentsInteresting Life Ahead: From the birth register of Elkhart (Ind.) General Hospital, reported by The Elkhart Truth, Jan. 19, 2014: “Tamekia Burks, Elkhart, daughter (named La’Soulja Major La’Pimp Burks, 6

lbs., 8 oz.), 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014.”-- The makers of a product called

Poo-Pourri garnered a “coveted” ad-vertising award from USA Today in De-

cember as one of the five worst ads of the year. Toilet users concerned about smell are encouraged to spray Poo-Pourri on the commode, pre-use, and in the televi-

sion ad, a British-accented female sits on the throne, extolling the product. Opening line: “You would not believe the mother lode

I just dropped.” (Nonetheless, USA Today still found two other ads that upset its editors more.)

The Continuing CrisisThe Power of Prayer: Nelson Thabo Modupe threat-ened a lawsuit in January against South Africa’s Es-

newsoftheweirdT H E W O R L D G O N E F R E A K Y B Y C H U C K S H E P H E R D W I T H I L L U S T R A T I O N S B Y T O M B R I S C O E

20 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER | weird news

21FEB. 20 - 26, 2014| THE READER | weird news

COPYRIGHT 2014 CHUCK SHEPHERD. Visit Chuck Shepherd daily at NewsoftheWeird.blogspot.com or NewsoftheWeird.com. Send Weird News to [email protected] or P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, FL 33679. Illustrations by Tom Briscoe (smallworldcomics.com).

kom electric utility unless the company paid him the equivalent of about $22.3 million for “saving” the firm that amount during the weeks of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Modupe reasoned that he had joined the Zion Christian Church just before the event and had prayed (“successfully”) to God to spare the utility from blackouts and power reductions during that peri-od (which would have cost Es-kom millions more). Modupe, open to negotiation, said he would accept a partnership in the company as a compromise.

-- World’s Laziest Dog Sit-ter: Tyler Smith, 23, was charged in December with violating the city animal care ordinance in Greenville, S.C., after a photograph was posted on Facebook of his father’s dog being lowered by rope from the second-story balcony of an apartment. According to the posting, it was time for the dog to make a call of nature, but it was raining, and Smith preferred not to go downstairs with him.

PerspectiveThree million Americans are infected with hepatitis C (as are millions more overseas), but a very recent drug, Sovaldi, completely cures it with 84 daily doses. However, its manu-facturer, Gilead Sciences, has somehow determined that a fair U.S. price for the drug should be $1,000 per pill ($84,000 for the total treatment). Shouldn’t Gilead reduce the price once it has recouped its expensive in-vestment, asked an NPR reporter in Decem-ber? “That’s very unlikely we would do that,” said Gilead’s Gregg Alton, but “I appreciate the thought.” (According to NPR, Gilead “devel-oped” Sovaldi merely by buying Sovaldi’s actual de-veloper for $11 billion. At $84,000 per patient, Gilead would “recoup” that investment from the first 150,000 customers, leaving 2.85 million more U.S. patients to pay $84,000 each, for an income of $239 billion.)

People With IssuesTrevor Robinson, 67, of Skellingthorpe, England, was re-arrested in November for violating a previ-

ous Anti-Social Behavior Order by pushing a doll-carrying baby carriage in public.

(He was also reportedly performing a sex act on himself.) The 2009 ASBO barred him from possessing dolls, baby carriages and “any other” means

in which toys might be transported. Robinson has admitted a having a prob-lem with dolls -- due, he said, to his inabil-ity to father children himself.

Least Competent CriminalsIt Pays to Know Your Rap Sheet: Jerry

Pancoast, 42, was arrested on at least four charges after a high-speed chase through Iowa’s Polk and Jasper counties in January following an al-leged shoplifting of tweezers and an eyebrow pencil -- not even taken by Pancoast but by his companion. Pancoast drove at 100 mph, even on deflated tires and three rims that eventually caused his truck to catch on fire. The episode started as “a simple theft case,” said the arresting officer, until Pancoast abruptly took off. He later explained that he pan-icked because he knew there were already arrest warrants against him -- but a subsequent search turned up none.

Recurring ThemesStories That Never Get Old: (1) Following the early-January winter storm in East Kingston,

N.H., emergency crews came to the aid of a 12-year-old girl who had a “what would hap-

pen” moment and tried to lick a metal flag-pole in her front yard. (2) Police in the Los

Angeles suburb of Harbor City were searching in February for the man suspected of steal-ing surveillance cameras from a home, but

not before he apparently failed to distinguish between the camera (which he took with him) and the recording unit (which remained in the home and cap-tured his face clearly as he removed the camera). ,

—Drew Zinn Interior Design

I chose MCC because I knew I would be

My instructors me learn about the profession, and now I’m at a design firm.

CHALLENGED.

HELPED

INTERNING

Spring quarter begins March 7.

22 FEB. 20 - 26, 2014 | THE READER | film

n After years of pretending not to receive my phone calls or emails, George Clooney is finally answering my request that he make a film about the 1980s Norwegian oil boom. Finally, am I right? Sure, big fans of Norway and fossil fuels enjoyed Pioneer, the 2013 thriller that Clooney is now turning into an American film. But I can finally rest knowing big George will share the glory and majesty of the Norwegian energy industry with the world. n Good news: My sustained excitement over Darren Aronofsky’s Noah is now totally ex-cusable. Although previews have looked a bit generically epic, the stuff that has always interested me beyond Aronofsky’s ability to explore manically driven characters is the crazy stuff the studio wanted out. Specifically, there was an ongoing battle having to do with Aronofsky’s inclusion of weird, mutant alien “angels” and giants, all of which are actually found in the passages of the book of Genesis. Word has come down that the studio is letting the director’s cut stand, meaning we get to hear Nick Nolte voice a six-armed CGI warrior angel. Hooray! n Greta Gerwig, indie darling and star of Frances Ha, has signed on for the CBS com-edy spinoff “How I Met Your Dad.” I’ve seen some dumb reactions to announcements before, like the tidal wave of social media suicide notes posted after Ben Affleck be-came Batman. But never before have I seen a collective response so wildly and largely wrong-headed. Intelligent critics and writers who have long championed Gerwig’s work lambasted her for “selling out,” taking a job on a show with an admittedly weak premise, and wrote eulogies for her film career. As suc-cinctly as possible, let me say that a woman getting a producer credit and getting paid to anchor a major network sitcom with her as the nucleus is a good thing and that count-less other TV stars still make movies. Stop being whiny babies about losing your hipster goddess and celebrate one of the good ones getting paid and popular. You_ go, Greta.

—Ryan Syrek

Cutting Room provides breaking local and national movie news … complete with added sarcasm. Send any relevant information to [email protected]. Check out Ryan on Movieha!, a weekly half-hour qqqqqqqmovie podcast (movieha.libsyn.com/rss), catch him on radio on CD 105.9 (cd1059.com) on Fridays around 7:30 a.m. and on KVNO 90.7 (kvno.org) at 8:30 a.m. on Fridays and follow him on Twitter (twitter.com/thereaderfilm).

RE

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RT

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GRETA GERWIG

For one brief, shining moment, the completely unnecessary remake of Ro-bocop suggested the possibility of non-

suckage. Pat Novak (Samuel L. Jackson), a host of cable news propaganda, frothily and non-ironically suggests using the same drone-based military action we use abroad to curb violence at home. Suddenly, this Robocop appeared to have a purpose: skewering American apathy about machines dispensing death overseas. Could it be? Could writer Joshua Zetumer and director José Padilha have stumbled upon a way to justify the existence of this cash grab? Nope.

At least, if they did, studio suits apparently put the cyber-kibosh on it, demanding the film jettison original concepts in favor of tepid, imagination — and blood-free PG-13 action. To add insult to injurious boredom, the cast is pretty much spot on. Relative newcomer Joel Kinnaman is fairly remarkable as the titular tin man. And then there’s Gary Oldman’s earnestly conflicted scientist, Dr. Dennett Norton; Mi-chael Keaton’s greedy but believable CEO, Ra-mond Sellars; Jackie Earle Haley’s delightfully angry foil, Rick Mattox; and Michael K. Wil-liams’ savvy buddy cop, Jack Lewis. It’s almost as if someone came running in at the last min-ute reminded everyone this was supposed to be a bad movie.

The plot is even more gossamer this time out than when Paul Verhoeven brilliantly abused the concept in 1987. Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) is a good cop in a dirty cesspool who gets blown up when he tries to stop a crimelord. Sellars is desperate for his company to crack the U.S. se-

curity market, so he convinces Norton to turn what’s left of Murphy into an organic-based drone in order to win over the public. Once re-born in bulky metal, Murphy attempts to solve his own murder and runs afoul of the company that owns him. That really shouldn’t take very long; in fact, that should be the first half hour or so. But Robocop stretches this into nearly two hours of angsty cyborg tears.

Aside from the decision to relegate the in-sightful and challenging drone content to Jackson’s sporadic monologues, the worst de-cision was to ixnay the satirical comedy of the original film. Padilha and company could have done one or the other, choosing to seriously tackle American hypocrisy or comedically de-ploy robo-action. But doing both makes the whole thing feel completely inert. That’s not the same thing as outright “bad,” but it feels twice as frustrating to know that even while all the components were there, nobody could put Robocop together again.

Easily the best bit in the new version is a sick little body horror sequence where we see “what’s left” of Mr. Murphy’s actual body. It’s so gross and absurd that laughter seems both totally appropriate and totally insensitive. And that unique feeling is the one the origi-nal Robocop capitalized on but this one largely ignores. We’ll never know who is to blame for this hunk of junk, but it doesn’t feel like any of the creative types. A film about a guy in a suit was ruined by guys in suits. Somebody help: is that ironic?

GRADE = C-

READER RECOMMENDS

The Lego Movie = B+Turns out you can make an awesome movie about inanimate plastic blocks.

Nebraska = B-Another nice, quiet, muted film from the master.

Her = B+Love between a man and his computer can be beautiful.

American Hustle = BSolid, slightly odd, con film with great female performances.

ON DVDBlue Jasmine = B+A show-stopping performance for Cate Blanchett.

Austenland = B-A criticism of fanatics that winds up feeling a bit like fan fiction.

Ender’s Game = C This is one tame, lame video game.

Rush = B+ True story about a sport we don’t care about that you’llactually care about!

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