Inside Iowa State

November 5, 2004

It's back: Dinner and a movie

If you haven't enjoyed dinner and a movie in a while, the Student Union Board has the solution. The SUB film series closes out its fall lineup with the classic combination. The Nov. 12 showing of Big Night will be preceded by a catered dinner of Italian fare.

Dinner, prepared by ISU Dining, begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Pioneer Room. The movie follows at approximately 8:15 p.m.

Set on the Jersey shore in the 1950s, Big Night (1996) is the story of two Italian immigrant brothers who are struggling to keep their little restaurant open.

While the flashy Italian eatery around the corner does a booming business serving American "bastardizations" like spaghetti and meatballs, the menu at the brothers' trattoria remains faithful to Italy's culinary traditions. When their friendly rival restaurateur proposes to invite a popular big-band musician to dine at their establishment, the brothers see the opportunity as their last chance to save the business.

Dinner and a movie tickets are $8 ($6 for students), and available by calling 4-8081. Tickets also will be sold at the door.

Big Night also will be shown at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, in the Pioneer Room (no dinner; free popcorn). Admission is $1.

Fayette County, Iowa

"West of Wadena," a charcoal drawing by Barbara Fedeler, is one of 24 selections in an exhibit at the Memorial Union's Pioneer Room by Iowans Fedeler and Susan Coleman. The collection is mostly landscapes and mostly Iowa. Nearly all the pieces are for sale.

MU exhibit is noticeably Iowa

Iowa landscapes are the focus of an exhibit on display in the Memorial Union's Pioneer Room through November.

"In Distant Fields" features works by Iowa art teachers Susan Coleman and Barbara Fedeler. Coleman is an instructor of drawing and coordinator of the McWethy Gallery at Cornell College, Mount Vernon. Her pieces are in pastels and oil paints. Fedeler, who lives in Cedar Falls, is an assistant professor of art at Wartburg College, Waverly. Her pieces are charcoal drawings. Both use the Iowa landscape as a source of inspiration.

The title of their exhibit makes reference to a Mark Twain quote: "Imagination labors best in distant fields."

Eric Kunze stars in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar, which has a two-night run at Stephens Auditorium, Nov. 9-10. The musical premiered in 1971 and is a rock version of the last seven days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Tickets are $40.50 and $44.50.