The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

It's no secret that parking in Los Angeles can be a nightmare, and Orlando Bloom learned that lesson first-hand last night thanks to Mark Wahlberg.

Bloom, who turns 33 years old today, had driven his Ducati motorcycle to Madeo restaurant in Beverly Hills when he was blocked in by Wahlberg's oil-leaking Porsche.

And when Mark came out of the restaurant to see his sports car bleeding oil, he immediately called for a tow truck, further delaying Orly's departure.

But it was all good between the two Hollywood hunks, as Orlando waited patiently before Mark hopped into a taxi cab and drove off.

AMES, IOWA -- Press Release from ISU Theatre

ISU Theatre stages a modern retelling of the ancient Greek Orpheus legend when it begins its 2010-11 season with the Tennessee Williams' drama Orpheus Descending beginning Oct. 1 at Iowa State University's Fisher Theatre.

In the Greek myth, Orpheus could charm anyone with the power of his music. Tennessee Williams creates an Orpheus in Val Xavier, a wild-spirited young man with a guitar. Val wanders into a small, Southern town in the late 1940s where he discovers Lady Torrence, who longs to escape her dreary life.

Director Brad Dell, assistant professor of music and theatre, said Williams features the same beauty and poetry in his language in Orpheus Descending as he did in some of his best-known plays, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire.

"What makes Orpheus Descending different is that his other plays were about families, whereas this one is about an entire town," Dell explained. "There are still themes of isolation, loneliness and rejection that are found in other Tennessee Williams works, but it's taking place in a whole town."

Dell also likes Orpheus Descending for its roles for women. "We have 10 female roles, and we see this town from the perspective of women," he said.

Orpheus Descending stars Iowa State students Heather Smith as Lady Torrence and Scott Kettner as Val Xavier. Also with lead roles are Kelsey Kovacevich as Carol Cutrere, Tamara White as Vee Talbott and Margaux Mireault as Dolly Hamma. Clark Ford, associate professor of food science and human nutrition, plays Lady Torrence's husband, Jabe.

Performances of Orpheus Descending are Oct. 1, 2, 8, and 9 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 3 at 1 p.m. and Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. in Fisher Theater. Single tickets: Adults $15, Seniors $13, Students $8. Tickets are available through TicketMaster, the Iowa State Center Ticket Office in Ames or at the door before the performance. The production contains offensive language.

HOME TOWN INFORMATION

Heather Smith (Lady Torrence) is a junior in performing arts from Ankeny
Margaux Mireault (Dolly Hamma) is a senior in performing arts from Clive
Madison Welterlen (Beaulah Binnings) is a junior in performing arts from Boone
Kelsey Kovacevich (Carol Cutrere) is a sophomore in performing arts from Edgewood, Washington
Tamara White (Vee Talbott) is a senior in performing arts from Storm Lake
Connor O’Brien-Stoffa (Eva Temple)      is a freshman in performing arts from Ottumwa
Samantha Rieff (Sister Temple) is a junior in performing arts from Plano, Texas
Kelsie Hardison (Woman) is a sophomore in pre-liberal studies from Onawa
Kathleen Hoil (Nurse Porter) is a sophomore in performing arts from Davenport
Scott Kettner (Val Xavier) is a junior in performing arts from Hubertus, Wisconsin
Sarvesh Anavkar (Uncle Pleasant) is a senior in industrial engineering from Marion
Charlie Ziemann (Pee Wee Binnings) is a senior in performing arts from Iowa Falls
Dan Fynaardt (Dog Hamma) is a senior in performing arts from Pella
Matt Meldrem (David Cutrere) is a junior in performing arts from Grinnell
Mark Klooster (Sheriff Talbott) is a sophomore in performing arts from Mason City
Clark Ford (Jabe Torrence) is an associate professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Ames
Taylor Clemens (Mr. Dabinsky/First Man) is a sophomore in performing arts from Elkader
Nick Neal (Second Man) is a freshman in performing arts from Urbandale

Publicity photos available upon request.

For more information, visit the ISU Theatre website: www.theatre.iastate.edu.

(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

FAIRFIELD, (Iowa) – Few deaths affect us the way a musicians does.  We feel like the world has been cheated of potential greatness.  On May 16th at 7:30 p.m., the Saturday Night at the Sondheim Series will present "The Good Die Young," a tribute concert to those who left us a legacy of legendary music only to have died before their time.

This concert will serve as homage to those who have been taken before they gave us everything they had to offer.  The show will feature artists and their music that reach back decades and centuries while crossing into an eclectic collection of genres and styles of music.

Talent will feature over 30 of the best musicians from the Southeast, Iowa area.  They will be performing the music of the likes of Billy Holiday, Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman, John Lennon, Curt Cobain and many more.

Our tributees called upon us to reflect on our condition and place within the world around peace, acceptance, freedom and change, but what they all stood for was the music.

And this talented collection of musicians will stand for them in tribute to the music they left behind.

The most beloved works of the good who died young will be performed by Steve McClain and the Jefferson County Green Band, Ingrid Hernandez who has performed with top jazz musicians around the world, Joey Del Re, direct from the Seattle music scene, Robert Reeder and James Moore, co-founders of the band Sage, Rob Steinberg, a renowned concert pianist,  Jon Estrin of Big Bambu, Jeffrey Headquist and guitarist Tom Morgan.

Featured as well will be an amazing group of up and coming young talent including Owen Blake, Wes Brown, Jonnie Cohen, Jonathan Clifford, Penelope McKeig, Gabriel Renfrow, Micah Salaberrios, Theo Shier and Max Sloat. 

Andy Bargerstock of KRUU-FM and Patrick Kessel will be co-hosting the event and as part of the tribute, will provide a pictoral backdrop of the honored artists’ lives and their music. 

This concert will be Saturday May 16th at 7:30 p.m. in the Sondheim Theater at the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center.  Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $8 for students.   online pre-performance night at FairfieldACC.com during business hours at the Sondheim Center Box Office opening at 6:30 p.m. the night of the performance.

This show is part of an on-going monthly fundraising series called "Saturday Night at the Sondheim," which will feature a wide variety of music and entertainment in the coming months.  This series is a wonderful way for the community to support their facility as all proceeds go directly to support the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center.