'The Color Purple' premieres at Corn Stock Theatre

Beautiful, inspirational music has evolved from the African American experience through the years, so it was only fitting that the sensational book that became an award-winning film then be made into a musical, said Sharon Reed.

That is why she was quick to say yes when asked if she would direct “The Color Purple,” which makes its regional premiere at Corn Stock Theatre, opening Friday at 7:30 p.m. It is the final show of Corn Stock’s 2015 summer season.

Reed and Molly Burroughs, who have collaborated on several musicals in the Peoria area, are co-directing the show under Corn Stock’s tent in Upper Bradley Park. Corn Stock turned to them when it got the opportunity to stage the musical and the women didn’t hesitate to do it. “It really is a beautiful piece,” Reed said before a recently dress rehearsal.

They then drove to Milwaukee to see a production of the musical in order to see how the music intertwined with the dialogue that came from the novel by Alice Walker. “It is such a serious drama, I wasn’t sure how the music would fit in. It surprised me a little that they made it into a musical,” said Burroughs.

Reed wasn’t surprised given the other musicals available that came from the life experiences of people, particularly African Americans who knew such suffering. “I teach the kind of music that has come from those life experiences so I know that out of that suffering comes music that brings hope and joy. That’s what this musical does, so it doesn’t surprise me,” she said.

“The music is poignant, awesome, thought provoking,” she added.

“The Color Purple,” which will be revived on Broadway in late fall starring Jennifer Hudson, follows the life of Celie for 40 years, from the time she was 14 in 1909. It is often dark as she and others endure abuse, often at the hands of family, as they struggle to survive.

Songs from the show include “Somebody Gonna Love You,” “Our Prayer,” “That fine Mister,” “Brown Betty,” “What About Love,” and “The Color Purple.” The music was written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.  

The cast of 45, out of 82 who auditioned, is all African American, but Burroughs said it wasn’t advertised that way. “That is just the way it turned out. There was an awful lot of talent that we couldn’t use in the show, which was too bad,” she said.

The cast includes former students of both directors, both of whom are retired teachers from District 150. “It is fun to see them now as adults,” said Burroughs.

Reed, who directs the Heritage Ensemble in Peoria, said some cast members are from there. “There are a lot of talented voices,” she said. “The entire cast is doing a fabulous job. And the community that has evolved out of the cast is beautiful. But that comes from the music that has grown out of the African American experience; it brings people together.”

Added Burroughs, “They call themselves ‘The Color Purple Family.’ And it really is like family, as close as we’ve all become.”

The biggest challenge for the directors has been blocking the show for the tent. Neither has directed there before. “It has been interesting. We’ve had to tweak a lot. We’re still making changes,” Burroughs said.

“We’ve done it in layers and the cast has responded well,” added Reed.

The cast includes community theatre veterans and newcomers.

Veterans include Gabriel Lott-Rogers, who starred in “The Wiz” at Corn Stock Theatre two years ago, portrays Celie, Ayana Pankey is Shug, Sammie Hardimon portrays Mister, and Eric Gore is Ol’ Mister and a Church Lady’s Husband.

Other key roles are played by Renee Andrews (Nettie), Jamika Russell (Sofia), York Powers (Harpo), Tommy Arbuckle (Pa) and Tagwana D. Webster (Squeak).

Reed directs the 13-piece orchestra that includes two drummers, including African drums. “The cast is responding beautifully to the orchestra. The excitement that live musicians bring to a show is like nothing else,” she said.

Taunya Jenkins is the choreographer.

The set is not elaborate in design or build, and that’s the way the directors wanted it, said Burroughs. “We want the people to tell the story of ‘The Color Purple,’ so I wanted to do a deconstructed set that can be moved around to depict different places,” she said.

“The Color Purple” runs nine consecutive nights, through Aug. 29, each show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and can be purchased at the Corn Stock box office, 676-2196, or online at www.cornstocktheatre.com.

Wildlife Prairie Park: Get your adventure on for free!

I’ve never liked zoos much. “Loath” is a better word. The animals remain essentially caged in dressed-up, artificial settings. They quite often are bored and listless. They don’t hunt; they are fed. They don’t have miles to roam; they have yards. Try as they might to create “natural habitats” zoos ultimately fall short.

That’s why Peorians should be proud of what Wildlife Prairie Park has created and maintained the past 37 years—over 2,000 acres of pristine land that is the true natural habitat to more than 130 indigenous animals and birds. And this weekend—Sunday, August 16, to be exact—you can see them all for free as part of Free Admission Day at Wildlife Prairie Park. That includes fishing, canoeing, hiking, biking and, of course, learning about all the animals.

Sure, you won’t see lions, gorillas and giraffes. But you will see buffalos and bears, elks and otters, and cougars and wolves, just to name a few. And you won’t see them behind thick glass walls or iron bars, either. You will see them living naturally in the wild—just as they should be. In fact you will be more caged up then they are when you visit the park.

The Free Admission Day also kicks off an effort to increase membership in order to expand and improve the park. The goal is to add 450 new members before the end of October. Annual individual memberships are $55 and annual family memberships are $85. Those interested in becoming members will be able to sign up at the event and enter to win prizes. Membership has additional perks, including unlimited park access, monthly communications and discounts.

Sure, there aren’t any lions or gorillas or giraffes when you visit Wildlife Prairie Park—which is exactly the point. Lions and gorillas and giraffes, while entertaining for the kids, don’t belong in central Illinois (or anyplace in the United States for that matter). Why? Because this is not their natural habitat. And taking them from their natural habitat merely for our entertainment and “education” is, in short, cruel. That’s part of what makes Wildlife Prairie Park so special. It truly is a natural habitat—a sanctuary, if you will—for the animals that call it home.

We are very lucky to have Wildlife Prairie Park in Greater Peoria. And hopefully, everyone will step up and make sure we can still say that previous sentence for decades to come.

Home prices on the rise across the country

A promising climb in home sales throughout the country amidst insufficient supply caused home prices to steadily rise in most metro areas during the second quarter, according to thelatest quarterly reportby the National Association of Realtors^®.

The median existing single-family home price increased in 93 percent of measured markets, with 163 out of 176 metropolitan statistical areas(MSAs) showing gains based on closings in the second quarter compared with the second quarter of 2014. Thirteen areas (7 percent) recorded lower median prices from a year earlier.

The number of rising markets in the second quarter increased compared to the first quarter, when price gains were recorded in 85 percent of metro areas. Thirty-four metro areas in the second quarter (19 percent) experienced double-digit increases, a decline from the 51 metro areas in the first quarter. Nineteen metro areas (11 percent) experienced double-digit increases in the second quarter of 2014.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says the housing market has shifted into a higher gear in recent months. "Steady rent increases, the slow rise in mortgage rates and stronger local job markets fueled demand throughout most of the country this spring," he said. "While this led to a boost in sales paces not seen since before the downturn, overall supply failed to keep up and pushed prices higher in a majority of metro areas."

Adds Yun, "With home prices and rents continuing to rise and wages showing only modest growth, declining affordability remains a hurdle for renters considering homeownership – especially in higher-priced markets."

The national median existing single-family home price in the second quarter was$229,400, up 8.2 percent from the second quarter of 2014($212,000). The median price during the first quarter of this year increased 7.1 percent from a year earlier.

The five most expensive housing markets in the second quarter were theSan Jose, California metro area, where the median existing single-family price was$980,000;San Francisco,$841,600;Anaheim-Santa Ana, California, $685,700;Honolulu,$698,600; andSan Diego,$547,800.

The five lowest-cost metro areas in the second quarter wereCumberland, Maryland, where the median single-family home price was$82,400;Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio,$85,000;Rockford, Illinois,$94,700;Decatur, Illinois, $96,000; andElmira, New York,$98,300.

Total existing-home sales³, including single family and condo, increased 6.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.30 million in the second quarter from 4.97 million in the first quarter, and are 8.5 percent higher than the 4.89 million pace during the second quarter of 2014.

"The ongoing rise in home values in recent years has greatly benefited homeowners by increasing their household wealth," says Yun. "In the meantime, inequality is growing in America because the downward trend in the homeownership rate means these equity gains are going to fewer households."

At the end of the second quarter, there were 2.30 million existing homes available for sale, slightly above the 2.29 million homes for sale at the end of the second quarter in 2014. The average supply during the second quarter was 5.1 months – down from 5.5 months a year ago.

Metro area condominium and cooperative prices – covering changes in 61 metro areas – showed the national median existing-condo price was$217,400in the second quarter, up 3.1 percent from the second quarter of 2014($210,800). Fifty metro areas (82 percent) showed gains in their median condo price from a year ago; 11 areas had declines.

Rising home prices weighed on affordability in the second quarter compared to the second quarter of last year despite an uptick in the national family median income($66,637). To purchase a single-family home at the national median price, a buyer making a 5 percent down payment would need an income of$49,195, a 10 percent down payment would require an income of$46,605, and$41,427would be needed for a 20 percent down payment.

NAR PresidentChris Polychron, executive broker with 1^stChoice Realty inHot Springs, Arkansas, says Realtors^®are reporting strong competition and limited days on market for available homes – especially at the entry-level price range. "Buyers should work with their Realtor^®to deploy a negotiation strategy that helps their offer stand out," he said. "If a bidding war occurs, it's important for the buyer to stay patient and only counteroffer up to what he or she can comfortably afford. It's better to walk away and wait for the right home instead of being in a situation where one has purchased a home above their means." 

Regional Breakdown
Total existing-home sales in the Northeast increased 10.3 percent in the second quarter and are 8.6 percent above the second quarter of 2014. The median existing single-family home price in the Northeast was$269,300in the second quarter, up 5.2 percent from a year ago.

In the Midwest, existing-home sales jumped 13.4 percent in the second quarter and are 12.7 percent higher than a year ago. The median existing single-family home price in the Midwest increased 8.7 percent to $182,000in the second quarter from the same quarter a year ago.

Existing-home sales in the South fell rose 1.1 percent in the second quarter and are 6.3 percent above the second quarter of 2014. The median existing single-family home price in the South was$202,900in the second quarter, 8.7 percent above a year earlier.

In the West, existing-home sales climbed 8.1 percent in the second quarter and are 8.1 percent above a year ago. The median existing single-family home price in the West increased 9.6 percent to$325,200in the second quarter from the second quarter of 2014.

Peoria movie 'College Debts' premieres Friday

Aaron Warr was sitting in the prison in Joliet several years ago when he decided to turn an idea for a film based on his life into a screenplay. So, armed with an ink pen and a yellow legal pad, he wrote the script without knowing whether it would really be made into a movie.

A year or so later, in 2009, Warr came home to his native Peoria and filmed, over a period of 21 consecutive days, the movie from that screenplay, titled “My Guaranteed Student Loan.”

Fast forward several more years and on Friday, that same film that is now titled “College Debts” will have its world premiere in two different Peoria theatres, with the red carpet treatment at the Carmike Cinemas at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie.

“Oh, yeah, of course I’m excited. And I’m proud; not just of myself but of everybody who poured so much into this. It has been an experience and I’m glad I did it,” Warr said while trying to relax for a few minutes at a friend’s Peoria home this week.

To set the record straight, the reason Warr was at the prison in Joliet when he started writing the film is because he was an extra in the former television series “Prison Break,” which ran on Fox for several years and filmed many of its episodes at the now-closed lockup.

 Starring Oscar winning actress Celeste Holm and veteran film actress Janet Carroll and blending Hollywood actors with local performers, “College Debts” is loosely based on the lives of Warr and a couple of his friends and is sort of a compilation of some of the things they did while in college, in order to get through college. “A lot of the things we experienced are in the film,” he said.

The credits say the film was written and produced by the Warr Brothers. Considering Warr himself has no siblings, he explained the others are his friends “who are like my brothers from other mothers.”

“This was a collaborative effort. I couldn’t have done it alone,” he added.

In the six years since the movie was shot, almost all of it in Peoria, Warr has been able to show it in film festivals, including Cannes in 2010, in hopes of landing a big film distributor. He had a distributor for “My Guaranteed Student Loan,” but has been shopping it himself the last few years.

Finally, Carmike Cinemas agreed to distribute the film to several of its locations. Warr hopes it will launch a following and that “College Debts” can become a cult hit. “It’s a good back-to-school cult film. It shows some of the outrageous things college students will do just to be able to stay in school, especially after their first source of tuition gets taken away. That’s what happened to me and some of my friends,” he said.

It‘s rated PG-13, mostly for language. There is no nudity, which Warr acknowledges is rare for a film about college. “But it has some very interesting characters who do outrageous things to pay their way through college,” he said. “It’s very twisted but it’s something people of all demographics can relate to.”

Warr said he knew from an early age he wanted to perform. He said it’s in his blood. His great uncle was Stymie Beard of “Little Rascals” fame and his uncle is musician Danny Beard, who performed with the Fifth Dimension.

After graduating from Spalding Institute Warr went to New York City and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. He since has moved around finding work as extras in television series and films or as part of the crew for several projects in the industry. All the while, he was watching and learning.

“I would watch the directors and listen to what they said and I learned so much from them. I also learned a lot about what it takes to produce an independent film. But I have to tell you, until you actually do it you have no idea how tough it is,” he said.

Directors he credits with helping him include Josh Zilm, with whom he worked on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” as a production assistant in 2007. Others were Jace Alexander of “Law and Order” and Matt Beesley of “Braveheart” fame.

Then as he was getting production set up to begin filming, the stock market crashed in 2008, bringing the economy down with it. “Interestingly that was already part of the film. But we didn’t expect it. We knew we just had to have the courage to push forward and do the movie,” he said.

Warr said the city of Peoria and many of its businesses opened their arms – and their doors -- to him during the filming. Corn Stock Theatre and Peoria Players Theatre, where Warr has performed in the past (the last time being in “Jesus Christ Superstar” at Corn Stock in 2003) allowed him to film scenes there, which was important since the main characters in the movie were studying theatre.

While he was reluctant to try and name all the businesses and people who helped him defray production costs for fear of leaving somebody out, Warr said many are seen in different scenes of the movie. “Their generosity really helped get us going,” he said.

Mark Rupp, a friend and executive producer of “College Debts,” was a close friend of Celeste Holm and asked Warr if he would like to have an Academy Award-winning actress in the film. “I couldn’t believe it when she agreed to do it. I mean, instant credibility. And with her came others with Hollywood experience, actors with their SAG (Screen Actors Guild) cards. That’s when it really became a SAG project,” he said. “SAG had to approve everything. And SAG members had to be paid SAG rates.”

Other actors in the film include Derek North, Randy Jones (the Cowboy from Village People), Richard Pryor Jr., Wendy Kaufman, and the grandchildren of Lucille Ball, Katherine and Joe Luckinbill.

Some of the local performers in the film include community theatre veterans Cheri Beever, Helen Englebrecht, Matt Stubbs and Steve Katz.

Warr himself appears in the movie, as well.

The entire Peoria-area filming was done over 21 days in April 2009. Shooting included The Hub in Edelstein and the Haddad’s Market in West Peoria, both of which burned down after the shoot. Haddad’s rebuilt but The Hub did not. “Both of those buildings were captured on film before they burned down, so we have that,” Warr said.

Three cast members have died since filming, as well. Celeste Holm, who won the Oscar for Best Actress for “Gentleman’s Agreement” in 1947 and received two subsequent Oscar nominations, passed away in July 2012. She was 95. Her husband, Frank Basile, is in “College Debts,” as well.

Janet Carroll, whose film, television and stage work credits were extensive and include the mom in “Risky Business,” died in May 2012 from a brain tumor. She was 71.

Quentin Elias, French singer, actor and model, died in February 2014 from heart failure. He was only 39.

“Those deaths were tough to handle. They were all great people and we became great friends,” said Warr, who now has the distinction of being the last director for Celeste Holm.

Work on the film “was always a madhouse, with keeping everything together. There is so much you can control it can be maddening, especially constantly redoing schedules. We just had to keep going and getting over the speed bumps. But I learned and will keep learning.”

Warr, who still has family in the Peoria area and makes his way home several times a year, said he doesn’t have one city he calls home. “I live sometimes in LA, sometimes in Chicago. Wherever I’m working is where I am living,” he said.

He intends to be in Peoria just a while longer on this trip, but said he will be back as he works on his next project, a film called “American Criminals” about the famed Leopold and Loeb kidnapping case. Warr said there hasn’t been much film treatment of the case, which involved Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb kidnapping and murdering the teen-age son of a wealthy Chicago watch manufacturer. Marcel Bridges, grandson of Lloyd Bridges, is confirmed as one of the performers.

Warr plans to shoot the film next spring, mostly in Chicago but with some filming to be done in Peoria.

Other writing projects include a spec for HBO about the lives of blue collar workers in the Midwest called “The Collar” and work on the reality series on H2 called “All You Can Eat.”

That he has no roots, including no time for marriage or a relationship, “is part of the sacrifice I’ve made. I know I’ve missed out on a lot of things most people have in their lives, but this is what I’ve chosen to do and I have no regrets. And I feel like I’ve been lucky.”