Today's Feature

Jake’s Women at Stone’s Throw.

Stone’s Throw Dinner Theatre announces its upcoming production of Neil Simon’s Jake’s Women. Jake’s Women is a romantic comedy by Neil Simon, to be presented by Stone’s Throw Dinner Theatre of Carthage, Missouri this coming September. Additional funding assistance is provided by the Missouri Arts Council and Schmidt & Associates.

Show dates are September 4, 5, & 6, and Sept. 12 & 13, with a Sunday matinee on Sept. 14. Doors open at 6:00 pm, with dinner served at 6:30 pm and show starting at 7:30 pm. Sunday matinee opens at 12:30 pm, with lunch served at 1:00 pm and show starting at 2:00 pm.

Ticket prices are $20.00 for adults, $19.00 for Seniors over 55, $17.00 for youth under 16, and children under five admitted free.

Reservations may be made by calling the theatre at 417-358-9665 or Betty Bell at 417-358-7268, online at bbell23@ecarthage.com or by visiting the Stone’s Throw website at www.stonesthrowdinnertheatre.org

Directed by Doug Dickey, Jake’s Women stars Kevin Provins in the title role, with Shana Kleinhans, Shanti Navarre, Morgan Sneed, Cheyla Navarre, Linda Bailey, Lyn Whyte, and Amber Norton as Jake’s Women.

Poor Jake. A very successful novelist, his marriage is not so successful. In fact, his wife wants to leave him. So in an effort to help him through this crisis, the women in his life come to his rescue. Sort of. There’s his boisterous sister who bosses him around, his sardonic analyst who seems to enjoy taunting him, his grown daughter who’s wise beyond her years, and his revered first wife who is clueless but with good reason. But here’s the problem – the conversations are in his imagination. He even talks with his daughter when she was just a child, and has poignant dialogs with his first wife who, by the way, is dead. Imagination invades the reality, especially when struggling to discuss the marriage with his estranged wife, or trying to decide on his future with his new girlfriend. The result is a moving romantic comedy with laughter and tears as only Neil Simon can craft a story.

Mornin'

It seems of little surprise that folks might differ on the pronunciation of Missouri (ah or ee), with a language where Pete and sweet rhyme, but sweat and peat don’t.

As a youngster I often questioned the English teacher about how a person was supposed ta learn to spell with such inconsistencies in the language.

‘Course the i before e except after c and when it sounds like "a" as in neighbor and weigh is typical of the irregularities in the system. Who made this stuff up?

Wouldn’t naghbor and wagh be a lot simpler? I don’t know of those spellings already bein’ spoke for. No one would consider watchin’ Beigh Watch, or care to give you the time of deigh I suppose.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Here's A Tip
By JoAnn Derson

On Sale in September: Cookware and dishes, pool and patio equipment and new cars (check for deals on the current year’s model after the new model year’s release).

What’s "in season" for fall? Try squash, apples, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, coconuts, cranberries, grapes, mushrooms, parsnips, pineapple, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and Swiss chard.

"I use this trick in my linen closet all the time, but you can also do it in your regular clothes drawers. Place a fabric softener sheet in dresser drawers or between towels and sheets when you put them away. Your clothes will retain a nice, freshly laundered scent. Make sure you place the sheets near a safe fabric, not silk or anything delicate." -- R.L. in North Carolina

Studies show that having a late-afternoon snack of 100-200 calories high in protein can not only help you stave off the pre-dinner hungries, it also can save you as many as 400 calories at suppertime. You aren’t as likely to be overhungry, so you can pay attention to when your body tells you to stop eating.

Clean up your mailbox: To get off of junk-mail lists and to opt out of credit-card offers, take note of these handy Web sites. The Consumer Credit Reporting Industry maintains an official Web site at www.optoutprescreen.com for those who do not wish to receive preapproved offers regarding insurance and credit. The Direct Marketing Association handles requests for opting out of other mailers at www.dmachoice.org.