Census Bureau: Food stamp use remains high

The number of children receiving food stamps remains higher than it was before the start of the Great Recession in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's annual Families and Living Arrangements table package released this week.

The rate of children living with married parents who receive food stamps has doubled since 2007. In 2014, an estimated 16 million children, or about one in five, received food stamp assistance compared with the roughly 9 million children, or one in eight, that received this form of assistance prior to the recession.

These statistics come from the 2014 Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic Supplement, which has collected statistics on families and living arrangements for more than 60 years. Today's table package delves into the characteristics of households, including the marital status of the householders and their relationship to the children residing in the household. The historical data on America's families and living arrangements can be found on census.gov.

Other highlights:

Children

• Of the 73.7 million children under 18 in the United States:
  • 10 percent live with a grandparent (7.4 million).
  • 79 percent live with at least one sibling (58.5 million).
  • 15 percent have a stay-at-home mother (10.8 million), and 0.6 percent have a stay-at-home father (420,000).
  • 38 percent have at least one foreign-born parent (28.3 million).
• The share of children who live with one parent only has tripled since 1960, from about 9 percent to 27 percent.

Marriage and family

• Less than half (48 percent) of households today are married couples, down from 76 percent in 1940.
• The median age when adults first marry continues to rise. In 2014, it was 29 for men and 27 for women, up from 24 and 21, respectively, in 1947.
• 36 percent of 30- to 34-year-olds have never been married.
• Married couples have more children in the household, on average, than either single mothers or single fathers.
• Married couples make up the majority (72 percent) of the 86.4 million family groups, which are defined as two or more people who live together and are related by birth, marriage or adoption. Unmarried mothers and unmarried fathers make up 12 percent and 2 percent of family groups, respectively.
• 24 percent of married families with children under 15 have a stay-at-home mother, and 1 percent have a stay-at-home father.

Unmarried couples

• 7.9 million opposite-sex unmarried couples live together.
• 39 percent of opposite-sex unmarried couples have a child under 18.
• Statistics about same-sex couples are available from the American Community Survey.

Older adults

• There are about 13 million more householders 65 or older than there are householders under age 30. In 1960, the difference was just 2.5 million.
• One quarter of all adults 65 or older are widowed; fewer than 5 percent have never been married.
• About 12.5 million older adults live alone, representing 28 percent of adults 65 or older.

Households

• The share of single-person households has more than doubled since 1960, from 13 percent to 28 percent (34.2 million households) today.
• More than two-thirds (69 percent) of white households own their home, compared with less than half of black (43 percent) or Hispanic (46 percent) households.

Life is a 'Cabaret' at Peoria Players Theatre

As Broadway musicals go, dark and steamy aren’t words usually associated with those written nearly 50 years ago. “Cabaret” has always been an exception since it debuted in 1966.

That same musical would be tame by today’s standards, which is why through the years the writers made it sexier, seamier and altogether darker, said Chip Joyce, who is directing “Cabaret” at Peoria Players Theatre. The seven-show run opens Friday, Feb. 6 and continues through next weekend at the theater at 4300 N. University St.

“We are using the script from the latest Broadway revival and I can tell you it pushes the envelope a little more than it has before. It is a little darker with a little more bite than it used to have. I think audiences will love it,” Joyce said.

Asked whether he believed it will offend any of Peoria’s usual theatre-going crowd, he said, “I hope not. I think we have learned the last few years that culturally, we’ve become more open minded. We’ve seen other shows that have been very edgy done here and they’ve been accepted. I think this will, as well.”

Joyce said ticket sales are going well considering it is a small-cast musical and has no children; in fact, children should not see it. “Those are obstacles to overcome for a theatre that needs to sell tickets. I hope people will want to see what we are doing with this show,” he said.

“Cabaret” takes place in 1931 Berlin, just as the Nazis are rising to power. It is based at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves mostly around English cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her American writer lover Cliff Bradshaw. There is also a subplot about the relationship between boarding house owner Fraulein Schneider and Jewish fruit vendor Herr Schultz, a relationship doomed by the times.

Overseeing everything is the emcee of the Kit Kat Klub, a role made famous on stage and film by Joel Gray.

The musical, based on a 1951 play “I Am a Camera” by John Van Druten,” was written by Christopher Isherwood, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.

At Peoria Players, Joyce is using a 16-piece live band that mostly is behind the set but occasionally comes out front during the show. The band and music is directed by Laura Hughes, with choreography by Danny Fischer.

Joyce said “Cabaret” is a show he has long wanted to direct and one he has submitted at different local theatres for several years, hoping one would let him direct it. “I am very proud of this one. It is everything I’ve always promised it would be if I got the chance,” he said.

The first thing that will strike the audience is the set, the stage made to look like a dilapidated cabaret, complete with eight tables at the front of the stage for patrons to use for a premium ticket of $25.

Joyce designed the set based on photographs of an abandoned Berlin cabaret he found on the Internet. “I wanted it to look as authentic as possible with certain elements I felt were important to put in it, like the spiral staircase and the firemen’s pole. Those are things you don’t see on a Peoria stage. But we made sure it is safe and secure for our performers,” he said of the set built by Marc Wycoff and Chris Franken.

The cast of 16 includes performers who are new to Peoria stages, but is anchored by local theatre veterans with the chops to perform this play.

Erica Franken, who has wowed local audiences for several years, including as Velma Kelly in “Chicago” at Corn Stock Theatre, portrays Sally Bowles. “This is the best performance I’ve ever seen her give,” Joyce said.

Aaron Elwell, one of the stars of “Spamalot” this past summer at Corn Stock, portrays the emcee. “He has certainly risen to the occasion on this one. This has always been one of my favorite musical theatre roles and he does great,” Joyce said.

Chris Leasor, a veteran at Corn Stock, is doing his first Peoria Players show in the role of Cliff Bradshaw. “Chris doesn’t do a lot of musicals, but this is a role he wanted to play. I’m glad he did,” Joyce said.

For the roles of Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, Joyce believed good chemistry would be important for these lovelorn characters. He found it with John and Laura Johnson, husband and wife and veterans of many shows throughout central Illinois. Yet this is the first time they have played opposite each other.

“Cabaret” has been rehearsing more than three months, Joyce said, “so it’s great that this cast bonded quickly. I think that brings a certain energy to the show.”

Show times for “Cabaret” are 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 8 and 15. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for those 18 and under. They can be purchased by calling 688-4473 or online at www.peoriaplayers.org.

The VIP seats at the tables in front of the stage are $25 and can only be purchased by calling the box office at 688-4473.

Movie review: "Birdman" should win the Oscar

(9 out of 10 stars)

(119 minutes.  Rated R for adult language, sexual content and brief violence.)

I do believe that I saw this year’s winner for Best Picture last night — or at least, in my humble opinion, what should be this year’s winner. 

And, wow, the amount of quotable lines for the theater-geek in everyone is Caddyshack-esque.

“Birdman or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance” (heretofore just called “Birdman” without the rest of the pretentious title), nominated for nine Academy Awards, is a smartly written, extremely well-performed, and brilliantly filmed dark comedy that should serve as an example to all of Hollywood that new and unique storyline ideas for film can be wildly successful. 

Written and directed by famed Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu (“21 Grams,” “Babel,” and “Biutful”), this dark, dark comedy provides its audience moments throughout that are laugh-out-loud funny, and yet seconds later, can give an emotional gut-punch that will put you back onto your heels. 

The story is based around Michael Keaton’s character, Riggan Thompson, a forgotten celebrity from the 1990s who had two monster action-film blockbusters entitled “Birdman” (they are clever with these titles). He is attempting to reignite his career while giving himself some degree of validation and self-worth by writing, directing, and starring in a new play ready to open on Broadway. Much like “Bullets Over Broadway” by Woody Allen, the filmmakers provide conflict by having Keaton deal with his ex-wife, his spurned lover, his recently rehabbed daughter, and prima donna actors at his every turn.

Replete with some of the best actors currently working in film today, the star of this film may well be the writer/director Iñárritu and his cinematographer and fellow Mexican, Emmanuel Lubezki (“Gravity” and “The Birdcage”).  Set and shot in the historic St. James Theater in New York City (the past home of such musicals such as “Oklahoma,” “The King and I,” “Hello, Dolly,” and “The Producers”) over a remarkably quick 30-day shoot, the film appears to be what is one continuous shot. Although an observant eye can see the quick CGI-enhanced breaks, it makes the performances all the more amazing because one wrong step, one forgotten line, and surely the take, which could be as long as 20 minutes, was ruined.

Even after two hours, the theater geek in me wanted to see more of the St. James Theater. The long, extended shots running through the warrens of halls and back staircases inside the theater itself, and even outside on the street, were simply fascinating, and the filmmakers left me shaking my head in wonder at the degree of planning that must have been needed in order to pull something like this off so well.

Michael Keaton once again proved why he is considered one of the best actors working today. The parallel of his character to Keaton’s own life is not lost on those who have followed his career. Keaton was on top of the Hollywood A-list after two huge blockbuster hits of “Batman” in the early 1990s, but then subsequently turned down $15 million to do a second sequel. He never rebounded to such levels afterwards.

Throughout the movie, Keaton battles his ego (actually read aloud in a Batman-like husky voice) with amazing deftness and often left me wondering if he was not perhaps battling mental illness. Moreover, Keaton has no inhibitions about doing whatever necessary to tell the story, whether that be with his abilities as an actor or stripping down his 60 year-old body to his BVDs, not once, but twice, in order to get the laugh.

Keaton has been nominated for Best Actor for his performance and, in my mind, he wins given that the depth and breadth of emotions he must portray are much greater than his main competitors, Bradley Cooper and Benedict Cumberbatch. While Cooper may well win, Keaton’s performance was stunningly uncommon.

Supported by Edward Norton (talk about no inhibitions with showing his naked body and dumpy gut), the scenes with those two crackled like they were giving a master’s acting class instead of telling this story.  Norton is notoriously a difficult actor with whom to work because of his incessant perfectionism (thus why Mark Ruffalo is now the Hulk) so, like Keaton, his character was not too much different than his own real life.

Performances by Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, and long-time Broadway star Lindsay Duncan were all quite impressive. Most impressive was Duncan as a New York Times theater critic.  Perhaps the best scene in the movie is near the end, when Duncan and Keaton’s character meet in a bar and exchange what I can only imagine are fantasy-driven insults about what Hollywood celebrity actors think of critics and what critics think of Hollywood actors. It was sidesplittingly funny.

The movie is not without its problems. The structure was not quite as linear as I would have expected.  We are given a side-story love diversion between Norton and Stone; while well-written and rather clever, it does not forward the plot and seems rather jammed into the middle of the film. I imagine Norton demanded more screen time and would not be at all surprised if this were the sole reason.

Moreover, the antagonist Norton played so exceptionally well in the first two-thirds of the movie simply went away toward the end. Keaton began to wrestle more disproportionally with his ego and, without giving away too much storyline, it did not seem to generate enough conflict to feed the climax of the film.

However, the film was much more than enjoyable and was extremely clever for the vast majority of its 119 minutes. Given that the concept and premise was fresh, new, and did not involve a Marvel character, I cannot help but encourage movie lovers to go and embrace this film. Then go and scream to the gods of Hollywood to continue to write and produce original scripts such as this one.

Because in 2015, movies this good and this original simply are not made anymore.

I give this film 9 out of 10 stars.

Trendsetter Barometer shows hiring planned among private companies

Three-fifths of private companies plan to add fulltime equivalent employees in the coming year, but net hiring continues to shrink, reports PwC US's latest Private CompanyTrendsetter Barometer^®.

Despite the most optimistic outlook for the US economy since 2006, employment growth at private companies remains modest due to difficulty in finding qualified workers, among other factors, according to the report issued Tuesday.

Trendsetter companies surveyed in the fourth quarter expect their fulltime equivalent employment to inch up by 1.6 percent in 2015 – below 2014's overall increase of 1.7 percent – even though these companies report economic confidence, stronger revenue forecasts, and significant gains in profitability over the past 12 months.

Fully one-third of survey respondents said they were unable to fill open positions over the past year, but if they had, their yearly fulltime equivalent hiring might have reached 2.6 percent in 2014 instead of 1.7 percent. Technology and engineering professionals are most in demand. Blue collar workers are less sought after, with many of them having been out of the workforce since the recession and needing new skills to reenter it now.

"When businesses can't find qualified job applicants, certain work just doesn't get done," says Rich Stovsky, U.S. leader of PwC's Private Company Services practice. "Companies have already squeezed employees as much as they can productivity-wise, and when jobs remain unfilled, businesses can't grow as robustly or as quickly as they'd like. Private companies are trying to be part of the solution, partnering with community colleges and offering on-the-job training to create the skilled workforce they need right now and in the future."

Spending Holds Steady, Even with Misgivings about World Economy

Despite hiring challenges, 2014 proved a good year for private companies, particularly with respect to domestic activity. Revenues forecasts climbed, capital spending held strong, and profitability reached its highest level in nearly a decade.

In fact, when asked about the U.S. economy, 73 percent of Trendsetter companies described it as growing – the largest share in years, and double that of about two years ago. This may owe in part, to the fall of energy prices, which has led to reduced cost pressure and more disposable income for many consumers.

However, the gap between private companies' increasingly positive view of the economy and their misgivings about the global economy continues to widen. This past quarter, only 31 percent described the world economy as expanding. Weakness abroad means increased pressure on exporters, requiring U.S. companies that sell internationally to keep an eye on evolving conditions in foreign economies.

"Although businesses are enjoying positive market conditions at home, they are more cautious about spending than they were in the pre-Recession years, even as the U.S. economy steadily improves and private-company optimism stays high," says Ken Esch, a partner in PwC's Private Company Services practice. "This caution extends to the international arena – while private companies are staying the course in markets abroad, they're avoiding overly ambitious expansion plans for the moment."

Growth Opportunities for the Year Ahead

But private-company growth prospects remain buoyant with five-of-six Trendsetter executives (83 percent) forecasting positive growth in 2015. Moreover, former impediments to growth hit new lows: fewer companies expressed concerns about foreign competition, regulatory pressures, energy prices, and the strength of the dollar than last quarter.

"The latest findings indicate that, as the economy continues to expand, private firms see fewer barriers to growth," notes Esch. "In the fourth quarter, only half of Trendsetter companies mentioned lack of demand as a potential obstacle, the lowest percentage since before the recession."

One clear danger persists: the steady increase in the number of companies that worry about finding qualified workers. Thirty-seven percent are now voicing this concern, up nearly 10 points from a year ago and at its highest since the first quarter of 2008, when 40 percent of companies fretted about the skills gap.

Additional Survey Findings

• On average, private companies are looking forward to 9.2 percent revenue growth in the next 12 months – the highest rate since early 2012.
• Almost two-thirds of private company leaders said, before year-end 2014, they would hit or exceed their full-year revenue targets, and another one-quarter said they would catch up to their sales targets by mid-2015.
• On average, companies are budgeting 2.76 percent in hourly wage increases for the next year, compared with 2.69 percent during the fourth quarter of 2013.

About PwC's Private Company Trendsetter Barometer

Each quarter, PwC's Trendsetter Barometer^® tracks the views of top executive officers at privately held US businesses and the trends these reveal. This quarter's report reflects conversations with 220 private-company leaders, including 121 from companies in the product sector and 99 in the service sector, with average enterprise revenues of $504 million. The interviews took place between October 2, 2014 and January 5, 2015.