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Story Subject Category: Cinema/Theaters/Film
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Paul Idleman by Alison Davis Wood
Paul Idleman was a man who lived many lives during his short time with us. I first met Paul when he had recently taken the job as director of the Champaign County Historical Museum. Many times over the years he provided props and shooting locations for productions at WILL including “Gold Star Mothers: Pilgrimage of Remembrance” and “10 Sisters: A True Story.” As I got to know Paul, he shared some amazing stories from his years in Colorado. He had published a comedy newspaper and one of his writers was Roseanne Barr. One time he even assigned Roseanne to do an interview with then “almost famous” comedian Jay Leno. Paul was also a big music fan. Every year he would burn CDs for his friends that included his favorite songs. He used his graphic design talents to create hysterical covers for these treasured gifts. Paul’s love of music had led him to a career as a rock and roll photographer. He approached a Colorado radio station about publishing a newspaper for them and suggested he get photos of local concerts to include in the publication. The radio station bit and he had a backstage pass. Over the years he braved the crowds to get shots of The Who, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Ray Vaughn. But over the years he took other jobs and the photos were hidden away in boxes. Thankfully after he moved back to his hometown of Champaign, Carolyn Baxley of the Cinema Gallery in Urbana persuaded Paul to dig through his collection. The result was a showing of his work at the Gallery and an opening reception that drew friends from as far away as Colorado. Luckily, many got the chance to experience the talent of this wonderful man. He will be missed.
Segment duration: 09:12
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Music • Photography
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Many towns around central Illinois are trying or have tried to save their major downtown theater. Champaign is succeeding. The Virginia has been serving the community for 80 years. Thankfully local people thought enough of this historic landmark to keep it open. It remains a place to catch local theater, national acts and film festivals. This story produced by longtime Champaign-Urbana theater person Chris Stasheff examines the history of this beautiful building, but also reveals how much is left to be done.
Segment duration: 04:56
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Historical Landmarks • Illinois Culture/History • Champaign • Champaign County
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For more than 84 years, the Virginia Theatre has been serving the community. Created as a cultural gathering spot, it’s hosted stars including Red Skelton, Bob Hope and Guy Lombardo. Host Alison Davis Wood looks at how the aging theater has been modernized, while keeping the charm of the original design by C. Howard Crane and H. Kenneth Franzheim.
Segment duration: 04:57
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Producer: Chris Stasheff
Chief Camera - Segment: Brian Paris
This segment is filed in these categories: Architecture • Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Illinois Culture/History
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University of Illinois entomologist May Berenbaum tells Prairie Fire she was pleased to have a luscious entomologist named after her in a 1996 “The X-Files” episode, especially since the character was a great stereotype buster. “Entomologists are usually portrayed as having horn-rimmed glasses and wearing inappropriate clothes like pith helmets,” said Prairie Fire host Alison Davis, who profiles Berenbaum. Davis explores the activities of the real life Berenbaum and the history of her Insect Fear Film Festival, which Berenbaum has been using for 15 years to expose the mythology in insect films.
Davis said Berenbaum actually likes a lot of the films that aren’t scientifically accurate. “In fact, the worse the movie, the more entertaining she finds it. But she does like to point out where the movie differs from scientific fact,” Davis said. Berenbaum, a member of the national Academy of Sciences and head of the UI entomology department, began the festival as a fun way to educate people about insects.
Segment duration: 11:10
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Illinois Culture/History • Livestock/Animals/Zoology • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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Segment duration: 06:40
Producer: Raymond Wilson
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • University of Illinois
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Prairie Fire goes to Rantoul to look at the creation of museum displays by Taylor Studios. The company works with museums around the country building replicas of dinosaur eggs, bones and other objects. The Spurlock Museum on the University of Illinois campus features displays made by the company.
Segment duration: 06:41
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Rantoul
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University of Illinois entomologist May Berenbaum tells Prairie Fire she was pleased to have a luscious entomologist named after her in a 1996 “The X-Files” episode, especially since the character was a great stereotype buster. “Entomologists are usually portrayed as having horn-rimmed glasses and wearing inappropriate clothes like pith helmets,” said Prairie Fire host Alison Davis, who profiles Berenbaum. Davis explores the activities of the real life Berenbaum and the history of her Insect Fear Film Festival, which Berenbaum has been using for 15 years to expose the mythology in insect films.
Davis said Berenbaum actually likes a lot of the films that aren’t scientifically accurate. “In fact, the worse the movie, the more entertaining she finds it. But she does like to point out where the movie differs from scientific fact,” Davis said. Berenbaum, a member of the national Academy of Sciences and head of the UI entomology department, began the festival as a fun way to educate people about insects.
Segment duration: 11:45
Story links:
Producer: Alison Davis
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Livestock/Animals/Zoology
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Now that Andy Dallas is 48, he feels he’s a bit too old to be hanging from a helicopter while upside down and in a straightjacket, or to be shackled and chained in a 40-pound body bag thrown head first into the water.
He doesn’t do escape routines any more, but he’s still challenging himself with magic tricks that he performs on national tours and at least once a year during “Magic Weekend” at his Champaign store, Dallas & Co. Prairie Fire profiles Dallas, talking to the performer about his start in the magic business. He was first exposed to magic at a carnival in his hometown of Memphis, Tenn., when he was 5, and has practiced it ever since.
Formerly co-owner of the Apple Duck Arcade on Green Street where he started selling masks, Dallas eventually opened Dallas & Co. with his wife, Barbara. It started out in a 6- by 8-foot space, and now covers over 14,000 square feet, selling magic, juggling and ventriloquism supplies, plus renting 2,000 costumes and novelties such as rubber chickens and phony dog doo.
Segment duration: 08:35
Producer: Alison Davis
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Illinois Culture/History • Champaign
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Guy S. Little Jr. fulfilled a childhood dream when he opened The Little Theatre on the Square 40 years ago in a former movie theater on the courthouse square in Sullivan.
Prairie Fire highlights the theater’s 40th anniversary, featuring interviews with Little, who now owns a bed and breakfast in Sullivan, as well as with Paul Barry, the first actor
to set foot on the theater’s stage. Barry has returned to the theater this season to perform in Brigadoon, the same musical he performed in 40 years ago.
“Guy Little knew since he was six years old that he wanted to operate a live musical theater,” said Prairie Fire host Alison Davis. “When he was 21, he decided it was time. He leased the old Grand movie theater and went to New York to recruit actors. He opened his first Summer of Musicals in 1957.”
“By the last show that summer, he had sold out,” said Davis. “He said that’s when he realized that the theater would be a success. It had caught on.” Little operated the theater until 1978, when a non-profit organization took over operation. The segment also takes viewers along for a performance of Brigadoon, with Davis talking to artistic director M. Seth Reines about the production.
Segment duration: 09:22
Producer: Alison Davis
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Historical Landmarks • History • Illinois Culture/History • Music • Sullivan
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Prairie Fire goes behind the scenes with the David Parsons Dance Co. and Billy Taylor Trio, two New York-based groups that combined dance and jazz to create a world-premiere piece commissioned for the 25th birthday celebration of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
Segment duration: 07:05
Producer: Alison Davis
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Illinois Culture/History • University of Illinois • Urbana
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