A new exhibit titled, “Springtime,” by local artist Paulette Carr, opens at the Leep Art Gallery on April 9, 2020 at the Postma Center on the Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services campus in Grand Rapids.
Paulette Carr is self-trained artist who has attended many art workshops and conferences around the United States, Europe and Caribbean.
Springtime is a time of renewal and rebirth. A time to grow after a dark, cold and bitter time. This show represents that time of growth after that period of darkness. The colors seem brighter, the emotions fresher and the peace and serenity more cherished.
This show has a strong influence of the impressionists, Monet, Pissaro, Manet and many more who went through a dark time for the arts and yet came out with such beautiful colors and light. “I hope the viewer will find themselves in a peaceful, serene place emotionally when viewing this exhibit,” says Carr.
Her work can be seen all around Michigan in such places as West Michigan Chamber of Commerce; Great Legs Winery, Brewery, Distillery; Start Up to Success Agency; Community Choice Credit Union; and Red Cedar Spirits. She has exhibited at First United Methodist Church, Holland Area Arts Council, Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts, Red Lotus Gallery in Muskegon and many others.
Carr is a member of Holland Friends of Art, Holland Area Arts Council, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Chicago Institute of Art, Philadelphia Art Museums, and Minneapolis Museum of Art. In addition to creating art, Carr has been active in promoting arts in the community through presentations for artists on “The Art of Selling Art Shamelessly” and promoting the arts through “Artists Sharing Sunshine.” She is also an instructor of unique classes offered for the beginning and non-artists to help them face the blank canvas.
The Pine Rest Leep Art Gallery exhibit will be on display at the Postma Center located at 300 68th St., SE, Grand Rapids, Mich., from April 9 to July 7. The Leep Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 616-222-4530 or go to www.pinerest.org/leep-art-gallery.
Out of the overwhelming safety concern for visitors and staff, as well as in following state and federal guidelines, Mackinac State Historic Parks has made the decision to delay the opening of the historic sites on Mackinac Island and in Mackinaw City.
They are now planning on the following TENTATIVE opening dates:
These Mackinac Island sites will tentatively open Friday, May 22: • Fort Mackinac • The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum • Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center • Fort Holmes Blockhouse • Mission Church • Bark Chapel • Restrooms at Arch Rock and British Landing
The Biddle House, featuring the Mackinac Island Native American Museum, will open at a date to be determined, due to construction delays. The British Landing Nature Center will still open May 23, and Historic Downtown Mackinac will open June 6.
The following Mackinaw City sites are scheduled to open on Saturday, May 23: • Colonial Michilimackinac • Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse • Restrooms adjacent to the Colonial Michilimackinac Visitor’s Center and within Michilimackinac State Park
Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park is now scheduled to open on Saturday, June 6.
This is an ever-changing and fluid situation, and these dates are subject to change.
Mackinac State Historic Parks looks forward to welcoming guests to Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City and celebrating it’s 125th anniversary this summer.
Mackinac State Historic Parks, a family of living history museums and parks in northern Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac, is an agency within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Its sites—which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums—include Fort Mackinac, the Biddle House, The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum, Historic Downtown Mackinac, and Mackinac Island State Park on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park and Michilimackinac State Park in Mackinaw City. Mackinac State Historic Parks is governed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, established in 1895 to protect, preserve and present the parks’ rich historic and natural resources for the education and recreation of future generations. Visitor information is available at (231) 436-4100 or on the web at www.mackinacparks.com.
As communities continue to comply with staying safe at home, families everywhere cite an increasing need for at-home activities that provide both entertainment and education. Lakeshore Museum Center has addressed this growing need by making many resources available for family members of all ages.
“This is definitely a difficult time,” stated Jackie Huss, Program Manager at the museum. “But while we may not be able to offer our traditional programming, we are continuing to find ways to serve and support the community.”
From the comfort and safety of home, patrons can enjoy a virtual historic visit by browsing and viewing the museum’s collection at lakeshoremuseum.org/our-collection. In addition, the museum has made it easy to find an activity for each member of the family, all in one place.
“We have created a page on our website dedicated to fun and educational resources and activities that can be done at-home,” shared Huss. “Just like at the museum, there’s something for everyone!”
From science and other videos to podcasts and downloadable activity booklets, links to crafts for young kids, the mini mastodon scavenger hunt map and more, multiple resources are waiting to be discovered and enjoyed, all made available by the museum, free of charge.
Families are encouraged to check the webpage often as the museum is continually updating it with new information and fun ideas. Adults can also join in by sharing their experiences during this difficult time to be submitted in a social diary for the museum archives.
Said Huss, “Just because we are all having to stay at home, doesn’t mean we can’t still learn and have fun.”
Dennos Museum Center will be hosting Facebook live concerts. (Dennos Museum)
The Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College, along with local artists, performers, and partners, is shifting gears in light of recent global developments. In an effort to continue providing top-notch educational and entertainment value to the greater Grand Traverse region and beyond, the Museum presents several new and updated programs. In addition, they remain in conversation with artists and arts organizations throughout Michigan to further develop programs and support initiatives.
The Live & Local Concert Series is presented by the Dennos Museum Center and Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology to bring some much needed musical entertainment to residents’ living room. They believe strongly in supporting local musicians, and invite you to join on Facebook Live to do the same. Featuring local singer-songwriters, this could be the beginning of an ongoing series, so stay tuned. You can also visit crosshatch.org/emergency to support their local artist relief fund.
Tune in on the Dennos Museum Facebook page, performers’ pages, or on the event page to watch Facebook Live concerts.
Performances by date:
May Erlewine – Monday, April 6 at 7 p.m.
Blake Elliot – Wednesday, April 8 at 7 p.m.
Jack M. Senff – Thursday, April 9 at 7 p.m.
E-Minor – Saturday, April 11 at noon
DRAW NoMI
Ongoing
Now in its sixth year, DRAW NoMI is a collaborative event that brings together arts organizations from all over Northern Michigan to present programming for our communities. During this time of staying home and being together only virtually, DRAW NoMI’s partners are all working hard to connect you and your family with the arts on social media and the web. Make sure to check the list below to learn how you can support them today.
The Dennos Museum Center recently began publishing twice-weekly videos with fantastic how-to-draw demos that are fun for the whole family. Narrated and drawn by Jason Dake, Curator of Education, these videos offer brief demonstrations and tips on a variety of drawing topics. They are posted to the Dennos Museum Center’s YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts on Mondays and Thursdays for the time being. Everyone is encouraged to share their creations on the Dennos Facebook page.
Due to the stay-at home order, the LowellArts Gallery has been closed. Recently the staff created a virtual tour of its current exhibition featuring 56 West Michigan arts.
The Annual West Michigan Art Competition highlights outstanding artwork by West Michigan artists. With the being the 34th yer, the competition has become well-respected exhibition that many artists strive to be a part of. Of the 226 artists who submitted work to be juried at this year’s competition, 56 artists had their work selected to be on display a the LowellArts Gallery.
At a well-attended reception on March 5, this year’s juror, Jim Nawara, a professor emeritus of Painting and Drawing in the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art history at Wayne State University, shared with attendees comments about his process for selecting the works that were selected for the show. Also at the event, he presented five artists with honorable mention awards and another five artists with monetary awards totaling $2,500.
“A virtual exhibition was our solution to Michigan’s shelter in place directive by Governor Whitmer,” said Michelle Stempien, KIA Director of Museum Education, adding that opening weekend for the annual exhibition would typically draw thousands of visitors.
“We are approaching 40 years for this exhibition, and of course this is the first time we have shared it online. But we weren’t going to miss the opportunity to offer something so positive to the community — and to honor the hundreds of young artists showing work on the walls,” she said.
She added that education curators turned into videographers early this week, after installing the hundreds of artworks in two of the museum’s first floor galleries. Art teachers from more than 50 public and private elementary and middle schools chose and submitted artwork by their K-8th grade students.
“We hope everyone is inspired by the color and expressiveness of these young artists to bring more art into their own lives,” Stempien said, adding her thanks for the exhibition’s lead sponsor The Tyler-Little Family Foundation, and co-sponsor PLAZACORP.
“We always love seeing the student artwork come in each year; it puts a smile on the faces of everyone who is involved in producing this exhibition,” Stempien said, adding “and we look forward to welcoming the community back to the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts very soon.”
The KIA is planning to present a virtual exhibition for upcoming spring exhibitions as needed. This will likely include the juried West Michigan Area Show (April 10) and High School Area Show (April 24).
In response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s directive that Michiganders remain at home for at least three weeks to slow the spread of coronavirus, the Grand Rapids Symphony is canceling all concerts previously scheduled for mid-April and early May. Canceled concerts include:
Concerto for Orchestra, the ninth concert of the 2019-20 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series, originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 17-18.
The Pianists, a special event with pianist Orli Shaham, on Sunday, April 19.
The final concert of the 2019-20 season, Mahler’s Resurrection, remains scheduled for performances on Friday and Saturday, May, 15-16, in DeVos Performance Hall.
“The Grand Rapids Symphony has been monitoring the global outbreak of COVID-19 and planning for a variety of contingencies as the virus has spread,” said Mary Tuuk, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony. “Our highest priority is to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of every member of the Grand Rapids Symphony family and Western Michigan community.”
Two weeks ago on March 12, the Grand Rapids Symphony canceled all scheduled performances from that date through Saturday, April 11.
Gov. Whitmore’s order, which took effect on Tuesday, March 24, closed all non-critical businesses and directed Michiganders to remain at home unless employed in critical jobs, engaged in necessary tasks such as shopping, or caring for family members or pets. All public and private gatherings of any number outside a household were banned.
Free Picnic Pops tickets available to healthcare workers
In recognition of the extraordinary sacrifices healthcare providers are making to keep us safe and healthy, the Grand Rapids Symphony is offering two free tickets per healthcare worker to a 2020 D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops concert.
The Grand Rapids Symphony closed its office on Mon. March 16, and the office will remain closed indefinitely with the staff working remotely. However, we have the ability to answer ticket inquiries and requests by phone on a limited basis and will get back to you as quickly as possible regarding your needs.
Ticket Policy for Cancelled Concerts:
We encourage you to exchange your cancelled concert tickets for upcoming concerts through May 2021. We are happy to exchange your tickets based on comparable value and availability and encourage you to mail your exchange requests as follows:
Ticket Exchange
Grand Rapids Symphony
300 Ottawa Ave NW, Suite 100
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
All requests will be handled in the order received. If you would prefer to exchange your cancelled concert tickets via phone, please call 616-454-9451. You may also donate your tickets or request a refund. To purchase tickets for concerts after May 10, please purchase online at www.GRSymphony.org.
Though concert halls, movie theaters, restaurants and pubs are closed, in this time of social distancing, we still need to feel connected to the wider community. We need music now more than ever.
Tune in to Blue Lake Public Radio on Sunday afternoons and hear your Grand Rapids Symphony in a concert performed earlier this season. Though Sunday’s performance isn’t live, the recording was made live and airs unedited, so it’s almost the same as being there in DeVos Performance Hall.
At 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, Blue Lake Public Radio airs the Grand Rapids Symphony’s concert Prokofiev Triumphant, part of the 2019-20 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series, originally performed Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15-16.
Tune in at 1 p.m. to Blue Lake Radio at WBLU-FM 88.9 in Grand Rapids or WBLV-FM 90.3 in Muskegon or go online to Blue Lake Radio here.
Guest violinist Tai Murray joined the orchestra as soloist for Eduardo Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole. Guest conductor JoAnn Falletta, one of the world’s most prominent female conductors, also led the orchestra in two short pieces by another woman, French composer Lili Boulanger, who composed D’un soir triste and D’un matin de printemps not long before her untimely death at age 24.
Violinist Tai Murray (Supplied)
Most notably, Falletta leads the Grand Rapids Symphony in Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. Composed during World War II, Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony triumphantly celebrates the Russian people’s spirit and perseverance through the darkest hours of the Second World War.
Grand Rapids Symphony’s concerts in the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series and Holland Home Great Eras series air at 1 p.m. each Sunday on Blue Lake Radio.
Pianist Jeffrey Kahane is soloist Mozart’s magical Piano Concerto No. 22 with guest conductor Peter Oundjian leading the Grand Rapids Symphony in a Dmitri Shostakovich showpiece, the rebellious Symphony No. 11 “The Year 1905,” and Richard Strauss’ Serenade for Winds.
Julian Wachner, artistic director of the Grand Rapids Bach Festival, leads the Grand Rapids Symphony in two well-known works from the Baroque, J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and G.F. Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks, plus music by French Baroque composers Marin Marais and Jean-Philippe Rameau.
Sun. April 19 – Schubert’s Great– performed Feb. 14-15 in DeVos Hall
Pianist Inon Barnatan joins the Grand Rapids Symphony to perform Suspend for Piano and Orchestra by contemporary composer Andrew Norman, who was born in Grand Rapids. Music Director Marcelo Lehninger also leads the orchestra in Brahms’ Tragic Overture and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 “The Great.”
Soprano Larisa Martinez joined the orchestra to sing selections from Heitor Villa-Lobos’ The Amazon Forest, and Brazilian-born Music Director Marcelo Lehninger also leads the Grand Rapids Symphony in Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony No. 6.
Nathan Kemler is the new director for Grand Valley State University’s Galleries and Collections for the Art Gallery, where he will lead an operation that places a premium on surrounding the GVSU community with art.
Kemler will oversee a continuous display of art throughout 130 buildings and grounds at the university. A commitment to widely displaying art and making it accessible to all is a core value of the university and an important reason why Kemler wanted to lead the Art Gallery.
“Art is everywhere on campus. It is a borderless museum,” Kemler said. “I also believe art tells the story of the whole human experience, therefore I believe art matters because we matter. It’s a catalyst for social change. What Grand Valley has is a unique model that is not seen very often. You cannot move through Grand Valley without encountering artwork.”
Kemler replaces founding director Henry Matthews, who is now serving as distinguished university associate, Galleries and Collections. Kemler had been serving as interim director until the recent permanent appointment.
He will lead a team managing more than 19,000 pieces of art, including the largest public collection of Mathias J. Alten paintings in the world. Other high-profile collections include the recently acquired life’s work of photographer Douglas R. Gilbert, which includes rare Bob Dylan photos, and a highly regarded contemporary art collection procured in collaboration with artists in the Chicago area.
While at Grand Valley, Kemler has served as collections manager, curator of collections management, assistant director and then interim director before this appointment. He said over a 20-year career in the museum field, he has worked in every aspect, from collection care and curation to working with community partners and donors.
That wide-ranging experience will be an asset for the Art Gallery’s future, said Ed Aboufadel, associate vice president for academic affairs.
“Nathan brings extensive experience in the museum field, including the collection and exhibition of artwork,” Aboufadel said. “He is well-known across the state for his leadership of the Michigan Museums Association. Nathan’s collaborative leadership style will be critically important to the Art Gallery as we move forward in the 2020s.”
Kemler’s goals for the Art Gallery going forward include leading innovation efforts in digital initiatives, seeking even more community collaborations and curating collections that reflect the university’s learning values, such as stories of empathy and social justice.
The Muskegon Museum of Art may be closed to visitors due to the COVID-19 restrictions, but it doesn’t mean lovers of art can’t have some fun with art projects sponsored by the museum.
For adults — or tech-savvy children — with a love of cell-phone selfies, the museum is offering the MMA Selfie Challenge. For children — or children-at-heart — with crayons (or whatever is used these days) in hand, the museum is offering “Color our Collection” coloring book pages.
“Calling all selfie snappers! The MMA is hosting a “Selfies of the Best Kind” challenge,” the museum states in supplied material. “Every other day in March, we are posting a work of art from our collection on Facebook that we encourage you to replicate at home with a selfie.”
The remaining Selfie Challenge Dates are March 25, 27, 29 and 31.
Also, the museum is offering Color our Collection coloring book pages available for download and printing. In all there are seven images from the Muskegon Museum of Art’s permanent collection available, with information about the artist on the second page of the pdf files.
Among the paintings available for coloring are John Steuart Curry “Tornado Over Kansas”, Edward Hopper’s “New York Restaurant”, Dale Nichols’s “Footsteps in the Snow”, Roger Brown’s “Painter of a Birds Eye View”, Jacob Lawrence’s “The Builders: The Family”, Hughie Lee-Smith,’s “Apres-Midi” and Severin Roesen’s “Tabletop Still Life”
For more information and its many activities during and after the COVID-19 restrictions, visit muskegonartmuseum.org.
In recognition of the extraordinary sacrifices healthcare providers are making to keep us safe and healthy, the Grand Rapids Symphony is offering two free tickets per healthcare worker to a 2020 D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops concert.
“At this difficult time, healthcare providers are our heroes, making valiant sacrifices to protect our health and welfare and keep the community safe from the spread of COVID-19,” said Mary Tuuk, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony. “The Grand Rapids Symphony is a community supported orchestra, and it’s our duty and privilege to support our community in return.”
“Music not only is one of our greatest pleasures, it’s one of our greatest sources of comfort in trying times,” Tuuk said. “When we need it, we can count on music to nourish our soul and lift our spirits.”
Beginning Monday, March 16, Grand Rapids Symphony staff has been working remotely, and the office will be physically closed through Friday, April 10. However, we will have the ability to answer ticket inquiries and requests by phone on a limited basis and will get back to callers as quickly as possible. Please call GRS Patron Services at 616-454-9451, ext. 4 to claim your tickets. Visit PicnicPops.org for more information about the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops at Cannonsburg.
For the second year, Cherry Republic will take its Traveling Test Kitchen on the road to give customers a sneak peak into the new recipes the cherry retailer is considering for upcoming product development.
Last spring marked the event’s inaugural Michigan tour to Cherry Republic’s six retail locations in Glen Arbor, Traverse City, Charlevoix, Ann Arbor, Frankenmuth, and Holland. The test kitchen was eagerly received by customers, who taste-tested two new nut mixes and two new cherry beverages. This year’s offerings will include some exciting new options that are a departure from Cherry Republic’s traditional product line, says Andrew Moore, Cherry Republic’s Director of Marketing.
“We were pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response we received at our Traveling Test Kitchen events last year, and we can’t wait to get back out there again this spring,” Moore says. “Our ‘citizens’ really had fun with the event, while also taking it pretty seriously! They gave us some fantastic feedback that we took into account when finalizing our recipes.”
This free event will be held from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on the following dates at these locations:
● March 21-22, TRAVERSE CITY Cherry Republic, 154 E. Front St. ● March 28-29, GLEN ARBOR Cherry Republic, 6026 S. Lake St. ● April 4-5, HOLLAND Cherry Republic, 29 W. Eighth St. ● April 10-11, ANN ARBOR Cherry Republic, 223 S. Main St. ● April 18-19, FRANKENMUTH Cherry Republic, 925 S. Main St. ● April 25-26, CHARLEVOIX Cherry Republic, 221 Bridge St.
The Mendel Centerpresents an evening of thrills and storytelling for the whole family when Aureum – An Aerial and Acrobatic Adventure Tale from Halcyon Shows comes to the Mainstage on Saturday, April 4, at 8 p.m. as part of the Discovery Series.
Aureum is a story of finding love in the most unusual places, and how the bonds that unite us are stronger than those that divide us. The benevolent White Queen of Aureum and her warrior guardian welcome twins into the world. Knowing that the White Queen’s bloodline is the only way to gain control of the powerful magic of the Seed, the Red Empress, seeking to gain ultimate power over Aureum, hatches an evil plan to kidnap one of the twins, setting the tale in motion.
The Seed commands the forces of nature and imbues its carrier with immense power and strength. In the meantime, a young academic has discovered a key that magically transports him to Aureum where he stumbles into a world of wonder and the amazing characters who staunchly defend it.
Through the sorcery of the Red Empress, a gathering of dark powers threatens the tranquil world of Aureum, and its inhabitant must find a way to protect it at all costs.
Halcyon was established in 2017 with the mission of creating a new genre in theatre known as theatrical acrobatics, which seamlessly integrates compelling storytelling and characters with world-class acrobatics and aerial. Aureum combines these elements with an incredible original soundtrack and high-flying technical elements that would only otherwise be possible in stadiums. With an award-winning cast and a rich narrative, Halcyon’s shows are an unforgettable experience for every audience.
At 1:00 pm on April 4th, the cast of Aureum invite you to participate in a Character Creation Workshop. Participants will get a close-up demonstration of the aerial acrobatics used in the show, then learn how to envision and inhabit a character through physicality and movement. All ages and ability levels are welcome. Participants’ feet will stay firmly on the ground. Participation is free, but pre-registration is encouraged, as space is limited.
Tickets for Aureum are on sale at www.TheMendelCenter.com, through The Mendel Center Box Office at 269-927-8700, option 1, and in person weekdays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm at the box office located in the Grand Upton Hall lobby of The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College, 2755 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor.
Tickets start at $26. Discounts are available for seniors, students and children, veterans, and groups of 10 or more.
This performance is sponsored by Hilton Garden Inn – Benton Harbor, and it is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and the Crane Group.
With Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s announcement of a ban on activities or events with more than 250, many area venues suspended programs and productions. St. Cecilia Music Center recently added its shows to that list.
The Marc Cohn concert scheduled for March 19 has been rescheduled for Sept. 11. Also rescheduled is the St. Cecilia Music Center’s fundraiser event, Eat. Drink. Be Merry! which has been moved from April 18 to June 6. All current tickets sold to both of these events will be valid for the new date. No refunds will be issued for rescheduled concerts.
The April 16 Jazz Series Clayton Brothers concert has been cancelled. Patrons wishing to receive a refund for this concert, may email the box office manager at kelly@scmc-online.org. In lieu of a refund, patrons can consider donating the value of the ticket back to St. Cecilia, which relies on ticket revenue to sustain its operations. According to officials, the concert changes could greatly affect the organization over the next month.
Rehearsals at St. Cecilia Music Center have been cancelled through April 10 and are scheduled to resume April 13. Also, the final Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center on April 30 and the Shawn Colvin concert on May 19 are scheduled to take place.
For more information about programs at St. Cecilia, visit scmc-online.org.
With the governor’s announcement or restricting events of more than 100 people, many of the local entertainment organizations are working through plans or making announcements that activities are cancelled.
Bottomline: call before you head out to attend any activity.
Grand Rapids Symphony
Grand Rapids Symphony made the announcement today that following the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, effective Friday, March 13, the organization would be cancelling all concerts including the 10 a.m. Coffee Classics concert and the 8 p.m. Great Eras concert at St. Cecilia Music Center.
Effective Monday, March 16, Grand Rapids Symphony staff will be working remotely, and the office will be physically closed through Friday, April 10. Ticket inquiries and requests will be answered by phone on a limited basis. Tickets for cancelled concerts maybe exchanged for upcoming concerts later this season or for the 2020-2021 season. Exchanges may be mailed to:
Ticket Exchange
Grand Rapids Symphony
300 Ottawa Ave NW, Suite 100
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
All requests will be handled in the order received. Patrons may also call 616-454-9451. To purchase tickets for concerts after April 11, please purchase online at www.GRSymphony.org.
Public Museum Free Day
The Grand Rapids Public Museum has announced that it will postpone the Free Day scheduled for Sunday, March 15 for the safety and health of visitors, staff, volunteers and the community. The event will be rescheduled at a later date. Visit grpm.org to stay up to date with the latest event information.
The Museum will operate as normal with regular admission fees and hours; other events remain open as scheduled.
Golden Gloves
The West Michigan Golden Gloves Championships set to kick off this Saturday, March 14, at the DeltaPlex Arena has been postponed. The five-event series delay is resulting from the National Tournament postponement and will be rescheduled, according to a statement from organizers.
Join C2C Gallery on Saturday, March 14, noon to 8 p.m., for a celebration of bringing the community and artists together for more than nine years.
Enjoy art and live music as well as a look at the expansion plans for the new online gallery. Guests will be able to use large screens to look at the new website as well as visit with artists. There will be special pricing on select artwork.
Ten percent of all sales on Saturday will be donated to the Kids Food Basket of West Michigan (supporting Ottawa and Muskegon Counties).
Michael Drost will be performing jazz guitar. Michael is well known in the area for his stringed jazz music. Michael is currently an instructor of jazz at Grand Valley State University. He plays a wide range of musical styles. As an accomplished musician, he has shared the studio with Caissie Levy, Jonathan Brandmeier, Bob Seger, Kenny Werner, and more.
Since opening in 2011, C2C has hosted free local music and artist receptions during their First Friday events. The gallery features more than 35 acclaimed artisans: ceramics, photography, paintings, hand-blown glass, prints, hand-fabricated silver jewelry, hand-painted scarves, wood, and textiles. Over the 9 years of being in business, C2C has supported area non profit organizations helping them to raise money for their local programming and organized student art events.
In 2017, C2C Gallery was a LocalMotion Award recipient. “Local First does a great job of recognizing businesses that are truly making a positive impact in their local communities,” said Cyndi Casemier, owner of C2C Gallery. “The LocalMotion Awards capture the spirit of what it means to be a business owner in West Michigan and promotes using business as a way to make a positive impact.”
On March 15th, C2C will be closing its Washington Avenue location. C2C Gallery will continue to sell artwork via it’s website www.c2cgallery.com.
There are plans for pop-up shows in different locations throughout the year going forward. 5% of all ongoing sales will be donated to West Michigan’s Kid’s Food Basket throughout 2020.
A piece by sculptor Barbara Cooper. (Krasl Art Center)
If the winter blues have you down, Krasl Art Center is ready to inject vibrancy into to your routine! “Dex R. Jones: Storied Portraits” features 20 colorful, large-scale photographs filled with vibrant and stylish models highlighting his passion for showcasing strong subjects. In the artlab gallery, sculptor Barbara Cooper displays wooden forms inspired by the ability of nature. These exhibitions will be on view March 13 – May 31 and offer several unique opportunities for the public to interact with the artists and learn about the work on view.
Influenced by the cultural richness of his Caribbean heritage and Pan-African studies, Jones unwaveringly removes the veil of self-conscious inhibition by eliminating preconceived notions of beauty. Instead, he masterfully reveals true splendor and regality, even amidst vulnerability. Jones relentlessly pushes the characterization of beauty not often seen. Encompassing a mixture of texture, hues, flesh and heavy contrast in his editorial photography, his expertise in justly capturing women of vast shades is indicative of his strong matriarchal upbringing. Jones is driven by an infectious passion that is distinctly exposed in the strong subjects he portrays.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Jones works on artistic projects, editorial assignments and creative collaborations in both photography and film. Storied Portraits is Jones’ first solo show outside of New York and features 20 images produced in large-scale, further enhancing the vibrancy, strength and appeal of his artwork.
Chicago-based sculptor Barbara Cooper uses wood, books and glue to create elegantly structured artworks. Using nature as her starting point, the artist is inspired by the stresses and obstacles nature confronts. These evolutions in growth and form provide the foundation to her stunning sculptures.
Interested in viewing these exhibitions with your group or organization? Docent-led tours are available for schools and special interest groups. School groups can sign up for KAC’s Understand Art tours, which include a 45-minute gallery tour and a 45-minute hands-on art lesson with a trained docent. Contact the Education Department at 269-983-0271 or email education@krasl.org to book your tour today!
On Friday, March 13, visitors can stroll downtown St. Joseph and enjoy March Mannequins, sponsored by The Boulevard Inn & Bistro, Edgewater Bank, and the Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council. Dozens of community volunteers will pose perfectly still in participating store windows from 7 to 8:30 p.m. This year’s theme features Night at the Museum. Over 20 windows will depict scenes from any of the three Night at the Museum movies or the participants favorite museum exhibits.
Amy Zapal, executive director at St. Joseph Today, says, “St. Joseph is a destination for year-round fun. In addition to many summer and fall events, winter and spring are also jam packed with fun for all ages. During your visit, explore our beautiful downtown! Grab a bite to eat at one of the mouthwatering restaurants, shop for one-of-a-kind merchandise featured in downtown shops, go wine and beer tasting at the local wineries, breweries and distilleries, or visit one of our stunning beaches or walking trails—there is something for everyone, at every time of the year.”
St. Joseph Today, a membership-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to developing and promoting events and businesses in St. Joseph, Mich. and its surrounding communities. For more information about upcoming events, visit stjoetoday.com or facebook.com/stjoetoday.
Prepare for a fully immersive experience as the Concerts Under the Stars series at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) concludes with a dynamic rock and roll concert, performed by Lazy Genius on Thursday, March 19. Sit back and experience the wonders of the cosmos alongside mesmerizing music.
Lazy Genius has been a staple band in the West Michigan music scene for over 10 years. The group’s rock and roll music embodies a catchy, but unique sound with epic an structure and broad range of dynamics. The band’s lineup consists of five talented musicians including Patrick Wieland, vocals and guitar; Dan Wier, drums and vocals; Adam Cavanaugh, bass guitar; Kristi Prindle, vocals and percussion and John Harrell, keyboards and synth. The group has released three full-length albums, including their latest release, the atmospheric New Moon (2018) and an EP. Lazy Genius is currently working on their next full-length album.
Lazy Genius’s performance will be accompanied by a live light show on the Chaffee Planetarium dome by visual artist Eliza Fernand. Eliza is an artist and educator who works in fabric, video, role play, clay, sound-making and home repairs. After studying sculpture, video and performance, Eliza has led a cross-country career attending over a dozen artist residencies. Eliza works as a teaching artist at Cook Arts Center and West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology, and is currently earning an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts at Sierra Nevada University.
Concerts Under the Stars begins at 7:30 p.m., with Museum doors opening at 6:30 p.m. At each concert, performers will play two sets with a short intermission in between. Refreshments, beer and other beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are $17, with reduced pricing of $12 for GRPM members. Tickets are available at grpm.org/planetarium, by calling 616.929.1700 or at the Museum’s front desk.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) is pleased to announce the recent election of two new officers to its board of trustees. The board officer appointments include Kurt Hassberger as president and Erin Gravelyn as vice president. In addition, two officers were re-elected—Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy as secretary/treasurer and Lauretta Murphy as president of the foundation board of trustees. The president serves a 2-year term, while the vice president, secretary/treasurer, and foundation board president serve 1-year terms.
Kurt Hassberger was recently named the president of the GRAM Board of Trustees. (Supplied)
About the Appointees
Kurt Hassberger, GRAM Board of Trustees President
Kurt Hassberger is chief counsel at Rockford Construction Group. Hassberger joined Rockford Construction in 1995 as general counsel and became chief operating officer in 1997. He was appointed president of Rockford’s Development Group in 2011. Hassberger is currently serving as chief counsel and chairman of the board. A member of the Grand Rapids and State Bar Associations, he successfully manages the complex legal, financial, and operational needs of developments, LLCs, and real estate holdings.
In his time at Rockford Construction, Hassberger has been instrumental in many key development projects, including Cherry Street Landing—a fully developed neighborhood containing education, retail, office, and residential components—which was created with a focus on the renovation of the area’s existing vacant buildings. Recently, he was instrumental in a similar revitalization of the West Side of Grand Rapids, bringing a diverse mix of academic, mixed-use, retail, residential, and office space to the neighborhood.
Erin Gravely has been named vice president. (Supplied)
Erin Gravelyn, GRAM Board of Trustees Vice President
Erin Gravelyn serves as director of global field marketing at Herman Miller Inc., where she leads strategic, tactical, and creative teams. Her previous experience includes leadership positions at SAP Global Human Resources and SAP Global Marketing, as well as 18 years as a trial attorney for Dickinson Wright PLLC. Gravelyn has received numerous honors and awards, including being listed in Best Lawyers in America for commercial and business litigation from 2011-2019.
She also serves as philanthropic advisor to the Herman Miller Cares Foundation, focusing on programs and initiatives to inspire future designers, and has previously served as a board and committee member in various local community organizations, including the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids Historic Preservation Commission, and the Grand Rapids Symphony. Gravelyn is a published author and a proficient presenter. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from University of Notre Dame Law School and a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Michigan.
Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy has been named secretary/treasurer for the GRAM Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Trustees. (Supplied)
Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy, GRAM Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Trustees Secretary/Treasurer
Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy is senior vice president, chief administrative officer, general counsel, and secretary for Steelcase Inc., the global leader in the office furniture industry. O’Shaughnessy took on the additional duties of chief administrative officer in July 2014, expanding her role as vice president, chief legal officer, and secretary (2007-14). In addition to her leadership of legal services, she is now responsible for several other groups, including global talent management; sustainability; social innovation; global trade compliance and environmental performance; and corporate governance as the secretary of the board of directors.
Previously, O’Shaughnessy was vice president, chief legal officer, and secretary (2007-11) with global leadership responsibility for all legal services and consultation advice necessary to support the company’s global business and to provide research, review, and active involvement in legal matters for various groups within the company. O’Shaughnessy joined Steelcase Inc. in 1992 as corporate counsel and has held several leadership roles in legal services since then. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Indiana University at Bloomington in 1987. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Michigan State University in 1984, and she is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the American Bar Association.
Lauretta K. Murphy has been named president of the GRAM Foundation Board of Trustees. (Supplied)
Lauretta K. Murphy, GRAM Foundation Board of Trustees President
Laurie Murphy is a Member of Miller Johnson, chair of the estate planning practice, the private client practice, the probate practice, the guardianship practice, the wills and trust disputes practice, is a former vice chair of the business section, and has been practicing law since 1988. She specializes in probate and estate planning, taxation of estates, trusts and gifts, as well as elder law and special needs planning.
Murphy is a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Additionally, she is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and was the secretary and treasurer for the Elder Law & Advocacy section. She belongs to the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, American Bar Association, and Grand Rapids Bar Association. Murphy earned her Juris Doctor degree from University of Notre Dame Law School in 1988 and a Bachelor of Arts from Aquinas College in 1984.
Bass-baritone Michael Colman will portray the Commentator in the Opera Grand Rapids’ upcoming production of Scalia/Ginsburg set for March 14 and 15 at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center, 1320 E. Fulton Ave. The one-hour opera is based on the friendship between former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and current Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Before the production, Colman sat down with Opera Grand Rapids for a little question and answer about him and the upcoming show.
Where are you originally from? Cedarville, Ohio
Who has inspired you/been your greatest influence professionally? Why? Samuel Ramey—that hair, that voice, what’s not to love? Also, I grew up listening to my dad play the piano and have loved music ever since.
Who/what brought you into the world of Opera? I played Curt in The Sound of Music when I was a kid and knew that being on stage and singing would always be a few of my favorite things. As my voice changed, I started to listen to classical singers and tried singing some opera arias. Emphasis on the “try”… it’s come a long way. My poor parents will never get back those hours of me practicing high notes in the living room.
Where do you live now? Bloomington, Indiana
What are your hobbies when not performing? Reading (fantasy fiction, sci-fi, non-fiction), strategy games (board games and video games! anything that makes me think), cooking (any tips for a successful soufflé are much appreciated… I’m 0 for 2 on that recipe).
What is your favorite Role/Opera/Piece? I loved singing Leporello in Don Giovanni and all things Tchaikovsky. I simply cannot contain myself when the orchestra comes back in at the end of his Violin Concerto in D. I hope to sing in Eugene Onegin someday.
What are your favorite things about being a professional musician? The people! Getting to work with amazing artists all over the world creating for audiences. Feeling that energy is unlike anything else.
Least favorite? Hmmm… self-employment taxes, finding health insurance, and trying to gracefully answer when people ask “But what is your real job?” immediately after a show.
What is something you are looking forward to in Grand Rapids? This is my debut with Opera Grand Rapids and I cannot wait! My sister and her family live in town, so this is extra special for me to be performing here!
Where is your favorite place to travel/perform? Why? I love anywhere close to family! There is a lot of traveling as a performer, frequently over holidays, so when I can work close by, that is the best.
What performances/plans do you have in the next year?: I am reprising the role of The Commentator in performances of Scalia/Ginsburg with Opera Carolina and Toledo Opera; Angelotti in Tosca, Father in Thumbprint, and Ulysses S. Grant in Mother of Us All with Chautauqua Opera; and King of Egypt in Aida with Toledo Opera.
Tickets for the show are $50 general admission, $5 student with ID. To purchase tickets, visit operagr.org.
It sounds bizarre to many that a company named Grand Rapids Brewing Co. bottled its product in Muskegon. Hear the story behind it, a bubbly narrative, as uncovered by a man who traced the corporate history of those that once brewed our beer. The one-night Lakeshore Museum Center event “The Curious History of Grand Rapids Brewing in Muskegon” hosts West Michigan author Pat Evans and his research on the surprising history of Muskegon beer. The event coincides well with the museum’s latest exhibit “Cheers! A History of Brewing in Muskegon”.
“Our exhibit content manager, Aaron Mace, came across this book in research. The author now lives in Las Vegas, so it’s a rare opportunity to talk to him while he’s back in town,” said Lakeshore Museum Center Program Manager Jackie Huss. “It’s a little known fact that Grand Rapids Brewing Co. operated out of Muskegon, so it’s a great opportunity to learn more about Muskegon’s unique brewing history.”
Evans, author of Grand Rapids Beer: An Intoxicating History of River City Brewing was a reporter for The Grand Rapids Business Journal for five years. He also regularly contributed to Grand Rapids Magazine as a food and sports writer. His work as a corporate historian allows him to combine his passion for both history and hops to explain just how Grand Rapids Brewing Co. ended up in Muskegon.
Cheers! A history of brewing in Muskegon is currently running at the Lakeshore Museum Center through Aug. 8.
“Not a lot of history books cover beer. I think beer is often forgotten,” Evans said when the book was released in 2015. “I think people will be surprised that there’s that much of a beer history… to know that Grand Rapids Brewing Co. back then was bigger than Founders is now.”
This one-night event on Wednesday, March 18, at 5:30 p.m. is free to all Muskegon County Residents and $5 for non-residents via Eventbrite. Copies of Evan’s book will be available for purchase and signing. To learn more about this event, contact Jackie Huss at jackie@lakeshoremuseum.org or call 231-724-5526.
The Muskegon Home, Garden + DIY Show is back for 2020 at the Fricano Place Event Center, 1050 W Western Ave, on Friday, March 13 from 11 a.m. – 7:00 pm and Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Muskegon Home, Garden + DIY show will feature over 50 exhibitors including everything from windows, siding, gutters, and painting to home décor, furniture, landscaping, and much more!
New this year is a Kid’s Zone on Saturday. Bring the kids to enjoy games, balloon animals, and much more! “We are excited to add the Kid’s Zone on Saturday this year. This addition only enforces the great family feel of the show,” commented Kristin Knop, Show Director.
Back by popular demand, the Do-It-Yourself and Demonstration seminars will highlight floral design, cooking, gardening and more!
Seminars by local businesses are one of the most popular features of the show. This year’s seminars include floral arranging by Skeeter Parkhouse of Wasserman’s, Whole – Home Wi-Fi Coverage, and cooking demonstrations featuring Chef Char and Sofia Occhialini from Kitchen 242. Event highlights include; Home Pro of West Michigan a full service contractor, garage door solutions by Shepherd Shoreline, building ideas from Keene Lumber, décor space by Blended Furniture and lending options by Family Financial Credit Union. Also included this year are beer & wine tasting as well as a Bloody Mary Bar.
In addition to exhibitors and seminars, the home show will have free flowers (while supplies last), thousands of dollars in prizes, and discounted Fricano’s Pizza with the purchase of $5 home show admission ticket. Kids 12 and under are free!. Tickets are available online at muskegonhgs.org. Advance tickets are recommended, but tickets will be sold at the door.
The Muskegon Home, Garden + DIY Show is a production of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce with support from the Lakeshore Home Builders Association, Fricano Place, Home Pro of West Michigan, Shepherd Shoreline Gutters & Garage Doors, Keene Lumber Company, and Family Financial Credit Union. Other home show supporters are listed online at muskegonHGS.org.
The Kreellers are scheduled to perform at the St. Patrick’s Party March 13 and 14 in Muskegon. (Facebook)
The Michigan Irish Music Festival is excited to announce its annual St. Patrick’s Party March 13 and 14 at Bella Maria’s Ristorante & Event Center, 513 West Pontaluna Road, Norton Shores.
The party will feature live entertainment both nights. The Kreellers, an energetic Celtic Rock group hailing from Detroit, is an unstoppable powerhouse steeped in traditional Irish sound. The band’s mix of rock, funk, and punk elements has created a sound that is sure to keep patrons rocking all night!
Other highlights of the event include performances by local favorites the Oat Bran Boys, an acoustic trio of bluegrass and Irish music, and traditional Irish dance performances from the Ardan Academy of Dance. Additionally, the silent auction returns both nights with several new exciting formats and ways to bid on the variety of items.
Back by popular demand is McGovern’s Corned Beef and Irish fare, plus Irish soda bread and soft pretzels from the Village Baker. Pigeon Hill Brewing Company’s MI Irish Stout, Magner’s Irish Cider, Irish cream, Jameson Irish Whiskey, and Budweiser products will also be served. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. both nights with music starting at 6pm. Tickets are available at the door for $8, and kids 12 and under get in for free.
The mission of the Michigan Irish Music Festival is to produce a quality Midwest Irish Music Festival that promotes Irish culture and heritage while enhancing the community through entertainment, tourism, education and philanthropy. The festival is proud to support Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry and Kids’ Foot Basket with gifts of non-perishable food items and cash donations. Since 2008, due to the success of the St. Pat’s Party and the Festival, the Michigan Irish Music Festival has donated over $266,000 in cash and 21,000 pounds of food back to the community.
The Michigan Irish Music Festival will return this fall, September 17-20, 2019, at Heritage Landing in downtown Muskegon. The festival kicks off with a Pub Party on Thursday, September 17. The festival and St. Patrick’s Day Party are sponsored by G&L, Budweiser, Van’s Car Wash & Quick Lube, and Family Financial Credit Union. For complete festival information, visit www.michiganirish.org.
The Listening Room’s jazz series featuring the Robin Connell Trio with guests will continue Saturday, March 7, with singer Mary Rademacher and saxophonist Laurie Sears as guest performers.
The venue is located at Studio Park at 123 Ionia Ave SW. The jazz nights start at 7:30 p.m., with doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12, with open seating, drinks available for purchase, and a parking garage attached.
Pianist and singer Connell’s “house trio” will usually have with Rob Hartman on bass and Keith Hall on the drums. For a video of “Taking a Chance on Love” from last month’s gig, with Hartman on bass and Ethan Bouwsma on drums, visit here.
Robin Connell
“If you’re from west Michigan you know Mary,” Connell said in supplied material. “I know she’s looking forward to performing in an intimate setting without all the talk and clatter, where she is able to connect with listeners and perform tunes she doesn’t often get to sing.”
But audiences “might not know the fabulous Laurie Sears. She makes her home in Traverse City but travels all over for performances, often at DeVos concert hall when touring artists perform there and hire top pros to back them up,’ Connell said. “Laurie and I have played together for several years, mostly up north.”
For more information on the jazz series and all concerts at Listening Room, visit listeningroomGR.com or call 616-900-9500.
For more information on Robin Connell, visit robinconnell.com. Next month playing with Robin Connell Trio at Listening Room is Carl Cafagna, on April 1.
Online ticket sales are available but with a handling fee. The movie box office downstairs has tickets for all shows, available in advance. Parking is available in attached garage and is free if patrons purchase drink or food in the restaurant downstairs before or after the show.
LowellArts announces the 34th Annual West Michigan Art Competition highlighting outstanding artwork by Lower West Michigan artists. About 226 artists submitted their work to be juried and a total of 56 artists had their work selected to be on display at the LowellArts Gallery, 223 W Main St, Lowell, through April 8.
Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
A meet-the-artists reception and presentation of awards is scheduled for Thursday, March 5, from 6 – 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Cash awards totaling $2,500 will be awarded. This year’s juror is Jim Nawara, a Professor Emeritus of Painting & Drawing in the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History at Wayne State University in Detroit.
The competition was open to all visual art media by artists 18 years and older. Artists could submit one piece to be juried. The artists also must reside in one of 25 eligible counties in West Michigan. Eligible West Michigan counties included: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Calhoun, Clare, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Ionia, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Muskegon, Montcalm, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa, Saint Joseph, Van Buren.
Award winners will be posted on the LowellArts website along with a full list of pieces included in the exhibition on March 6th.
Well it is finally here! Auditions for Circle Theatre’s 2020 Main Stage productions will be this Friday and Saturday.
Area thespians have until Thursday, March 5, by noon to sign up to audition for any of the five Main Stage productions which include “Disaster!,” May 7 -23; “Moon Over Buffalo,” June 4 – 20; “Always…Patsy Cline,” July 16 – Aug. 1; “Noises Off,” Aug. 13 – 29; “Hair,” Sept. 10 – 26; and the Magic Circle production “Goldilocks and the Three Pigs,” June 29 – July 1.
On person who is definitely interested in the upcoming auditions is Mike Hull, director of Circle Theatre’s first production, the musical “Disaster!.” Hull and Circle Theatre’s Market and Outreach Specialist Ashlee McGreevy recently visited the WKTV’s “Locally Entertaining” podcast to talk about Circle Theatre’s 68th season which is set to open in June and run through September.
McGreevy said it is an action pack four-months as the theater company hosts the five Main Stage productions, the Magic Circle Theatre show and its popular Concert Series, which will host auditions on March 13 and 14.
“There really is something for everyone,”McGreevy said, adding that for those who are not interested in being on stage but want to be part of the theater, there are a number of volunteer opportunities including ushering and backstage.
Audition Info
For the Main Stage Musicals (”Disaster!,” “Always…Patsy Cline,” “and “Hair”), all auditions are at one time, in the same room. This means that when auditioning for a musical. attendees will be auditioning for all the musicals at once. Even if they’re only audition for one show, they’ll be auditioning in front of al of the directors of all of the musicals.
Those who are auditioning should be prepared with 16-32 bars of a prepared song along with sheet music. An accompanist is provided, so singing a cappella or with a music track is not allowed. Those auditioning should note that they may be cut off early while singing if the production team(s) have seen what they needed.
For the Main Stage Plays (“Moon Over Buffalo” and “Nosies Off”) and Magic Circle (“Goldilocks and the Three Bears”), those auditioning will be asked to read from the script of the show for which they are auditioning and should note that no prepared monologues are necessary. Al plays audition during the same weekend, however; they do audition separately in different rooms.
If an attendee is auditioning for more than one play, they should sign up for each play and allow enough time to attend each audition. It also helps to let the stage manager or director of each show know that you are auditioning for other shows.
Concert Serie Auditions
Next weekend, March 13 and 14, Circle Theatre will be auditing for its concert series. So even if attendees are auditioning for one show, they will be auditioning for all of the Directors of the concerts. Those auditioning for a concert you will be required to bring two contrasting pieces of music, with 16-32 bars of each, along with sheet music. An accompanist is provided, so singing a cappella or with a music track is not allowed. Those who play an instrument are permitted to accompany themselves. The deadline to sign up for the concert series auditions is Wednesday, March 12.
For more information about auditioning, visit the Circle Theatre website, circletheathre.org. The auditions information is under the “Get Involved” tab.
Local Spins announced earlier this week that WLAV 996.9 FM will be bringing the popular Blues not he Mall series back to downtown Grand Rapids. The series, which will be on June 17, July 15, and Aug. 12, will feature two national headliners and a local opening act at Rosa Parks Circle. For more, visit the Local Spins website by clicking here.
Dawn Okora, “Roshi,” Mixed Media, 2018
ART
Ground breaking exhibit at UICA
This past weekend, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art opened a new Black-History month related exhibit “A Beautiful Struggle: Black Feminist Futurism.”
The exhibit, supported by a $40,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant, is an interdisciplinary contemporary art exhibition that explores the integration of Black feminist and Afrofuturist ideas.
According the UICA website, Afrofuturisum is a creative and cultural genre that examines perspectives of the African diaspora based in a communal reimagining of theist — as well as envisioned futures — while considering themes of identity, escapism, magical realism, and technology. Black feminism focuses on the perspective of those who are both Black and female.
According to UICA, the relevancy of exploring visual representations of Afrofuturism from a Black feminist perspective rests in the understanding of the necessity to lay aside the historically exclusive nature of both Black nationalism and feminism; instead, promoting the intersectionality of Black womanhood.
The exhibit will be up through June 14. UICA is located at 2 W Fulton St. , downtown Grand Raids. For more information, visit the UICA website.
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is playing at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. (Joan Marcus 2017 / HANDOUT)
THEATRE
Two Roald Dahl stories come to Grand Rapids
This weekend, the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will open “Matilda, the Musical,” the tale of an extraordinary girl who uses her intellect and fantastical ability to change the course of her own destiny. The show, which is recommended for ages 8 and up due to some mature material and mild language, runs Feb. 28 to March 22. For more, visit the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s website.
Join Charlie Bucket, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, and Violet Beauregarde as they get the chance of a lifetime to visit the famous chocolatier Willy Wonka and tour his chocolate factory in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” March 10- 15. Presented by Broadway Grand Rapids, perhaps the most famous Dahl story will be featured on the DeVos Performance Hall and includes many of the movie’s favorite tunes such as “The Candy Man” and “Pure imagination.” For more information, visit the Broadway Grand Rapids website.
Kids of all ages and butterflies mix at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition — reportedly the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the nation — will bring more than 7,000 tropical butterflies to West Michigan beginning Sunday, March 1.
This year’s exhibition highlights Nathaniel Ward and the invention of the Wardian Case.
In 1827, Ward accidentally invented terrariums while studying caterpillars and moths by placing them in jars. He noticed that plants were flourishing in these sealed jars and discovered that plants and insects better survived the harsh conditions in London, a city known for heavy pollution at the time, if they were enclosed in sealed containers. This discovery led to horticulturists being able to transport items around the globe and these early “fern cases” paved the way for modern terrariums, greenhouses and conservatories.
“Step Into the glass house during this year’s Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition and discover how the invention of the Wardian case changed the world,” Lisa Roo, project manager, said in supplied material. “This year’s theme offers our community a sense of wonder with magical glass houses from four feet tall to our iconic fifty-foot-tall Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.
“We offer our guests the unique experience of stepping into glass houses to see butterflies soaring, caterpillars munching, and learn how the Wardian case paved the way for modern terrariums and greenhouses.”
A new Wardian case will be located in the adjacent Earl and Donnalee Holton Victorian Garden Parlor.
Approximately 60 colorful species of butterflies and moths journey from butterfly-rich regions of Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines and Kenya to fly freely in the five-story tall, 15,000 square-foot Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. At 85 degrees and 70 percent humidity, this balmy environment mimics the tropical regions that the butterflies call home.
Butterflies and flowers will be on display at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)
Species of butterflies expected to arrive include the blue common morpho, whose iridescence impresses in flight, as well as brushfoot varieties such as the Clearwing, Lacewing and Zebra Mosaic. Likewise, the longwings captivate with distinctive wing patterns as seen on the Small Blue Grecian, Doris, Postman and Tiger butterflies. Gliders like the Emperor, Ruby-Spotted and Orchard Swallowtails will also add to the diverse assortment.
More than 1,000 pupae arrive at Meijer Gardens weekly from around the world. Guests can watch as delicate chrysalides and cocoons are placed in the Observation Station, where these unique and fascinating creatures then transform and spread their wings for the first time.
The Caterpillar Room, located within the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse, features monarch caterpillars. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)
The Caterpillar Room, located within the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse, features monarch caterpillars. Here guests will have the opportunity to learn more about how plants, butterflies and moths live in and under glass. Caterpillars hungrily feed on milkweed host plants mixed in with the flowering spring plantings and ferns that encompass the perimeter of the seasonal display greenhouse.
A docent will be present to help guide guests and enhance the experience. Volunteers are also “Wanted. Needed. Appreciated.” with various jobs and shifts. Contact Valerie Maciejewski at vmaciejewski@meijergardens.org or 616-974-5221.
There will be extended hours during Spring Break (Monday to Friday, April 6-10, 9 a.m. top 9 p.m.) and There are several special exhibition activities also set for the show. For more information visit meijergardens.org.
Trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, a multiple Grammy winner, won the 2019 Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition for his work titled “Blood and Soil.” A longtime collaborator with film director Spike Lee, Blanchard was nominated for the 2019 Oscar for Best Original Score for “BlacKkKlansman,” and his score for director Kasi Lemmons’ 2019 film “Harriet,” which is still playing in theaters. And that’s only what he’s been up to recently.
Blanchard is the special guest artist for the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 19th annual Symphony with Soulat 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, in DeVos Performance Hall.
He’ll perform music from “Malcom X,” “BlacKkKlansman” and other films. Blanchard and his band, The E-Collective, will be joined by vocalist Quiana Lynell, winner of the 2017 International Sarah Vaughan Vocal Jazz Competition. The concert also features the gospel voices of theGrand Rapids Symphony Community Chorus under the direction of Duane Davis.
Tickets for Symphony with Soul start at $18 and are available at the Grand Rapids Symphony box office, weekdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across the street from Calder Plaza). Call (616) 454-9451 x 4 to order by phone. (Phone orders will be charged a $3 per ticket service fee, with an $18 maximum).
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., or on the day of the concert beginning two hours before the performance. Tickets may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the day of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Ticket program.
St. Cecilia Music Center Jazz series continues Thursday, March 5, when Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist Luciana Souza comes to the Royce Auditorium Stage with a program called “The Book of Longing”, performing alongside Chico Pinheiro and Scott Colley for “a night of sultry Brazilian jazz.”
Souza according to supplied information, “transcends traditional boundaries around musical styles, offering solid roots in jazz, sophisticated lineage in world music, and an enlightened approach to new music.”
“We are thrilled to have the multi-talented Luciana Souza on stage at St. Cecilia Music Center ,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director, said in supplied material. “To quote Billboard Magazine, ‘Her music soulfully reflects, wistfully regrets, romantically woos, joyfully celebrates …’ All of us are looking forward to hearing her amazing voice and discovering her joyful, soulful and heartfelt music.”
As a jazz vocal leader, Souza has been releasing acclaimed recordings since 2002, including her six Grammy nominated records Brazilian Duos, North and South, Duos II, Tide, Duos III, and The Book of Chet. Her debut recording for Universal, The New Bossa Nova, was produced by her husband, Larry Klein, and was met with widespread critical acclaim.
Souza’s recordings also include two works based on poetry — The Poems of Elizabeth Bishop And Other Songs, and Neruda.
From 2005 to 2010, she was the Jazz Artist in Residence with the prestigious San Francisco Performances. In 2005 and 2013 Luciana was awarded Best Female Jazz Singer by the Jazz Journalists Association.
For more information about Luciana Souza visit her website at lucianasouza.com.
Concert tickets for Luciana Souza are $40 and $45 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org.
A pre-concert reception for $15 at 6:30 pm, with wine and hors d’oeuvres, is available by reservation in advance (reserve by Friday, February 28). A post-concert party with dessert, coffee and wine is open to all ticket-holders to meet the artists, obtain autographs and CD purchases.
The Australian Pink Floyd Show (supplied/Ben Donoghue)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Ah, another sign of spring coming — Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park giving us a little taste of the 2020 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts series line-up, with the first four acts announced recently.
Meijer Gardens’ annual concert series features “an eclectic mix of alternative, indie, blues and classic rock,” according to the announcement, and the first four cover that spectrum: Gregory Alan Isakov on June 7, Squeeze on July 9, Michael Franti & Spearhead on Aug. 16 and The Australian Pink Floyd Show on Aug. 30.
The complete lineup will be announced in mid-April.
Members of Meijer Gardens will have the first opportunity to purchase discounted tickets during an exclusive members-only pre-sale, April 25 through May 8. During the pre-sale, members receive a $5 discount per ticket.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on May 9. More information on prices and purchasing options will be available following the release of the full lineup in mid-April.
Michael Franti & Spearhead. (Supplied)
Brief, supplied information on the four concerts is as follows:
Gregory Alan Isakov was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and now calls Colorado home. He is a horticulturist-turned-musician and “has cast an impressive presence on the indie-rock and folk worlds.” Isakov has toured internationally with his band and has performed with several symphony orchestras across the United States. He also manages a small farm which provides produce to over a dozen local restaurants.For more information on Gregory Alan Isakov, visit gregoryalanisakov.com.
Squeeze first formed in 1973, shortly after Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook had begun their songwriting partnership, brought together by an ad in a sweetshop window. By 1977 they had made their recording debut and enjoyed a string of hits which lasted until 1982 on the back of New Wave. Over the years there have been solo careers and occasional separations, but the Ivor Novello Award-winning songwriting duo reunited in 2007 to relaunch Squeeze and have been touring, writing and recording together since.For more information on Squeeze, visit squeezeofficial.com.
Leading Michael Franti & Spearhead, Franti is a musician, humanitarian, filmmaker, and activist who is recognized as a pioneering force in the music industry. He believes that there is a great battle taking place in the world today between cynicism and optimism, so he made his most recent album, Stay Human Vol. II, to remind himself — and anyone who’s listening — that there is still good in the world and that is worth fighting for.For more information on Michael Franti & Spearhead, visit michaelfranti.com.
The Australian Pink Floyd Show performs the music of Pink Floyd “with note for note perfection” and “this critically acclaimed show has been astonishing audiences worldwide for more than three decades.” Always striving to reproduce the complete Pink Floyd experience and bring the music to new audiences, the show continues to include a stunning light and laser show, video animations, state of the art, high resolution LED screen technology and other special effects. In addition, and in true Pink Floyd fashion, there are several huge inflatables including a giant pig and their own unique Pink Kangaroo.For more information on The Australian Pink Floyd Show, visit aussiefloyd.com.
Tulip Time 2020 will be the premier of the Dutch Dance Exhibit as part of the new Visual Arts Series hosted by the Holland Area Arts Council.
At this exhibit, visitors can explore a collection of some of the most exceptional and intricately designed Dutch Dance costumes in this beautiful and educational exhibit. Travel through the Provinces, to appreciate the history behind the costumes, the artistry and how the selection of materials serves to maintain authenticity, and the detailed process of their creation. Learn about Tulip Time’s Dutch Dance program, the Dutch Dance music and the dance itself. The exhibit also celebrates the 50thyear of Alumni Dutch Dance.
A fun feature has been added to the exhibit giving everyone a chance to participate. We will display a constant stream of some of the best Dutch Dance photos and we would love to include yours!
We have partnered with the Holland Sentinel to collect all of your fun photos – past and present. And, all entries have a chance to win a great prize. So start digging through all your favorite Dutch Dance memories and click this link to submit your photos: https://hollandsentinel.gatehousecontests.com/Dutch-Dance-Photo-Contest/. The contest ends March 1 at 12:00 am EST.
If you have any other fun Dutch Dance memorabilia or stories you are willing to share, send them to dutchdance@tuliptime.com or stop by the Tulip Time office at 42 W. 8th Street.
About the Visual Arts Series
Tulip Time is expressed through many art forms and now you can experience them in one location. Join us at the Holland Area Arts Council for the Visual Arts Series of exhibits presented by Alpen Rose Restaurant & Catering. The Series includes:
Festival Artwork Top 20 Exhibit where you can participate in the Viewers’ Choice voting
Tulip Time Quilt Show featuring a unique display of exquisite quilts, wall hangings and art quilts created by local artisans.
Premier of the Dutch Dance Exhibit
– Klompen Garden Public Art Project Jurors’ Pick
One ticket ($10/person) gains access to all four of these exceptional exhibits!
Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal, she of the quintessential country voice and he of the acoustic guitar mastery, on stage at a unknown venue. (Courtesy of the artist)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
60-second Review
The St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Cafe folk series, and the acoustics of the Royce Auditorium, was made for nights like the Feb. 19 visit by Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal, she of the quintessential country voice and he of the acoustic guitar mastery.
Cash, accompanied only by Leventhal — her husband, guitarist extraordinaire, surprisingly subtle pianist, and talented writer/producer — offered up a nearly 2-hour, 18-song set that almost equally left the sell-out audience in blissful silence and had them springing to their feet in appreciation, some before the song actually finished.
The pair’s set fittingly relied heavily on songs from her most recent release, 2018’s She Remembers Everything, co-written by Cash and Leventhal, who also co-produced the songs with Tucker Martine (The Decembrists, My Morning Jacket, Mavis Staples; to name just a few).
Some of the newer songs hint, if not actually shout, about the current sad state of affairs of an America tribalized by politics, reeling from societal conflicts, and grappling with religious and family transitions. Leading off the night with “The Only Thing Worth Fighting For” — “Work me like a battlefield/Locked inside a holy war/Your love and my due diligence/The only thing worth fighting for” — was no accident.
And the album’s title song itself, and Cash’s introduction of “She Remembers Everything”, offered stark commentary on the status of women in the home, the workplace and the modern world.
Rosanne Cash. (Supplied)
But other songs on the new recording harken back to the everlasting focus of all great country/folk/Americana music: the relationships between lovers and life partners that fail as often as they succeed. “Crossing to Jerusalem”, she explained, is a beautiful commentary on Rosanne and John’s 25-year journey in marriage, and a shared love of music. — “This is our deal with the sinners and saints/The law and up above/We’ll be crossing to Jerusalem/With nothing but our love”.
But Cash did not forget her past in the set list, picking selectively and effectively from her very early years (1981’s “Seven Year Ache”); her 2009 release The List, an album based on a list of 100 greatest country and American songs that father Johnny Cash gave her when she was 18 (incuding covers of “Long Black Veil” and “Ode to Billy Joe”); and her Grammy winning 2015 release The River & the Thread (“A Feather is Not a Bird”).
The duo’s two-song encore was a direct homage to country/folk musics past. First with a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Tennessee Flat Top Box” — one of the many songs on which Leventhal and his guitar work shined — and well as the classic “500 Miles Away from Home.”
Cash and Leventhal sent everybody home, like a good country meal, well satisfied.
May I have more, please?
Never heard of Johnny Cash’s list of 100 must-listen “essential” country/folk songs?
The list includes, at least as recounted and recorded by Rosanne, the expected — “Motherless Children”, the southern gospel traditional popularized by the Carter Family, and “Take These Chains From My Heart”, the last song Hank Williams recorded. But also some you might not expect, including “Girls from the North Country” by Bob Dylan.
Rosanne’s complete list from her father is apparently still unknown, and she is not taking at this point. See one of many stories here.
For information and tickets on remaining St. Cecilia Music Center 2019-20 season concerts visit scmc-online.org.
The LowellArts will be hosting auditions for the upcoming musical “Clue: The Musical.”
Auditions are set for Feb. 23 from 3 – 5 p.m. and Feb. 24 from 7 – 9 pm. at the LowellArts, 223 W. Main St. The fun-filled family musical bring the internationally popular game “CLUE” to life. The production will be directed by Amy McDaniel.
The cast calls for four to five males and two to three females. Everyone in the cast sings. Age ranges are 20 to 50. Those auditioning should prepare 16 bars of a song, an accomplishment will be provided. For those auditions for Mrs. Peacock or Mrs. White, research the slow for “Once a Widow” and “Life is a Bowl of Pits.”
Rehearsals for the show being March 8 and will be healthy at the LowellArts. the show runs April 17, 18, 24, 25, 26, and May 1 and 2. For more information, email info@lowellartsmi.org or call 616-897-8545.
