Arts and Entertainment

In 1941, the United Service Organizations, or USO, was founded to provide entertainment to troops around the world. Perhaps the most famous performer who toured with the USO was Bob Hope. Over the course of his career, Hope appeared in or hosted almost 200 USO performances, including annual Christmas tours for 35 consecutive years. This year, in the spirit of the holiday, the Evergreen Children’s Chorale performed a USO-type variety show called “A Passport in Song.”

Art and music have walked hand in hand for thousands of years — music often inspiring visual images and art bringing to life a deeper level of music’s themes. In the case of Evergreen pianist Peter Simon and painter Susan Simon, art and music have lived happily together for decades as husband and wife. In this unprecedented collaboration, Simon and Simon will team up for one afternoon to create a unique experience of art and music at Evergreen’s Center/Stage Theater.

We all love a fractured fairy tale — perhaps even more than the original. There is something satisfying about turning the original story filled with morals and happily-ever-afters into a spoof with hilarious missteps. Such is the case in StageDoor Theatre’s high school production of “Once Upon a Mattress.” Running through Nov. 10, this show, based loosely upon Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, is sure to win your hearts.

Artists draw their inspiration from a variety of places. Some travel to exotic locations in search of inspiring images. Others choose to stay much closer to home, seeking inspiration in the trees and wildlife of our Colorado town. Brandy Llewellyn, an Evergreen resident and artist, straddles two worlds in her search for artistic inspiration. Brandy and her husband spend winters in Colorado and summers in Sanibel Island, Fla. Having spent many years in U.S. coastal areas as a child, Llewellyn turned her fascination with the sea into a full-fledged love of coastal and maritime art.