Category Archives: Entertainment

GR symphony concert features 19-year-old bass virtuoso

Entertainment,
Unlike most six-year-olds, William McGregor started his studies of the string instruments with the bass. (Supplied)

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
Grand Rapids Symphony

A double bass, which plays the lowest notes of a string orchestra, stands more than 6 feet tall. William McGregor began playing double bass when he was only 2 years old.

Of course, the youngster originally from Ann Arbor didn’t start with a double bass that you see played by the professional musicians of the Grand Rapids Symphony. But while nearly every other toddler who plays a stringed instrument begins with a violin, McGregor did not. 

A family friend who played double bass professionally was interested in starting a youngster on the instrument, so he took a cello, which is half the height of a double bass, and set it up to match the strings of a double bass, albeit tuned one-octave higher.

That’s how McGregor began studying music. Eventually, he grew into a full-size instrument, and the winner of the 2017 Stulberg International String Competition in Kalamazoo will appear with the Grand Rapids Symphony on Feb. 22 as soloist.

William Mc Gregor joins the Grand Rapids Symphony this Friday.

The 18-year-old musician, who began studies last fall as a freshman at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, will be soloist in Giovanni Bottesini’s Concerto for Double Bass No. 2 in B minor.

Music Director Marcelo Lehninger will lead the orchestra in 19th century Italian music for The Romantic Concert: Bella Italia! at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, in St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ransom Ave. NW.

The PwC Great Eras series concert also will feature Gioachino Rossini’s overture to L’Italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers) and Felix Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony No. 4.

Highlights of the evening concert will be given at 10 a.m. that morning as The Romantic Coffee Concert, part of the Porter Hills Coffee Classic series, a one-hour program held without intermission in St. Cecilia’s Royce Auditorium. Doors open at 9 a.m. for complementary coffee and pastry.

McGregor begin his double bass studies at age 2 in Ann Arbor with Derek Weller. In 2009, he was accepted into The Juilliard School Pre-College program where he studied for nine years with Albert Laszlo. He has since emerged as one of the rising young stars of the double bass.

McGregor has performed in Master Classes with such eminent double bass players as Edgar Meyer. In 2011, he became a Fellowship scholarship student at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Not only was he the youngest full-time student there, he was selected to perform a Spotlight Recital at Aspen and also performed with the Aspen Concert Orchestra. The following summer, McGregor returned to Aspen where he performed with Philharmonic Orchestra and was selected to perform at String Showcase Recital.

McGregor won the grand prize at the Ensemble 212 Young Artist Competition in 2012 and performed a solo concerto with Ensemble 212 at The Kaufman Center’s Merkin Concert Hall in New York City. In November, he made his Carnegie Hall debut, with Paganini’s Mose in Egitto. 

In October, 2013, McGregor was the First Prize Winner in the Salome Chamber Orchestra Young Artist Competition in New York City where he also received the Most Promising Young Artist Award. He returned in February 2014 to perform as soloist with the Salome Chamber Orchestra in Carnegie Hall.

In 2015, McGregor was invited to solo with the Allentown Symphony under conductor Diane Wittry.

In May 2017, McGregor won the Gold Medal at the Stulberg International String Competition, an international competition promoting excellence in stringed instrument performance by young artists under age 20. He became only the second bass player in 42 years to win the competition, and he performed as soloist with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra in October 2017.

In January, 2018, he was named a National YoungArts Finalist and attended National YoungArts Week in Miami. In May, he was named one of just 20 U. S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts and performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

William’s hobbies are all sports, especially Detroit and University of Michigan teams, and collecting and selling baseball cards. 

The complete The Romantic Concert: Bella Italia! program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, April 28, 2019, at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM. 

Tickets

Tickets start at $26 for the Great Eras series and $16 for Coffee Classics 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 $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum).

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 am – 6 pm or on the day of the concert at the venue beginning two hours before the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.


World Affairs Council lecture schedule continues with discussion on nuclear threats

Education, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events
U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer at a Republic of Korea airbase in 2016. The U.S. long-range bomber is one of the major deterrents to North Korean military actions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 
So far this year the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan’s 2019 Great Decisions global discussion series has informed the public on the “State of the State Department”, dangers to democracy around the world, and America’s immigration policies — or lack there of.

The next discussion, Feb. 25 and 26, will be “A New Nuclear Arms Race?”, with Kelsey Davenport, of the Arms Control Association, discussing Russia, North Korea, Iran and “What’s our nuclear future?”

For the past 50 years, the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has played a critical role in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and reducing nuclear arsenals, according to the Arms Control Association website. Yet prospects for additional progress on U.S.-Russian arms control remain bleak as President Donald Trump’s administration has split from key allies over the nuclear deal with Iran, and the denuclearization of North Korea remains uncertain, according to supplied information on the lecture.

Davenport is the Director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association, where she provides research and analysis on the nuclear and missile programs in Iran, North Korea, India, and Pakistan and on nuclear security issues, accord to the ACA website. Her areas of expertise include nuclear nonproliferation, nuclear and missile programs in Iran and North Korea, and nuclear security. Kelsey also reports on developments in these areas for Arms Control Today and is the author of the P5+1 and Iran Nuclear Deal Alerts.

Davenport’s discussion fits in with the overall goal of the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan.

“To change the world — or to even begin to understand global issues — one first must know about the world, and that’s what we attempt to do with Great Decisions,” Michael Van Denend, executive director of the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, previously said to WKTV.

The annual series, which bring leaders in international theory and action to Grand Rapids for lectures, will offer two options to attend: Mondays, 6-7:15 p.m., at Aquinas College Performing Arts Center; and Tuesdays, noon-1 p.m. at the Recital Hall in the Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin College.

There is a $10 general-public admission fee per discussion, with no reservations needed and free parking.

The series will continue through March 25-26.

The Great Decisions format features a world-class expert leading each conversation, followed by an extensive question-answer session.

 
The reminder of the 2019 series will feature:

Mar. 4 and 5: “China-U.S. Trade War”, with Amy Celico, Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG), discussing “How will we handle the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century?”

Mar. 11 and 12: “Life After the Arab Uprisings and the Islamic State”, a ground-level report from a brave Lebanese journalist, Rania Abouzeid, author of “No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria”, a New York Times 2018 Notable Book.

Mar. 18 and 19: “Global Cyber Threats” with FBI Special Agent Peter Jolliffe
discussing “Cyber risks are on the rise — can we thwart them?”

And finally, on Mar. 25 and 26: “Mexico and the U.S.: The Economic Ties that Bind”, Carlos Capistran, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, New York City, discussing “What must we do to make certain both countries thrive?”

The Aquinas College Performing Arts Center is located at 1703 Robinson Road S.E., Grand Rapids. The Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin College is located at 1795 Knollcrest Cir SE, Grand Rapids.

 
The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan is located at 1700 Fulton Street E., Grand Rapids, For more information on sessions, dates and times, as well as detailed information on speakers, visit worldmichigan.org .

St. Cecilia ends folky month of concerts with Milk Carton Kids, War and Treaty

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events
The War and Treaty, featuring Michael and Tanya Trotter, will be at the St. Cecilia Acoustic Café Folk Series Feb. 24. (Supplied/The Artists)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

 
St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Café Folk Series started off the month of February with a sell-out return of Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn on Feb. 9, and things will end strong on the folk front with the duo of Michael and Tanya Trotter (aka The War and Treaty) as well as Milk Carton Kids coming to town.

The War and Treaty will hit the intimate 630-seat Royce Auditorium stage for an unusual Sunday concert on Feb. 24, and Milk Carton Kids — Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, this time with a full band backing — for a more usual Thursday night show at St. Cecilia on Feb. 28.

Tickets remain available for both shows.

The War and Treaty “are quickly rising on the National scene … (their) upbeat emotional sound, with soul and folk roots, is sure to ignite a bright fire within our audience’s hearts,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director, said in supplied material.

“We are (also) so happy to bring The Milk Carton Kids with their band to St. Cecilia Music Center this month to perform from their newest album,” Holbrook said. “It will be a great experience for all to see and hear as these two talented performers and their full band perform together.”

The War and Treaty

The War and Treaty may be familiar to some in the Grand Rapids area as they opened for Bob Seger’s Van Andel Arena concert in November 2018.

According to supplied information, they draw inspiration from different artists and genres including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and Nina Simone — ya, that Johnny Cash and that Nina Simone.

And their music has been described as a blend of roots, folk, gospel, and soul, “reaching back through their deep-rooted history to conjure up the strength of their ancestors.”

The buzz here is all good.
 

The Milk Carton Kids

The Milk Carton Kids, you may remember as I do, had a brief appearance on the concert film “Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis”, which was led by producer T-Bone Burnett. And their latest release —  All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do, which came out in June of last year — was produced by Joe Henry. Both producers are great, and the music they produce is usually also great.

“The Kids”, an American indie folk duo consisting of Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, will be at St. Cecilia Feb. 28. (Supplied/The Artists)

“The Kids” music, which for lack of a better tune is often called American indie folk, has earned the usually solo-duo of Ryan and Pattengale a Grammy nomination in 2015 for Best American Roots Performance, another for Best Folk Album of the year in 2013, and they were the Americana Music Association’s Best Duo/Group of the year in 2014.

The Kids have proven in-demand collaborators, including musical partnerships with Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Dar Williams, and Chris Hillman, as well as teaming with T-Bone Burnett for “Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis” — the concert documentary derived from the Coen Brothers film “Insider Llewyn Davis”. (A great movie with great early 1960s music, BTW.)

Two concerts in April will finish up the 2018-19 Acoustic Café Folk Series, both returning favorites: Asleep at the Wheel will return to SCMC on April 11, and Guitarist Leo Kottke will return to SCMC on April 18.
 
 
Tickets for The War and Treaty are $30 and $35; tickets for The Milk Carton Kids are $40 and $45. All tickets 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.

Road commission’s Lamoreaux is a ‘dancing queen’ in Civic’s ‘Mamma Mia!’

Entertainment
Maura Lamoreaux as Tanya in “Mamma Mia!”

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

As the communications manager for the Kent County Road Commission, “Here We Go Again” could be an anthem for Maura Lamoreaux.

“You know it’s kind of funny but you are right about the connection,” Lamoreaux said with a laugh during a recent interview.

But the weather or the roads are not the reasons why Lamoreaux is singing the famous ABBA song, but rather it is because she plays Tanya in the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s production of “Mamma Mia!,” which opens Friday at the theater located at 30 N. Division Ave.

“I moved to Grand Rapids with my husband about eight years ago,” said Lamoreaux who has performed in theaters in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. “Mamma Mia!” will be her first stage appearance with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. “With family and work, I just had not found the right time or opportunity to get involved in theater here.

It all changed when Lamoreaux saw the audition notice for “Mamma Mia!” with a storyline based on the music of mega super group ABBA.

“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I would love to be a part of that show,’” Lamoreaux said, “and so auditioned partly for my daughter to show her that you just have to go for it and if you don’t get it, that’s OK.”

She landed the part of Tanya, one of two friends, who come to help a third, Donna, plan her daughter’s wedding, which takes place at Donna’s hotel on a Greek island. What Donna does not know is that her daughter, Sophie, has invited three men to the event in hopes of determine which one is her father. What transpires is a trip through memory lane, sprinkled with some antics all guided by the songs of ABBA.

According to Maura Lamoreaux fun is the name of the game in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s production of “Mamma Mia!”

“So not only is it a fun story, which it is; and the the cast is talented, which there is an immense amount of talent, but there is an immediate connection that much of the audience will already have to the music,” Lamoreaux said.

The musical, which opened in New York in 2001, was followed by the 2008 film of the same name starring Meryl Streep as Donna and Christine Baranski as Tanya, with “Mamma Mia! 2” released last year. The show features a number of iconic ABBA songs such as “Money, Money, Money,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “Take a Chance on Me,” “Knowing You, Knowing Me,” and according to Billboard magazine, the group’s most famous song “Dancing Queen.”

“‘Dancing Queen’” is a celebration of three friends and the wonderful memories that they had together,” Lamoreaux said adding that it is one of her favorites in the show. (Her other is “Does Your Mother Know,” a song that her character Tanya performs.) “It connects me to dancing with my friends and my own memories and I bring all of that to what we are doing on stage.”

And ABBA’s music continues to be the soundtrack for many.

“There are people in the show who are in high school and I’m in my forties, yet we can all enjoy this music together,” Lamoreuax said.

It’s positive story of friendship and the relationship of a mother and daughter along with the music has made “Mamma Mia!” a much sought after production with tickets for the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre show being snatched up. The show runs through Mar. 17. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays – Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. For tickets, which are $17-$39, visit the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre website, grct.org or call the box office at 616-222-6650.

Bronze Wolf featured at Concerts Under the Stars

Entertainment
Bronze Wolf performs Feb. 28 at the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Chaffee Planetarium.

By Chrisite Bender
Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) welcomes the ambient R&B music of Bronze Wolf on Thursday, Feb. 28 for the third concert in the 2019 Concerts Under the Stars series in the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium.

Bronze Wolf totes the sounds of exploratory dark-electronic pop. Blurring the lines, vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist Eric Tempelaere, garners inspiration from every facet of life, molding stimuli into something personal – striving to make art and act of catharsis to please his own whims and embracing genre bending with no fear or regard for easy categorization. Accompanying Bronze Wolf with live visuals on the planetarium dome will be Nate Eizenga.  

Concerts Under the Stars begins at 7:30 p.m., with Museum doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments, beer, and other beverages will be available for purchase. Performers will play two sets, with a short intermission in between.

Tickets are $12 for GRPM members and $15 for non-members if purchased in advance, and $15 for members and $18 for non-members on the day of the concert. Tickets are currently on sale at grpm.org, by calling 616.929.1700 or at the Museum’s front desk.

Bronze Wolf is expansive in his scope, yet internal in his expression – a proudly gay artist who has shed his small-town, conservative background in favor of an amorphous, ever expanding view of this world. From a young age, Eric was drooling over synthesizers and various electronic gear; scouring eBay for keytars, moogs, theremins, and Rhodes. To this day, Eric primarily uses the singular Nord synthesizer he saved up for in grade school with his paper route money, ultimately using limitations as a source of inspiration, allowing his songwriting to speak for itself. 

Nate Eizenga is a Grand Rapids native who moonlights as a video artist focusing on accompaniment for live musical performances. By using controllers intended for digital music production to create, mix, and manipulate video in real time, he crafts a visual experience that toes the line between artistic spontaneity and musical synchronicity. Since his first public show in 2015, Nate has performed for numerous events, including Concerts Under the Stars 2017 and 2018.

The 2019 Concerts Under the Stars series will conclude on March 21 with the electronic sounds of Pink Sky.

Forget the groundhog, Meijer Gardens announcements means spring is coming

Entertainment, Kids Activities, Upcoming Events
The Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition, with some 7,000 tropical butterflies dancing around the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory, will begin March 1. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

We know all about Punxsutawney Phil and that shadow thing on Groundhog Day earlier this month — and yes, the ranchers of that rodent do predict an early spring this year.

But in Western Michigan there are two more reliable bits of evidence of spring coming, and summer not far behind: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announcing the dates of its annual Butterflies Are Blooming exhibit and their annual mouth-watering taste of the summer concert series.

Meijer Gardens announced recently that Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition, with some 7,000 or so tropical butterflies dancing around the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory, will begin March 1 and run through late April. Also last week the Gardens teased us with the announcement of three of its 2019 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens.

The Decemberists at Meijer Gardens in 2018. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

With Fifth Third Bank renewing its title sponsorship of the concert series this season, and the expansion of the outdoor amphitheater and its facilities expected to be complete, the 2019 season of alternative, indie, blues and rock music will include Nahko And Medicine For The People on June 6, Rodrigo y Gabriela on June 9, and The Gipsy Kings on July 21. The complete lineup will be announced in mid-April.

But first there will be all those butterflies.

The 2019 “exhibition explores light and shadow and how these elements influence both the activity of the butterflies and the natural environment in which they flourish,” Steve LaWarre, Director of Horticulture, said in supplied material. “This annual exhibition provides a wonderful opportunity for our guests to experience the diverse beauty of these creatures up close and in person.”

By the way, the best time to get up-close and personal with the butterflies are late in the afternoon or when the gardens and the exhibition are open in the early evening, every Tuesday. We are told that visitors will also find a new and redesigned Observation Station, with its chrysalide and cocoon emergence area.

Butterflies will be flying around Meijer Gardens’ tropical conservatory starting March 1. (Supplied)

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 conservatory— oh, ya, and at 85 degrees and 70 percent humidity, the environment not only mimics the tropical regions that the butterflies call home but just feels like spring, if not summer, in the air.

Even before the real butterflies arrive, the fun will begin with “Who Am I?” (A Butterfly Ballet) on Saturday, Feb. 23, and Sunday, Feb. 24, choreographed by Attila Mosolygo, performed by members of the Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company, and narrated by Errol Shewman.

For a complete list of events associated with the Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition, visit meijergardens.org . (And volunteers are “Wanted. Needed. Appreciated.” Various jobs and shifts mid-February through mid-May. Contact Amber Oudsema at aoudsema@meijergardens.org or 616-974-5221.)

Oh, can’t you just hear the music now? (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

Can’t you just hear the music now?

What will be new and what will be the same at 2019 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens concert series? The title will be the same, the concerts will be familiarly diverse, and the construction is expected to be done.

Meijer Gardens is “enormously grateful for (the Fifth Third Bank’s) support as it allows us to present a diverse group of truly world class artists,” David Hooker, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s President and CEO, said in supplied material.

The Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater has undergone significant expansion and improvement over the past two seasons, all, according to supplied material, while maintaining the intimacy of the venue. Last season saw the completion of renovated seating terraces for sponsor seating, added new support areas for visiting artists, backstage and loading dock improvements, and increased-in-size general seating area.

This season, a new concessions building has been added to allow for quicker food and beverage service and increased capacity, as well as convenient new restrooms for guests waiting in line to enter the venue. An expanded plaza area within the gates will help shorten lines and wait times as well. Also, they say, an improved point-of-sale system with quick chip technology will speed up purchases at the new concessions building.

What hasn’t changed is the 1,900 general admission tickets available for each concert of the 2019 season. As far as the first three announced concerts — Nahko And Medicine For The People, Rodrigo y Gabriela and The Gipsy Kings, you can follow the links or just wait for the complete lineup in April.

Nahko and Medicine for the People. (Supplied by the artist)

The most interesting of three, on first glance, would be Nahko. Describing his latest release, “My Name is Bear”, he says on his website: “So many dear people helped me write and live these stories. The two summers I spent in Alaska, half the winter in Louisiana and the other half holed up in my van in Portland, and then the first year in Hawaii were transformational.” Sounds like someone to check out to me.

Members of Meijer Gardens a members-only presale, April 27 through May 10. (To become a member or renew a membership before April 27, visit MeijerGardens.org/Membership.) General public tickets go on sale May 11.

GRAM features Michigan artist/activist Dylan Miner for free Artist Talk, Feb. 21

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,
Courtesy Dylan Miner

By Alison Clark, Clark Communications


On Thursday, Feb. 21, the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) will feature Michigan artist, activist and scholar, Dylan Miner, for a free Artist Talk, which is open to the public. Miner will discuss his current GRAM exhibition Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives, and his ongoing investigation into important issues surrounding the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes watershed and region. The artist talk runs from 7-8pm at the GRAM, located at 101 Monroe Center NW.


Based in East Lansing, Miner has exhibited his works internationally in solo and group exhibitions. He created Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives for the GRAM’s Michigan Artist Series. In the exhibition, Miner investigates the important historical and current issues around three primary natural elements: wood, water, and sky, and the traditional knowledge and beliefs around them within Great Lakes Indigenous cultures. The exhibition runs through Sunday, March 3.


Based in East Lansing, Miner has exhibited his worked internationally in solo and group exhibitions. He created Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives for the GRAM’s Michigan Artist Series. In the exhibition, Miner investigates the important historical and current issues around three primary natural elements: wood, water, and sky, and the traditional knowledge and beliefs around them within Great Lakes Indigenous cultures.


Miner is Director of American Indian and Indigenous Studies and Associate Professor in the Arts and Humanities at Michigan State University. He holds a PhD from The University of New Mexico and regularly publishes articles, book chapters, critical essays, and encyclopedia entries. In 2010, he was awarded an Artist Leadership Fellowship through the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution).


The exhibition runs through Sunday, March 3.

Review: Joey DeFrancesco’s ‘People’ play it hard, sweet on St. Cecilia stage

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Reviews
Joey DeFrancesco having fun in a previous concert. (JoeyDefracesco.com)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org  

60-second Review


Joey DeFrancesco and The People at St. Cecilia Music Center, Thursday, Feb. 7.

 
Joey DeFrancesco is known for his masterful play on the Hammond B3 organ, whether it is playing jazz or one of his pop/soul side projects, as when he recently aided Van Morrison on a project. But in a 90-minute, seven-tune set with his jazz quartet, The People, on Thursday, he showed he loves to play around and play with the audience too.

The result was, mimicking a recent pop song whose name I mercifully forget: a little bit of jazz in my life, a little bit of funk by my side, a little bit of blues is all I need, a little bit of fun is what I see.

Bottom line: Joey D and the boys — saxophonist Troy Roberts, guitarist Dan Wilson and drummer Michael Ode — had the audience feeling warm, cozy and playing along on a cold, icy winter night in West Michigan. Who could ask for anything more?

The set began with three tunes off of The People’s Grammy-nominated 2017 release “Project Freedom”, warming up the crowd and their instruments with “Better than Yesterday”, getting the audience fully into it with the funky sounding “The Unifer” and then flowing softly into the almost melancholy “Project Freedom” — a tune on which both Wilson and Roberts gave great improv solos that almost matched Joey’s.

Joey then took a short diversion off the keyboards, to his vocal and trumpet talents, when he said the band was going to “cool it down a bit” with Neil Sedaka’s “I Found my World in You” before returning to Project Freedom and getting the crowd back bouncing with “Stand Up”.

My favorite tune of the show, ending the initial set, was the rousing blues number — “Down in the Alley” (I think …) — on which everybody had a chance to jam, but Wilson really went off on the guitar.

The final tune, in encore, was “Trip Mode” off Joey’s 2015 release of the same name.

And then everybody went back to real life and the cold, but with a smile on their face.

May I have more, please?
 
 
After Joey DeFrancesco the final Jazz Series concert will be Benny Green Trio & Veronica Swift on March 7. Tickets for jazz series concerts range from $35-$45.

St. Cecilia Music Center is located at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids. For tickets or more information call 616-459-2224 or visit scmc-online.org.

Tulip Time announces 2019 poster

Entertainment
Carolyn Stich’s “Enduring Delft” was the winner of the 2019 Tulip Time Festival Poster Competition. (Supplied)

By Susan Zainis
Tulip Time

Tulip TimeFestival (www.tuliptime.com) together with the Holland Area Arts Council, is pleased to announce Carolyn Stich and her painting, “Enduring Delft” as the winner of the 2019 Tulip Time Festival Poster Competition.

The announcement was made Thursday evening at the First Bloom event held at Evergreen Commons. Hundreds of festival sponsors, community partners, and art enthusiasts attended the event where the evening began with a reception honoring the Top 20 artists and their artwork.

Artist Carolyn Stich (supplied)

Each year a work of art is selected for the official Tulip Time Festival poster. This year, 44 artists from the region submitted a total of 75 works for this juried competition. This year’s submissions were reviewed by Kristin Jass Armstrong, Executive Director of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, who designated the Top 20 from which the winning piece was selected.

This year’s winning artist, Carolyn Stich, is an artist and photographer in Holland, Michigan. Carolyn has illustrated 10 children’s books as well as filling a portfolio full of commissioned work for various businesses throughout West Michigan over the past 20+ years. Her artwork and photographs appear in many publications promoting the beauty of the Holland area.


Carolyn is originally from St. Louis, Missouri. She studied commercial art and graphic design at Meremac Community College in St. Louis and continued her studies at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. In 1993, she and her husband moved to Holland, Michigan. Carolyn has owned a gallery/studio in downtown Holland for 12 years. Carolyn is a previous Art In Bloom winner, when in 2015 her piece “Joy of Spring” was selected as the winning poster artwork.

 “I created “Enduring Delft” as a celebration of Holland, Michigan,” stated Carolyn.  “The elegant simplicity of Delftware is a beautiful staple of Dutch heritage. The combination of vivid colors and classic patterns is an expression of the rich tradition and lively spirit found here.”

“Enduring Delft,” and the other Top 20 original works, will be on display at the Holland Area Arts Council from May 4 through May 12, 2019. The 19 remaining works will compete for the Viewers’ Choice Awards. The top three pieces with the most votes will win cash prizes. The community and all visitors are invited to participate by casting their vote for their favorite artwork. The winners of the Viewers’ Choice Awards will be announced on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 10a via Facebook Live. 

Fountain Street’s Jazz in the Sanctuary to host pianist Xavier Davis

Entertainment, Upcoming Events
Pianist Xavier Davis will be the featured artist during a concert Sunday, Feb. 10. (Supplied/MSU/Christine Southworth)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Continuing its fifth season of jazz in the historic — and visually and acoustically great — sanctuary at Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church, series host and curator Robin Connell will give up her usual seat at the piano as the Jazz in the Sanctuary returns this weekend.

Pianist Xavier Davis will be the featured artist during a concert Sunday, Feb. 10, at 3 p.m., at the church, 24 Fountain St. NE. Tickets are $15 general admission and $5 for students with ID, on-line or at the door.

People who have never heard a concert at Fountain Street before are in for a treat; people who have already know and probably already have their tickets as well.

Davis, born in Grand Rapids and an alumni of the Jazz in the Sanctuary series, is the son of local music educators Duane and Kay Davis. According to supplied information, Xavier was brought into the spotlight by legendary vocalist Betty Carter, who invited him to New York after witnessing his performance at the 1994 International Association of Jazz Educators convention.

“Today, he is one of the most accomplished working jazz pianists in the world,” Connell said in supplied information.

Xavier was a member of the teaching staff of the Juilliard School of Music for six years and now serves Michigan State University as Associate Professor of Jazz Piano. He has performed with dozens of world-famous artists like the legendary Freddie Hubbard, Tom Harrell, Christian McBride, Regina Carter, Stefon Harris, Abbey Lincoln, Wynton Marsalis, Don Byron, Nat Adderley, Nicholas Payton, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Greene, Steve Turre, Al Foster, and Jeremy Pelt. His piano playing has been featured on more than 50 albums.

In 2005, Xavier became the first person to receive the prestigious New Works Grant twice from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation under the auspices of Chamber Music America. For more information visit his website.

Connell, no stranger to the local and regional jazz scene, received West Michigan Jazz Society’s 2017 “Musician of the Year” award for her widespread collaboration with area jazz artists and her work on this series. In 2016, she won the ArtPrize Public Choice Award for her original composition “Prisms”.

An advocate for jazz education, she co-directs the Youth Jazz Combo at St. Cecilia Music Center, teaches every June at Aquinas College Jazz Camp, and formerly served as summer jazz faculty at Interlochen Center for the Arts for 20 years. For more information visit her website.

For more information on the concert and the Jazz in the Sanctuary series visit fountainstreet.org/jazz .

Bill Maher plans to tickle the funny bone with some political humor

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment,
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 23: Television host and comedian Bill Maher performs at The Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort on March 23, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Supplied/Photo by David Becker/WireImage)

For more than twenty years, Bill Maher has set the boundaries of where funny, political talk can go on American television. Now, the TV host, author, comedian, and Emmy-award winning producer brings his wits and commentary to Grand Rapids on Sunday, June 23, at 8 p.m. in SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall.

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.

First on “Politically Incorrect” (Comedy Central, ABC, 1993-2002), and for the last fourteen years on HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher’s combination of unflinching honesty and big laughs have garnered him 41 Emmy nominations.  Maher won his first Emmy in 2014 as executive producer for the HBO series, “VICE.” In October of 2008, this same combination was on display in Maher’s uproarious and unprecedented swipe at organized religion, “Religulous,” directed by Larry Charles (“Borat”). The documentary has gone on to become the 8th Highest Grossing Documentary ever.

In addition to his television program – which has featured such visitors as President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kerry Washington, Michael Steele, Howard Dean, Michael Moore, Eva Longoria, Drew Barrymore, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Gen. Wesley Clark, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner, Gary Hart and Pat Buchanan. – Maher has written five bestsellers: “True Story,” “Does Anybody Have a Problem with That?  Politically Incorrect’s Greatest Hits,” “When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden,” “New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer,” and most recently, “The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass.”

Maher started his career as a stand-up comedian in 1979, and still performs at least fifty dates a year in Las Vegas and in sold out theaters across the country.  Four of his ten stand-up specials for HBO – 2014’s “Bill Maher: Live from DC,” 2007’s “The Decider,” 2005’s “I’m Swiss,” as well as the hilarious, “Bill Maher … But I’m Not Wrong,” – have been nominated for Emmy awards. 

Maher was born in New York City, raised in River Vale, N.J. and went to Cornell University.  He now resides in Los Angeles.

New works, new artistic voices ‘Handmade’ on GR Ballet’s new MOVEMEDIA program

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Upcoming Events,
Nigel Tau, right, working with Grand Rapids Ballet dancers on his new work, part of MOVEMEDIA: Handmade. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

James Sofranko, the artistic director of the Grand Rapids Ballet and a growing talent as a choreographer himself, is clearly an advocate of new contemporary dance by new artistic voices.

So it is only natural that, as an advocate for the team of dancers at the ballet, he would seek to include their voices in the upcoming MOVEMEDIA: Handmade program set to have its run Friday to Sunday, Feb. 8-10 at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre.

The headliner of the program is likely to be a powerful, searing work of “Testimony”, a work by the ballet’s continuing choreographer-in-residence, Penny Saunders, inspired by the U.S. Senate hearings for now-Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford. Although another new work by the Joffrey Ballet’s Nicolas Blanc — whom Sofranko worked with at the San Francisco Ballet — will undoubtedly be equally unique and impressive.

For a WKTV video on the program, click here.

But the five other works on the program will be original choreographic efforts by members of the dance company, including Nigel Tau, who apprenticed with the Grand Rapids Ballet in 2015 before joining the company in 2016.

(WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“I think it is wonderful to give an opportunity to the dancers … you do not necessarily have a lot of opportunities given to you,” Sofranko said to WKTV. “This is a program that is about creating new works … you are experimenting and this is a program where it is meant to be an exploration.”

Tau, according to his supplied biography, began dancing at age 10 with The Academy of Dance in his home town of Savannah, Georgia. In 2013, he became a trainee with Next Generation Ballet, and performed in the school’s own productions as well as with Opera Tampa and the Florida Orchestra. He went on to train with BalletMet on a full scholarship, where he performed and rehearsed alongside the company.

Tau’s work, titled “Errant Thoughts”, will not only be the dancer’s first dance creation but will continue his artistic journey — the journey of all artists, really — where excitement and frustration often exist side-by-side.

(WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“This piece is about two different things,” Tau said to WKTV. “It is the story of someone who has had a passion project, or a work they have really be invested in … that feeling of inspiration and excitement … (but also) that continuing cycle of excitement and frustration — is it good enough?”

Bottomline: Handmade is usually pretty good, and Tau’s work, as with the others on the program, are handmade.

MOVEMEDIA: Handmade will be on stage Friday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m.

For tickets visit GRballet.com or call 616-454-4771 x10. The Peter Martin Wege Theatre is located at 341 Elllsworth Avenue SW, Grand Rapids.

Theater festival creating a storm of its own

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GEM Theatrics presents “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry” Feb. 22-24 at the Lake Effect Fringe Festival. (Supplied)

By Mary Beth Quillin

The snow maybe over, but there is still flurries in the forecast..theater flurries as the Lake Effect Fringe Festival takes center stage this month.

The annual event, which is in its seventh year, celebrates local theater with a host of events taking place at the Dog Story Theatre, 7 Jefferson SE, throughout the month and into early March.

Activities kicked off Monday with the Dog Story Theatre’s popular Comedy Outlet Mondays that will run every Monday, Feb. 11, 18, and 25, throughout the Festival at 7 p.m.  Comedy Outlet Mondays (COM) is an experimental comedy hub in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids.

New to the Festival is an improv workshop and Collywobbles Theatre Company from Fennville, Mich., will present Touch the Names for one night only. Also new this year: Industry Sundays! Bring a playbill or a website you can call up on your phone to show you’ve been involved in a West Michigan production over the past year and pay just $10. This offer is available only at Sunday performances and for ticket sales at the door.

Tickets for all events can be purchased in advance on the Dog Story Theater website, www.dogstorytheater.comand are $15/adults and $10/students & seniors.

This year’s full schedule includes:

February 11, 18, 25 & March 4  

Dog Story’s popular Comedy Outlet Mondays will continue throughout the Festival at 7:00 pm each Monday night.  Comedy Outlet Mondays (COM) is a staple for locals and visitors that takes place at Dog Story Theater in downtown Grand Rapids. The only one of its kind, COM is a weekly comedy variety show that features stand up, sketch, improv, and experimental comedic acts- now with live performances by local Musical Guest Artists! Audiences can look forward to a stage full of talent, special events, and a free improv jam for all skill levels after the show. Now in our fourth year, Comedy Outlet Mondays will be adding even more programming and opportunities for local comedic performers. The show is $6.

Feb. 8 – 10; 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday & Sunday
The Brutal Sea presents The Day the Earth Refused to Die, by Declan Maher
Follow a group of college students through the nightmare-proxy “Somnam” service as well as the planning process of their yearly celebration of the planet’s narrow survival. Along for the ride is the chronically-oversharing Priestess of the 1000th Dimension and her mysterious shadow, Agent Condor. A hilarious and frightening romp through dreamscapes and potential realities, this show will both delight and challenge its audience. It contains mature content and may not be suitable for young viewers.

Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company will be presenting “The Seagull” Feb. 14 – 17. (Photo from production of “Caesar.”)

Feb. 14 – 17; 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday
The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company presents The Seagull, by Anton Chekhov
In a version by Christopher Hampton, based on a literal translation by Vera Liber. The Seagull follows the contentious relationship between famous actress Irina Arkadina and her son, the aspiring playwright Konstantin Treplev. When Arkadina begins a relationship with the writer Boris Trigorin, whom she brings to her family’s summer home, jealousy and resentment break out. With a play-within-a-play, references to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and an exploration of the world as stage, The Seagullhas many connections to Shakespearean theatre. Pigeon Creek’s production will employ many of the companies’ signature staging conditions, such as cross-gendered casting, direct audience contact, and live music and sound effects to bring Chekhov’s classic to life.  Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company is Michigan’s only year-round, touring Shakespeare Company.

Feb. 16, Saturday; 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Alistair Watt returns to G.R. from Second City with an Improv Workshop!
In this 3 hour workshop we will touch on the idea of going in the scene while taking care of yourself.  Ever go into a scene and realize you didn’t bring anything to the table? This will help you practice always being prepared to play.

Feb. 19; 8 p.m.

Collywobbles Theatre Company of Fennvillepresents Touch the Names, by Randal Mylar & Chic Streetman

A staged reading with music, this touching play is based on letters and artifacts left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall from fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, and comrades. The title refers to the memorial, in which the names of those who died in Vietnam are etched into a sunken wall of black granite, able to be felt by searching fingertips.  Directed by Carole Fletcher-Catherine  One Night Only!

February 22 – 24; 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday

GEM Theatrics presents Give ‘Em Hell, Harry, by Samuel Gallu

A one-man show starring Gary E. Mitchell as Harry S. Truman, our 33rd President, directed by Mary Beth Quillin.Written and performed after the Watergate scandal and Nixon’s resignation, the play and the Truman are surprisingly timely again as the nation faces yet another scandalous presidency, with an uncertain outcome.  The play offers a refreshing view of a man who viewed public service as an honorable undertaking and a noble calling.  It premiered at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 17, 1975 and was attended by then President Gerald R. Ford. This production contains strong language.

Feb. 26 & 27; 7 p.m. 

The Curious Arrow presents Polarea and the Cloud Weaver, by Stephen Douglas Wright:  A reading of a new script, Tuesday, Feb. 26 only.

The suicidal Sun refuses to rise, leaving the burden of carrying “the light” to the Moon. When the exhausted Moon crash lands, it’s left to Polarea to get “the light” back in the sky.

Wednesday, Feb. 27

The Behavior of Wings, by Steven Bogart. 

Mr. Bogart’s play Two Men and the Moon was chosen as an audience favorite for our Lucid Festival, so we are presenting a reading of this full length play. An eighteen year old college student drops out of her freshman year of college and shows up at her father’s campsite in the mountains of Mexico where he has been trying to protect the Monarch Butterflies.

March 1 -3; 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday & Sunday

The University Wits presents It’s Just a Play, by Terrence McNally

It’s opening night of Peter Austin’s new play as he anxiously awaits to see if his show is a hit. With his career on the line, he shares his big First Night with his best friend, a television star, his fledgling producer, his erratic leading lady, his wunderkind director, an infamous drama critic, and a wide-eyed coat check attendant on his first night in Manhattan. It’s alternately raucous, ridiculous and tender — reminding audiences why there’s no business like show business.

The Lake Effect Fringe Festival seeks to highlight performer-focused theater in a non-traditional theater space, creating an intimate performance experience for audiences who can expect different seating configurations and differing levels of interaction with the performers at any given performance.

All performances take place in the black box performance space of the Dog Story Theater, 7 Jefferson SE, Grand Rapids, 49503. Tickets for all events can be purchased in advance on the Dog Story Theater’s website: www.dogstorytheater.com, and are $15/adults and $10/students and seniors. “Industry Sunday

Acclaimed authors to discuss their craft during GVSU Writers Series winter events

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Visiting professor Gale Thompson will present at a faculty reading on Feb. 5. (Supplied)

By Matthew Makowski
GVSU

Two Grand Valley State University writing faculty members will discuss the inner workings of their creativity and craft during the annual Grand Valley Writers Series.

Chris Haven, associate professor of writing, and Gale Thompson, visiting professor, will present a faculty reading on Tuesday Feb. 5, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Mary Idema Pew Library Multi-Purpose Room, located on the Allendale Campus.

Haven teaches courses in intermediate and advanced fiction, beginning creative writing, style and techniques, and composition among other topics. His short fiction and flash fiction have appeared or are forthcoming in Threepenny Review, New Orleans Review, Arts & Letters, Massachusetts Review, Electric Literature, and Kenyon Review Online. His poems can be read in Cincinnati Review, Pleiades, Mid-American Review, and Beloit Poetry Journal, and prose poems from his Terrible Emmanuel series have appeared in Denver Quarterly, Sycamore Review, North America Review, and Seneca Review. He has been teaching writing at Grand Valley since 2002.

GVSU Associate Professor of Writing Chris Haven also will present on Feb. 5. (Supplied)

Thompson is the author of Soldier On (2015) and two chapbooks. Throughout her career, Thompson has received fellowships from the Vermont Studio Center and Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. Her work has appeared in or is scheduled to appear in Gulf Coast, American Poetry Review, Guernica, jubilat, Bennington Review, and Colorado Review. She is also the founding editor of Jellyfish Magazine.

The Grand Valley Writers Series will offer two additional events this winter season:

Poetry Craft Talk and Reading with Janine Joseph and Oliver Baez Bendorf
Thursday, March 14
Craft talk: 6:15-7:15 p.m., DeVos Center, room 121E, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Reading: 7:30-8:30 p.m., University Club, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

Nonfiction Craft Talk and Reading with Sarah Einstein
Monday, April 8
Craft talk: 3-4:15 p.m., Kirkhof Center, room 2270, Allendale Campus
Reading: 6-7:30 p.m., Mary Idema Pew Library Multi-Purpose Room, Allendale Campus

For more information, contact Todd Kaneko, series coordinator, at kanekot@gvsu.edu, or visit gvsu.edu/writing.

William Shatner ‘beams’ into Grand Rapids

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment
William Shanter comes to Grand Rapids in April.

By Mike Klompstra
DeVos Performance Hall

Set phasers to stun and beam yourself to SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall on Friday, April 5, 2019 at 7:30 PM for an unforgettable night with the one and only WILLIAM SHATNER, live on stage. Audiences will enjoy a screening of the classic film “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” on the big screen, followed by a live conversation with the one and only “Captain James T. Kirk.” A limited number of VIP tickets will be available which include premium seating and a photo opportunity with Mr. Shatner.

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster for all current pricing and availability. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.

Shatner will be sharing fascinating and humorous stories from portraying the original Captain Kirk in the “Star Trek” television series and movies, and from his career spanning more than 50 years as an award-winning actor, producer, director and writer. Fans will also have a chance to ask Mr. Shatner their questions during the audience-led Q&A.

Don’t miss your chance to see a Hollywood legend in this thrill-of-a-lifetime evening. Produced by Mills Entertainment and The Backlot Project.

About William Shatner

William Shatner has cultivated a career spanning over 50 years as an award-winning actor, director, producer, writer, recording artist, and horseman.  In 1966, Shatner originated the role of “Captain James T. Kirk” in the television series Star Trek, a show that spawned a feature film franchise where Shatner returned as Captain Kirk in seven of the Star Trek movies, one of which he directed. He’s won Emmys and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of lawyer “Denny Crane” on both The Practice and Boston Legal.  He received four more Emmy nominations as well as other Golden Globe and SAG Award nods. 

His love of music inspired him to record the critically acclaimed album Has Been. William Shatner’s book, Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man, appeared on the NY Times Bestseller list, and his newest book, Spirit of the Horse: A Celebration in Fact and Fable, was released in May 2017. Shatner continues to act, write, produce and direct while still making time to work with charities and further his passion in equestrian sports.  He and his wife, Elizabeth, and three married children live in Los Angeles.

GVSU Opera Theatre presents the family-friendly musical “Wonderful Town”

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,
Elise Endres is Eileen and Mikayla Berghorst is Ruth in GVSU Opera Theatre’s “Wonderful Town.”

By Matthew Makowski
GVSU

Sisters Ruth and Eileen Sherwood leave behind their ordinary lives in a rural Ohio town in pursuit of fulfilling their dreams in New York City.

Filled with swinging show tunes, Grand Valley State University students will showcase how “Wonderful Town” captures the thrill of two sisters trying to change their lives. 

GVSU Opera Theatre will present “Wonderful Town” Feb. 8, 9, 15, and 16, at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 10 and 17 at 2 p.m. All shows will take place in Louis Armstrong Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus. 

Ruth is an aspiring writer played by Mikayla Berghorst, a junior majoring in vocal performance. Berghorst said her favorite aspect of adopting the character of Ruth has been portraying a different kind of personality than she is used to on stage. 

“My favorite part about playing Ruth is being able to portray an older, strong-minded, sarcastic character because I have often played younger, weaker characters,” said Berghorst. “The most challenging part has been stepping out of my comfort zone on stage. Ruth is a wacky character, and I often find myself mentally and emotionally exhausted after rehearsals.” 

Elise Endres, a freshman majoring in music, will portray Eileen in “Wonderful Town” — a dancer who wants to pursue a life on stage. Endres said her approach to the character is one of balance. 

“Eileen is a very sweet people-person, but also a bit of a ditsy flirt and that element of this character has been fun to bring to the table and stage,” said Endres. “Having said that, the most challenging part of this character is really making her ditsy nature come to life while not making it too unbelievable!” 

Dale Schriemer, GVSU Opera Theatre artistic director said “Wonderful Town” was an easy choice to bring to the Grand Valley stage. “It’s such a fun show and written by the genius team of Leonard Bernstein (music) and Comden and Green (book and lyrics),” he said. “It’s a delightful comedy with sing-along music, comic situations that are inventive and clever, and the whole cast gets to do a lot of different things.” “Wonderful Town” will be directed by alumnus, Christopher Carter, ’09.

Tickets for “Wonderful Town” are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and Grand Valley faculty and staff, $7 for students, and $10 for groups of 10 or more. They are available at the Louis Theatre Armstrong Box Office, located in the Haas Center, or via startickets.com.  For more information, contact the Louis Armstrong Theatre Box Office at (616) 331-2300 or visit gvsu.edu/theater.

From ‘America’s Got Talent’ to the Met, Sean Panikker is definitely the definition of a crossover artist

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Sean Panikker performs Thursday, Feb. 7, as part of the Opera Grand Rapids newly launched Opera Unlimited Series. (Photo credit: Kristina Sherk)

NOTE: Due to illness, the Feb. 7 concert has been canceled. Contact Opera Grand Rapids for information on ticket refunds, 616-451-2741, ext. 103.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Not many people can say they have performed at the Metropolitan Opera and for Howard Stern on “America’s Got Talent,” but its only a couple of the many accomplishments opera star Sean Panikkar has on his résumé. 

“With Forte, (the classical-crossover-operatic pop trio that Panikker is a member of), we have a popular music fan base that discovered us on TV,” Panikkar said. “It is quite different to perform for that base than opera crowds…

“There is some overlap and particularly right after we were on ‘American’s Got Talent,’ a number of Forte fans traveled across the country to see me in various operas. Forth Worth Opera had Forte perform at concerts the day after I sang a performance of Pearl Fishers on the same Bass Hall stage.

That was the perfect confluence of what crossover can do for the classical opera world as the majority of the Forte fans had never seen an opera, but made a week of it and attend both shows.”

Opera Grand Rapids is looking to have the same crossover connection as Forte performed for the Opera Grand Rapids’ 50th Anniversary Gala last May and now Panikkar will perform solo Thursday, Feb. 7, as part of Opera Grand Rapids’ newly launched Opera Unlimited Series.

“Opera Grand Rapids is a mission driven organization , that translates into our creating opportunities to engage all of our citizens through the power of music and opera,” said Oper Grand Rapids Artist Director Maestro James Meena, “By using these universal qualities, Opera Grand Rapids can bring people from diverse backgrounds together for a shared, positive experience.”

Panikkar too, believes it is important for opera companies to foster growth of classical music by doing more outreach and education in the communities.”

“If you ask any opera singer which audiences are the best ones they have performed for, it will always be a final dress rehearsal crowd where the company invited local school students to attend,” Panikkar said. “They are the most enthusiastic and receptive crowd. They experience opera the way it was meant to be experienced and it resonates more with them if the people on stage reflect the community they are in.”

Presentations in the Opera Unlimited Series that have taken place already this season include an appearance by Opera Grand Rapids at the Grand Rapids Hispanic Festival, a Season Kick-Off Party highlighting local talent, and two masterclass presentations by Meena.

Accompanying Panikkar is pianist Rohan De Silva, who was worked with violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman and teaches as MSU. (Photo credit: Chris Beebe)

For the February program, Panikkar is set to perform with Rohan De Silva, who has partnerships with many of the leading violin virtuosos such as Itzhak Perlman and Joshua Bell. The evening will feature a mixture of opera and art songs in the Betty Vandel Opera Center. 

“Choosing repertoire for recitals is a bit of an art form,” Panikkar said. “My goal in a recital is always perform things that are interesting to me, the pianist, and the audience. Too often, I have attended recitals that were focused soley on challenging the audience and while there is a value in that, I prefer to have a more balanced approach of styles while also presenting beautiful music.”

Originally from Sri Lanka, Panikkar grew up in Bloomsburg, Penn. He came to Michigan as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan and “I immediately fell in love with Ann Arbor.” He stayed at UofM for his masters and then moved to San Francisco to train as an Alder Fellow for the San Francisco Opera. Panikkar loves midwestern sensibilities and “the fact that we have four seasons,” so when his wife and him were expecting, they moved back to Michigan, living in Ann Arbor. 

He looks forward to bringing his passion for music to the Grand Rapids area.

“I genuinely love everything I am performing in the moment and I approach every rehearsal and performance with an attitude of gratitude for the opportunity to sing,” Panikkar said. “It doesn’t matter whether I am singing Mozart, a world premiere, atonal music, or contemporary crossover, I love it all and I find the beauty in it.”

Panikkar, accompanied by Rohan de Silva, performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center, 1320 Fulton St. E. Tickets are $25/general and $5/students with ID. For tickets or more information, call 616-451-2741, ext. 3, or visit operagr.org.

Presentation showcases 100 years of West Michigan’s tourism history

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  • 1923
  • 1935
  • 1940
  • 1955
  • 1969
  • 1982-83

By Jeremy Witt
West Michigan Tourist Association

Dan Sippel, Executive Director at the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA), will introduce M. Christine Byron and her husband Thomas R. Wilson when they present the 100-year history West Michigan Tourist Association to the Rockford Area Historical Society Thursday, Feb. 7. The 1 p.m. meeting is at the Rockford Community Cabin on Monroe Street.

The West Michigan Tourist Association was founded in Grand Rapids in 1917. Established as a non-profit organization based on membership, it was the first grass-roots tourist association in the country. At the time, the tourist industry was in its infancy.

The 1951 Carefree Days guide from the West Michigan Tourist Association (supplied)

Although railroad lines, steamship companies, and various hotels and resorts promoted the region they served, there was no concentrated effort to boost the tourism advantages of the state. With strong leadership and the committed members of WMTA, tourism has grown into one of Michigan’s leading industries. Byron & Wilson will feature some of the noteworthy efforts to advertise and promote our state over the last 100 years.

Byron is retired from the Grand Rapids Public Library and together she and her husband have written five books focusing on the history of West Michigan tourism. They have been collecting postcards and Michigan tourism ephemera for more than 30 years.

The public is welcome to this event. In the event that Rockford Public Schools close due to bad weather the Rockford Area Historical Society will not meet.

Actors’ Theatre heads to the hills in latest production

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Actors’ Theatre of Grand Rapids is doing something a little different this month — the family-friendly production “The Burnt Part Boys.”

“Actors’ is known for doing awesome, sometimes controversial productions,” said director Jolene Frankey. “So it is kind of fun to be able to do something that is entirely family friendly. It is a wonderful treat for our awesome core patrons along with providing us an opportunity to reach people who wouldn’t normally come to an Actors’ production.”

Opening on Friday, Feb. 1 (due to the weather), “The Burnt Part Boys” takes place in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia and follows the story of two brothers, 14-year-old Pete and his older brother Jake.

A report over the radio announces the plans of the Pickaway Coal Company to reopen a mine where a collapse and fire killed the brothers’ father 10 years earlier. The spot is called “the burnt place.” Jake has been picked to lead the reopening, angering Pete who vows to destroy “the burnt place.” The announcement leads both boys with friends in tow on a journey of self-discovery with the ghost of the miners following their progress.

“The music is so distinctive,” Frankey said as to what drew her to “The Burnt Part Boys.” To be honest, the songs from the show are not familiar and Frankey added that the show’s “obscurity is its charm.”

“The music is really reflective of what is taking place,” Frankey said. “It is an eclectic blend of various music such as folk and pop, all wrapped into musical theater. It has such an unusual feel yet it is so authoritative. It is not a hokey rendition of the backwoods of the Appalachians.”

There are guitars and banjo to chains and lead pipes all used to create the country- and bluegrass-flavored songs written by Chris Miller and lyrics by Nathan Tysen. The songs, according to The New York Times, “are rousing anthems to dangerous excitements of working the mines.”

Items used in a mine, such as ladders, lights, shovels, are used throughout the production, creating the landscape of the Appalachians with the ghosts of the miners serving as the map the boys follow on their quest to “the burnt part.”

“The Burnt Part Boys” opens Friday, Feb. 1, and runs through Feb. 9 at GRCC’s Spectrum Theater, 160 Fountain NE. Show time is 8 p.m Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and 3 p.m Sunday. Tickets are $24 and $28.For more information or to purchase tickets, visit actorstheatregrandrapids.org.

Frankie & Myrrh up next for Public Museum’s Concerts Under the Stars

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Frankie & Myrrh perform Feb. 7 at the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium.

By Christie Bender
Grand Rapids Public Museum

Sit back and experience the wonder of the cosmos with the wonder of music! The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) welcomes Frankie & Myrrh for the second concert in the Concerts Under the Stars series on Thursday, Feb. 7, in the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium.

The sound of Frankie & Myrrh has been touted as music for driving on an empty late night city highway with bright sodium lights and 24 hour convenience store parking lots in the summer when you were 20. Makes you want to dance, kind of leaves a sense of assured loneliness and the acceptance of it. Accompanying Frankie & Myrrh with live visuals on the planetarium dome will be Meghan Moe Beitiks.

 Meghan Moe Beitiks, has designed lights for the California Academy of Sciences, the Asian Art Museum, SF Sketchfest, and Atom-R. She is an artist working with associations and disassociations of culture/nature/structure, analyzing perceptions of ecology through the lenses of site, history, and emotions in order to produce work that interrogates relationships with the non-human. She was a Fulbright Student Fellow in Scenic Design to Latvia and a recipient of the Edes Foundation Prize for Emerging Artists. She received her BA in Theater Arts from the University of California at Santa Cruz and her MFA in Performance Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at Grand Valley State University, and has designed media for previous Concerts Under the Stars in 2018.

Concerts Under the Stars will begin at 7:30 p.m., with Museum doors opening at 6:30 p.m. New this year, performers will play two sets, with a short intermission in between. Refreshments, beer and other beverages will be available for purchase.

Tickets are $12 for GRPM members and $15 for non-members if purchased in advance, and $15 for members and $18 for non-members on the day of the concert. Tickets are currently on sale at grpm.org, by calling 616.929.1700 or at the Museum’s front desk.

The 2019 Concerts Under the Stars series will continue on February 28 with ambient R&B from Bronze Wolf and conclude on March 21 with the electronic sounds of Pink Sky.


On the shelf: ‘Lost and Found’ by Carolyn Parkhurst

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , ,

By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Carolyn Parkhurst takes us behind the scenes in the filming of reality television show “Lost and Found” in her book of the same title. The object of the show is to successfully complete a worldwide scavenger hunt in a two-person team to win a million-dollar prize. I was skeptical about the plot since I am not a fan of reality television and didn’t think it would work well as the setting of a book, but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. I identified completely with the members of the various teams as they struggled with personal issues that arose as the competition’s heat increased. Parkhurst also raises several questions in this story that force the reader to do some self-reflection without taking away from the story itself, which I think helps the reader feel more involved.

 

Parkhurst tells her story from multiple perspectives by writing in the voices of the various characters. The drama produced by several points of view heightened the tension. If you’re in the market for a different kind of plot, you may want to consider Lost and Found.

On the shelf: ‘Cell’ by Stephen King

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Reviews, , , ,

By Kristen Corrado, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Stephen King is a divisive author — you either love him or hate him — but there aren’t many people who fall in the middle. I think that to really appreciate King’s work, you need to look past his reputation to see the themes in his writing: friendship, loyalty, steadfastness, a sense of fun. In many of his books, he spins modern day morality tales, only in his version, instead of wearing a scarlet A on your chest, something a little more sinister may happen to you. The great thing about King is that he never takes himself too seriously and in between the chaos and horror he creates, he will often throw in a laugh out loud moment.

 

In his latest work, Cell, King lets us in early on what is wrong with society today: we spend too much time talking on cell phones and not enough time talking to each other face to face. And what happens to people who spend too much time on their cells? The pulse, a frequency transmitted through their phone, fries their brains and they turn into zombie-like creatures who want to kill all the remaining unaffected people or “normies.”

 

The story follows down-on-his-luck illustrator Clayton Riddell, who after the pulse bands together with other normies to get back to his Maine hometown to find his estranged wife and son. As the very fabric of civilization falls down around him, Clayton and his travel partners struggle to maintain their humanity and hope. Their journey from Boston to Maine is not only a physical journey, but a mental one as well. They start out in denial of what has happened to their world but by the end of their journey they have come to the understanding that the world in which they now live is a very different place.

 

This is a classic King novel — fast moving, gripping and graphic. He writes relatable characters in realistic scenes. (Who would expect the apocalypse to happen as you were buying an ice cream cone? Who wouldn’t try and call a loved one in an emergency?) In the end his message is clear — bad things can happen when we start to lose touch with our humanity. And maybe cell phones aren’t all they are cracked up to be.

Bahamian actors to perform during 25th season of GVSU Shakespeare Festival

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,
Bard Beyond Borders will perform “Sizwe Banzi is Dead” Jan. 31 – Feb. 1.

By Matthew Makowski
GVSU

The 25th anniversary season of the Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival will continue when actors from Nassau in the Bahamas visit the Allendale Campus to perform one of the most critically acclaimed productions ever presented in the Bahamas.

The festival’s “Bard Beyond Borders” series will present performances of “Sizwe Banzi is Dead” January 31 and February 1 at 7:30 p.m. and February 2 at 2 p.m. in the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts. A condensed version of the production will be performed during Grand Valley’s Arts at Noon series on January 30 from 12-1 p.m. in the Cook-DeWitt Center.

All performances are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Louis Armstrong Box Office at (616) 331-2300.

Written by Athol Fugard, “Sizwe Banzi is Dead” is set in the landscape of South Africa’s apartheid era, a time of institutionalized racial segregation that spanned from 1948 until the early 1990s.

The story confronts the struggles faced by people of color during that time and addresses broader questions of human worth and identity. This is done through the lens of a man getting his picture taken in a photography studio.

“Sizwe Bansi is Dead” was originally featured during the 2014 Shakespeare in Paradise Theatre Festival, and these performances will reunite the director and the original two cast members.

“This is a special offering to celebrate something which acknowledges that theater is a global communicator and that we can all connect through it,” said Karen Libman, professor of theater. “We are excited to offer our students and the community the chance to see high-quality theater that they might not necessarily see otherwise.”

Grand Valley’s history with the Shakespeare in Paradise Theatre Festival dates back to 2011 when Bard to Go, the university’s traveling student Shakespeare troupe, was first invited to perform at the festival. Bard to Go also performed at the festival in 2017.

While at Grand Valley, the Shakespeare in Paradise Theatre Festival actors will also facilitate theater workshops and classroom visits for students.

The Bard Beyond Borders series will continue in April with performances by a Shakespeare company from Egypt.

Grand Rapids Symphony presents ‘Tchaikovsky Festival’ Feb. 8-9

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,
Cellist Andrei Ioniţă joins the Grand Rapids Symphony for the ‘Tchaikovsky Festival’ Feb. 8-9. (Supplied)

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
Grand Rapids Symphony

Proclaimed as “the most Russian of all Russian composers” by Igor Stravinsky, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was one of Western classical music’s most illustrious romantic composers. From the bombastic 1812 Overture to the enchanting Nutcracker ballet, Tchaikovsky’s music never fails to sweep listeners off of their feet.

The Grand Rapids Symphony’s Tchaikovsky Festival will celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky with a program featuring four pieces by the 19th century composer including At Bedtime, Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Andante Cantabile for Cello and String Orchestra, and the Symphony No. 4 in F minor. 

The Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series concert is led by music director Marcelo Lehninger. The orchestra will be joined by the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and cellist Andrei Ioniţă, winner of the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition.

The Grand Rapids Symphony also will perform at the ‘Tchaikovsky Festival” set for Feb. 8-9. (Supplied)

Join in the festivities on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 8-9 at 8 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall.

The Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus is sponsored by Mary Tuuk. Romanian cellist Andrei Ioniţă’s appearance is sponsored by the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.

Organized in 1962 with the guidance and support of Mary Ann Keeler, the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus attracts singers, ages 18 to 80, from all walks of life across West Michigan. In its 57th season as an affiliate of the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Chorus has joined the Symphony in performances of Mozart’s Mass in C minor and the Wolverine Worldwide Holiday Pops.

Tchaikovsky’s music has a wide range of style and emotion, drawing inspiration from folk music to composers like Haydn and Mozart. With his Variations on a Rococo Theme, Tchaikovsky attempted to embody the simple elegance of 18th century music.

He had a reverence for Mozart in particular, as he told the Petersburg Life newspaper in an 1892 interview. “I was 16 when I heard Mozart’s Don Giovanni for the first time. For me, this was a revelation: I cannot find words to describe the overwhelming power of the impression which it made on me. It is probably due to this fact that of all the great composers it is Mozart for whom I feel the most tender love.”

Andrei Ioniţă, born in 1994 in Bucharest, began taking piano lessons at the age of 5 and received his first cello lesson three years later. His Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2015 launched his flourishing career as a soloist and has performed in concert halls around the globe.

The San Diego Union Tribune declared that, “Ioniţă displayed an uncanny sureness of intonation and a beauty of tone, no matter how far his fingers traveled on the strings or how high his lines soared.”

Besides the popular Variations on a Rococo Theme, Ioniţă also will join the Grand Rapids Symphony for the Andante Cantabile for Cello and Orchestra, an arrangement of the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s first string quartet, which was performed at a concert honoring author Leo Tolstoy.

Of all late 19th century composers, Tchaikovsky had a knack for writing beautiful and eloquent melodies. The main melody of the Andante Cantabile is a Ukrainian folk song, but the secondary melody is Tchaikovsky’s, and the two melodies combined created music that brought Tolstoy to tears at its debut.

At the time he wrote his Symphony No. 4, Tchaikovsky had just entered a disastrous marriage that would end in divorce less than a year later. It comes as no surprise that his tumultuous personal life is reflected in the theme of his symphony.

In a letter to his friend and supporter, Madame von Meck, Tchaikovsky revealed the meaning behind his Fourth Symphony. “The introduction is the germ of the entire symphony, its central idea. This is Fate, the force that prevents our hopes of happiness from being realized, that jealously watches to see that peace and happiness not be complete or unclouded. Successive new themes express growing discontent and despair. A sweet vision appears but bitter Fate awakens us. Life is a continuous, shifting, grim reality.”

The composer was pleased with the symphony and considered it to be some of his best work. Though in another letter to von Meck, Tchaikovsky couldn’t help but wonder of the fate of the symphony itself. “What lies in store for this symphony? Will it survive long after its author has disappeared from the face of the earth, or straight away plunge into the depths of oblivion?”

Tchaikovsky would undoubtedly be pleased to know that fate has been kind to his symphony. Not only has his music survived, but it is celebrated to this day. 

  • Inside the Music, a free, pre-concert, multi-media presentation sponsored by BDO USA, will be held before each performance at 7 p.m. in the DeVos Place Recital Hall
  • The complete Tchaikovsky Festival program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, April 21, 2019, at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.


Tickets


Tickets for the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series start at $18 and are available at the Grand Rapids Symphony box office, weekdays 9 am – 5 pm 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 $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum).


Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 am – 6 pm or on the day of the concert beginning two hours before the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.


Special Offers


Full-time students of any age can purchase tickets for $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Tickets program, sponsored by Calvin College. Discounts are available to members of MySymphony360, the Grand Rapids Symphony’s organization for young professionals ages 21-35.


Students age 7-18 also are able to attend for free when accompanied by an adult. Free for Kids tickets must be purchased in advance at the GRS Ticket office. Up to two free tickets are available with the purchase of a regular-price adult ticket. Go online for more details.


Symphony Scorecard provides up to four free tickets for members of the community receiving financial assistance from the State of Michigan and for members of the U.S. Armed Forces, whether on active or reserve duty or serving in the National Guard. Go online for information to sign up with a Symphony Scorecard Partner Agency.

Chris Stapleton’s 2019 ‘All-American Road Show’ comes to Grand Rapids

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment,

By Mike Klompstra
SMG

Chris Stapleton will continue his extensive, sold-out “All-American Road Show” through 2019 with newly confirmed performances this summer and fall. The shows will kick-off July 9 at Allentown’s PPL Center and will makes its way to SMG-managed Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids on Friday, August 16, at 7 p.m. Guest openers include Brent Cobb and The Marcus King Band.

Stapleton Fan Club pre-sales will begin Tuesday, January 29 at 10 a.m. local time. For more information visitwww.stapletonfanclub.com.

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of four (4) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.

Fans on Van Andel Arena’s email list will have access to a presale on Thursday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. In order to receive access, sign up to the list by January 30. Sign up for the email list here.

Citi is the official presale credit card of Chris Stapleton’s “All-American Road Show” tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets for U.S. dates beginning Tuesday, January 29 at 10:00 AM local time until Thursday, January 31 at 10:00 PM local time through Citi’s Private Pass Program. For complete presale details visitwww.citiprivatepass.com.

The newly confirmed shows follow yet another monumental year for Stapleton, who is nominated in three categories at the 61st GRAMMY Awards: Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 2) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Millionaire”) as well as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for his performance on Justin Timberlake’s “Say Something.” Additionally, last year, Stapleton won Male Vocalist of the Year (for the fourth-straight year), Single of the Year (“Broken Halos”) and Song of the Year (“Broken Halos”) at The 52 Annual CMA Awards, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 1 as both artist and producer) at the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards, Top Country Artist, Top Country Male Artist and Top Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1) at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards and Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1), Best Country Song (“Broken Halos”) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Either Way”) at the 60th GRAMMY Awards.

Released in December 2017 on Mercury Records Nashville, From A Room: Volume 2 takes its name from Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A (the capital “A” in “From A Room”) where it was recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb. Along with Stapleton on vocals and guitar and Cobb on acoustic guitar, the album features Morgane Stapleton on harmony vocals as well as longtime band-members J.T. Cure on bass and Derek Mixon on drums.

In addition to his work as a solo artist, Stapleton is also featured on Justin Timberlake’s “Say Something.” The music video—which was filmed in a single shot at L.A.’s historic Bradbury Building—has been viewed over 287 million times. Watch here.

Beatles tribute band comes to DeVos Performance Hall

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,
1964 The Tribute comes to DeVos Performance Hall April 18. Tickets go on sale Friday. (Supplied/Steven Gardner)

By Mike Klompstra
DeVos Performance Hall

They’ve been called the “born again Beatles.” 1964 The Tribute recreates a Beatles concert exactly as it was in 1964, from the haircuts, the voices, the suits, the boots, to the vintage instruments. If you miss The Beatles, don’t miss 1964 The Tribute in DeVos Performance Hall , on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m.

Rolling Stone magazine has named them the #1 Beatles show, and they have seven straight sellouts at Carnegie Hall.

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, January 25 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Prices are subject to change.

“1964” focuses on the quintessential moment in history, when The Beatles played before a LIVE audience. The Beatles toured the world in the early 1960’s, but now only a precious few remain who saw them LIVE; who felt the “mania” that brought them to world acclaim. Today, all that remains are a few scant memories and some captured images in pictures and on poor quality film and video. “1964” meticulously re-creates the “MAGIC” of those LIVE Beatles’ performances with artful precision and unerring accuracy.

Banjo ‘King and Queen’ Fleck, Washburn return to St. Cecilia folk series stage

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events,

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

They say that folk music is at it best where its played by family about real people. If that is true — and the musical proof of such things is in the listening — than Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn’s late-2018 recording of two songs for a video by renowned dance company Pilobolus may well be the art of folk music at its perfection.

The musical evidence will likely be heard Saturday, Feb. 9, as the husband and wife duo, both accomplished and innovative banjo artists, return to St. Cecilia Music Center’s Royce Auditorium for an Acoustic Café Folk Series concert.

Tickets are still available.

Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn. (Supplied/Courtesy of the Artists)

In fall 2017, Fleck and Washburn released their second full-length studio album together, “Echo In The Valley”, an 11-track LP includes the two banjo players playing folk and bluegrass music. In October of last year, the duo released a new single that married two songs from that album, which also is the soundtrack for the Pilobolus music video.
 
 
The new single and video pairs “Come All You Coal Miners” — written by Sarah Ogan Gunning, an Appalachian ballad singer, activist and wife of a coal miner — with Fleck and Washburn’s own “Take Me to Harlan.”


Fleck and Washburn, who have been called “the king and queen of the banjo”, return to St. Cecilia after a sold-out concert midwinter in 2018.

“Béla and Abigail are two of the most delightful and gracious musicians we’ve hosted in concert,” Cathy Holbrook, executive director of St. Cecilia, said in supplied material. “Their warmth and love of music reflects in their amazing show.”

Fleck is a 15-time Grammy Award winner who has taken the instrument across multiple genres, and, according to supplied material, Washburn is a singer-songwriter and clawhammer banjo player who re-radicalized it by combining it with Far East culture and sounds. “Echo in the Valley” is the follow up to Fleck and Washburn’s self-titled debut that earned the 2016 Grammy for Best Folk Album.

“The mission of ‘Echo in the Valley’ was to take our double banjo combination of three finger and clawhammer styles to the next level and find things to do together that we had not done before,” Fleck said in supplied material. “We’re expressing different emotions through past techniques and going to deeper places.”

Acoustic Café Folk Series remaining concerts

The Acoustic Café Series, in partnership with the syndicated radio show of the same name, features five remaining folk concerts this season. Following Fleck and Washburn are: The War and Treaty, on Sunday, on Feb. 24; The Milk Carton Kids, on Thursday, Feb. 28; Asleep at the Wheel, on Thursday, April 11; and guitar master Leo Kottke on Thursday, April 18.

Tickets for Fleck and Washburn

Fleck and Washburn concert tickets are $45 and $50 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 www.scmc-online.org.  A post-concert party with complimentary wine and scmc-online.org beer bar is offered to all ticket-holders. All ticket prices include service fees and no additional fees are charged.

On the shelf: ‘The Widower’ by Liesel Litzenburger

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Reviews, , , ,

By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

East Grand Rapids writer Liesel Litsenburger’s novel The Widower weaves together the stories of several characters living in a small northern Michigan town. The widower, Swanton Robey, is trapped in his grief over his young wife’s death. Joseph Geewa came to work in Robey’s orchards after twenty years in prison. Geewa’s niece, Grace Blackwater, harbors a secret love for Robey. Ray Ford, the local emergency medical technician, questions his role in the “lifesaving business” when his wife leaves him for another man. Other characters have their own secret lives, which manage to intertwine in the most unexpected ways. Past and present lives, loves and losses are interwoven in a lyrical way.

 

The novel is set in motion when Joseph Geewa finds a baby abandoned in Robey’s apple orchards. Geewa and Robey set out on a quest to find the baby’s mother. The emotionally fragile men are ill-equipped for a road trip with an infant, but find in the journey a quest for redemption and an unspoken bond of shared grief.

 

Litzenburger’s stories and essays have appeared in magazines, journals and anthologies. She has taught writing at several colleges and universities including the University of Michigan and the Interlochen Arts Academy.

Don’t miss the orchid show, Jan. 26-27 at Meijer Gardens

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment,
Photo supplied

By Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park


The Huizenga Grand Room will be filled with beautiful orchids, competing for ribbons and the coveted American Orchid Society Awards. Purchase an orchid to take home, as well as hard-to-find orchid growing supplies.

  • Saturday, Jan. 26: Displays 12-5pm, sales 10am-5pm
  • Sunday, Jan. 27: Displays 11am-4:30pm, sales 11am-4:30pm

2019 Orchid Show Talks —Free

Saturday, Jan. 26

1pm — Orchid Growing 101: Learn how to care for your orchid once you get it home: where to place it, how often to water it, when to fertilize, and what to do when it’s through blooming. Presented by: Dawn Durkee, Grand Valley Orchid Society


2pm — Growing Slipper Orchids: Slipper orchids are not just fascinating, they’re easy to grow! Receive tips on growing these lovely orchids in the home. Presented by: Rob Halgren, Little Frog Farm


3pm — Orchid Repotting Demonstration: Learn about how to properly repot an orchid during this demonstration. Presented by: Don Kelley, Grand Valley Orchid Society

Sunday, Jan. 27

1pm — Best Orchids for Beginners: Learn which orchids are the easiest to grow in the home. Presented by: Mei Ling Clemens, Grand Valley Orchid Society


2pm — Miniature Orchids: Discover the subtle beauty and charm of miniature orchids and learn how to successfully grow them in your home. Presented by: Kevin Usted, New World Orchids


3pm — Orchid Repotting Demonstration: Learn about how to properly repot an orchid during this demonstration. Presented by: Tara Rietberg, Grand Valley Orchid Society

On the shelf: ‘A Treasury of Royal Scandals’ by Michael Farquhar

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , ,

By Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch

 

Michael Farquhar, author of history articles in the Washington Post, has turned his eye to the royal scandals of centuries past. Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s troubles look tame when compared to the scandals described in this volume. Subtitled The Shocking True Stories of History’s Wickedest, Weirdest, Most Wanton Kings, Queens, Tsars, Popes and Emperors, you will find King Henry VIII, Queen Anne Boleyn, Catherine the Great, Nero and many others, With chapters covering the time periods from ancient Rome and Edwardian England, Farquhar delivers an encyclopedia of raging scandal, recording events of pedophilia, incest, beheadings and more. There is even a chapter on Papal scandals of bygone years.

 

This book is a definite must read for anyone who loves a good gossip or a bad royal. Read about Caligula, who was quite miffed when his Senate didn’t want to recognize his own horse as a fellow Senator, despite the new laws he had created to include the beast. And to top it all off, he had enough problems at home with his sisters that he made a few of them disappear.

 

This entertaining book can be found in many formats: book on tape, book on CD, and eAudiobook at the Library. Think that the world is drowning in its own moral decay? Read this book — it will make today look chaste!

‘Astronomy as a Hobby’ classes, telescope tune-up clinic being offered

Entertainment
Amateur Astronomical Association will be hosting three free introductory classes at Schuler Books & Music.

By Christie Bender
Grand Rapids Public Museum

Did you get a telescope at the holidays, or do you have one sitting around collecting dust because you find it difficult to use? Do you want to learn more about what to look for in the sky and resources that can lead to better enjoyment from backyard stargazing?

Learn more about astronomy and the night sky from the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA) as they team up again this year to offer three introductory Saturday classes at Schuler Books and Music, 2660 28th St., Grand Rapids. 

Each of the one-hour Astronomy as a Hobby sessions begin at 10:30 a.m., and is followed by a Telescope Tune-up Clinic from approximately 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  During the Telescope Clinic, experienced amateur astronomers will adjust personal telescopes and provide advice about proper use. Those wishing to come to only a Telescope Clinic session may do so.

The schedule for Astronomy as a Hobby classes and Telescope Tune-up Clinics: 

January 26 – The Ever Changing Sky  

Attendees will learn what to look for and when, and what sky motions and seasonal attractions are occurring during 2019 for naked eye, binoculars and telescope. Effective viewing of sky objects is highlighted.  

February 9 – Telescopes, Accessories, and How to Use Them

Attendees will learn how to select the right telescope for their background and level of interest, and equipment challenges often encountered by novice amateur astronomers. 

February 23 – What’s Next from My New Hobby 

Attendees will learn about the most recommended guides, star maps and online resources, along with stargazing tips. What options are available to learn more?   

All activities are geared to a family audience, and are free and open to the public.  

Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association

The Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association is a non-profit educational and scientific organization dedicated to advancing the study of astronomy and promoting astronomy and science education to the community. Located at the Veen Observatory in Lowell, MI, the GRAAA is an organization that offers information, guidance and memberships for anyone who is interested in astronomy. Visit graaa.org for more information.

Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is an invaluable, publicly-owned institution that is home to more than 250,000 unique artifacts that tell the history of Kent County and beyond, houses the only planetarium in the region, and is responsible for protecting The Mounds, a national historic landmark. The Grand Rapids Public Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, with its main location in downtown Grand Rapids, MI at 272 Pearl Street, NW. For additional information including hours of operation, admission fees and exhibit/event listings, please visit www.grpm.org.


On the shelf: New Year, New Books

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,

By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library

 

The Last Men: New Guinea, by Iago Corazza

 

New Guinea is the second-largest island in the world, located north of Australia, from which it was separated after the last ice age. The island has a complicated history, and presently is split into two halves: the west side is divided into two provinces of Indonesia, (Papua and West Papua), and the eastern half is the independent country of Papua New Guinea. Amazingly, the just over 7 million people on the island are divided up into almost 1,000 different tribes, each with its own language. It is the most linguistically diverse spot on the planet. Corazza’s book focuses on the unique photographic depiction of these endangered cultures, with succinct commentary. Some of it just seems truly bizarre, as if the author had dropped in on another planet altogether, but maybe that’s what they would say about us. In any case, Corazza provides unforgettable images for the armchair traveler.

 

 

Caring for Your Parents: The Complete Family Guide,by Hugh Delehanty

 

The title says it all: this is an excellent guide put together from AARP. It covers the full gamut of important areas, from the physical, to emotional, financial, legal, support systems, living arrangements, and more.  This book is a really good one to start with if you are looking ahead, or if you are involved in caregiver issues now.

 

 

The Complete Legal Guide to Senior Care, by Brette McWhorter Sember, ATT

No one wants to deal with legal issues as we or our parents get older, but we need to do it.  Once you’ve taken care of some of these legalities, you’ll feel much better, and this guide will help you to understand in plain English, the best ways to protect yourself and your loved ones as we/they age.

 

 

Essential Do’s and Taboos: The Complete Guide to International Business and Leisure Travel, by Roger E. Axtell

 

Whether you are traveling for business or fun, this is a handy guide. The New Yorker says, “Roger Axtell is an internationalist Emily Post.” He’s written nine other books on this subject, and travels and lectures extensively on up-to-the-minute protocol and civility for other cultures.

 

 

Insects & Flowers: The Art of Maria Sibylla Merian, by Maria Sibylla Merian

 

Born in 1647, in Frankfurt, Maria grew up to become a renowned botanical and entomological artist. When the J. Paul Getty Museum hosted an exhibition of her work last summer, they published a small, delightful book that reproduces some of the color plates in her larger works.  It’s like looking at separate tiny pieces of an amazing world. You’ll want to know all about this unusual woman and her work after taking a peek at this lovely book.

 

 

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl, by Stacey O’Brien

 

Just couldn’t put this one down! Who knew that owls were so interesting to read about? Not just another “me and my pet” story, but filled with insights into animal life and intelligence. When Stacey was working as a student researcher at CalTech, she brought home a four-day owlet to raise, and it turned into a 19-year relationship, as she went on to become a research biologist. Her memoir, written after her own extreme health crisis, and the final, peaceful death of Wesley from very old age, was cathartic and healing for her, and as a completed work is fascinating for us to share. Professional reviewers and Amazon readers gave it 5 stars.

 

 

Deer World, by Dave Taylor

 

The only improvement here would be if this book were even bigger! It really is about a deer’s whole world, and all the other animals in it, for an entire year. For example, in the May 13th entry, Taylor begins, “The name ‘moose’ is an Ojibwa-Cree term meaning ‘twig-eater’, followed by what moose are up to in mid-May, and several photos. The photographs of deer, bear, opossums, foxes, coyotes, wolves, wild hogs (to name just a few) are very good ones, maybe because the author has written 35 books on wildlife, has guided many photo-safaris, and presently works in wildlife education in Ontario. Taylor’s many fans will delight in this new book.

 

 

The Primate Family Tree: The Amazing Diversity of Our Closest Relatives, by Ian Redmond

 

A beautifully illustrated guide to the more than 270 species of primates from the four main groups (prosimians, New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and apes), and a great starting point to learn more about them. Redmond’s text condenses a lifetime of experience into interesting commentaries on each animal, and it’s place in the ecosystem. His descriptions are accessible and thought provoking.  For instance, he talks about primates as the “gardeners of the forest,” and all that that entails, which was a very new way of looking at primates for me. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to know a lot more about primates, and getting many more books on them, after reading this one.

 

 

Country superstar Alan Jackson coming to Van Andel Arena Feb. 23

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,

By Mike Klompstra, SMG


Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson will bring a night of hits to Michigan with a concert at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at 7:30pm.


Tickets and information are available at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices or by visiting alanjackson.com/tour, where you can find information about Alan, his tour schedule, music and more. 


Alan Jackson’s concerts find the country icon performing hits that have gained him legions of longtime fans, songs that continue to draw new crowds as a younger generation discovers his music. Jackson’s repertoire stands the test of time; it has impacted a field of artists who cite Jackson as an influence. It’s these same songs – many written by Alan – that earned him his place alongside country music’s greatest names and cemented his place in its history with membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame.


Recently inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Jackson’s membership among music’s all-time greats is part of a long line of career-defining accolades that include three CMA Entertainer of the Year honors, more than 25 years of membership in the Grand Ole Opry, a 2016 Billboard ranking as one of the Top 10 Country Artists of All-Time, induction to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Heritage Award as the most-performed country songwriter-artist of ASCAP’s first 100 years.


The man from rural Newnan, GA has sold nearly 60-million albums worldwide, ranks as one of the 10 best-selling male vocalists of all-time in all genres. He has released more than 60 singles – registering 50 Top Ten hits and 35 #1s (including 26 Billboard chart-toppers). He has earned more than 150 music industry awards – including 18 Academy of Country Music Awards, 16 Country Music Association Awards, a pair of Grammys and ASCAP’s Founders and Golden Note Awards. Jackson is one of the most successful and respected singer-songwriters in music. 


He is in the elite company of Paul McCartney and John Lennon among songwriters who’ve written more than 20 songs that they’ve recorded and taken to the top of the charts. Jackson is one of the best-selling artists since the inception of SoundScan, ranking alongside the likes of Eminem and Metallica. He’s also the man behind one of Nashville’s most-popular new tourist stops, AJ’s Good Time Bar, a four-story honky-tonk in the heart of downtown (along a stretch of Broadway known as the “Honky Tonk Highway”) featuring daily live music and a rooftop view of Music City.

‘Reflect Revise Reshape’ faculty art exhibit at GVSU Jan. 14-March 29

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , ,
Works by faculty members Dellas Henke, Anthony Thompson, Hoon Lee and Brett Colley
(Images supplied)

By Grand Valley State University Art Gallery


Within an artist’s drive to create is the instinct to repeated look back on past artwork, methods and practice. Through this reflective and repetitive process, new technologies and ideas are married with the artist’s experiences. The results, driven by an exploration of the past and reshaped by the application of renewed energy in the present, are often works of surprising depth and balance.


Included in this exhibition are four artists who serve as faculty members in the GVSU Department of Visual & Media Arts — Dellas Henke, Anthony Thompson, Hoon Lee and Brett Colley. Each artist recently completed a sabbatical leave, which functioned as a dedicated opportunity to focus on creative exploration in their field of study. This intentional period of research and production allowed for reflection, revival and reshaping of their work.

Opening Reception

  • Thursday, Jan. 17 5-7pm
  • Grand Valley State University Art Gallery
  • Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, 1121 Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus

 

On the shelf: ‘The World’s Strongest Librarian…’ by Joshua Hanagarne

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , , ,

By Tallulah Stievers

Oh, I loved The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family — it’s so touching and funny, even as the author describes what could have been a total disaster of a life. Working in a library, I was naturally attracted to a memoir with “librarian” in the title, but I didn’t expect it to be such a cliff-hanger. It has all the necessary elements: a mystery, a challenge, eccentric characters, a boy who manages to overcome extreme trials and adventures to grow up and become a good man.

Josh Hanagarne has the literary talent to take the stuff of life and turn it into a wild ride with the Mormons, women, strength training, (and libraries). Complicated at every step by a severe expression of Tourette Syndrome, which manifested very early in his life.