Theaters United States

One might imagine that the combination of Maurice Sendak and theater for children would be one of life's few sure bets. One would not be taking into account, however, the climate of today, a climate growing more ominous with each new Supreme Court ruling. Somehow, author-artist Sendak, even after 40 years as the supreme interpreter of the deepest impulses of children, is still regarded as a maverick.

Let's pretend we're in Medianville, U.S.A.--home of a nonprofit professional theater company called the Earnest Theater. The Earnest is working on a new musical called "12 1/2" that has attracted the attention of Broadway producers. It's a show about preteens: their hormones, their Ritalin, the divorces among their parents--the usual themes. The 16-year-old pop recording sensation Britannia Arrowwood wants to star in "12 1/2."

After losing his church and marriage, Jim needed a spiritual home. He found it at the movies. The Boise man has been a regular at Cineplex Odeon Towne Square Cinemas since Dec. 4, the start of weekly screenings of the Rev. Robert Schuller's "Hour of Power" television ministry. He likes the privacy of a darkened theater and the structure of public worship.

After losing his church and marriage, Jim needed a spiritual home. He found it at the movies. The Boise man has been a regular at Cineplex Odeon Towne Square Cinemas since Dec. 4, the start of weekly screenings of the Rev. Robert Schuller's "Hour of Power" television ministry. He likes the privacy of a darkened theater and the structure of public worship.

Let's pretend we're in Medianville, U.S.A.--home of a nonprofit professional theater company called the Earnest Theater. The Earnest is working on a new musical called "12 1/2" that has attracted the attention of Broadway producers. It's a show about preteens: their hormones, their Ritalin, the divorces among their parents--the usual themes. The 16-year-old pop recording sensation Britannia Arrowwood wants to star in "12 1/2."

When booking officials at the most prestigious arts center in the country--Lincoln Center in New York City--had an open date recently on the schedule for Avery Fisher Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic, in came a pop vocal duo from 3,000 miles away: Orange County's Righteous Brothers. The Righteous Brothers have never performed at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, though.

One might imagine that the combination of Maurice Sendak and theater for children would be one of life's few sure bets. One would not be taking into account, however, the climate of today, a climate growing more ominous with each new Supreme Court ruling. Somehow, author-artist Sendak, even after 40 years as the supreme interpreter of the deepest impulses of children, is still regarded as a maverick.

When booking officials at the most prestigious arts center in the country--Lincoln Center in New York City--had an open date recently on the schedule for Avery Fisher Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic, in came a pop vocal duo from 3,000 miles away: Orange County's Righteous Brothers. The Righteous Brothers have never performed at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, though.