Penumbra at large A guy can leave St. Paul for a weekend of scouting colleges in Washington, D.C., but St. Paul usually follows. On a recent trip, I.W. decided to go to a reading at the Kennedy Center of August Wilson's "Two Trains Running." We were not surprised that the Wilson cycle of plays featured Twin Cities talent (actor James A. Williams and director Lou Bellamy). But we were surprised at who was in the row in front of us: Penumbra Theatre managing director Chris Oshikata and board members Shirley Pearl and Catherine Stemper. They were in the capital for a fundraising and audience-building symposium. They smiled, and we smiled back.

CURT BROWN

Biting wit Those Columbia University grads in Vampire Weekend seem to think of their current rock 'n' roll adventures as a travel-study opportunity. Before their sold-out show at the Triple Rock last week, the surprisingly funny lads apparently took in Bob Dylan sites around Dinkytown. "We were looking for [his] house, but we wound up at a pasta bar," singer Ezra Koenig complained. "We did see a street he skateboarded on, though." They also sent a shout-out to a "South American friend" who taught them that the Twin Cities has a surprisingly international population. "You get a bad rep, my friend," Koenig told the guy, admonishing the crowd not to "believe everything you've read about the drug wars." Too bad the band didn't spend all this learning time on another song to round out its 50-minute set.

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

The 'Splendid' candidate Lynne Rossetto Kasper had a surprise guest at last week's live-audience recording of "The Splendid Table" at the Fitzgerald Theater. Al Franken gamely volunteered to play the radio show's "Stump the Cook" segment, in which Kasper conjures a dish made from ingredients randomly plucked from a listener's refrigerator. After feeding Kasper a truly scary roster -- Hershey's syrup, Reddi-wip, crumbled blue cheese, strawberry jelly and plain yogurt (her solution: a sweet/savory tart) -- Franken made two revelations. He and former writing partner Tom Davis were the authors of Dan Aykroyd's famous "Saturday Night Live" spoof of Julia Child. And when "Stump" judge and Cooks Illustrated editor Christopher Kimball inquired if any Republicans were languishing in the Franken fridge, the Senate hopeful deadpanned: "Yeah, in my freezer." I.W. wonders if Minnesota Public Radio will give equal time to Sen. Norm Coleman's icebox.

RICK NELSON

Boesak's standing O Twin Cities musicians Sanford Moore and Yolande Bruce got a South African shout-out last Sunday at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, where Moore serves as minister of music and Bruce as choir director. During a performance of "He Decided to Die," they got the choir so riled up that famed anti-apartheid campaigner the Rev. Allan Boesak jumped out of his seat to applaud them. Boesak, who was in the Twin Cities for some reconciliation work at Bethel University and elsewhere, later confessed to an unholy idea. "I thought that I was here to deliver a sermon," he said, "but I see that I've come to steal me a choir."

ROHAN PRESTON

Filmmakers are from Mars American astronauts confront fetching women in animal skins in "Cave Women on Mars," the latest B-movie masterpiece by local director Christopher Mihm -- Minnesota's own Ed Wood -- premiering at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Heights. Mihm grew up watching such schlock classics as "The Tingler" with his dad, and set out to create his own brand of horror/sci-fi movies the whole family can enjoy. Each film -- "Monster of Phantom Lake" was the first--is shot in grainy black and white, and features goofy costumes, flat dialogue, utterly ridiculous performances. And they're a real hoot. Get there early to nab a seat next to one of the "stars," including Josh Craig, who plays the same character -- pipe-smoking Professor (or Captain) Jackson -- in every movie.

PETER SCHILLING