Erie County Art Faculty Exhibit
Work from area elementary and secondary educators is shown.
April 15 - May 3
Reception Thurs., April 16, 7 - 9 p.m.
Mercyhurst College Interior Design Student Show
May 7 - 24, reception TBA
Gallery Hours
Tuesday through Sunday 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Monday CLOSED
The Cummings Art Gallery is closed during terms breaks, holidays
and also between exhibits. Call (814) 824-3000 for information
Did You Know...
...that the Town of Girard Pa has
an official UFO landing site and the citizens of the town are
proud of the fact that aliens landed in their backyard.
OPEN MIC NIGHTS
Erie Book Store, Poetry Scene -
Fridays 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
It is a stereotype that men sit around every Sunday in the fall and
winter watching football while the women stay in the kitchen making the
halftime snacks or scratching their heads because they don’t understand
the rules. That stereotype is changing because of a group of Erie area
women who spend their Saturdays in shoulder pads, scoring goals and
basically kicking ass out of the other team. These women are the Erie
Illusion, probably the biggest unknown in Erie.
The Erie Illusion is part of a nation wide women’s professional football
league called the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) along with
teams like the Pittsburgh Passion, Carolina Queens, Montreal Blitz and
48 (22 of them are in the same division as the Illusion) The IWFL, a
non-profit Texas corporation, is a full tackle women's football league
focused on creating a positive, safe and fun environment for the women
who play the game and fans that come out to watch them.
The IWFL was founded in 2000 by a group of women dedicated to making the
sport a household name. The league currently has over 1600 women playing
the sport for 48 teams across North America from Southern California to
Montreal and Washington to Florida with consistent expansion into to new
markets.
The Illusion, who had an 11-5 record over the past 2 years, will
kick-off its first season in the IWFL as a Tier II team, facing largely
smaller market, comparable franchises. They may occasionally face an
opponent from a larger market, as the league strives to equalize travel
expenses by scheduling games between closer cities. But the Illusion
will battle similar Tier II teams for playoff positions and a bid in a
separate Tier II title game.
Edinboro University professor Corinne Schaeffer is the quarterback for
the Illusion. She said that she has always been a fan of the Pittsburgh
Steelers. “I always wanted to play football,” she said. Then in 2002 the
55” Schaeffer got the opportunity to try out for the Illusion and she
has been playing ever since. She is currently one of three women who
have been with the team for seven years the other two being Lisa
Fernandez and Mary McDade.
The members of the Illusion are not paid for their work with the team.
Schaeffer said, “We don’t make any money. We do it because we love the
game. We do have fund raisers throughout the year to raise money for
things like travel expenses and fees to use the field at Mercyhurst
College,
The IWFL website says that each year cash bonuses are award to players
who excel in the sport in events such as the most bench presses of a 150
pound weight, quarterback accuracy or total touchdowns, tackles or
receptions as well as other categories. Prizes for these can be up to
$1,000 per player.
In the past few months several events have been held to promote the
Illusion and get people to know about the team and women’s football. The
last one was an evening at the Brewerie with a buffet, Chinese auction
and music from local singer Jake Johns. The Illusion website said that
there was a steady stream of fans flowing through the doors of The
Brewerie to spend an evening with the Illusion and offer their support
as the Erie women prepare for their 2009 season.
The team is largely Erie area natives. Eighteen members are from Erie
County but there are also members from Ohio and New York as well as one
from Ontario, A large number of players, 14 to be exact, are rookies,
playing their first year in women’s football.
Do you think you might make a good linebacker, quarterback or wide
receiver? There is a chance every year for any woman to try out to join
the Illusion. During February practices the team holds open tryouts.
Tryouts are open to any woman 18 years or older who wish to join the
Erie Illusion. They are designed for women who have no, or limited
experience with football. Experienced players should also feel free to
participate in open tryouts.
Home games are played at Mercyhurst College on Friday evenings. The
Illusion’s season runs from April through June with four home games
scheduled on April 11, May 2, May 9 and June 6. Despite the fact that
their season starts this Saturday, April 11, 2009 ticket Information is
unavailable on the team’s website but tickets are available at the gate.
The rules are the same as the men’s, the players are as good as any in
the NFL and the games are just as exciting. This team is an unknown
jewel that Erie has and once people discover the Illusion they are going
to able to stand toe to toe with the Otters, the Seawolves and the
RiverRats as something people look forward to and want to attend.
Schaffer said that the Illusion is a bunch of hard working people
working hard to play a game that they love. She added that she has a
feeling that if people came out to an Illusion they would be surprised
and excited about what they see.
Everyone who has ever attended Sunday school has heard the story of
Daniel and the Lions Den. For those few of you who haven’t here is how
it goes. A young man named Daniel is cast into a lions den as a
punishment because the king listened to his other, less talented,
assistants and thought Daniel was trying to screw him over. Anyway, God
steps in and saves Daniel’s butt. That’s the short-short-short version.
Local playwright Rhonda Berlin took that biblical tale and made into
something that, at the beginning was totally unexpected.
The Station Dinner theatre’s new play Danny and the Cats, directed by
John Burton, starts with a song performed by David Durst, who plays the
narrator. For the first like 30 seconds of the song my mind went to, “Oh
God, (pardon the pun) why am I here on a Saturday night for this? I
could seriously be out drinking right now.” Then suddenly the song got a
LOT better and the fun started.
Sitting there the play kind of reminded me of Godspell, a 1973 musical
about the crucifixion of Jesus. The music became lively and actually fun
to listen to. The dancing was fantastic and the acting was (now this is
going to be a good thing so Paul...don’t get mad) purposely bad. I think
that added so very much to the show. Now, I know that it was rehearsed
and probably rehearsed very well but it looked like they were just up on
stage having fun and I loved that.
Danny is played by Ryan Dawley…a rookie at the Station Theatre. I had
seen him in other performances and enjoyed his there but he truly out
did himself in this production. The character was on stage almost the
entire play and he never faded the least little bit.
There is one other person I have to mention and that is Pam Durst. I
have seen her a LOT. She is a regular in Erie Theatre and always put on
good performances but s does one thing in Danny and the Cats that had me
rolling on the floor laughing. There is a place in the second act where
someone plays “Walk Like An Egyptian” by the Bangles. Durst goes totally
nuts. She has got to be the funniest person on stage at the time.
Another is Evan O’Polka plays Balthazar, the guy who replaces
Nebuchadnezzar as the King. I had NO idea that Damel and the Lions Dens
takes place in the valley but if you go by O’Polka’s accent in the roll,
at least Balthazar, is the biggest surfer dude in the Middle East. I
have no idea where he got the idea to use that accent but it made the
character something special.
I do have to say that the whole cast David Durst, Ryan Dawley, Jessica
Ciccone, Pam Durst, Ashley Faiper, Robert Copfer, Steven George, Even
O’Polka and Glenn Tuttle made this show something that has to be seen.
With actors like those and songs like, “Oh No! What We Gonna Do” and
“Miracles ‘R’ Me” how could this be anything but one of the best musical
comedies in town.
Last month I went to the dessert only show and I missed the food bad.
The chef at The Station always puts out a gourmet dinner for the
audience and he did it again this time. The menu includes Potato & Chive
Soup, Salad & Bread, Ham, Chicken Tenders, Mac & Cheese, Sweet Carrots, Ice Cream. I know it doesn’t sound like
much but the way it is cooked, and the flavors he puts into it, will
make it a meal you will remember. I am going to get yelled at again but
there was only one thing wrong with the dinner. The Chicken Tenders were
fantastic…nice and spicy like Chicken Fried Steak but it would have
been so much better to have some Country White Gravy to dip them in. I
will tell I usually do not eat soup and the thing is…the smell of the
soup was soooooooo good I just had to try it and it was to die for.
Danny and the Cats runs until April 19th and it is going to be popular,
especially since it is the Easter Season. Trust me, after word get out
this is going to be the hottest family show around. Yes, I said FAMILY!
This is entertaining enough for kids as young as 4 or 5 so get everyone
in the mini-van and get to see some good clean fun.
If you think about it, even though the sport of baseball is played in
most countries on the planet, baseball is America’s game for the last
100+ years and we have a right to be proud of that fact. The major
leagues opened last weekend and the minor leagues followed soon
afterward.
The Erie Seawolves are Erie’s pride and joy. A large number of players
who played here now play for the Tigers, the Seawolves parent team, or
other teams throughout the league
and the Eastern League is one of the
most competitive minor league organizations in the country. Actually,
anyone who has ever been to a Seawolves game knows that it is one of the
best values in the area, especially for the level of excitement the team
offers.
One thing everyone can agree on is the fact that although the game is
the most important thing…stadium food has got to run a close second.
Fans will drive 100’s of miles to get a hog dog or nachos because of
that one certain taste that only one place on the planet has. For
example, Cleveland Indians fans travel to get one thing…a hot dog with
mustard. The Indians have the mustard special made and it is the only
place you can get it…so when you see the Tribe…you have to have a hot
dog. It is almost a sacrilege if you don’t. The problem is when you add
up the parking, the ticket, the price of the food and maybe a souvenir
or two that one day can add up to more than $100 a person.
Now, the Seawolves are offering something that has never been done in
Erie before. They call it the 2009 Wolf Pack Plan which makes the game
even more affordable. The Wolf Pack plan offer Seawolves fans a chance
to but tickets to seven games throughout the season. The thing is it
includes all you can eat of the stadium’s best food.
For just $39.00 you get tickets to seven select games, all you can eat
hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches as well as all the Pepsi
products you can drink. You also get a full ticket exchange program just
in case you can’t make it to one of the games, fireworks at six of the
seven games as well as the same prime seat for every game. In case you
haven’t figured it out that comes to a total cost of just $5.57 per
game.
The Seawolves say this new program is “cost certainty” and will end up
saving their fans money and allow them to budget their hard earned
dollars for something else beside stadium food. Maybe you can consider
this package their contribution to the US Economic Stimulus Plan
If you are a baseball fan and a fan of “baseball food” this is a deal
that can be really hard to pass up.
If you are interested in filling your belly at the Seawolves and saving
money at the same time call 814-456-1300 and order, or get more
information about the 2009 All You Can Eat Wolf Pack Plan.
Try the Potter’s Wheel - CORRECTION
How many times have you said, “I want to take a pottery class.”?
C’mon admit it. This is always one of the items on your to do list.
Well, at the Erie Art Museum’s ClaySpace Open Studio, you can try the potter’s
wheel or build an object by hand every Saturday during the month of April from 5-
7 p.m. at the Erie Art Museum’s ClaySpace studios in the ArtWorks building,
1505 State Street, 3rd Floor.
“This is a great introduction to ceramic arts and gives you just a sampling of what
you’d learn in one of the Museum’s ceramics classes. We have classes, taught
by professional artists, for children as well as for adult beginner and more
advanced students,” said Erie Art Museum Education Director Kelly Armor.
Instruction is $5 per person ($3 for Erie Art Museum members) and is on a first
come first served basis.
Stop by and try the wheel, wear old clothes and shoes, and be prepared to get a
little messy. All ages are welcome.
“The open studio is great for a couple on a night-out, fun for families, scouting
groups or even a great birthday party activity,” said Armor.
Lisa Williams To Speak To Erie’s
Dead
By Raymond Czerwinski
Lifetime Television star Lisa Williams, whose show Lisa Williams, Life
Among The Dead in one of Lifetime’s biggest hits, will be appearing at
the Warner Theatre on April 20th, 2009. For those of you who have never
heard of Williams, she is an internationally acclaimed medium and
clairvoyant who has gained am amazing reputation because of her ability
to communicate with friends and loved ones who have passed on.
Williams said on her Myspace
page, “When I was a little girl, I
discovered I had a gift. Communicating with those who are no longer with
us. Some people say what I do is scary other people say I change their
lives. I just say what I hear and see and I see a lot.
Working as a
Medium I connect with your loved ones and spirit guides to help resolve
past issues, inform you of situations that you may find yourself in, and
give closure and healing.
Williams has appeared on such TV shows as Good Morning America, Oprah
and The Jimmy Kimmel Show and has just published her first book, Life
Among the Dead
Lisa does personal readings and is a trained Reiki and Crystal Healer.
She works with loved ones of the audience to help resolve past issues,
inform them of situations that they may find themselves in, and give
closure and healing. Lisa Williams shares these gifts through large
audience readings. During her show in Erie she will be doing readings for
audience members although buying a ticket to the show does NOT guarantee
you a reading.
The show is scheduled for April 20, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the
show are $68.50, $58.25, $48.00 & go on sale Friday, March 13th at
10:00am at the Erie Civic Center Box Office or through www.Ticketmaster.com
Erie Children's Museum Gives Kids A
Hands On Experience
The Erie Children's Museum offer kids the
chance to learn and have tons of fun by allowing them to touch and play
with several of the exhibits. The museum is located at420 French St in
Erie. Below are just a few of the
exhibits on display.
Aerodynamics
Sponsored by John & Gina Dineen
Kids will watch in amazement as they insert plastic balls into the
various openings of the AIR SORTER EXHIBIT, then delight with glee as
the balls shoot through the assortment of hoses and finally pop out the
maze of pipes. The more children work with the plastic balls and hoses,
the better they become at determining how long it takes the balls to pop
out. It’s problem solving, predicting and cooperation at its best! Even
the youngest child is learning about the power and capabilities of air
and direction!
On one side of the AIR TOSS EXHIBIT children will insert plastic balls
into vertical air chutes and be amazed as the balls shoot out into a
catch basket. On the other side, they use air hoses to power a range of
activities from pinwheels to pan pipes to inflatable balloons. Before
they know it, they’ve learned about the characteristics of air and how
it affects objects – yes, aerodynamics!
The exhibits were created for the Children’s Museum by the Oregon Museum
of Science and Industry (OMSI).
The Healer Within
presented by LECOM
Human anatomy, structure, and function come alive for children through
computers and games. At the virtual reality station, kids become healthy
white blood cells and follow along as the cell travels the body. At the
next stop, they are in control of a skeleton riding a bicycle while
muscles flex . . . fast, slow, watch him go! At the "Cancer Defender"
area, a computer game will match kids in a tough fight with cancer
cells. They will use their computer skills and strategy to gain energy
in the battle against cancer. The "Wentzscope" microscope focuses on
various body cells infected with diverse diseases. Children and adults
will be amazed at what happens inside our bodies when we’re not looking!
Explore the History, Mystery and Magic of Magnets
presented by ERIEZ Magnetics
The new "Explore the History, Mystery and Magic of Magnets" exhibit has
six interactive stations allowing children to see how magnets work, and
explore various uses for them. The children can learn the basic
properties of magnetism to find out what magnets attract, and what they
repel. Other stations will show how magnets are used in everyday life.
How do magnets help move things and how do they help us find our way?
Eriez Magnetics has produced magnetic equipment for the industry since
1942, and providing educational resources to area schools since 1992.
This new educational exhibit is dedicated in memory of Bob and Betty
Merwin, co-founders of Eriez Magnetics.
Explore the Mayan Temple
presented by General Electric, Millcreek School District,
McDowell/Fairview Red Barons Robotics Team 63
Created by students and mentors from the McDowell/Fairview Red Barons
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Team,
children experience first hand how technology can create and power
movable robots.
Children use a hand held remote to maneuver a small robot up a ramp,
onto a moving elevator and even enter a cable car! The exhibit utilizes
Lego Mindstorms robotics, the same materials that are used in FIRST Lego
League teams. All team members involved are also Lego League mentors for
teams at Fairview Middle School and Walnut Creek Middle School.
All Time Favorite Exhibits:
Bubble Machine
Water Table
Kid’s Corner Store
Bedrock Cave
Recycle Michael
Local Musician CD Drive
Nelson's Tavern
are looking to collect CDs from all the local bands, so that they may send them to our troops. No matter how you feel about the war the fact is that we have good people over there who need to be reminded of home.
So if you would like to help out on this just come in and drop off your
CDs, or mail them to...
Attn: CD Drive
Nelson's Tavern
1033 State St.
Erie, PA 16501
They appreciate any donation made to this cause. Thanks for your participation in this drive.
'Dear Lord: Thank you for bringing me to Timmy's house
-- AMEN!'
Easter
Dessert Recipes
Grandkids' Favorite Easter Cookie
Ingredients
1 tub white frosting
Yellow food coloring
1 small package flaked coconut
12 baked sugar cookies, about 3; in diameter
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large bag semisweet chocolate chips
White jelly beans
Peeps (brand name) marshmallow chicks
Method
Use food coloring to tint white frosting yellow; set aside. Use a little more of the food coloring to tint the coconut yellow for the "hay." (To do this, put a few drops of coloring and a little water in a quart jar with lid; add coconut and shake.) Spread a thin layer of yellow frosting over each cookie. The cookie will become the base for each hen's nest. Sprinkle the "hay" over the frosted cookies. (The frosting will help "hay" stick to cookies.) In a microwave-safe bowl, over low heat, stir the chocolate chips with the 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk until melted and smooth. When cooled, this will make a thick, fudgy paste. Make 12 balls from this fudge mixture. Press a hollow into center of each ball, like you would for a thumbprint cookie, to resemble a bird's nest. Put a nest atop each cookie. Place 3 white jelly beans in each nest. Place a Peep marshmallow "chick" on top of each nest. Each cookie will be about 3 inches wide and about 3 inches tall. You can place them on a platter with extra "hay" between cookies to display, or wrap them individually for Easter gifts.
Notes: When finished, these cookies look like they took hours of work and great skill to make. In reality, they're really simple. You can make them with your children, grandchildren, class, or group. They are also great for bake sales. We used them at our grandson's birthday party, which had a farm theme, and they were a huge success.
Number of Servings: 12 cookies
Peeps on the Pond
Ingredients
1 6 oz pkg blue raspberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups chilled ginger ale
1 cup seedless green grapes
1/2 cup maraschino cherries
1 pkg Peeps marshmallow chicks
Method
Put gelatin in a medium bowl and stir in boiling water. Continuing stirring until gelatin dissolves. Pour in chilled ginger ale. Place bowl in refrigerator and chill until gelatin is slightly set but still syrupy in the middle. Stir in green grapes and maraschino cherries. Pour gelatin into an ungreased glass 8 x 8 square pan. Arrange Peeps on top of gelatin. Return to refrigerator and chill until firm, at least three hours.
Notes: Children will smile with glee when they see this special treat.
Number of Servings: 8
Galleries
Erie Art Museum - 411
State St., Erie
The Notebooks Of Frank Novel - January 23,2009 - April
18, 2009
Glass Growers Gallery - 10 East 5th St., Erie
Betty Rositer:Felted
Wool Handbag Imbedded with Images Inspired by Greg
Zbach's Photographs
March 21 to April 29, 2008
Museums
Erie Planetarium - 356
West 6th St., Erie
The Explorers of Mauna Kea - Saturdays - 1:30 p.m.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)
12:00 2:10 4:20 7:05 9:30
Bedtime Stories (PG)
12:20 2:40 5:00 7:20 10:00
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (PG-13)
12:25 7:00
VIRTUAL NEW YORK
by C.R. Joy
Hipster Wordsmith
everybody knew him
knew of him, the legend
born in Brooklyn
to Irish-Canadians
began to entertain them
moved to Manhattan
and a bigger stage
his clever, accessible
melancholy, funny
and direct verse
became very popular
especially with people
who didn’t like poetry,
they gave him the key
to the city
now he was here
Hipster Wordsmith
in their doorway, waving
a five-dollar bill, asking
Who does a guy have to pay
to read a poem?
Sitting Alone At The Midnight Bar At 2:00 a.m.
by Rob
Taylor
You were
there every night
Sitting
alone
Nursing a
watered down Jack Daniels
Cigarettes burned out on the table
Another
lit but dying in your lips
You spent
time hiding in the darkness
Shielded
by the light
Your eyes
glowed with an icy hue
Red claws
dug into the table
Gouging
deep into the wood
Your teeth
dug deep into your tender lips
Maybe you
never knew
Everyone
talked about you
Never a
loud word
Just
whispers kept away from you
Maybe by
fear
A fear
that you would attack
Tearing
the person’s heart out
Holding
it in your hands as it beat its last
You
wonder why no one spoke to you
Not even
a passing hello
What
would you have said?
Would you
have let the darkness open
Even the
slightest crack
Or would
you have pulled it tight
Wrapping
your body in its safety
Would it
be worth the risk?
No one
will ever know
For the
rest of your life
You will
be there every night
Sitting
alone
Nursing a
watered down Jack Daniels
Cigarettes burned out on the table
Another
lit but dying in your lips
Spending
time hiding in the darkness
Shielded
by the light
All alone
The angel
of nightmares
The
demons of dreams
AREA EVENTS
Warner Theatre
April 15, 2009 - 7:30
p.m. - Erie Broadway Series presents Ain't Misbehavin'
Bayfront Convention Center
April 10, 2009 - Spring
Bling Comedy Show - 9:00 p.m.
ERIE SPORTS
April 8 - 11, 2009 - Erie Seawolves vs Altoona Curve
April 11, 2009 - Erie
Bayhawks Dance Camp - Erie Civic Center - 9:30 a.m.
April 11, 2009 - Erie
Bayhawks vs Fort Wayne
April 13-15,2009 - Erie
Seawolves ve Bowie Baysox.
as trying to screw him over. Anyway, God
steps in and saves Daniel’s butt. That’s the short-short-short version.
Local playwright Rhonda Berlin took that biblical tale and made into
something that, at the beginning was totally unexpected.
gue
and the Eastern League is one of the
most competitive minor league organizations in the country. Actually,
anyone who has ever been to a Seawolves game knows that it is one of the
best values in the area, especially for the level of excitement the team
offers.
