Constellation Stage & Screen presents the world premiere of

The Break: A New Rock Musical

Bloomington, IN – “1 Couple. 30 Days Off. No Rules.” This summer, Constellation is bringing the world premiere of a new rock musical to downtown Bloomington! Written by Emmy-nominated creators Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond, The Break is a spicy rom com with a healthy dose of heart! This hilarious new musical will be on stage June 6-23 at the Waldron Auditorium in downtown Bloomington.  

 Sam and Charlie have been together since freshman year of college. They love each other…but do they? As the marriage question looms, it’s time to find out what’s holding them back. The two agree to take a 30-day break to date other people and at the end of the month they’ll finally tie the knot…or will they? The Break is a rock musical for everyone who’s asked the question, “What If…?”

Constellation is excited to be working with contemporary musical theater writing duo Kooman and Dimond to bring the show to life! Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond’s work can be heard in the Disney Junior series Vampirina and the Netflix series Ridley Jones. Their stage musicals include Romantics Anonymous (written with Emma Rice and premiered at Shakespeare's Globe), The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, Dani Girl, Judge Jackie: Disorder in the Court, and Orphie & The Book of Heroes. Bloomington audiences may remember Constellation’s 2020 production of Kooman and Dimond’s The Enlightenment of Percival von Schmootz. 

Artistic Director Chad Rabinovitz says, “The Break has everything. The music is incredible. The story is original, entertaining, hysterical, and moving. And our creative team is incredible. This world premiere production here in Bloomington is just the beginning for such a groundBREAKing show.”

The Break stars two powerhouse musical theater performers, Alex Keiper and Louis Pardo, both making their Constellation debuts. Alex is a New York based actor who has performed professionally across the country including at Utah Shakespeare Festival and Milwaukee Rep. Louis is a California-based actor who has performed in multiple national tours including Jesus Christ Superstar and Hair.

At the helm of this production is director Scott Weinstein, a New York and Chicago based artist, whose work has been seen across countless theaters in the country, including Steppenwolf and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. His newly conceived "chamber version" of Ragtime was nominated for 10 Joseph Jefferson Awards, winning 4 - including Best Director and Best Production. Joining the creative team are Scenic Designer Christopher Rhoton, Lighting Designer Jennifer Fok, Costume Designer Dana Tzvetkov, Sound Designer Brandon Reed, Stage Manager Mitchell Ward, Assistant Stage Manager Katie Ayer, Props Manager Aubrey Krueger, and Props Artisan Barb Steininger.

The Break will be performing June 6-23 at the Waldron Arts Center and is recommended for mature audiences. Tickets are on sale now and start at $35 for adults and $20 for students. In addition to traditionally priced performances, Constellation offers Pay What You Will Thursdays for all Thursday evening performances. Supported by Jessika and Bryan Hane, this program allows audiences the chance to choose their own ticket price (from $5-$75) when attending on Thursday evenings. Tickets are available through Constellation’s website (seeconstellation.org), over the phone at (812) 336-9300 (Mon-Fri 12-5pm), or in-person at 122 S Walnut St (open Wed-Fri 12-5pm).

INDIANAPOLIS — The grounds of the America Legion Mall in downtown Indianapolis will be the site of the largest single-day cornhole tournament in the country. The first Indy Cornhole Classic: Throwing for Veterans will take place on August 19 from 2 to 6 p.m., and organizers are inviting cornhole enthusiasts from across the state to participate.

“Right now, the current record for a single-day cornhole tournament is held by the Iowa State Fair,” said Blaine Zimmerman, president and CEO of INVets and Indiana War Memorial Foundation board member. “We are welcoming all players, no matter their skill level, to come out and play in support of a great cause. We would love to see a huge event.”

Presented by INVets and the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), proceeds from the event will benefit the Indiana War Memorials Foundation. These funds help support, maintain, and program the many monuments and memorials that honor veterans.

“The best part of this tournament is that participation makes a direct, positive impact on the lives of our veterans and their families,” said Brig. Gen. J. Stewart Goodwin USAF, Ret., Executive Director of the Indiana War Memorials Commission. “The funds raised here will go a long way in supporting and maintaining the beautiful monuments and memorials that pay tribute to the brave men and women who've served our nation over the years.”

Every level of cornhole player, from competitive to recreational, will have an opportunity to compete for prizes. Cash prizes will be awarded to cornholers who play at the competitive level. Recreational cornhole players can vie for an array of donated prizes. The entrance fee is $70 for the competitive level and $40 for the recreational. Players can compete at the competitive or recreational level, but not both. At least one person from each team must pre-register on the free Scoreholio app after tickets have been purchased through Eventbrite.

In addition to the cornhole tournament, there will be a family-friendly festival in Veterans Memorial Plaza with free games and activities and a “mess hall” on North Street that will have food trucks, a silent auction, and adult-beverage vendors. Attending the festival is free.

The Indiana War Memorial Museum, located at 55 E. Michigan Street, will also be open to the public 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. This free 30,000 square-foot museum boasts three floors of beautiful exhibits, with interior and exterior designed to honor and remember Indiana’s veterans. Learn more here.

“The National Guard is bringing their inflatable obstacle course which is fun for everybody. People will be able to play cornhole against Rowdie the mascot for the Indianapolis Indians and Sting Ray Robb, a rookie IndyCar driver. People can meet them and get their autographs,” said Zimmerman.

The Indy Cornhole Classic is managed by Custom Cornhole, an organization that has organized more than 1,500 tournaments in 17 years.

The event is outdoors with a rain date of August 20.

To purchase tickets from Eventbrite go to www.eventbrite.com/e/indy-cornhole-classic-tickets-568253630907

To get more information and to register go to www.in.gov/dva/home/indy-cornhole-classic/

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About INVets

Partnering with veterans, their families, and Indiana communities to facilitate a meaningful transition to civilian life while strengthening Indiana’s economy.

About the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA)

The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) is a state agency dedicated to serving. Its mission is to Support, Serve, and Advocate for the Indiana Veteran Community.  IDVA aims to create a state where veterans Live, Work and Thrive. For more information about IDVA and its services, visit in.gov/dva.  

About the Indiana War Memorials Foundation

The Indiana War Memorials Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides financial support for the museum, memorials, monuments, and parks that the Commission manages and operates. Together, we honor the valor, history, and sacrifice of Hoosier veterans. The museum collections, memorials, monuments, and parks allow us to share the stories of the heroic service men and women so that future generations can learn, honor, and be inspired by them.

Mitchell, IN: Spring Mill State Park invites you to join them on Memorial Weekend, May 25^th and 26^th for Living History Weekend. Step back in history and experience the sights and sound of pioneer life during the Civil War. 

On Both Saturday and Sunday visit encampments, watch as meals are prepared and find out about camp life. Tour the buildings and see spinning, weaving, leather working and more. Bring you camera and take your picture with Civil War Soldiers. Play pioneer games on the Mill Lawn. Near Sycamore Shelter just off the village parking lot at 2:30pm see a civil war skirmish and watch as cannons are being fired at the opposing side. The village will be open until 5pm but you are welcome to visit soldiers in their encampments all day. Artillery is brought to you by a grant from the Lawrence County Tourism Commission.

A special feature of the weekend is Abraham Lincoln a Hoosier Hero portrayed by Danny Russel. He provides a compelling one-man show focusing on Lincolns formative years in Indiana where he lost his mother and sister, taught himself to read and learned the value of hard work. His performance shows the hilarity, the heartbreak, and the humanity of Americas greatest leader. Lincoln will appear at 12:30 both Saturday and Sunday. Lincoln is brought to you by a grant from the Lawrence County Tourism Commission.

Park admission during the event is $7 per vehicle for in-state residents and $9 per vehicle for out-of-state residents. 2024 Annual Entrance Passes are also available.

Spring Mill State Park (stateparks.IN.gov/2968.htm) is at 3333 State Road 60 East, Mitchell, 47446.

Situated less than 25 miles from the Kentucky-Indiana border along the Ohio River, Washington County offers a unique topography with sloping, “knobby” ridges for hiking and taking in the scenic views, and placid lakes where anglers can hook bluegill and largemouth bass. The northern portion of Washington County is known for its rural character with flat agricultural land and sprawling grain farms, while the city of Salem and the south offer ample employment opportunities in the manufacturing and healthcare sectors, and serve as a residential suburbs for commuters to nearby Louisville who choose small-town living.

Our Story

With 510 square miles, Washington County's history is rooted in agriculture and grist mills. Today, it's growing agri-tourism industry offers family fun with mainstays like Cornucopia Farms and opportunities to learn about 21st-century farming technologies like aquaponics. For the more adventurous, the Salem Speedway attracts visitors and motorsport enthusiasts to one of the most storied racetracks in America with a tradition in open wheel and stock car competition. Racing legends like Al Unser, Mario Andretti, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and many others have driven the track’s imposing 33-degree banks.

Photo courtesy of Salem Speedway.

 

Key Stats

Population: 28,102

Cities & Towns: Campellsburg, Hardinsburg, Little York, Livonia, New Pekin, Salem, & Saltillo

Key Industries: Manufacturing, education, and healthcare services

Notable Facts: Washington County contains Indiana’s longest hiking trail, the 58-mile Knobstone Trail, which many use to prepare for hiking the Appalachian Trail because of its steep climbs and descents.

After setting idle for more than 50 years the little grist mill south of Salem, Indiana is now churning out a product that once made it famous.

The Old Mill sat idle and was a sad reminder to the lifestyle of our pioneering ancestors. The mill's mechanical and structural elements were deteriorating. Rodents chewed away at the huge timbers of the main frame structure while floor boards rotted away from moisture damage. The mill structure was unsafe to enter and unfortunately with such a unique historic structure sitting empty vandals pilfered some interior furnishings and equipment.

Then came hope for the future.

In 2005 a group participating in the Awareness Washington County (AWC), a Washington County leadership development program, decided to explore the possibility of restoring the Mill. As a tribute to the determination of the members and their understanding of the importance of saving such a unique landmark their efforts yielded positive results where others had failed during the 50 years prior. 

The AWC group coordinated efforts with the current property owners of the mill (several members of the Beck family) to take ownership of the landmark and chart a new course for the restoration and continued preservation of the mill. The leadership of this group established a new direction as a non-profit organization. This non-profit organization was established as the Friends of Beck's Mill Inc. and their mission would be to present to the public a working grist mill as an accurate recreation of pioneer life in Washington County, Indiana. 

For the first time in more than 50 years the future of the mill begin to turn around.

While the determination of the volunteers of the newly formed Friends of Beck's Mill Inc. was evident their ability to locate funding to complete such a large restoration project was uncertain. Bill and Gayle Cook, along with son Carl realized the historic significance of Beck’s Mill to Washington County after learning about the efforts to save Beck's Mill. Bill and Gayle Cook founded Cook Group in 1963 in Bloomington, Indiana and their philanthropic efforts have touched the lives of Hoosier's all across Indiana. In 2006, the Cook family graciously offered to assist the group in their effort to reclaim the Mill. With the efforts of Pritchett Brothers performing the restoration services in partnership with Ridgway Architecture the future of Beck's Mill had finally changed for the better.

A bright new future for an Old Mill.

In 2008 Beck's Mill was returned in restored and operational condition to the directors of the Friends of Beck’s Mill, Inc. Beck’s Mill is operated solely by the efforts of an all volunteer staff and the leadership of Friends of Beck’s Mill, Inc. continues to enhance the visitor experience to Beck's Mill every year as numerous new events are planned every season.

From all of us at Friends of Beck's Mill Inc. we look forward to seeing you at Historic Beck's Mill!

Salem Heritage Park: a public/private success story
Posted on February 8, 2022 by Betsy Trotzke

Heritage Park in Salem, Indiana. Photo courtesy of Landscape, Art, and Architecture (LAA) Office.
In 2019 and 2020, ROI awarded $3 million in Ready Communities grants to support 18 catalytic quality of place projects in the Uplands region. Today, these projects are transforming our region’s live, work, and play amenities through new and innovative partnerships.
The Salem Pocket Park, now known as Heritage Park, is an excellent example of how public/private collaboration is salient to the development of community assets, and in this instance, activating an underutilized public space.
The Washington County Community Foundation (WCCF) initially partnered with the Salem Mayor’s Office and the Director of Salem Parks and Recreation to develop their initial Ready Communities grant proposal. In early 2019, in collaboration with the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement (CRE), they held a public “meet and greet” and discovered that green space in downtown Salem was a priority for residents. A shared vision emerged for a pocket park that incorporated public art. Working with CRE and architects at the Landscape, Art, and Architecture (LAA) Office, a design studio based in Columbus, Indiana, they conducted a stakeholder survey and identified six potential locations for a downtown, quality-of-place renovation.  
The choice was made to install a series of public amenities that would link Salem’s downtown Square to the John Hay Center, a cultural complex dedicated to the history of Washington County. With the help of Indiana University architecture graduate students, LAA Office created a plan. The new public green space would feature three public art installations honoring significant women in Salem’s history, along with gardens and places to sit and relax along the trail. This unique cultural promenade would provide much-needed green space for the entire community and stimulate business activity through increased walkability.
WCCF partnered with the local paper to conduct a reader poll to identify six significant women in Washington County’s history. One hundred and sixty-seven residents responded with who they thought should be featured in the mural. Once the historic women were chosen, WCCF circulated an RFQ nationwide to find an artist to paint the mural. Forty submissions were received. After a meticulous process, which included interviews with the finalists, the City selected Chicago artist Rafael Blanco. Utilizing designs from LAA Office architects, volunteers also painted a colorful walkway along the trail in front of the new deck and created gardens.

Contemporary mural artist Rafael Blanco was commissioned to honor significant women in Salem’s history.

The six women featured on the mural include Sarah Parke Morrison (first female graduate of Indiana University and subsequently their first female faculty member), Emma Christy Baker (first black, female police officer of the Indianapolis Police Department), Lula “Desse” Rudder (first licensed female pharmacist in Indiana), Terry Hall (NCAA women’s basketball coach), Dr. Mary Reid Lusk (a self-made neighborhood doctor and participant in the region’s underground railroad operations), and Bradie Shrum (a dedicated child educator and namesake of the local elementary school where she taught for 60+ years). Photo courtesy of LAA Office.
The success of this project inspired the WCCF Board of Directors to look for other opportunities to install public art projects. WCCF has partnered with the IU Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture and Design to create two public art installations at Lake Salinda. This project is already fully funded, thanks to a grant from the WCCF. New partnerships are also occurring with the City of Salem, Salem High School, and a local leadership group, Awareness Washington County, to improve safety, security, and beauty along existing walking trails.  

Photos courtesy of LAA Office.
Heritage Park, quickly executed after funding was received, serves as a model of how partnerships in the region can produce world-class amenities with the potential to bring communities together and increase attraction. Through this one project, stakeholders thoughtfully addressed goals they defined together. Specifically, the Salem Pocket Park honors underrepresented voices, increases the beauty of downtown Salem, creates new programming and amenities, and attracts tourism and commerce. In the long term, this project has created partnerships and public enthusiasm that will catalyze other quality of place projects and regional amenities for the benefit of all Indiana Uplands residents. It is a great example of how a community leveraged ROI’s Ready Communities initiative for an outcome that is exponentially greater than the sum of its parts.
For more information on this project, check out “LAA Office brings “barn quilt urbanism” to downtown Salem, Indiana, with new Heritage Park,” featured in The Architect’s Newspaper.

LEARN MORE

Washington County Tourism Bureau
Discover Southern Indiana
Washington County Government
City of Salem
Town of New Pekin
Washington County Chamber of Commerce
Washington County Economic Growth Partnership
Radius Indiana – Economic Development
East Washington School Corporation
West Washington Schools
Salem Community Schools
Washington County Community Foundation
Salem Leader Newspaper