Christmas Events by brent johnson

PULSE HOLIDAY GUIDE EV ERY TH I N G

C H R I S T M A S AT Y O U R 2 0 0 8

F I NGERTI P S

. . TEXT & LAYOUT . BRICE JOHNSON . . EVERYONE . . .

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PULSE MAGAZINE

Holiday Event Partner On all Levels

A chance to relax and beat the holiday hustle and bustle

‘Tis the season to go crazy! The pace of life seems to double during the holidays as you try to schedule parties, shop for loved ones and find time to celebrate the season with your family. Mental and physical burnout is almost inevitable. This year, try something that doesn’t include a package. A mad frenzy to snatch up the latest fad gadget, super hero or video game that promises to change your child’s life forever, but will leave you wondering if the volume could get just a bit higher! The risk of sounding the Grinch, there’s a lot to be said regarding his loathing for the “noise, noise, noise”! To enjoy the (occasionally mad) holiday season, try giving your family a different kind of gift - find time for the entire family to do something festive together. Before you feel the effects of your internal batteries running low get out and enjoy all the holiday happenings that the family will enjoy and remember long after the season is over. There’s so many festive shing digs that cost nothing or very little to do. From the Festival of Trees, Reflections in the Park, visits from Santa Claus ( Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus), holiday musicals, plays, concerts and list goes on and on. The following pages are filled with holiday traditions along with some new activities, that are destined to become a family tradition. "Lead on!" said Scrooge. "Lead on! The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit!" - Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol

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A chance to relax and beat the holiday hustle and bustle

COVER STORY

Battling Your Way Through the Holidays

NANOMETER Illustration ÂŠ 1998 Bill Mayer

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PULSE MAGAZINE

Dubuque, Iowa – The Clarke College Arts at Clarke Series and the Clarke College Music Department will present “For a Blessed Christmas” on Saturday, Dec. 6, and Sunday, Dec. 7, in Sacred Heart Chapel on the Clarke campus. The Saturday performance will begin at 7:30 p.m., the Sunday performance will begin at 2 p.m. Admission is $10 and tickets can be reserved by calling (563)584-8642 weekdays between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. In this annual holiday performance, the musicians of Clarke College portray the Christmas story through an exciting mix of narration and musical performances. This year’s concert will feature guest soloist Frank McClain, a 1984 Clarke graduate, who currently serves as resident stage director for the Orlando Opera Company and is a frequent performer with the group. As an actor, McClain has appeared in the Wanzie/Charron musicals “Lizzy” and “Living on the Edge,” as well as Wanzie’s “Ladies of Eola Heights Part 3, Court Ordered Therapy.” His most recent stage credits include the title character in the Orlando International Fringe Festival hits “Mr. Charles Currently of Palm Beach” and Howard Crabtree’s “When Pigs Fly;” and with the Orlando Opera as the Sergeant in “Pirates of Penzance” and Dr. Pangloss in “Candide.” Directing credits include guest director at the University of Central Florida of the play “Il Trovatore,” as well as “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Candide,” “The Elixir of Love,” and “The Marriage of Figaro,” all for the Orlando Opera. For more information, contact the Clarke College Public Relations Office at (563)588-6318.

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Dubuque, Iowa - Retired elementary teacher Julie Casey will lead "Jacob's Gift" - A Christmas Program for Families with Young Children from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, December 14 at Shalom Retreat Center. A great opportunity to help your family celebrate the real reason for the Christmas season and have fun while doing so. "Jacob's Gift" is a 30-minute award winning movie about a young boy who learns that when you give a gift to one of God's children, it's like giving a gift to God. After viewing the movie, children (maybe with the help of their parents) will be invited to do a short activity and enjoy a Christmas treat. The cost to attend is $5 per person for ages 5 and up, under age 5-free. Registration is required by December 12. To register, make check payable to Shalom Retreat Center and send name, address, and phone number to: 1001 Davis St., Dubuque, IA 52001. For more information, call Shalom at 563/582-3592.

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Over the years, many in the Cedar Valley have made Lampost Theatre and Coffee Co. a regular holiday tradition. Each December this veteran theatre troupe tools up for a special holiday production, and serves it up in a delightful atmosphere complete with dessert and coffee. This year, Lampost is pleased to announce a new production of their original family comedy Christmas Stew. The show will run in their annual Christmas Dessert Theatre until December 20th. Christmas Stew is a light-hearted comedy that follows a simple family gathering as it deteriorates into a roller coaster ride of mishaps and rivalries. We follow the family from the laughable chaos of packing, through the misadventures of travel, and into the fray of group activities ranging from meal preparation to family games. As these comedic situations unfold, family members grant the audience a glimpse into their hidden thoughts and feelings. The result multiplies the insanity and irony that underlies a typical family holiday. In the end, the characters finally discover a common ground at the heart of their Christmas celebration. Marked by Lampost’s unique style of storytelling, the production rolls along with crazy characters and all-too-familiar situations, tied together with a wholesome and heart-warming theme. The mix is lightly spiced with original music and the creative use of video. Oh, yes, and it is all sweetened by dessert served by the very characters that entertain on stage. Christmas Stew: A Recipe for Family Disaster December 5-20. Fridays & Saturdays 7:30pm, Sundays 2pm Tickets include the show, dessert, and coffee or cocoa. Lampost Theatre & Coffee Co. - 204 W. Seerley Blvd. in Cedar Falls Tickets & Information: 319-277-8034 or www.lampost.com

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. . TEXT & LAYOUT . BRICE JOHNSON . . EVERYONE . . .

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“Dear Editor, I am eight years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says if you see it in the Sun, it’s so. Please tell me the truth. Is there a Santa Claus?” Ed Mitchell, the Sun’s editor, gives the assignment of answering Virginia’s letter to Frank Church, who, until his wife and baby died last Christmas Eve, was the Sun’s best and most dependable reporter. Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus is a play for young and old, magically reaffirming life’s highest beauty and joy – “the eternal light with which childhood fills the world.” Directed by Jan Haverland, “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” will be on stage at 7:30 PM on December 5, 6 and at 2 PM on Sunday, December 7th. Kids 12 and under will receive a free popcorn and may drop their letter off for Santa Claus! Tickets may be purchased at the Grand Opera House Box Office, 135 W. 8th Street in Dubuque or by calling 563-588-1305, 11am5pm Monday through Friday. The Box Office is also open an hour before each show and from 10am to the start of the show on performance Saturdays. Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus The Grand Opera House, Dubuque, IA

Twinkling atop the hill at Louis Murphy Park will be the millions of Christmas bulbs that make up the animated displays lighting the 14th annual Reflections in the Park: A Hillcrest Lights Festival. The festival is open 36 days to the public November 27 through January 1 from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Benefits the many programs and services offered by Hillcrest Family Services. Cost: Gate admission for Reflections in the Park is $8, $7 at the Main Office of Hillcrest Family Services, 2005 Asbury Road in Dubuque or at Dubuque Hy-Vee Stores. For more information call (563) 583-7357 ext. 243.

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Here’s a shiny Streptococcus just for you! CUT HIM OUT AND HAND IT ON THE TREE.

.......................................................... "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!" - Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol

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Holiday Pops - Home for the Holidays Saturday, December 13, 2008, 2:30 PM, Sinclair Auditorium, Coe College. Featuring: Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, Children’s Discovery Chorus, Espressivo Strings from the Preucil School of Music, John Ryal, Guest Vocalist and the Andrews Sisters Trio. Bring your family and friends to celebrate the holiday season with the Cedar Rapids Symphony~Orchestra Iowa as they perform your favorite holiday classics! Maestro Hankewich promises a concert full of surprises from guest vocalist John Ryal singing You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch, to the corridor’s own Andrews Sisters Trio swinging vocals and dance. Join us as the area’s finest musicians and vocalists come together for this festive celebration that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit! Come early for special pre-concert entertainment by Symphony School groups! For more information visit www.crsymphony.org.

Bedford Falls shortly after World War II, George Bailey, a man whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve gains the attention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody who is sent to help him in his hour of need. Told through flashbacks spanning George's entire life and narrated by Franklin and Joseph, unseen Angels who are preparing Clarence for his mission to save George. Through these flashbacks we see all the people whose lives have been touched by George and the difference he has made to the community in which he lives. Venue: Hope Martin Theatre Tickets: Adults: $22.00, Children: $19.00 225 Commercial Street, Waterloo, IA.

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For two weeks, December 6 through December 21, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (CRMA) is offering FREE admission for everyone. The CRMA is excited to be able to present these two free weeks for a second time! Take advantage of this opportunity to visit the CRMA to see Mary GrandPré: Harry Potter and Beyond, an exhibition by the illustrator of the Harry Potter books. The Year of the River: Flood Photography from The Gazette will be on display as well.

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Also, don’t forget to mark your calendars for Harry Potter Day, Saturday, December 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. where kids of all ages are encouraged to dress as their favorite Harry Potter characters. Visitors on this day will be able to explore the galleries and participate in art-making activities. There will also be Harry Potter trivia! This is your chance to visit the CMRA for FREE…don’t miss it! The two free weeks are sponsored by Linn County Rural Electric Cooperative and Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO). Museum hours are as follows: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information about the two free weeks and other exciting events and exhibitions at the CRMA, please visit www.crma.org or call 319.366.7503.

.......................................................... "It's Christmas Day!" said Scrooge to himself. "I haven't missed it. The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like. Of course they can. Of course they can." - Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol

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TEXT & LAYOUT: BRICE JOHNSON ILLUSTRATIONS: BILL MAYER

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

Most people have trouble memorizing a single stanza of a poem, but Coleman, actor and artistic director of Mineral Pointâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alley Stage, has mastered the entire original text of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, and for six shows in December, he will perform this iconic work in the intimate, magical atmosphere of historic Shake -

Rag Alley in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Each of the twenty-six characters in the original tale has his or her own unique voice and body language, as performed by Coleman, ranging from the crotchety Scrooge to the innocent Tiny Tim to each haunting ghosts to a haggard beggar woman. First performed by Coleman in 2002, these encore performances will benefit Alley Stage and Shake Rag Alley, a non-profit school for the arts in Mineral Point. Patrons may choose to attend the show only, or they can choose a dinner theatre package, with a four-course meal served prior to the show at Old Royal Inn on Dec. 5 and CafĂŠ Four in Mineral Point on Dec 6, 11, 12 & 13. Evening performances ($18 for show only; $40 for show and dinner) will be held on Friday and Saturday December 5 & 6, and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday December 11, 12, & 13. A matinee ($14) will be presented at 2 pm on Sunday, December 14. Music will be provided by Dr. Paul Biere. And complimentary refreshments will be served .Tickets are available online at www.alleystage.com <http://www.alleystage.com, or by phone at (800) 838-3006. Tickets are also available at Bergets Jewelers, 257 High Street, Mineral Point, WI. (608)987-3218 and at Shake Rag Alley 608-987-3292.

10 Saturday, December 13, from 10:00am - 3:00pm, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for professional photographs with your children, your whole family, even your favorite pet, in the magical historic setting of Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Santa's workshops for children are open for drop in participation making gingerbread houses, holiday ornaments, beaded snowflakes, gift bags and boxes, and rhythm sticks. Professional quality photos are $7. Workshops $3. Homemade soups and sandwiches, Christmas cookies and hot chocolate will be available. For more information, contact 608-987-4499 or on the web at www.shakeragalley.com. All proceeds from the event benefit Shake Rag Alley's children's after school and summer educational programs.

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11 The University of Iowa's Fine Arts Council is sponsoring the Holiday Thieves' Art Market Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The Holiday Thieves' Art Market will be held in the Main Lounge of the Iowa Memorial Union on the UI campus and is free and open to the public. Each year artists from all over the Midwest apply and are selected through a jury process to exhibit and sell fine art at the Holiday Thieves' Art Market. This year over 90 artists will be featured, exhibiting and selling original works in painting, ceramics, photography, woodworking, drawing, jewelry, metal, fiber and much more. Active since 1970, the Fine Arts Council is a self-supporting, nonprofit student organization whose members share an interest in promoting the arts at the University of Iowa. The Holiday Thieves' Art Market has become a trademark of the Fine Arts Council and provides a financial basis for other programming such as student art grants and exhibitions. Information call 319-335-3393.

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This holiday season the Northeast Iowa School of Music will once again be entertaining Kennedy Mall audiences and shoppers with a third annual Playathon on December 6 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. A playathon is a grand public recital for which students will be collecting sponsorships in the weeks prior to the event. Students will be working for prizes as rewards for their efforts. This recital is free to public, but donations will be accepted. Proceeds help support the Northeast Iowa School of Music, also known as NISOM, which provides quality arts education in the TriState area for musicians of all ages, musical abilities, and economic backgrounds. As a certified member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, NISOM serves students ranging from pre-school children to senior citizens. Scholarship assistance is available to those who qualify. NISOM also provides music therapy instruction and outreach programs and sponsors the Dubuque Community String Orchestra. Information (563) 690-0151

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The Dubuque Symphony Orchestra will present its annual Holiday Pops Celebration on December 5, 6 and 7 at the Dubuque Five Flags Theater. It’s a Holiday concert the whole family will love with special appearances by many local performers. Dubuque Mayor Roy Buol will serve as the concert’s Master of Ceremonies, along with Paul Hemmer. A long time favorite guest, the Dubuque Chorale will accompany the orchestra on several selections, and new this year will be the Hempstead High School Concert Choir. Steve and Terry Slade will perform popular Holiday duets including “Baby Its Cold Outside” and “It Happened in Sun Valley.” Other selections include the “Peace on Earth” and “Little Drummer Boy” combination made famous by Bing Crosby and David Bowie, “O Holy Night,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” and more! In addition to the Holiday music, members of the Heartland Ballet will dance to selections from the Nutcracker and the audience will be invited to sing along a time or two. There are even rumors that the jolly man himself may make an early stop to join in on the fun! Ticket prices range from $11 to $38, and box seats are $70. Discounts are available for children 12 and under and groups of 10 or more. Those interested in group tickets should contact the DSO office at 563-557-1677. Single tickets are available online at ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster retail locations and at the Five Flags Box Office, open Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information, call 563-557-1677 or visit dubuquesymphony.org.

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Mistletones and Fried Green Tomatoes join forces once again to stage an all-new production of SNOWBIZ: A WHOLE NEW COOL YULE at Turner Hall in Galena, IL, December 18, 19, 20, and 21, with two shows on Saturday. Enjoy an outstanding array of music that brings to life the joy of the season. Featuring some of the best-loved Christmas songs ever, SNOWBIZ covers a number of musical genres, and the producers can safely say that this year’s show truly has something for everyone (and Santa too)! With six outstanding vocalists backed by an equally incredible seven-piece orchestra, Christmas comes alive with this collection of cherished holiday tunes in this most festive of holiday settings. Historic Turner Hall provides a majestic magical mood with an array of beautiful old-world decorations to add to its already elegant ambience. And while your soul and heart feast on the sites and sounds, your palate delights in the outstanding flavors called Fried Green Tomatoes. Your meal features Fried Green’s signature antipasto salad, homemade bread, your choice of entree (with all the fixings), and dessert. And if that’s not enough, a complimentary glass of wine accompanies your dinner. A cash bar is also available for even more holiday cheer! The Mistletones singers feature Cathy Goodman, Christen Tebbe, Tori Richter, Luke Tredinnick, Jim Ott, and Mark Oppedahl. The Mistletones band really cooks with Dave Richter (bass), Mark Munson (drums), Terry Dillon (piano), Rob Shepherd (keyboards), Ken Killian (saxophone) and the Busch Brothers-Larry and Marty-to round out the sound on trumpet and trombone. If you’re wondering what will put you in the holiday spirit this year, SNOWBIZ is definitely the merriest ticket in town. For tickets/reservations, call Fried Green Tomatoes: 815.777.3938.

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PULSE HOLIDAY GUIDE EV ERY TH I NG

C H R I S T M A S AT Y O U R 2 0 0 8

FI NGERTI P S