eKC online, www.kcactive.com, is a weekly online news and entertainment publication based in Kansas City.
eKC online (Freelance) Staff
Bruce Rodgers, publisher, editor, big shot
Former editor of PitchWeekly who couldn't accept the corporate world (and likely never will) took eKC, the print rag, online in February 2004 after a night of heavy drinking and rejection by young women under 25. In need of an ego boost, Rodgers decided he could make fame and fortune with an alternative, Kansas City-based, online-only publication. He's still waiting for the payoff ... and so is the staff.
Charley Hutto (a k a th cap'm Joe Dreck)
I am a 67 year old geezer, I enjoy drinkin regularly, smokin dope, and
shootin pool, all of which I have done my entire life. It's been quite a
lot of fun. Oh yeah, I like to read too; most anything as long as it has
words in it. My plans are to live and enjoy myself until I die; and then
see what happens? Altho I'm curious, I'm not really all that anxious to
see what comes next? I have had offers from several individuals over
the years to give me a sneak preview; but I'm fine right here, right
now, but thanks anyway.
Sometimes I have opinions on things which 'Bruce the Rodgers' is kind enough to put in eKC under my secret nom de guerre, Joe Dreck. If you are ever so mind numbingly bored to the point where you are
contemplating suicide, before you take action, read one of my rants, and then, do what you gotta do! However, If it's not too much to ask, I would appreciate a nice review perhaps, in your final message. Thanks,
you're swell!
charley hutto (aka th cap'm Joe Dreck)
P.S. That's me and my favorite barmaid on the THE CREW photo album.
Brandon Whitehead
Brandon Whitehead, Music/Film reviewer. Brandon would rather have been writing in Berlin in the 1920s, or Paris in the 1930s or New York in the 1950s or San Francisco in the 1960s, instead he's been writing in Kansas City since the 1990s, and getting through it.
Lisa Waterman Gray
Lisa Waterman Gray has followed eKC publisher, Bruce Rodgers, around Kansas City for many years - as a first-time freelancer while he edited the New Times, as a restaurant critic for 4+ years, while he edited PitchWeekly, and now at eKC (until a few months ago). She's hung out in the Kansas City area for almost three decades, recently celebrated her 25th wedding anniversary, and has been an empty nester for a few years.
In addition to local publications, Gray writes for regional and national pubs - often about food and travel - including AAA Southern Traveler, Better Nutrition, Delta Sky, KANSAS! Magazine, Midwest Highways & Byways, Mountain Living, Nation's Restaurant News, New Mexico Magazine, Relish, Restaurant Startup & Growth and The Christian Science Monitor.
Gray enjoys playing in her kitchen, and features a new recipe on her blog every week - Visual Traveler, http://visualtraveler.blogspot.com. She also plays with her awesome digital camera, and puts many photos on the blog too
Dan Lybarger
Dan Lybarger, Film Reviewer, has written for The Kansas City Star, PitchWeekly, the Lawrence Journal-World and eFilmCritic.com. He joined eKC online after months of begging by Bruce Rodgers. In February 2009, Dan was nominated for the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for Best Article based on an interview he did with William Shatner that ran in Filmfax.
Deborah Young
Deborah Young, Film Reviewer, met Bruce Rodgers sometime in the late 1980s when he worked for The View and she was an editorial intern and Rodgers was assistant editor. On some days, they were the only two working at the monthly paper — one of many signs why the publication ceased being some months later. Deborah went on to a career as editor of a number of trade publications, ones dealing with beef, poultry, cheese, mustard, relish — in other words, processing-the-food-we-eat rags. Rodgers brought her back to the alternative publishing word and she was duly rescued from complete rigidity, though she still has a nine-to-five. Playing in a local Christian band and watching a lot of movies keeps her calm.
Loey Lockerby
Loey Lockerby has been reviewing movies for various Kansas City area media outlets for almost 12 years. In addition to writing DVD reviews for eKC online, she also freelances for The Kansas City Star and makes regular appearances on The Walt Bodine Show on 89. 3 KCUR-FM. She is currently president of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle.
Greg Boyle
Before becoming a theater critic, Greg Boyle has: served fish to Pee Wee Herman, flown in a fighter jet, lost his spleen, written a law, examined taxes at IRS, given acupuncture treatments that made patients recall past lives, delivered Meals on Wheels, been complimented by Mel Brooks, figured benefits at Social Security, treated drug addicts, written plays, two grown children, played softball well and badly, been paymaster on a navy ship, taught people to juggle, almost met Harvey Milk, been mistaken for an Olympic gold medalist, too many exes.
Quan Tracy Cherry
I'm a 40-something intense happy-go-lucky person who likes to think I'm aware of many, if not all, of my contradictions. Left-brained loan officer trainee/lawyer turned astrologer/intuitive. Only Latin phrase I retained from law school was inter alia, which translates as "amongst other things." This phrase I want to be my legacy, along with I knew when was about me and when it wasn't...
Bruce has been editing my work for almost a decade and a half. Love to see this man be successful. We need more people with substance and integrity running things, inter alia. Just remember Astrology is a language. When you need a translation, ask and ye shall receive.
David Ollington
Dance/theatre critic David Ollington is an associate professor of Theatre and Dance at Kansas State University and serves on the faculty of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy. In 2003, The Kansas City Press Club presented him with two awards for his Theatre/Dance review column in eKC magazine, Best Entertainment Writing and the President’s Award for Outstanding Work.
A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, David holds a BA in Theatre from KSU and an MFA in Dance from Texas Christian University. He choreographed the world premiere of the Theatre for Young America version of Seussical at the Coterie Theatre in Kansas City (2004) and restaged his dances for the Seattle Children's Theatre production in 2005. ARC Dance Productions recently commissioned him to choreograph an original work on their Seattle-based company. David has set dances for the Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, The American Heartland Theatre, the Heartland Men's Chorus, aha! dance theatre, the Disney Institute in Orlando, FL, and the Great Plains Theatre, where he has also directed.
His choreography has been called “brilliantly choreographed” by The Kansas City Star, and Dance magazine said, “Theatre dance doesn’t get any better.” He received two commendations from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in recognition of his choreography for the K-State productions of Pippin (2005) and Urinetown.
Phil Deibler
I prefer to call myself an editorial cartoonist rather than a political cartoonist. This gives me a chance to comment on many social issues, and not just politics. I view politicians as adults acting like children. It really doesn't matter whether they are Democrat, Republican, conservative or Liberal...they are basically children.
I'm an artist and a purchasing agent at a local plastics plant, which gets chuckles at times. (see The Graduate)
I've lived in Kansas City all my life. I have 2 children. No pets...no plants.
My feature "Phillers" had previously been seen for 8 years in PitchWeekly. I've been with eKC since it's inception. Check me out!
Tim Nord
Big guy, tat aficionado, musician, all around creative guy, Tim is now eKC's art director. Another former PitchWeekly refugee, Tim comes to us by way of Penton Media and Panic Creative, his and wife Liz' graphic arts business. Good guy and dad — three kids — he also belongs to a competitive BBQ team, coaches hockey, rides a vintage 1979 Suzuki GS 850 and plays bass in the band They Who Could Not Be Named. Liz belongs to the band SMRC, which occasionally comes together to play and rattle the status quo. Obviously, both Tim and Liz are into punk. All around perfect fit for us.
Beck Ireland
Beck has joined eKC to replace Lisa Waterman Gray as food/restaurant writer, and we're hoping she does more for she has the writing chops. Beck's articles and reviews have appeared in St. Louis Magazine, About.com and several business-to-business publications, including millimeter, Video Systems and EC&M. She lives on the Missouri side of Kansas City with her husband Mike Ireland, a noted musician, and dogs Tummy and Albert. A recovering vegan, Beck has much catching up to do.
