IVCC play features old-fashioned music, comedy

April 15, 2015 by admin
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When choosing Illinois Valley Community College’s spring musical, director/choreographer Don Grant Zellmer thought “big, bold, retro and unique.”

“Sugar Babies: The Big Bad Burlesque Musical” (which debuts Thursday, April 23) seems to fit all those categories — and then some with its nonstop singing, dancing, tapping and zany, bawdy comedy skits.

With a cast of 16, made up of students, faculty, staff and community members, “Sugar Babies” is a re-creation of 1920s burlesque and features skits that made the rounds in every burlesque theater during the Jazz Age.

The Sugar Babies themselves are the chorus line that includes nine women who sing, dance and tap throughout the show. Then there are the comics — “Top Banana,” “Second Banana,” “Characters,” the “Prima Donna,” who is the female star of the show, two “Soubrettes,” who are the foils to the comics — as well as soloists and several featured players.

While Zellmer has directed and appeared in professional productions of “Sugar Babies,” it was an unlikely performing gig that gave him the real love for the show.

“Ten years ago, I toured with the legendary Mickey Rooney in his show with his wife, Jan,” Zellmer said. “I was the third member of the cast of three. Mickey originated the role of the Top Banana in ‘Sugar Babies,’ and we did some of the skits in his tour show, which was amazing.

“Mickey started in vaudeville as a kid, then moved into burlesque when he was older, so he truly was the window into the era — and knew exactly how the skits played best. I saw the master at work, I guess you’d say.

“Before I knew him and performed with him, I had seen ‘Sugar Babies’ right after it opened with Mickey and Ann Miller, about 1980, and got a huge kick out of it. I didn’t plan to be in the show this spring but during auditions, hearing the younger guys reading the dirty old man parts, I realized why the Top Banana really needed to be ‘mature.’ Otherwise it would come off as somewhat lewd and a little creepy.”

Zellmer then decided to split the part in two, sharing those duties with Alex Guerrero, of La Salle, as the Second Banana. Rounding out the principal players are Karen Lesman, La Salle, as the Prima Donna, and Hillari Behrens, Marseilles, and Emily Hanck, Peru, as the Soubrettes (signifying one or two featured women from the line who appear in the comedy sketches as well as solo). The two “Straight Men” (or Characters) are Jake Jakielski, Marseilles, and Chase Woolman of Earlville.

Special guest performers are IVCC theater and music instructor Norman Engstrom in a surprise cameo, and Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts Brian Holloway, an accomplished banjo player, starring in the “Mister Banjo Man” number with the entire company.

“That was an amazing stroke of luck,” said Zellmer. “We were at dinner with Brian and his wife, Cathy, when I mentioned the banjo number and how it would be great to find someone who could really rip it up. Little did I know, I was talking to the guy who could do it — and was willing.”

In addition to Behrens and Hanck, the Sugar Babies include Clarissa Gerrard, Dalzell, Reilly Jaeger, Marseilles (both are featured dancers in the show as well), Anna Klobnak, La Salle, Leighton Williams, Ottawa, Chelsea Berg, McNabb, Emery Stewart, Mendota, and Elizabeth Voitik, Princeton.

“It’s quite the visual show,” said producer David A. Kuester. “There are 72 costumes for the Sugar Babies alone — from lingerie and vintage burlesque costumes to the dazzling ‘Uncle Sam’ finale. We’ve pulled a ton of costumes from the Follies Theatre stock — including some spectacular Vegas showgirl costumes — and have had a lot of help from volunteers as well.”

Many of the costumes are on display on the IVCC Fine Arts Facebook page, which is available to join for anyone interested in the arts, both at IVCC and in the community.

The show has no steady plot, but rather creates the world of burlesque as it was in the 1920s. Top Bananas, Soubrettes and Prima Donna appear as different characters in each skit.

“One of the biggest challenges is making each character different in their physicality, accent, delivery — all the while giving the audience a wink saying ‘Hey — it’s still me!’ then getting into a whole different mindset for a solo as myself,” said Lesman, who has an array of wigs to transform into each character, along with costuming.

The show plays at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 23 to 25 with a 2 p.m. Sunday, April 26 matinee. Tickets are available at the door, or in advance at showtix4u.com.

Due to the adult humor in “Sugar Babies,” no children younger than 12 will be permitted. Tickets cost $20, and for student and senior (65 and older) tickets cost $15.

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Gisele Bundchen returns to Brazil to strut down Colcci catwalk

April 15, 2015 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie

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Cassie Carpenter for MailOnline

Published:
11:23 EST, 14 April 2015

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Updated:
18:19 EST, 14 April 2015

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Gisele Bündchen hauled her own luggage trolley as she landed at São Paulo/GRU Airport in her native Brazil Tuesday.

Despite her grueling, 10-hour flight, the 34-year-old supermodel looked fresh-faced and flawless.

The 5ft11 Amazon donned a loose white V-neck top tucked into black skinny jeans and suede sneaker wedges.

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Returning to her roots: Gisele Bündchen hauled her own luggage trolley as she landed at São Paulo/GRU Airport in her native Brazil Tuesday

Grinning Gisele let her natural beauty shine through with barely any make-up and her long highlighted locks down.

Bündchen’s flight was so long she departed out of JFK Airport in Manhattan Monday night.

Following a two-decade career, the mother-of-two will storm her final runway for Colcci at São Paulo Fashion Week ending April 17.

Beautiful complexion: Despite her grueling, 10-hour flight, the 34-year-old supermodel looked fresh-faced and flawless

Back in Brazil: The 5ft11 Amazon donned a loose white V-neck top tucked into black skinny jeans and suede sneaker wedges

Olá São Paulo! Grinning Gisele let her natural beauty shine through with barely any make-up and her long highlighted locks down

Catching a red eye: Bündchen’s flight was so long she departed out of JFK Airport in Manhattan Monday night

Fly in style with Gisele Bundchen’s Givenchy bag

Givenchy paisley print bag

Check out the latest collection on FWRD!

Buy now

Gisele Bunchen may be retiring from modeling, but she is not letting go of her amazing fashion sense. The 5’11 model headed to Brazil to walk the Colicci runway in a casual look of a white sweater, skinny jeans and a fun printed carry-on.

Gisele’s Givenchy paisley printed bag, puts all of our Samsonite to shame. With a bold paisley print, and geometric shapes throughout this colorful bag, be ready to step into the terminal with all eyes on you.

The bag is from the brand’s pre-spring 2013 collection, so unfortunately it is sold out. But to get your hands on the latest bags from the luxe brand, head on over to FWRD. Not all of us have the supermodel’s deep pockets, so we have found some wallet-friendly options for the choosing below.

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‘Automatically my body tells me if what I do is worth it, and it asked to stop,’ she told the Folha de São Paulo newspaper on Saturday.

‘I respect my body, it’s a privilege to be able to stop.’

The lingerie designer continued: ‘I don’t see how to continue [modeling on the catwalk]… and stopping will leave room for other projects I have for myself.’

‘My body asked me to stop’: Following a two-decade career, the mother-of-two will storm her final runway for Colcci at São Paulo Fashion Week ending April 17 (pictured November 4)

‘Stopping will leave room for other projects I have for myself’: However, Bündchen plans to continue modeling for her numerous print and commercial campaigns

Highest-paid supermodel for the last eight years! Gisele has amassed $47 million in the last year thanks to her lucrative campaigns for Chanel, Under Armour, Pantene, HM, etc. (pictured October 13)

However, Bündchen plans to continue modeling for her numerous print and commercial campaigns.

According to Forbes, Gisele has amassed $47 million in the last year thanks to her lucrative campaigns for Chanel, Under Armour, Pantene, HM, Carolina Herrera, and more.

The highest-paid supermodel for the last eight years, she plans to publish a coffee table book and appear in a documentary on her life.

Her husband, NFL star Tom Brady, spent Monday afternoon throwing out the first pitch at Boston’s Fenway Park.

‘Thank you Red Sox for the honor!’ Her husband, NFL star Tom Brady, spent Monday afternoon throwing out the first pitch at Boston’s Fenway Park

‘[Boston] is where my kids were born, where they’ll be raised’: The 6ft4in athlete has no plans to retire from the New England Patriots

Three’s company: The attractive power couple share son Benjamin (R), 5, and daughter Vivian (M), 2, and Brady has a son Jack (L), 7, with ex-partner Bridget Moynahan

‘Thank you Red Sox for the honor,’ the 37-year-old quarterback captioned his Facebook snap. ’Baseball season is officially on!’

The 6ft4in athlete has no plans to retire from the New England Patriots.

‘[Boston] is where my kids were born, where they’ll be raised,’ Tom just told the Salesforce World Tour – according to the Boston Herald. ‘I’ll be a lifer here.’

The attractive power couple share son Benjamin, 5, and daughter Vivian, 2, and Brady has a son Jack, 7, with ex-partner Bridget Moynahan.