Two Weekends of Stars on the Stage and in the Sky

Brucemore's sophisticated and saucy nightclub event, Cabaret in the Courtyard, will return for two back-to-back weekends of stars on the stage and on the sky, August 6-8 and 13-15 at 7:30 p.m. Since 2003, the lovely ambiance of the historic courtyard has been magically transformed into a cabaret club with tables, chairs, twinkling lights, and stars on the stage and in the sky. Cabaret in the Courtyard is sponsored by Bankers Trust, United Fire Group, and Corridor Business Journal.

Christopher Johnstone (August 6 - 8) is known for his unparalleled vocal versatility. He is equally at home in contemporary and classic music theater as he is with opera and classical music.  A 1999 graduate of Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School, Christopher was a member of the school's award-winning West Side Delegation Show Choir. He trained as an actor and opera singer at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Tanglewood Music Center, The Glimmerglass Young American Artist Program, and The Oberlin in Italy Program. Christopher's concerts span from Carnegie Hall to Capitol Hill and in between. He recently played a leading role on the first National Broadway Tour of Evita. He has been a guest soloist with numerous symphonies throughout the country, including the National Symphony and Boston Pops. Christopher was part of the seven-time, Tony Award winning Lincoln Center production of South Pacific that toured the U.S. and Canada. Christopher has also appeared on TV shows including The Young and the Restless, All My Children, Watch What's Happening LIVE, and Personal Justice. He has modeled for clients such as Katy Perry, Ralph Lauren, DETAILS Magazine, and Chanel.

Amy Friedl Stoner (August 13 - 15) is no stranger to the stage. She has performed throughout the Midwest, including at Cabaret clubs in Chicago and St. Louis. Amy recently debuted her own cabaret show "Amy at the Opus: The Story Goes On" at Orchestra Iowa's Opus Concert Café, selling out both shows in advance of her opening.  She has performed with the likes of cabaret legend Marilyn Maye and Tony award winning actress Faith Prince. She has been a featured guest in Lynne Rothrock's Christmas Cabaret the past four years. Earlier this year she was featured in The Gazette for being invited to perform with other national cabaret stars in a Guinness World Record attempt for the world's longest variety show in New York City. Reviewer for The Gazette, Rob Cline, wrote, "She is a lovely singer...but Stoner does more than nail the songs.  She's a fine actress, as well, and successfully brings the audience along on her emotional and romantic journey." Amy attended Simpson College, focusing on Vocal Performance, as well as Kirkwood Community College, focusing on Vocal Jazz. She also studied for three years with Karla Goettel.

Advance tickets are $22 per person and $18 per Brucemore member. All tickets are $25 at the gate (if available). Space is limited; please call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org to purchase tickets. Individuals reserving five or more advance tickets will have tables reserved under their name. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with gates opening at 7:00 p.m. On-site parking is available. Patrons are encouraged to bring their favorite beverages, but no food is allowed.

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

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MOUNT CARROLL, IL - Timber Lake Playhouse presents the acclaimed new musical adaptation of Big Fish July 30th through August 9th. Based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and the beloved Tim Burton film adaptation, Big Fish brings the life and tall-tales of Edward Bloom to the stage with the kind of inventive stagecraft that reminds audiences why they love going to the theatre. The production stars longtime TLP favorite Karl Hamilton as Edward, and it is directed and choreographed by artistic director James Beaudry.

Edward Bloom is a traveling salesman whose incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him - most of all, his adoring wife Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father's epic tales, hoping to reveal the real man behind the rollicking fantasy life. Overflowing with heart, humor and spectacular stage magic, Big Fish is an extraordinary new Broadway musical and an experience richer, funnier and bigger than life itself.

Beaudry said of the production, "The show is filled with everything you could ever want in a musical: romance, comedy, a beautiful story about parents and children, spectacular production numbers, trees that come to life, an All-American USO show, a circus with dancing elephants, and more?all the things that Edward Bloom can think up to make his life seem bigger. It's an absolutely unforgettable theatre experience that will send people home feeling larger than life."

Joining Hamilton is Elizabeth Haley as Edward's wife Sandra (the two are married off-stage, as well), Samuel Leicht as son Will, Daxtun Heier of Sterling as Young Will, and the 2015 TLP resident company playing everyone else in Edward's stories.

Big Fish opens Thursday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. Performances continue Friday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, August 1 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, August 2 at 2:00 p.m.; Tuesday, August 4 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, August 5 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

; Thursday, August 6 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, August 7 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, August 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, August 9 at 2:00 p.m.

The Magic Owl Children's Theatre at TLP will present a 50 minute stage adaptation of James and the Giant Peach, based on the classic children's novel by Roald Dahl. Performances are at 2:00 p.m. August 4, 6, 7 and 8. Tickets to Magic Owl shows are only $7. This program has been introducing live theatre to you people for three generations.

Opening August 13, TLP will present the Tony Award-winning musical Big River, based on Mark Twain's stories of Huckleberry Finn, with music by Roger Miller.

Tickets for all TLP mainstage show are $17-$25 with discounts for seniors, active duty military and students. For reservations, call the box office at 815-244-2035 or visit www.timberlakeplayhouse.org. TLP is located at 8215 Black Oak Road in rural Mount Carroll, Illinois.

This program is partially sponsored by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa made the following comment on the Senate's vote that came short of a procedural step on a vote to repeal the President's health care law.  Grassley voted in favor of the procedural step toward repealing the law.

"Obamacare has led to far too many people losing the coverage they had and liked, and now being forced to spend more for what coverage they can get.  Iowans tell me directly in town meetings and in emails and letters to my office that they don't like the law.  Instead of targeting what was wrong and fixing those problems, Obamacare upended the whole health system.  I'm committed to replacing Obamacare with health care reforms that empower consumers, drive down costs, and use marketplace incentives to make health care coverage accessible and affordable.  The current majority in Congress should not stop in our effort to repeal Obamacare and replace it with effective reforms."

July 26, 2015 -  Today marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  This milestone law prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability, and grants overdue rights and opportunities to people who historically had been treated as second-class citizens.

I know how critical the support services created by the ADA are to families living with disabilities. The ADA was an important first step, but far too often people with disabilities still face discrimination and prejudice.  That is why I am a proud cosponsor of the IDEA Full Funding Act, which would ensure that special education is funded appropriately, and the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, which would allow individuals with disabilities to create their own special needs trusts through Medicaid.  Currently, only a grandparent, parent or legal guardian can set up this trust, even though they use the individuals own money.  This must be changed to empower the individual.

Please know that I am committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have the opportunity to live productive, happy, fulfilling lives, and I look forward to staying in touch about this important topic.

Sincerely,

Dave Loebsack
Iowa's Second District