The Arts are Alive & Thriving in the Kenosha Area: Short Film Premiere October 8th

Kenosha, WI (October 1, 2010) - Situated between Chicago and Milwaukee, two cities with rich cultural offerings, the Kenosha Area has a thriving arts community of its own.  Theatre options abound, with a community theatre group and local colleges offering engaging stage shows.  And now what may be setting the stage for future independent films, a filmmaker has chosen Kenosha for the premiere screening of his new short film the Bully. The Kenosha Area, in southeast Wisconsin, offers many first-class entertainment options at a reasonable price without the hassle of heavy traffic or parking fees.

Friday, October 8th is the premiere of the Bully. This new dramatic short film was filmed in Wisconsin. Produced by Wisconsin filmmaker Matthew Konkel and directed by Derek Kimball, the film includes Kenosha’s own Richard Heim in one of the lead roles. the Bully is a rich journey into the ubiquitous complications of a child’s formative years. In an effort to win the favor of the popular girl, ten-year-olds Kelly (Henry Shotwell) and Sam (Richard Heim), plot to take out the school bully, Noah Marns (Alex Losi). This simple charge brings Kelly and Sam face to face with a much greater element, insurmountable and unexpected. (26 min. Some scenes and situations may not be suitable for children under 13.)

The screening begins at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Rhode Center for the Arts, 514 - 56th St. There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door. The premiere will begin following a screening of Last House Productions’ previous award-winning short film I Want You To Know (16min.). A Q&A session of selected cast and crew will immediately follow the screenings. Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. After, all are invited to attend an Ice Cream Reception and Street Party ($5 per person for two scoops of ice cream and live music) at Scoops, located at 5819 - 6th Ave. (walking distance from The Rhode). For more details: www.lasthouseproductions.com/thebully.html, (562) 261-4637 or (262) 716-1781.

Meanwhile, the curtain has been raised on a new season of the Arts Alive! series at University of Wisconsin-Parkside.  This season offers a variety of top-notch entertainment. Taking the Celtic scene by storm, the Tartan Terrors, North America's premiere Celtic Event, features the best in music, comedy and dance on October 29th. The new Gershwin musical, 'S Wonderful, is an all singing, all dancing, musical revue that celebrates the genius of George and Ira Gershwin on November 9th.

Founded in 1983 by Michael Levine, the Dallas Brass has become one of America’s foremost musical ensembles. Its holiday show, "A Merry Christmas With Brass" comes to Kenosha December 18th. The Canadian duo Dala brings their signature style of acoustic pop music to the stage on March 11th. With a whirlwind of instrumental styles fusing classical, rock, blues, jazz, world music, progressive, as well as the quintessential California musical genre surf music, the California Guitar Trio will amaze the audience on March 22nd.  The Hunt Family, an award-winning family of Irish step dancers, champion fiddlers and talented singers, brings their Hunt Family Fiddlers act to close the season on May 3rd. UW-Parkside is located at 900 Wood Rd. The series takes place in the Communication Arts Theatre. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m., ticket prices vary. To order tickets, visit www.uwp.edu, Keyword: Arts Alive, or call (262) 595-2345. The UW-Parkside Theatre Department also offers plays throughout the school year. The schedule can be found at www.uwp.edu.

Carthage College Theatre offerings this season include a boy coming of age in 1943 in October’s Biloxi Blues. Dead Man's Cell Phone opens on October 29th, which follows the unpredictable odyssey of a woman forced to face her assumptions about morality, redemption, and the need for human connection in a technology-crazy world. The Rail Splitter, a new play by Rick Cleveland, is a searing and satiric docudrama-for-the-stage chronicling the author's attempts to write a new play about Abraham Lincoln as a young man.  It opens in late February. Beautiful Bodies about six long-time friends has a limited one-weekend run starting March 24th. The renowned musical Cabaret closes the season.  Times and prices vary. For the complete schedule: www.carthage.edu/theatre/ or (262) 551-6661. Carthage College is located at 2001 Alford Park Drive.

In addition, season 37 for the Lakeside Players is underway. The community theatre group formed in 1973 and calls the historic Rhode Center for the Arts in Downtown Kenosha home (514 - 56th St.). War of the Worlds is presented on weekends October 22nd  – November 6th. The classic radio play about Martians invading the Earth originally done by the Mercury Theatre on October 30, 1938 will be brought to the Rhode stage! This is quite fitting, as Orson Welles, who directed and narrated the 1938 radio play, spent his early years in Kenosha. Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol will be presented in December. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Bonus Musical will take the stage in February. The Foreigner opens on April 1st and will have the audience laughing in its seats. The group’s very popular Children’s Series presents three plays this season. Each play has a two-weekend run. Recommended for ages 4 & up, all tickets for these children’s shows are a deal at only $7. Have You Heard about Rapunzel? opens November 13th. The Hansel and Gretel Files opens January 15th, followed by Grasshopper and the Ant on March 5th. For the complete schedule: www.rhodeopera.org or (262) 657-7529.

For more information about the Kenosha Area, including event information and a Kenosha Area Visitors Guide, log on to www.kenoshacvb.com or call the Kenosha Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at (262) 654-7307 or (800) 654-7309. Follow us on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook to receive updates about events and more. The KACVB serves travelers at two Visitor Information Center locations: at I-94 & Hwy. 165 and at 812 - 56th Street in Downtown Kenosha.

#####