Kelly Clarkson, Tom Waits, Jeff Beck, Ozzy Osbourne, Janelle Monae, And Many More Select The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) 2011 Winners

ISC Grand Prize Is Awarded To New Zealander Kimbra For The Song "Cameo Lover"

May 1, 2012 - - The International Songwriting Competition (ISC), the world's foremost global songwriting event, is pleased to announce its 2011 winners. ISC's Grand Prize is awarded to New Zealand native Kimbra for her song "Cameo Lover," entered in the Pop/Top 40 category. Kimbra also holds the distinction of having won First Place in the Pop/Top 40 category in 2010 for her song "Settle Down." The Grand Prize winner takes home $25,000 in cash (US) and an additional $25,000 in merchandise and services.

Called "the songwriting competition to take note of" by the New York Times, ISC was established in 2002 and awards more than $150,000 in cash and prizes to amateur and professional songwriters around the globe. This year was the most competitive of any year in terms of quantity and quality of entries, and winners were selected from over 16,000 songs submitted from 112 countries worldwide. Judges included iconic artists Tom Waits, Jeff Beck, McCoy Tyner, Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monae, Ozzy Osbourne, Lucinda Williams, Tori Amos, Wynonna, Keane, and many more. In addition to the high-profile artists, the roster of judges also included five record label presidents as well as other industry leaders, offering songwriters the unprecedented opportunity to have their music heard by influential decision-makers. See below for the complete list of judges.

For a complete list of 2011 ISC winners and to hear the winning songs, go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners

Winning ISC's highest honor is New Zealand's latest export, the quirky and wonderfully eclectic artist Kimbra. Kimbra has recently exploded onto the international music charts as the featured singer on Australian artist Gotye's current #1 hit song, "Somebody That I Used To Know." Her recent TV performances with Gotye on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Saturday Night Live were electrifying and introduced her to the US public, fortifying her meteoric rise to fame.

Only 22 years old, Kimbra began writing songs and performing at the age of 10. Spending her early years gigging around her native New Zealand, it was only once Kimbra borrowed a small eight-track recorder from her school's music department that her songwriting blossomed in earnest. Since then, she has made enormous strides in her career. Her debut album, Vows, was released in 2011 in New Zealand and Australia, and in its first week of release the album charted at #3 in New Zealand and #5 in Australia (peaking at #4 on the ARIA Charts). The album will be released in the US and Canada on May 22.

Accolades include winning the 2011 NZ Critics' Choice awards and also the Best Female Artist for "Cameo Lover" at the 2011 ARIA awards.

Even at such a young age, Kimbra already possesses great maturity and musical sophistication. Candace Avery, the Founder and Director of ISC, says this of Kimbra:

"We first became aware of Kimbra in 2010 when she entered ISC and won First Place in the Pop/Top 40 category with her song 'Settle Down.' At that time we knew she was one of those artists who had it. As a songwriter, her eclectic and somewhat quirky songwriting made her stand out. As an artist, she brings her songs to life with her unique vocal styling and compelling stage presence. Kimbra is rapidly establishing herself as a significant talent and a fresh and exciting new voice on the international music scene. We are proud to have her as our 2011 Grand Prize winner."

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving songwriters also share the spotlight for winning their respective categories in ISC 2011. These winners represent diverse cultures and range from talented amateurs to seasoned songwriting veterans. See below for a complete list of ISC 2011 winners.

Applauded for its high caliber of judges, ISC compiled a stellar panel of judges for the 2011 competition, including:

Recording Artists: Tom Waits; Tori Amos; Jeff Beck; Lucinda Williams; My Morning Jacket; Kelly Clarkson; Ozzy Osbourne; Keane; McCoy Tyner; Wynonna; Francesca Battistelli; Janelle Monae; Billy Currington; Tegan and Sara; Massive Attack; Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor (Duran Duran); Michael W. Smith; Alejandro Sanz; Johnny Clegg; Jeremy Camp; Ray Wylie Hubbard; John Mayall; Craig Morgan; Basement Jaxx; James Cotton; Sandra Bernhard; Trombone Shorty; Robert Earl Keen; Black Francis (The Pixies); Mose Allison; Robert Smith (The Cure); Amadou & Mariam; Darryl McDaniels (Run D.M.C.); Toots Hibbert (Toots & The Maytals); and Matt Thiessen (Relient K)

Industry Executives: Monte Lipman (President, Universal Republic Records); David Massey (President, Mercury Records); Brian Malouf (VP A&R, Walt Disney Records); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Angel Carrasco (Sr. VP A&R, Latin America, Sony/BMG); Ric Arboit (President, Nettwerk Music Group); Anastasia Brown (Music Supervisor, FORMAT); Dr. Demento (Radio Host, The Dr. Demento Show); Allison Jones (VP of A&R, Big Machine Label Group); Steve Lillywhite (Producer); Dan Storper (President, Putamayo World Music Records and Putumayo Kids); Kim Buie (A&R and Artist Manager, Thirty Tigers); Douglas C. Cohn (Sr. VP, Music Marketing & Talent, Nickelodeon); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, RCA Records); Antony Bland (Co-Owner, CandyShop Management); Steve Smith (VP of A&R, Aware Records); Leib Ostrow (Founder/CEO, Music For Little People); and Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment)

Sponsors included: Presonus, Lowden Guitars, Sennheiser, Posse, Mrs. Fields Cookies, ASCAP, Berklee College Of Music, D'Addario, Thayers, Onlinegigs, SongU.com, The Music Business Registry, SongTrust, Independent Mastering, Indie Venue Bible, George Stein, Esq., Sonicbids, Taxi, and music Submit.

ISC is now accepting entries for 2012. Go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com for more information and an entry form.

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The complete list of ISC 2011 winners is as follows:

Grand Prize
Cameo Lover - Kimbra (Auckland, New Zealand)


AAA (Adult Album Alternative)
First Place
Celia - Anna Heiberg Macdonald (Annah Mac) - Auckland, New Zealand

Second Place
For What It's Worth - Maggie Eckford, Nathan Finochio - Nashville, TN, USA

Third Place
All My Love Is Gone - Dallas Frasca, Jeff Curran, Pete McDonald (Dallas Frasca) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Honorable Mention
Everybody's Lost Someone - Matt Joe Gow (The Dead Leaves) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
L.A. Can Wait - Michael Tiernan - San Diego, CA, USA
Les Filles Francaises - Gavin Duffy, Lewis Parker (The Jude) - London, England
Moonshine - Todd Michaelsen (My Pet Dragon) - New York, NY, USA
One More Last Chance - Tim Chapman - London, England
RGB - Nuno Goncalves, Sonia Tavares (The Gift) - Alcobaça, Portugal
Start All Over Again - Brendan Cooney, Ryan Cooney, Dave Mozdzanowski, Shea Brennan (The Gallery) - Wilbraham, MA, USA
Steer - Missy Higgins - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
The Taste - Randy Bergida - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Walkaway - Andy Morse (Radiogramme) - Swansea, Wales
Wheels of Thunder - Gustavo Galindo - Mexico City, Mexico
You Can - Mark Lang, Chris Helm (Skipping Girl Vinegar) - Melbourne, VIC, USA


Adult Contemporary (AC)
First Place
Arrow - Adrianne Gonzalez, Gabriel Mann (The Rescues) - Los Angeles, CA, USA

Second Place
Until I Found You - Kurtis John - Los Angeles, CA, USA

Third Place
Stay, Please Stay - Alexander Gow, Thomas Savage (Oh Mercy) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Honorable Mention
A Small Boat - Michael Maher (Worldfly) - Darwin, NT, Australia
Alive - Nate Fowler - Boise, ID, USA
All Turn To Love - Nicholas Deegan (Galleon) - Adelaide, SA, Australia
Been A Long Time - Wes Carr, David Walsh - Sydney, NSW, Australia
I Forgot How To Love - Michael Paynter - Langwarrin, VIC, Australia
Old Piano - Jon Matte (The Franklin Electric) - Montreal, QC, Canada
One Day We'll Make It Home - Ellen Xylander - Oslo, Norway
Only The World - Peter McVeigh - Belfast, Ireland
Warning Signs - Jessica Beach, Jeff Dawson - Vancouver, BC, Canada
We Are Young - Kurtis John - Los Angeles, CA, USA


Americana
First Place
The Broken Things - Shane Nicholson - Copacabana, NSW, Australia

Second Place
Sweet Emmylou - Catherine Britt, Rory Feek - Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Third Place
You Rock, We Roll - Scott Nolan - Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Honorable Mention
Cold Road - Casey Frazier - Nashville, TN, USA
Easy - Darren Gallagher (Gallie) - Dublin, Ireland
Fast Forward - Markus Rill - Munich, Germany
Fire Alarm - Ben Kyle, Carrie Rodriguez - Minneapolis, MN, USA
Flowers & Candy - Tony Garcia - Nashville, TN, USA
Gavel - Arthur Alligood - White House, TN, USA
Jimmie Rodgers Was A Vampire - Shane Nicholson - Copacabana, NSW, Australia
Let The Blue Skies Go To Your Head - Jesse Terry - Mamaroneck, NY, USA
Nothin' Takes You Off My Mind - Neville Anderson - Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Raise Your Head - Robbie K. Jones, Garrett Wall (Track Dogs) - Madrid, Spain
Roll Baby Roll - Mark Bragg - St. John's, NL, Canada
Where The Water Goes - Shane Nicholson - Copacabana, NSW, Australia


Blues
First Place
Hard Believer - Tommy Castro, Bonnie Hayes - Belvedere Tiburon, CA, USA

Second Place
Blinded By The Darkness - Matthew Curry - Normal, IL, USA

Third Place
Change Of Heart - Leeann Atherton - Austin, TX, USA

Honorable Mention
Addicted - Gina Sicilia - Philadelphia, PA, USA
Elvis Jesus And The Devil - Tom McEwan (Louis King) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Get Inside This House - Joe McMurrian - Portland, OR, USA
Hard Times - Jay Pinkus (Blue Jay Slim) - Richboro, PA, USA
Heaven Send Me An Angel - Kenneth Spruell (Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne) - Burnaby, BC, Canada
On My Way - Thorbjorn Risager - Copenhagen, Denmark
Preachin' The Blues - Keith Thompson - Gloucester, Scotland
Save Me For Later - Suzie Vinnick, Kristi Magraw - Toronto, ON, Canada
These Four Walls - Rita Chiarelli - Toronto, ON, Canada
Woman in Blue - Rita Chiarelli - Toronto, ON, Canada
You Ain't Gonne Make A Woman Out Of Me - Geir Arne Westby (Westby Band) - Halden, Norway


Children's Music
First Place
Right Now - Jon Samson - Brooklyn, NY, USA

Second Place
Poopie Diaper - Shoshana Sperling, Maury LaFoy (The Monkey Bunch) - Toronto, ON, Canada

Third Place
Roller Coaster - Kira Willey - Bethlehem, PA, USA

Honorable Mention
All The Letters - Helen Austin - Comox, BC, Canada
Bath Time - Paul Runalls, Chris Atkinson - Regina, SK, Canada
Don't Fill Up On Chips - Randy Kaplan - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Everybody Has A Butt! - Essence Goldman Williams, Jeffrey Pease, Lara-Miya Milrod (Essence) - San Francisco, CA, USA
Happy As A Clam - Joanie Leeds (Joanie Leeds and The Nightlights) - New York, NY, USA
Imaginary Friend - Jamie Saxe (The Mighty Buzzniks) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Mac And Cheese - David Rees - Vista, CA, USA
Morton The Caterpillar - David Schweizer - Maitland, FL, USA
Shake It Down - Nadia Sunde - Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
Stinky Feet - Lanny Sherwin - Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Us And Animals - Jon Samson - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Wide Horse - Marissa Kochanski, Mike Siek (The Skips) - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Workin' On The Worm Farm - Gerry Paul - Salthill, Ireland


Comedy/Novelty
First Place
Smells Like Karen Carpenter - M. Spaff Sumsion (Moneyshot Cosmonauts) - Bountiful, UT, USA

Second Place
C'est La Vie - Pat Godwin - Fishers, IN, USA

Third Place
That's What You Do (When You're Gay) - Mark Silverman - Sherman Oaks, CA, USA

Honorable Mention
Crafty - Joe Kowan - Melrose, MA, USA
Earthquake Nudity - Andy Allen - Pittsburgh, PA, USA
How Can I Love You? - Jonathan Lee Jones, Mick Meradith (Ride the Wombat) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
I Need You Tiny - Jascha Hoffman (Jascha) - San Francisco, CA, USA
Road Rage - John Brennan - Floral Park, NY, USA
Sort Of Dunno Nothin' - Peter Denahy - Yackandandah, VIC, Australia
The Holiday Song - Ben Sures - Edmonton, AB, Canada
The Night N'Sync and Backstreet Got In A Fight - Douglas Powell - Rock Island, IL, USA
The Pimple Song - Chris D. Miller (Willie B Poppin) - Indianapolis, IN, USA
Worm - Justin Wiebe (Bicycle-Town) - Chilliwack, BC, Canada
You Don't Have A Clue - Pat Godwin - Fishers, IN, USA


Country
First Place
Where The Heart Is Found - Blake Bollinger, Neal Carpenter - Nashville, TN, USA

Second Place
Somebody Somewhere - Rodney Clawson, Lynn Hutton, Dustin Lynch (Dallas Smith) - Vancouver, BC, Canada

Third Place
Down Goes The Cowboy - Josh Dorr, Bruce Wallace, Kaci Bolls (Joshua Dorr) - Nashville, TN, USA

Honorable Mention
Do What You Gotta Do - Dave Bastien - Londonderry, NH, USA
Lie - Ruben Estevez, Jason Massey, Brad Ramsey - Nashville, TN, USA
Nothing Sweet About Alabama - Bill DiLuigi, Jesse Stern, Dave Tough - Cane Ridge, TN, USA
Quicksand - Lou Penta (The California Cowboy) - Ventura, CA, USA
Stone Cold Crazy - Michael McGee, Scott Miller (McGee) - Locarno, Switzerland
This Feels Good - Lee Johnson, Scott Miller - Washington, DC, USA
When It All Goes South - Jaylene Johnson, Sharlene Loveless, Jolene Keats - Winnipeg, MB, Canada
When It Hurts Like That - Matthew Ullman, Kyle Marion - Mt. Juliet, TN, USA
With Love - Josh Finlayson, Willie Mack - Nashville, TN, USA


Dance/Electronica
First Place
We Rise Like Smoke - Kyler England - North Hollywood, CA, USA

Second Place
Real Love (Jazzy Rmx) - Alexandra Tutu, Daniel Macovei (Elpis) - Campodoro, Italy

Third Place
Coco - Helga Potapova (Hellya) - Moscow, Russia

Honorable Mention
Amazing - Maor Shefer (MAOR) - New York, NY, USA
Borrowed Time - Carolyn Tariq, Shehab Tariq (Audego) - Fitzroy North, VIC, Australia
Can't Stop - Jes Brieden, Richard Robson (JES) - New York, NY, USA
Come Back Baby - Unbelievable Jones, Michael Kaiser - New York, NY, USA
Don't Clone Me - Tommaso Parisi (Tom Ugly) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Electrolove - Kuba Oms, Jason Cook - Victoria, BC, Canada
Free - Amy McFarlane, Brent McFarlane (Reckless Mack) - Wellington, New Zealand
High - Tiffany Desrosiers, Anthony Anderson, Steve Smith - Langley, BC, Canada
I Wanna B Like Moby - CC Wong (CC Sound Factory) - Singapore
Party On The Moon - Donny B. Lord - St. Lucia, West Indies
Up - Ivo Krievs (EL'X) - Riga, Latvia
You Turn Me On - Inessa Lee, Mike Burns, Johnny Reyes (Princess X) - Los Angeles, CA, USA


Folk/Singer-Songwriter
First Place
Where I Stood - Missy Higgins - Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Second Place
Golden Thread - Mike Rosenberg (Passenger) - London, England

Third Place
1000 Sundowns - Emma Louise - Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Honorable Mention
Ashes - Andy Brown - Fredericton, NB, Canada
Bleeders - Thomas Calder (The Trouble With Templeton) - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Come Rain Or Come Shine - David Francey - Toronto, ON, Canada
Despite All That's Happened - Brentley Gore - Nashville, TN, USA
Dreamin - Ed Romanoff, Josh Ritter - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Half The Boat - Matthew Clarke (Honey And The Money) - Port Moody, BC, Canada
My Love To Be - Daniel Lee Kendall - Wamberal, NSW, Australia
Never [Lay] A Woman That You Don't Love - Mieka Pauley - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Oh Alaska - Robbie Boyd (The Robbie Boyd Band) - London, England
Rivers - Mike Rosenberg (Passenger) - London, England
The Last Waltz - Tony Villiers - Armagh, Northern Ireland
The Morning Sun - Nolan Angell (The Genes) - Cabarita Beach, NSW, Australia
The Soldier And The Oak - Elliott Park - Clyde, TX, USA


Gospel/Christian
First Place
Storm Comin' - Ruth Moody (The Wailin' Jennys) - Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Second Place
Carved In Stone - Elliott Park - Clyde, TX, USA

Third Place
You Are My Friend - Hans Christian Jochimsen - Brønshøj, Denmark

Honorable Mention
Don't Dream Your Life Away - Zach Svoboda - Des Moines, IA, USA
God On High - Thomas Paul Reeves - Athens, GA, USA
Inspiration - Stanley Gwanzura, Andrew Baird (Pastor G) - Harare, Zimbabwe
Living Room Praise - Jason Sweet - Orlando, FL, USA
Love At First Sight - Jason Sweet - Orlando, FL, USA
Love Immeasurable - Ryan Long - Knoxville, TN, USA
Man Of Sorrows - Thena Beam - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Nothing Without Me - Stephanie Small, Ben Gebert (Sandel) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Redemption's Anthem - Lenny Juliano - Enid, OK, USA
Release the Sound - Roma Waterman - Ringwood North, VIC, Australia
Thank You - Bobby van Jaarsveld - Pretoria, South Africa
Worship Now - John K. Brown - Clermont, FL, USA


Instrumental
First Place
6/8 - Artyom Yakushenko, Yuriy Matveyev (White Fort) - Irkutsk, Russia

Second Place
Heddon Tadpolly Spook - Carlos del Junco, Al Duffy - Port Hope, ON, Canada

Third Place
Muzyka Do Filmu - Igor Herzyk, Scotia Gilroy (Vladimirska) - Krakow, Poland

Honorable Mention
After Dawn - Xi Bo, Wen-Kai Ying  (Viva Girls) - Beiging, China
Darkness Gives Way - Lucas Shogren, Stephanie Shogren, Derek Powers (Clocks & Clouds) - Minneapolis, MN, USA
Digital Apples - Chris West - Nashville, TN, USA
Furious Antennae - Tom Grose - Decatur, GA, USA
Kicking Up Dust - Brad Keller (The Creaking Tree String Quartet) - Toronto, ON, Canada
Left Field - Allen Hinds - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Lough Auna Horse Eels - Dave Mooney (Track Dogs) - Madrid, Spain
Mocha Maya - Tony Lechner - South Hadley, MA, USA
Overture - Ed Dampier - London, England
Palmas - Eddie Paton, Bret Menezes - Toronto, ON, Canada
Sumari's Waltz - Eden MacAdam-Somer - Boston, MA, USA
Temple Sunrise - Hassan El-Tayyab (American Nomad) - San Francisco, CA, USA
TheSingingBush - Eddie Rayner (RBR) - Auckland, New Zealand


Jazz
First Place
1960 What? - Gregory Porter - Bakersfield, CA, USA

Second Place
Lover - Martina Flaherty - Loughrea, Co Galway, Ireland

Third Place
Deadman's Hill - Steve Talaga - Grand Rapids, MI, USA

Honorable Mention
A Picture Of Dorian Mode - Michael Longo - New York, NY, USA
Above Ground - Greg Ward (Greg Ward's Phonic Juggernaut) - New York, NY, USA
Conversation With Nellie - Zoe Rahman - London, England
Grizzly's - Regina Litvinova - Ludwigshafen, Germany
Hadairo (Beige) - Andy Akiho - Columbia, SC, USA
Memphis Mix-Up - Elizabeth Dotson-Westphalen (elizabeth!) - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Pukl-N-Pappo - Michael Janisch - London, England
Save Me - Stephen Coates, Joe Coles (The Real Tuesday Weld) - London, England
Shumshi - Michael Janisch - London, England
The King Is Dead (Long Live The King) - Marzio Scholten - Alphen a/d Rijn, The Netherlands
To Work Marvels - Vincenzo Amazio (Enzo Amazio) - Pozzuoli, Italy
You Are Here - Matt Savage - Francestown, NH, USA


Latin
First Name
La Ciudad - Gustabo Galindo - Mexico City, Mexico

Second Place
Cuentame - Rebeca Perfecto, Josue Parrilla, Ricardo Alvarez (Beca Perfecto) - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Third Place
Marina - Omar Torrez, Paul Duncan, Carlos Del Puerto Jr. (Omar Torrez) - Venice, CA, USA

Honorable Mention
Amanacer - Santiago Mena , Erik Martinez, Luis Lauro Moreno (Luis Lauro) - Mexico City, Mexico
Deja Lo Malo Afuera - Javier Coy, Carolina Cardenas, Angie Martinez (Sauti) - Bogota, Colombia
Heroes - Jhovan Tomasevich (Jhovan) - Lima, Peru
Histeria - Pablo Donelli, Santiago Inglese, Maria Belen Galiotti Banchero (Lady Bonsai) - Buenos Aires, Argentina
How Much I Love You Mi Cielo - Eduard Osorio (Edu Osorio) - Miami, FL, USA
Otra Vez - Jose Hernandez, Steve Baltazar, Delwin G. Neva (Sonsoles) - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Perdido - Jose Ignacio Gras Lopez, Jimmy Pinaitis (Radioz) - Alicante, Spain
Prende El Radio - Rei Ortiz - San Juan, Puerto Rico
Un Poco De Ti - Maddy Rodriguez, Ryan Stewart - Toronto, ON, Canada
Vacio - Rafael Rioz - Santiago, Chile


Lyrics Only
First Place
St Vincents - Ed Romanoff, Josh Ritter, Crit Harmon - Brooklyn, NY, USA

Second Place
Gavel - Arthur Alligood - White House, TN, USA

Third Place
I Don't Know What I'll Do - Bryan Tess - Tralee, Ireland

Honorable Mention
6 Feet Under - Rosie Grayson - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Because She Looked Like You - Ivan Rubenstein-Gillis - New York, NY, USA
Conspiracy Of Love - Jenrose Fitzgerald (Jenrose) - Stamping Ground, KY, USA
Gastown Serenade - Steve Seaton (Seaton) - Brendale, QLD, Australia
Gospel Of A Fool - Glenn Hammerstad - Oslo, Norway
I Must Have Done Something Right - Ed Romanoff, Crit Harmon - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Let It Spin - Sherri Gough - Nashville, TN, USA
Tell Tale - Jordan Fricker - Waterloo, ON, Canada
Two Yellow Roses - Ed Romanoff, Crit Harmon - Brooklyn, NY, USA


Music Video
First Place
Life Is Good - Jatin Puri - Gurgaon, India

Second Place
Loveless - Johnny Mackay, Heath Crawley (Children Collide) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Third Place
Opera 2 - Sergey Pudovken (Vitas) - Moscow, Russia

Honorable Mention
Bricks - Jon Markson, Will Brown, Will Kowall, Danny Joseph (Time Crisis) - Boston, MA, USA
I Talked To Italiano - Tamara Rodriguez - Boston, MA, USA
Like No Other - Anna Neradilkova (Anikiko) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Lovesick - John Mark Seltzer, Jon Maddux (Jackson Wells) - Franklin, TN, USA
Man Walks Into A Bar - Brett Every - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Mind Games - Alex Post, Katie O'Doherty (Pony Cop) - Boise, ID, USA
Off The Beaten Path - Aram Rian - Yerevan, Armenia
River Too Wide - Matt Ellis - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Robot Girl Robot Boy - Helen Greenham (Helen & The Sirens) - London, England


Performance
First Place
Making Love Easy - Craig Schoenbaum (OTiS) - Brooklyn, NY, USA

Second Place
Lost - Wes Carr, Don Walker - Sydney, NSW, Australia

Third Place
Stumble - Suzanna Choffel - Austin, TX, USA

Honorable Mention
Beneath The Fire - Richard Perry, Steve Pedersen, Dominic DiCiano, Christian Lewis, Greg Petersen, Daniel Petersen (Evaline) - Turlock, CA, USA
Calling All Angels - Jane Siberry - Toronto, ON, Canada
Control - Aimee Francis - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Dream Street - Ariana Gillis, David Gillis - Toronto, ON, Canada
From The Outside - Victoria Celestine - San Antonio, TX, USA
Heatwave - Chris Cheney (The Living End) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Lady Flower - Jenie Thai - Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Reload - Sara Smith - London, ON, Canada
The Dream - Martina Flaherty - Loughrea, Co Galway, Ireland
These Four Walls - Rita Chiarelli - Toronto, ON, Canada


Pop/Top 40
First Place
Flaws - Dan Smith (Bastille) - London, England

Second Place
Jungle - Emma Louise - Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Third Place
Hazy - Ruby Frost - Auckland, New Zealand

Honorable Mention
Can't Afford This Way Of Life - Nicholas Owen, Alex Vaughan (The Brow Horn Orchestra) - Perth, WA, Australia
Everything's Gonna Be Alright - Timothy Skedden, Jason Kerrison, Jamie Greenslade, Selwyn Leaf (The Babysitters Circus)
It's Too Late - Jes Brieden, Richard Robson (JES) - New York, NY, USA
Kitchen On Fire - Caterina Torres, Jarrod Rogers, Si Connelly - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Love Is All - Jacob Washington (Je'kob) - San Diego, CA, USA
Save Me No More - Anna Krantz, Michael Kintish (IAmAnnA) - London, England
Summer Days - Meredith Coloma - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Thousand Suns - MoRo - London, England
Top Down - Shane Gelinas (Shane Divine) - Los Angeles, CA, USA

R&B/Hip-Hop
First Place
Up In Flames - Aaron Harris, Matt Smokovich, Travis Taylor (Eastern Sunz) - Portland, OR, USA

Second Place
Lighter Up - Kyle Jordan, Dustin Wolf - Regina, SK, Canada

Third Place
Off The Hook - Rachel White - Lichfield, England

Honorable Mention
A Thousand Lives - Kenny Sabir, Tim Levinson, Shannon Kennedy, Dale Harrison (The Herd) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Ain't Easy - Ayat Maqwam (Billy BanGer) - Accra, Ghana
Black Girl, White Boy - Stefan Ludik (Ludik) - Johannesburg, South Africa
Eleven - Fantine Pritoula, Marcello Maio (Fantine) - Sydney, VIC, Australia
Fly Away (feat. Honey Larochelle & Blitz the Ambassador) - Queen Rose, Blitz the Ambassador - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Girl If You Were Mine - Jonathan Gutierrez, Rolando Cuellar, Hector Chavera III, David Enriquez (Baby Jay) - Houston, TX, USA
Gone - Kamali Kaumu - College Park, GA, USA
Goodbye Yesterday - Christopher Gonzales (Kepstar) - Maspeth, NY, USA
Harder - Matt Dubois, John Michael - Ottawa, ON, Canada
I Was Somebody Else (Feat. Pez) - Tommaso Parisi (Tom Ugly) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Shoot'em Bang Bang - TK Wonder, Ben Perowsky, Danny Blume, Glenn Patscha (TK Wonder) - Brooklyn, NY, USA
The Storm - Michelle Chadsey, Mike Asselin, Will Harris, Jesse Mackle, Kelly Schmale (The Proper Villains) - Surrey, BC, Canada
Thinking About U - Patrick Mwamba Mwilambwe, Nkulu Eric Mwilambwe (K9SLANG) - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Wake Up - Tyrone Paul, Lloyd Perrin, Jordan Crisp (Chrome) - London, England


Rock
First Place
She's Like A Comet - Kevin Mitchell, Vanessa Thornton, Brett Mitchell, Chris Daymond (Jebediah) - Perth, WA, Australia

Second Place
Love Is A Drug - Kav Temperley, Stuart MacLeod, Joel Quartermain (Eskimo Joe) - Perth, WA, Australia

Third Place
Song For The Lonely - Chris Cheney (The Living End) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Honorable Mention
A Thousand Blind Windows - Gary McFarlane (Autumn Owls) - Dublin, Ireland
Batteries - Paul Stephen Donnelly (Strawhouses) - Liverpool, England
City Lights - Bekki Friesen (Domenica) - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Hope & Ruin - John-Angus MacDonald, Colin MacDonald, Jack Syperek, Sean Dalton, Gord Sinclair (The Trews) - Antigonish, NS, Canada
Little Suzie - Benoit Portolano, Mark Rutledge (Blackfeet Revolution) - Paris, France
Loveless - Johnny Mackay, Heath Crawley (Children Collide) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
One Step - Kimberley Benzie, Rob Maric, Stewart Hill, Luke Williams, Forrester Savell (Dead Letter Circus) - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Sergeant Dylan Sand - Elias Bertini (Zero In On) - Locarno, Switzerland
Someday You Will Know - Christopher Farfán, Dennis Garcia, Nicolas Espinosa (StereonoiZ) - Lima, Peru
Stay Up (All Night) - Tatiana DeMaria (TAT) - London, England
Taken For Granted - The Mercy Now - Toronto, ON, Canada
Turn Off The Light - Evgeni Gor (UNITE IT) - Moscow, Russia
Universe - Chris Cheney (The Living End) - Melbourne, VIC, Australia


Teen
First Place
The Worst Part (Leave You Again) - Natasha Duarte - Glenmore Park, NSW, Australia

Second Place
In The World - Victoria Celestine - San Antonio, TX, USA

Third Place
I Bought A Tie - Sam Griffin-Ortiz (Population 5) - Salinas, CA, USA

Honorable Mention
All For The Best - Michelle Zarate (Nova Delai) - Malmo, Sweden
All This Time - Landon Wilkinson (The Village Musicians, AKA: Village) - Yakima, WA, USA
Believing - Rhianna Flaherty - Loughrea, Co Galway, Ireland
By My Side - Matt Dubois - Ottawa, ON, Canada
Forget About Me - Massad Barakat-Devine (Massad) - Epsom, New Zealand
From The Outside - Victoria Celestine - San Antonio, TX, USA
Heart On Fire - D'Arcy Spiller - Smeaton, VIC, Australia
If I Don't Got You - Matthew Curry - Normal, IL, USA
Ready, Set, Stun - Jared Goldstein (Jared Dylan) - Montville, NJ, USA
The Best Part (Of Falling In Love) - Abram Dean - Addison, TX, USA
Tuesday's Just As Bad - Charlie Dane - Oyster Bay, NY, USA
Whole Lot Better - Kathryn Hallberg - Spring, TX, USA


Unsigned Only
First Place
Are You Alive - Michael Paynter, Gary Clark, David Mead - Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Second Place
All This Time - Landon Wilkinson (The Village Musicians, AKA: Village) - Yakima, WA, USA

Third Place
Alive - Nate Fowler - Boise, ID, USA

Honorable Mention
Blew It All Away - Flávio Cristóvam (Jamandizen) - Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
Grace - Jack Stone - Cape Town, South Africa
In Colour - Michael Belsar (Hunting Grounds) - Ballarat, VIC, Australia
In The World - Victoria Celestine - San Antonio, TX, USA
Kitchen On Fire - Caterina Torres, Jarrod Rogers, Si Connelly - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Lovelorn - Alison MacLea, Chris Ioannou, Chris Sytnyk (Little Creatures) - Toronto, ON, Canada
Never Walked On The Moon - Dylan Edward Roberts (King Dylan) - Calgary, AB, Canada
Real Love (Jazzy Rmx) - Alexandra Tutu, Daniel Macovei (Elpis) - Campodoro, Italy
Someday You Will Know - Christopher Farfán, Dennis Garcia, Nicolas Espinosa (StereonoiZ) - Lima, Peru
The Duet - Andrew Redford - Maroochydore, QLD, Australia
Wanna Run - Kate Vigo - Melbourne, VIC, Australia


World
First Place
Tere Bin Dil - Dilpreet Bhatia - Mumbai, India

Second Place
Lovely World - Opetaia Foai (Te Vaka) - Auckland, New Zealand

Third Place
AKEIO - Sharzy (Mako Mai) - Sharzy (Supa Trio of De Isles) - Honiara, Solomon Islands

Honorable Mention
Aibbas Jaska (All Still) - Elin Kåven, Ole Jørn Myklebust - Karasjok, Norway
Deja Lo Malo Afuera - Javier Coy, Carolina Cardenas, Angie Martinez (Sauti) - Bogota, Colombia
Ena Na Lena - Richard Gannaway, Miriam Stockley, Jay Oliver (AOMUSIC) - Asheville, NC, USA
Fire - Bulat Gafarov (Toke-Cha) - Moscow, Russia
I Believe - Marlon Edwards - Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago
Mambo Bado - Alex Kajumulo the Bushman - Muleba, Tanzania
Ombomo - Sally Nyolo - Paris, France
Rabba Ru - Kiran Ahluwalia - Toronto, ON, Canada
Spirit Dancer - Titus Fotso - Eugene, OR, USA
The Journey - Tim Foley (Skelpin) - San Diego, CA, USA


People's Voice Award
Someday You Will Know - Christopher Farfán, Dennis Garcia, Nicolas Espinosa (StereonoiZ) - Lima, Peru


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May 3rd. 2012 "Unveiling Your Authentic Self"
Independent Scholars' Evenings. 7.00 p.m.
Presenter:
Kambiz Naficy brings a lightness and joy to everything he touches. He combines
the ancient science of Kriya Yoga, the unveiling of subconscious beliefs, and
the loving support of community to bring balance and harmony to the evolution of
our consciousness. Each of his talks is illuminating in its own way as he offers
guidance into further understanding to our inner world and deeper love of self.
About the presenter:

Kambiz Naficy is a poet, meditation master, and spiritual healer who is
committed to helping individuals reach their full life potential through inner
development and growth.

This commitment evolved into his life-work, as he reached a pivotal moment of
change in his own life. Emerging from his strong belief in the power of an
inner-directed life, and a natural fusing of the Persian and Western cultures in
his background, Kambiz decided to leave a highly successful professional life to
take the leap toward the Soul.


Then, in his own words, he describes the beginnings of a remarkable shift...

"...I began to outgrow my old ways of life - like a shoe that does not fit no
matter how hard you try, my emerging self no longer fit into my old life. One
day, I looked around and found that all the leaders that I admired, were
themselves full of fear and worries. Their marriages were failing, their
children lacking love, and their sense of alienation from their fellow-man was
often anesthetized by drugs. No matter where I looked, I could not find a person
who was truly inner-directed, and creating success from the inside-out?that is
when my faith in the external order of things began to fade. I began to search
within."

In the corn fields of Iowa at Fairfield University Kambiz began intensive study
of the Indian Vedantas and found striking parallels between the Vedas and
quantum physics. From ten years of that study, emerged The Joy of Life
Organization. Kambiz offers workshops and seminars in Sri Lanka, India, Europe,
and the U.S. His teachings reflect his unique ability to draw parallels between
ancient spiritual teachings and Western holistic sciences focused on
self-transformation and inner healing. His unique approach is the blend of
spirituality and psychology; both of which he feels must be addressed for true
transformation.

Kambiz is in the process of carrying out his vision to bring these workshops
across oceans and cultures where many have already benefited from his teachings
of self-exploration, mental concentration, and inner-directed paths to
creativity and self-knowledge.

Independent Scholars' Evenings are Free and open to the public.

Please attend.

The Moline Commercial Club
1530 Fifth Avenue. Moline. Illinois.

second floor of The Moline Club building . Above the Phoenix Fine Arts Gallery.

309-762-9202for The Institute.
www.qcinstitute.org

light refreshments, wine and beverages are served.
doors open at 6.30

Independent Scholars' Evenings are sponsored by
The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, Ltd. a 501(c)3 at state and
federal level since 1996.

The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, Ltd.
www.qcinstitute.org
www.atthephoenix.com
www.themolinecommercialclub.com
www.themolineclub.com
What: The Sleeping Beauty

Who: Ballet Quad Cities

When: Saturday May 9th 1:00pm & 7:00pm

Where: the Adler Theatre

136 E. 3rd St. Davenport, IA

Ticket Prices: $10, $19, $25, $27 & $32

Ticket Purchase: Tickets are available at the Adler Theatre Box Office, online at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000, and Ticketmaster outlets. Family 4-packs available.

The Ballet Quad Cities season will end with one of the most beloved fairytales of all time, The Sleeping Beauty. A world premiere with all new choreography by Courtney Lyon, artistic director.

Join Ballet Quad Cities for a magical performance filled with princesses, fairies, and beautiful court dancers

For more information about this performance please go to www.balletquadcities.com or call 309-786-3779.

5K, Fun Run and a Royal Ball round out planned event to promote autism awareness

Milan, IL - Organizers for an inaugural event to promote autism awareness have announced details regarding a Royal Ball-themed weekend of events June 22 -June 23 in Milan, Illinois.

The weekend will kick off with a "Royal Ball for All" at the Milan Community Center from 5pm - 8pm on Friday, June 22. The family-friendly and public event will feature royal-themed games, activities, food and of course, royal appearances by some well-known princes and princesses. (Children are encouraged to wear their most royal costumes).

At 7:30am the next morning, runners will lace up their glass slippers for a chip-timed Royal Ball Run presented by Jumer's Casino & Hotel - a 5K course along the Rock River and through Milan, Illinois, followed by a Prince and Princess ¼ mile Fun Run.

According to Royal Ball volunteer, Anne Holtan, the event has been designed to encourage greater support for children and families with autism in our community. "Oftentimes, parents don't know where to turn or how to access resources," said Holtan. "Our goal is to hold a unique family event and top-notch 5K race, but to also encourage stronger acceptance of those with autism and better connect families with the resources they need."

Jennifer Hartmann, event chair, has been overwhelmed by community support for the event. "I knew going into this that we were tapping into a real need. We now know that 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with autism and local businesses, volunteers and the Village of Milan have all enthusiastically stepped up to make this first-year event possible.

Funds raised during the Royal Ball weekend will be donated to the Quad City Autism Center and programs to support autism awareness in the Quad Cities Area. Individuals can register for the race or learn more by visiting www.royalballrun.com.

About the Quad City Autism Center

The Quad Cities Autism Center exists to provide education, guidance and resources to parents and children affected by Autism and to offer one to one instruction to develop and enhance the lives of our children by giving them New Hope and a brighter future.
Urges Renewed Focus on Rehabilitation

States are spending $52 billion a year on corrections, with one U.S. adult in 31 either incarcerated, on probation, or on parole, according to the Pew Foundation.

The U.S. incarceration rate is by far the highest in the world. Spending on corrections is now the second fastest-growing item in state budgets after Medicaid. It has quadrupled in the past two decades, many say because of a "get tough on crime" approach.

A steady stream of recidivists - returning offenders - is one major drain. As shrinking state budgets demand legislatures to do more with less, scrutiny of the judicial system is increasing.

"It's high time we start attacking this costly problem at its root, rather than issuing petty punitive sentences for small-time, non-violent crimes," says advocate Adam Young, founder of CommunityServiceHelp.com. His organization partners with charities to help people fulfill community service sentences by taking classes instead of picking up litter.

"Here is the question: Do we want to punish small-time crimes, or should we offer rehabilitation for people who are caught in this costly cycle?"

In the mid-1970s there was more emphasis on rehabilitation, he says. Less than a decade before that, California introduced the concept of community service to the United States. It has since been widely accepted throughout the nation as a space-saving, cost-cutting solution. It's time to make community service sentencing more effective, Young says.

"If states really want to save money, they should address recidivism through programs that include education," he says. "It is better for all of us, for both economic and public safety reasons, to help educate people so they can get and maintain jobs."

He cites New Jersey's Female Offender Reentry Group Effort, or FORGE, which became mandatory in Essex County for female parolees in 2006. The program emphasizes legal, job and emotional support, which is particularly helpful for women, experts say.

A four-year study by Rutgers University compared recidivism rates for female parolees who did not experience the program to those who went through FORGE and an additional monthly support group. Only 28 percent of the FORGE graduates returned to prison; nearly half the non-graduates became repeat offenders.

"Citizens become prisoners because they have had trouble integrating with society from the very beginning," Young says. "Prison without rehab and associated educational programs teaches inmates how to deal with hardened criminals, psychopaths, drug addicts and the mentally ill, but not how to be a productive member of society."

States with the most recidivism could each save about $470 million a year by reducing rates by just 10 percent, he says.

There is a nationwide push to privatize prisons, which cuts off state funding for various rehabilitation programs that are understood to generally reduce recidivism, Young says. In addition, crowding in prisons is leading to more attention being paid to simply controlling the population, and less to rehabilitation efforts.

About Adam Young

Adam Young is a longtime internet marketing professional who launched his educational community service alternative in January 2011. He was inspired by a minor brush with the law when he was an 18-year-old; the community service hours he received cost him his job and nearly caused him to drop out of college. Through his website (www.CommunityServiceHelp.com), offenders have logged more than 300,000 hours of self-scheduled schooling that allows them to remain employed while completing service hours. Young advocates education as the most cost-effective tool for rehabilitating offenders.

The Kris Lager Band, winners of the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards Best Blues category for the 4th consecutive year, will be playing on May 11th at the Redstone Room in Davenport, Iowa  General admission- tickets are available at the door.  The Kris Lager Band, just returned from recording with blues legend Tab Benoit in Louisiana.  They expect to release the CD this summer and will be featuring music off that CD in upcoming shows.


The Kris Lager Band is a Nebraska born group of musicians who have dedicated their lives to learning, living, and loving all aspects of the American music tradition. Self proclaimed "Roots Revivalists", KLB brings an eclectic, original, high energy show to each and every stage they happen to land on. The Kris Lager Band plays a wide range of music from blues and rock, funk and soul, reggae, hip hop, to even gospel and zydeco and they always have a Good Time.  Playing nearly 200 shows a year for the past 5 years has brought tightness and diversity to every set they play and audiences across the country will agree that Kris Lager Band is on the right path. The band consists of John Fairchild on the drums, Brandon Miller on the bass, Jeremiah Weir on the piano, organ, and squeeze-box, and Kris Lager on lead vocals and guitars. With their "Celebrate Life" mantra and good time's vibe, every show runs the gamut of human emotions. Joy and sorrow, love and lament are all wrapped up in one musical experience where the only constant is pure Soul. If you are wondering why you haven't heard the name yet, it's all in good time.


The Kris Lager Band toured as the opener for the Native American Blues Rock band Indigenous.  Front man Mato Nanji liked their sound so much that he hired the 4 musicians to be in his band for nearly 3 years.  After touring the country with Indigenous and playing on his latest release "Broken Lands" the Kris Lager Band is currently back on their own musical path and more enthusiastic than ever to take it to the people.  Their time with Mato has definitely provided a great deal of experience but they are ready to get out there and do their own thing....and their thing is a ton of fun. 
Here is your chance to see a unique, energetic, mid-western band on their way up. Don't miss out on this opportunity to see The Kris Lager Band!
For more information please contact:  Brandon Miller at 402-210-4747

http://www.reverbnation.com/krislagerband
http://www.youtube.com/user/krislagerband

Event held in honor of Eagles member Rick Meeks who passed away from cancer in 2011

Anamosa, Iowa - The Anamosa Fraternal Order of Eagles #4512 invites the community to come out to Fawn Creek Country Club Saturday, May 5 for a Spring Thaw Steak Fry event in honor of member Rick Meeks, who passed away in 2011 after a battle with cancer.

The event begins with a social hour from 4:30-5:30 p.m., followed by dinner from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dinner is $18 and includes a 12 oz. angus rib eye steak cooked by the Jones County Cattleman, twice baked potato, corn, coleslaw, drink and dessert.

The Eagles will also be holding raffles, live and silent auction and giving out door prizes. Proceeds from the event will be collected and dispersed to various Anamosa community efforts.

The Anamosa Eagles has maintained a presence in the community since 2007 and currently hosts 100 members.

For information or to purchase advance tickets contact Don Herman at 319-480-1421.

About the Fraternal Order of Eagles
The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international non-profit organization, unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope. Founded in 1898, the Eagles fund research in areas such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and cancer, and raise money for neglected and abused children and the aged, as well as work for social and civic change

Le Claire, Iowa, April 30, 2012 - Fans and whiskey enthusiasts will soon be able to find another Mississippi River Distilling Company whiskey on store shelves.  Queen Bee Honey Whiskey will be released for sale this Friday, May 4.  This is a corn whiskey infused with fresh honey from beekeepers near Preston, Iowa, just 30 miles north of the distillery.  The use of fresh honey is unique says owner and distiller Ryan Burchett.

"There are several honey whiskey products on the market, but if you look closely at the label you'll see that they are actually labeled as liqueurs and not whiskeys," Burchett comments.  "That's because once you add sugar to a product, you can't call it whiskey anymore.  Queen Bee is whiskey with real honey added to it, nothing else, which provides a nice smooth sweetness without overwhelming the palate."

Queen Bee Honey Whiskey is the latest seasonal product to be released by MRDC.  Each seasonal product is a limited bottling, usually 3,000 - 4,000 375-ml bottles total available for distribution.  The idea behind each seasonal spirit is to bring some unique products to the market and also partner with other local businesses to incorporate new local ingredients.

The distillery is limiting production to 6,000 bottles of Queen Bee Honey Whiskey.  "It's our biggest seasonal yet," said owner and distiller Garrett Burchett.  "We did 3,200 bottles of our seasonal rye whiskey in February and distributors were sold out in six weeks.  We're making a little more of this one, so hopefully it will last a bit longer."

Friday, May 4 will also be MRDC's "First Friday" with a Cinco de Mayo celebration from 5:30 to 8 p.m.  The First Friday feature event is a free open house and May marks the one year anniversary of these monthly evening socials.  Chef Stephanie is preparing a honey mustard sauce with the new Queen Bee Honey Whiskey and celebration the fiesta night with fried bananas.  The bar will feature a couple different kinds of margaritas prepared with River Baron Artisan Spirit and River Rose Gin.

Mississippi River Distilling Company is open from 10 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday and from 12 to 5 PM Sundays.  Free tours are offered to the public daily on the hour from 12 to 4 PM or by appointment.  The tour takes visitors through the entire distilling process.  Tours end in the Grand Tasting Room with free samples of products for those patrons over 21 years of age.  Mark your calendars now for the next release of MRDC's Cody Road Whiskey on Friday, June 1.
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Moline--April 20, 2012--Moline High School will host Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's production of The Taming of the Shrew.  The performance will be held in MHS Auditorium on May 1, 2012 at 1:15pm.  The public is encouraged to attend.  Tickets are $10/person and may be reserved through MHS bookstore at (309)743.8833 or purchased at the door.

Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew is a 75-minute abridged production of Shakespeare's lively battle of the sexes adapted and staged by Jeff Award-winning director Rachel Rockwell. Providing the opportunity for adults to give young people in their lives a high-energy introduction to Shakespeare, the cast of Rockwell's production includes CST favorite Ericka Ratcliff, who performs the role of strong-willed Katherina after appearing in Chicago Shakespeare's Jeff Award-winning Shakespeare "hip-hoptation" Funk It Up About Nothin' at CST, Scotland's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, London and a six-week Australian tour. Performing the role of Katherina's sparring partner, Petruchio, is Matt Mueller, whose credits include numerous productions at the Utah and Colorado Shakespeare Festivals. Five-time Jeff Award nominee Don Forston returns as Baptista after performing the role of Geppetto in Rockwell's acclaimed world premiere CST Family musical The Adventures of Pinocchio last summer. Local comedic actor Alex Goodrich returns to CST to perform the role of Tranio.

The wildly spirited Kate and machismo-driven Petruchio scream, fight and woo their way into one another's heart in Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew. Drawn together by their strong personalities almost against their will, the unlikely pair ultimately falls in love. Rockwell's production combines an adaptation of Shakespeare's original verse and Elizabethan dress with original rock-inspired music to connect young audiences with the characters' journeys. Immediately following thr performance, actors remain on stage for a discussion with the audience.

For more info: visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com/shortshakespeare.

This is the 5th consecutive year that Moline High School will be hosting the tour, which offers a unique opportunity for students and community members to experience professional, world-class theatre within our own community.


About Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary this season, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company, known for vibrant productions that reflect Shakespeare's genius for intricate storytelling, musicality of language and depth of feeling for the human condition. Recipient of the 2008 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Chicago Shakespeare's work has been recognized internationally with three of London's prestigious Laurence Olivier Awards, and by the Chicago theater community with 62 Joseph Jefferson Awards for Artistic Excellence. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to producing extraordinary classic productions, new works and family fare; unlocking Shakespeare's work for educators and students; and serving as Chicago's cultural ambassador through its World's Stage Series.

Bill would require states to match new Iowa penalties for passing stopped school bus

Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) visited Waterloo's Lou Henry Elementary School and Dubuque's George Washington Carver School today to stump for national legislation strengthening penalties for drivers that illegally pass stopped school buses.  Braley will discuss Kadyn's Act with students at Northwood-Kensett Elementary School tomorrow.

The bill, "Kadyn's Act," was introduced by Braley in March and is modeled after Iowa's new "Kadyn's Law."  The bill and the Iowa law, signed by Governor Terry Branstad in March, are named after Kadyn Halverson, 7, who was struck and killed by a pickup truck as she crossed the street to board her school bus near Northwood, Iowa, last May.  Kadyn's Law was championed in Iowa by Kadyn's mother, Kari Halverson, her family, and Kim Koenigs, a local advocate.

Braley said, "When reckless drivers ignore warnings and pass stopped school buses, children's lives are put in danger.  Toughening penalties for drivers who violate school bus safety laws will save lives and convince more people to drive responsibly around kids and schools.  It's a common sense change that rises above petty partisan politics.

 

Braley continued, "Thanks to Kadyn, Iowa has become a national leader in school bus safety.  It's time every state adopt these strict standards so the penalty matches the severity of this crime."

Iowa's Kadyn's Law mandates for first offenders fines of at least $250 and the possibility of jail time of up to 30 days.  For a second offense of passing a stopped school bus within 5 years, fines would range from between $315 and $1,875 with up to one year of jail time.

The federal Kadyn's Act written by Braley would require states to strengthen their penalties for drivers who pass stopped school buses to the new Iowa standard at a minimum - or face losing 10 percent of federal highway funding each year.

The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services estimates that cars illegally pass stopped school buses 13 million times per year.  An average of 16 children per year are killed by drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.

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