Theatre 145 has been designed, not just as a theater for plays but also a place for art shows, concerts, movies, lectures, private events as well as theatrical plays which are not considered mainstream. According to the mission statement of Theatre 145 and The Great Lakes Film Association Theatre 145 has been designed to be a theatrical, cultural and entertainment center of the city of Erie.

The thing is, running a venue such as Theatre 145 takes money to help pay the mortgage, utility bills, insurance as well as other expenses and that is why we are asking for your help.

For more information about either program check out www.thetheatre145.com or call 814-873-5069.

GMD Films Auditioning For Hispanic Actors

GMD Films is seeking a SPANISH SPEAKING actor and actress
for Spanish Language over dubs.

This candidate must speak fluent Spanish and be able to read a Spanish Script.

This project will be a voice recording only, with screen credit.

The recordings will be done in Erie, PA. and pay is $100 per session, which is expected to last 2 - 3 hours each session, with probably 2 - 3 sessions needed for the project.

If you are this person, or you know this person, please contact GMD Films at gmdfilms@verizon.net

Erie Bookstore's Poetry Scene Offers A Place For Free Expression

By Rob Taylor

There are some things that you do just for the love of doing them and poetry is one of them. A poet doesn’t do it for fame or money. There is no such thing as a rich poet! They do it just for the love of words. A local poet wrote a piece called “The Poet” which accurately describes why they do what they do.

The Poet

We have been around for thousands of years

Reading our words for kings and queens

And a few people who gathered just to hear us talk.

We lived on the copper coins they could afford

And traveled through the lands writing

What we saw, our dreams and thoughts.

Our words were put to music and made immortal

Others were acted on the stage making

People laugh and cry.

Some words changed the way people thought

And ended hatred between people who

Should not feel hate.

People died because they did not realize

What our words could do

Many times a love bogged in fear was loosed

Because of a few words we wrote.

God only knows how many children our words

Have brought smiles to and how many starting

Thinking because of what we wrote.

Why do we do it?

Not to end wars or hatred

Not for the lovers who found each other because of us

Not even for the copper coins people throw

We do it because we love words

We do it to share our feelings

We do it so that someday maybe someone will read

our thoughts, dreams and words

And we will be remembered long after we are gone.

There is a place where poets gather to share their work and show their appreciation of those who share their passion for words and that is The Poetry Scene which takes place every Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Erie Bookstore, 137 East 13^th St in Erie.

The stereotype of a poetry reading is that of a guitar player playing some kind of jazz, everyone wearing berets and snapping their fingers when they like something. Not only is that Hollywood it is just silly. Poetry Scene is nothing like that at all. It is a wide variety of people who get together once a week to share their feelings, thoughts and words.

This group, of about a dozen people, gets together and everyone takes turns getting up and reading their favorite poems. Now, if you don’t have a poem you can tell jokes, tell a story…pretty much anything. The nice thing is there is no negative criticism unless you ask for it. Everyone, no matter how bad the work is, is greeted by a round of applause.

In addition to the members of Poetry Scene reading their poetry sometimes group leaders will bring in published, nationally known poets for a reading before the group.

It honestly does not take long before you accepted by the people in the group. It usually takes just a few minutes for the first person to start talking to you and then, after you have been there a few times, you are treated like a member of a family which the group seems to be.

For more information about Poetry Scene please call The Erie Bookstore at (814) 480-5671

Tips On SAFELY Deep Frying A Turkey

By Rob Taylor

Thanksgiving is just three short weeks away and an increasing number of people are deep frying their turkeys. The thing is just as the number of deep fried turkeys increase so does the number of people who burn down their homes or themselves trying to get the perfect Thanksgiving dinner where the song "Burning Down The House" doesn't apply.

Here are some safety tips to make sure that your turkey is the only thing that gets cooked.

1) NEVER EVER deep fry a turkey in the house or garage. The oil gets to over 350 degrees and it tends to splatter. When it splatters it is going to hit the heating elements and a fire will definitely start as shown in the pictures below..

1) Lowering the turkey into the oil. 2) Oil splatters and ignites. 3) Cooker and everything around it becomes involved and the house burns down

2) Make sure that your cooker is on a completely flat service. No, this does not mean your nice redwood patio. I know it is flat and really sturdy but it is also the stuff camp fires and matches are made out of so get a clue!

3) Pre-measure your oil. Do a “dry” run using your turkey and water to see exactly how much oil you will need. Alton Brown of Food TV suggested leaving a 6-inch gap between the top of the cooker and the oil.

4) Make sure the bird is dry and thawed. I mean completely dry! You remember in 6^th grade science when you put water in a container of hot oil or if you cook and you put a drop of water in oil to see if it is hot enough. Imagine that a couple thousand bigger and that’s what you’d have. Never stuff the bird before deep frying it. The stuffing will hold its moisture a LOT longer than the bird will and will cause the infamous splatter.

5) Build a “pulley system” to lower the turkey into the oil. This can be as simple as a rope over a branch but do NOT lower it into the cooker by hand just in case the oil ignites.

6) Set up a ten foot safety zone around the cooker and do not let anyone, other than you, step even one inch inside of it.

7) Never leave the area. Do not go to get a drink. Do not answer the phone. DO NOT LEAVE!!!!!!! Now, you know that the one minute you leave to get that Labatt’s someone is going to go near the cooker and tip it over. If you want something to eat or drink, get the wife, girlfriend or whoever to get it for you. Seriously, are you going to want a deep fried turkey for dinner or a deep fried mother-in-law.

8) Keep a fire extinguisher right next to you at all times. NEVER use water. It will just make the fire spread.

9) KEEP THE SAFETY ZONE even after the bird is cooked. The oil will be extremely hot for a very, very long time and it will still cook people, pets and anything else that touches it. So, if you want to miss the football game because Jimmy is in the emergency room…ignore this rule. If not, be vigilant. Keep the safety zone.

Don't just take our word about the dangers of deep frying turkeys Consumer Reports has issued a caution on turkey fryers stating that Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has refused to certify any turkey fryer as safe! UL said all of six cookers examined could overheat oil to the point of combustion and goes on to use words like "scalding," "flames." "engulfed" and "fire." Don't say we didn't warn you to do this outside. For more info, check out Consumer Reports.

Recipe Of The Week

We'd Like To Showcase Your Talent

By Rob Taylor

There are a LOT of very talented and very creative people in Erie, actors, poets, artists, photographers, and writers. Spotlight Online Magazine would like to offer you the chance to show off some of your work so if you have a poem, short story (under 1,000 words), artwork, photograph that you are proud of let us know because we would love to share it with all of our subscribers!

If you have a piece of work that you’d like to share with our readers send it to me and we’ll put in an issue of Spotlight. My email address is trobi1021@gmail.com just list the subject as “spotlight”. One thing, with artwork/photos try to keep it to low to med resolution…other wise my boss will freak out and the magazine will be really slow getting sent out.

FAMILY FUN FRIDAYS 

At Erie Art Museum
• Every Friday from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. •
Join us every Friday for a special program for 3–6 year olds and their families.

Museum staff lead adults and kids through exploring one of the exhibits using story, song and art making.

Cost is $5 per child, free to those with family memberships.
Please call 459-5477 to reserve a space in advance.