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Review: Coward’s ‘Blythe Spirit’ comes alive at City Lights Theater

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

Noel Coward is one of the great observers of the world’s many subtleties, an enchanter with helpings of sly, sardonic wit. Take for example what his character Madame Arcati says in the splendiferous ghost story “Blithe Spirit” about, well, spirits.“Anybody can write books, but it takes an artist to make a dry martini that’s dry enough.”It is a subtle, sagacious quip, a smidge of what makes Coward and his his keen perception so revered in the annals of drama history. These words among many others showcase Coward’s comedic brilliance and cheeky humor within a play that was written in a week during the spring of 1941 as Londoners dealt with the Blitz attacks.The play, one of the famed British playwright’s comedy of manners, is being presented by City Lights Theater Company. The piece delights, mostly — yet not always — capturing the pithy acting style that Coward’s characters are known for.The company’s production, directed with broad, comic strokes by Mark Anderson Phillip...

Lineup revealed for The Atlantis, replica of the original 9:30 Club, set to open May 30

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews The Atlantis lineup (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); Last week, WTOP reported that a replica of the original 9:30 Club was about to open in D.C.We now know the 450-capacity venue, The Atlantis, will open on May 30 — the anniversary of the original 9:30 Club’s opening  — with a show by the Foo Fighters, followed by a star-studded array of artists.The Foo Fighters also o...

Kentucky high school football player dies after head injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky high school football player who suffered a head injury during a scrimmage last week has died.The Kentucky High School Athletic Association said Monday in a statement on Facebook that it joined family, friends and teammates in mourning the loss of Pulaski County High School varsity football player Andrew Dodson.“No words can explain, justify or rationalize tragedies such as these,” the association wrote.Alan Dodson told the Lexington Herald-Leader that his son was running the ball during his team’s spring game when he was tackled by a teammate.“It was not a violent hit or helmet-to-helmet. It was a simple, clean tackle,” Alan Dodson said. “His head hit the turf, and Andrew suffered blunt-force trauma to the brain.”Andrew Dodson played tight end and defensive end for the Maroons during his junior season, WKYT reported.Source

US rolls out funding for wildlife crossings along busy roads

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) — Native American tribes, as well as state and local governments will be able to tap into $350 million in infrastructure funds to build wildlife corridors along busy roads and add warning signs for drivers in what federal officials are billing as the first-of-its-kind pilot program to prevent collisions and improve habitat connectivity. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was expected to roll out more details about the program during a visit to Santa Ana Pueblo on Tuesday. Wildlife managers with the New Mexico tribe have documented recent mountain lion casualties along a busy federal highway that cuts through tribal boundaries.Nationwide, about 200 people are killed each year in collisions involving wildlife and vehicles, federal officials said. Buttigieg said in a statement issued ahead of his announcement that launching the pilot program marks “an important step to prevent deadly crashes in communities across the country and make America’...

When a reality TV show about jury duty is a summons to laugh

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — So many people want to get out of jury duty these days because they think it’s boring or a waste of time. A new TV series shows it can be fun. Bonkers even.“Jury Duty” from Amazon Freevee is an elaborate ruse of a show that builds an entire judicial system around one unsuspecting regular Joe. The judge is fake, the defense team and prosecutors are fake and his fellow 11 jurors are fake — all superb improv comedians. “It was the wildest experience I’ve ever done as an actor and kind of one of the most rewarding experiences,” says James Marsden, who plays a horribly conceited version of himself as a juror. “In this business where it really feels like there’s not a lot of original work out there or original ideas, this felt like something that we’ve never seen before.”It’s got elements of “The Office,” “Big Brother,” “The Truman Show” and “Punk’d.” It feels utterly unique by finding Ronald Gladden, a solar contractor from San Diego, and putting him inside Hu...

Spain’s prime minister says Europe needs to re-industrialize

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Europe must “re-industrialize” to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on third countries for energy and key raw materials, Spain’s prime minister said Tuesday.Prime Minister Petro Sanchez said after talks with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in the Cypriot capital that Europe needs to be “strategically autonomous,” especially in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Sanchez, whose country assumes the European Union’s rotating presidency Jul. 1st, said this push toward less reliance on others for defense, as well as high-tech hardware such as semi-conductors and microchips doesn’t mean regression to a state of economic protectionism.The Spanish premier said the EU needs to reach out to key regions such us the Caribbean and Latin America as well as nations on its southern periphery including Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Jordan.A summit between the EU and the so-called southern neighborhood countries is set for December.Sanch...

US is providing Ukraine with $2.6 billion in military aid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will send Ukraine about $500 million in ammunition and equipment and spend more than $2 billion to buy an array of munitions, radar and other weapons for that country in the future, the White House announced Tuesday, as Ukrainian troops prepare for a spring offensive against Russian forces.Much of the ammunition will be taken from military stockpiles so they can be in the war zone quickly, including “U.S.-provided HIMARS, air defense interceptors, and artillery rounds that Ukraine is using to defend itself,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. HIMARS are multiple rocket launchers.The package, like many of the previous ones, is pushing forward more 155 mm artillery rounds as Ukraine burns through that stock fighting back against Russia’s ground invasion. The immediate assistance includes anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, and maintenance support, the Pentagon said in a statement. “We very much apprec...

Vinícius Júnior testifies against fan in racial abuse probe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior testified Tuesday against a Mallorca fan accused of racially insulting him at a Spanish league game, saying he will not accept an apology.Vinícius provided testimony to a judge analyzing evidence against the fan accused of calling the Brazil forward a monkey at a match against Mallorca in February.Through a video conference, Vinícius told the judge he was offended by the insults and that they happened at other matches, too. According to the player’s staff, Vinícius said he won’t accept an apology and wants the Mallorca fan to be fully punished.The fan, who has not been identified publicly, was in court and also testified. Local media images showed him covering his face while leaving the court in Palma, the main city on the island of Mallorca. According to the Ultima Hora newspaper, the 20-year-old fan apologized.He was also being accused of calling Villarreal midfielder Samu Chukwueze a monkey in another league match. Chukwueze...

Raiders sign veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders have their potential backup to Jimmy Garoppolo, returning to a familiar place to sign quarterback Brian Hoyer on Tuesday.Hoyer is the latest player with New England ties to sign with the Raiders, joining the team coached by former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Former Patriots executive Dave Ziegler is Las Vegas’ general manager.Garoppolo is another one of those players who has played for the Patriots, as is recently signed wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and several others on the roster.Hoyer’s signing could be a signal the Raiders won’t draft a quarterback with the No. 7 pick and focus on other areas of the team, such as defense and the offensive line. They also could select a QB, such as Florida’s Anthony Richardson, who is considered more of a long-term project and bring him along slowly.The Raiders needed a backup after losing Jarrett Stidham in free agency to the AFC West rival Denver Broncos.Hoye...

LSU’s 59 1st-half points set NCAA women’s title game record

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:07 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — Jasmine Carson was nearly perfect from the field to help LSU put on a record-breaking performance in the NCAA Tournament championship game.Carson scored 21 of her 22 points in the first half as the Tigers torched Iowa’s defense in a 102-85 victory on Sunday.The 102 points was the most ever scored in a championship game by a single team and the 187 combined total also shattered the previous mark.“So much for my hollering defense and rebounding, right? That’s a lot of points,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said.Carson was a big reason why. She made all seven of her shots in the first half, including four 3-pointers, as LSU put up 59 points in the first 20 minutes. It was the highest-scoring first half in the title game.Carson was so hot from the field that the graduate student banked in a 3-pointer to end the half. “I would definitely say this is the game of my life because I won a national championship on the biggest stage possible in college,” Carson said. “But when I wok...