Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 March 2000 — Page 21

FRIDAY, MARCH 31,2000

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

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ENTERTAINMENT Briefs

Sinbad to perform at Clowes Hall on April 4 Star of the small and big screen, actor-comedian Sinbad will come to Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University on Tuesday, April 4 for the Celebration of Diversity Comedy Jam at 8 p.m. Reserved tickets are $20 and $30 and are available at the Clowes Box Office, TicketMaster centers or Charge By Phone (317) 239-5151. The performance is presented by the Butler University Black Student Union and Student Government Association. For more information call (317)940-6444. Bid whist tourney on April 29 The Indianapolis Association of Black Journalists (IABJ) will sponsor the IABJ Bid Whist Tournament on April 29 at the Omega Center, 3110 Sutherland Ave. Registration is at 6 p.m. and play begins at 6:45. Early entry deadline is April 14. Entry fee is $25 for individual players or $35 for team players. Registration at the door is $30 for individuals and $40 for team players. You must be 21 or older to play. For more information call (317)767-4118.

First Friday’s Phoenix Noir presents First Friday’s, The Original Indianapolis Networking Party on April 7 starting at 7 p.m. “Funk & Art Fusion” at N-Style located on 38 E. 16th St., features DJ Garth “da Shot Calla” Adams. Food and drinks will be available and open mic starts promptly at 7 p.m. “Tasty” event and casino night on April 30 Celebrations Banquet Facility will be scene for the ‘Taste of the Westside,” an annual fund-raising event for the American Heart Association on April 30 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Area restaurants will offer sample portions of their specialties. There will be a silent auction, a raffle and gaming tables for playing. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door for Taste and Casino Night. Call Lacey Clifford of the American Heart Association (317) 876-4850 for more information and to order tickets. Indy Jazz Fest After a hugely successful inaugural event with attendance of more than 65,000, Indy Jazz Fest presented by Kroger is preparing for this year’s event. The 2000 Indy

Jazz Fest runs June 14-18. Tickets are available at all TicketMaster locations or by visiting any Central Indiana Kroger store.Web site: www.indyjazz fest.org. In search of altos, sopranos and tenors The Indy Jazz Fest is recruiting youth ages 12-18 to participate in a city-wide gospel choir. Altos, sopranos and tenors are needed. The Y-Zone Choir will perform on a main stage at the Bank One Jazz & Roots Fair on Sunday, June 18. The choir practices every Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Fall Creek YMCA, 860 W. 10th St. For more information call (317) 634-2478. The Indiana Repertory Theatre presents ‘Othello’ Shakespeare’s great revenge play, “Othello” is being presented by the Indiana Repertory Theatre, now through April 15. Tickets are available from $24 - $35 for adults; $14 ($10 on Sundays) for young people. Tickets can be purchased by calling (317) 635-5252, stopping by the Ticket Office at 140 W. Washington St., between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. or on-line at: www.indianarep.com.

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March 31 NCAA Team Practices Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome Noon - 4 p.m. Free A one-hour practice for each of the Final Four teams is free and open to the public. March 31 • April 3 NCAA Hoop City Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome Friday noon - 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sunday and Monday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. $7; $5 ages 3-11; free ages 2 and under

Hoop City is a four-day interactive basketball event for kids to test their skills with the Slam Dunk Challenge, Last-Second Shot Competition, Free Throw Challenge and Three-Point Challenge. April 1 NABC Slam Dunk/Hot Shot AllStar Basketball Game Conseco Field house

$12; $18; $20 Come see lOof the nation’s top NCAA seniors compete against a select squad of Harlem Globetrotters.

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April 1 National NCAA Semifinals RCA Dome Tip-off at 5:42 p.m. Sold-out Aprils National NCAA Championship game RCA Dome Tip-off at 8:18 p.m. Sold out. Seating capacity approximately 43,150. Information provided by Indianapolis Downtown Inc. For more information or a calendar of events call 237-2222 or visit our Web site atVKWw.indydt.com. ! . ,

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Renaissance man Harold Wheeler

Harold Wheeler is a modem day renaissance man. As a composer, arranger and orchestra conductor for countless number of special events, TV shows, feature films, jingles and theater productions, Wheeler has done it all during his 30 plus year career. Remember the jingle, “the best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup” — that’s Wheeler. A native of St. Louis, Wheeler, 56, says he can’t remember a time when music wasn’t alive in his blood. He says, “My whole inspiration in life has always been in music. After I finished school, I set out to make a name for myself using the art form.” Living in New York City as a struggling, young musician, Wheeler’s big break came when he volunteered to play piano for a friend auditioning for a part in the 1966 Broadway musical “Promises, Promises.” Although his friend failed to land a part, Wheeler did when an impressed Burt Bachrach hired him on, first as a piano player and then musical conductor for the hit bound production. History was made, (Wheeler was the youngest person ever hired in such a capacity) and he’s has been riding the wave ever since. A quick succession of jobs followed. On Broadway he’s orchestrated the music for ‘The Wiz,” “A

The Robertson Treatment

By Gil Robertson IV

Chorus Line,” “Lena Home: The Lady and Her Music,” “Dreamgirls,” “The Tap Dance Kid” and “The Life,” for which he received his first Tony nomination (he received his second in 1998 for “Little Me”). In film, Wheeler has composed music for “Cotton Comes to Harlem,” “Love! Valor! Compassion!” and the forthcoming “Spanish Judges.” In television, he’s responsible for the music in “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” “The Jacksons: An American Dream,” “Laurel Avenue” and “All My Children.” In 19%, along with John Williams, he composed the opening score for the Olympic Games. Some of his other special projects include the Democratic National Convention, the NFL at 75 AllStar Celebration, the 1993 through ’98 Essence Awards, the 1996 Emmy Awards and the 1997 and ’98 Grammy Awards, just to name

a few. Currently commuting between the Encino, Calif., home (that he shares with his wife, actress Hattie Winston, and teen-age daughter Samantha), to Palo Alto, where he is prepping the musical “Ugly Ducking” for its pre-Broadway run, Wheeler is confident about what lies ahead. “The people who do the hiring in this business are very, very specific about what they want, down to the last detail. Up until now. I’ve had a very good record of keeping them satisfied, and I plan to keep on my thing well into the foreseeable future.” Brief: Academy Award winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. just recently wrapped filming on the upcoming 20th Century Fox film “Navy Diver.” Based on the real life story of Carl Brashear, the first African-American deep-sea diver in U.S. Naval history, the film also stars Robert DeNiro, Charlize Theron and Hal Holbrook. George Tillman Jr., whose last film was the acclaimed hit “Soul Food,” is the director and executive producers are Bill Cosby and Stan Robertson. The film is scheduled for a mid-summer release. Check out the Robertson Treatment Web site at: www. robertsontreatment.com

MWieWTAWAV W mnVT MMt AWAT. Sometimes a great vacation is closer than you think. So this Spring Break, we suggest you check out Downtown Indianapolis before you load up the family wagon. You'll find all kinds of fun things to do and see right here, without ever having to hear "are we there yet" from the back seat.

Americanos: Latino Lift in the United States Exhibition Eitefforg Museum of American Indians A Western Art Now through April 16 Painting Indiana: Indiana Mein Aire Painters Exhibit Indiana State Museum Now though April as Extreme Deep! Mission to the Abyss The Children's Museum Now through May 7

IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals Conseco Fieldhoust March as Indiana Pacers vs. Philadelphia Then Conseco Fieldhouse Mo^c * ,6 £| jp 0 Indianapolis Indians vs. Richmond Braves Victory Field April 12-1*

MSCBVn mm MSVABftMin •Ameer Middle Eastern Cuisine •Greek Island • Thai Garden • kaia’s Italian Restaurant • India Garden -Aesop's Tables •Mikado Japanese Restaurant • Milano Inn •Acapulco Joe's

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Just take a trip Downtoum!

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