Monthly Archives: June 2012

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) The Atlanta Dream didn't panic when the New York Liberty made a run late in the first half to take a lead at the break. They just regrouped and took control of the game in the third quarter.

Angel McCoughtry scored 23 points and Sancho Lyttle added 19 to lead the Dream to a 74-64 victory Sunday.

''We just can't let outside things get in our head,'' McCoughtry said when asked what the team discussed after giving up a 10-point lead and trailing by two at halftime. ''We were a little frustrated with some calls, a little frustrated with the way we were playing, and how they were making their run. It's called adversity, it happens. It's the game.''

McCoughtry was 7 for 20 from the field and 8 for 10 on free throws in her return after missing two games due to a knee injury, helping the Dream (5-7) snap a two-game skid.

Lyttle scored nine points, Armintie Price had five and McCoughtry added five points and four rebounds as Atlanta outscored New York 25-10 in the third quarter to take a 13-point lead.

''It's not because of me. It's a team effort and everybody coming together, regrouping after a loss,'' McCoughtry said. ''(Lyttle) hit a couple of 3s ... she has the highest 3-point percentage shooting on the team and she's a post player. Armintie got some great rebounds, got fouled. Lindsey (Harding) is coming back slowly.''

Leilani Mitchell scored 16 points, Kara Braxton had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Cappie Pondexter and DeMya Walker added 12 points each as the Liberty (4-9) lost for the fourth time in five games. New York's lone win during that stretch came at Atlanta last Tuesday in a game McCoughtry missed.

Pondexter fouled out of the game late in the fourth quarter as the Liberty were trying to make a surge. She finished 4 for 17 from the field with seven turnovers.

''We couldn't make shots tonight,'' Pondexter said. ''They did a great job of adjusting. We were the last game they played and obviously they made a lot of adjustments. ... We just got to learn to be consistent. It's kind of up and down, it's kind of hard for us to get it together.''

The Liberty had 26 turnovers, which led to 31 points for the Dream. Atlanta had 16 turnovers, leading to nine points for New York.

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McCoughtry, Lyttle lead Dream past Liberty, 74-64

For more than a century, the Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from France to the people of the United States, has been a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. Dedicated in October 1886, Lady Liberty quickly came to represent hope for millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. through New York, as they set out to make a life for themselves in the land of dreams.

Ironically, the statues uplifted torch, meant to suggest enlightenment by her creators, instead represented a message of welcome to anxious immigrants who had survived an arduous journey. And, over time, the statues official Web site notes, Liberty emerged as the Mother of Exiles, a symbol of hope to generations of immigrants. She became an icon of immigration, reinforcing the idea of America being a melting pot of many cultures.

Over the last 126 years, since the statues dedication, millions of stirring stories of immigrants have emerged, but few have come to life like that of Liberty: A Monumental New Musical, making its world premiere at the Warner Theatre in Torrington by special arrangement with Theresa Wozunk. With book and lyrics by Dana Leslie Goldstein, music by Jon Goldstein, and under the direction of acclaimed New York stage director Igor Goldin, Liberty opens June 30 and will continue through July 14 at the Warner.

This is a fantastic opportunity for local audiences to see a professional production before it heads to New York, said Warner Theatre executive director John Bonanni. Our community of actors and volunteers are excited to inaugurate the Warners new professional development program, serving as an incubator for a commercial run in New York.

Liberty, according to the Warner, is a production that conveys the story of a young immigrant who arrives from France in 1884 amid anti-immigrant fervor. With powerful political forces working against her, and only a precious few on her side, she is befriended by fellow immigrants from all corners of the world. Libertys compelling and sometimes uncertain journey leads her to becoming the symbol of all immigrants, winning over the people of the United States and taking her rightful place in New York Harbor.

Featuring an entirely original score, Liberty has only been performed in pieces at venues such as the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and the New York Immigration Coalition. It was presented as a developmental workshop as part of Mayor Bloombergs Immigrant Heritage Week, as part of the grand reopening of the crown of the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 2009, and, most recently, as part of the official celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty National Monument last year. As the show prepares for an off-Broadway premiere in New York City, it marks a first for the Warner Theatre, which has never before developed and premiered a new musical prior to its commercial New York run.

Ive been with the show two or three years now, Mr. Goldin said, noting that he has been with other shows from the beginning. Liberty existed before I came aboard and though I havent worked on new shows by design, I tend to enjoy it more than established shows. I like to develop a production. Its certainly more challenging, and you become completely immersed in it. There is so much of you invested in it.

Twenty-year-old Madeline Brewer, who is stepping into the role of Liberty, feels the same way. Ms. Brewer graduated in May from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City, and said this is her first leading role. She relishes the opportunity to shape the character for audiences who will meet Liberty for the first time June 30.

Its been crazy, but its been an awesome experience, Ms. Brewer said enthusiastically after a musical rehearsal for the production. At AMDA, were taught how to make a role our own, how to develop a character, and I have certainly had the chance to do that with Liberty. Ive discovered some things come organically, such as how I relate to her. You definitely develop a character like this differently, because you cant see how others have done it, and thats great for me as an actress.

For a first gig, she said at a press event after she was introduced to the community, this isnt too shabby. Continued...

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'Liberty' Comes to Warner

MURPHYSBORO The Liberty Theater has been a Murphysboro landmark from almost a century, and now its being recognized as a historically significant building by National Park Service.

The Liberty was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places, making it the sixth building in Murphysboro to garner the honor. Liberty Director Lois Murphy said the process took almost 18 months and involved hours of work.

There was lots of research and everything, she said. It was time-consuming, but I thought it was worth it and not too expen-sive.

Mayor Ron Williams said the national recognition is good for the city.

I think that The Liberty Theater being place on list is just a great, great thing Murphysboro, he said. With all effort thats gone into it with renovations and improvements, its finally paying off. It is for Murphysboro and the area a really neat building that has been saved from ruin.

Rachel Malcolm Ensor, an SIU professor and co-owner of Historic Property Consultants, helped write The Libertys proposal to the Illinois Historic Preservation Board, a first step in getting National Register of Historic Places recognition.

Criteria for making the list include significance in architecture, archaeology, engineering and culture. Historic places may be associated with the lives of significant persons in the past, embody the distinctive characteristics of a type of place or era, or yield important information about history or prehistory.

For The Liberty, its connection was with events that made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of history.

Ensor said The Libertys close affiliation with Hollywood was an important factor in it being placed on the register.

The Liberty Theater falls right in line with the development of the cinema in the United States, she said. Originally The Liberty was a flicker theater for little 15-minute flicker pictures. As the movie industry changed so did the Liberty.

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The Liberty lands on National Register