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PAGE 2B FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, April 4,2004 ‘Alegria’ returns to Galleria, Aerosmith at Philips On the town "Alegria” isn’t the latest Cirque Du Soleil and it isn’t the best, but it is the purest. In 1984, a Canadian troupe reinvented the circus by focusing on the human spirit. Nineteen years later. Cirque has repeatedly topped itself, offering one elaborate production after another. This year, "Alegria" returns to the Cobb Galleria parking lot where they once again pitch their blue and yel low tent. As far as Cirque shows go, "Alegria” is hit and miss. There are amazements, such as the Fast Track tram poline acts, the Storm that blows the crowd into inter mission in a flurry of white streamers, and the Russian bars. However, there are slow points as well, such as the hoops act (the Big Apple Circus hoops act blew it away), the strong man (impressive, but not very daz zling). and the clowns (just plain yawn). It's not as perfectly paced and breathtaking as last year's “Varekai,” but the show defi nitely has its moments. Whether you will want to go see this round of Cirque probably depends on several factors. If you have never had the Cirque Du Soleil experience, go. Any Cirque Du Soleil is a wonder to the uninitiated. It’s nice getting paid for a job that you really enjoy HARRIS BUCKWOOD Community Editor I love to write. I actually get paid to write stuff. There are not many peo- pie who have a job doing what they really want to do. I write on a computer. When I start ed out. I wrote on an Army surplus manual Royal typewriter. A guy named Carl used to come by with a rubber mallet and a can of WD-40 to tune it up. Now. if we have a computer problem, a guy named Tom comes and does computer stuff to the computer. I found myself sitting recently in a doctor’s office amidst the old magazines that still had pictures of President Bush, the daddy. An idea for a column crossed my mind and I found a piece of paper and started making cryptic notes. Suddenly, I realized that I did not like to write. At least not with a pen or pencil. Penmanship was never one of my strong points. I remember my first grade teacher, Mrs. Nash, would take that contraption that would make lines on the blackboard and would make it look like a tablet. We would pull out our trusty Blue Horse tablet and a Husky pencil and would attempt to replicate her mes sage of the day. It always began with, “Today is Monday, the sth day of April. FIRST CALL FOK£HELP 770-781-HELP (4357) Emergency help line for Forsyth County. © r On the Town - Atlanta Entertainment During the Next Two Weeks Show Date Venue Price Range The Atlanta Passion Play Ends Today Atlanta Civic Centerslo - S2O Atlanta Dogwood Festival Ends Today Piedmont Park Free Cirque Du Soliel: Alegria Through 4/11 Cobb Galleriasso - S7O Air4/6 Earthlink Lives2s The Darkness 4/8 Tabernaclesl2 Randall Bramblett 4/8 Eddie's Atticsl2 Yellowcard 4/8 Roxy s2l Aerosmith/Cheap Trick4/9 Philips Arenas39.so - $75 Distillers4/10 Cotton Clubsl2 Joe Rathbone4/10 Java Monkey Free Slightly Stoopid;4/10 Roxy sls Bob Dylan4/12 - 4/14 Tabernacles 46 - $76 Champions On Ice' 4/13 Philips Arenas 32 - $97 Psychedelic Furs4/13 Roxys2s Melissa Manchester4/13 Mabie House Amphitheatresls - $34 Jackson Sneed4/15 Smith's Olde Bars 6 The Whirling Dervishes4/15 Atlanta Civic Centersl9.so - $49.50 Georgia Renaissance Festival 4/17 - 6/6 Peachtree City / Fairburns7 - sls Black Rebel Motorcycle Club4/16 Roxys22 Groovin for Grover4/17 Variety Playhouses3Q Crystal Method4/17 Earthlink Lives 22 Pat McGee Band 4/17 Cotton Club sls if the SSO to S7O ticket prices don't make you flinch, go. If it's within your budget it is a guaranteed great night out. If you have seen and liked Cirque, but feel, like some, that too much spectacle is dis tracting, "Alegria” will be just what the doctor orders. However, if it is a once in a lifetime thing, and you have been pining away and saving for that one night that can't be missed, you might want to wait for the next Cirque. I was starting to get the hang of making those letters stay in the line and resemble the ones neatly printed on the front of the Blue Horse. Then, they threw me a curve. "Real” writing. If I write something in cursive writing, it looks like something from a foreign country or another planet. Sometimes, I have trouble reading my own writing. In eighth grade. I learned to type. We had to type to music and we couldn’t look at our fingers. We would have to type sentences with all the letters of the alphabet. “The quick fox jumped over the lazy dog’s back." I've typed ever since. I’ve earned a living during and after high school by typing. But there is something special about a hand written note. On a given week. I may get 40 e-mails and about one or two handwritten notes. If I strike a nerve or a chord with somebody, I’ll generally hear about it. If somebody takes the Good Shepherd Catholic Church 3740 HolOdaw Road. Camming. GA 770-887-9661 wr.PAOC www.goodakoeKofdcamnMni.com Rn. Peter j. a««. Paatar COME CELEBRATE WITH US Palm Sunday Holy Thursday April 4, 2004 April 8i 2 004 Our Liturgy begins outside end eaoh Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:30 PM Celebration of the Eucharist will begin with the Solemn Procession with Palms GOOd Frida V as we commemorate Jesus' triumphant entry Into Jerusalem. ■- Masses at April 9, 2004 Saturday 0:30 PM 12:00 Noon of CrOM Sunday: 8:00,9:30, 4 11:00 AM 7:30 PM ‘ So,,m '' Ll,U,fy ofP '“ ,On 6M ™ Hou Wea B&OLD THE LXW) OF GOO Holy Saturday Easter Sunday April 10, 2004 April u t 2004 Our Easter Vigil begins at 9:00 PM BPBCIAL MAPS BCHBDULK At Good Shepherd Catholic Church Join us as we welcome our candidates and catechumens as fully 8:00 ' 9:30 * 11:00 * M Initiated Catholics as they celebrate At Chattahoochee Elementary School their Baptism, Confirmation and are W welcomed to the Table of the w 9.00 4 10:30 Am Lord for the first time. whl < -Tip No Sunday Evening Macs ■benebrnbnenmmiwnmennmmmbmbnmmmmnmebbbnmbrnmbrmmb Or better yet. pick up the DVD, which among other things lets you check out the Fast Track trampolines from four different angles you haven’t seen it until you have seen it from above. However, in the end. the only thing that compares with Cirque is other Cirque show s, and it's the only chance you will get to check them out in Atlanta this year. “Alegria” is Cirque Du Soleil stripped down to its bare essentials and in the end time to send a handwritten note, it gets read write away. 1 have a little place in my top desk drawer where I keep the notes I’ve received. I got a three page letter a couple of weeks ago from somebody who wrote it on computer paper with the little holes on the side. The fact that they pulled out a pen and jotted down a few thoughts really stuck with me. It went into the drawer, too. I like the immediacy of A Louver Shop Exclusive! | [ ’All Wood Shutter w/PVC Louvers I* Standard Paint Finishes • Free Measure & Installation FACTORY DIRECT PRICING! EffHM 4 k HMMHHbRm ( The Louver Shop 7 ft minimum 770-718-0108 Potomac 800-528-7866 Sate ends 4/17/04 www.louvershop.com it’s probably a more entertain ing evening than almost any thing else out there. FOR THE PRICE OF A CUP of coffee you can check out great acoustic guitarist Joe Rathbone at Java Monkey in Decatur on Wednesday. I recently stumbled onto his act at Smith’s Olde Bar where he performed a two month residency. An impressive performer and songwriter, he invokes easy comparisons to Tom the e-mails. Sometimes I’ll correspond two or three times with an e-mailer in the course of a day. I wonder how much importance is placed on pen manship today. 1 don't know if keyboarding abilities have overshadowed the whole idea of pencil and paper. I wish I had the ability to send a handwritten note to everybody, but my hand would never hold up and besides, you'd have to call Petty. His new CD "I Can Hear the Windows of Your Heart Breaking” has just been released and it is a great listen. Joe is one of those happy accidents, one of those per formers that you stumble upon when you least expect it. and become a fan for life. Check him out. When high-pitched front man Justin Hawkins starts belt ing out "I Believe in a Thing Called Love” this Thursday at the Tabernacle, you won't be me to interpret what it actual- if you’re so inclined ... keep ly says. those cards and letters com- So. feel free to e-mail. or. ing. New & Used Best Prices in Georgia ,W. “Georgia’s Largest Yamaha Golf Car Dealer” Golf Car Central A Division of Outdoor Power Products. LLC 800-285-9048 www.golfcarcentral.net Free Delivery Petiyner Mortice. Service!, Inc. 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On Friday, Aerosmith will rock Philips Arena to the tune of their brand new CD “Honkin’ On Bobo.” Steven Tyler is always incredible live and Aersosmith is one of those few bands that keeps me enthralled time after time. Plus, as icing on the cake, Cheap Trick opens. Last, but not least, Broadway in Atlanta’s 2004/5 crowning event of the season "The Producers" is finally here. Starring Alan Ruck (TV’s "Spin City”, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off") and Broadway and film veteran Lewis J. Stadlen, the Broadway smash is going to be awesome. Playing at the Fox through April 18 this revamp of the Mel Brooks Broadway classic is the best thing to hit the stage since, well, “Springtime for Hitler.” Don’t miss it. For ticket availability and pricing call Ticketmaster at (404) 649-6400 or visit them online at www.ticketmaster.- com. Ira Miller may be reached by sending e-mail to ira.miller@adelphia.net. Ira Miller’s entertainment column appears every Sunday.