Characters

If there's one thing that can be said about Molire, it's his characters are never boring - except, of course, when the play needs them to be. It's impossible to turn a page of one of his plays without encountering hypocrites and scoundrels aplenty, and equally impossible to avoid laughing at those same hypocrites and scoundrels. It's because of these personalities Timothy Mooney can showcase the characters of Molire in his one-man play "Molire Than Thou," in which Mooney plays Molire himself as he describes and quotes from 15 of his plays.

Back when I was growing up in Danville - some 70 years ago - there was a very small woman who drove a very large car. Mrs. Wayne was her name. She could not see over the steering wheel so she peeked out from under its rim, thus she was not always on her designated side of the road. I can remember that whatever adult was driving would say, "Oh-oh, here comes old Mrs. Wayne" before pulling off to the side of the road until the lady passed. No one ever yelled at her or called the police; other motorists simply stayed out of her way. It was perhaps a kinder, gentler time.

HARRODSBURG - The adventures of an indescribable woman named Wanda will come to life on the Mercer County High School stage Friday and Saturday. Produced by Paul Brooks and directed by Jim Grayson, both MCHS teachers, “Wanda's Visit” is “an extended one-act play written by Christopher Durang as a sitcom pilot in the 1980s,” according to Brooks. He added the MCHS version is set in present day. “Wanda's Visit” addresses adult relationship themes in a sometimes ironic, often comic ways.

Frankly, the newest performance now showing at Pioneer Playhouse is definitely worth a damn or two - or three. Heck, I'll give it a dozen damns and throw in a crate of bananas just for fun. “Don't Cry For Me Margaret Mitchell,” the latest offering at Danville's outdoor theater, is a quasi-historical, semi-truthful retelling of how the book, “Gone With the Wind” got turned into the movie by the same name. Unlike earlier plays this summer with a dozen or more players, “Don't Cry For Me Margaret Mitchell” features just four main characters.

Horror-meister Stephen King has curdled the blood of many a bookworm. Sometimes he's used scary creatures; other times, scary settings. In "Misery," the real terror is Annie Wilkes, a crazed fan whose favorite author winds up injured at her secluded home. Kathy Bates won an Oscar for her portrayal of Annie in the 1990 film, opposite James Caan as writer Paul Sheldon. Simon Moore adapted King's novel to stage and "Misery," the play, is the season-opener at West T. Hill Community Theatre.

HARRODSBURG — The story of a boy who creates a machine that brings to life book characters is the focus of the next offering at Ragged Edge Children’s Theatre. Not only do the characters come to life but also they are able to cross into each other’s books. “When Dracula, the Wicked Witch and more get loose, it is up to Beanie (Bailey Joyce) and the Decimals (played by Kendall Applegate, Hayden Turner, and Rylie Johnson) to help save Dorothy (Hannah Beth Turner)

What is it about a mystery that draws audiences to it, be they in a movie theater, an amphitheater, or on the sofa? Robby Henson says its the appeal of the hooks and the dances. "The audience is hooked in the first scene of the first act to find out what happens at the end," explains Henson, director of Pioneer Playhouse's upcoming mystery, "Sherlock's Secret Life. " "There's a solid foundation of whodunit but the characters and actors can do their dance on top of it. " "Sherlock's Secret Life," written by Ed Lange, with music by Will Severin, is "a mystery about mysterious woman (played by Diana Cherkas)

PLEASANT HILL - Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill has limited space remaining for a Murder Mystery Weekend Friday and Saturday. Set at Pleasant Hill in the 1920s after the Shakers had all departed, this funny and suspenseful weekend mystery is based on a plot by Shaker murder mystery writer Deborah Woodworth. Characters include Professor Thaddeus Dempsey, Isabella DeMario, Sudsey Maloney and girlfriend Tootsie Hefflefinger, and a host of other characters straight out of the The Golden '20s.

April 8, 1987 Jamie Powell performs a ballet dance to the song “The Other Side of the World” during dress rehearsal of the annual Lions Club show Wednesday evening. The Easter Bunny, Care Bears, Eggetha, a giant Easter egg, cartoon characters sponsored by Piggly-Wiggly, Billy Bob from Showbiz Pizza, Ronald McDonald and Wendy characters will participate in the second Easter parade scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in downtown Winchester. Slides of Kenya were featured at Wednesday's luncheon meeting of the Winchester Kiwanis Club.

For the second year, Boyle County High School is presenting a play for public performance. Titled "All in the Timing," it is a comedy directed by Junction City Elementary School Library Media Specialist Julie Powell. She said the play is going to be lots of fun because "everyone who sees this play will be able to relate to the characters and situations. " "We've all been in situations where time has worked against us, and we knew that outcomes could change if we only had time on our side," Powell added.

The Jessamine County Public Library was transformed into a galaxy far, far away Saturday as more than 500 people attended Star Wars Fan Day, which capped off Star Wars Week. Star Wars Week was the brain-child of the library's children's department, according to Heather Reynolds, community relations librarian. “They thought it would be a great theme to use for programming during spring-break week for the families that don't travel,” Reynolds said. “We were looking for a theme that attracted kids, teens and adults.” Saturday's event also featured members of the 501st Star Wars Legion, whose volunteers dressed up as Darth Vader, storm troopers, a sandtrooper and an imperial gunner.

LEXINGTON - Offensive coordinator Randy Sanders admits it has been a "tough ride" for senior quarterback Morgan Newton this year. He was coming back from shoulder surgery, lost his starting job to Maxwell Smith, did not play well when he got to start at Florida and dropped to No. 3 on the depth chart behind true freshmen Jalen Whitlow and Patrick Towles. “Tremendous character. Tremendous integrity. It speaks volume about the type of family he comes from. It speaks volumes about how much he's bought into what coach (Joker)

“Visiting Tom.” By Michael Perry, c.2012, Harper, $24.99/$27.99 Canada, 310 pages.   Your friend called the other day, but you had to call him back. You were on your way out the door and didn't have time to talk. But when you return-phoned him, he was busy and said he'd call again.  You've played phone tag like this before, and you know the only antidote is to make an appointment - which is funny because, once upon a time, you couldn't understand the appeal of “visiting.” Now, you wish you had more time to just sit and talk and listen because, as you'll see in “Visiting Tom” by Michael Perry, you learn a lot about life.

PARANORMAN (2012/B/Directed by Chris Butler, Sam Fell/Voices of Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Tucker Albrizzi, Casey Affleck, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Jodelle Ferland, John Goodman,  Alex Borstein, Bernard Hill, Tempestt Bledsoe/Focus Features/Rated PG/Animated/92 minutes):    “ParaNorman,” the second animated production by Laika Studios in Oregon, ought to have Tim Burton looking over Johnny Depp's shoulder and Pixar reexamining its storytelling division.

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE (2011) * *1/2 (B-) Directed by Stephen Daldry Starring Tom Hanks, Thomas Horn, Sandra Bullock, Max von Sydow, John Goodman, Viola Davis Warner//Rated PG-13//Drama//129 minutes Available on: DVD, Blu-ray and digital download Marked by several touching performances, "Extremely Loud" is an overly ambitious effort to illustrate the devastating aftermath endured by one family in the wake of 9/11. Thomas Horn portrays Oskar, a 9-year-old whose father (Tom Hanks, in flashback)

April 8, 1987 Jamie Powell performs a ballet dance to the song “The Other Side of the World” during dress rehearsal of the annual Lions Club show Wednesday evening. The Easter Bunny, Care Bears, Eggetha, a giant Easter egg, cartoon characters sponsored by Piggly-Wiggly, Billy Bob from Showbiz Pizza, Ronald McDonald and Wendy characters will participate in the second Easter parade scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in downtown Winchester. Slides of Kenya were featured at Wednesday's luncheon meeting of the Winchester Kiwanis Club.

Robert Gibbs, Obama's former Press Secretary, made a statement recently, and I have an issue with the content. Gibbs was responding to a comment made by Sen. Rick Santorum regarding Obama's “phony theology,” and I quote Gibbs: “It's time to have a debate on our political positions, but not question each other's character and faith.” Is he kidding me? We must question the character of any man wanting to be president of this country, and secondly, where would this country be without its faith in God?

HARRODSBURG - The adventures of an indescribable woman named Wanda will come to life on the Mercer County High School stage Friday and Saturday. Produced by Paul Brooks and directed by Jim Grayson, both MCHS teachers, “Wanda's Visit” is “an extended one-act play written by Christopher Durang as a sitcom pilot in the 1980s,” according to Brooks. He added the MCHS version is set in present day. “Wanda's Visit” addresses adult relationship themes in a sometimes ironic, often comic ways.

Frankly, the newest performance now showing at Pioneer Playhouse is definitely worth a damn or two - or three. Heck, I'll give it a dozen damns and throw in a crate of bananas just for fun. “Don't Cry For Me Margaret Mitchell,” the latest offering at Danville's outdoor theater, is a quasi-historical, semi-truthful retelling of how the book, “Gone With the Wind” got turned into the movie by the same name. Unlike earlier plays this summer with a dozen or more players, “Don't Cry For Me Margaret Mitchell” features just four main characters.

“Is ‘Scream’ relevant today?” As a fan, this question loomed into my mind as the film entered production. It has been more than a decade since the release of  “Scream 3,” and what a busy decade it’s been for technology and social networking. Just think: The last time Neve Campbell ran from Ghostface, we were still a good five years from hearing about something called “Facebook.” Could the franchise’s basic concept — a killer making scary phone calls to unsuspecting victims — still be scary?