Finally a sense of reality comes to high school! In fact, a whole lot of reality is making its way to the stage next weekend when the Fayette County High School Select Chorus will present its 29th annual variety show with the television-flavored theme, “Reality Bytes.”

For some reason I thought that “The Benchwarmers” was rated PG instead of PG-13. It was a mental error but one I think many people often make. I had seen the previews and commercials for this film for months and just got it in my head that it was a PG comedy aimed at the kids. While I watched this film last week, I was shocked at how low-brow, disgusting and inappropriate this film was for what I thought was its intended audience.

Take a little bit of “Dangerous Minds,” mix it with “Mad Hot Ballroom” and throw in a bit of “Save the Last Dance” combine all of that with any inspirational film “based on a true story” ever made and you’ll have “Take the Lead,” the newest dance/underdog-rises-above film to hit the box office.

An exceptional group will compete for the 2nd annual “Miss” Relay crown on Saturday, April 15th at Whitewater High School.  The "Miss" Relay Pageant is a kick off event for the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay For Life.    The pageant is a fun way to raise public awareness of the Relay and raise additional monies for the teams who have contestants entered in the pageant. 

March of Dimes WalkAmerica, the popular fund-raising event, is taking place on Saturday, April 22 at Shakerag Knoll in Peachtree City to help the March of Dimes fight prematurity, a growing crisis that now affects half a million babies born in the U.S. every year. The number of babies born prematurely each year has increased by 30 percent since 1983. In Georgia, 342 babies are born prematurely each week. Premature birth is the leading killer of newborns and a major cause of disabilities.

This weekend audiences will be treated to a visual extravaganza when the Atlanta Ballet presents “Beauty and the Beast,” April 7 through 9 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. As part of the Season of Rave Reviews Series, Atlanta Ballet will perform this classic to round out a season that has included favorites such as “Carmina Burana,” “Madame Butterfly” and the new hit, world premiered last May, “Sinfonetta Giacosa.”

Fayette County Library celebrates National Library Week

National Library Week comes to a close this weekend and the Fayette County Public Library and the Friends of the Fayette County Public Library will host “Inside the Writers’ Studio” on Saturday, April 8 at 1 p.m. to celebrate this important week.

After months of hype, “Ice Age: the Meltdown” has finally arrived for our viewing pleasure.

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary are back in this sequel to the 2002 animated hit that had prehistoric animals migrating to a warmer locale as the Ice Age approached.

What would you say if I told you there was a movie that had mutants, space slugs and zombies? If you would say, “Yuck,” then “Slither” is not the movie for you. However, if you recall how much you enjoyed “Tremors” or other B-grade horror movies that reveled in the B-gradedness (yes, it is a word - because I say so) like “Re-Animator” or “Night of the Creeps,” “Slither” is right up your alley.

The gang from “Ice Age” is back in an all new adventure-”Ice Age-The Meltdown.” The Ice Age is beginning to end, and the animals are pretty happy until it starts to get too melted.

Looking at the cast list for Offshoot Productions’ presentation of “The Frog Prince,” one can easily imagine how lively the show will be. Written by Paige Steadman and currently in development by the company, the play boasts a cast of seasoned professionals who have performed for children and adults alike.

Classic story of sisterhood with a twist

It’s a story of love, friendship and sisterhood. It’s a story that has become a beloved classic since it was written in 1868. And now it’s a musical. Based on Louisa May Alcott’s famed novel, “Little Women- the Broadway Musical” will grace the stage this weekend in Atlanta.

“Medium,” “The Ghost Whisperer,” “Charmed,” “Lost,” “Invasion”: all of these television shows have captured the attention of the American public. They are called “paranormals,” and the same trend has made paranormal novels hot with readers across the country.

With an all star cast and an original script, “Inside Man” had every reason to be a knock-your-socks-off flick in a season of less than stellar releases.

“If you die in the video game, you die for real.”

That’s the plot of this B grade horror film with C-grade stars. Yes, Frankie Muniz, even “Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London” doesn’t elevate you to B list.

Michael Flatley's “Lord of the Dance,” the international sensation that has broken box office records in more than 30 countries, is returning to North America for an expansive tour. This weekend Atlantans will have the opportunity to experience the extravaganza that has helped catapult Irish dancing into the global spotlight and created a new wave of Celtic dance mania. Tonight through Sunday “Lord of the Dance” will be performed for audiences at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in downtown Atlanta.

“Auntie Mame,” a delightful vintage comedy first presented in New York's Broadhurst Theater in 1956, will be staged this weekend at the Charles Wadsworth Auditorium in Newnan. The Newnan Coweta Preservation Trust, in partnership with the Newnan Hospital Auxiliary, will perform the play on Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m.

Finally, I got to watch a good - nearly great - movie. After dogs like “Date Movie” and “Ultraviolet,” I had the pleasure of taking in “V for Vendetta,” a film about a masked man taking on bad guys as well as a corrupt government. It’s funny, there were a number of conservative pundits out there stating that this movie advocated terrorism, but they didn’t complain about the Zorro movies, which is a masked man taking on bad guys as well as a corrupt government.

As an updated twist on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” “She’s the Man” stars Nickelodeon television favorite Amanda Bynes as a girl who just wants to play soccer.

Gwyn Hyman Rubio, who earned her reputation as an up-and-coming star with her first novel, “Icy Sparks,” will be appearing at the Peachtree City Library on Sunday, March 26 at 2 p.m. to promote her latest book, “The Woodsman's Daughter.”

Southside Theatre Guild is looking for musicians for their production of “The King and I.” The production needs musicians to play the piano, violin, viola, cello, bass and percussion. There will be 10 performances, Thursdays-Saturdays with one Sunday matinee.

Fourteen area organizations have received grants totaling $14,836 as part of the statewide Grassroots Arts Program (GAP). Each was selected for a proposal to provide new arts experiences for the community or to expand existing programs and reach new audiences.

Fashion week at McIntosh: Buy, sell, watch!

Spring is coming and with it the excitement of school dances, formal events and prom.

McIntosh students, faculty and parents are teaming up this weekend in the name of fashion with a consignment sale and fashion show this Saturday.

The McIntosh High School football team and competition cheerleaders are offering the community an opportunity to sell and/or buy beautiful formal wear at their one of a kind consignment sale, “Instant Replay.”

“Instant Replay,” the first annual formal wear consignment sale will take place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the McIntosh football and competition cheerleading program.

Consigned evening wear and accessories will be featured, and prices will be greatly reduced from retail. All clothing will be top quality, and many items have been worn only once. J. Andrews Bridal and Formal in Peachtree City will also have new merchandise for sale that day.

Oak Grove Elementary hosts fund raiser for the kids

Lace up your running shoes! It’s time for Oak Grove Elementary’s third annual fun run, “Run for the Gold!”

Tim Allen, you either love him, loathe him or are generally indifferent to him. As for me, I tend to fall on the indifferent side. I loved “Galaxy Quest,” but more for the supporting characters than his performance and the same goes for “Big Trouble.” As long as he wasn’t grunting like a caveman and doing the same “make it more powerful” schtick that he did each week for “Home Improvement,” I gave him a pass. Allen is the main guy, or the “alpha dog” if you will, in “The Shaggy Dog,” and he gives a fairly humorous performance, outshining most of the supporting cast.

“Failure to Launch” hit the silver screen last weekend with resounding success. It was number one at the box office, despite reviewers panning it. Of course, most of us who enjoy romantic comedies want to watch Matthew McConaughey regardless of what critics have to say, right?

Peachtree City residents Eleanor “Honey” Corbin and Pat King are serving on the committee for the 36th Annual Atlanta Symphony Associates Decorators’ Show House.

Dr. Michael H. Deis, associate professor of Management at Clayton State University, has been awarded the University System of Georgia Board of Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award for Regional and State Universities. The system-wide award recognizes faculty and departments for a strong commitment to teaching and service to students.

What did people do before the standard “dinner and a movie” night out was a possibility? Why, they went to dinner and a stage show, of course! Next weekend, Fayette-Coweta Family Theatre, Inc. will bring back the classic concept when they perform Ernest Thompson’s timeless comedy, “On Golden Pond.” FCFT will present their Senior Dinner Theatre Ensemble in the award winning play on March 16, 17, 18 and 19.

Somehow I knew that this movie was going to stink - call it “Bad Movie ESP.” Maybe it was the inclusion of the increasingly one dimensional Milla Jovovich or maybe it was the fact that the trailers featured a cast of a thousand faceless goons getting beaten by Jovovich’s heroine, Violet, against different backdrops and with Violet sporting different clothes and hair colors. Either way, I wasn’t terribly excited to see this film and for the second time in a month I wanted to walk out of the theater.