Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009

Best bets: Best of Branson, Christmas Palooza, Chili for Charity

Comedy hypnosis

Be prepared to steal the spotlight when Dan Ladd brings his comedy hypnosis show to Fairview Heights on Saturday night. It's something you're bound to be talking about the next day -- if only you could remember what you did.

"A comedy hypnosis show is the only type of entertainment where the audience gets to be the star of the show," says Ladd, of Collinsville, who also has authored a number of self-help and motivational hypnosis CDs for weight loss, stress relief and smoking cessation.

"Normally staid, laid-back people can turn into rock stars. It's the only show you can go to where the best seat in the house is on stage."

But don't worry. Your neighbors won't be talking about you the next day -- except maybe to say how much fun they had.

"No one barks like a dog or clucks like a chicken," Ladd said. "And, the show is suitable for the whole family. A lot of silliness takes place, but it's all in fun."

He'll start playing his mind games at 7 p.m. in the Fairview Heights Knights of Columbus Hall, 5420 Old Collinsville Road. Tickets are $6 and available at the door.

More is better?

Not necessarily. At least, not for Bill McKibben, the respected author, educator and Christian environmentalist who on Monday will bring his optimistic yet practical views to McKendree University in Lebanon.

McKibben's first book, "The End of Nature," was one of the first accounts of global warming written for a general audience back in 1989. First published as a series of articles in The New Yorker, it now has been used in thousands of classrooms and major nature writing anthologies and has been published in 20 languages. He is now the leader of 350.org, a grassroots movement "to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis."

Now the scholar in residence in environmental studies at Middlebury College in Vermont is back with "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future." In it, he makes the case for prosperity beyond growth, stressing the need for strong local business as the backbone of successful, interdependent communities.

He will discuss all of these ideas and more at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts. The talk is free but advance reservations are recommended by calling 537-6863. The program is part of the George E. McCammon Memorial Distinguished Speaker Series.

Branson on the Road

The best of Branson will be hitting the road again for a night of music and comedy starting at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Grafton Elementary School.

Branson on the Road brings the well-known Missouri resort town's family fun close to home with a two-hour show filled with bluegrass, country and gospel tunes as well as plenty of good, clean laughs.

Among the featured performers will be Debbie Horton, the only woman to have played lead guitar for Johnny Cash. Others include Donnie Wright, a veteran of the Branson music scene, and Brian Capps, an upright bass player whose songs evoke memories of Marty Robbins and Hank Williams.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door and are available at the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau. For more information, go to www.enjoygrafton.com or call 786-2958.

Toast of Marissa

The Toast of Marissa will be the talk of the town in the metro-east again Saturday when city leaders and businesses fill Main Street with a showcase of wine, food and song.

Kick things off with the Grape Stomp 5K and 1-mile fun run starting at 10 a.m., then settle in for a long afternoon of activities starting at noon with the event's first grape stomp on the Black Diamond Vineyards Stage.

There's also a cookie contest from noon to 3 p.m. and a vintage race car display throughout the day as well music by the J. Brown Trio and Hicks and Strangers from 1 to 5:30. Five wineries will be represented in the heated wine-tasting tent along with plenty of tasty treats by vendors ranging from the 17th Street Bar & Grill to the Marissa Fire Department.

For complete details, go to www.marissachamber.org.

Collector heaven

The former Eastside Antique Bottle and Jar Show is teaming up again with the former Collinsville Beer Can and Breweriana Show for a one-day blowout Saturday at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds in Belleville.

It will be another collector's paradise when dozens of dealers from 10 states cram hundreds of tables with treasures ranging from steins, coasters, trays, openers and neon signs to mirrors, lids, insulators and pottery.

Admission is $2 for regular show hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but if you're willing to cough up $20, you can enjoy early shopping starting at 7:30. For more information, call Bill Cress at 466-3513. The fairgrounds are just east of Illinois 159 (South Illinois) and 13 (South Belt West) in Belleville, just north of Illinois 15.

Christmas shopping

Mascoutah will kick off the holidays in a big way Saturday with a Christmas Palooza at the Moose Lodge.

Trying to give Santa a run for his money, organizers say they've lined up loads of vendors with tons of Christmas ideas, including cookware, jewelry, food and apparel, not to mention arts and crafts, home decor and spa essentials.

It will be one-stop shopping from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and admission is free.

Chili for charity

If you're hoping for some tasty chili, come to Columbia Saturday and help children who are hoping for something more important -- Christmas presents.

Hope Christian Church at 9273 Coach Stop Road is staging a chili cookoff to raise money for Operation Hope, which provides Christmas gifts to underprivileged children in Monroe County and surrounding areas.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you'll even have a chance to vote for the People's Choice Award.

Girls' Day Out

All metro-east women are invited to kick up their heels at a Girls' Day Out from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Aviston American Legion Hall.

Sponsored by the Legion's auxiliary, the event will feature 40 area vendors along with a fashion show by Don Rodgers in Belleville, a display of holiday arrangements by Ahner Florist and a talk on women's safety by the Clinton County sheriff's department.

You can even bring in your unused gold jewelry to be appraised and purchased by Olde World Jewelers. And, here's the best deal of all: Buy a $15 ticket in advance (good for lunch and wine) and you'll get a $5 coupon that can be used at any vendor. For information, call 228-7374 or 228-7416. The hall is at 601 S. Clinton St.

Writer's Club

Celebration and sadness will mix when the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club holds its annual "Break Word with the World" program Tuesday night in East St. Louis.

Highlighting this year's arts extravaganza will be "Michael's Magic, Miles' Smiles, Motown's 50th, Michelle's Show & Tell and other 2009 Milestones," a mixed media exhibit of "festivals and funerals."

Curated by Alfred Henderson II, the exhibit will feature photos, posters, newspaper, magazines, artwork, book and album covers, T-shirts and other memorabilia from the EBR Collection. Henderson is a graduate student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

In addition to readings and performances by a dozen members of the Soular Systems Ensemble, the night will include the "2009 Experience in Dance by the SIUE Center for the Performing Arts as well as "Jazz to the 2009th Degree" by the East St. Louis Senior High School Concert Band.

You can even show off your own artistry during an open-mike segment. It all starts at 6 p.m. in Building D of the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus, 601 J.R. Thompson Drive, and admission is free.

'Wizard of Oz'

Go off to see the wizard as you've never seen him before when three area theaters present an encore showing of "The Wizard of Oz" in high definition at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies are celebrating the film's 70th anniversary with another one-time showing of a re-mastered version of the beloved classic.

Not only that, but the special event also will include an exclusive cut of "To Oz! The Making of a Classic," which offers interviews with original Munchkins; an audio outtake of "If I Only Had a Brain" with Ray Bolger and Judy Garland, complete with stills and home movie footage; and a look at how MGM created the music, costumes and special effects for the movie.

It will all be introduced by film historian Robert Osborne, who will share his own stories about the cinematic treasure. So, follow the yellow brick road to the Edwardsville ShowPlace 12, the Esquire 7, or the Chesterfield 14; tickets are $10 and available in advance through www.fathomevents.com.