BY NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — "HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis" is coming to the Fox in Hutchinson on Friday night.

The
 evening begins with hypnotist Asad Mecci welcoming 20 volunteers on 
stage to be hypnotized. The most receptive to hypnosis then join Colin 
Mochrie, improv comedian from TV's "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" to improvise 
the rest of the show, while hypnotized.

"It's a totally different 
experience," Mochrie said. "When I worked with the guys from Whose Line,
 even though we're making it up, I can usually tell what joke they are 
going to head for, what kind of ending they are going to head for in the
 scene. I don't have that with these people. They just immediately react
 to whatever is happening in the moment. They are all about the present,
 not about the future."

Friday's performance is the tour's only 
Kansas date and Mecci is excited about bringing the one of a kind style 
to the Sunflower State.

"How many more plays are you going to see?
 How many more musicals are you going to see?," Mecci said. "You will 
never, ever, and I guarantee this, see a show like Hyprov in your life, 
because it is completely unique. It is made up every single night. Our 
cast members are people from the audience, random volunteers from the 
audience who come up on stage, get hypnotized and then improvise with 
Colin Mochrie from Whose Line. It is like nothing you've ever seen 
before."

Being hypnotized is not the same for all who go under, but Mochrie and Mecci have ways of involving the subjects.

"We've
 tried to come up with games, that even the ones who may be under 
different types of hypnosis, sometimes they get very sluggish and their 
reactions are very slow," Mochrie said. "We've found ways that we can 
use everyone that ended up as part of the improv troupe, so everybody 
gets the chance to do something."

<a href="https://ci.ovationtix.com/35908/pr/1127661/pe/11102589?deepLink=true&amp;overlay=true">Tickets are still available and you can book online</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678142383592.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — "HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis" is coming to the Fox in Hutchinson on Friday night.The
 evening begins with hypnotist Asad Mecci welcoming 20 volunteers on 
stage to be hypnotized. The most receptive to hypnosis then join Colin 
Mochrie, improv comedian from TV's "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" to improvise 
the rest of the show, while hypnotized."It's a totally different 
experience," Mochrie said. "When I worked with the guys from Whose Line,
 even though we're making it up, I can usually tell what joke they are 
going to head for, what kind of ending they are going to head for in the
 scene. I don't have that with these people. They just immediately react
 to whatever is happening in the moment. They are all about the present,
 not about the future."Friday's performance is the tour's only 
Kansas date and Mecci is excited about bringing the one of a kind style 
to the Sunflower State."How many more plays are you going to see?
 How many more musicals are you going to see?," Mecci said. "You will 
never, ever, and I guarantee this, see a show like Hyprov in your life, 
because it is completely unique. It is made up every single night. Our 
cast members are people from the audience, random volunteers from the 
audience who come up on stage, get hypnotized and then improvise with 
Colin Mochrie from Whose Line. It is like nothing you've ever seen 
before."Being hypnotized is not the same for all who go under, but Mochrie and Mecci have ways of involving the subjects."We've
 tried to come up with games, that even the ones who may be under 
different types of hypnosis, sometimes they get very sluggish and their 
reactions are very slow," Mochrie said. "We've found ways that we can 
use everyone that ended up as part of the improv troupe, so everybody 
gets the chance to do something."<a href="https://ci.ovationtix.com/35908/pr/1127661/pe/11102589?deepLink=true&amp;overlay=true">Tickets are still available and you can book online</a>.

Colin Mochrie and hypnotist head ot Hutch for Kansas show

The Fort Hays State University Department
of Music and Theatre is preparing for a busy week as various ensembles and
groups will take the stage the first full week of March.

Kicking off a busy month for the
students, last Friday was opening night for Don’t Dress for Dinner, with further
performances at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Felten/Start
Theatre in Malloy Hall on the FHSU campus, 510 S. Campus Drive.

The play by Marc Camoletti and adapted by Robin
Hawdon features Bernard as he “plans a romantic weekend with his chic mistress
in his charming farmhouse, while his wife, Jacqueline, is away,” according to
the FHSU website. “He hired a cordon bleu chef to cook and invited his best
friend, Robert, to provide the alibi,” and asks,&nbsp;“What could possibly go
wrong? ... A night of hilarious confusion ensues.”

At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Smokey Hill chorale, FHSU Singers and
Concert Choir will perform at the St. Joseph Church, 201 W. 13th, under the direction of FHSU choral activities director Terry Crull.

“That will be at St. John's Catholic Church because there's an Encore
event in Beach/Schmidt, and of course, they can't go somewhere else,” Crull
said. “So rather than try and find another date, which is next to impossible, we
said let's go to St. Joseph Catholic Church. It’s going to be beautiful there.”

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Felten/Start Theatre, the
FHSU Percussion Ensemble will perform, including numbers they recently
performed as a selected ensemble at the Kansas Music Educators Association 2023
In-service workshop. &nbsp;

“Ryan Pearson is our percussion instructor, and he's got a full stable of
horses there that just play well,” Crull said.

At 7:30 Thursday, the FHSU bands will
perform their Spring Concert under the direction of Peter Lillpopp in the Beach/Schmidt
Performing Arts Center,&nbsp;600
Park.

Northwestern College Symphonic
Band Concert

Wrapping up the week, Northwestern
College’s Symphonic Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Beach/Schmidt
Performing Arts Center.

“They're on their spring break
tour, and their organizer … called me and said, ‘Hey, we lost the stop between
Colorado Springs and Omaha, can we come there?’ ” Crull said.

The week’s events are free,
excluding the play, and open to the public.

“The only thing that's not free is
the play because you have to pay royalties to put on a play, and we don’t lump
it into student activities fees,” Crull said. “It's $800 to $1,500 per show to
do the fall musical. So that's why we sell tickets. So, the play is tickets,
but our concerts, Hays Symphony Orchestra, our choirs, our bands, all of our
recitals and things, they're all free.”

The concerts allow the students to
perform in front of an audience and can help entice students to the university
along with the collaboration between ensembles, made possible by the department’s
size, Crull said.

“We support each other quite a bit,”
he said. “We're a small enough department, that's one of our big recruiting
positives. We say you come here, and you can do a lot of different things.

“And you'll step on stage right
away. I mean, you could get a role as a freshman, maybe not the big lead, but if
you go to a big school, you have to wait till all the graduate students get out
of there before you're an upperclassman, and you get your chance. Otherwise,
you might be just in the chorus, but you can get really good experience in jazz
band and in our top bands, and so (it’s a) pretty well-rounded program. We're
proud of it. And our kids work hard.”

<div><iframe title="FHSU Music and Theatre prepares for upcoming productions" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=zw5a9-13a89f3-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe Fort Hays State University Department
of Music and Theatre is preparing for a busy week as various ensembles and
groups will take the stage the first full week of March.<h2>Don’t Dress for Dinner</h2>Kicking off a busy month for the
students, last Friday was opening night for Don’t Dress for Dinner, with further
performances at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Felten/Start
Theatre in Malloy Hall on the FHSU campus, 510 S. Campus Drive.The play by Marc Camoletti and adapted by Robin
Hawdon features Bernard as he “plans a romantic weekend with his chic mistress
in his charming farmhouse, while his wife, Jacqueline, is away,” according to
the FHSU website. “He hired a cordon bleu chef to cook and invited his best
friend, Robert, to provide the alibi,” and asks,&nbsp;“What could possibly go
wrong? ... A night of hilarious confusion ensues.”<h2>Choirs Concert</h2>At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Smokey Hill chorale, FHSU Singers and
Concert Choir will perform at the St. Joseph Church, 201 W. 13th, under the direction of FHSU choral activities director Terry Crull.“That will be at St. John's Catholic Church because there's an Encore
event in Beach/Schmidt, and of course, they can't go somewhere else,” Crull
said. “So rather than try and find another date, which is next to impossible, we
said let's go to St. Joseph Catholic Church. It’s going to be beautiful there.”<h2>Percussion Ensemble Spring Recital</h2>At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Felten/Start Theatre, the
FHSU Percussion Ensemble will perform, including numbers they recently
performed as a selected ensemble at the Kansas Music Educators Association 2023
In-service workshop. &nbsp;“Ryan Pearson is our percussion instructor, and he's got a full stable of
horses there that just play well,” Crull said.<h2>Bands Spring Concert</h2>At 7:30 Thursday, the FHSU bands will
perform their Spring Concert under the direction of Peter Lillpopp in the Beach/Schmidt
Performing Arts Center,&nbsp;600
Park.<h2>Northwestern College Symphonic
Band Concert</h2>Wrapping up the week, Northwestern
College’s Symphonic Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Beach/Schmidt
Performing Arts Center.“They're on their spring break
tour, and their organizer … called me and said, ‘Hey, we lost the stop between
Colorado Springs and Omaha, can we come there?’ ” Crull said.The week’s events are free,
excluding the play, and open to the public.“The only thing that's not free is
the play because you have to pay royalties to put on a play, and we don’t lump
it into student activities fees,” Crull said. “It's $800 to $1,500 per show to
do the fall musical. So that's why we sell tickets. So, the play is tickets,
but our concerts, Hays Symphony Orchestra, our choirs, our bands, all of our
recitals and things, they're all free.”The concerts allow the students to
perform in front of an audience and can help entice students to the university
along with the collaboration between ensembles, made possible by the department’s
size, Crull said.“We support each other quite a bit,”
he said. “We're a small enough department, that's one of our big recruiting
positives. We say you come here, and you can do a lot of different things.“And you'll step on stage right
away. I mean, you could get a role as a freshman, maybe not the big lead, but if
you go to a big school, you have to wait till all the graduate students get out
of there before you're an upperclassman, and you get your chance. Otherwise,
you might be just in the chorus, but you can get really good experience in jazz
band and in our top bands, and so (it’s a) pretty well-rounded program. We're
proud of it. And our kids work hard.”

🎙 FHSU Music and Theatre prepares for performance-filled week

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Imagine being locked in a cell 24 hours, seven days a week with nothing to do but look at four dingy walls and think about the mistakes you've made in your life.

Fort Hays State University Professor Sarah Broman Miller saw this pain in a former inmate who became a friend. The woman, who was incarcerated in the Ellis County Jail, said she longed to have a book to read while she was in jail, but none were available.&nbsp;

"She had no books to read. She had nothing to do. She really felt helpless," Broman Miller said. "She said she thought if she had a book, just something to keep her mind occupied and maybe some self-help books or something to get her out of this depression she was in, that would have really been a benefit to her."

Broman Miller and her husband, Pastor Troy Miller of Hays United Methodist Church, created the Liberate Books Project in 2019. The project distributes books to jails and prisons across the state of Kansas.

Broman Miller estimated in the few years that the program has been active, the project has delivered about 11,000 books.

The program recently partnered with the Micah 6:8 project through the Hays First United Methodist Church so it can enjoy non-profit status and expand its services.

"I feel a responsibility, almost a moral obligation, to take care of people who maybe don't get help and who maybe don't get that kind of attention or love from others," Broman Miller said.

She said she is motivated to keep taking books to show people they are cared about, thought about and they are loved.&nbsp;

"... I think one of the biggest things we can do for humanity is just care for other people and especially people in our own state and who are having these problems," she said.

&nbsp;The project came as an offshoot of another program Broman Miller, who teaches teacher education, was working on with fellow FHSU Associate Professor in criminal justice April Terry.

Broman Miller and Terry take both education and criminal justice students to the Topeka Correctional Facility where they work with female inmates on a literacy project.&nbsp;

The students help inmates record themselves reading a children's book for their children or grandchildren. The program sends the recordings, the books and stuffed animals to the children. This program is ongoing.

As an afterthought, Broman Miller suggested the students take books to the prison to replenish the prison's library. Broman Miller sponsored a book drive for the prison.

"The support that came from the community was incredible," Broman Miller said. "It was like someone turned on a fire hose."

Broman Miller received so many books they took up a whole classroom at Hays First United Methodist Church.

Out of that outpouring of love, as Broman Miller described it, came the Liberate Books Project, which sends books to county jails across the state.

"What I found out is that a lot of county jails do not have libraries," she said.

Although the program that sparked the Liberate Book Project was exclusively for women, the book project offers reading material to all inmates.

Jail staff members are often surprised the program is offering the books for free, Broman Miller said.

Broman Miller's brother-in-law used to be a jailer in Johnson County. He started helping the Millers deliver books to the two jail facilities there. After he started to deliver books, he could walk the cell blocks and hear inmates talking about their favorite authors.

The program promotes literacy, but Broman Miller said it is also a comfort for the inmates, many of whom may be dealing with trauma or addiction.

"They are at the lowest part of their lives," Broman Miller said. "To have something there that says you're not alone.&nbsp; This book when you read is going to take you somewhere else other than your current state."

The project offers self-help books, which she said many of the inmates appreciate.

"If you are in a cell by yourself with nothing else to do but spend time thinking about your life, what a better place to have a book," she said.&nbsp;"I think it really does encourage people to become readers."

Broman Miller has delivered books to the state correction facility in Stockton, where the inmates helped unload the books.

"Seeing their faces, it was like a kid in a candy store. They were so excited to get the books. It has really helped to build their library," she said.

The couple has been loading down their personal vehicle and paying out of their own pocket for gas to take these books to the county jails and prisons.

The Northwest Kansas Library System recently donated books they were releasing out of their book talk collection. The couple recently took two carloads of these books to Norton.

"One time, there were so many books, I could barely fit my purse in the car," she said.

Although many people have expressed interest in donating monetarily to the project, until the Liberate Books merged into the Micah 6:8 social justice charity under the Hays First United Methodist Church, it did not have non-profit status.

"[Micah 6:8] focuses on social issues and these can be illiteracy, incarceration, poverty, food scarcity. We plan to address those types of things that are happening right here in our own community," she said.&nbsp;

This new status will allow the project to take donations that will be used to help with the expenses of getting books to the jails as well as ordering books that are specifically requested by inmates, Broman Miller said.

Prior to the non-profit designation, the Millers were paying for ordering books out of their pocket.

In addition to book and monetary donations, the Liberate Books Project is also looking for volunteers to deliver books.

This could be individuals or groups. Broman Miller said you don't have to make a special trip. If you have plans to visit another community, you just have to be willing to take a load of books with you to that county's jail.

Broman Miller has the contacts and will make the arrangements for the delivery and make sure the books are loaded into the volunteer's vehicle in Hays.

"It would be genius. I already have the books. That person is already going," she said.

If you are interested in delivering books, you can email Broman Miller at sebmiller@fhsu.edu.

"It's a really fun and good service project," Broman Miller said. "I really hope the community would like to get involved. For them, it's really not a hard thing. All they have to do if they're going that direction anyway is reach out to me."

The project takes all types of books, including all genres of adult books, picture books, chapter books and books for young adults.

The average American reading level is between sixth and eighth grade. The average inmate's reading level is between fourth and fifth grade.

Books and monetary donations can be made through Hays First United Methodist Church, 305 W. Seventh St., Hays. If sending a check,&nbsp; make checks payable to the church and put Liberate Books Project in the memo line.&nbsp;

"This really helps. People may think 'I'm only giving books. This is not that hard for me," Broman Miller said. "In fact, it's good for me because I'm cleaning out grandma's closet. Grandma died and I need to take these books somewhere. It's actually a huge blessing for the people who are receiving them.&nbsp;

"... your small donation of books or finances makes such a huge impact on these people."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677703476045.jpeg" alt="Hays United Methodist Church Pastor Troy Miller (left) and his wife FHSU Assistant Professor Sarah Broman Miller (middle) with donated books for Kansas inmates as part of the Liberate Books Project. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Hays United Methodist Church Pastor Troy Miller (left) and his wife FHSU Assistant Professor Sarah Broman Miller (middle) with donated books for Kansas inmates as part of the Liberate Books Project. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostImagine being locked in a cell 24 hours, seven days a week with nothing to do but look at four dingy walls and think about the mistakes you've made in your life.Fort Hays State University Professor Sarah Broman Miller saw this pain in a former inmate who became a friend. The woman, who was incarcerated in the Ellis County Jail, said she longed to have a book to read while she was in jail, but none were available.&nbsp;"She had no books to read. She had nothing to do. She really felt helpless," Broman Miller said. "She said she thought if she had a book, just something to keep her mind occupied and maybe some self-help books or something to get her out of this depression she was in, that would have really been a benefit to her."Broman Miller and her husband, Pastor Troy Miller of Hays United Methodist Church, created the Liberate Books Project in 2019. The project distributes books to jails and prisons across the state of Kansas.Broman Miller estimated in the few years that the program has been active, the project has delivered about 11,000 books.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677703777942.jpeg" alt="Troy Miller and Sarah Broman Miller deliver books to a detention facility as part of the Liberate Books Project. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Troy Miller and Sarah Broman Miller deliver books to a detention facility as part of the Liberate Books Project. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The program recently partnered with the Micah 6:8 project through the Hays First United Methodist Church so it can enjoy non-profit status and expand its services."I feel a responsibility, almost a moral obligation, to take care of people who maybe don't get help and who maybe don't get that kind of attention or love from others," Broman Miller said.She said she is motivated to keep taking books to show people they are cared about, thought about and they are loved.&nbsp;"... I think one of the biggest things we can do for humanity is just care for other people and especially people in our own state and who are having these problems," she said.&nbsp;The project came as an offshoot of another program Broman Miller, who teaches teacher education, was working on with fellow FHSU Associate Professor in criminal justice April Terry.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677704109958.jpeg" alt="Sarah Broman Miller and her husband, Troy, load up their own vehicle, sometimes with hundreds of books to deliver to prisons and jails in the state. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Broman Miller and her husband, Troy, load up their own vehicle, sometimes with hundreds of books to deliver to prisons and jails in the state. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Broman Miller and Terry take both education and criminal justice students to the Topeka Correctional Facility where they work with female inmates on a literacy project.&nbsp;The students help inmates record themselves reading a children's book for their children or grandchildren. The program sends the recordings, the books and stuffed animals to the children. This program is ongoing.As an afterthought, Broman Miller suggested the students take books to the prison to replenish the prison's library. Broman Miller sponsored a book drive for the prison."The support that came from the community was incredible," Broman Miller said. "It was like someone turned on a fire hose."Broman Miller received so many books they took up a whole classroom at Hays First United Methodist Church.Out of that outpouring of love, as Broman Miller described it, came the Liberate Books Project, which sends books to county jails across the state."What I found out is that a lot of county jails do not have libraries," she said.Although the program that sparked the Liberate Book Project was exclusively for women, the book project offers reading material to all inmates.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677704151920.jpeg" alt="Sarah Broman Miller delivering books to a detention facility. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Broman Miller delivering books to a detention facility. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Jail staff members are often surprised the program is offering the books for free, Broman Miller said.Broman Miller's brother-in-law used to be a jailer in Johnson County. He started helping the Millers deliver books to the two jail facilities there. After he started to deliver books, he could walk the cell blocks and hear inmates talking about their favorite authors.The program promotes literacy, but Broman Miller said it is also a comfort for the inmates, many of whom may be dealing with trauma or addiction."They are at the lowest part of their lives," Broman Miller said. "To have something there that says you're not alone.&nbsp; This book when you read is going to take you somewhere else other than your current state."The project offers self-help books, which she said many of the inmates appreciate."If you are in a cell by yourself with nothing else to do but spend time thinking about your life, what a better place to have a book," she said.&nbsp;"I think it really does encourage people to become readers."Broman Miller has delivered books to the state correction facility in Stockton, where the inmates helped unload the books.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677704187658.jpeg" alt="The Liberate Books Project accepts donated books. The outpouring of gifts to the program has been so strong, the project had to take over a classroom at Hays First United Methodist Church to store all the books. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The Liberate Books Project accepts donated books. The outpouring of gifts to the program has been so strong, the project had to take over a classroom at Hays First United Methodist Church to store all the books. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"Seeing their faces, it was like a kid in a candy store. They were so excited to get the books. It has really helped to build their library," she said.The couple has been loading down their personal vehicle and paying out of their own pocket for gas to take these books to the county jails and prisons.The Northwest Kansas Library System recently donated books they were releasing out of their book talk collection. The couple recently took two carloads of these books to Norton."One time, there were so many books, I could barely fit my purse in the car," she said.Although many people have expressed interest in donating monetarily to the project, until the Liberate Books merged into the Micah 6:8 social justice charity under the Hays First United Methodist Church, it did not have non-profit status."[Micah 6:8] focuses on social issues and these can be illiteracy, incarceration, poverty, food scarcity. We plan to address those types of things that are happening right here in our own community," she said.&nbsp;This new status will allow the project to take donations that will be used to help with the expenses of getting books to the jails as well as ordering books that are specifically requested by inmates, Broman Miller said.Prior to the non-profit designation, the Millers were paying for ordering books out of their pocket.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677704323085.jpeg" alt="The Liberate Books Project is accepting books and monetary donations. All types of books are needed, including adult and young adult books. See more on how to donate below. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The Liberate Books Project is accepting books and monetary donations. All types of books are needed, including adult and young adult books. See more on how to donate below. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>How you can help</h2>In addition to book and monetary donations, the Liberate Books Project is also looking for volunteers to deliver books.This could be individuals or groups. Broman Miller said you don't have to make a special trip. If you have plans to visit another community, you just have to be willing to take a load of books with you to that county's jail.Broman Miller has the contacts and will make the arrangements for the delivery and make sure the books are loaded into the volunteer's vehicle in Hays."It would be genius. I already have the books. That person is already going," she said.If you are interested in delivering books, you can email Broman Miller at sebmiller@fhsu.edu."It's a really fun and good service project," Broman Miller said. "I really hope the community would like to get involved. For them, it's really not a hard thing. All they have to do if they're going that direction anyway is reach out to me."The project takes all types of books, including all genres of adult books, picture books, chapter books and books for young adults.The average American reading level is between sixth and eighth grade. The average inmate's reading level is between fourth and fifth grade.Books and monetary donations can be made through Hays First United Methodist Church, 305 W. Seventh St., Hays. If sending a check,&nbsp; make checks payable to the church and put Liberate Books Project in the memo line.&nbsp;"This really helps. People may think 'I'm only giving books. This is not that hard for me," Broman Miller said. "In fact, it's good for me because I'm cleaning out grandma's closet. Grandma died and I need to take these books somewhere. It's actually a huge blessing for the people who are receiving them.&nbsp;"... your small donation of books or finances makes such a huge impact on these people."

Hays-based Liberate Books Project provides books to inmates across Kansas

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The lesser prairie chicken and its declining numbers has stolen all the media attention lately. But the greater prairie chicken will soon be the star of the show. The Kansas Wetlands Education Center is now filling up spots to watch the bird's mating ritual. Director Curtis Wolf calls it a bucket list item for nature lovers.

"Watching prairie chickens on their mating grounds, it's literally one of the coolest you can see," he said. "Every spring, the males come to an area that's called a lek; it's a communal breeding ground. The males set up territories they defend. They put on displays, they do dances, they fight. Basically, it's all about winning over the females."

Only the greater prairie chicken can be found in Barton County. Though the lesser and greater prairie chickens share many similarities, they are two different species of birds. The greater is larger and has bushy eyebrows that are almost orange in color. The lesser's eyebrows are more yellow in color. Each species also has a unique "booming" sound used to defend its territory. There's another easily identifiable difference on the head.

"The big thing would be the males have this large air sac they use to make the sounds they do," Wolf said. "The greater prairie chickens, the color of that air sac is a bright orange color. For the lesser prairie chicken, it's more of a red, almost purplish color."

Prairie Chicken Lek Tours are $40 per person, and space is limited. There are still several spots available from March 23 through April 21. Participants will watch the ritual from a blind approximately 30 yards from the birds. Call the KWEC at (877) 243-9268 to reserve a spot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615523825324.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe lesser prairie chicken and its declining numbers has stolen all the media attention lately. But the greater prairie chicken will soon be the star of the show. The Kansas Wetlands Education Center is now filling up spots to watch the bird's mating ritual. Director Curtis Wolf calls it a bucket list item for nature lovers."Watching prairie chickens on their mating grounds, it's literally one of the coolest you can see," he said. "Every spring, the males come to an area that's called a lek; it's a communal breeding ground. The males set up territories they defend. They put on displays, they do dances, they fight. Basically, it's all about winning over the females."Only the greater prairie chicken can be found in Barton County. Though the lesser and greater prairie chickens share many similarities, they are two different species of birds. The greater is larger and has bushy eyebrows that are almost orange in color. The lesser's eyebrows are more yellow in color. Each species also has a unique "booming" sound used to defend its territory. There's another easily identifiable difference on the head."The big thing would be the males have this large air sac they use to make the sounds they do," Wolf said. "The greater prairie chickens, the color of that air sac is a bright orange color. For the lesser prairie chicken, it's more of a red, almost purplish color."Prairie Chicken Lek Tours are $40 per person, and space is limited. There are still several spots available from March 23 through April 21. Participants will watch the ritual from a blind approximately 30 yards from the birds. Call the KWEC at (877) 243-9268 to reserve a spot.

Mating ritual provides one of the 'greater' shows in Barton Co.

Where do fish keep their money? In river banks.

Join fans of KZ Country on Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

Where do fish keep their money? In river banks.Join fans of KZ Country on Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

KZ Country Cheesy Joke of the Day 03/03/23

SALINA-Peaceful Body Wellness Retreat, 148 S. Santa Fe Avenue, is continuing the First Friday tradition with a reception for artist Michael Florian Jilg from 5-7 p.m. Friday. The event is open to the public.

SALINA-Peaceful Body Wellness Retreat, 148 S. Santa Fe Avenue, is continuing the First Friday tradition with a reception for artist Michael Florian Jilg from 5-7 p.m. Friday. The event is open to the public.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677725301713.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Poster courtesy Salina Downtown, Inc.

March First Friday to feature reception for artist Michael Florian Jilg in Salina

What does a depressed tortilla say? I don’t wanna taco ’bout it.

What does a depressed tortilla say? I don’t wanna taco ’bout it.Join fans of KZ Country on Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

KZ Country Cheesy Joke of the Day 03/02/23

Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau

LINDSBORG - The 2023 version of the Messiah Festival begins later this month and tickets for some events already are on sale.

Bethany College and Lindsborg will be offering many opportunities to participate in the 142nd Messiah Festival of the Arts, including the following.

March 27-April 10:&nbsp;Attend the Juried Student Art Exhibition at Mingenback Art Center, located on the campus of Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street.

March 30-April 1:&nbsp;Cabaret: A Musical Revue&nbsp;will be performed both evenings with wine and hors d'oeuvres at 7:30 p.m. in the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, 401 N. First Street.

March 31:&nbsp;The Jazz Walk:&nbsp;Lousiana! Birth of Jazz, downtown Lindsborg

April 3:&nbsp;Chasing History: A Conversation About the Many Editions of Handel's "Messiah"&nbsp;- a presentation by Mark Lucas, Ph.D, associate professor of music, artistic director and conductor of the Messiah Festival of the Arts. The presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Pearson Chapel at Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street.

April 3:&nbsp;Ages 4-12 are invited to attend&nbsp;The Lord Is My Shepherd Chalk Talk&nbsp;by Shelly Carlson of Lindsborg. The chalk talk will take place at Mabee Welcome Center on the campus of Bethany College at 7 p.m. with adult supervision for the children. A great way for parents to attend Chasing History while the children have fun with Carlson!

April 7:&nbsp;Bach's&nbsp;Passion According to St. Matthew&nbsp;will be performed in Presser Hall Auditorium, located on the campus of Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street at 7:30 p.m.

April 9:&nbsp;Handel's&nbsp;Messiah&nbsp;will be performed in Presser Hall Auditorium, located on the campus of Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street, at 3 p.m.

Tickets for Handel's&nbsp;Messiah, Bach's&nbsp;Passion, and&nbsp;Cabaret: A Musical Revue&nbsp;are on sale now! Click on this&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FnXHDEWGFRMBrUpWwPlmp7Abeyv2z3Ch-QACT1AYadtd5tWLdh1BUmQsVhVRzsm0KRHgd3iE5m0XizQZIWwlxJ034GZ6ZuRSbiaMaihnNiZ7mlWxCDpcXLUJX76yvBA5yERb0ExWcXDSj_m-ppcHn0rZVoMA6L9b6n14Y84ErJY=&amp;c=aYZeqh1HP3RxzyXVNHNgM4QEY3snF_DaJgni3-P48F3vt3AzlEvk8w==&amp;ch=DXUlgaZ-jB-nWyrQShPFwmbts72Uv-qQRDvBv_7jtkeJvWgSn4mqOw==" target="_blank">link</a>&nbsp;for purchasing online, or call the Messiah Festival office (785) 227-3380, extension 8235.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677637868708.png" alt="Image courtest Messiah Festival of the Arts" />
 <figcaption>Image courtest Messiah Festival of the Arts</figcaption>
 </figure>Lindsborg Convention and Visitors BureauLINDSBORG - The 2023 version of the Messiah Festival begins later this month and tickets for some events already are on sale.Bethany College and Lindsborg will be offering many opportunities to participate in the 142nd Messiah Festival of the Arts, including the following.March 27-April 10:&nbsp;Attend the Juried Student Art Exhibition at Mingenback Art Center, located on the campus of Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street.March 30-April 1:&nbsp;Cabaret: A Musical Revue&nbsp;will be performed both evenings with wine and hors d'oeuvres at 7:30 p.m. in the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, 401 N. First Street.March 31:&nbsp;The Jazz Walk:&nbsp;Lousiana! Birth of Jazz, downtown LindsborgApril 3:&nbsp;Chasing History: A Conversation About the Many Editions of Handel's "Messiah"&nbsp;- a presentation by Mark Lucas, Ph.D, associate professor of music, artistic director and conductor of the Messiah Festival of the Arts. The presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Pearson Chapel at Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street.April 3:&nbsp;Ages 4-12 are invited to attend&nbsp;The Lord Is My Shepherd Chalk Talk&nbsp;by Shelly Carlson of Lindsborg. The chalk talk will take place at Mabee Welcome Center on the campus of Bethany College at 7 p.m. with adult supervision for the children. A great way for parents to attend Chasing History while the children have fun with Carlson!April 7:&nbsp;Bach's&nbsp;Passion According to St. Matthew&nbsp;will be performed in Presser Hall Auditorium, located on the campus of Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street at 7:30 p.m.April 9:&nbsp;Handel's&nbsp;Messiah&nbsp;will be performed in Presser Hall Auditorium, located on the campus of Bethany College, 335 E. Swensson Street, at 3 p.m.Tickets for Handel's&nbsp;Messiah, Bach's&nbsp;Passion, and&nbsp;Cabaret: A Musical Revue&nbsp;are on sale now! Click on this&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FnXHDEWGFRMBrUpWwPlmp7Abeyv2z3Ch-QACT1AYadtd5tWLdh1BUmQsVhVRzsm0KRHgd3iE5m0XizQZIWwlxJ034GZ6ZuRSbiaMaihnNiZ7mlWxCDpcXLUJX76yvBA5yERb0ExWcXDSj_m-ppcHn0rZVoMA6L9b6n14Y84ErJY=&amp;c=aYZeqh1HP3RxzyXVNHNgM4QEY3snF_DaJgni3-P48F3vt3AzlEvk8w==&amp;ch=DXUlgaZ-jB-nWyrQShPFwmbts72Uv-qQRDvBv_7jtkeJvWgSn4mqOw==" target="_blank">link</a>&nbsp;for purchasing online, or call the Messiah Festival office (785) 227-3380, extension 8235.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lindsborg Messiah Festival of the Arts 2023 offers variety of events

The United States Navy Band will perform at the Colby Event Center at 7 p.m. March 7. The&nbsp;area&nbsp;students&nbsp;selected from&nbsp;Colby Community College&nbsp;performing&nbsp;with the band are;&nbsp;Tristen Cox, trumpet, Kori Vogel, flute,&nbsp;Britnee&nbsp;McKinney, flute, Lyden Lampe, trumpet, Hailee Bingham, tuba, Travis Tubbs, trombone, Aniyah Olson, clarinet, and Doyle "D.J." Easter, percussion.&nbsp;

Free tickets can still be obtained from your local WPAA contact person or by contacting Pat&nbsp;Ziegelmeier&nbsp;at (785)460-5518 or by email,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:pat.ziegelmeier@colbycc.edu">pat.ziegelmeier@colbycc.edu</a>.

The concert is sponsored by Western Plains Arts Association.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581542018976.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WPAAThe United States Navy Band will perform at the Colby Event Center at 7 p.m. March 7. The&nbsp;area&nbsp;students&nbsp;selected from&nbsp;Colby Community College&nbsp;performing&nbsp;with the band are;&nbsp;Tristen Cox, trumpet, Kori Vogel, flute,&nbsp;Britnee&nbsp;McKinney, flute, Lyden Lampe, trumpet, Hailee Bingham, tuba, Travis Tubbs, trombone, Aniyah Olson, clarinet, and Doyle "D.J." Easter, percussion.&nbsp;Free tickets can still be obtained from your local WPAA contact person or by contacting Pat&nbsp;Ziegelmeier&nbsp;at (785)460-5518 or by email,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:pat.ziegelmeier@colbycc.edu">pat.ziegelmeier@colbycc.edu</a>. The concert is sponsored by Western Plains Arts Association.

Colby CC students will perform with U.S. Navy Band

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22The%20Associated%20Press%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By The Associated Press</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — Hollywood is gearing up for the 95th Academy Awards, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-oscar-nominations-f10835dc948d9a1b5535e8da9aaab8fb">“Everything Everywhere All at Once” comes in the lead nominee</a>&nbsp;and the film industry will hope to move past “the slap” of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-oscars-show-9a69424884de11649b68a12a284353a1">last year’s ceremony.</a>&nbsp;Here’s everything you need to know about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2023">the 2023 Oscars,</a>&nbsp;including when they are, where to watch the live show and this year’s controversies.

The Oscars will be held Sunday, March 12, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony is set to begin at 8 p.m. EST and be broadcast live on ABC.

The broadcast can be streamed with a subscription to Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&amp;T TV and Fubo TV. Some of these services offer brief free trials. You can also stream the show on ABC.com and on the ABC app by authenticating your provider.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oscars-host-jimmy-kimmel-3147af73bf0e205152c6375f14067e3a">Jimmy Kimmel will host for the third time</a>&nbsp;and his first time since 2018. That was also the last Oscars to feature a solo host. The show went hostless for several years after Kimmel's last outing. Last year, Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes hosted as a trio. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGsXh_loS7k">an ad for this year’s show</a>&nbsp;styled after “Top Gun: Maverick,” Kimmel made his humble case for being the right person for the job while noting that he can’t get slapped because “I cry a lot.”

WHAT’S NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE AT THE 2023 OSCARS?

The 10 movies competing for best picture are: “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Women Talking.” Here's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-to-watch-2023-oscar-nominations-movies-364aca2fdaa51eae34307c3b02446ae8">a guide to how you can watch them.</a>

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is yet to announce presenters. But it has said that winners to all categories will be announced live on the show. (Last year, some categories were taped in a pre-show, something that caused an uproar among academy members.) All signs point to a full slate of musical performances, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rihanna-oscars-2023-performance-lift-me-up-8f0080a8701ed56fd7f5995bb15995da">Rihanna performing “Lift Me Up”</a>&nbsp;from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” on the show. Whether a dance party breaks out in the Dolby Theatre&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oscars-2023-naatu-naatu-performance-rrr-50da3111030cbb5bd87a51eb9ceb34cb">during the performance</a>&nbsp;of Kala Bhairava’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsU0CGZoV8E">“Naatu Naatu”</a>&nbsp;from “RRR” remains to be seen. So does word on whether Lady Gaga will sing “Hold My Hand,” from “Top Gun: Maverick” during the show.

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michelle-yeoh-movie-92b9737f7ef574ea62dec51ba12516fd">indie sci-fi hit “Everything Everywhere All at Once”</a>&nbsp;comes in with a leading 11 nominations. Close on its heels, though, is the Irish friends-falling-out dark comedy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-plays-martin-mcdonagh-colin-farrell-f5304b75bb64127e080e94e8736b8377">“The Banshees of Inisherin,”</a>&nbsp;with nine nods, a total matched by Netflix’s WWI film “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) may have a slight edge on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-plays-martin-mcdonagh-colin-farrell-f5304b75bb64127e080e94e8736b8377">Cate Blanchett (“Tár”)</a>&nbsp;for best actress. Best actor is harder to call, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brendan-fraser-the-whale-darren-aronofsky-1b3e71f1022f11b26b764f238b421363">Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”),</a>&nbsp;Colin Farrell (“Banshees”) and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elvis-movie-review-b18e59c1b13c603e0fdd55adcea53f4d">Austin Butler (“Elvis”)</a>&nbsp;in the mix. In the supporting categories, Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ke-huy-quan-interview-everything-everywhere-spielberg-ab2601e87b405370853ce1ab12bf5dc2">Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)</a>&nbsp;are the frontrunners. Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”) may win his third best director Oscar, though the Daniels could also pull off the upset.

Aside from the usual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-oscar-nominations-snubs-d3108e53d062ee923d14f31c9de7c3ca">snubs and surprises,</a>&nbsp;this year’s biggest to-do has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oscars-andrea-riseborough-celebrity-austin-butler-tom-cruise-01ce502c5a987ee2603a56b3fb82e065">the debate surrounding Andrea Riseborough’s unexpected nomination for best actress.</a>&nbsp;Riseborough was nominated for the little-seen Texas-set drama “To Leslie” after many A-list stars rallied around her performance. When two other best-actress contenders — Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”) and Viola Davis (“Woman King”) — were snubbed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/danielle-deadwyler-oscars-snub-12db71a080acf7a4bb3b1407f497e79e">some saw that as a reflection of racial bias in the film industry</a>. The academy launched an inquiry into the star-studded, grassroots campaign for Riseborough&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oscars-andrea-riseborough-best-actress-campaign-review-31573db31b522287339733ed9d2956f3">but found no reason to rescind her nomination.</a>

Just the reading of the title to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/my-year-of-dicks-oscars-b8a6cb7089a580da4dbae0b16571bb25">one of this year’s short film nominees</a>&nbsp;should prompt a wave of giggles.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42">John Williams</a>&nbsp;(“The Fabelmans”), up for best score, is the oldest nominee ever, at 90 years old. After historic back-to-back best-director wins by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2021-oscars-best-director-chloe-zhao-539cda398d2dd5abcf7a92d87b685994">Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”)</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-oscars-best-director-winner-744abe46744ceb4180ce6ffb4210453e">Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”)</a>, no women were nominated this year for best director. Also don’t expect to see Will Smith at the Oscars anytime soon. After striking Chris Rock at last year’s ceremony, Smith was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/will-smith-oscars-ban-664346ac2d2441939764f35be2d8026b">banned by the film academy from attending for 10 years</a>.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22The%20Associated%20Press%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By The Associated Press</a>NEW YORK (AP) — Hollywood is gearing up for the 95th Academy Awards, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-oscar-nominations-f10835dc948d9a1b5535e8da9aaab8fb">“Everything Everywhere All at Once” comes in the lead nominee</a>&nbsp;and the film industry will hope to move past “the slap” of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-oscars-show-9a69424884de11649b68a12a284353a1">last year’s ceremony.</a>&nbsp;Here’s everything you need to know about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2023">the 2023 Oscars,</a>&nbsp;including when they are, where to watch the live show and this year’s controversies.___WHEN ARE THE OSCARS?The Oscars will be held Sunday, March 12, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony is set to begin at 8 p.m. EST and be broadcast live on ABC.CAN YOU STREAM THE OSCARS?The broadcast can be streamed with a subscription to Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&amp;T TV and Fubo TV. Some of these services offer brief free trials. You can also stream the show on ABC.com and on the ABC app by authenticating your provider.WHO’S HOSTING?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oscars-host-jimmy-kimmel-3147af73bf0e205152c6375f14067e3a">Jimmy Kimmel will host for the third time</a>&nbsp;and his first time since 2018. That was also the last Oscars to feature a solo host. The show went hostless for several years after Kimmel's last outing. Last year, Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes hosted as a trio. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGsXh_loS7k">an ad for this year’s show</a>&nbsp;styled after “Top Gun: Maverick,” Kimmel made his humble case for being the right person for the job while noting that he can’t get slapped because “I cry a lot.”WHAT’S NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE AT THE 2023 OSCARS?The 10 movies competing for best picture are: “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Women Talking.” Here's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-to-watch-2023-oscar-nominations-movies-364aca2fdaa51eae34307c3b02446ae8">a guide to how you can watch them.</a>WHAT’S IN STORE FOR THE SHOW?The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is yet to announce presenters. But it has said that winners to all categories will be announced live on the show. (Last year, some categories were taped in a pre-show, something that caused an uproar among academy members.) All signs point to a full slate of musical performances, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rihanna-oscars-2023-performance-lift-me-up-8f0080a8701ed56fd7f5995bb15995da">Rihanna performing “Lift Me Up”</a>&nbsp;from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” on the show. Whether a dance party breaks out in the Dolby Theatre&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oscars-2023-naatu-naatu-performance-rrr-50da3111030cbb5bd87a51eb9ceb34cb">during the performance</a>&nbsp;of Kala Bhairava’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsU0CGZoV8E">“Naatu Naatu”</a>&nbsp;from “RRR” remains to be seen. So does word on whether Lady Gaga will sing “Hold My Hand,” from “Top Gun: Maverick” during the show.WHO ARE THE FAVORITES?Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michelle-yeoh-movie-92b9737f7ef574ea62dec51ba12516fd">indie sci-fi hit “Everything Everywhere All at Once”</a>&nbsp;comes in with a leading 11 nominations. Close on its heels, though, is the Irish friends-falling-out dark comedy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-plays-martin-mcdonagh-colin-farrell-f5304b75bb64127e080e94e8736b8377">“The Banshees of Inisherin,”</a>&nbsp;with nine nods, a total matched by Netflix’s WWI film “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) may have a slight edge on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-plays-martin-mcdonagh-colin-farrell-f5304b75bb64127e080e94e8736b8377">Cate Blanchett (“Tár”)</a>&nbsp;for best actress. Best actor is harder to call, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brendan-fraser-the-whale-darren-aronofsky-1b3e71f1022f11b26b764f238b421363">Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”),</a>&nbsp;Colin Farrell (“Banshees”) and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elvis-movie-review-b18e59c1b13c603e0fdd55adcea53f4d">Austin Butler (“Elvis”)</a>&nbsp;in the mix. In the supporting categories, Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ke-huy-quan-interview-everything-everywhere-spielberg-ab2601e87b405370853ce1ab12bf5dc2">Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)</a>&nbsp;are the frontrunners. Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”) may win his third best director Oscar, though the Daniels could also pull off the upset.WHAT’S BEEN CONTROVERSIAL THIS YEAR?Aside from the usual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-oscar-nominations-snubs-d3108e53d062ee923d14f31c9de7c3ca">snubs and surprises,</a>&nbsp;this year’s biggest to-do has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oscars-andrea-riseborough-celebrity-austin-butler-tom-cruise-01ce502c5a987ee2603a56b3fb82e065">the debate surrounding Andrea Riseborough’s unexpected nomination for best actress.</a>&nbsp;Riseborough was nominated for the little-seen Texas-set drama “To Leslie” after many A-list stars rallied around her performance. When two other best-actress contenders — Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”) and Viola Davis (“Woman King”) — were snubbed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/danielle-deadwyler-oscars-snub-12db71a080acf7a4bb3b1407f497e79e">some saw that as a reflection of racial bias in the film industry</a>. The academy launched an inquiry into the star-studded, grassroots campaign for Riseborough&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oscars-andrea-riseborough-best-actress-campaign-review-31573db31b522287339733ed9d2956f3">but found no reason to rescind her nomination.</a>WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR?Just the reading of the title to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/my-year-of-dicks-oscars-b8a6cb7089a580da4dbae0b16571bb25">one of this year’s short film nominees</a>&nbsp;should prompt a wave of giggles.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-williams-indiana-jones-star-wars-music-af541b3979fd6c0ea624bb200c322f42">John Williams</a>&nbsp;(“The Fabelmans”), up for best score, is the oldest nominee ever, at 90 years old. After historic back-to-back best-director wins by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2021-oscars-best-director-chloe-zhao-539cda398d2dd5abcf7a92d87b685994">Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”)</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-oscars-best-director-winner-744abe46744ceb4180ce6ffb4210453e">Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”)</a>, no women were nominated this year for best director. Also don’t expect to see Will Smith at the Oscars anytime soon. After striking Chris Rock at last year’s ceremony, Smith was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/will-smith-oscars-ban-664346ac2d2441939764f35be2d8026b">banned by the film academy from attending for 10 years</a>.

Everything you need to know about the 2023 Academy Awards

This piece by Brooke McWhorter is among the art that will be on display during March in the Salina Public Library's Gallery 708.&nbsp;Art photos courtesy Salina Public Library

The Salina High School Central Visual Arts Department presents the work of the Dynamic Dozen senior art students at Salina Public Library’s Gallery 708.

The students’ artwork will be on display from Wednesday to March 31 in the gallery of the library, 301 W. Elm Street.

A reception for the exhibit and artists is scheduled for 4-5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Larry Cullins is the instructor of the Dynamic Dozen which includes Angelina Asebedo, Mykl Groetzinger, Emmy Haller, Camila Lopez, Chelsea Rossi Lewin, Brooke McWhorter, Isabell Riedel, Faith Rost, Sophia Nate Springer, Beatrice Wellbrock-Talley, Alisha Will, and Shayla Williams. Students are showing work in mediums ranging from ink, graphite, pastels, acrylic, mixed media and more.

The public is welcome to view the exhibit during library hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677549652332.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>This piece by Brooke McWhorter is among the art that will be on display during March in the Salina Public Library's Gallery 708.&nbsp;Art photos courtesy Salina Public LibrarySalina Public LibraryThe Salina High School Central Visual Arts Department presents the work of the Dynamic Dozen senior art students at Salina Public Library’s Gallery 708.The students’ artwork will be on display from Wednesday to March 31 in the gallery of the library, 301 W. Elm Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677549870776.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Art by Beatrice Wellbrock-TalleyA reception for the exhibit and artists is scheduled for 4-5:30 p.m. on Friday.Larry Cullins is the instructor of the Dynamic Dozen which includes Angelina Asebedo, Mykl Groetzinger, Emmy Haller, Camila Lopez, Chelsea Rossi Lewin, Brooke McWhorter, Isabell Riedel, Faith Rost, Sophia Nate Springer, Beatrice Wellbrock-Talley, Alisha Will, and Shayla Williams. Students are showing work in mediums ranging from ink, graphite, pastels, acrylic, mixed media and more.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677549962582.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Art by Isabell RiedelThe public is welcome to view the exhibit during library hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677550031893.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Art by Alisha Will

Salina Central students' art part of library's Gallery 708 exhibit

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

When “The Wall That Heals” arrives to Great Bend, Chairperson for the Great Bend Leadership Committee Larry Parsons is hopeful up 15,000 people will visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica.

The three-quarter replica from the memorial in Washington D.C. only makes 30 stops across the country each year. Parsons said the Great Bend stop in May is the only destination in the area this year. "There is nothing else in Kansas," said Parsons. "There is nothing else in Nebraska. There is nothing else in Colorado. There is nothing else in Oklahoma. It'll be right here. I think we'll get a lot of television coverage on this event. Marysville had a few years ago and they had people out of Lincoln, Nebraska and Topeka almost every day there. The 375-foot-long wall bears the names of the more than 58,000 American men and women who died during the Vietnam War. The wall will be displayed at Al Burns Field at Veterans Memorial Park May 11 – May 14 and is free to the public.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652510925.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostWhen “The Wall That Heals” arrives to Great Bend, Chairperson for the Great Bend Leadership Committee Larry Parsons is hopeful up 15,000 people will visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica.The three-quarter replica from the memorial in Washington D.C. only makes 30 stops across the country each year. Parsons said the Great Bend stop in May is the only destination in the area this year. "There is nothing else in Kansas," said Parsons. "There is nothing else in Nebraska. There is nothing else in Colorado. There is nothing else in Oklahoma. It'll be right here. I think we'll get a lot of television coverage on this event. Marysville had a few years ago and they had people out of Lincoln, Nebraska and Topeka almost every day there. The 375-foot-long wall bears the names of the more than 58,000 American men and women who died during the Vietnam War. The wall will be displayed at Al Burns Field at Veterans Memorial Park May 11 – May 14 and is free to the public.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/2AXFSN1C-KcBmu4K3.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="The Wall That Heals 2" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>

Thousands expected to visit Great Bend to see ‘The Wall That Heals’

“What’s the difference between a guitar and a fish?” “You can’t tuna fish.”

Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook:<a href="http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

“What’s the difference between a guitar and a fish?” “You can’t tuna fish.”Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook:<a href="http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

KZ Country Cheesy Joke of the Day 03/01/23

The Hays
Community Theatre, 121 E Eighth, is preparing for a busy spring as work
begins on two upcoming productions along with their summer musical.

This
year’s summer musical, The Addams Family, won’t be performed until July,
but this weekend, cast hopefuls will begin the audition process.

“Our
practices usually start at the beginning of June,” said board member Adam
Conkey. “So, this is a summer-intensive thing.”

Auditions
are scheduled for 2 p.m. March 4, 11 and 12.

He said practices
entail a few hours in the evenings until the performances on July 27, 28 and 29
in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Art Center on the Fort Hays State University
campus, 600 Park.

“This
will involve a lot of choreography,” Conkey said. “It will involve singing and
dancing, so get your shoes on.”

He said
the cast could be may be as large as 30, but the more that want to participate
the better.

“If you
don't want to audition for a show, it helps us to have people in the background
backstage, pushing props around and figuring out how the set needs to be moved,”
Conkey said. “Those are always handy positions as well.”

While work begins for the summer
production, two spring events are planned as well, including a unique version
of Hamlet, and the second annual Drag Show.

“This is
this is this is a kind of a special Hamlet, this is emo Hamlet in early 2000's
Shakespearean tragedy,” Conkey said. “It's a take on Hamlet as a lead played by
a female. So Hamlet is Ham Let and this is, set in a period where scene and emo
music are part of the feel of it.”

Conkey
will serve as director for the performance.

“I
wanted it to be a tragedy, but one of those kind of dark comedies almost where
it's, it's funny how terrible it is, how sad it is,” he said. “So that's the
direction I'm going with it.”

The search
for performers for that production will also begin soon, Conkey said, with junior
high-age children to seniors needed.

Auditions
are set from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 5 and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. March 6.

“Also,
if you want to send in a video of yourself to hctks.com showing a Shakespearean
sonnet that you're reading, that'll work just as well,” Conkey said.

Rehearsals
are set to begin March 12 and run Sundays through Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Performances
are set for 7 p.m. April 27, 28 and 29 of April at the Community Theatre. 

“It's
gonna be a fun take,” Conkey said.

“This is
an over-the-top experience,” Conkey said of the upcoming second annual Drag Show
set for 8 p.m. April 1. “I've never experienced an audience for anything quite
like this. ... I'm also calling for performers for this as well.”

He said last year they had over 10 performers playing multiple characters
and hopes to find even more this year.

“Lots of fun coming up here at the
community theater, so for events and anything happening, make sure to see us at<a href="https://www.hctks.com/">
hctks.com</a> or follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hayscommunitytheatre">Facebook</a>,” Conkey said.

<div><iframe title="Hays Community Theatre preparing for three upcoming shows" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=uk46v-13a39b0-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe Hays
Community Theatre, 121 E Eighth, is preparing for a busy spring as work
begins on two upcoming productions along with their summer musical.This
year’s summer musical, The Addams Family, won’t be performed until July,
but this weekend, cast hopefuls will begin the audition process.“Our
practices usually start at the beginning of June,” said board member Adam
Conkey. “So, this is a summer-intensive thing.”Auditions
are scheduled for 2 p.m. March 4, 11 and 12.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677607416485.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>He said practices
entail a few hours in the evenings until the performances on July 27, 28 and 29
in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Art Center on the Fort Hays State University
campus, 600 Park.“This
will involve a lot of choreography,” Conkey said. “It will involve singing and
dancing, so get your shoes on.”He said
the cast could be may be as large as 30, but the more that want to participate
the better.“If you
don't want to audition for a show, it helps us to have people in the background
backstage, pushing props around and figuring out how the set needs to be moved,”
Conkey said. “Those are always handy positions as well.”While work begins for the summer
production, two spring events are planned as well, including a unique version
of Hamlet, and the second annual Drag Show.“This is
this is this is a kind of a special Hamlet, this is emo Hamlet in early 2000's
Shakespearean tragedy,” Conkey said. “It's a take on Hamlet as a lead played by
a female. So Hamlet is Ham Let and this is, set in a period where scene and emo
music are part of the feel of it.”Conkey
will serve as director for the performance.“I
wanted it to be a tragedy, but one of those kind of dark comedies almost where
it's, it's funny how terrible it is, how sad it is,” he said. “So that's the
direction I'm going with it.”The search
for performers for that production will also begin soon, Conkey said, with junior
high-age children to seniors needed.Auditions
are set from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 5 and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. March 6.“Also,
if you want to send in a video of yourself to hctks.com showing a Shakespearean
sonnet that you're reading, that'll work just as well,” Conkey said.Rehearsals
are set to begin March 12 and run Sundays through Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.Performances
are set for 7 p.m. April 27, 28 and 29 of April at the Community Theatre. “It's
gonna be a fun take,” Conkey said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677607404086.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>But first ...</h2>“This is
an over-the-top experience,” Conkey said of the upcoming second annual Drag Show
set for 8 p.m. April 1. “I've never experienced an audience for anything quite
like this. ... I'm also calling for performers for this as well.”He said last year they had over 10 performers playing multiple characters
and hopes to find even more this year.“Lots of fun coming up here at the
community theater, so for events and anything happening, make sure to see us at<a href="https://www.hctks.com/">
hctks.com</a> or follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hayscommunitytheatre">Facebook</a>,” Conkey said.

🎙 Hays Community Theatre preparing for three upcoming shows

What musical instrument is found in the bathroom? A tuba toothpaste.

What musical instrument is found in the bathroom? A tuba toothpaste.Join fans of KZ Country on Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

KZ Country Cheesy Joke of the Day 02/28/23

Why did the traffic light turn red? You would too if you had to change in the middle of the street!

Why did the traffic light turn red? You would too if you had to change in the middle of the street!Join fans of KZ Country on Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry</a>

KZ Country Cheesy Joke of the Day 02/27/23

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JAKE%20COYLE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer</a>

The unlikely awards season juggernaut “Everything Everywhere All at Once” marched on at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sagawards.org/">Screen Actors Guild Awards</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, and even gathered steam with wins not just for best ensemble,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michelle-yeoh-movie-92b9737f7ef574ea62dec51ba12516fd">Michelle Yeoh</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ke-huy-quan-interview-everything-everywhere-spielberg-ab2601e87b405370853ce1ab12bf5dc2">Ke Huy Quan</a>&nbsp;but also for Jamie Lee Curtis.

The SAG Awards, often an Oscar preview, threw some curve balls into the Oscars race in a ceremony streamed live on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTSeRqP6gqE">Netflix's YouTube page</a>&nbsp;from Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

But the clearest result of the SAG Awards was the overwhelming success of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert's madcap multiverse tale, which has now used its hotdog fingers to snag top honors from the acting, directing and producing guilds. Only one film ("Apollo 13") had won all three and not gone on to win best picture at the Oscars.

After so much of the cast of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-sports-movies-martial-arts-a0c2c7bfb0a06c2f2f8156c835a84b93">“Everything Everywhere All at Once”</a>&nbsp;had already been on the stage to accept awards, the night's final moment belonged to 94-year-old James Hong, a supporting player in the film and a trailblazer for Asian American representation in Hollywood. He brought up the ignoble yellowface history of the 1937 film “The Good Earth.”

“The leading role was played with these guys with their eyes taped up like this and they talked like this because the producers said the Asians were not good enough and they were not box office,” said Hong. “But look at us now!”

Hong added that the cast of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” wasn't all Chinese, though he granted Jamie Lee Curtis had a good Chinese name. Curtis' win was one of the most surprising of the night, coming over the longtime favorite, Angela Bassett ("Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"), who had seemed to be on a clear path to becoming the first actor to win an Oscar for a performance in a Marvel movie.

A visibly moved Curtis said she was wearing the wedding ring her father, Tony Curtis, gave her mother, Janet Leigh.

“I know you look at me and think ‘Nepo baby,’” said Curtis, who won in her first SAG nomination. “But the truth of the matter is that I’m 64 years old and this is just amazing.”

The actors guild, though, lent some clarity to the lead categories. Though some have seen best actress as a toss up between Yeoh and BAFTA winner Cate Blanchett ("Tár"), Yeoh again took home the award for best female lead performance.

“This is not just for me," said Yeoh, the first Asian actress to win the SAG Award for female lead. "It’s for every little girl that looks like me.”

Quan, the former child star, also won for best supporting male actor. The “Everything Everywhere All at Once" co-star had left acting for years after auditions dried up. He's also the first Asian to win best male supporting actor at the SAG Awards.

“When I stepped away from acting, it was because there were so few opportunities,” said Quan. “Now, tonight we are celebrating James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Hong Chau, Harry Shum Jr. The landscape looks so different now.”

Some online commentators suggested there was irony in Mark Wahlberg, who presented best ensemble, handing out the night’s final award to a film with a predominantly Asian and Asian American cast. In 1988, a 16-year-old Wahlberg attacked two Vietnamese men while trying to steal beer near his home in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Wahlberg, who said race wasn’t a factor in the assault, served 45 days of a two-year sentence. Wahlberg also announced the film “Women Talking” as “Women Are Talking.”

Best actor has been one of the hardest races to call.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/austin-butler-elvis-oscars-best-actor-bddde01cde0f50d1e39c963dd45d7a66">Austin Butler</a>&nbsp;(“Elvis”),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brendan-fraser-the-whale-darren-aronofsky-1b3e71f1022f11b26b764f238b421363">Brendan Fraser</a>&nbsp;(“The Whale”) and Colin Farrell (&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-plays-martin-mcdonagh-colin-farrell-f5304b75bb64127e080e94e8736b8377">“The Banshees of Inisherin”</a>&nbsp;) have all been seen as possible winners. But it was Fraser who went home with the SAG Award for his comeback performance as an obese shut-in in “The Whale.”

“Believe me, if you just stay in there and put one foot in front of the other, you'll get where you need to go," said Fraser, who anxiously eyed the actor-shaped trophy and left the stage saying he was going to go look for some pants for him.

The SAG Awards are considered one of the most reliable Oscar bellwethers. Actors make up the biggest percentage of the film academy, so their choices have the largest sway. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/academy-awards-entertainment-california-hollywood-arts-and-entertainment-1e285d9a6c0fe5f42d86d55adf641c9c">“CODA” triumphed at SAG</a>&nbsp;before winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-oscars-show-9a69424884de11649b68a12a284353a1">best picture at the Oscar</a>&nbsp;s, while Ariana DeBose, Will Smith, Jessica Chastain and Troy Kotsur all won at a SAG Award before taking home an Academy Award.

After the SAG Awards, presented by the film and television acting guild SAG-AFTRA, lost their broadcast home at TNT/TBS, Netflix signed on to stream Sunday's ceremony. Next year's show will be on Netflix, proper.

Sunday’s livestream meant a slightly scaled-down vibe. Without a broadcast time limit, winners weren’t played off. A regal and unbothered Sam Elliott, winner for male actor in a TV movie or limited series for “1883,” spoke well past his allotted time. The show sped through early winners, including awards for Jean Smart (“Hacks”), Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”) and Jason Bateman (“Ozark”).

Quinta Brunson and Janelle James of “Abbott Elementary” kicked off the ceremony with a few opening jokes, including one that suggested Viola Davis, a recent Grammy winner, is beyond EGOT status and has transcended into “ShEGOTallofthem.”

Brunson later returned to the stage with the cast of “Abbott Elementary” to accept the SAG award for best ensemble in a comedy series. Brunson, the sitcom's creator and one of its producers, said of her castmates, “These people bring me back down to Earth."

“The White Lotus” also took a victory lap, winning best ensemble in a drama series and another win for Jennifer Coolidge, coming off her wins at the Emmys and the Golden Globes. A teary-eyed Coolidge traced her love of acting to a first-grade trip to see a Charlie Chaplin film. She then thanked her date, a longtime friend, the actor Tim Bagley.

“You're a wonderful date tonight,” said Coolidge. “I can't wait until we get home.”

The ceremony's first award went to a winner from last year: Jessica Chastain. A year after winning for her lead performance in the film “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Chastain won best female actor in a TV movie or limited series for Showtime's country music power couple series “George &amp; Tammy.” Chastain jetted in from previews on the upcoming Broadway revival of “A Doll's House.”

One award was announced ahead of the show from the red carpet: “Top Gun: Maverick" won for best stunt ensemble. Though some have cheered that blockbusters like “Maverick" and “Avatar: The Way of Water” are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-oscar-nominations-f10835dc948d9a1b5535e8da9aaab8fb">best picture nominees at this year's</a>&nbsp;Oscars, the indie smash “Everything Everywhere All at Once” increasingly looks like the biggest blockbuster at this year's Academy Awards.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JAKE%20COYLE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer</a>The unlikely awards season juggernaut “Everything Everywhere All at Once” marched on at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sagawards.org/">Screen Actors Guild Awards</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, and even gathered steam with wins not just for best ensemble,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michelle-yeoh-movie-92b9737f7ef574ea62dec51ba12516fd">Michelle Yeoh</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ke-huy-quan-interview-everything-everywhere-spielberg-ab2601e87b405370853ce1ab12bf5dc2">Ke Huy Quan</a>&nbsp;but also for Jamie Lee Curtis.The SAG Awards, often an Oscar preview, threw some curve balls into the Oscars race in a ceremony streamed live on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTSeRqP6gqE">Netflix's YouTube page</a>&nbsp;from Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.But the clearest result of the SAG Awards was the overwhelming success of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert's madcap multiverse tale, which has now used its hotdog fingers to snag top honors from the acting, directing and producing guilds. Only one film ("Apollo 13") had won all three and not gone on to win best picture at the Oscars.After so much of the cast of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-sports-movies-martial-arts-a0c2c7bfb0a06c2f2f8156c835a84b93">“Everything Everywhere All at Once”</a>&nbsp;had already been on the stage to accept awards, the night's final moment belonged to 94-year-old James Hong, a supporting player in the film and a trailblazer for Asian American representation in Hollywood. He brought up the ignoble yellowface history of the 1937 film “The Good Earth.”“The leading role was played with these guys with their eyes taped up like this and they talked like this because the producers said the Asians were not good enough and they were not box office,” said Hong. “But look at us now!”Hong added that the cast of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” wasn't all Chinese, though he granted Jamie Lee Curtis had a good Chinese name. Curtis' win was one of the most surprising of the night, coming over the longtime favorite, Angela Bassett ("Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"), who had seemed to be on a clear path to becoming the first actor to win an Oscar for a performance in a Marvel movie.A visibly moved Curtis said she was wearing the wedding ring her father, Tony Curtis, gave her mother, Janet Leigh.“I know you look at me and think ‘Nepo baby,’” said Curtis, who won in her first SAG nomination. “But the truth of the matter is that I’m 64 years old and this is just amazing.”The actors guild, though, lent some clarity to the lead categories. Though some have seen best actress as a toss up between Yeoh and BAFTA winner Cate Blanchett ("Tár"), Yeoh again took home the award for best female lead performance.“This is not just for me," said Yeoh, the first Asian actress to win the SAG Award for female lead. "It’s for every little girl that looks like me.”Quan, the former child star, also won for best supporting male actor. The “Everything Everywhere All at Once" co-star had left acting for years after auditions dried up. He's also the first Asian to win best male supporting actor at the SAG Awards.“When I stepped away from acting, it was because there were so few opportunities,” said Quan. “Now, tonight we are celebrating James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Hong Chau, Harry Shum Jr. The landscape looks so different now.”Some online commentators suggested there was irony in Mark Wahlberg, who presented best ensemble, handing out the night’s final award to a film with a predominantly Asian and Asian American cast. In 1988, a 16-year-old Wahlberg attacked two Vietnamese men while trying to steal beer near his home in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Wahlberg, who said race wasn’t a factor in the assault, served 45 days of a two-year sentence. Wahlberg also announced the film “Women Talking” as “Women Are Talking.”Best actor has been one of the hardest races to call.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/austin-butler-elvis-oscars-best-actor-bddde01cde0f50d1e39c963dd45d7a66">Austin Butler</a>&nbsp;(“Elvis”),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brendan-fraser-the-whale-darren-aronofsky-1b3e71f1022f11b26b764f238b421363">Brendan Fraser</a>&nbsp;(“The Whale”) and Colin Farrell (&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-plays-martin-mcdonagh-colin-farrell-f5304b75bb64127e080e94e8736b8377">“The Banshees of Inisherin”</a>&nbsp;) have all been seen as possible winners. But it was Fraser who went home with the SAG Award for his comeback performance as an obese shut-in in “The Whale.”“Believe me, if you just stay in there and put one foot in front of the other, you'll get where you need to go," said Fraser, who anxiously eyed the actor-shaped trophy and left the stage saying he was going to go look for some pants for him.The SAG Awards are considered one of the most reliable Oscar bellwethers. Actors make up the biggest percentage of the film academy, so their choices have the largest sway. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/academy-awards-entertainment-california-hollywood-arts-and-entertainment-1e285d9a6c0fe5f42d86d55adf641c9c">“CODA” triumphed at SAG</a>&nbsp;before winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-oscars-show-9a69424884de11649b68a12a284353a1">best picture at the Oscar</a>&nbsp;s, while Ariana DeBose, Will Smith, Jessica Chastain and Troy Kotsur all won at a SAG Award before taking home an Academy Award.After the SAG Awards, presented by the film and television acting guild SAG-AFTRA, lost their broadcast home at TNT/TBS, Netflix signed on to stream Sunday's ceremony. Next year's show will be on Netflix, proper.Sunday’s livestream meant a slightly scaled-down vibe. Without a broadcast time limit, winners weren’t played off. A regal and unbothered Sam Elliott, winner for male actor in a TV movie or limited series for “1883,” spoke well past his allotted time. The show sped through early winners, including awards for Jean Smart (“Hacks”), Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”) and Jason Bateman (“Ozark”).Another streaming effect: No bleeping.Quinta Brunson and Janelle James of “Abbott Elementary” kicked off the ceremony with a few opening jokes, including one that suggested Viola Davis, a recent Grammy winner, is beyond EGOT status and has transcended into “ShEGOTallofthem.”Brunson later returned to the stage with the cast of “Abbott Elementary” to accept the SAG award for best ensemble in a comedy series. Brunson, the sitcom's creator and one of its producers, said of her castmates, “These people bring me back down to Earth."“The White Lotus” also took a victory lap, winning best ensemble in a drama series and another win for Jennifer Coolidge, coming off her wins at the Emmys and the Golden Globes. A teary-eyed Coolidge traced her love of acting to a first-grade trip to see a Charlie Chaplin film. She then thanked her date, a longtime friend, the actor Tim Bagley.“You're a wonderful date tonight,” said Coolidge. “I can't wait until we get home.”The ceremony's first award went to a winner from last year: Jessica Chastain. A year after winning for her lead performance in the film “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Chastain won best female actor in a TV movie or limited series for Showtime's country music power couple series “George &amp; Tammy.” Chastain jetted in from previews on the upcoming Broadway revival of “A Doll's House.”One award was announced ahead of the show from the red carpet: “Top Gun: Maverick" won for best stunt ensemble. Though some have cheered that blockbusters like “Maverick" and “Avatar: The Way of Water” are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-oscar-nominations-f10835dc948d9a1b5535e8da9aaab8fb">best picture nominees at this year's</a>&nbsp;Oscars, the indie smash “Everything Everywhere All at Once” increasingly looks like the biggest blockbuster at this year's Academy Awards.

'Everything Everywhere All at Once' dominates at SAG Awards

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press</a>

Dilbert comic strip creator Scott Adams experienced possibly the biggest repercussion of his recent comments about race when distributor Andrews McMeel Universal announced Sunday it would no longer work with the cartoonist.

Andrews McMeel Chairman Hugh Andrews and CEO and President Andy Sareyan said in a joint statement that the syndication company was “severing our relationship" with Adams.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press</a>Dilbert comic strip creator Scott Adams experienced possibly the biggest repercussion of his recent comments about race when distributor Andrews McMeel Universal announced Sunday it would no longer work with the cartoonist.Andrews McMeel Chairman Hugh Andrews and CEO and President Andy Sareyan said in a joint statement that the syndication company was “severing our relationship" with Adams.In the Feb. 22 episode of his YouTube show, Adams described people who are Black as members of “a hate group” from which white people should “get away.” Various media publishers across the U.S. denounced the comments as racist, hateful and discriminatory while saying they would no longer provide a platform for his work.Andrews and Sareyan said Andrews McMeel supports free speech, but the comments by the cartoonist were not compatible with the core values of the company based in Kansas City, Missouri.“We are proud to promote and share many different voices and perspectives. But we will never support any commentary rooted in discrimination or hate,” they said in the statement posted on the company website and Twitter.The creator of the long-running comic that pokes fun at office-place culture defended himself on social media against those whom he said "hate me and are canceling me.”The backlash against Adams arose following comments on “Real Coffee with Scott Adams.” Among other topics, Adams used the YouTube show to reference a Rasmussen Reports survey that had asked whether people agreed with the statement “It's OK to be white."Most agreed, but Adams noted that 26% of Black respondents disagreed and others weren't sure.The Anti-Defamation League says the phrase was popularized in 2017 as a trolling campaign by members of the discussion forum 4chan but then began being used by some white supremacists.Adams, who is white, repeatedly referred to people who are Black as members of a “hate group” or a “racist hate group” and said he would no longer “help Black Americans."“Based on the current way things are going, the best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people,” Adams said on his Wednesday show.In another episode of his online show Saturday, Adams said he had been making a point that “everyone should be treated as an individual” without discrimination."But you should also avoid any group that doesn’t respect you, even if there are people within the group who are fine,” Adams said.Dilbert had already been dropped by several media outlets by the time of the announcement from its distributor.“We have decided to no longer publish the ‘Dilbert’ comic strip in our international print edition following racist comments by Scott Adams," said Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokeswoman for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/26/us/dilbert-newspapers-racism.html">The New York Times</a>&nbsp;who said Dilbert was published in the international print edition but not in the U.S. edition or online.<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/02/25/scott-adams-dilbert-canceled/">The Washington Post</a>&nbsp;said it would stop publishing Dilbert in light of “Scott Adams’s recent statements promoting segregation," although the strip could not be prevented from running in some forthcoming print editions.<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-02-25/los-angeles-times-ceases-publication-of-dilbert">The Los Angeles Times</a>&nbsp;cited Adams' “racist comments” while announcing Saturday that Dilbert will be discontinued Monday in most editions and that its final run in the Sunday comics — which are printed in advance — will be March 12.<a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/dilbert-creator-scott-adams-comments-17805449.php">The San Antonio Express-News</a>, which is part of Hearst Newspapers, said Saturday it will drop the Dilbert comic strip, effective Monday, “because of hateful and discriminatory public comments by its creator.”<a href="https://twitter.com/USATODAY_PR/status/1629250832322514945?s=20">The USA Today Network</a>&nbsp;tweeted Friday that it will stop publishing Dilbert "due to recent discriminatory comments by its creator.”<a href="https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/02/we-are-dropping-the-dilbert-comic-strip-because-of-creator-scott-adams-racist-rant-letter-from-the-editor.html">The Plain Dealer in Cleveland</a>&nbsp;and other publications that are part of media company Advance Local also announced they are dropping Dilbert.“This is a decision based on the principles of this news organization and the community we serve,” Plain Dealer Editor Chris Quinn wrote. ”We are not a home for those who espouse racism. We certainly do not want to provide them with financial support."Christopher Kelly, vice president of content for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nj.com/news/2023/02/were-no-longer-publishing-dilbert-heres-why-editors-note.html">NJ Advance Media</a>, wrote that the news organization believes in “the free and fair exchange of ideas.”“But when those ideas cross into hate speech, a line must be drawn,” Kelly wrote.Twitter CEO Elon Musk defended Adams in posts on the platform, saying the media previously "was racist against non-white people, now they’re racist against whites &amp; Asians.”

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