Mount Carroll, IL-- Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP) opens its 52nd Season in rural Mount Carroll with the record-breaking classic musical, A Chorus Line on Thursday, June 6. Executive Director James Beaudry has brought in three Broadway performers from New York for this production and several of the best singer-actor-dancers from the past several summers to stage and star in the show for the first time ever at TLP.

Will Taylor, who played Bobby in the recent Broadway revival of A Chorus Line directs and recreates Michael Bennett's brilliant staging for the musical that tells the stories of performers with big dreams as they fight for a spot 'on the line.' The musical was an instant sold-out hit in 1975 becoming the longest running Broadway musical in history. Liza Minnelli famously couldn't get a ticket, so she sat in an aisle.

A Chorus Line still sells out almost 40 years later, because it celebrates the unlimited possibilities in all of us--teaching that even the lowliest members of any group have the right to stand up for their integrity and dreams. Marvin Hamlisch's score includes "What I Did For Love," "I Can Do That" and the classic "One (Singular Sensation)."

Pilar Millhollen, seen as Bebe in the first national tour of A Chorus Line and on Broadway in Chicago, stars as Cassie. In the role of Connie Wong, Geena Quintos comes directly to TLP from the most recent national tour. Quintos, who performed on Broadway in Miss Saigon, also serves as Assistant Director.

TLP favorites Tyler Sawyer Smith (Chicago, Sweet Charity, Sunset Boulevard), Erica Stephan (Footloose, Working, Guys & Dolls), Henry McGinniss (Footloose, Sweet Charity, Children of Eden), Tim Wessel (Guys & Dolls, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown), Joe Capstick (Guys & Dolls, Cabaret), Adam Fane (Grease, The Wedding Singer) and Hanah Nardone (Guys & Dolls, Footloose) all return to Mount Carroll to fill out the cast. New York based actor Kaolin Bass leads the cast as Zach.

"TLP has never attempted to produce A Chorus Line because the level of talent and stamina required for this show is unmatched in any other musical," Beaudry said. "To do the show right, these performers must be athletes. As one dancer quipped, "It's like playing Monday Night Football 8 times a week."

"But after his successes with TLP's Oklahoma! and Guys & Dolls, I knew Will Taylor had the expertise to do the show right. It's always an honor to bring Will to TLP, and working with Pilar, Kaolin and Geena has also been a joy and a privilege. Watching rehearsals makes my jaw drop, because these people are so good."

Rounding out the company are 14 other performers new to TLP who were selected from over 1000 auditions all over the country. Abby Frank-Taylor, of Madison, plays Lois and has the distinction of being the first third-generation TLP company member. She is the granddaughter of Sheldon Frank, who served as Board President for two decades and was a founding board member in 1961. Abby's mother Leslie also spent several seasons with the company.

A Chorus Line runs June 6-16 for 12 performances only. TLP is located at 8215 Black Oak Rd. in rural Mount Carroll, IL. Tickets are $15-23 and are available at the box office, by calling 815-244-2035 or visiting www.timberlakeplayhouse.org. This Pulitzer Prize winning musical is not recommended for children, as it is based on actual interviews with real people and contains some adult language, humor and content. Later this summer, TLP will present Seussical and The Music Man which are perfect for all ages.

SPRINGFIELD - May 30, 2013. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon praised members of the Senate today for their adoption of House Joint Resolution 33, following its unanimous passage this morning in the Senate Education committee. The resolution urges all colleges and universities in the state to prominently feature a link to federal College Scorecard information on the school's website and work together to design and publish an Illinois College Scorecard with data that supplements the federal data.

"A college credential is a prerequisite for in-demand jobs in our economy, but college affordability is a barrier for many students," said Simon, the state's point person on education reform. "Making it easier for college-seeking students to access the federal College Scorecard means vital information - like average cost and completion rates - is readily available to help students find a college or university that fits their needs and their budget. I thank Sen. Lightford and Rep. Jakobsson for sponsoring this resolution and for their leadership on education issues."

In her first two years in office, Simon visited each of the state's 48 community colleges and 12 public universities. Students at each campus identified affordability as a major barrier to their college success. The College Scorecards clearly identify average costs, graduation rates, loan default rates, and areas where students can better estimate costs based on their personal goals.

"Choosing the right college or university is a big decision, and it is important that students and their families have access to information that will enable them to evaluate schools," Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) said. "The College Scorecard will make it easier for students to compare important college and university information that will help them pick a school that best meets their needs."

HJR 33 not only encourages degree and certificate-granting institutions in Illinois to link to the federal College Scorecard, but also to work together across institutions to design and publish an Illinois College Scorecard with data that supplements the federal data. Simon intends to create a working group this summer to design the Illinois version.

"Having this information readily available is important to students and families across the state as they plan to pursue higher education," said Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana). "As we work to boost college completion rates, it is important that students have the resources they need to make the best decision to achieve their dreams."

The resolution was adopted last week in the House. The federal college scorecard can be found here.

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on a report he requested from the Government Accountability Office, "Health Insurance: Seven States' Actions to Establish Exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."  Iowa is one of the seven states included in the report, which is available here.

"This report highlights the complexity states face in setting up exchanges and how CMS' workload will increase dramatically in getting exchanges off the ground.  The challenges that need to be overcome by October 1, 2013, remain significant."

Strike out along the Inca trail at the Figge Art Museum

Don't miss Caminos del Inka this Saturday, June 1, at the Figge Art Museum presented by the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. Accompanied by a choreographed visual slide show and documentary footage, QCSO principal flutist Jessica Waren-Acosta and harpist Marguerite Lynn Williams perform music from South America. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. with free hor d'oeuvres and a cash bar and guided tours of the Figge Art Museum. The concert will begin at 8:00 p.m.

An audiovisual presentation containing documentary-style photos and video is choreographed to the music. These images enhance the audience's understanding of the cultural and historical aspects of the music. Caminos del Inka works closely with traditional musicians from around the Americas to create an accurate educational film. As a result of their work, you gain a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural context.

As part of this collaboration with the Figge Art Museum, docents will be giving tours of the Art and Devotion in Viceregal New Spain exhibit from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Focusing on the Spanish colonial period of present-day Mexico and Central America, this gallery includes a large collection of religious and devotional art. These works were used in the religious rites and ceremonies of the liturgy or for private devotion. Indeed, an inextricable bond existed between the Church and the image-making traditions of Hispanic cultures.

Seating is limited, so buy your ticket today by clicking here.