Tapestry of talent
By MARCIA VANDERLIP of the Tribune’s staff
A multicolored tapestry lies draped over the arm of a sofa in Clyde Ruffin’s university office. It was woven from remnants of costumes worn in a 1991 play called “Strands.”

BEHIND THE SCENES
Lyceum’s ‘06 season brings patriots, vampires to stage
By LYNN ISRAEL of the Tribune’s staff
If one could ask Lilli Vanessi of "Kiss Me Kate" fame to describe the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre’s 2006 season, she might respond with two words: "Prestissimo! Bellissimo!" She’d be right, of course, because the season is quickly approaching, and it has the potential to be, well, beautiful.

NICHE: A WEEKLY PEEK AT AN EMERGING ARTIST
Matt Southard
By SETH ASHLEY of the Tribune’s staff
Matt Southard grew up drawing his favorite superheroes and cartoon characters, from the X-Men to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It wasn’t exactly serious art, he said, but it was the beginning of his interest.

WEB WINNERS

RHYME AND REASON

French twist for Uma

Britney’s SUV moment

The girls go nude

PERFORMING ARTS

LIFTING THE CURTAIN
A Midsummer Night’s Dream

ON STAGE

MUSIC

Pickin’ and wanderin’
By WAYNE BLEDSOE of Scripps Howard News Service
For banjoist Bela Fleck, taking a year off doesn’t mean a year of kicking back in his underwear and watching football.

CHART TOPPERS

LIVE MUSIC

BOOKS

COVER TO COVER
“Tehran Rising: Iran’s Challenge to the United States” by Ilan Berman (Rowman & Littlefield, 224 pages)
By CARLIN ROMANO Knight Ridder Newspapers
One letter makes such a difference. Or it might.

BEST SELLERS

VISUAL ARTS

DOWNEY'S FINE LINE
Artist succeeds by finding success on his own terms
By JAMES DOWNEY
Vaughn Wascovich considers the 150 hits he got on his Web site for his recent show at William Woods University to be a success. He figures "that’s probably as many, if not more, people than saw the show in person."

High on art
By CHERYL WITTENAUER of The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS - Cheech Marin, the grandson of Mexican immigrants, knew racial prejudice while growing up in the 1950s in Los Angeles.

Former teenage hobos share Depression-era tales in exhibit
By BRANDIE JEFFERSON of The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Mass. - Art Acuff was a teenage hobo.