Buddy Guy Honored by Kennedy Center for Life’s Work, Broadcast Wednesday

The legendary bluesman and Southland resident was recently recognized for his immense, and continued, influence and contribution to American music throughout his lifetime. Catch the broadcast Wednesday at 8 p.m. on CBS.

  Update The 2012 Kennedy Center Honors, which include acknowledgement of bluesman Buddy Guy, will be broadcast 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26 on CBS. Original Post Buddy Guy didn’t have running water or electricity while growing up in rural Louisiana. The 76-year-old first played a guitar around age 14. He used to try making guitar strings out of screen wire, but the flimsy strands would break when he pressed his fingers on them. “But I had to figure it out for myself, man,” Guy said, in an Aol interview, about his desire to play blues. “The first thing I ever figured out was John Lee Hooker’s ‘Boogie Chillen.’ Wore the needle out on it. Took a straw and put in my teeth and put it down on the record. It would skip but I could still hear that …

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‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘The Nutcracker’ Light Up Holiday Stage at Governors State

The GSU Center for Performing Arts bring two classic Christmas stories to the South Suburbs.

'The Ellen Show' Coming to Southland? Mysterious Message Has Fans A Twitter

A tweet from the show's official account tells viewers to stop by Best Buy in Orland Park at 9 p.m. Thanksgiving. But why is still a mystery?

The message appeared on Twitter at around 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, sent from @TheEllenShow, the official account for Ellen DeGeneres' talk show: If you're around Tinley Park, Orland Park or Oak Lawn in IL, you wanna follow my tweets for a really cool#BlackFriday event! Fifteen minutes later, the post had been retweeted by hundreds of fans of DeGeneres and her show (as well as people just interested in local celebrity sightings). Some simply repeated the message, others expressed their excitement that The Ellen Show had mentioned their hometown. A few people, however, asked the big question: What does it mean? Is The Ellen Show really coming to Tinley Park, Orland Park or Oak Lawn? If so, where will it be broadcasting from? Will Ellen …

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BAC Releases October Film Offerings

Find the schedule of movie screenings at the Beverly Arts Center.

“Fred Won’t Move Out” (2012) RT: 74 min. Wed., Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. $7.50 ($5/50/BAC members). Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St. (111th Street south on Western), Chicago.  Elliott Gould stars as one in a pair of aging parents whose children struggle to decide whether mom and dad should stay in the house where they have lived for 50 years. Filmed with both humor and heartbreak. Best of the Fest, Edinburgh International Film Festival. “Take This Waltz” (2012) R. RT: 1:56. Wed., Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. $7.50 ($5/50/BAC members). Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St. (111th Street south on Western), Chicago. This Canadian romance centers around Margot (Michelle Williams) as she struggles with her marriage after meeting Daniel (Seth Rogen), a …

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Banned Books Week: What You Need to Know

Censorship is alive and well, as highlighted by Banned Books Week—and you might be surprised by who the most vocal challengers of books are.

The importance of the First Amendment and the concept of "intellectual freedom" might not always be readily apparent to most kids, but Banned Books Week is a great opportunity to make those lessons come alive for children—and adults. Banned Books Week is held annually during the last week of Sept. (Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2012). The week is an occasion for libraries and bookstores across the U.S. to help folks realize just how real and ongoing a problem censorship is. Visit the Oak Lawn Library's Banned Books display near the elevator on the first floor throughout the week. The display focuses on remaining vigilant to ensure that access to this material is preserved, "even if well intentioned, censors try to limit the freedom of others to choose …

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Lorraine Swanson

8:01 pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012

My favorite banned book is "The Catcher in the Rye."   more ›

Children's Museum's New Exhibit Focuses on Days After Sept. 11, 2001

Children's Museum in Oak Lawn will unveil new "We the People" exhibit including shards from the fallen World Trade Center to the public on Thursday, Aug 30.

When Adam Woodworth was told that the Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn would be the recipient of two pieces of the World Trade Center beams from the 9/11 monument at the Metra station, he reassured the village and Oak Lawn Rotary that “we’d put something together.” “I walked away wondering what in the world are we were going to do,’” Woodworth said, the museum’s executive director. “Then it hit me. It would be about what happened after 9/11.” The Children Museum’s much anticipated “We the People” exhibit opens to the public at 9:30 a.m. this Thursday. Rather than focus on the horrific events of that day, the exhibit emphasizes what happened in the immediate days and weeks following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. “The concept of …

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Win Tickets to Carnival of Madness at Toyota Park

Sign up for a Patch newsletter and enter for a chance to win five tickets to this weekend's concert at Toyota Park. Share this with your friends!

What's a better way to wind down the summer than by rocking out at a concert?  Enter your information in the form above to sign up for a Patch newsletter and you'll be entered to win tickets to this weekend's Carnival of Madness concert at the beautiful Toyota Park.  Patch has 12 sets of five (5) tickets each, so there are plenty of opportunities to win! Share this link with your friends so they enter, too. The show is this weekend, so enter quickly! The cutoff is 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24.  Keep an eye on your email inbox to see if you won. EDITOR'S NOTE: If you try submitting multiple entries for the same people, you'll still only be entered once. That's the rules. Speaking of rules, make sure to take a look at Patch's giveaway contest …

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Tickets Still Available for 'Will Rogers Follies'

It's opening night for the Oak Lawn Park District Community Theatre's production of 'Will Rogers Follies.'

Local Cast Brings Talent and Enthusiasm to 'Will Rogers Follies'

Tickets are still available for the celebrated Oak Lawn Park District Theatre's summer production of the hit Broadway show based on life of American humorist Will Rogers.

If you’re looking for a Broadway show rivaling downtown Chicago but without the downtown price, than look no further than the Oak Lawn Park District Theatre. Sign up for the Oak Lawn Patch newsletter and breaking news alerts. Now in its 24th year and thousands of hours of making magic on the world’s tiniest stage, the park district players are hitting the boards with The Will Rogers Follies. The 1991 musical highlights the life of the American humorist, cowboy, actor, author, syndicated news columnist, vaudevillian, Broadway star, rope twirler and probably the biggest celebrity of the 1920s and 1930s. Featuring a deep-bench cast of local talent, Will Rogers Follies recounts the life of the humorist who became famous for telling the truth, …

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