Community Theater

(Editor's Note: Smokey Joe's Cafe will be performed at 8 p.m. Thursday in Newlin Hall at Centre College. For tickets, call 859-236-4692.) Tiffany Janene Howard is having a swinging good time touring with "Smokey Joe's Cafe" - quite literally. The Portsmouth, Va., native is "swinging" two roles in the production: Brenda, an aggressive, knowing type, and DeLee, who Howard said is a "little more fun and outgoing and bubbly. "They're both very sexy, sophisticated roles," Howard said in a telephone interview as the show was getting ready to preview in Indianapolis.

When the lights go down and the curtain goes up at West T. Hill Community Theatre, it's an opportunity for patrons to cleanse their emotions. For 25 years, the actors have filled the theater with laughter and tears. Now it's time to celebrate the theater's silver anniversary season. A Gala Celebration will be held 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Centenary United Methodist Christian Life Center. Beth Marlowe, a theater board member who is helping plan the event, says the show should last about three hours.

When Donna Fechter, county solid waste coordinator, told me to audition at West T. Hill theater for the role of "Rose" in an upcoming performance of "Dancing at Lughnasa," I was a bit taken aback. Playwright Brian Friel described Rose as "simple-minded. " I walked away thinking, "Am I simple-minded? Maybe I am simple-minded, and darn it, I'm OK with that. " I hadn't been in a real production since high school. I ditched acting in college to accept a policy debate scholarship.

Dale Kihlman of Danville got a Boy Scout merit badge for cooking when he was 10 or 11 years old. He hasn't stopped cooking since. "I can still remember the menu of pork chops, corn, potatoes and biscuits baked in a Dutch oven," he says. Although busy in many community activities, he makes time to watch the cooking channels on TV. There are two current favorites. "I always have a pad of paper and pencil and take a lot of notes while watching the shows. You can also go on the Internet the next day and get the recipes if you missed writing something down.

By BRENDA S. EDWARDS Staff Writer LIBERTY - A community arts center for the downtown section of town is a possibility. Organizers are attempting to secure a state grant to restore the old Kentuckian Theater on Hustonville Street to provide a community theater and a place to exhibit arts and crafts. The King brothers, David and Jerry, who own the old theater building are not opposed to the project and are willing to sell the property. They own Kings Department Store and Quilt King Products and use the building for storage.

LIBERTY - A community arts center for downtown is a possibility. Organizers are attempting to secure a state grant to restore the old Kentuckian Theater on Hustonville Street to provide a community theater and a place to exhibit arts and crafts. The King brothers, David and Jerry, who own the old theater building, are not opposed to the project and are willing to sell the property. They own Kings Department Store and Quilt King Products, and use the building for storage. "We've told them we'll sell it," said David King.