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If you love Jack Kerouac, you've got to make plans to be in Bloomington, Indiana between May 18 and June 2, 2012. The Bloomington Playwrights Project and Indiana University are gearing up to present Maggie Cassidy: An American Musical as part of the BPP & IU New Musical Series.

Maggie Cassidy is a musical adaptation of Jack Kerouac's highly autobiographical novel of the same name (a predecessor to On the Road). This production, created by Chris Jeffries based on Kerouac's novel, is the first stage play ever produced with the support of the Kerouac estate and we're proud that it's starting right here in Bloomington! 

Maggie Cassidy presents a new and unfamiliar look at Jack Kerouac, before he wrote the American classic On the Road and became the father of the Beat Generation. The forces that shaped him - tensions surrounding his religion, cultural economic background and an America struggling to find itself again after the Great Depression - are all present and at play. Maggie Cassidy is the powerful story of a great American author coming of age.

The musical tells the story of Kerouac's early years as a French-Canadian high school start athlete and would-be writer on whom everyone in town pins their opes. He has everything, except someone who understands his passion for writing... until he meets and falls in love with the Irish girl from the other side of the tracks, Maggie Cassidy. His love for her creates a new dream that threatens to derail his plans to leave his hometown of Lowell behind. 

The cast will feature talented students from the Indiana University Theatre & Drama Department under the direction of BPP Producing Artistic Director, Chat Rabinovitz. The production will feature a one-of-a-kind scenic design by resident artist Shane Cinal. 

Performances of Maggie Cassidy are scheduled for May 18, 19, 24 - 26 and May 31 - June 2 and 8 pm and May 20 at 2 pm at the Bloomington Playwrights Project theatre located on West 9th Street in downtown Bloomington. Tickets are $18, available online through the BCT Box Office. A special $89 rate is available at the Bloomington Holiday Inn in connection with the production. Details are available on our Special Offers Page.

Music reviewers tend to gush a bit when describing performances by the European Union Youth Orchestra, an incredible group of young people who will be performing at the Indiana University Auditorium on April 22.

"...astonishing how high the standard of the European Union Youth Orchestra is." -Volkskrant

"The EUYO's appearance was at the same time both a successful finale and a highlight of this year's festival." Neues Deutschland

"A fresh and contagious sense of enthusiasm spread like magnetism from the stage to the stalls and the audience." L'Eco di Bergamo

This grouping of 14-24 year old musicians, founded in 1976, is the only orchestra in the world to contain members from all 27 European Union countries. It is meant to represent the European ideal of a community working together toward social understanding, while at the same time providing up-and-coming musicians with an invaluable professional development experience. 

We've got two tickets and a restaurant gift card for one lucky winner. Just tell us about your favorite musical experience in Bloomington in the comments section of this post and we'll choose a winner this Friday afternoon. Good luck!  

Bloomington is a great restaurant town, and that doesn't change when a holiday comes along... it only gets better! Here's a quick run-down of Easter Brunch opportunities at Bloomington area restaurants, just in case you don't have plans yet.

Grazie! Italian Eatery will serve a special brunch menu from 10 am to 2 pm. Italian specialties will include tiger shrimp and blue crab strata, stuffed French toast with mascarpone and fresh strawberries and an Italian version of eggs Benedict with prosciutto, grilled ciabatta and truffle hollandaise.  

Chapman's Restaurant will feature an Easter buffet from 10:30 am to 4 pm, featuring dozens of made-from-scratch dishes. Highlights include glazed pit ham, London broil, grilled chicken puttanesca, and prime rib. Omelet and pancake stations will also be available. 

FARMbloomington will serve a special Easter brunch from 10 am to 3 pm. The menu will include Hoosier Benedict, bourbon-brined Fiedler fresh ham with grits, gravy and braised beens, Sweet Seasons French toast casserole, rack of lamb, an Easter cake plate and seasonal treats (homemade "peeps!"). 

Scholar's Inn Gourmet Cafe & Wine Bar will serve a prix fixe menu from 9 am to 3 pm on Easter Sunday. For $20, you'll enjoy fresh-baked Bakehouse pastry, an entree of your choice and coffee, tea or a soft drink. 

Bobby's Colorado Steakhouse is now open and will offer an Easter buffet from 11 am to 3 pm. The buffet will include carved prime rib, carved ham, salad bar and a selection of entrees and desserts. 

The Bloomington Convention Center is also hosting a Easter Brunch this weekend, from 10:30 am to 3 pm, with a buffet from Center Catering. Featured items include carved prime rib with au jus and horseradish, carved ham with pineapple sauce, stuffed chicken breast, crumb top tilapia and creamy tortellini with assorted side dishes, salads and desserts. Cost will be $22 for adults and $11 for children ages 5-12. 

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After the Easter bunny hops away, don't forget about Dyngus Day! Yogi's annual Dyngus Day celebration, a B-town tradition, will be Monday, April 9. The festivities feature live accordion and polka music and dancing. Outrageous costumes are encouraged and special Polish foods will be served, including smoked kielbasa and sauerkraut, hard boiled eggs and perogies. Slivovitz, a traditional liquor from Poland will also be available for those brave enough to try it!