| Disney favorite stops at Kelsey
"Disney's Beauty and the Beast," yet another stage musical based on an already popular movie, garnered several Tony Award nominations in 1994, but lost out across the board to the more sophisticated Stephen Sondheim drama "Passion." Yet all across America, tours of the Broadway production were eagerly attended, and community theaters hankered for the day when they could stage the extravagant fairy tale. Now, Playful Theatre Productions brings the fractured fairy tale to the Kelsey Theater stage with a vibrant cast that keeps the nearly three-hour show consistently exciting. With a book by Linda Woolverton, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman ("The Little Mermaid" and "Little Shop of Horrors" team) plus Andrew Lloyd Webber's former partner, Tim Rice, "Beauty and the Beast" offers something for everyone.
At The Movies
Beowulf Robert Zemeckis ("The Polar Express") presents another motion-capture animated film, this time the epic adventure about the legendary warrior and his battle with the monster Grendel. The movie captures the likenesses of actors Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins and Robin Wright Penn. (PG-13) Darfur Now Ted Braun's documentary profiles how six people have responded to genocide in Darfur and brought relief to the millions suffering in the country. Among those lending a hand: a UCLA student who passed a state bill to stop money from going to Sudan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the World Food Program's Pablo Recalde and actor Don Cheadle. Please see feature on Page 28. Love in the Time of Cholera 1/2 Based on the Gabriel García Márquez novel, a man's passion waits and endures over 50 years for his one true love in the complex and sensual city of Cartagena, Colombia.
Islanders hot on ice and full of surprise
A year ago at this time, after their 0-3 start was compounded by an injury to goaltender Rick DiPietro, it felt as though the Islanders were fighting an uphill battle to get into playoff contention. After an offseason makeover that eliminated virtually half their playoff roster of last season, many forecasts placed the Islanders near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but once again, they look like the NHL's surprise team under coach Ted Nolan after a 9-4 start and four straight wins.
They took advantage of a favorable early schedule that had them at home for nine of their first 13 games, but it hasn't been a cakewalk. Long breaks between games made it difficult to maintain game shape, but the Islanders have been at their best when it counted, as reflected by their 8-0 record against playoff teams and their 5-1 mark against Atlantic Division opposition.
Small businesses find congenial home in northside San Angelo bazaar
Melvin Robinson is proud of what he is doing to bring new business into the north San Angelo area, a part of town with a reputation for static development. "We're one of the first to break the non-growth," he said proudly of Elegant Nails & Hair, a business venture located within the San Angelo Bazaar. The San Angelo Bazaar, 2020 N. Bryant Blvd., is a shopping center that has grown into the former Kmart building on San Angelo's north side. The bazaar, a center that leases business space, opened in July. Robinson and his wife, Pat Boonwichit, started their business this summer in conjunction with the opening of the bazaar. Arnulfo and Diana Gonzalez had passed by the bazaar numerous times, but it wasn't until October that they walked in to take a look at the offerings.
Disney gets back to classics with dazzling 'Enchanted'
"Enchanted" is the best Disney fantasy-musical since "Mary Poppins," a hilarious, dazzling sendup of the thing that made Disney what it is today — fairy-tale princesses. It features a delightful, wide-eyed comic performance by Amy Adams of "Junebug" and another singing-dancing, scene-stealing turn by James Marsden ("Hairspray"). This blend of animation in the classic Disney (hand-drawn) style and modern romance has wit and charm to burn. We begin as we always do, "once upon a time," in an animated fairy-tale land called Andalasia. That's where Giselle, equal parts Snow White, Cinderella, Belle and Ariel, sings her heart out waiting for her "True Love's Kiss." Her singing is so sweet that the critters of the forest come at her call, helping around the house. And so does the handsome Prince Edward.
British beauty industry ignoring Asian women consumers
The strength of the 'brown pound' - the term referring to the purchasing power of British Asians - is growing exponentially. But the multi-billion pound British beauty industry largely ignores this important segment of consumers. Shop owners in areas with large minority of Indian origin such as Southall, Ealing, Harrow and Wembley in London, Leicester, Birmingham and Bradford continue to stock favour beauty products that are imported from the Indian sub-continent. Few prefer to buy mainstream British beauty products. Products imported from India are endorsed by film stars such as Aishwarya Rai and others and are popular among women with roots in the Indian subcontinent. Recently, a men's beauty product produced in India and endorsed by actor Shah Rukh Khan proved popular in Southall.
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