Entertainment

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

The holiday season is in full swing and throughout the month so far, there’s been a lot of  Christmas-themed media I’ve been viewing, all of which has been delightful, whether it’s a classic that’s on my must-watch list every year or a new discovery.

One of my more recent discoveries came from Disney+ with “An Almost Christmas Story,” which follows a young owl named Moon (voiced by Cary Christopher) as he unexpectedly finds himself in a Christmas tree destined for New York’s Rockefeller Center. In his attempts to get home, he forms a bond with a lost girl named Luna (voiced by Estella Madrigal). The pair’s adventure throughout NYC is narrated by a folk singer (voiced by John C. Reilly)

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

Those looking for some extra razzle-dazzle will soon have just that chance if they make their way to Wichita.

The American Theatre Guild will be presenting the Tony Award-winning musical "Chicago" at Century II Performing Arts Center in Wichita. Performances will be Friday, Dec. 20 (7:30 p.m.), Saturday, Dec. 21 (2 and 7:30 p.m.) and Sunday, Dec. 22 (1 p.m). The show follows the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer, Billy Flynn, to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines.

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

Way back when I was in middle school, there was a concert when my school’s 7th/8th grade band played a medley of songs from the still-recent “Wicked” Broadway musical and fast-forward to October 2013, I finally got the chance to see the show onstage in Kansas City.

Fast-forwarding even more to Thanksgiving weekend 2024, I finally got the chance to see the first part of the show become adapted for the big screen, and the end result was everything I wanted and more. For those who are unaware, “Wicked” explores the friendship between Elphaba (who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wizard of Oz”) and Galinda (who becomes Glinda the Good). Their friendship is tested by contrasting personalities and conflicting viewpoints (to somewhat comedic effect), reactions to the corrupt rule of the Wizard of Oz, and ultimately, Elphaba's tragic fall.

ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

Rock group Linkin Park came onto the music scene back in 1996 and is among the best-selling bands of the 21st century, as well as one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Sadly, in 2017, the group’s lead singer Chester Bennington died, and many were left wondering whether or not there would ever be more Linkin Park music.