Literarea Review: "Everything And More: A Compact History of Infinity" by David Foster Wallace
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- Published on 06 October 2013
- Written by Kevin Kizer
“Do I contradict myself?
Very well, then I contradict myself,
I am large, I contain multitudes.”
Walt Whitman
"Songs of Myself"
David Foster Wallace was definitely a Whitmanesque character if there ever was one. He was hyper-intellectual receiving an (mostly) Ivy League education while being a down-to-earth central Illinois kid of the ’70s. He was the child of a professor of English (mom) and a doctor of philosophy (dad) and he was a child of pop culture, being part of that first generation to truly have 24-hour television viewing at their fingertips. He was a very, very good tennis player and yet found himself more intrigued by the mathematics (angles) of the game than the competitiveness.
What I’m bumbling towards is the idea that David Foster Wallace, as you can tell by the quote preceding this review, contained multitudes. Not because of the first part of that famous line, but because of the second bit. And there’s a bit of that second bit that often gets overlooked or omitted altogether. It’s the line that precedes “I contain multitudes” – “I am large”. And yes, David Foster Wallace was anything if large. And so it would be apropos that he take on that largest-of-large concept, infinity.
Since Wallace is not a mathematician, one might expect a book for “non-specialist readers”, as Neal Stephenson writes in the introduction. This is decidedly not the case. This is an intellectually serious attempt to address and review the concept of infinity – which, as Stephenson points out, “rubs some people the wrong way” in the academic world.
But here is where what I’m going to call the Wallace Difference comes into play. No matter what he wrote about, Wallace undertook an immersive, intense and borderline-obsessive study of the subject. There’s nothing casual about the way he approached a topic.
It’s evident in the sprawling and highly detailed stories of the tennis academy, rehab center and the slightly futuristic world they inhabit in “Infinite Jest”. It’s evident in the posthumously published “The Pale King” where he tackled what he thought to be the most mundane and tedious career imaginable – CPA for the IRS (the book was even set in Peoria).
He didn’t just do a Google search or, prior to our capability to Google, read everything he could get his hands on like a reporter. The guy actually studied – as in go-to-school-and-learn study. Study studied. We’re talking hardcore, intellectual shit.
For his book on the IRS he attended college courses and was close to reaching degree level. He also regularly drilled his accountant for information. And finally he haunted the Peoria regional IRS office interviewing and shadowing workers.
THAT’s the Wallace Difference.
It’s why his books leave you (or at least me) as amazed about the writer as the writing. “How did someone write something this BIG?” I feel the same way when I read James Joyce, Dostoevsky, Proust, Anthony Powell or William S. Burroughs (for different reasons).
“Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity” really is a difficult book to categorize. It’s definitely NOT a popularization of a mathematic/scientific subject by an expert (see “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking or most of Richard Dawkins’s oeuvre). Wallace’s degree was in Modal Logic. I know what you are saying: a degree in Modal Logic was your fallback plan. But to those of us who think it sounds like a Depeche Mode cover band, Modal Logic, according to Wikipedia, is “a type of formal logic primarily developed in the 1960s that extends classical propositional and predicate logic to include operators expressing modality.” Got it? But, according to Stephenson in the introduction, it “is indistinguishable by almost all laymen from pure math, though even more punishingly abstract than mathematics could ever be.” Which, believe it or not, was right in Wallace’s wheelhouse.
The book is about the history of the concept of infinity, primarily focusing on the work of everyone’s favorite 19th century German mathematician – say it with me – Georg Cantor!*
Cantor was the guy who officially blew everyone’s mind with the concept of set theory, which has to do with fundamental binary blah, blah, blah. The point is, it’s deep stuff and Wallace jumps in with great vigor.
As someone who energetically studied math in high school in order to hasten the moment when I would never have to study it again, a good portion of this book goes right over my head. But the history nerd in me is fascinated by the mathematicians behind the theory of infinity – and how many of them were institutionalized (though not necessarily because of their studies).
Wallace doesn’t make mathematical advances in this book nor does he dumb it down for a popular audience. The book has sections that are equation laden and absolutely mind numbing. But there are also autobiographical sections where he describes his studies as well as the aforementioned historical sections.
After reading this book twice back-to-back, I’m left – as almost always is the case with David Foster Wallace – feeling dazed, annoyed and slightly more educated, as well as humbled about how little I really know. It’s not for the casual reader and – despite the claim in the title that it is a “compact history” – this book is large, just like its author. And it’s further evidence that – when it came to writing – David Foster Wallace certainly contained multitudes.
* I don’t think you said it with me.
Symphony to focus on children in concert series
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- Published on 04 October 2013
- Written by The Peorian
The Peoria Symphony Orchestra wants to help children discover the wonder and beauty of music in a series of concerts for families, starting Oct. 20.
Musical Discovery concerts are designed for children 5 to 10 years old and will be in at the Symphony's new performance studio in the WTVP building, 101 State St., and in the WTVP Studio, the Symphony said in a news release.
The program will be hosted by Maestro George Stelluto, music director and conductor of the Symphony Orchestra. He said the program will enable children and their families to explore the instruments used by the orchestra through narration and demonstration. It also will include a hands-on Instrument Petting Zoo.
"I am excited we are offering this series so families have the opportunity to spend time together learning about music," Stelluto said.
The first of the three Musical Discovery concerts will be the "Perky Percussion" on Sunday, Oct. 20 from 2 to 3 p.m. "Perky Percussion" will feature Peggy Bonner, Peoria Symphony principal percussionist, and members of the PSO percussion section who will demonstrate a wide variety of instruments from the percussion family.
The program will include a visit to the "Instrument Petting Zoo," where audience members can touch and try out the instruments they saw demonstrated.
This and other concerts in the series will be taped for future broadcast on WTVP, said PSO Executive Director Susan Hoffman. "The audience will actually be part of the show. This series is the next piece in our efforts for the PSO to have music education opportunities that reach all ages, from the very young through adults," she said.
The remaining Musical Discovery concerts will be Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, titled "The Triumphant Trumpet", and Sunday, March 23, 2014 with the "Chillin' Cello".
Tickets for the concerts are $5 for children and $10 for adults and may be purchased by calling (309) 671-1096 or by visiting the PSO box office at 101 State Street in Peoria.
The Musical Discovery series is collaboration between the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and WTVP and is underwritten by a generous gift from Flo and Sid Banwart. The collaboration with WTVP and the Banwarts also includes recording a series of concerts for adults entitled "Sound Bites."
This series will give the PSO musicians an opportunity to collaborate with special guest artists and fellow musicians and present concerts in an intimate casual setting.
The Musical Discovery concerts and the Sound Bites concerts will both be recorded for future broadcast on WTVP.
"This project gives us the opportunity to extend the cultural impact and presence of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra beyond our concerts on the stage. By collaborating with WTVP and recording these concerts for future broadcast we will be reaching many people who may not have the ability or opportunity to attend PSO concerts." said Hoffman.
'Evil Dead: The Musical' to open Corn Stock's winter season
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- Published on 01 October 2013
- Written by Paul Gordon
Ingrid Peelle loves Halloween. She and her husband Brian have hosted themed Halloween parties in the past and she has been known to start making her own costume many months ahead of time.
It would seem, then, she was the logical choice to direct "Evil Dead: The Musical," the opening show of Corn Stock Theatre's winter season.
"I do love Halloween, but I'm not so much into the gory horror movies. But this show is just so funny, including the bloody scenes, that it really isn't gory," Peelle said during a recent rehearsal at Corn Stock's Winter Playhouse. "I like to say the show is horribly funny. You will laugh, that's for sure."
The show opens Friday at 7:30 p.m., with additional shows at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, on Friday Oct. 11 and Saturday Oct. 12 and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. They can be reserved by calling (309) 676-2196.
There is no extra charge for sitting in the splatter zone, but Peelle recommends wearing old clothes if that's where you choose to sit. Those seats will be available first come, first served.
"The splatter zone is just that. It takes up just under a quarter of the house. If you sit there, you are almost guaranteed to be splattered with blood. We will have ponchos available, but I'd still not wear good clothes," she said. "Actually, if you want to get splattered we encourage you to wear a plain white T-shirt because it shows the blood better."
Several blood recipes were tested before one was chosen. The recipe being used, with credit to Dean Beever, is corn syrup, chocolate syrup, corn starch, Coffee Mate and water. Oh, and red food coloring. "It's edible, but it is sticky. We pre-treated the costumes and it will wash out. But still, don't wear your best clothes," Peelle said.
If the blood doesn't make you squirm, the makeup might. Remember, the characters become zombies and they are made up to reflect that as the show progresses. The makeup is headed by Kieth Wagner, assisted by Tanya Manning. "Everyone works well together. There are people putting on makeup under the stage while acting and singing is going on above them. The transformations on stage are fun. It was a lot to put together but it's gratifying to see it happen," Peelle said.
"Evil Dead: The Musical" will appeal to fans of the first three Evil Dead films. The musical, Peelle said, is a loose compilation of those films. "It is really, really campy, as you might expect. It is based loosely on the first three movies and it almost makes a plot that makes sense," she said, laughing.
"This show will probably make you cringe at times and you are not supposed to like some of the characters. And it is so inappropriate in so many ways," she added.
The show is rated 'R' and Peelle cautioned against bringing children because of the adult language, the violence and the sexual content.
The cast of 10 includes Corn Stock and area community theatre veterans as well as several newcomers. They are Cree Sullivan as Ash, Jarod Hazzard as Scott, Shannon Orrill as Cheryl, Jessica King in the dual role of Shelly/Annie, Andrea Walker as Linda, Alex Larson as Jake, and Joel Shoemaker as Ed/Moose.
The living evil trees are portrayed by Nathan Apodaca, Andrew Schoepke and Jay Williams.
Don't count on knowing any of the songs, Peelle said. "If you don't know the show already you're not going to know the songs. And I can't even say the song titles for a family publication," she said.
There are a lot of special effects that she hopes will surprise audience members. They all were made special by friends and family as this show has a small budget. It has one sponsor, ACME Comics.
The set and special effects may be the star of the show, in fact. Heading up the crew has been Brian Peelle, who is also listed as the "Blood Delivery Specialist." Also, he and Chris Franken built the set, which is one of the more elaborate one will find at the Winter Playhouse.
The lighting effects are by Megan Larke and the props leader is Jennifer Whitmore. Joanne Dowell did the costumes and Adam Windish was the musical director for the live band.
"I could not have picked a more tech-heavy show for my directing debut," said Peelle, a veteran actor, singer and dancer in many area shows. "And there is no way I could have done it without my friends and family."
Peelle arranged to give back to the community, as well. On Saturday, Sept. 21 she and her cast and crew hosted a blood drive at the Winter Playhouse. Almost all the slots were filled. "It was a fun way to promote 'Evil Dead: The Musical' and help others in the community," she said.
The Winter Playhouse season will continue with "The Graduate," directed by Chip Joyce, on Nov. 1, 2, 8, 9 and 10. That will be followed by "Relatively Speaking," a weekend of three one-act plays directed by Blake Stubbs, Leaann Liesse and Gary Hale, on Nov. 21, 22, 23 and 24.
"A Piece of My Heart," directed by Amy Williams, will take the stage Jan. 17, 18, 24, 25 and 26. "Art," directed by Charlie Brown, will be Feb. 14, 15, 21, 22 and 23.
"Superior Donuts," directed by Alex Larson, will close the winter season on March 14, 15, 21, 22 and 23.
Season tickets for the winter season are on sale for $50 and can be purchased by calling the box office at (309) 676-2196.
'Barefoot in the Park' ready to open at Peoria Players
- Details
- Published on 02 October 2013
- Written by Paul Gordon
So can a marriage between two complete opposites work? In Neil Simon's world, at least as a playwright, yes it can once a few speed bumps are navigated.
The speed bumps he put into his classic comedy "Barefoot in the Park" when it debuted on Broadway 50 years ago are still relevant today, said Liz Landes Reed, who is directing the production at Peoria Players Theatre.
"The human element in this show is timeless, really. Some of the jokes may be dated but I think everybody will relate to the story," Reed said before a recent dress rehearsal.
"Barefoot in the Park" opens a seven-show run at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the theater on North University Street. Tickets are on sale for $12 for adults and $9 for those 18 and under and they can be reserved by calling 688-4473 or visiting www.peoriaplayers.org.
"Barefoot in the Park" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 6 and 13.
Reed was pleased to direct the show when asked by Peoria Players because she thinks it is one of Simon's best. "Also, I just love the time period. The early 1960s, when there was still an element of innocence in the world. Plus, I'm a sucker for a romantic comedy," she said.
The comedy in "Barefoot in the Park" lies largely in the conflicts between the main characters, Corrie and Paul Bratter, newlyweds recently moved into a tiny sixth-floor walkup apartment in New York City.
Corrie Bratter is a vivacious free spirit who loves the sense of adventure. Paul
Bratter is a straight-laced lawyer who doesn't understand his wife. Corie thinks her husband is boring and wants him to be more spontaneous.
Throw in another pair of opposites — Corie's conservative mother Ethel Banks and the Bratter's eccentric and spontaneous upstairs neighbor Mr. Velasco — and the confusion and comedy takes off.
"They are total opposites and all the conflicts that causes in life comes out. But it is cute and sweet how it all works out in the end," Reed said.
She doesn't feel she is giving anything away because "Barefoot in the Park" was made into a movie in 1967 that starred Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. Noting it was a popular movie that is still shown on television, Reed said it can be difficult for community theatre to escape comparisons, particularly to Redford and Fonda.
"I am very happy with my cast. They are giving me exactly what I asked for and then some. They are doing a wonderful job. It has been very easy to direct them to be able to counter each other. It helps that we started the process with a character assessment and went from there," Reed said.
Bob Connor is making his Peoria community theatre debut in the role of Paul Bratter. Prior, he'd done theatre in college, Reed said. "It has been fun to watch him grow with the part," she said.
Corrie Bratter is being portrayed by Kerri Rae Hinman, a veteran of many local community theatre productions, including Players and Corn Stock Theatre. She was seen this past summer in "The Foreigner" at Corn Stock, playing opposite professional actor Steve Vinovich, who was brought in as guest artist.
The role of Ethel Banks is portrayed by Donna Forbis and Mr. Velasco is played by Peoria Players favorite Curt Rowden.
Chuck McCoy and Jim Babrowski round out the cast with humorous turns as the telephone man and delivery man, respectively.
"This show needs good interaction between all the cast members and we have that with this cast," Reed said. "One of the great things about Neil Simon is that he understand human nature and knows how to take everyday situations and make you laugh."
Reed has directed many shows at Peoria Players and Corn Stock through the years, including "Mame" last year. She finds non-musicals easier when it comes to character development. "In a musical characterization can be limited when the character has to stop and sing. With a show like this, a director can really get into the nitty-gritty of the show, of the characters," she said.
Howard Gorman built the set, the simple and stark New York flat that the Bratters make into a home. The set includes a skylight that becomes a very integral part of the show.
Sandy Cheesman handled the period costumes and Nan Coleman the period props, a lot of which are needed for this show.
"I think it's going to be fun to expose younger people to some of these things from that period," Reed said.
Griffith: Baseball post season predictions
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- Published on 01 October 2013
- Written by Steve Griffith
The 2013 regular season ended with a bang! While the playoff picture was essentially set, there were two races of vital importance that finished yesterday. The St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves battled until the last day of the season to determine which team would have home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
With the Braves 5-4 loss to Philadelphia and the Cardinals fifth straight win on Saturday, the Cardinals took a one-game lead for the best record in the National League. On Sunday, a Cardinals loss and Braves win would mean the Braves would win home field advantage with the best record in the NL. The Braves did their part by thumping the Phillies 12-5, but the Cardinals wouldn't relent.
The Cardinals were playing their lowly rival, the Chicago Cubs. The Cards destiny was in their own hands and, even while resting the big bats of Matt Holliday, David Freese, and Yadier Molina, the Cardinals were able to string together key hits to win the game, sweep the series and tie the Boston Red Sox for the best record in all of baseball.
In the American League, there was a potential for a three way tie for the two Wild Card spots. If Cleveland was to lose, and both the Rangers and the Rays won, we would have seen the first-ever, round-robin of games 163 and 164 to determine playoff positioning. The Indians, however, would have none of that, so they did what they've been doing all September by winning their 10th straight game and securing the top Wild Card spot.
The Rays won too, which meant they needed a Rangers loss to punch their ticket, but the Rangers, who had been faltering two weeks ago, pounced on the Angels to win their seventh in a row. These two teams met Monday night for game 163 to determine the second Wild Card. The Rays prevailed and will go to Cleveland on Wednesday for their second one-and-done game.
Let's take a look at the matchups, and see how good I am at picking the winners.
NL Wild Card game
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Oct. 1: Pittsburgh just swept Cincinnati the final three games of the year, extending Cincy's losing streak to five games. Johnny Cueto will face off against Francisco Liriano. The Pirates have much more to lose in this game, as this season has reinvigorated their lackluster fan base. If the Pirates lose, they will go down as the greatest disappointment of the season.
My gut tells me this is an easy win for Pittsburgh, but the analytical side of me looks at this as basically a four game series now (since they just played three to end the season), and I know how hard it is to sweep a four game series.
Pick to win: Cincinnati
NL Division Series
Atlanta vs. Los Angeles: Atlanta has the best home record in all of baseball, but that won't mean a hill of beans if they can't take at least one of the first two games in LA. Atlanta is also still dealing with injuries to some key players.
The Dodgers have arguably been the hottest team in baseball the second half of the season. At the All-Star break they were in last place in their division and it looked as if manager Don Mattingly was on his way out the door. Instead, the team put together long strings of wins and fought their way into first place in the NL West.
Pick to win: Los Angeles
NL Division Series
St. Louis vs. NL Wild Card: Cards WIN! What else needs said?
Pick to win: St. Louis
AL Wild Card game
Cleveland vs. Tampa Bay: I pick Cleveland. Tampa Bay is a great team, and has been extremely consistent through the years, but it's Hot in Cleveland right now!
This AL Wild Card game will feature two Peoria-area natives in Tampa's second baseman Ben Zobrist and Indians starting pitcher Zack McAllister.
AL Division Series
Detroit @ Oakland: How does someone pick a winner of this series? Detroit is Detroit. They have two of the greatest sluggers of all time in their lineup with Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera. They also have a phenomenal pitching staff led by Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Annibal Sanchez. This should be the team to beat, but they are coming off a season ending game that saw them lose to the Marlins by being the victims of a No-Hitter, and then losing on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth.
Oakland is 52-29 at home, second only to the Braves for tops in baseball. They are the team that fans love to cheer for. Year after year Oakland takes one of the lowest payrolls in the game to the postseason. They are the underdogs every year, and we all love the underdog. They've also taken four out of six from the Tigers this year.
Pick to win: Oakland
AL Division Series
Boston vs. TBD: Boston has done something unprecedented this season. The Red Sox have risen from the ashes of a 2012 season that saw a manager fired, rumors of clubhouse scuffles and drinking during games, and finishing with a dismal 69-93 record, to winning their division and tying for the best record in all of baseball. This team never lost more than three straight games, and was never swept by any team this year.
If Cleveland makes it to this series and stays hot, this should be an interesting matchup. Anybody else, and Boston sweeps this series.
In the interest of saving space, here are my full predictions all the way to the World Series.
NL Division Series winners: St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodger
NL Championship Series winner: Los Angeles
AL Division Series winners: Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians
AL Championship Series winner: Oakland
World Series winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
