Dystopia, the opposite of utopia, is not an uncommon a sight in American drama. Think of plays such as Waiting for Godot and films such as Bladerunner. Think of the spectacle of the current Bush administration. Briefly. My point is, Americans conscious of the forces that have spawned such work would hardly expect a drama titled Urinetown: The Musical (UTM) to paint a vision of paradise. So, the fairest question that can be put to The Cascades Theatrical Company's current production of UTM (playing at the Tower Theater) is: "How well does it paint its particular vision of dystopia - given the expressive possibilities of the stage, as opposed to the screen, and of musical comedy, as opposed to, say, 'straight' drama?"

 
Urinetown: The Musical is a Tony-winning work that, according to Wikipedia, "rejects musical theatre convention, parodying . . . shows such as Les Misérables . . . and West Side Story." Pu-leez. UTM's book, like "Les Mis's," pits have-nots against haves, and, like West Side Story's, heightens dramatic conflict to the plane of life and death. But when leads Bobby Strong (Ricky Johnson) and Hope Cladwell (Briana Jayne Hinchliffe) harmonize unreservedly about "love," "peace" and "tomorrow," what's "shattered," if anything, is the pretense that even such a hoary convention as poor-boy-and-rich-girl-meet-and-fall-in-love are interrogated, much less demolished, by UTM.

You probably have an opinion about homebrew. You've likely tasted some funky brown stuff your neighbor made that one time, or that your college boyfriend tried to woo you with once shortly before you split. Or maybe you're still one of those who think this sort of thing happens in bathtubs in rural Missouri, or some other far away back wood.

But I have tasted the fruits of some damn fine homebrewers and am prepared to say that, in Bend at least, it isn't just for bathtubs anymore. And if you haven't been exposed to this "little weekend hobby" - which is how my husband put it so many hundreds of dollars ago - you're not likely to stay uninitiated in this town.

That's because homebrewing has officially grown up around here. The throngs of Central Oregon hop heads proved that two weeks ago with the first APA/BJCP certified homebrew competition in the region. That little bit of alphabet soup just means national homebrew organizations sanctioned the event and nationally certified judges helped run the show.

The earliest traces of satire can be found on ancient Egyptian papyrus, poking fun at various trades in society. The roots of western political satire date to the works of Aristophanes in ancient Greece. A more modern foundation for satirical treatment of politicians can be traced to Swift's "Gulliver's Travels".

 
And there is no shortage of political satire in the United States, (who doesn't, these days, recognize Jon Stewart's face) Television personalities aren't the only ones mining this rich vein of material, thespians are getting into the act as well. Enter the Capitol Steps, a unique group that incorporates drama, music, and comedy in their send up of current American political figures and issues. The D.C.-based troupe has been creating active caricatures for the American public since 1981. The goal is simple, says troupe member Mark Eaton.

Bend artist Cristina Acosta is challenging the old truism that art imitates life. A painter, Acosta has learned to let her art into her everyday world.

"At one point I realized that I needed to take my art off of the canvas, and put it into my life," says Acosta

Acosta's vivid and joyful painting ranges from traditional Mexican influenced Madonnas and tri-paneled ex-votos to her "Paint Happy" series of flowing still lifes. They all explode with the color of an artist doing more than putting paint to canvas. Acosta has transformed her art in a business with her tile painting and color consultation services.

Originally trained at the university level in fine arts, Acosta has branched out dramatically - although this was not necessarily easy. The elite art world of the 1980's didn't necessarily encourage disciplines like tile painting and home decor. However, she says, "I realized that everything could start becoming art for me, and that was incredibly fun. It opened up a whole new world for me."

It's one of the only places in the world where you can wash your laundry while toasting fine tequila over a game of pool as you tap your feet to the strumming rhythms of a singer/songwriter's acoustic guitar. The M&J Tavern is a proud host of a weekly open mic on Wednesday nights. If the tavern with its cement floor, pool tables, video poker machines and long rustic bar and old school juke box, could be personified it would be Bob Dylan during his country stint in the late 1960s.

 
It's been just over a year now since I first signed my name on the open mic performer's list. The sign-up sheet is sometimes full with visiting and local musicians. On other nights it's marked with just a few signatures. Initially, I was motivated to get a new music project, Kousefly, then a duo, out of the stuffy garage and in front of people; it was a nerve-racking, gut-wrenching and humbling experience. But I loved every second of it and was hooked immediately.