<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22SALLY%20HO,%20ANGELIKI%20KASTANIS%20and%20LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By SALLY HO, ANGELIKI KASTANIS and LINDSEY BAHR Associated Press</a>

With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/movies">hundreds of new movies</a>&nbsp;released each year, many of us depend on the expertise of film critics to help curate our own watching — a thoroughly communal yet deeply personal experience.

To honor the supporting role that entertainment journalism can play in this beloved pastime, The Associated Press on Thursday unveiled its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-movies">inaugural AP Top 25 Movies</a>&nbsp;list.

The AP Top 25 Movies ranking is a distinctive honor roll of films released in 2022, as determined by a truly representative panel of 26 of the U.S.' smartest movie experts working for AP-affiliated news outlets.

Here, we explain what it is and how it works:

The AP Top 25 Movies ranking is a new initiative adapted from a rich legacy. The global not-for-profit news cooperative’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">AP Top 25 college football poll</a>&nbsp;has been the authority in the sport since the all-media survey began in 1936.

The sports poll has since expanded, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">men’s college basketball</a>&nbsp;in 1949 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll">women’s college basketball</a>&nbsp;in 1977. The AP Top 25 Movies ranking now joins this storied tradition.

The sports polls are a weekly tally tracking the evolving dynamic throughout each sport's season of play. In contrast, the AP Top 25 Movies ranking is a single definitive list reflecting the entire 2022 calendar year.

“I’ve been mimicking the AP College Football poll since I was 6 years old and ranking my favorite movies every year,” said Shawn Edwards, film critic at WDAF-TV in Kansas City. “I’m thrilled that AP wanted a diverse group of individuals from various parts of the country to share their perspectives and viewpoints.”

For the AP Top 25 Movies ranking, the AP researched the nation’s best film writers, reporters and critics, seeking a diverse panel of journalists from all formats who cover films as a significant part of their role at their news outlet. To be eligible, their news outlets must be AP members or customers.

Among the 26 selected to vote in the inaugural ranking are a mix of platforms and audiences — from National Public Radio, Univision and IndieWire, to The Chicago Tribune, San Diego’s KPBS-FM radio station and KSNV-TV in Las Vegas.

The demographic makeup of the voters — 54% white and 65% male — stands out as more inclusive when compared to the overall industry:&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/critics-choice-2.pdf">Research from USC in 2018</a>&nbsp;found the film critics industry to be 83% white and 78.7% male.

The AP Top 25 Movies panelists also ranged in age from 29 to 68, and are based across the country — from Detroit to Memphis, Tennessee, and Houston to Philadelphia — though there is heavy representation in the film industry hubs of New York and Los Angeles.

Each voter submitted their own list ranking 25 movies that premiered to the public during the 2022 calendar year. The AP encouraged each panelist to exercise their own interpretation of “best films,” which did not need to align with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/awards-season">predictions for awards or even movies' Oscars eligibility.</a>

The 26 lists that ensued yielded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d074128c1ebade307d9b3ea36ab6b0e1">a collective of 176 different movies.</a>&nbsp;The individual rankings were then combined to produce the national ranking using a Borda count, in which a first-place vote was worth 25 points, a second-place vote was worth 24 points, and so on. Ties were allowed and occurred at No. 16, in which both “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “The Whale” each received 130 points in the AP's cumulative weighted system.

Each panelist’s identity and full ballot are public.

In a cinematic landscape where it seems only franchise films have a shot at traditional box office success,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2e54077cdbfa469cb3c593afc15f6da6">the top five films on the AP Top 25 Movies ranking were all original</a>&nbsp;— and most found robust audiences in theaters, despite the fact that moviegoing has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Fiercely original films, female-focused stories and theatrical-first releases had the clear edge.

The fight for the top movie of the year was extremely close, separated in the ranking by a mere 8 points. While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-plays-martin-mcdonagh-colin-farrell-f5304b75bb64127e080e94e8736b8377">“The Banshees of Inisherin"</a>&nbsp;won the title with 392 points, it's the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michelle-yeoh-movie-92b9737f7ef574ea62dec51ba12516fd">Michelle Yeoh-fronted “Everything Everywhere All at Once”</a>&nbsp;that earned the most first-place votes. The indie sci-fi hit — currently enjoying a Cinderella run during awards season — came in second in the AP rankings with 384 points but was the first choice on six different ballots. Meanwhile, the Irish dark comedy was ranked the top movie of the year on just two different ballots.

And while the final list of 25 movies reflected the year's critical darlings, individual panelists' ballots took a distinct turn toward, shall we say, approachability in the bottom half. Movies toward the end of the full list of 176 movies ranged from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-fa4342ca384091868182e94b459ece04">“Lightyear”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-kristen-schaal-be97d8a8cacbbe46b78195cbcbbe4bd3">“The Bob's Burgers Movie”</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-reviews-arts-and-entertainment-johnny-knoxville-f1a35036b4661d6911e94552ab21a632">“Jackass Forever”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-entertainment-music-0d131d4fbecd86a0490bc2ffd2e6e710">“Love, Lizzo.”</a>&nbsp;There were 76 movies that each were only endorsed on one ballot.

1.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-banshees-of-inisherin-film-reviews-entertainment-friendships-a4b2751fd96db95c635f5fbe7d9d7a58">“The Banshees of Inisherin,”</a>&nbsp;392 points

2.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-sports-movies-martial-arts-a0c2c7bfb0a06c2f2f8156c835a84b93">“Everything Everywhere All at Once,”</a>&nbsp;384 points

3.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tar-film-reviews-entertainment-movies-cate-blanchett-791646d4466ccf4ee2ef12b95f7b7765">“Tár,”</a>&nbsp;346 points

4.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-hollywood-daniel-kaluuya-aba9016bf9b7e94614087152de3225f4">“Nope,”</a>&nbsp;304 points

5.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-woman-king-film-reviews-entertainment-movies-viola-davis-f11f6654829d82c312c85b1043fec5bc">“The Woman King,”</a>&nbsp;267 points

6.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rrr-movie-ram-charan-rama-rao-jr-interview-94ef645840556bd14a49f4b0f69e68a1">“RRR,”</a>&nbsp;263 points

7.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-gun-maverick-film-review-dfe987ecf3250c3f0103da09b3dc76dc">“Top Gun: Maverick,”</a>&nbsp;252 points

8.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-fabelmans-film-reviews-entertainment-movies-theater-7a9ce7a0057661cf4c492785847b566b">“The Fabelmans,”</a>&nbsp;238 points

9.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-talking-film-reviews-entertainment-sexual-assault-sarah-polley-509a42ce02affcb3d0cfee0ee4d5617d">“Women Talking,”</a>&nbsp;222 points

10.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/glass-onion:-a-knives-out-mystery-film-reviews-entertainment-movies-251d7a5bcaabea468600728226dbdbd1">“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,”</a>&nbsp;209 points

11.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aftersun-film-reviews-entertainment-70591ca5cc574d69cdde373234323aa4">“Aftersun,”</a>&nbsp;201 points

12.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-alfred-hitchcock-busan-ddd146c30bfa6251b31d67ef7881f15e">“Decision to Leave,”</a>&nbsp;200 points

13.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pinocchio-film-reviews-entertainment-guillermo-del-toro-a9e3a052d307aec80c243d2353055e57">“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,”</a>&nbsp;147 points

14.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-01346ec4ed2c3d58443eec382d5a043b">“Elvis,”</a>&nbsp;145 points

15.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/all-the-beauty-and-bloodshed-film-reviews-venice-festival-entertainment-travel-8b2ba7317de163a98391b272a4d62c19">“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,”</a>&nbsp;141 points

16.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-james-cameron-sam-worthington-e1aa189ba7010522b2981abb2c1c2f72">“Avatar: The Way of Water,”</a>&nbsp;130 points

16.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-whale-film-reviews-entertainment-1872b50b09f7859c3c6ba3cefbb1ea08">“The Whale,”</a>&nbsp;130 points

18.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/babylon-film-reviews-entertainment-damien-chazelle-kevin-brownlow-1f14e8d43db3a847b723723242692246">“Babylon,”</a>&nbsp;129 points

19.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/she-said-film-reviews-harvey-weinstein-entertainment-newspapers-580f075a579ff66dc722708a86ece613">“She Said,”</a>&nbsp;125 points

20.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/%20article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-2fdbe2c9164d1b79a6f9c603ad26ee2f">“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,”</a>&nbsp;122 points

21.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-bbfb24da1409a07e3ac0253d8e5d2788">“Triangle of Sadness,”</a>&nbsp;121 points

22.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/till-film-reviews-entertainment-crime-movies-90edc3fb53a9618fb7cdff74684337e7">“Till,”</a>&nbsp;116 points

23.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-robert-bresson-jerzy-skolimowski-416cf28f1bb18b084d8e22ae71dc13cb">“EO,”</a>&nbsp;98 points

24.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-canada-arts-and-entertainment-movies-bb7870e22842051902d27c7c9c41fc6a">“Turning Red,”</a>&nbsp;95 points

25.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jafar-panahi-iran-director-49e852d9c4478fe0e3ca7dfa6718c3a8">“No Bears,”</a>&nbsp;89 points

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22SALLY%20HO,%20ANGELIKI%20KASTANIS%20and%20LINDSEY%20BAHR%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By SALLY HO, ANGELIKI KASTANIS and LINDSEY BAHR Associated Press</a>With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/movies">hundreds of new movies</a>&nbsp;released each year, many of us depend on the expertise of film critics to help curate our own watching — a thoroughly communal yet deeply personal experience.To honor the supporting role that entertainment journalism can play in this beloved pastime, The Associated Press on Thursday unveiled its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-movies">inaugural AP Top 25 Movies</a>&nbsp;list.The AP Top 25 Movies ranking is a distinctive honor roll of films released in 2022, as determined by a truly representative panel of 26 of the U.S.' smartest movie experts working for AP-affiliated news outlets.Here, we explain what it is and how it works:THE HISTORYThe AP Top 25 Movies ranking is a new initiative adapted from a rich legacy. The global not-for-profit news cooperative’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">AP Top 25 college football poll</a>&nbsp;has been the authority in the sport since the all-media survey began in 1936.The sports poll has since expanded, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">men’s college basketball</a>&nbsp;in 1949 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll">women’s college basketball</a>&nbsp;in 1977. The AP Top 25 Movies ranking now joins this storied tradition.The sports polls are a weekly tally tracking the evolving dynamic throughout each sport's season of play. In contrast, the AP Top 25 Movies ranking is a single definitive list reflecting the entire 2022 calendar year.“I’ve been mimicking the AP College Football poll since I was 6 years old and ranking my favorite movies every year,” said Shawn Edwards, film critic at WDAF-TV in Kansas City. “I’m thrilled that AP wanted a diverse group of individuals from various parts of the country to share their perspectives and viewpoints.”THE VOTERSFor the AP Top 25 Movies ranking, the AP researched the nation’s best film writers, reporters and critics, seeking a diverse panel of journalists from all formats who cover films as a significant part of their role at their news outlet. To be eligible, their news outlets must be AP members or customers.Among the 26 selected to vote in the inaugural ranking are a mix of platforms and audiences — from National Public Radio, Univision and IndieWire, to The Chicago Tribune, San Diego’s KPBS-FM radio station and KSNV-TV in Las Vegas.The demographic makeup of the voters — 54% white and 65% male — stands out as more inclusive when compared to the overall industry:&nbsp;<a href="https://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/critics-choice-2.pdf">Research from USC in 2018</a>&nbsp;found the film critics industry to be 83% white and 78.7% male.The AP Top 25 Movies panelists also ranged in age from 29 to 68, and are based across the country — from Detroit to Memphis, Tennessee, and Houston to Philadelphia — though there is heavy representation in the film industry hubs of New York and Los Angeles.THE METHODOLOGYEach voter submitted their own list ranking 25 movies that premiered to the public during the 2022 calendar year. The AP encouraged each panelist to exercise their own interpretation of “best films,” which did not need to align with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/awards-season">predictions for awards or even movies' Oscars eligibility.</a>The 26 lists that ensued yielded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d074128c1ebade307d9b3ea36ab6b0e1">a collective of 176 different movies.</a>&nbsp;The individual rankings were then combined to produce the national ranking using a Borda count, in which a first-place vote was worth 25 points, a second-place vote was worth 24 points, and so on. Ties were allowed and occurred at No. 16, in which both “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “The Whale” each received 130 points in the AP's cumulative weighted system.Each panelist’s identity and full ballot are public.THE TRENDSIn a cinematic landscape where it seems only franchise films have a shot at traditional box office success,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2e54077cdbfa469cb3c593afc15f6da6">the top five films on the AP Top 25 Movies ranking were all original</a>&nbsp;— and most found robust audiences in theaters, despite the fact that moviegoing has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.Fiercely original films, female-focused stories and theatrical-first releases had the clear edge.The fight for the top movie of the year was extremely close, separated in the ranking by a mere 8 points. While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-plays-martin-mcdonagh-colin-farrell-f5304b75bb64127e080e94e8736b8377">“The Banshees of Inisherin"</a>&nbsp;won the title with 392 points, it's the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michelle-yeoh-movie-92b9737f7ef574ea62dec51ba12516fd">Michelle Yeoh-fronted “Everything Everywhere All at Once”</a>&nbsp;that earned the most first-place votes. The indie sci-fi hit — currently enjoying a Cinderella run during awards season — came in second in the AP rankings with 384 points but was the first choice on six different ballots. Meanwhile, the Irish dark comedy was ranked the top movie of the year on just two different ballots.And while the final list of 25 movies reflected the year's critical darlings, individual panelists' ballots took a distinct turn toward, shall we say, approachability in the bottom half. Movies toward the end of the full list of 176 movies ranged from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-fa4342ca384091868182e94b459ece04">“Lightyear”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-kristen-schaal-be97d8a8cacbbe46b78195cbcbbe4bd3">“The Bob's Burgers Movie”</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-reviews-arts-and-entertainment-johnny-knoxville-f1a35036b4661d6911e94552ab21a632">“Jackass Forever”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-entertainment-music-0d131d4fbecd86a0490bc2ffd2e6e710">“Love, Lizzo.”</a>&nbsp;There were 76 movies that each were only endorsed on one ballot.THE FULL LIST1.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-banshees-of-inisherin-film-reviews-entertainment-friendships-a4b2751fd96db95c635f5fbe7d9d7a58">“The Banshees of Inisherin,”</a>&nbsp;392 points2.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-sports-movies-martial-arts-a0c2c7bfb0a06c2f2f8156c835a84b93">“Everything Everywhere All at Once,”</a>&nbsp;384 points3.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tar-film-reviews-entertainment-movies-cate-blanchett-791646d4466ccf4ee2ef12b95f7b7765">“Tár,”</a>&nbsp;346 points4.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-hollywood-daniel-kaluuya-aba9016bf9b7e94614087152de3225f4">“Nope,”</a>&nbsp;304 points5.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-woman-king-film-reviews-entertainment-movies-viola-davis-f11f6654829d82c312c85b1043fec5bc">“The Woman King,”</a>&nbsp;267 points6.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rrr-movie-ram-charan-rama-rao-jr-interview-94ef645840556bd14a49f4b0f69e68a1">“RRR,”</a>&nbsp;263 points7.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/top-gun-maverick-film-review-dfe987ecf3250c3f0103da09b3dc76dc">“Top Gun: Maverick,”</a>&nbsp;252 points8.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-fabelmans-film-reviews-entertainment-movies-theater-7a9ce7a0057661cf4c492785847b566b">“The Fabelmans,”</a>&nbsp;238 points9.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-talking-film-reviews-entertainment-sexual-assault-sarah-polley-509a42ce02affcb3d0cfee0ee4d5617d">“Women Talking,”</a>&nbsp;222 points10.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/glass-onion:-a-knives-out-mystery-film-reviews-entertainment-movies-251d7a5bcaabea468600728226dbdbd1">“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,”</a>&nbsp;209 points11.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aftersun-film-reviews-entertainment-70591ca5cc574d69cdde373234323aa4">“Aftersun,”</a>&nbsp;201 points12.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-alfred-hitchcock-busan-ddd146c30bfa6251b31d67ef7881f15e">“Decision to Leave,”</a>&nbsp;200 points13.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pinocchio-film-reviews-entertainment-guillermo-del-toro-a9e3a052d307aec80c243d2353055e57">“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,”</a>&nbsp;147 points14.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-01346ec4ed2c3d58443eec382d5a043b">“Elvis,”</a>&nbsp;145 points15.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/all-the-beauty-and-bloodshed-film-reviews-venice-festival-entertainment-travel-8b2ba7317de163a98391b272a4d62c19">“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,”</a>&nbsp;141 points16.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-james-cameron-sam-worthington-e1aa189ba7010522b2981abb2c1c2f72">“Avatar: The Way of Water,”</a>&nbsp;130 points16.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/the-whale-film-reviews-entertainment-1872b50b09f7859c3c6ba3cefbb1ea08">“The Whale,”</a>&nbsp;130 points18.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/babylon-film-reviews-entertainment-damien-chazelle-kevin-brownlow-1f14e8d43db3a847b723723242692246">“Babylon,”</a>&nbsp;129 points19.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/she-said-film-reviews-harvey-weinstein-entertainment-newspapers-580f075a579ff66dc722708a86ece613">“She Said,”</a>&nbsp;125 points20.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/%20article/film-reviews-entertainment-movies-2fdbe2c9164d1b79a6f9c603ad26ee2f">“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,”</a>&nbsp;122 points21.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-bbfb24da1409a07e3ac0253d8e5d2788">“Triangle of Sadness,”</a>&nbsp;121 points22.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/till-film-reviews-entertainment-crime-movies-90edc3fb53a9618fb7cdff74684337e7">“Till,”</a>&nbsp;116 points23.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-robert-bresson-jerzy-skolimowski-416cf28f1bb18b084d8e22ae71dc13cb">“EO,”</a>&nbsp;98 points24.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-canada-arts-and-entertainment-movies-bb7870e22842051902d27c7c9c41fc6a">“Turning Red,”</a>&nbsp;95 points25.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jafar-panahi-iran-director-49e852d9c4478fe0e3ca7dfa6718c3a8">“No Bears,”</a>&nbsp;89 points

AP Top 25 Movies, ranking 2022's best: What made the cut?

Tickets are now on sale for Salina Central High School Theatre's upcoming production of Mamma Mia!

Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 27-28 and 2:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in the Central High auditorium. Running time is approximately 2 hours including a 15-minute intermission.

Tickets are on sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/salina-central-high-school/630bb7056575240e4b5fc321">online</a>&nbsp;and will also be available at performances. Ticket prices for the production are $10 for adults and $5 for students with credit service charges added to this price if using a credit card.

About the musical courtesy Central Theatre

ABBA's hits tell the hilarious story of a young woman's search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

The story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter, and friendship, creating an unforgettable show. A large cast, non-stop laughs, and explosive dance numbers combine to make Mamma Mia! a guaranteed smash hit for any theatre. A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you'll never forget!

“Mamma Mia! is one of those musicals that everyone loves because they are familiar with the songs and can enjoy hearing live musicians and live vocalists bring these songs to life during the performance. It is enjoyable to just hear these loved songs performed and then you add lighting, vibrant costumes, magnificent scenery, spectacular dancing, and a storyline and there is something for everyone to love! This production makes a great night out of the house to support local educational theatre!” said Barb Hilt, director.

Hilt said that the Central production of Mamma Mia! is being submitted to the Jester Awards competition at Music Theatre of Wichita.

Harper Johnston- Sophie Sheridan (senior)

Gage Gibson- Father Alexandrios (sophomore)

Camille Morris- Young Donna/ Dance Captain (senior)

Rhapsody Polzella (1st grade St. Mary’s), Maya Brown-Mereles (5th grade Meadowlark), Camille Graber (7th grade Lakewood)- Young Sophie (3 different young Sophies featured in a ballet)

Ensemble members&nbsp;(Staff, Islanders, Wedding Guests)

Wyatt Angell (freshman), Benjamin Campbell (junior), Alyx Parker (freshman), Joseph Zepeda (junior), Kaiden Christmann (junior), Marcos Lira (freshman), Gabriel Freeland (freshman), Bishop Talbott (freshman), Tyler Zuege (sophomore), Diego Garcia (junior), Maverek Velasquez (senior), Abby Ludes (sophomore), Lailah Berry (junior), Anna Kraft (freshman), Alyssa Maas (sophomore), Mari Brown-Mereles (freshman), Madison Berndt (freshman), Ellie Riekhof (freshman), Addilyn Jagodzinske (freshman), Kasheia Peterson (junior), Mackenzie Martinez (junior), Bowie Vega (sophomore), Lillian Crow (sophomore), Payton Jeakins (senior), Paige Hinca (senior), Citlali Alarcon (freshman).

Guitar 1: Jake Montoya (Lakewood Band Director)

Bass Guitar: Jessie Smith (Lakewood Guitar Instructor)

Percussion: Sam Cusick (senior); Madeline Craft (sophomore)

Keyboard 2 (Sunday only): Sonya Burmaster

Assistant stage manager: Nathan Goldbach (sophomore)

Shop foreman: Trace Horniman (senior) &amp; Benjamin Campbell (junior)

Assistant house manager: Katherine White (junior)

Light board operator: Jackson Angell (senior)

Sound design: Guillermo Rodriguez (Central Band Director)

Sound board operator: Vy Le (senior), Barron Talbott (junior), Guillermo Rodriquez (Central Band Director)

Running crew/dressers: Tara Dutcher (senior), Lin Miller (junior), Gavin Schneider (sophomore), Aiden Loucks (freshman), Janiah Howard (freshman), Ayushi Bhakta (freshman), Mya Ludes (freshman), Aerith Cox (freshman), Holli Crawford (freshman), Angelica Dao (freshman), Anastasia Corl (sophomore), Trace Horniman (senior), Jayda Rasmussen (sophomore), Jarahya Howard (senior), Montana Morgan (sophomore)

Costume design: Addilyn Jagodzinske (freshman) &amp; Barbara Hilt

Costume shop first hand: Addilyn Jagodzinske (freshman)

Costume crew: Barbara Hilt, Robyn Hilt, Jenn Morris, Mandi Graber, Addilyn Jagodzinske (freshman), Imani McFadden (senior), Chelsea Lewin (senior)

Lobby display: Bowie Vega, Thespian Troupe 639, Jenn Morris &amp; Salina Central Mustangs Booster

Set construction/scenic painting: Blaise Alderson (senior), Anastasia Corl (sophomore), Lillian Crow (sophomore), Makyla Dixson (senior), Tara Dutcher (senior), Trace Horniman (senior), Cadence Lane (senior), Vy Le (senior), Chelsea Lewin (senior), Dontai Martinez (senior), Selena Maupin (senior), Imani McFadden (senior), Lin Miller (junior), Montana Morgan (sophomore), Nikolas Lochlan (sophomore), Araceli Preciado (senior), Isabell Riedel (senior), Hunter Rogers (senior), Gavin Schneider (sophomore), Kale Shafer (sophomore), Ethan Shank (junior), Bowie Vega (sophomore), Riley Wedgewood (junior), Chloe Highsmith (senior), Harper Johnston (senior), Benjamin Campbell (junior), Kasheia Peterson (junior), Caleb Morris (sophomore), Camille Morris (senior), Q Duxler (junior), Alyx Parker (freshman), Michelle Simmons (junior), Nathan Goldbach (sophomore), Wyatt Angell (freshman), Gabriel Freeland (freshman), Andrew Graber (freshman), Anna Kraft (freshman), Brynn Shaft (sophomore), Mac Sheforgen (freshman), William Ebel (junior), Jayda Rasmussen (sophomore), Tayge Jones (senior), Bishop Talbott (freshman), Zander Flener (junior), Mackenzie Martinez (junior), Paige Hinca (senior), Chloe Highsmith (senior), Jaxson Rutz (junior), Zander Flener (junior), Bishop Talbott (freshman), Tru Lawson (freshman), Tayge Jones (senior), Keaton Myers (sophomore), Joseph Zepeda (junior), Marcos Lira (freshman), Alyssa Maas (sophomore), Mari Brown-Mereles (freshman), Madison Berndt (freshman), Ellie Riekof (freshman), Bishop Talbott (freshman), Tyler Zuege (sophomore), Diego Garcia (junior), Paige Hinca (senior) Citlali Alarcon(freshman), Maverek Velasquez (senior), William Ebel(junior), Caleb Morris (sophomore), Schayla Bledsoe (sophomore), Jake Schmitz (freshman), Jasmin Arceo (freshman), Ean Inks, Ayushi Bhakta (freshman), Angelica Dao (freshman), Jake Schmitz, Mark Anderson, Lora Ireton, Josh Warner, Charles Goldbach, Barbara Hilt

Properties: Chloe Highsmith (senior), Blaise Alderson (senior)

Spotlight operators: Keaton Myers (sophomore), Angel Mendenhall (junior)

Photography: Matea Gregg (For Greater Glory Photography)

Poster/t-shirt design: Camille Morris (senior)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674221406006.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTTickets are now on sale for Salina Central High School Theatre's upcoming production of Mamma Mia!Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 27-28 and 2:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in the Central High auditorium. Running time is approximately 2 hours including a 15-minute intermission.Tickets are on sale&nbsp;<a href="https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/salina-central-high-school/630bb7056575240e4b5fc321">online</a>&nbsp;and will also be available at performances. Ticket prices for the production are $10 for adults and $5 for students with credit service charges added to this price if using a credit card.About the musical courtesy Central TheatreABBA's hits tell the hilarious story of a young woman's search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.The story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter, and friendship, creating an unforgettable show. A large cast, non-stop laughs, and explosive dance numbers combine to make Mamma Mia! a guaranteed smash hit for any theatre. A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you'll never forget!“Mamma Mia! is one of those musicals that everyone loves because they are familiar with the songs and can enjoy hearing live musicians and live vocalists bring these songs to life during the performance. It is enjoyable to just hear these loved songs performed and then you add lighting, vibrant costumes, magnificent scenery, spectacular dancing, and a storyline and there is something for everyone to love! This production makes a great night out of the house to support local educational theatre!” said Barb Hilt, director.Hilt said that the Central production of Mamma Mia! is being submitted to the Jester Awards competition at Music Theatre of Wichita.CastChloe Highsmith- Donna Sheridan (senior)Harper Johnston- Sophie Sheridan (senior)Jaxson Rutz- Sam Carmichael (junior)Blaise Alderson- Bill Austin (senior)Tayge Jones- Harry Bright (senior)Audrey Jagodzinske- Tanya (senior)Michelle Simmons- Rosie (junior)Zander Flener- Sky (junior)Brynn Shaft- Lisa (sophomore)Anna Ireton- Ali (senior)Andrew Graber- Pepper (freshman)William Ebel- Eddie (junior)Gage Gibson- Father Alexandrios (sophomore)Camille Morris- Young Donna/ Dance Captain (senior)Rhapsody Polzella (1st grade St. Mary’s), Maya Brown-Mereles (5th grade Meadowlark), Camille Graber (7th grade Lakewood)- Young Sophie (3 different young Sophies featured in a ballet)Ensemble members&nbsp;(Staff, Islanders, Wedding Guests)Wyatt Angell (freshman), Benjamin Campbell (junior), Alyx Parker (freshman), Joseph Zepeda (junior), Kaiden Christmann (junior), Marcos Lira (freshman), Gabriel Freeland (freshman), Bishop Talbott (freshman), Tyler Zuege (sophomore), Diego Garcia (junior), Maverek Velasquez (senior), Abby Ludes (sophomore), Lailah Berry (junior), Anna Kraft (freshman), Alyssa Maas (sophomore), Mari Brown-Mereles (freshman), Madison Berndt (freshman), Ellie Riekhof (freshman), Addilyn Jagodzinske (freshman), Kasheia Peterson (junior), Mackenzie Martinez (junior), Bowie Vega (sophomore), Lillian Crow (sophomore), Payton Jeakins (senior), Paige Hinca (senior), Citlali Alarcon (freshman).Crew/creative staffDirector: Barbara HiltTechnical director: Bill WeaverMusic direction: Ryan HolmquistPit conductor: Lindsay ModinGuitar 1: Jake Montoya (Lakewood Band Director)Guitar 2: Bodie Foley (senior)Bass Guitar: Jessie Smith (Lakewood Guitar Instructor)Drums: Corbin Banninger (junior)Percussion: Sam Cusick (senior); Madeline Craft (sophomore)Keyboard 1: Sue WillKeyboard 2: Tyler BrennemanKeyboard 2 (Sunday only): Sonya BurmasterKeyboard 3: Lisa PetermanKeyboard 4: Judy WebberChoreographer: Jessica PolzellaStage manager: Q Duxler (junior)Assistant stage manager: Nathan Goldbach (sophomore)Shop foreman: Trace Horniman (senior) &amp; Benjamin Campbell (junior)House manager: Cadence Lane (senior)Assistant house manager: Katherine White (junior)Light board operator: Jackson Angell (senior)Lighting design: Barbara HiltSound design: Guillermo Rodriguez (Central Band Director)Sound board operator: Vy Le (senior), Barron Talbott (junior), Guillermo Rodriquez (Central Band Director)Running crew/dressers: Tara Dutcher (senior), Lin Miller (junior), Gavin Schneider (sophomore), Aiden Loucks (freshman), Janiah Howard (freshman), Ayushi Bhakta (freshman), Mya Ludes (freshman), Aerith Cox (freshman), Holli Crawford (freshman), Angelica Dao (freshman), Anastasia Corl (sophomore), Trace Horniman (senior), Jayda Rasmussen (sophomore), Jarahya Howard (senior), Montana Morgan (sophomore)Costume design: Addilyn Jagodzinske (freshman) &amp; Barbara HiltCostume shop first hand: Addilyn Jagodzinske (freshman)Costume crew: Barbara Hilt, Robyn Hilt, Jenn Morris, Mandi Graber, Addilyn Jagodzinske (freshman), Imani McFadden (senior), Chelsea Lewin (senior)Lobby display: Bowie Vega, Thespian Troupe 639, Jenn Morris &amp; Salina Central Mustangs BoosterScenic design: Bill WeaverSet construction/scenic painting: Blaise Alderson (senior), Anastasia Corl (sophomore), Lillian Crow (sophomore), Makyla Dixson (senior), Tara Dutcher (senior), Trace Horniman (senior), Cadence Lane (senior), Vy Le (senior), Chelsea Lewin (senior), Dontai Martinez (senior), Selena Maupin (senior), Imani McFadden (senior), Lin Miller (junior), Montana Morgan (sophomore), Nikolas Lochlan (sophomore), Araceli Preciado (senior), Isabell Riedel (senior), Hunter Rogers (senior), Gavin Schneider (sophomore), Kale Shafer (sophomore), Ethan Shank (junior), Bowie Vega (sophomore), Riley Wedgewood (junior), Chloe Highsmith (senior), Harper Johnston (senior), Benjamin Campbell (junior), Kasheia Peterson (junior), Caleb Morris (sophomore), Camille Morris (senior), Q Duxler (junior), Alyx Parker (freshman), Michelle Simmons (junior), Nathan Goldbach (sophomore), Wyatt Angell (freshman), Gabriel Freeland (freshman), Andrew Graber (freshman), Anna Kraft (freshman), Brynn Shaft (sophomore), Mac Sheforgen (freshman), William Ebel (junior), Jayda Rasmussen (sophomore), Tayge Jones (senior), Bishop Talbott (freshman), Zander Flener (junior), Mackenzie Martinez (junior), Paige Hinca (senior), Chloe Highsmith (senior), Jaxson Rutz (junior), Zander Flener (junior), Bishop Talbott (freshman), Tru Lawson (freshman), Tayge Jones (senior), Keaton Myers (sophomore), Joseph Zepeda (junior), Marcos Lira (freshman), Alyssa Maas (sophomore), Mari Brown-Mereles (freshman), Madison Berndt (freshman), Ellie Riekof (freshman), Bishop Talbott (freshman), Tyler Zuege (sophomore), Diego Garcia (junior), Paige Hinca (senior) Citlali Alarcon(freshman), Maverek Velasquez (senior), William Ebel(junior), Caleb Morris (sophomore), Schayla Bledsoe (sophomore), Jake Schmitz (freshman), Jasmin Arceo (freshman), Ean Inks, Ayushi Bhakta (freshman), Angelica Dao (freshman), Jake Schmitz, Mark Anderson, Lora Ireton, Josh Warner, Charles Goldbach, Barbara HiltProperties: Chloe Highsmith (senior), Blaise Alderson (senior)Spotlight operators: Keaton Myers (sophomore), Angel Mendenhall (junior)Publicity: Camille Morris (senior)Photography: Matea Gregg (For Greater Glory Photography)Poster/t-shirt design: Camille Morris (senior)Ticket and program design: Barbara Hilt

Salina Central Theatre to present 'Mamma Mia' Jan. 27-29

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The cat is out of the bag. And the ponies, unicorns, and a host of other characters. Wednesday evening, it was announced the first-ever FurryFansago event is coming to the Great Bend Events Center in July. Founder Kristian Rivera always planned for glitz and glam, but the first convention will be much more subtle. After years of thinking about doing a convention locally, it is finally becoming a reality.

"I've always just imagined a place where people can come together and celebrate not only the fandom, but who they are," he said. "This is much more than just a furry fandom. It's an LGBTQ community. It's a celebration of art, designs, and I wanted to bring that to Kansas. I wanted to give people a chance to be a part of something that's not in the big city, something they can do locally."

Wednesday's announcement made statewide headlines. Rivera expected backlash with the announcement but is pleased the event is finally moving forward.

"Public opinion was pretty much about where I thought it would be," he said. "The amount of returns I've gotten from the hidden furry community, the people behind the scenes, they've been sending me emails giving me lots of support. The open, out-loud people who are against the community, I 100 percent expected that. But given the support from the inner community, and even from our community abroad, I'm excited for this."

The 3-day event is scheduled for July 21-23 at the Events Center. A schedule of events is still in the works, though Rivera would like to have a speaker of some sort. A small number of vendors will be present for the event, which Rivera said will be similar to a Comic-Con. Security at the door will check identification, and another security guard will be inside the facility. Costumes are encouraged but not required for the first convention. The idea is expression with the safety of anonymity.

"That's basically the whole idea behind it, the ability for people to create and design their own characters," said Rivera. "Most of the furry community are normal, everyday people. The only difference is they love to come together and draw animals, or celebrate animals in that sense. We're not doing anything weird with the animals, we're not doing anything weird with the suits. It's all just normal people coming together to have a good time and celebrate the furry community."

Rivera is hoping for 20-30 attendees for the inaugural events. Admission tickets are $25 and will soon be available on the group's website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674221180078.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe cat is out of the bag. And the ponies, unicorns, and a host of other characters. Wednesday evening, it was announced the first-ever FurryFansago event is coming to the Great Bend Events Center in July. Founder Kristian Rivera always planned for glitz and glam, but the first convention will be much more subtle. After years of thinking about doing a convention locally, it is finally becoming a reality."I've always just imagined a place where people can come together and celebrate not only the fandom, but who they are," he said. "This is much more than just a furry fandom. It's an LGBTQ community. It's a celebration of art, designs, and I wanted to bring that to Kansas. I wanted to give people a chance to be a part of something that's not in the big city, something they can do locally."Wednesday's announcement made statewide headlines. Rivera expected backlash with the announcement but is pleased the event is finally moving forward."Public opinion was pretty much about where I thought it would be," he said. "The amount of returns I've gotten from the hidden furry community, the people behind the scenes, they've been sending me emails giving me lots of support. The open, out-loud people who are against the community, I 100 percent expected that. But given the support from the inner community, and even from our community abroad, I'm excited for this."The 3-day event is scheduled for July 21-23 at the Events Center. A schedule of events is still in the works, though Rivera would like to have a speaker of some sort. A small number of vendors will be present for the event, which Rivera said will be similar to a Comic-Con. Security at the door will check identification, and another security guard will be inside the facility. Costumes are encouraged but not required for the first convention. The idea is expression with the safety of anonymity."That's basically the whole idea behind it, the ability for people to create and design their own characters," said Rivera. "Most of the furry community are normal, everyday people. The only difference is they love to come together and draw animals, or celebrate animals in that sense. We're not doing anything weird with the animals, we're not doing anything weird with the suits. It's all just normal people coming together to have a good time and celebrate the furry community."Rivera is hoping for 20-30 attendees for the inaugural events. Admission tickets are $25 and will soon be available on the group's website.

First-ever Kansas Furcon coming to Great Bend in July

By PETER A. JOY <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-involuntary-manslaughter-a-law-professor-explains-the-charge-facing-alec-baldwin-for-rust-shooting-death-198218">The Conversation</a>

A prosecutor in New Mexico <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/19/arts/rust-shooting-charges-alec-baldwin.html">intends to charge Alec Baldwin</a> with two counts of involuntary manslaughter it was announced on Jan. 19, 2023, over the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/21/us/alec-baldwin-shooting-rust-movie.html">deadly shooting</a>
 on the set of the film “Rust” in 2021. The shooting occurred while 
Baldwin was rehearsing a scene with a gun that had been loaded with live
 ammunition instead of blanks. The prosecutor also intends to charge 
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the <a href="https://www.careersinfilm.com/armorer/">armorer</a> responsible for <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/after-rust-shooting-industry-veterans-say-buck-stops-armorers-movie-n1282743">overseeing the safety of firearms</a> on the set, with two counts of involuntary manslaughter as well.

As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=X8tNfOsAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">professor of law</a>,
 my job is to understand the nuance of the U.S. legal system. 
Involuntary manslaughter occurs when a person unintentionally, but still
 unlawfully, kills another person. And a prosecutor will need to show 
the unlawful nature of either Baldwin’s or Gutierrez-Reed’s actions to 
get a conviction in this case.

To convict someone of involuntary manslaughter, a prosecutor has to prove that the defendant <a href="https://www.findlaw.com/criminal/criminal-charges/involuntary-manslaughter-overview.html">acted either recklessly or with criminal negligence</a>.

To prove someone acted recklessly, a prosecutor has to show that the 
defendant was aware of the risk they were creating with their actions – 
like a drunk driver crashing into a car and <a href="https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/crime/driver-convicted-involuntary-manslaughter-killed-baby-2-parents-jefferson-co/63-e9d29793-5187-446e-9067-96e8f29e0806">killing a baby and her parents</a>.
 In contrast, the charge of criminal negligence is filed when a 
defendant is not aware of the risk, but a reasonable person in the 
position of the defendant would have been aware of the risk. For 
example, if someone rents out an apartment without smoke detectors and 
there is a fire that kills the occupants, the owner of the apartment 
could be charged with involuntary manslaughter.

The question for a potential jury is whether Baldwin was guilty of 
either reckless or criminally negligent actions that resulted in the 
death of <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/halyna-hutchins-in-her-own-words/ar-AA16wWuh">Halyna Hutchins</a>, the cinematographer on the “Rust” set.

The prosecutor is alleging that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/19/arts/rust-shooting-charges-alec-baldwin.html?">Baldwin had a duty</a>
 to ensure that the gun and the ammunition he used were properly checked
 and that without doing that check himself, Baldwin should never have 
pointed the gun at anyone. Although that is what the prosecutor is 
claiming, a complicating factor is that there was another person, an 
on-set safety person responsible for the weapons and ammunition.

To convict Baldwin of manslaughter – assuming the case goes to trial –
 the prosecutor will have to convince a jury of two things. First, that 
Baldwin could not reasonably rely on Gutierrez-Reed to do her job and 
ensure that the gun did not have any live ammunition in it. And second, 
that Baldwin acted recklessly, or at least with criminal negligence, by 
not checking the gun and the ammunition himself before pointing the gun 
at the person he killed.

By PETER A. JOY <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-involuntary-manslaughter-a-law-professor-explains-the-charge-facing-alec-baldwin-for-rust-shooting-death-198218">The Conversation</a>A prosecutor in New Mexico <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/19/arts/rust-shooting-charges-alec-baldwin.html">intends to charge Alec Baldwin</a> with two counts of involuntary manslaughter it was announced on Jan. 19, 2023, over the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/21/us/alec-baldwin-shooting-rust-movie.html">deadly shooting</a>
 on the set of the film “Rust” in 2021. The shooting occurred while 
Baldwin was rehearsing a scene with a gun that had been loaded with live
 ammunition instead of blanks. The prosecutor also intends to charge 
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the <a href="https://www.careersinfilm.com/armorer/">armorer</a> responsible for <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/after-rust-shooting-industry-veterans-say-buck-stops-armorers-movie-n1282743">overseeing the safety of firearms</a> on the set, with two counts of involuntary manslaughter as well. As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=X8tNfOsAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">professor of law</a>,
 my job is to understand the nuance of the U.S. legal system. 
Involuntary manslaughter occurs when a person unintentionally, but still
 unlawfully, kills another person. And a prosecutor will need to show 
the unlawful nature of either Baldwin’s or Gutierrez-Reed’s actions to 
get a conviction in this case.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674247011938.jpg" alt="Baldwin thought the gun was loaded with blanks, ammunition that contains powder but not a bullet. Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Baldwin thought the gun was loaded with blanks, ammunition that contains powder but not a bullet. Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A reckless or negligent accident</h2>To convict someone of involuntary manslaughter, a prosecutor has to prove that the defendant <a href="https://www.findlaw.com/criminal/criminal-charges/involuntary-manslaughter-overview.html">acted either recklessly or with criminal negligence</a>.To prove someone acted recklessly, a prosecutor has to show that the 
defendant was aware of the risk they were creating with their actions – 
like a drunk driver crashing into a car and <a href="https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/crime/driver-convicted-involuntary-manslaughter-killed-baby-2-parents-jefferson-co/63-e9d29793-5187-446e-9067-96e8f29e0806">killing a baby and her parents</a>.
 In contrast, the charge of criminal negligence is filed when a 
defendant is not aware of the risk, but a reasonable person in the 
position of the defendant would have been aware of the risk. For 
example, if someone rents out an apartment without smoke detectors and 
there is a fire that kills the occupants, the owner of the apartment 
could be charged with involuntary manslaughter.The question for a potential jury is whether Baldwin was guilty of 
either reckless or criminally negligent actions that resulted in the 
death of <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/halyna-hutchins-in-her-own-words/ar-AA16wWuh">Halyna Hutchins</a>, the cinematographer on the “Rust” set. The prosecutor is alleging that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/19/arts/rust-shooting-charges-alec-baldwin.html?">Baldwin had a duty</a>
 to ensure that the gun and the ammunition he used were properly checked
 and that without doing that check himself, Baldwin should never have 
pointed the gun at anyone. Although that is what the prosecutor is 
claiming, a complicating factor is that there was another person, an 
on-set safety person responsible for the weapons and ammunition. To convict Baldwin of manslaughter – assuming the case goes to trial –
 the prosecutor will have to convince a jury of two things. First, that 
Baldwin could not reasonably rely on Gutierrez-Reed to do her job and 
ensure that the gun did not have any live ammunition in it. And second, 
that Baldwin acted recklessly, or at least with criminal negligence, by 
not checking the gun and the ammunition himself before pointing the gun 
at the person he killed.

Law professor explains the charge facing Baldwin for shooting death

NEW YORK (AP) — Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Sade, Jeff Lynne, Glen 
Ballard, Teddy Riley and Liz Rose have been chosen to join the <a href="https://www.songhall.org/">Songwriters Hall of Fame,</a>
 a class that includes the writers of such varied hits as “Man In the 
Mirror,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.”

The seven songwriters from the class of 2023 will be inducted at a gala June 15 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Snoop
 Dogg, whose hits include “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and "Gin &amp; Juice,"
 will be joining such rappers as Missy Elliott and Jay-Z in the hall. 
Estefan is credited for popularizing Latin rhythms with such crossover 
smashes as “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Let’s Get Loud.”

The 
inductees include soul-jazz vocalist Sade, whose 1980s soft rock hits 
include “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo,” and Lynne, of ELO, 
who penned “Mr. Blue Sky” and “Evil Woman.”

“I’m very excited about this honor. Songwriting has always been my passion. This means so much to me,” Lynne tweeted Wednesday.

Ballard
 helped write Alanis Morissette’s monster 1995 album “Jagged Little 
Pill” and was involved in the recording and writing of several Michael 
Jackson albums, including “Thriller,” “Bad” and “Dangerous.”

Riley,
 the singer, songwriter and producer, is credited with creating New Jack
 Swing and its top anthems like Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative” and Keith
 Sweat’s “I Want Her.” Rose co-wrote many songs with Taylor Swift, 
including “You Belong with Me,” “Teardrops on My Guitar” and “White 
Horse.”

The 2023 class "represents not just iconic songs but also 
diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender, songwriters who
 have enriched our lives and, in their time, literally transformed music
 and the lives of billions of listeners all over the world,” said Nile 
Rogers, the hall's chair.

Eligible voting members late last year 
turned in ballots with their choices of three nominees from the 
songwriter category and three from the performing-songwriter category.

Some
 of the 2023 nominees who will have to wait include The Doobie Brothers,
 R.E.M., Heart, Blondie, Bryan Adams, Patti Smith and Steve Winwood.

The
 Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor those 
creating the popular music. A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs
 qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a
 song.

Some already in the hall include Carole King, Paul Simon, 
Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Elton John and Bernie 
Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Lionel
 Richie, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond, and Phil Collins.

NEW YORK (AP) — Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Sade, Jeff Lynne, Glen 
Ballard, Teddy Riley and Liz Rose have been chosen to join the <a href="https://www.songhall.org/">Songwriters Hall of Fame,</a>
 a class that includes the writers of such varied hits as “Man In the 
Mirror,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.”The seven songwriters from the class of 2023 will be inducted at a gala June 15 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.Snoop
 Dogg, whose hits include “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and "Gin &amp; Juice,"
 will be joining such rappers as Missy Elliott and Jay-Z in the hall. 
Estefan is credited for popularizing Latin rhythms with such crossover 
smashes as “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Let’s Get Loud.”The 
inductees include soul-jazz vocalist Sade, whose 1980s soft rock hits 
include “Smooth Operator” and “The Sweetest Taboo,” and Lynne, of ELO, 
who penned “Mr. Blue Sky” and “Evil Woman.”“I’m very excited about this honor. Songwriting has always been my passion. This means so much to me,” Lynne tweeted Wednesday.Ballard
 helped write Alanis Morissette’s monster 1995 album “Jagged Little 
Pill” and was involved in the recording and writing of several Michael 
Jackson albums, including “Thriller,” “Bad” and “Dangerous.”Riley,
 the singer, songwriter and producer, is credited with creating New Jack
 Swing and its top anthems like Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative” and Keith
 Sweat’s “I Want Her.” Rose co-wrote many songs with Taylor Swift, 
including “You Belong with Me,” “Teardrops on My Guitar” and “White 
Horse.”The 2023 class "represents not just iconic songs but also 
diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and gender, songwriters who
 have enriched our lives and, in their time, literally transformed music
 and the lives of billions of listeners all over the world,” said Nile 
Rogers, the hall's chair.Eligible voting members late last year 
turned in ballots with their choices of three nominees from the 
songwriter category and three from the performing-songwriter category.Some
 of the 2023 nominees who will have to wait include The Doobie Brothers,
 R.E.M., Heart, Blondie, Bryan Adams, Patti Smith and Steve Winwood.The
 Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor those 
creating the popular music. A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs
 qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a
 song.Some already in the hall include Carole King, Paul Simon, 
Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Elton John and Bernie 
Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Lionel
 Richie, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond, and Phil Collins.

Snoop, Gloria Estefan, Sade make it to Songwriters Hall

NEW
 YORK (AP) — Madonna will “Take a Bow” with a new tour through North 
America and Europe starting this summer that will be a “Celebration” of 
the pop icon's hits, which include 38 songs in the Billboard Hot 100.

The
 35-city Live Nation-backed "Madonna: The Celebration Tour" will kick 
off July 15 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, with stops 
in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta and 
Boston, among others. That leg ends on Oct. 7 in Las Vegas.

Then 
the Material Girl hits Europe, where she has 11 dates throughout the 
fall, including London, Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Milan and Stockholm, 
among others. The tour will wrap in Amsterdam on Dec. 1.

The 
singer will “be highlighting her unmatched catalog of music from the 
past 40-plus years,” according to the announcement. It will also “pay 
respect to the city of New York, where her career in music began.”

“I
 am excited to explore as many songs as possible in hopes to give my 
fans the show they have been waiting for,” Madonna says in the 
announcement.

<a href="https://www.madonna.com/tour">Tickets go on sale starting Friday, Jan. 20.</a>

Some
 of Madonna's Hot 100 hits include “Vogue,” “Music,” “Crazy For You,” 
“Like a Virgin,” “Like a Prayer,” “Justify My Love,” “Live to Tell” and 
“Papa Don't Preach.”

NEW
 YORK (AP) — Madonna will “Take a Bow” with a new tour through North 
America and Europe starting this summer that will be a “Celebration” of 
the pop icon's hits, which include 38 songs in the Billboard Hot 100.The
 35-city Live Nation-backed "Madonna: The Celebration Tour" will kick 
off July 15 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, with stops 
in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta and 
Boston, among others. That leg ends on Oct. 7 in Las Vegas.Then 
the Material Girl hits Europe, where she has 11 dates throughout the 
fall, including London, Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Milan and Stockholm, 
among others. The tour will wrap in Amsterdam on Dec. 1.The 
singer will “be highlighting her unmatched catalog of music from the 
past 40-plus years,” according to the announcement. It will also “pay 
respect to the city of New York, where her career in music began.”“I
 am excited to explore as many songs as possible in hopes to give my 
fans the show they have been waiting for,” Madonna says in the 
announcement.<a href="https://www.madonna.com/tour">Tickets go on sale starting Friday, Jan. 20.</a>Some
 of Madonna's Hot 100 hits include “Vogue,” “Music,” “Crazy For You,” 
“Like a Virgin,” “Like a Prayer,” “Justify My Love,” “Live to Tell” and 
“Papa Don't Preach.”

Madonna unveils 2023 North American, European tour dates

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The city of Hays recently released the top dog names and dog breeds for 2022.

Some dog names may be spelled differently, but below are the top 10 dog names listed in the city of Hays registration database.

The city had 1,600 registered pet tags last year. That includes both dogs and cats.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sadie 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Max 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Buddy 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daisy 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maggie 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bailey 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Harley 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Abby 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Duke 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bear

The city also released the top 10 dog breeds for 2022.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mixed breed 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lab 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shih Tzu 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chihuahua 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yorkie 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Australian shepherd 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Golden retriever 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Boxer 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Husky 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Beagle

All dogs and cats living in the city of Hays are required to have 2023 city tags by March 1. These tags must be renewed every year.

Nikki Hausler, Hays community service officer, said pet tags help officers quickly reunite pets with their owners.

"When we pick up an animal that has a city pet tag on, we call our dispatch and say we have this number and we can call the owner right away," Hausler said. "We have 24-hour access to the database.

"Instead of driving it all the way out to the shelter and the owner calling five minutes later saying they're missing it, this way we can just take it home."

Hausler said rabies tags will not help officers reunite the pet with its owners during evenings or on weekends when vet clinics are closed.

"[A pet tag] is going to save you impound fees. It's going to save you trips out to the shelter to pick up the animal," she said.

Hausler encouraged pet owners to call the police department as soon as they realize their pet is missing.

"It's not like in the movies. We're about getting them home, safely," she said.

If you do have a pet that ends up at the shelter, you have to pay the impound fee at the police department first and then take that receipt to the shelter to claim the pet, Hausler said.

Pet licenses can be purchased for $5 at the city clerk's office, 1507 Main, if the pet is neutered or spayed. The fee is $25 if the pet is not.

The city has a dangerous dog ordinance. Dangerous dogs, which includes pit bulls or dogs deemed dangerous by the court, need to show proof of microchipping and owners need to provide a photo of the dog.  There is an additional fee of $50 for a dangerous dog.

In order to register a pet, you will need to have documentation from a veterinarian showing the rabies expiration date and if the pet is neutered or spayed.

Pets that have been in your possession and are not licensed by March 1 will incur a late fee of $10 for each month or part of a month after March 1, with a late fee not to exceed $50 for each pet. 

Hausler also offered several tips for caring for pets during winter. If a dog can't be brought inside during cold weather, Hausler suggested an insulated dog house and a heated water bowl or replacing frozen water at least three or four times per day. 

Don't put blankets in dog houses or cat shelters; they tend to draw moisture and can freeze. Hay or straw is preferred.

Just as in hot weather, don't leave a pet in a vehicle during cold weather.

"A car is like a refrigerator, and it's going to get awful cold if you are inside a department store or the mall for any length of time," Hausler said.

Hays Post reporters Becky Kiser and James Bell contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673470786504.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe city of Hays recently released the top dog names and dog breeds for 2022.Some dog names may be spelled differently, but below are the top 10 dog names listed in the city of Hays registration database.The city had 1,600 registered pet tags last year. That includes both dogs and cats.<h2>Dog names</h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sadie 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Max 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Buddy 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Daisy 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maggie 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bailey 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Harley 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Abby 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Duke 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; BearThe city also released the top 10 dog breeds for 2022.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673477272517.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Dog breeds</h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mixed breed 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lab 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shih Tzu 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chihuahua 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yorkie 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Australian shepherd 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Golden retriever 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Boxer 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Husky 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; BeagleAll dogs and cats living in the city of Hays are required to have 2023 city tags by March 1. These tags must be renewed every year. <div><iframe title="Hays pet tags due March 1" 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=ky6rp-1361d05-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Nikki Hausler, Hays community service officer, said pet tags help officers quickly reunite pets with their owners."When we pick up an animal that has a city pet tag on, we call our dispatch and say we have this number and we can call the owner right away," Hausler said. "We have 24-hour access to the database."Instead of driving it all the way out to the shelter and the owner calling five minutes later saying they're missing it, this way we can just take it home."Hausler said rabies tags will not help officers reunite the pet with its owners during evenings or on weekends when vet clinics are closed."[A pet tag] is going to save you impound fees. It's going to save you trips out to the shelter to pick up the animal," she said.Hausler encouraged pet owners to call the police department as soon as they realize their pet is missing."It's not like in the movies. We're about getting them home, safely," she said. If you do have a pet that ends up at the shelter, you have to pay the impound fee at the police department first and then take that receipt to the shelter to claim the pet, Hausler said. Pet licenses can be purchased for $5 at the city clerk's office, 1507 Main, if the pet is neutered or spayed. The fee is $25 if the pet is not.The city has a dangerous dog ordinance. Dangerous dogs, which includes pit bulls or dogs deemed dangerous by the court, need to show proof of microchipping and owners need to provide a photo of the dog. There is an additional fee of $50 for a dangerous dog.In order to register a pet, you will need to have documentation from a veterinarian showing the rabies expiration date and if the pet is neutered or spayed.Pets that have been in your possession and are not licensed by March 1 will incur a late fee of $10 for each month or part of a month after March 1, with a late fee not to exceed $50 for each pet. <h2>Winter pet tips</h2>Hausler also offered several tips for caring for pets during winter. If a dog can't be brought inside during cold weather, Hausler suggested an insulated dog house and a heated water bowl or replacing frozen water at least three or four times per day. Don't put blankets in dog houses or cat shelters; they tend to draw moisture and can freeze. Hay or straw is preferred.Just as in hot weather, don't leave a pet in a vehicle during cold weather."A car is like a refrigerator, and it's going to get awful cold if you are inside a department store or the mall for any length of time," Hausler said. Hays Post reporters Becky Kiser and James Bell contributed to this story.

🎙 Hays releases top dog names of 2022; pet tags due March 1

NEW YORK (AP) — The prize for best film of the year at the National 
Board of Review Awards went to “Top Gun: Maverick." Martin McDonagh's 
“The Banshees of Inisherin” took home the most trophies. But the night 
belonged to its best-director honoree, Steven Spielberg, and the parade 
of tributes paid to the 76-year-old filmmaker.

So effusive was the
 praise for Spielberg that Colin Farrell, there to accept the award for 
best actor for his performance in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” said the 
experience of first watching “E.T.” was the most euphoric of his life, 
ranking it even above the births of his two children.

“I'm glad this isn't televised,” said Farrell.

Despite
 the lack of a broadcast from Cipriani's 42 Street in midtown Manhattan,
 the National Board of Review Awards have long been a regular and starry
 stop in Hollywood's awards season. This year's ceremony, hosted Sunday 
for the seventh time by Willie Geist, came right in the thick of a 
battery of big dates on the Oscar calendar. The Golden Globes are 
Tuesday, the Screen Actor Guild nominations are Wednesday and voting for
 the Academy Awards starts Thursday.

That meant that the NBR Awards, <a href="https://nationalboardofreview.org/">put on by a long-running group of film enthusiasts</a>, was a chance to stoke buzz and polish acceptance speeches. The National Board of Review makes it easier, too, by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-steven-spielberg-1aa6ae3e3a70679e9664fe55b722613e">announcing winners in advance</a>
 and pairing each with a lavish introduction from a collaborator or 
friend. Spielberg, who won best director for his movie-memoir “The 
Fabelmans,” was introduced by “West Side Story” star Ariana DeBose.

DeBose recalled being in a nail salon when “Steven (expletive) Spielberg” called to ask if she would join the cast.

“What
 I remember most about that moment, aside from the experience of 
realizing that blood was rushing to my head and to my feet 
simultaneously, was thinking: Wow, what a gentlemanly, respectful, 
generous call that that was to make," DeBose said. “To ask someone to 
join you in an adventure."

Gabriel LaBelle, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-canada-toronto-movies-9242c440957aa960e94dbd9f13faac12">who plays a fictionalized version of young Spielberg in “The Fabelmans”</a> and was honored for breakthrough performance along with <a href="https://apnews.com/article/danielle-deadwyler-2022-breakthrough-entertainer-till-movie-fd16ab87284b2c123c83087a57a6cb1e">Danielle Deadwyler of “Till,"</a> similarly described the life-changing nature of a call from Spielberg.

“I
 feel like I’m in debt, like I owe you, like I owe you my first born 
child or something,” LaBelle said, still in apparent disbelief at his 
turn of fate. "I don’t know how I’ll ever pay you back.”

When Spielberg took the stage, the crowd rose in a standing ovation.

"My
 whole career in all the films I've directed — my job, as I have seen it
 — is as the accompanist and the conductor to whoever or whatever should
 be the center of your attention," he said. “But when it came time for 
me to sit down with Tony Kushner to explore the possibilities of a story
 that became ‘The Fabelmans,’ I realized for the first time that I 
couldn't take cover behind a mothership or a T-Rex or a big mechanical 
shark that never worked.”

Much has been made about “The Fabelmans”
 being Spielberg's most personal film, a classification he didn't 
dispute. Though he noted that every movie, in any genre, can be personal
 to a director, Spielberg said making his latest “was like moving back 
in with my parents and my sisters.”

“You say you can’t go home again? Oh, no. That’s wrong. You can go home again,” he said.

Though
 Spielberg is renowned as a hit-maker, “The Fabelmans” has struggled to 
ignite at the box office with just $15.1 million worldwide, sapping some
 of its Oscar momentum.

Meanwhile, the awards hopes for a pair of theatrical successes — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-tom-cruise-jerry-bruckheimer-california-74bbbb5552c75cb268ae8298e4fe1379">“Top Gun: Maverick”</a>
 and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — have risen. “Top Gun” star 
Tom Cruise didn't attend Sunday, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer 
applauded him while accepting for best film.

“Simply put: He’s a force of nature,” Bruckheimer said. “A man with one goal: to entertain audiences.”

After being introduced by her “Crazy Rich Asians” co-star Awkwafina, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/michelle-yeoh-movie-92b9737f7ef574ea62dec51ba12516fd">“Everything Everywhere All at Once” star Michelle Yeoh</a>
 accepted the award for best actress. The Malaysian-born Yeoh noted she 
was the first Asian to win the award in nearly five decades, something 
that caused her to reflect on her journey from Hong Kong to Hollywood.

"One
 day Hollywood did come calling. It was an absolute dream come true. We 
all wanted to go to Hollywood — until I got there," Yeoh said. 
“Suddenly, I was a minority. I mean, how did that happen? There are more
 of me than you! I was typecast. I didn't see faces like mine on the 
screen. I met with people who didn't know where Korea and China and 
Japan were."

Best supporting actress went to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/janelle-monae-glass-onion-knives-out-movies-music-8f2eeed1fac2681d39dec254d83b7318">Janelle Monáe for the whodunit sequel “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.”</a>
 Her introduction came from Benoit Blanc, himself: Daniel Craig. “Are 
you kidding me?” Monáe exclaimed. “You guys got (expletive) James Bond?”

“When
 Janelle floats, when she glides into a room, the chemicals in the air 
change,” Craig said of his “Glass Onion” co-star. “When I had the 
privilege of working with her, every day she lifted me up."

Brendan
 Gleeson, who stars opposite Farrell in “The Banshees of Inisherin," 
wasn't there to accept his award for best supporting actor, though 
Farrell read a letter from him. Gleeson remarked on the success of 
Martin McDonagh's movie: "Happy days for a sad film."

McDonagh was
 also honored with the award for best original screenplay. Oscar Isaac, 
who stars in the playwright's next film, introduced McDonagh by 
recalling his first meeting with him at a London pub, an encounter that 
ended in the two sharing mushrooms. Once he reached the stage, McDonagh 
thanked Isaac “for revealing only one of my drug preferences.”

McDonagh
 then made one of the night's most pointed remarks, applauding his 
film's distributor, Searchlight Pictures, for giving him no notes on the
 screenplay: “Which is probably why I'm up here tonight.”

NEW YORK (AP) — The prize for best film of the year at the National 
Board of Review Awards went to “Top Gun: Maverick." Martin McDonagh's 
“The Banshees of Inisherin” took home the most trophies. But the night 
belonged to its best-director honoree, Steven Spielberg, and the parade 
of tributes paid to the 76-year-old filmmaker.So effusive was the
 praise for Spielberg that Colin Farrell, there to accept the award for 
best actor for his performance in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” said the 
experience of first watching “E.T.” was the most euphoric of his life, 
ranking it even above the births of his two children.“I'm glad this isn't televised,” said Farrell.Despite
 the lack of a broadcast from Cipriani's 42 Street in midtown Manhattan,
 the National Board of Review Awards have long been a regular and starry
 stop in Hollywood's awards season. This year's ceremony, hosted Sunday 
for the seventh time by Willie Geist, came right in the thick of a 
battery of big dates on the Oscar calendar. The Golden Globes are 
Tuesday, the Screen Actor Guild nominations are Wednesday and voting for
 the Academy Awards starts Thursday.That meant that the NBR Awards, <a href="https://nationalboardofreview.org/">put on by a long-running group of film enthusiasts</a>, was a chance to stoke buzz and polish acceptance speeches. The National Board of Review makes it easier, too, by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-movies-steven-spielberg-1aa6ae3e3a70679e9664fe55b722613e">announcing winners in advance</a>
 and pairing each with a lavish introduction from a collaborator or 
friend. Spielberg, who won best director for his movie-memoir “The 
Fabelmans,” was introduced by “West Side Story” star Ariana DeBose.DeBose recalled being in a nail salon when “Steven (expletive) Spielberg” called to ask if she would join the cast.“What
 I remember most about that moment, aside from the experience of 
realizing that blood was rushing to my head and to my feet 
simultaneously, was thinking: Wow, what a gentlemanly, respectful, 
generous call that that was to make," DeBose said. “To ask someone to 
join you in an adventure."Gabriel LaBelle, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-canada-toronto-movies-9242c440957aa960e94dbd9f13faac12">who plays a fictionalized version of young Spielberg in “The Fabelmans”</a> and was honored for breakthrough performance along with <a href="https://apnews.com/article/danielle-deadwyler-2022-breakthrough-entertainer-till-movie-fd16ab87284b2c123c83087a57a6cb1e">Danielle Deadwyler of “Till,"</a> similarly described the life-changing nature of a call from Spielberg.“I
 feel like I’m in debt, like I owe you, like I owe you my first born 
child or something,” LaBelle said, still in apparent disbelief at his 
turn of fate. "I don’t know how I’ll ever pay you back.”When Spielberg took the stage, the crowd rose in a standing ovation."My
 whole career in all the films I've directed — my job, as I have seen it
 — is as the accompanist and the conductor to whoever or whatever should
 be the center of your attention," he said. “But when it came time for 
me to sit down with Tony Kushner to explore the possibilities of a story
 that became ‘The Fabelmans,’ I realized for the first time that I 
couldn't take cover behind a mothership or a T-Rex or a big mechanical 
shark that never worked.”Much has been made about “The Fabelmans”
 being Spielberg's most personal film, a classification he didn't 
dispute. Though he noted that every movie, in any genre, can be personal
 to a director, Spielberg said making his latest “was like moving back 
in with my parents and my sisters.”“You say you can’t go home again? Oh, no. That’s wrong. You can go home again,” he said.Though
 Spielberg is renowned as a hit-maker, “The Fabelmans” has struggled to 
ignite at the box office with just $15.1 million worldwide, sapping some
 of its Oscar momentum.Meanwhile, the awards hopes for a pair of theatrical successes — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-tom-cruise-jerry-bruckheimer-california-74bbbb5552c75cb268ae8298e4fe1379">“Top Gun: Maverick”</a>
 and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — have risen. “Top Gun” star 
Tom Cruise didn't attend Sunday, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer 
applauded him while accepting for best film.“Simply put: He’s a force of nature,” Bruckheimer said. “A man with one goal: to entertain audiences.”After being introduced by her “Crazy Rich Asians” co-star Awkwafina, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/michelle-yeoh-movie-92b9737f7ef574ea62dec51ba12516fd">“Everything Everywhere All at Once” star Michelle Yeoh</a>
 accepted the award for best actress. The Malaysian-born Yeoh noted she 
was the first Asian to win the award in nearly five decades, something 
that caused her to reflect on her journey from Hong Kong to Hollywood."One
 day Hollywood did come calling. It was an absolute dream come true. We 
all wanted to go to Hollywood — until I got there," Yeoh said. 
“Suddenly, I was a minority. I mean, how did that happen? There are more
 of me than you! I was typecast. I didn't see faces like mine on the 
screen. I met with people who didn't know where Korea and China and 
Japan were."Best supporting actress went to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/janelle-monae-glass-onion-knives-out-movies-music-8f2eeed1fac2681d39dec254d83b7318">Janelle Monáe for the whodunit sequel “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.”</a>
 Her introduction came from Benoit Blanc, himself: Daniel Craig. “Are 
you kidding me?” Monáe exclaimed. “You guys got (expletive) James Bond?”“When
 Janelle floats, when she glides into a room, the chemicals in the air 
change,” Craig said of his “Glass Onion” co-star. “When I had the 
privilege of working with her, every day she lifted me up."Brendan
 Gleeson, who stars opposite Farrell in “The Banshees of Inisherin," 
wasn't there to accept his award for best supporting actor, though 
Farrell read a letter from him. Gleeson remarked on the success of 
Martin McDonagh's movie: "Happy days for a sad film."McDonagh was
 also honored with the award for best original screenplay. Oscar Isaac, 
who stars in the playwright's next film, introduced McDonagh by 
recalling his first meeting with him at a London pub, an encounter that 
ended in the two sharing mushrooms. Once he reached the stage, McDonagh 
thanked Isaac “for revealing only one of my drug preferences.”McDonagh
 then made one of the night's most pointed remarks, applauding his 
film's distributor, Searchlight Pictures, for giving him no notes on the
 screenplay: “Which is probably why I'm up here tonight.”Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Spielberg, 'Top Gun' honored by National Board of Review

LINDSBORG – Music by Stravinsky, Elgar, and Schubert will be featured during the upcoming Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley (COSV) concert.

The concert is scheduled for 4 p.m. Jan. 15 in Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg. The concert is open to the public at no charge.

Supported by Bethany College and the Lindsborg Arts Council, the COSV is an auditioned regional ensemble of professional musicians that includes not only Bethany faculty members but players from Wichita, Manhattan, Salina, and Kansas City as well. Under the musical direction of Keith Dodson, assistant professor of music and director of instrumental studies, and led by concertmaster Ann Samuelson, the ensemble seeks to educate and engage audience members through the performance of orchestral masterworks.

While there are a number of symphonic orchestras in the central Kansas area, this ensemble is unique in terms of its smaller size and that it consistently maintains accomplished principal musicians from all over the region.

“As a musician and connoisseur of classical music, I believe it is essential to support the COSV as it brings a high-quality performance and people to our local area together through their appreciation of music. Represented is a diverse host of faculty from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University. Alongside these players are members of the Salina Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Kansas City Civic, and Kansas City Symphony, as well as our Lindsborg musicians and Bethany College faculty. Keith Dodson has programmed a season of music that will provoke your thoughts, inspire your creativity, and, most importantly, bring us closer as a community that cherishes decorating our communal time with the sounds of music,” said Bethany College President Elizabeth Mauch.

Members of the chamber orchestra include the following.

Ann Samuelson&nbsp;is a recently retired instructor of music in violin/viola and piano proficiency at Bethany College. She is a member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and maintains a private studio of violin and viola students. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree and Kodaly certification from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a Master of Music degree in violin performance from the University of Connecticut.

Nancy Johnson&nbsp;has been the principal second violin of the Wichita Symphony since 2000. She is also on the faculties of Bethel College and Hesston College, teaching private violin students. Johnson holds degrees in violin performance from The University of Kansas and Virginia Commonwealth University with post-graduate work at the University of Northern Colorado.

Ricardo Cavalcante de Oliveira&nbsp;started his musical career as a violist at Pernambuco Conservatory in Brazil at the age of 13. Cavalcante de Oliveira graduated from The University of Kansas with a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in viola performance in 2022.

Meagan Dodson&nbsp;is currently the instructor of cello at Bethany College and a student in the Masters of String Pedagogy program at the University of Kansas, studying under Hannah Collins. She was recently appointed to the cello faculty at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan.

Andrew Book&nbsp;is a 5th-12th grade orchestra teacher of 12 years in the Blue Valley West area of Overland Park. Book graduated from Wichita State University with degrees in music education and double bass, and completed his Master of Music Education degree, with an emphasis in string pedagogy.

Colleen White&nbsp;is an assistant professor of flute at Kansas State University. She has coordinated performance events for Grammy Award winners, MacArthur Fellows, and Guggenheim Fellows for the Colorado Flute Association and Spoleto Festival USA. White regularly performs in a wide variety of solo, orchestral, and chamber music settings across North America, including performances with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, as a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and at Carnegie Hall.

Margaret Marco&nbsp;is the professor of oboe at the University of Kansas and principal oboist of the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, a Master of Music Education degree from The University of Iowa, and a Doctor of Music Arts degree from the University of Illinois.

Susan Gustavson Maxwell&nbsp;is a teacher, performer, and reed maker. She currently, teaches bassoon, history of rock, aural skills, and introduction to music at Kansas State University and performs regularly with the Konza Wind Quintet and the Tallgrass Trio. Maxwell is the only named bassoon tool maker for her Bassoon Reed Profiler. This tool is in use at all major music schools around the country. Another area of expertise is the art of playing high notes on the bassoon. This has resulted in a High Note Studies published with three retailers.

Meri Jenkins&nbsp;completed her baccalaureate degree in music performance in her hometown at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and completed her master’s degree in music performance at Wichita State University. She owns and operates Intrepid Brass Wichita LLC, which creates work and opportunities for brass players through chamber brass gigs and the newly created community ensemble, Intrepid Brass Band. Jenkins teaches adjunct brass lessons at Bethel College and maintains a private studio of middle and high school students across Wichita.

Andrew Bishop&nbsp;holds a master’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Missouri and studied trumpet performance at Wichita State University. In the spring of 2019, Bishop won the principal trumpet chair with the Des Moines Symphony. In the fall of 2021, Bishop was named lecturer of trumpet at Iowa State University.

Dan Hinman&nbsp;is an instructor at Kansas State University where he teaches applied trombone, the KSU Trombone Choir, and other academic music courses. Hinman holds a music education degree from North Dakota State University, a Master of Music degree from the University of Minnesota, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance from the University of North Texas.

Bethany CollegeLINDSBORG – Music by Stravinsky, Elgar, and Schubert will be featured during the upcoming Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley (COSV) concert.The concert is scheduled for 4 p.m. Jan. 15 in Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg. The concert is open to the public at no charge.Supported by Bethany College and the Lindsborg Arts Council, the COSV is an auditioned regional ensemble of professional musicians that includes not only Bethany faculty members but players from Wichita, Manhattan, Salina, and Kansas City as well. Under the musical direction of Keith Dodson, assistant professor of music and director of instrumental studies, and led by concertmaster Ann Samuelson, the ensemble seeks to educate and engage audience members through the performance of orchestral masterworks.While there are a number of symphonic orchestras in the central Kansas area, this ensemble is unique in terms of its smaller size and that it consistently maintains accomplished principal musicians from all over the region.“As a musician and connoisseur of classical music, I believe it is essential to support the COSV as it brings a high-quality performance and people to our local area together through their appreciation of music. Represented is a diverse host of faculty from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University. Alongside these players are members of the Salina Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Kansas City Civic, and Kansas City Symphony, as well as our Lindsborg musicians and Bethany College faculty. Keith Dodson has programmed a season of music that will provoke your thoughts, inspire your creativity, and, most importantly, bring us closer as a community that cherishes decorating our communal time with the sounds of music,” said Bethany College President Elizabeth Mauch.Members of the chamber orchestra include the following.Ann Samuelson&nbsp;is a recently retired instructor of music in violin/viola and piano proficiency at Bethany College. She is a member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and maintains a private studio of violin and viola students. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree and Kodaly certification from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a Master of Music degree in violin performance from the University of Connecticut.Nancy Johnson&nbsp;has been the principal second violin of the Wichita Symphony since 2000. She is also on the faculties of Bethel College and Hesston College, teaching private violin students. Johnson holds degrees in violin performance from The University of Kansas and Virginia Commonwealth University with post-graduate work at the University of Northern Colorado.Ricardo Cavalcante de Oliveira&nbsp;started his musical career as a violist at Pernambuco Conservatory in Brazil at the age of 13. Cavalcante de Oliveira graduated from The University of Kansas with a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in viola performance in 2022.Meagan Dodson&nbsp;is currently the instructor of cello at Bethany College and a student in the Masters of String Pedagogy program at the University of Kansas, studying under Hannah Collins. She was recently appointed to the cello faculty at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan.Andrew Book&nbsp;is a 5th-12th grade orchestra teacher of 12 years in the Blue Valley West area of Overland Park. Book graduated from Wichita State University with degrees in music education and double bass, and completed his Master of Music Education degree, with an emphasis in string pedagogy.Colleen White&nbsp;is an assistant professor of flute at Kansas State University. She has coordinated performance events for Grammy Award winners, MacArthur Fellows, and Guggenheim Fellows for the Colorado Flute Association and Spoleto Festival USA. White regularly performs in a wide variety of solo, orchestral, and chamber music settings across North America, including performances with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, as a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and at Carnegie Hall.Margaret Marco&nbsp;is the professor of oboe at the University of Kansas and principal oboist of the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, a Master of Music Education degree from The University of Iowa, and a Doctor of Music Arts degree from the University of Illinois.Susan Gustavson Maxwell&nbsp;is a teacher, performer, and reed maker. She currently, teaches bassoon, history of rock, aural skills, and introduction to music at Kansas State University and performs regularly with the Konza Wind Quintet and the Tallgrass Trio. Maxwell is the only named bassoon tool maker for her Bassoon Reed Profiler. This tool is in use at all major music schools around the country. Another area of expertise is the art of playing high notes on the bassoon. This has resulted in a High Note Studies published with three retailers.Meri Jenkins&nbsp;completed her baccalaureate degree in music performance in her hometown at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and completed her master’s degree in music performance at Wichita State University. She owns and operates Intrepid Brass Wichita LLC, which creates work and opportunities for brass players through chamber brass gigs and the newly created community ensemble, Intrepid Brass Band. Jenkins teaches adjunct brass lessons at Bethel College and maintains a private studio of middle and high school students across Wichita.Andrew Bishop&nbsp;holds a master’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Missouri and studied trumpet performance at Wichita State University. In the spring of 2019, Bishop won the principal trumpet chair with the Des Moines Symphony. In the fall of 2021, Bishop was named lecturer of trumpet at Iowa State University.Dan Hinman&nbsp;is an instructor at Kansas State University where he teaches applied trombone, the KSU Trombone Choir, and other academic music courses. Hinman holds a music education degree from North Dakota State University, a Master of Music degree from the University of Minnesota, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance from the University of North Texas.

Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley concert Jan. 15

Austin Levingston with 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps during their 2017 meeting in Chicago.

Few young athletes ever get a chance to meet their idol face to face. Even fewer get to do it twice. Former Great Bend High School and Barton Community College swimmer Austin Levington first met 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps in 2017. The duo was reunited just before Christmas via a FaceTime chat. Austin still cherishes that first meeting in Chicago.

"Nov. 4, 2017," he recalls. "He gave me an award, like a trophy. We shared a hug, and we talked a little bit."

Levingston, now 28, was diagnosed with autism at birth. Upon moving to Great Bend, he had a chance encounter with former Great Bend High School swim coach Steve Beaumont in the hallway at school.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672842619863.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Austin Levingston with 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps during their 2017 meeting in Chicago.By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostFew young athletes ever get a chance to meet their idol face to face. Even fewer get to do it twice. Former Great Bend High School and Barton Community College swimmer Austin Levington first met 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps in 2017. The duo was reunited just before Christmas via a FaceTime chat. Austin still cherishes that first meeting in Chicago."Nov. 4, 2017," he recalls. "He gave me an award, like a trophy. We shared a hug, and we talked a little bit."Levingston, now 28, was diagnosed with autism at birth. Upon moving to Great Bend, he had a chance encounter with former Great Bend High School swim coach Steve Beaumont in the hallway at school.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672921645367.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Some of the gifts Austin has received from the Phelps Foundation."When he started school in Great Bend, he didn't know what he wanted to do, basketball or football," said Austin's father, Boe Levingston. "Steve Beaumont caught him in the hallway and asked him if he'd be interested in swimming. Austin gave it some thought and said he would."Austin swam under Beaumont for four years at GBHS, becoming a state alternate by his senior season. He went on to swim for Barton Community College, joining the Cougars at the national swim meet in Florida. Austin continues to swim under the USA Swimming umbrella, competing around the region. He recently qualified for the Missouri Valley Senior Championships in one event.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672842709939.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Levingston has compiled many trophies and medals as a high school and collegiate swimmer.A chance relationship with Phelps began in 2016. Phelps was coming off his 23rd Olympic gold medal at the Rio Summer Games, and Austin was one of thousands of fans to comment on Phelps' Facebook page. Austin wrote about his autism and shared a photo to show how closely he resembled his idol. More than 4,000 other Facebookers have since liked that comment. The Baltimore Sun reached out to Austin for a feature story."When they both do the butterfly, if you look at Austin's picture, and you look at Michael Phelps' picture, they look identical in the water," Boe said. "Standing next to Michael Phelps and (Austin), you can hardly tell the difference between the two. So it's a big inspiration for Austin to meet Michael Phelps and keep his dreams going with his swimming."Fifteen months after making that Facebook comment, Austin met Phelps in Chicago. The Michael Phelps Foundation picked 30 Special Olympic athletes for the occasion, covering all costs for Austin, his mother, and sister to make the trip. Phelps presented Austin with a trophy and a signed copy of his book."I'm his dad, so I was very proud he got to see this and do this," Boe said. "There are a million kids out there that don't get the chance to meet somebody like Michael Phelps. He was just one of the chosen few that got to do this. I was pretty excited over this."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672842789744.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Phelps Foundation has stayed in touch with Austin, and just before Christmas, invited him to the FaceTime chat with Phelps. Austin said he was able to catch up with the greatest swimmer of all time and update him about life since the first meeting in 2017. Austin even received a text back from Phelps after the meeting.

Entertainment