Lindo Mexico is celebrating Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 13.
Are there other celebrations you’d like to share? Please Join us to Celebrate Mexican Independence Day and have some fun. September 13, 2014. Live Music with Mariachi / Ranchera Singer Gabriel Estrada III. We are located at 1292 28th St SW, Wyoming, MI.
Call us to make your reservation 616-261-2280
Kent District Library
September 2014 Calendar of Events • 784-2007
Visit www.kdl.org for more programs and information.
Fall into Fun. Here is a complete list of Kent District Library events for the entire family.
This calendar contains program highlights. Most KDL branches offer additional programs including Book Discussions, Storytimes and a variety of computer classes. Please visit www.kdl.org for more information. For Children and Families
Thankful for You Day KDL is wrapping up nearly two years of our Happiness Project with a major celebration of the folks who most make us happy — our customers! Help us celebrate YOU with treats, fun, entertainment and surprises during each of our 18 branch celebrations. For all ages. Thursday, September 4, 9:30 AM – Englehardt Branch (Lowell) Thursday, September 4, 1:00 PM – Alto Branch Saturday, September 27, 10:00 AM – Caledonia Township Branch
3Doodler Dream It, Draw It Have you ever wished your drawings could come to life? Now they can! With the use of the 3Doodler, create simple 3D objects from your own imagination or use some of the provided stencils. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. For all ages. Thursday, September 11, 6:00 PM – Spencer Township Branch Thursday, September 25, 4:00 PM – Alto Branch
Michigan Reads Celebration Celebrate the 2014 Michigan Reads book, Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band by Kwame Alexander, with crafts and activities. For ages 6 and younger. Saturday, September 13, 10:00 AM – Krause Memorial Branch (Rockford) Tuesday, September 16, 10:30 AM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch Tuesday, September 16, 6:30 PM – Comstock Park Branch Wednesday, September 17, 10:30 AM – Comstock Park Branch Monday, September 22, 10:30 AM – Alto Branch Tuesday, September 30, 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Get Revved Up Interested in cars? Want to learn how an engine works? Create your own rubber band car, help us build an engine model and even design a sketch of your own style of car or truck. For all ages. Sunday, September 14, 2:00 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch Thursday, September 18, 6:30 PM – Caledonia Township Branch Saturday, September 27, 10:30 AM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Sensational Senses! See, hear, smell, touch, taste! Come join us as we explore the world through our five sensational senses! For ages 6 and younger. Tuesday, September 16, 6:30 PM – Krause Memorial Branch Wednesday, September 24, 10:00 AM – Tyrone Township Branch Tuesday, September 30, 10:00 AM – Alpine Township Branch
Fall Mixed Up! Leaves float up and squirrels fly south! Celebrate this topsy-turvy season with zany stories, songs and activities centered around the book “Fall Mixed Up” by Bob Raczka. For ages 6 and younger. Thursday, September 18, 10:00 AM – Englehardt Branch (Lowell) Saturday, September 27, 10:30 AM – Gaines Township Branch Saturday, September 27, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch Sunday, September 28, 2:00 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch Tuesday, September 30, 6:30 PM – Krause Memorial Branch (Rockford)
Programs for Teens Grades 6 – 12
Lighting & Sound: Filmmaking Tips & Tricks Is tinny sound plaguing your movie? Are shadows overrunning your story? Then this two-hour interactive workshop is for you! Learn helpful tips and tricks to improve the lighting and sound of your no-budget or low-budget film. Take your film to the next level by discovering everyday household items you can use to enhance the quality of your film’s lighting and sound. Information about free or low-cost community filmmaking resources will also be provided. Pre-registration is required and participant spots are limited. Saturday, September 13, 1:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Teen Halo Tournament Calling all teens! Think you have what it takes to compete in our Halo 4 multiplayer tournament? Bring a partner and battle the best of the best in this first-person shooter competition. The last team standing wins the prize! Pre-registration is required and participant spots are limited. Wednesday, September 24, 6:00 PM – Grandville Branch For Adults
KDL Uncorked: Winemaking 101 Join wine aficionado Steve Siciliano, owner of Siciliano’s Market, as he talks about the ins and outs of making wine at home. Learn about the basic equipment and procedures needed for making wine from concentrated kits, as well as with fresh fruits and vegetables. Thursday, September 4, 6:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch Tuesday, September 16, 6:30 PM – Byron Township Branch Wednesday, September 17, 6:30 PM – Grandville Branch Thursday, September 18, 6:30 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch Wednesday, September 24, 6:30 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Early Childhood Essentials: Communicating with Respect Everyone has feelings, so we must learn how to recognize, manage and communicate feelings, and learn to recognize the feelings of others. In this workshop we will work to define I-Statements and You-Messages, explore ways to model appropriate communication styles and help caregivers teach children how to manage their feelings. Session offers one hour of professional development. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Adults only please; child care is not provided. Sponsored by Great Start CONNECT. Thursday, September 11, 6:30 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Early Childhood Essentials: Appropriate Technology with Young Children In this interactive session early childhood professionals will explore how technology can be used to help young children learn. We will review guidelines for quality technology experiences and will evaluate several early childhood applications and websites. Bring your questions and learn more about technology used with children. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Adults only please; child care is not provided. Sponsored by Great Start CONNECT. Saturday, September 13, 10:00 AM – Cascade Township Branch
Early Childhood Essentials: Selective Screen Time Video games, apps and television have become a normal part of childhood starting from a young age. How does it affect brain development? Is too much a bad thing, or will it give kids a competitive edge? Join Spectrum Health Community Health Educator Kim DeLaFuente and learn the truth about the impact of screen time on growing brains and bodies. Session offers one hour of professional development. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Adults only please; child care is not provided. Sponsored by Great Start CONNECT. Saturday, September 13, 11:30 AM – Cascade Township Branch
Early Childhood Essentials: Moral Development and Fostering Goodness This program will explore the stages children go through in learning the difference between right and wrong. Theories of moral development and practical tips will help early childhood professionals better understand how young children think and act. A second session held later in the season entitled Discipline with Fewer Tears will build upon knowledge gained in this session. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Adults only please; child care is not provided. Sponsored by Great Start CONNECT. Monday, September 15, 6:00 PM – Wyoming Branch Thursday, September 18, 6:30 PM – Byron Township Branch KDL
Uncorked: Wine Tasting with Rose’s Wine enthusiast Bill Koski of Rose’s Restaurant will outline the basics of selecting wines and lead a free tasting. Participants must be 21 or older. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Part of the national “Outside the Lines” campaign aimed at demonstrating the creativity and innovation happening in libraries. Monday, September 15, 6:30 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch
KDL Uncorked: Wine Tasting & Tour at Cascade Winery Wine crafters and owners Rose & Bob Bonga invite you for an educational tour of the Cascade Winery (4665 Broadmoor Ave. SE, Grand Rapids). Enjoy a variety of seasonal wines for 50 cents per taste. Participants must be age 21 or older. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Offered as part of the national “Outside the Lines” campaign aimed at demonstrating the creativity and innovation happening in libraries. Tuesday, September 16, 6:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Herbal Holiday Gifts Learn a variety of ways to use herbs and essential oils to make gifts for every occasion! We start out by discussing (and sharing!) some tasty foods that can be packaged as gifts. This is followed by ideas for using essential oils to make bath sachets, oils, bath salts and more. Pre-registration is required and participant spots are limited. Monday, September 22, 6:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Early Childhood Essentials: Getting Ready to Write For 3-5 year-olds This interactive session explores what young children must understand before they become interested in drawing, coloring and writing their name. Learn to encourage interest and fine motor coordination for writing. Part 2 will focus on 3 to 5-year-olds, the stages of writing and the use of creative spelling by children. Session offers one hour of professional development. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Adults only please; child care is not provided. Sponsored by Great Start CONNECT. Monday, September 22, 6:30 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
KDL Uncorked: Meet the Author: Rick Sigsby The author of “Michigan’s Holy Water: The Great Lakes Wine Bible” spent 15 months traveling the state interviewing wine makers and vineyard owners. His book offers a peek behind the door of the tasting room. Thursday, September 25, 6:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch (Rockford)
Harvesting and Saving Garden Seeds Learn the tricks to successfully collecting and saving vegetable and flower seeds. Use the seeds to start your garden next year, share with your neighbors and contribute to KDL’s Seed Library. Thursday, September 25, 6:30 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch
KDL Uncorked: Wine Tasting at Kayla Rae Cellars Join us at 31 Courtland St. in Rockford to enjoy buy-one-get-one tastings, cheese samples from Farm Country Cheese House in Lakeview and a presentation by winery owner Karen Grossman on how current wine and cider selections were developed, created and refined. Participants must be 21 or older. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Thursday, September 25, 7:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Early Childhood Essentials: Journaling with Young Children – EGR Hands-on experiences designed around daily activities, and ways to use them to create early reading/writing activities that you and your child can share. Participants will use three daily experiences to write a journal entry with your child, learn methods to share it together and understand strategies for remembering, reliving and enjoying it! Session offers one hour of professional development. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Adults only please; child care is not provided. Saturday, September 27, 10:00 AM – East Grand Rapids Branch
Write Michigan Short Story Workshop: It Lives! Revision and Re-Vision Rewriting is a crucial part of fiction writing. Author Caitlin Horrocks, New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice honoree, will outline strategies for successful revision on many levels, from ruthless line editing to wholesale re-envisioning of stalled or stale stories. There will be readings, discussion and exercises to make problematic pieces more promising. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Saturday, September 27, 1:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
KDL Uncorked: Wine Tasting with Pauly’s Paul Faba, owner of Pauly’s in Lowell, will pique your palate’s interest with a few of his favorite Michigan wines. Participants must be age 21 or older. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Monday, September 29, 6:30 PM – Englehardt Branch (Lowell)
Early Childhood Essentials: Sugar Shock Science is increasingly hinting at a link between sugar and poor health. What’s more, the advice on sugar substitutes can be even more confusing. How much is too much, and where are added sweeteners lurking in the food and drinks both you and your kiddos enjoy? Registered dietitian Jessica Corwin, MPH will explore just how toxic this nutrient actually is. Session offers one hour of professional development. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Adults only please; child care is not provided. Sponsored by Great Start CONNECT. Monday, September 29, 6:30 PM – Krause Memorial Branch (Rockford)
Early Childhood Essentials: Let’s Go Outside! Spending time outside, year-round, offers wonderful learning opportunities and it’s also just good fun! Review the benefits of daily outdoor time, make an Outdoor Action Plan and gain/share some new ideas about outdoor activities. Session offers one hour of professional development. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. Adults only please; child care is not provided. Sponsored by Great Start CONNECT. Tuesday, September 30, 6:30 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
It isn’t your typical old classic car in the street-sassy sense, but when the Car-Toon Truck drives up and makes a stop, heads do turn and eyeballs pop wide open for a closer look. That’s because this 1928 Ford Model AR Roadster pickup truck has been transformed into a historical documentary on comics dating back to 1896 and into the present!
Robert Luczun from Clifton, New Jersey has spent over 3,000 hours of brush/airbrush art on the ’28 Roadster. It all started in 2004 when he bought the car and entirely rebuilt it. But Luczun took the project one step further. “Being an airbrush artist, I can paint anything – anything at all. I happen to love cartoons. I have them painted on my fence posts all around my house. I did it for my kids, they loved it. Now my grandkids love it. So I thought ‘Hey! Everybody love cartoons – I’m going to paint them on this car,’ and I did!” Luczun explains enthusiastically.
“I started out with the very first cartoon from 1896 (The Yellow Kid) and that’s painted on the backside of the rear view mirror. Then I kept going through present day. It’s gets harder and harder to fit them in as they come out, but I do,” he laughs.
The first time Luczun (a car lover as well as a cartoon lover and retired fine arts professor), took the car to Hershey, PA and the largest antique car show in the world, he admits he was worried about the reaction he’d get.
“This was a show filled with hard-core Model-A guys. I thought they might hang me!” he laughs. “But I kept everything else about the car authentic except the paint. They loved it!”
Luczun says his next big challenge was introducing the car to artists at Comic-Con in New York City. “Some of these guys were the original artists and they said they wished they thought of it!”
Some of these same artists wanted to be a part of Luczun’s cartoon truck so they gave him original art plates to put in the truck bed.
“As you can see, this car draws people in like a magnet,” he added as a young family swarmed around the car for a better look. “And I wanted the car to do more than attract attention, so I decided to use it to collect money for the Wounded Warrior Project.”
With his son in the Air Force and having been stationed in Afghanistan, Luczun knows of the hardships veterans face. So on the side of the truck, Luczun created a donation box for the cause. He says the Car-Toon Truck helps him collect up to $5000 a year for the Wounded Warrior project and other veteran causes. The popularity of the Car-Toon Truck has car shows paying Luczon for an appearance. “And that money they pay me, gets donated as well.”
While Robert Luczun’s passions are comics and old cars, his heart is into donating time, talent and money to good causes, like helping the troops.
This was his first visit to Michigan with the Car-Toon Truck in what we hope won’t be his last.
By: Michele Aversa
Another successful AQS Quilt Week in Grand Rapids has come and gone. More than 10 thousand people attended the expo recently which had approximately 150 vendors on site and over 400 remarkable quilts on display.
The event involved four days of classes taught by internationally praised instructors, contests with total cash prizes of $50,750, sales of sewing and long-arm quilting machines, quilting kits, appraisals, fabric bolts and jelly rolls of the newest and most exciting patterns of the season.
For a beginning quilter like me, it was a lot to take in at one time: Every corner of DeVos Place Convention Center was packed with crisp fabrics stacked high – brick reds, deep blues, autumn oranges and sparkling yellows filled my vision. Women were everywhere, talking with excitement, planning new projects, watching demonstrations of the latest techniques and recording it all on camera phones.
Yes, women were everywhere. Only a few men were brave enough to dip their toes into this fabric frenzy! The ratio of women to men was approximately 100/1.
My first stop was the exhibit by the international non-profit organization Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Masters II. Included in their collection were quilts from the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa and many other countries. 
These were nothing like my grandmother’s quilts!
Where I was expecting blocks and triangles, I found fluid shapes and graceful contours. I presumed neon-bright colors would assault my eyes from every direction, and that dots and swirled patterns would plague the majority of designs. I learned quickly that it wasn’t the craft of quilting that was stuck in the dark ages – it was me!
Each quilt seemed to have been created using an artist’s brush, not fabric, needles and machines. The works were not bedspreads or blankets. They were extensions of their creator, the physical result born from a wisp of imagination.
Two in particular forever changed the way I think of quilting. The first, titled Woman with 2 Gents, by Leslie Gabriëlse– Rotterdam, Netherlands, at initial glance looked like a painting. I did a double-take. Dark blue and black plaid fabrics made up her long hair. Small scraps of textiles embroidered on her face became delicate shading details of her feminine features.
The second, titled Theatre, by Izabella Baykova – Saint Petersburg, Russia, also caught me off-guard. The work depicts 19 private boxes at a theatre, each containing different characters such as Dracula, 5 nuns, a mafia family and a bride. The intricate detail, impressive enough in a painting, is made all the more extraordinary knowing it is fabric and thread. 
Another collection on display was a mix of heart and art. The traveling exhibit, “Quilted In Honor”, is a dedication to our servicemen and servicewomen. The pieces were created by celebrities in the quilting world to support Operation Homefront and The Wounded Warrier Project. The majority of the colors that were used were red, white and blue fabric. When the quilts finish their “tour of duty” in the spring of 2015, they will be auctioned off; the proceeds being donated to these two charities. 
The pièce de résistance was the internationally known 120-foot long Quilt of Belonging. The project began in the fall of 1998 by Canadian artist Esther Bryan. Each of the 263 blocks is 11”. The purpose of “Canada’s most comprehensive textile art project” is to celebrate that every culture is unique and beautiful in its own way. Materials from the specific area were used in the designs for each regions’ blocks, from cotton to seal skin, the gossamer wings of butterflies to silk. Finished in 2005 by Ms. Bryan and a team of dedicated volunteers, this remarkable cultural statement began its global tour, starting in the Arctic! For more information, visit their website.
Intricate to festive, subtle shifts of color to explosions in every block, winning quilts were on display at every turn. Some depicted sites, such as Arch Rock on Mackinaw Island (by Dorothy Janose & Karen McClurkin of Hastings, MI), and some celebrated the tradition of hand-sewn creations, such as 1st place winner for Hand Quilting, My Version of a Persian, by Christine Wickert, Penfield NY).
“I’m on sensory overload,” said Mary King, first time Quilt Week attendee. “I couldn’t even do one square! It’s not just the design but all the work. It’s the execution, choosing the just the right fabrics and threads, and all the time it takes to put it together.”
I entered the convention center assuming quilts belonged on beds. I left the convention center knowing that quilts belonged in art museums. 
Tickets on Sale Now. Judy Collins has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs and tragedies, and a firm commitment to social activism over a five-decade career.
In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Now her luminescent presence shines brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 50-plus album body of work. Most recently, Judy Collins filmed a PBS special in Ireland at Dromoland Castle.
The show features some classic Judy Collins songs like Chelsea Morning, Cat’s In the Cradle, Bird on A Wire, as well as some of her favorite Irish tunes including, Danny Boy. JUDY COLLINS LIVE IN IRELAND is airing on PBS nationwide throughout 2014, and she is incorporating many of these songs into her Intimate Evening concert. A classically trained pianist with a lifelong love of the guitar, she is known for her interpretive renditions of Both Sides Now, In My Life, and Send in the Clowns. This Grammy Award winning singer- songwriter is drawn to music of hope that speaks to the heart. A modern day Renaissance woman, she is also an Academy Award nominated director, author, record label head, children’s book publisher, accomplished painter and speaker for mental health and suicide prevention.
The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and Music Works are partnering to bring An Intimate Evening with Judy Collins on October 17, 2014. A special post-show meet/greet with Ms. Collins is available.
For tickets or information, visit www.grct.org Ticket Prices $29-$125 See events calendar for specific days and times: http://grct.org/eventschedule.html For information on the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre or to purchase tickets, call 616-222-6650 or visit www.GRCT.org. This season is a perfect blend of theatre classics and new favorites.
The Civic is proud to kick things off in September with the World Debut of an original work: The Boatwright. Mary Poppins takes the stage just in time for the Holidays. January brings the mystery, The Mousetrap to life, followed by the Rogers and Hammerstein masterpiece, South Pacific. Children will adore Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, NO Good, Very Bad Day in April. Making a Civic debut in June, Avenue Q, brings puppets to life and the season closes with Footloose and The Little Princess.
WKTV Community Television & Media and the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce are celebrating the 10 th year of Metro Cruise with production of a prestigious red carpet event entitled “Metro Cruise—The Concourse!”
On Friday night starting at 8pm, in the parking lot at the old Klingman’s building across from Rogers Plaza, twenty- five foot tall red drapes will part to reveal rare, one–of –a kind vehicles as they roll down a 100 foot long red carpet before a live audience and hosted by David Knisley from SPEED Television and Kim Carson from WLAV FM.
“Some of the car collectors call it Oscar night for car collectors,” said Tom Norton, producer of the show. “We have a huge amount of volunteers who spend six months getting ready for the show and this year we’re proud to say that classic collectors from all over Michigan and some from Wisconsin are bringing their rare vehicles for the show.”
Cars include a 1935 Cadillac La Salle, 1936 Stout-Scarab, 1936 Ford Woody Wagon, 1937 Packard 2 Door Convertible, 1938 Rolls Royce Wraith, 1957 Jaguar, and a 1961 Imperial Crown—just to name a few. Additionally, this year’s red carpet event is a salute to classic car clubs with special appearances by the West Michigan Rodders Club, West Michigan Buick Club and the West Michigan Cobra Club.
One extraordinary treat and secret to be revealed on the red carpet is two vehicles from the Ken Lingenfelter Collection. One of the largest classic car collections in the country, Ken Lingenfelter is bringing two of his favorite picks from his immense collection and both will be revealed when the red drapes open. Last year’s Lamborghini Reventon at 1.8 million dollars was a show stopper.
To amp the show up a little more, the East Kentwood Marching Band, 200 strong will open the show with a fanfare in a salute to the music of Queen.
The Metro Cruise event as a whole spans Friday and Saturday with the red carpet show taking place Friday night at 8pm. In 2013 over 300,000 visitors came to Metro Cruise and there were over 15,000 Classic Cars. It’s an event that is popular for the entire family.
Although rain showers threatened, it didn’t rain on the more than 750 people whom attended the 6th annual block party for the Kelloggsville area. The event took place on August 5 on the lawn of Kelloggsville School.
Since 2009 Kelloggsville neighborhood businesses, community groups, Kelloggsville Public School and Kelloggsville Church have joined together to create an annual block party that helps build community and celebrates diversity. The event is able to provide free food, interactive activities like a photo booth, an inflatable slide, a fishing derby, a craft tent from The Home Depot, a cash machine and door prizes provided by local businesses. There was also free dinner, ice cream cones and pizza samples for those who attended.
“This is such a vibrant community of individuals and we were blessed to gather for an evening to get to know one another better,” said Ron Bouwkamp, Specialized Transitional Pastor for Kelloggsville Christian Reformed Church. The church is located to the east of the school and helps spearhead the event. This year the event was held in conjunction with the National Night Out.
“This event gives local businesses the opportunity to give back and meet many of their neighbors,” said Deb Nol, Arie Nol Auto Center. “It’s awesome to see everyone come together to celebrate what makes this area special.”
Local businesses who participated included: Java Cone, Papa Murphy’s, 5th 3rd Bank, Fun Spot, Family Video, Bo Rics, Fun Services, KDL, Kids Life Bible Club, Kelloggsville Senior Parents and PTG, Kelloggsville Rocket Boosters, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Harold Mast, Culvers, The DOCK, The Pier, E. W. Karate, Home Acres Building Supply, Silver Bullet, Peak Perf, Arie Nol, Home Depot, Preferred Credit Union, Kelloggsville CRC, Kentwood Fire Department, Ride the Rapid – Silver Line Bus.
The pictures tell the story well! Photographer: Chris Mulder 
On August 21, 2014, Actors’ Theatre Grand Rapids will launch its “Second Space Series” with tempOdyssey by Dan Dietz.
“It wasn’t me. It was the black hole.” With these words, a temp worker named Genny launches us on an epic, fantastical journey through corporate America, Appalachia, astrophysics and beyond.
tempOdyssey tells the story of a young woman who’s convinced she’s the goddess of death. Fleeing the imminent creation of a black hole on one side of the country, she lands smack in the middle of a bomb manufacturing company on the other. Her only hope lies in the unlikely guise of a nameless temp who considers himself immortal. Can he help Genny cast off her dark mythology once and for all? Or will she explode, taking all of downtown Seattle with her? Dan Dietz melds the absurdity of contemporary cubicle life with the epic poetics of Greek mythology, and the results are hilarious, horrifying and ultimately uplifting.
Directed by Randy Wyatt Cast: Lindsey Hansen , Owen McIntee, Carrie McNulty, Jonathan Clausen, and Kyle Westmaas
Ticket prices are $15 general admission; seating is limited to 50 seats per night. Tickets for the Second Space Series may be purchased online at http://actorstheatregrandrapids.org/second- space-series or by contacting the Actors’ Theatre box office at (616) 234-3946.
Members of the media wishing to obtain interviews or special access may contact Chris Carnevale, at chris@atgr.org or (616) 234-3968.
American Quilter’s Society, the largest quilting membership organization in the world, will return to Grand Rapids for QuiltWeek August 20 to 23 at the DeVos Place Convention Center. More than 15,000 people are expected to visit Grand Rapids to enjoy four days of the best in international quilt and textile artistry. Over 450 quilts will be on display, with more than $50,000 in prizes to be awarded at the event for quilting excellence. In addition, AQS QuiltWeek will be hosting a series of workshops with some of the top talent in the quilt industry and an extensive merchant mart comprised of both local and national vendors.
Included in AQS QuiltWeek’s celebrated exhibits is the SAQA Masters II exhibit featuring 35 quilts from some of today’s top quilting artists. Also on display is the Quilted in Honor traveling exhibit by Island Batik, which supports Operation Homefront, a not-for-profit organization providing financial assistance, food, repairs, and help to the families of our United States service members and wounded warriors in need. Some special show highlights include the famous Quilt of Belonging, an immense, Canadian collaborative work of art, and the Quilts of Aileen Stannis.
New this year, is the 2014 Young Textile Art Challenge. The contest, hosted in conjunction with Experience Grand Rapids, is open to artists ages 18-30 with more than $3,000 in prize money available. Organizers hope the competition will encourage younger textile artists to enter the competition and attend the show. “Grand Rapids is a city that appeals to younger audiences and artists,” says Janet Korn, Senior Vice President of Experience Grand Rapids. “This new textile art challenge provides a platform for inviting younger textile artists to enter and attend the AQS Quilt Week in August.”
Evening events feature world-renowned celebrities presenting their unique spin on fabric, quilting, and life, including dynamic sessions with Sue Nickels and Lyric Kinard. AQS certified quilt appraisers will be available at the event to appraise new or antique quilts for insurance replacement or fair market values from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. There is an appraisal fee of $50 per quilt, payable at quilt check-in.
Admission to AQS QuiltWeek includes access to all special exhibits and the Merchant Mall with more than 200 vendor booths.
Wednesday, August 20, through Friday, August 22: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 23: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Ticket and additional information can be found at aqsshows.com/AQSGrandRapids or by calling 1-270-898-7903. American Quilter’s Society has also arranged for steeply discounted hotel rates, which can be booked through the aqsshows.com/AQSGrandRapids website. The event is open to the public.
About the American Quilter’s Society:
The American Quilter’s Society is the largest quilting membership organization in the world. For 30 years, AQS has been the leading voice in quilting inspiration and advice through a broad suite of products-magazines, books, live events, contests, workshops, online networks, patterns, fabric, and catalogs. At AQS, we believe that with inspiration and advice, the creatively-minded individual can take their quilting projects beyond what even they had imagined. The leading authors in quilting choose to publish with AQS; the best in quilt artistry select AQS events to display their work; the newest quilters learn from the knowledge and inspiration of AQS members. For more information on the American Quilter’s Society, please visit http://www.americanquilter.com or call 1-270-898-7903.
The West End Business Leaders on 28th St. are hosting an Art Cruise the entire month of August 2014. Artwork will be featured at local businesses for the community to enjoy and purchase. The participating businesses are Marge’s Donut Den, Instant Cash (Two Locations), Grand Rapids Law Group , Edward Jones- Rich Wadsworth, The Chiropractic Doctors, NV Massage, Steve’s Antique Auto Repair, Lenger Travel, Hair By Cliff, Maximus Fitness,AAA Insurance- Diane Engelsman, Park Center Lanes, Performance Plus Quick Lube, Gremlin Gallery, Brann’s Steakhouse & Grill, Auto Finance Company, Aurora Pond, Good Motor Sales, Right Way Auto, and Lindo Mexico and Frames Unlimited.
The featured artists are Carly Seyferth, Barbara Chavez, Joel Canales, Kenzie Robinson, Isaiah Soergel, Chad Moore, Connor Schwartz, Amy Lee, Emily, Nathan VanderVeen, Shannon Sowles, Charlotte Ambrose, Candice Schoenborn, Catherine Buckley, Ardie Danneffel, Madalyn Hatfield, Dirk Hughes, Deb Jenkins, Holly Cooper, Angela Smith, Lordia Dipiazza, Brad Ecklesdafer and Robert Goodwin.
Look for Art Cruise location signs at the listed businesses. We hope the community will cruise on in to enjoy a variety of art. It is sure to be a fun, community event.
The Grand Rapids Downtown Market announced today that it has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), one of the first urban markets in the country to receive this prestigious certification. It is also the first project in the country to receive USGBC’s Urban Agriculture credit (SSpc82), which gives a point during the certification process to projects that improve human health and well-being, community involvement, and education on food production.
The LEED rating system is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
“Sustainability, community health and accessibility to local food is the goal of the Downtown Market, and as one of the first LEED Gold Certified public markets in the country, we are proud to continue these practices on a daily basis,” said Mimi Fritz, president and CEO, Grand Rapids Downtown Market.
The Downtown Market achieved LEED certification for implementing strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Catalyst Partners managed the LEED certification process, including the documentation for the Urban Ag credit. Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. was the project’s engineering firm.
Designed by Hugh Boyd and Progressive AE, and built by Pioneer Construction, the building incorporates energy-efficient features into its design and daily use, including:
“Creating a LEED-certified building and incorporating as many sustainability aspects as possible was very important to the project’s overall goals,” said Hugh A. Boyd, FAIA, lead design architect. “In addition to creating a sustainable building and using energy efficiently, we wanted to keep operating costs down for the tenants who are running their small businesses here.”
Materials from warehouses previously on the building’s site were reused to build as much as possible of the current building. The massive wood beams from the original structure were used as the design feature in the main structure, and the preexisting concrete was ground up to make the paving material for the Market’s parking lot.
“From the beginning, sustainable design was a primary driver for the Downtown Market. Materials were reclaimed and recycled, efficient systems were meticulously designed, and innovative products were incorporated. Together, these and many other components make the Downtown Market a sustainable showpiece for Grand Rapids and greater community beyond,” said Craig Nicely, architect at Progressive AE, which partnered with Hugh A. Boyd Architects on the building’s design.
The Downtown Market was also awarded an Urban Agriculture pilot credit as part of the certification, the first project ever to receive that credit. Pilot credits are qualifications that are being tested to see if they fit into the overall rating system. To receive the Urban Agriculture pilot credit, projects must meet certain requirements, such as allocating a certain amount of square footage to be used for growing space (the Market has 6500 square feet of gardens and greenhouse), using organic growing practices and an integrated pest management system, and allowing community access for education and use.
“Building operations are nearly 40 percent of the solution to the global climate change challenge,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, the Grand Rapids Downtown Market is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.”
About the Grand Rapids Downtown Market
The Grand Rapids Downtown Market is the region’s new choice for fresh, delicious foods and amazing public market merchants. The Market is a $30 million, self-sustaining, LEED-certified, mixed-use facility that brings together production, distribution, marketing and education about local foods and growing. It incorporates entrepreneur and experimentation space for both emerging and experienced food artisans and merchants including a 24-vendor Market Hall, large outdoor farmer’s market and two full-service restaurants coming soon, one of which will be a micro-brewery. More at www.downtownmarketgr.
This year marks the 10th Annual Cruise of West Michigan’s Premier Auto Cruise and Car Show–the popular 28th Street Metro Cruise Event. WKTV Community Television is celebrating 10 years of cruisin’ with the production of a prestigious red carpet event entitled “Metro Cruise—The Concourse!”
Rare, one–of –a kind vehicles will be featured at this television event. Don’t miss the opportunity to take part in all the fun at the red carpet event on Friday, August 22– from 8:00p.m.-10:00p.m. at 1001 28th Street—in front of the old Klingman’s building across from Rogers Plaza in Wyoming, MI. The studio audience will learn more about more than 27 vehicles from all across the Midwest. Cars include a 1935 Cadillac La Salle, 1936 Stout-Scarab, 1936 Ford Woody Wagon, 1937 Packard 2 Door Convertible, 1938 Rolls Royce Wraith, 1957 Jaguar, and a 1961 Imperial Crown—just to name a few.
The Buick Club, Great Lake Rodder’s and Cobra Club will also be featured showcasing their classic automobiles.
More than 20 community volunteers headed by WKTV Community Media’s, Nate Diedrich, Gene Gregory and Tom Norton will produce and direct the televised event—which will be aired at a later date.
There is also an opportunity to win a 1970 Olds Cutlass Indy Pace Car Replica through a raffle. This will benefit WKTV in the production of children’s educational programming on fire safety and burn prevention. You can purchase tickers in person or online at 70OLDSRAFFLE.org. Tickets are $10.00 or 3 tickets for $20.00.
In 2013 over 250,000 visitors came to Metro Cruise and there were over 15,000 Classic Cars. It’s an event that is popular for the entire family.
Be part of the action and make sure to take part in the studio audience at “WKTV’s Metro Cruise-The Concourse!”
Fun, Safety, Entertainment and lots of community support. It’s all part of National Night Out.
National Night Out, a yearlong community building campaign, is designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
The 2014 NNO was one of the largest ever, involving approximately 37.8 million people in more than 16,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world.
WKTV Community Media had the opportunity to spend a great amount of time at the SE Event behind Peppino’s Restaurant. It was a night filled with fun, food, safety tips and lots of people. Representatives from local law enforcement, businesses, fire fighters, and entertainers were all on hand. The pictures tell the story well and showcase that strong community spirit of the event. (Photos by Colleen Pierson)
The people have spoken, and the winner of the Hudsonville Ice Cream Pure Michigan Limited Edition Flavor Contest is Winter Campfire.
More than 7,400 people cast their votes, with Winter Campfire taking the top prize by nearly 200 votes. The flavor features Hudsonville Original Vanilla ice cream with a marshmallow swirl, graham cracker pieces and milk chocolate flakes reminiscent of a s’more. Winter Campfire will be available this winter at grocery stores in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois.
“The idea of Winter Campfire goes perfectly with the natural beauty and recreation opportunities Michigan offers during the winter months,” said Leslie Hornung, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “This contest brought together Pure Michigan products, people and businesses to create an ice cream flavor people throughout the Great Lakes region will enjoy.”
Voting began on July 11 and ran through July 20 – National Ice Cream Day. Those who voted were registered to win one of 10 prizes, including throwing out the first pitch at a Detroit Tiger’s game and tickets for a Pictured Rocks boat cruise.
The other two flavors in the running for the Pure Michigan winter flavor were Lake Superior Thaw and Cabin Fever. Previous Pure Michigan winning flavors include Pure Michigan Double Berry Pie in 2013 and Pure Michigan Caramel Apple in 2012.
“This contest gets bigger every year, and it just shows the excitement and continuous momentum the Pure Michigan campaign has created throughout the state,” said Caryn Beatty of Holland, Michigan-based Hudsonville Ice Cream. “We are excited to create another Pure Michigan flavor that tells a story about our region. We are looking forward to Winter Campfire being another delicious flavor Hudsonville fans across the Midwest can enjoy!”
Started in 1895 as a farmers’ cooperative, the Holland-based Hudsonville Creamery & Ice Cream is the largest manufacturer of branded ice cream in Michigan. For more than 80 years, this Midwest company has been producing its creamy, delicious ice cream – using many of its original flavors, while at the same time creating refreshing new recipes inspired by the Great Lakes. In addition to its “All Season” flavors, which are available year round, several “Seasonal Flavors” are offered on a limited basis throughout the year.
Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.
For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: michiganbusiness.org. For Michigan travel news, updates and information, visit michigan.org.
The nation’s first-ever, community-wide festival of laughter, Gilda’s LaughFest, announced this morning the festival will be celebrating its fifth anniversary March 5-15, 2015. Also, announced today are preliminary results of an economic impact study from Grand Valley State University. The study indicates LaughFest created a $3.2 million economic impact on the region.
“We are excited as we ramp-up efforts for our fifth year,” said Joanne Roehm, festival director of LaughFest. “Last year more than 50,000 individuals purchased tickets to LaughFest. We are happy with the results for LaughFest, but we are extremely pleased to show the economic impact LaughFest has created for Grand Rapids and the region.”
LaughFest is the nation’s only 10-day community-wide festival of laughter and attracted 50,000 attendees from across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom during its fourth annual event. The festival features laughter in all its forms from stand-up comedy and improv to film, music, and a variety of seriously funny stuff.
Other highlights from the economic impact study show $1.7 million in new spending occurred in the region, with spending by individuals from outside Grand Rapids increasing 50% this year compared to last year. Per person spending during 2013’s LaughFest was $34.48 and increased to $49.97 during the festival’s 2014 event, a 45% increase. The per person spending takes into account such items as lodging, meals and transportation costs, which are additional to the costs associated with buying tickets to LaughFest shows.
“When LaughFest began in 2011, our goal was to create a festival of laughter for the health of it that would not only raise awareness for the programs of Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids, but raise awareness for the West Michigan region,” said Wendy Wigger, president of Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids. “We are thrilled the numbers presented by the economic impact study show that LaughFest is a primary reason individuals are visiting the region.”
Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids provides free emotional healthcare to children adults, families and friends on any kind of cancer journey or those grieving the death of someone in their life due to any cause. The comprehensive program, delivered by licensed healthcare professionals includes education, structured sharing times, networking, lectures, workshops and social activities. Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is one of the largest and busiest of the 52 affiliates in North America. The organization runs entirely on charitable donations and currently serves more than 10,000 individuals each year at its clubhouses in Grand Rapids and Lowell, Mich., in various schools and in five community centers. For more information, visit www.gildasclubgr.org.
Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group are delighted to announce that their spectacular new production of 
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will make its Grand Rapids premiere in at DeVos Performance Hall for 16 performances May 18-29, 2016. With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM, the most successful musical of all-time, will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America.
This exciting announcement follows the approval by the Kent County Convention/Arena Authority to upgrade DeVos Performance Hall to allow for this spectacular show. The commissioners voted unanimously to make structural improvements in order to allow shows of this caliber to play on the DeVos Hall stage. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will mark the first time Broadway Grand Rapids will have a touring show on stage for 2 weeks. Commissioners applauded the opportunity to enhance the community’s reputation as a destination city. Current Broadway season ticket holders will have first opportunity to secure tickets for this landmark event in the 2015-16 season.
For more information on the production and a video sneak peek, please visit
www.ThePhantomOfTheOpera.com/USTour
Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “It’s wonderful to have a new production of PHANTOM touring America now that the show has celebrated over 25 years on Broadway. Director Laurence Connor has done an amazing job and this production has received huge critical acclaim in the UK.”
Cameron Mackintosh said, ”After a glorious celebration of 25 phenomenal years on Broadway with no end in sight, I’m delighted to be able to bring this dazzling new production of PHANTOM — which has been phenomenally well-received by both audiences and critics in the U.K this past year — to North America. With an exciting new design and staging, retaining Maria Björnson’s amazing costumes, I am confident North American audiences will fall in love with the PHANTOM in his new guise — for the first time or all over again.”
The new production of PHANTOM has been an enormous hit on its inaugural UK tour with audiences and critics alike…
“An intense and spectacular new production with a stunning new design, fresh drama and added momentum.”
“Cameron Mackintosh’s flawless new PHANTOM is the best production of this musical ever.”
“Take a deep breath and prepare to be dazzled; this kind of gorgeous escapism is exactly what audiences need.”
“A PHENOMENON.”
“Andrew Lloyd Webber’s luscious music – a great theatrical experience PHANTASTIC.”
This new production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is directed by Laurence Connor (the 25th Anniversary production of Les Misérables now on Broadway) with choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown, Tony Award®-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Paule Constable, sound design by Mick Potter and musical supervision by John Rigby. The production is overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
There are currently seven productions of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA around the world: the flagship London production (27 Years and counting), New York (26 Years and counting), Sapporo (Japan, 25 Years and counting, in repertory), Budapest (Hungary), Hamburg (Germany), the Asian Pacific Tour and Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular all-new production now on North American Tour. The next international opening will be in Taipei, China in September 2014.
Since its debut, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed over $5.6 billion worldwide, with over 65,000 performances that have been seen by 130 million people in 29 countries and 150 cities in 13 languages. The show has won more than 70 major theater awards.
There have been three previous U.S. National Tours of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA that grossed over $1.5 billion in combined box office sales and played 216 engagements in 77 cities for an unprecedented total of 36 years and over 14,500 performances to 31 million people.
Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
The Downtown Market, located at 435 Ionia SW, is open for business! Its nineteen vendors will dazzle your senses and please your palate. The Market’s centralized locale and free ninety minute parking make it easily accessible to those living in the greater Grand Rapids area. Market Hall, the indoor portion of the Downtown Market, is open Monday – Saturday from 9:00a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Sunday 10:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. The Outdoor Market is open Tuesday and Saturday from 9:00a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00p.m. Hours for individual vendors may vary.
At the Inside Market Hall you will find a modern, open space, but the passion and preparation shining from each vendor is classic. These are coffee rosters, bakers, butchers and florists who have honed their craft over the years. The goods and services they provide are unique and truly artisan.
The Market’s vendors are friendly and knowledgeable. Kate Leeder, co-owner of Aperitivo, encourages shoppers to ask questions. She is happy to share her vast knowledge of cheese, charcuterie (prepared meat products) and wine with customers to help them find the best food and spirits for their taste. Aperitivo also hosts cheese classes and small group wine tasting events.
Enjoy the experience of watching your crepe being created at Penelope’s Creperie, owned by Andreas and Nicole Papangelopoulos. The mouth-watering menu includes “Sweet Crepes”, which have contents such as fruit, Nutella and crème cheese. Or try a “Savory Crepe” containing ingredients like pepperoni, sausage, grilled chicken, cheeses and olives. This husband and wife team brought the European tradition of enjoying the eating experience all the way from Athens Greece where they owned a creperie for over five years. And if you are wondering about the name, it comes from their daughter, Penelope. 
Making Thyme Kitchen combines fresh, local ingredients into amazing dinners to go. With increasingly demanding schedules for families, dinner can be stressful and rushed. Making Thyme makes dinnertime easy with meals that are oven-ready. Pair any meal with the ready to eat side dishes – everyone is happy.
Field & Fire is creating baked goods that are as gorgeous as they are delicious. ‘Work of Art’ comes to mind when you take in their offerings. Matt Elliot, Retail Manager, explained that a lot of hard work goes into all of the products. One bite of the ham and cheese croissant will prove that hard work does pay.
In addition to its culinary delights, the Market offers yoga, camps, “Brunch Bites and Bloody Marys” and a variety of cooking classes such as Fresh, Fast & Fabulous: Dishes Under 30 Minutes, Gluten Free Gourmet, Mediterranean Meals, Meatless Main Dishes and Canning Basics. Follow this link for a full July calendar, http://downtownmarketgr.com/classes-programs.
On July 13 the Market will host a Vintage Street Market from 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. Pack a summer’s worth of treasure hunting into one day! Over fifty two vendors were carefully selected, so whether you are looking for that perfect vintage dish or a retro Schwinn, come peruse the booths for treasures. A list of vendors is available at http://www.vintagestreetmarketgr.com/2014-vendors/
Additional information is available at http://downtownmarketgr.com/ or follow the Downtown Market on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DowntownMarket.
Photo Credit: Macy Albaitis.
July 2014 Calendar of Events • 784-2007
Visit www.kdl.org for more programs and information.
Keep your children entertained with fun, informative programs that will help the summer fly by. 
This calendar contains program highlights. Most KDL branches offer additional programs including Book Discussions, Storytimes and a variety of computer classes. Please visit www.kdl.org for more information.
For Children and Families
Teddy Bear Clinic
Bring your teddy bear or favorite stuffed animal friend to the library for a quick check-up. Learn ways to keep them healthy and happy and even get a clean bill of health. For ages 6 and younger.
Wednesday, July 2, 2:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch
Tuesday, July 8, 2:00 PM – Byron Township Branch
Wednesday, July 16, 10:00 AM – Tyrone Township Branch
Monday, July 21, 2:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Monday, July 28, 7:00 PM – Walker Branch
Kids and Teens Craft Show
Arts and crafts for sale by local kids and teens. Stop in the library to register as a seller or just come to shop. You’re sure to find some great bargains. For all ages.
Wednesday, July 2, 1:00 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Thursday, July 10, 2:00 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch
Tuesday, July 15, 2:00 PM – Wyoming Branch
Wednesday, July 16, 6:00 PM – Alpine Township Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 10:00 AM – Grandville Branch
Tuesday, July 29, 1:30 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Kevin Kammeraad and The Cooperfly Puppet Troupe
Don’t miss this quirky crew of characters examining some various components and styles of puppetry. You’ll laugh and learn, while having a great time in this musical, interactive show for all ages!
Wednesday, July 2, 6:00 PM – Alpine Township Branch
Thursday, July 31, 6:30 PM – Byron Township Branch
Stormy the Magician Presents the Magic of Science
Go on an entertaining adventure into the magic of science and the science of magic. For all ages.
Monday, July 7, 2:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Wednesday, July 9, 6:00 PM – Alpine Township Branch
Thursday, July 10, 2:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Thursday, July 10, 6:30 PM – Byron Township Branch
Thursday, July 24, 1:00 PM – Walker Branch
Saturday, July 26, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Thursday, July 31, 2:00 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch
Thursday, July 31, 7:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Out of This World Party
Join us for galactic games, stellar stories and alien activities. Come dressed as an astronaut or space creature and enjoy the fun! For all ages.
Tuesday, July 8, 10:00 AM – Plainfield Township Branch
Tuesday, July 8, 1:30 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Saturday, July 19, 10:00 AM – Englehardt Branch
Tuesday, July 29, 4:00 PM – Spencer Township Branch
Carol Johnson in Concert
Join uniquely gifted singer/songwriter Carol Johnson for a lively, upbeat performance of her well-known original songs as well as other familiar tunes. Her participatory singing encourages us to be good to each other, to ourselves and to the earth. For all ages.
Tuesday, July 8, 10:30 AM – Grandville Branch
Thursday, July 17, 7:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Take It Apart
Like to tinker? Are you curious about how things work or what is inside? Old telephones, keyboards and other gadgets will be provided for children to take apart and explore. Spark your child’s interest in what makes things tick! For ages 6 and older.
Tuesday, July 8, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Tuesday, July 15, 10:00 AM – Plainfield Township Branch
Tuesday, July 15, 1:00 PM – Englehardt Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 2:00 PM – Byron Township Branch
The Porters in Concert
Put on your dancin’ shoes and swing to the toe-tappin’ sounds of The Porters, a four-piece band that will captivate and entertain even the youngest audience. For all ages.
Tuesday, July 8, 4:00 PM – Spencer Township Branch
Thursday, July 10, 1:00 PM – Walker Branch
Thursday, July 10, 6:30 PM – Tyrone Township Branch
Wednesday, July 16, 10:00 AM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Thursday, July 17, 2:00 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch
Thursday, July 17, 7:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Thursday, July 24, 2:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Thursday, July 24, 6:30 PM – Byron Township Branch
Farm on the Go
The Critter Barn of Zeeland brings a little of the farm to the city in a program featuring the cutest barnyard animals around for you to touch and pet. For all ages.
Wednesday, July 9, 10:00 AM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Thursday, July 10, 6:30 PM – Wyoming Branch
Monday, July 14, 2:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Tuesday, July 15, 1:30 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Thursday, July 17, 2:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Thursday, July 17, 6:30 PM – Byron Township Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Wednesday, July 23, 2:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch
Wednesday, July 23, 6:00 PM – Alpine Township Branch
Thursday, July 31, 6:30 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Mario Kart Tournament for Kids
A Wii gaming tournament for school-age kids featuring Mario Kart, prizes and more. Many will enter, but only one will be crowned champion. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Sponsored by the Friends of the Kentwood Library. For kids entering grades K-5.
Wednesday, July 9, 1:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Magic with Tom Plunkard
An amazing program filled with live animals and loads of audience participation. For all ages.
Wednesday, July 9, 2:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch
Thursday, July 10, 1:30 PM – Alto Branch
Thursday, July 10, 6:30 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Thursday, July 17, 6:30 PM – Wyoming Branch
Thursday, July 24, 2:00 PM – Comstock Park Branch
Super Fun Science Party!
You’ll have such a great time playing, making and doing that you may not notice you’re exploring the principles of science at the same time. For all ages.
Thursday, July 10, 10:00 AM – Englehardt Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 10:00 AM – Plainfield Township Branch
Wednesday, July 23, 10:00 AM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Thursday, July 24, 1:30 PM – Alto Branch
Wednesday, July 30, 2:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch
John Ball Traveling Zoo
Come learn about animals and even get a chance to meet some. For all ages.
Thursday, July 10, 2:00 PM – Comstock Park Branch
Rockets are a Blast!
Learn all about building and launching model rockets from Matt Johnson, of the local SMASH rocketry association and National Association of Rocketry. Participants will collaborate on a rocket build and learn about upcoming launch opportunities in the area. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. For ages 6 and older.
Saturday, July 12, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Thursday, July 17, 2:00 PM – Walker Branch
Thursday, July 17, 6:30 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 4:00 PM – Spencer Township Branch
Touch-a-Truck
Are you wild about trucks? Get up close! Some of our municipal vehicles including fire trucks, police cars, front loaders and more will be stopping at the library, along with the pros who operate them. Decorate your own hard hat and other crafts. For all ages.
Tuesday, July 15, 10:30 AM – Grandville Branch
Wednesday, July 30, 10:00 AM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Baffling Bill the Magician
POOF! In a brilliant flash, Baffling Bill the magician arrives to amaze with illusion, comedy, audience participation, and Gus the Bunny to celebrate summer reading. For all ages.
Tuesday, July 15, 4:00 PM – Spencer Township Branch
Thursday, July 24, 7:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Radical Reptiles
Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary engages young minds with fascinating facts and real-life encounters with snakes, alligators and turtles. For all ages.
Thursday, July 17, 10:00 AM – Englehardt Branch
Thursday, July 17, 1:30 PM – Alto Branch
Thursday, July 24, 2:00 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch
Thursday, July 24, 6:30 PM – Wyoming Branch
Thursday, July 31, 6:30 PM – Tyrone Township Branch
The Science of Us with the World’s Coolest Nerd
Miss Cari’s interactive science demonstration on the five senses will have children laughing and learning about how they are a walking piece of science. For all ages.
Tuesday, July 22, 1:30 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Monday, July 28, 2:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Tuesday, July 29, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Wednesday, July 30, 6:00 PM – Alpine Township Branch
Thursday, July 31, 1:30 PM – Alto Branch
For Teens Grades 6-12
Mind Boggle Science Workshop
Dr. Boggle leads you through amazing hands-on experiments and endless possibilities. Learn science the fun way through a series of mind boggling experiences.
Tuesday, July 1, 4:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Tuesday, July 8, 3:00 PM – Alpine Township Branch
Thursday, July 10, 4:00 PM – Spencer Township Branch
Tuesday, July 15, 2:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch
DIY Tie-Dye for Teens
Bring a white or light colored T-shirt to this program and try a new way of tie-dye — with permanent markers. All other materials will be provided to help you create a one-of-a-kind shirt to wear.
Wednesday, July 2, 1:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Monday, July 7, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Tuesday, July 8, 4:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 3:00 PM – Alpine Township Branch
Thursday, July 24, 2:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Thursday, July 31, 4:00 PM – Spencer Township Branch
Kent County Teen Film Festival 2014 Encore
Due to popular demand, KDL is proud to offer another screening of the 2014 KCTFF! If you missed it the first time or just want to relive the awesomeness, here is your chance. Plus, learn how you can enter the 2015 Festival.
Thursday, July 3, 2:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 3:00 PM – Wyoming Branch
Tuesday, July 29, 4:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Bust That Myth!
Can soda pop really clean a gross penny? Can you separate two intertwined phone books? Can you make your own bouncy ball? Test out these myths and more to determine whether they are confirmed or busted!
Tuesday, July 8, 1:00 PM – Walker Branch
Wednesday, July 9, 1:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Thursday, July 17, 4:00 PM – Spencer Township Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 1:00 PM – Englehardt Branch
Thursday, July 31, 2:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch
DIY Spa Products for Teens
Create everything you need for your own spa day! Make your own pampering products like foot scrub, bath salts and body glitter and take some home.
Tuesday, July 8, 2:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch
Tuesday, July 15, 1:00 PM – Walker Branch
Wednesday, July 16, 1:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Thursday, July 17, 2:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Wednesday, July 23, 2:00 PM – Byron Township Branch
Thursday, July 24, 2:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Tuesday, July 29, 3:00 PM – Wyoming Branch
Wednesday, July 30, 2:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Thursday, July 31, 2:00 PM – Comstock Park Branch
The Science of the Paranormal: Where the Werewolf Got Its Bite
Tess Grant, former forensic anthropologist and author of teen suspense and adult thrillers, will talk about where and how the myth began.
Tuesday, July 8, 3:00 PM – Wyoming Branch
Tuesday, July 8, 6:30 PM – Englehardt Branch
Wednesday, July 9, 2:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 2:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch
Tuesday, July 22, 4:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Nuts & Bolts: Jewelry from Hardware
Create one-of-a-kind, edgy, indie jewelry. Make a keychain, necklace, bracelet or earrings from unexpected materials.
Wednesday, July 9, 2:00 PM – Byron Township Branch
Thursday, July 10, 4:00 PM – Alto Branch
Thursday, July 17, 2:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Thursday, July 24, 2:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Monday, July 28, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Tuesday, July 29, 1:00 PM – Englehardt Branch
Thursday, July 31, 2:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Minute to Win It
Pit your skills against the clock and against your peers. Set a personal record or challenge a friend. Prizes for all!
Wednesday, July 9, 2:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Monday, July 14, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township
Wednesday, July 16, 2:00 PM – Byron Township Branch
Thursday, July 17, 2:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Wednesday, July 23, 1:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Saturday, July 26, 11:00 AM – Tyrone Township Branch
Tuesday, July 29, 3:00 PM – Alpine Township Branch
Thursday, July 31, 4:00 PM – Alto Branch
Teen Summer Wii Tournament
Super Smash Bros. Brawl! Many will enter, but only the best will prevail. The tournament features great prizes and snacks. Pre-registration is required and participant spots are limited. Sponsored by the Friends of the Kentwood Library.
Thursday, July 10, 1:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Veggie Nutrition
Join Kim Kyunghee from Veg West Michigan and learn about a healthy and happy lifestyle with vegetarian and vegan cooking. Her program includes a cooking demonstration, food sampling and tips on eating green.
Thursday, July 10, 2:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Tuesday, July 15, 4:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Monday, July 21, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Wednesday, July 30, 1:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Flash Fashion for Teens
KDL’s twist on “Project Runway.” Fashion you create in a FLASH using paper, plastic and other unconventional materials and techniques. We provide the stuff and you dish out the creativity. You’ll work with a team to create a runway look in just 30 minutes by snipping, draping, taping and even accessorizing. Make it work!
Wednesday, July 16, 2:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Thursday, July 31, 2:00 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
For Adults
The Art and Science of Canning
Join Annette McBride as she explains the science behind canning fruits and vegetables at home and demonstrates how to get started with basic canning.
Monday, July 7, 6:30 PM – Cascade Township Branch
Wednesday, July 9, 6:30 PM – Wyoming Branch
Thursday, July 10, 6:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch
Monday, July 14, 6:30 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Saturday, July 19, 1:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch
Bicycle Maintenance 101
The Spoke Folks will bring their mobile bike shop and demonstrate tips on how to keep your bike in tip-top shape so you have a great ride every time you go out.
Saturday, July 19, 2:00 PM – Comstock Park Branch
Foraging: Wild Plants for Food and Medicine
Join herbalist and forager Lisa Rose Starner to learn about local plants and “weeds” that can be used for food and herbal medicine.
Tuesday, July 29, 6:30 PM – Alto Branch
The Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Library took fun to a whole new level last Thursday, June 12, with its annual Kentwoodpalooza extravaganza.
Through the support of the library faculty and combined efforts of Kentwood’s very own teen community, the event commemorated the arts with film, live music, poetry, and painting.
The day kicked off at 1pm with Jibber Jams, where local musicians Dan Rickabus and Max Lockwood of Big Dudee Roo sang songs of intelligent silliness for kids of all ages. The band lead kids in a round of cooperative singing and dancing with songs such as “The Blue Faced Blues,” and “I Wanna Do What I Wanna Do but I Wanna Do What I Wanna Do With You.”
After Jibber Jams, families were able to walk outside and watch students from East Kentwood High School’s National Honor Society art program as they painted their first ever live mural to be hung in the library’s teen section.
“Our role is to find connections for the kids and instill a sense of civic duty through the arts,” said East Kentwood High Art Teacher Le Tran.
Library circulation assistant Barb Williams collaborated with the students in creating the mural’s design. The final sketch illustrated the power of reading and imagination, an inspirational message for everyone.
Also featured at Kentwoodpalooza was the Kent County Teen Film Festival Encore, where students from the winter showcase showed their films once more with family and friends.
Teens took to the Ampitheatre stage at 4pm, where local bands December Assembly, Phantom, Virgo, and Big Dudee Roo performed for a crowd of nearly 600 people until 8pm.
A guitar writing workshop, songwriting workshop, and poetry writing workshop and awards ceremony were also held later in the day.
“This is our fourth Kentwoodpalooza and we are excited to see what other events we can bring in next year,” said teen librarian Greg Lewis. “The event is funded through a grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Affairs.”
If you missed out on Kentwoodpalooza–a festival-style celebration of the arts–make it a point to be there next year. Hundreds of teens from Kent County gathered to play music, show their created films, recite poetry, offer seminars and showcase the Arts. It all took place at Kent District Library’s Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch on June 12 from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.
I got the opportunity to cover local bands and was so thrilled with the talents I witnessed. The three teenage bands possessed the stage with youth and vibrancy. December Assembly, Phantom Ivory, and Virgo played original songs with their own unique styles. They showcased a wide range of talent. 
Big Dudee Roo followed up with the final act of the evening. They are a local band from Wayland that started their music careers just like the teenage bands that began the evening. Their music is rock and roll with folk and grunge mixed in. Their music comes through as honest and genuine. Members of the band offered seminars earlier in the day in guitar and songwriting.
I really enjoyed the concert. The teenagers gave it their all with unbridled enthusiasm and a great sense of originality. I left wanting to hear and see more of all the bands. Big Dudee Roo could have played longer. They are a popular local band with a nice following. They showed a great desire to entertain and cared about their audience and how they were enjoying the show. I am so glad I didn’t miss it.
Don’t miss WKTV’s video coverage of Kentwoodpalooza on Saturday, June 21 at 12:30 p.m. on channel 25.
The nice weather is finally here! What could be better than sitting in a lawn chair while listening to popular music.
More than 3,000 beer enthusiasts are expected to attend the American Homebrewers Association’s (AHA)36th annual National Homebrewers Conference, from June 12 through June 14th at DeVos Place Convention Center. More than 80 presenters are scheduled, including keynote speakers Dave Engbers and Mike Stevens of Founders Brewing Company.Attendees will also have the opportunity to experience 55 different seminars covering topics ranging from practical and experimental brewing to making a living crafting beer. In addition, the Homebrew Expo & Beer City Social Club will feature several dozen companies showcasing the latest and coolest in tools, gadgets and equipment.
“Over the last few years, we’ve really seen a tremendous surge in the number of people participating in the hobby of homebrewing,” says AHA Director, Gary Glass. “Our mission at the American Homebrewers Association is to provide this growing community with the tools and resources they need to brew the best beer in the world.The National Homebrewers Conference adds the important ingredients of education and socializing to the homebrewing mix.”
More than 1.2 million people brew their own beer at home in the United States and Michigan is home to an estimated 40,000 homebrewers.
The conference is also home to the final round of judging in the National Homebrew Competition, the world’s largest beer competition, which recognizes the most outstanding homebrewed beer, mead and cider produced by amateur brewers worldwide. The event culminates with the Grand Banquet during the competition awards ceremony. Sean Paxton, the Homebrew Chef, will be cooking up an assortment of dishes paired with craft beers from banquet sponsor, Samuel Adams.
“Participating in the National Homebrew Competition puts homebrewers on the world’s stage,” adds Glass. “It’s an exciting time for the community to rally together to cheer on their own creations, as well as their fellow homebrewers.”
For more information about the National Homebrewers Conference, visit www.ahaconference.org.
Hundreds of teens from Kent County and beyond are expected to gather at Kent District Library’s Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch on June 12 from 2:00 to 8:00 PM for Kentwoodpalooza, a festival-style celebration of the arts, the end of school and the beginning of Summer Reading @ KDL.
“We wanted to host an event that would introduce teens to their library so they could see it as a welcoming environment, a place where they could hang out during the summer months,” said event organizer Greg Lewis, a teen librarian at the branch. “The City of Kentwood and area businesses have been very supportive, and since KDL has embraced this we have people coming from all over.”
Supported this year by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts and sponsored by the Friends of the Kentwood Library, activities at Kentwoodpalooza include live music; workshops with local musicians, writers and other artists; plus poetry, teen film festival screenings and free food. “Now that we’ve been doing this a few years, Kentwoodpalooza is becoming known as a summer event area teens look forward to – performers too,” Lewis said. “This is a great opportunity for teens to show what they can do and to learn from some of the area’s most well known performers and artists.” 
Schedule:
1:00 p.m. — JibberJams Crane Wives drummer Dan Rickabus will lead a round of intelligent silliness for all ages. This energetic, engaging interactive performance by a local musician features original songs and improvisation performed in the universal language of jibberish.
1:00 p.m. – Ongoing. Watch local artist Barbara Williams collaborate with about a dozen East Kentwood High School National Art Honor Society students on the creation of a large mural that will hang inside the library when completed.
2:00 p.m. — Kent County Teen Film Festival Encore. If you missed seeing these short films by teens on the big screen in February, watch them now and talk with a few of the young film makers about how they created their masterpieces.
2:00 p.m. — Guitar Workshop with Justin Dore. Join Big Dudee Roo’s lead guitarist in exploring different playing styles of and what makes those styles unique. Find out what it means to be a lead guitarist and hear the dos and don’ts of joining a band. Also, get some practice techniques and hear about the history of the instrument and notable guitarists.
3:00 p.m. — Songwriting Workshop. Max Lockwood, lead singer and songwriter for folk rock band Big Dudee Roo, will perform some of his songs, discuss the songwriting process, share ideas for building a song from the ground up and show how to put together all the elements of a song.
5:30 p.m. — Writing Workshop. Published writer, poet and creative writing instructor Hazel Foster will explain how to take working drafts from revision to publication, addressing revision strategies, submission etiquette, venues for publication and how to survive rejection.
6:30 p.m. — Poetry Reading and Awards Ceremony. Winners from the Kent District Library Teen Poetry Contest will share their poetry.
4:00 — 8:00 p.m. Live Music on the Amphitheatre
4:00 p.m. — December Assembly (Electronic Alternative)
5:00 p.m. — Phantom Ivory (Alternative)
6:00 p.m. – Virgo (Alternative Rock)
7:00 p.m. — Big Dudee Roo (Grunge Folk Rock)
9 to 5: The Musical opened to a packed house last weekend at Civic Theater. The expectant crowd murmured excitedly as the lights dimmed and the heavy red curtain rose. Dolly Parton, the star of the 1980s movie, 9 to 5, made a brief introduction via television monitors. She reminded us of how offices operated thirty years ago before the days of email, voice mail and gender equality. Then the stage came to life with an ensemble performance of “9 to 5”. The cast, clad in business suits, danced frantically, giving the audience a bird’s eye view of a scurrying office worker’s life.
For those who have seen the movie, the musical follows the story line closely. But the addition of song and dance amplifies each character. The audience cheered the three heroines as they faced and conquered their challenges. Through each scene, they turned serious moments into comedy.
Judy Bernly (Emily Diener), a recently separated housewife, is entering the workplace for the first time. Her inexperience with complex office equipment, such as a typewriter, is part of her charm. Luckily she persuades her boss, Violet Newstead (Samantha Gauthier) to keep her on despite her lack of ability. Judy’s strength to go on as a single, working woman grows in every scene.
Violet Newstead is struggling to climb the corporate ladder in her high heels. Her forward thinking ideas like daycare in the workplace and job sharing were overlooked by the ‘boys club’ office mentality. But Violet keeps climbing, eventually reaching the top.
The office rumor mill accuses Doralee Rhodes (Jenny Fischer), a faithfully married, affectionate southern belle of having a fling with her boss, Mr. Hart (Dave Duiven). She is shunned by her coworkers and often forced to eat lunch alone because of her reputation. When she finds out that Mr. Hart started the rumor she threatens to change him from a “rooster to a hen”.
Judy, Violet and Doralee form an unlikely bond, uniting them against their chauvinistic boss, Mr. Hart. After an evening of Maui Wowie and whipped crème the three friends fantasize about how they would end Mr. Hart’s office reign. Violet’s vision of poisoning him turns into reality and Hart ends up harnessed to a garage door opener in his own bedroom. Dave Duiven owns the character of Mr. Hart, turning flips as the three ladies sing, “Shine Like the Sun”.
9 to 5: The Musical introduces the audience to a new batch of Dolly Parton songs, sung with passion and precision by the amazing Civic actors. Judy sings of picking up the pieces in “I Just Might”. Mr. Hart, always on the make, sings “Here for You” to Doralee, using pillows as props to express his feelings for her. Doralee sings about feeling judged in “Backwoods Barbie”. Hart’s assistant, Roz Keith (Karen Ambs) expresses her love for him when she sings “Heart to Hart” to his photo. Violet sings of her daydreams, while wearing a sequined, striped suit, in “Violet and Boys”. The ensemble, “Change It” demonstrated great harmonizing while the cast danced on and around their desks.
See 9 to 5: The Musical at the Civic Theater, May 30 – June 15. Show times are Wednesday – Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM.
You know it is summer time, when yard sales, garage sales and Flea Markets capture shopper’s attention. Recently, the City of Kentwood hosted the world’s greatest, 26th Annual, May Madness, indoor/outdoor, clean to the rafters, your junk is someone else’s treasure, get rich quick, spring cleaning, clean out your garage, Flea Market & Craft Sale! Sports equipment went into storage on Saturday May 18, as Kentwood Parks & Recreation Department hosted a flea market. Vendors were set up inside & out hawking wares ranging from books to jewelry as well as delicious baked goods. Shoppers had fun browsing through the tables looking for the special treasures they just had to have. Photojournalist Pat Moll had the opportunity to capture the event.
WKTV Community Media Center offers everyone an opportunity to create videos, tell stories, and explore a topic that interests them. The following was written by volunteer producer, editor, videographer, and writer Thomas Hegewald. He has always been interested in the homes of Heritage Hill in Downtown Grand Rapids and shares his insights:
The homes of Heritage Hill have fascinated me all of my life – from their varied architectural styles to their unabashed grandeur. On every occasion that I have driven through this area, I have gawked at the homes and picked my favorites. I had been volunteering at WKTV for a few months when Tom Norton, the Station Manager, suggested that I produce a series on these homes. It seemed like an ideal match.
For the first two homes I selected the ones that were opened to the public – the Voigt House and the Meyer May House. Both of these homes showcased how the original owners had once lived. The Voigt house featured not only the original furnishings, but the décor as well. The only restoration came in replacing an item, and only when completely necessary. Since there had been an addition to the Meyer May house, followed years later by it being broken up into apartments, a complete restoration had to take place to bring it back to its original state.
The third home in my series (the Connors House) was privately owned. I went through it during the annual tour of Heritage Hill homes. One of the reasons the owners had purchased this house was because it had remained a single-family dwelling and had been owned by one family for nearly its entire life. But, the home needed to be brought up to code with electrical and plumbing. With extensive renovations underway, much thought was also put into the décor of the home to reflect its past, but with a contemporary feel as well.
Producing the series, Grand Homes of Heritage Hill, was a huge undertaking. I did most of the work myself, from coordinating and taping interviews to scheduling and shooting each room in each house. I even spent a couple of Saturday afternoons lugging a bulky tripod in one hand and a heavy camera in the other, walking up and down streets in Heritage Hill shooting a variety of exteriors which I used in the opening sequence for the show.
Once I had the footage shot for one house, I pored over it, developing a storyline based on the interviews. I then crafted the finished piece together during the editing process. Creating a cohesive and compelling story about each home was a long process. On average, each show took nine months from start to completion. It took so long because I was doing it all in my spare time.
The deadline for each new show was annual tour of Heritage Hill. Each time I completed a new show, WKTV would air it, along with the others in the weeks leading up to the tour.
In the end, I came away with an appreciation for this area in our city – from the original owners who built the homes to those who fought to save them from destruction during the days of urban renewal. I also applaud the efforts of the homeowners today who strive to keep up with the amount of work it must take to keep these homes in good repair. And, I still wonder about the many intriguing stories that are contained in each of these grand homes.
Before Phantom of the Opera launched Andrew Lloyd Webber’s career as showbiz legend, there was a little pop cantata called Jesus Christ Superstar. Circle Theatre has put on a truly marvelous production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first foray into musical theatre with a terrific cast, a unique in-the-round setting, and rocking music direction.
The cast is truly top-notch, filling roles with gusto and magnificence deserving of Grand Rapids community theater standards. Jesus is played with both grace and passion by veteran Circle Thespian Matt Tepper. Mary Magdalene is given a belting sorrowful voice by Molly Jones, a recent cast member in Civic’s Les Misérables. Fresh from playing Tevye in Civic’s Fiddler on the Roof is recent GR transplant Bart Sumner, as the wise-cracking, campy, and crooning King Herod.
Best of all is recent Grand Award-winner Stephen Grey as Judas, who is arguably the most humanized and well-rounded character in the show, given a tragic arc as a worried follower who acts instinctively in order to insure as few casualties happen in the future of the apostles’ work.
The show incorporates an in-the-round setting so as not only to liven up the typical proscenium theater experience, but also to include more intimacy with the audience. There is a seating section that allows patrons to sit mere inches away from the action which heightens the theatrical action immensely.
Circle Theater’s season has a lot to offer West Michigan Residents.
Catch one of their upcoming productions this summer:
Jun 5, 7:30 p.m. Don’t Dress for Dinner
Jun 25, 7:00 p.m. Magic Circle: Sleeping Beauty (Somewhere in Time)
Jul 11, 7:30 p.m. One Man, Two Guvnors
Aug 7, 7:30 p.m. Monty Python’s Spamalot
BOX OFFICE
Hours: Monday – Friday 12PM – 5PM
CALL: (616) 456-6656
VISIT: 1703 Robinson Rd
Almost thirty-five years ago the movie “9 to 5” hit the big screen. Three female coworkers formed an unlikely friendship, uniting them against a common enemy, their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical, bigot” boss, Mr. Hart. Hilarious solutions to politically incorrect workplace situations made the move a box office hit.
May 30 through June 15 Civic Theater will present “9 to 5: The Musical”, based on the 1980s hit movie. Civic Theater’s Director of Development and Community Relations, Nancy Brozek explained that the musical follows the movie closely, but that there are some fun surprises as well. She also described the theme of the musical as empowering for women in the workplace.
A preview of the musical was shown at Civic Theater’s Inside Dish. David Duiven, a talented Civic veteran, showcased his portrayal of Mr. Hart, the chauvinistic boss. Duiven had the audience knee-slapping and gasping all at once. His timing was perfect and with his mustache it tact, looked just like Dabney Coleman who played Mr. Hart in the movie version.
This comedy features Dolly Parton’s music and sounds more New York than Nashville. A twelve piece orchestra provides a jazzy, rock band/orchestra fusion background, which compliments the four part harmony.
Eighties’ nostalgia surrounds us, it is at the malls, in the salons and now at Civic theater. Enjoy an evening of laughter, big hair and brilliant music with “9 to 5: the Musical”.
“9 to 5: the Musical” runs from May 30 through June 15. Show times are Wednesday – Saturday at 7:30 PM, Sunday at 2:00 PM. Ticket prices range from $18 to $35 and are available at Civic Theater’s box office at 30 North Division Ave, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, on-line at www.grct.org/purchasetickets or by phone at (888) 695-0888.
Glitz, Glamour, a LIVE television production and most importantly talent of all types! What am I talking about? The 2014 Eclipse Awards Ceremony, which was held at City Flats Ballroom on Thursday, May 1, 2014. The night proved to be a dazzling success!
After receiving a record number of entries, the winners for The 2014 Eclipse Awards were selected by judges in New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and London.
The Eclipse Awards showcase the best in West Michigan’s film, video, and television community. Sponsored by WKTV, with the West Michigan Film Video Alliance, an Eclipse is awarded to locally produced media for outstanding work in the crafts and several primary categories. The mission of the Eclipse event is to inspire and enhance the West Michigan “voice” in mediums of television, film, sound, and web, and to be recognized for excellence among international, national, and regional judges.
The staff and volunteers from WKTV worked diligently in pulling off a seven camera—Live– hour and a half production with their mobile television production truck.
“We are very pleased with the record number of entries and the whole process was pleasing. We look forward to making the Eclipse Awards even better for 2015,” said Tom Norton, General Manager at WKTV. 
Tommy Allen from Rapid Growth Media– who was also named Media Person of the Year– was the host of the show, along with numerous presenters from the film, television and advertising world.
And the winners of the 2014 Eclipse Awards are…
“Melonhead” – Andy Fortenbacher, Producer
“Finding Home” – Ryan Webber, Producer
“Missio Dei” – Corwin Tobias, Producer
“Lare Williams and New Direction: Detour Ahead” – Patty Williams, Producer
“The Redeeming Duck” – Angela Peavey Producer
“Mortgage” – Glen Goen, Producer
“Soft Spring Carpets” – Ben Wilke, Producer
“Nutrilite Nutrikids” – Mike Kren, Producer
“Melonhead” – Andy Fortenbacher
“Soft Spring Carpets” – Ben Wilke
“HUGS Ranch” – Mike Kren
“Missio Dei” – Corwin Tobias
“2013 KCAD Digital Media Reel Titles” – Matt Taylor
“Lare Williams and New Direction: Detour Ahead” – Patty Williams
“County Sheriff: Domestic Dispute” – Ryan Webber
“Free Pie” – Ralph Lister
Clayton Saren
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Choreographer Olivier Wevers teams up with critically acclaimed lighting designer Michael Mazzola to create a 21st century version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” told through the eyes of a young Nick Bottom. In the work, Young Nick, the little boy over whom the royal fairy couple quarrels, is a changeling with no lines. The ballet takes place in Young Nick’s mind as he dreams of becoming an adult and running for president. Across the arc of the ballet, Nick Bottom’s character grows and the audience watches how his experiences of being bullied, reading books, and seeking love, stimulate his imagination and come to life in a dream.
TICKET INFORMATION & DISCOUNT OFFERS Tickets are $40 adults, $35 seniors (60+), $30 children (2-12), and $20 college students in advance.
Tickets to A Midsummer Night’s Dream are available through:
•Ballet Box Office: Phone: (616) 454-4771 (Mon.-Fri. 9am–5pm)
•In person: 341 Ellsworth SW, Grand Rapids (Mon.-Fri. 9am–5pm)
•Ticketmaster.com
Tickets are also available, subject to availability, 60 minutes prior to each performance at Peter Martin Wege Theatre, located at 341 Ellsworth SW.
$12 rush tickets for students may be purchased in-person with valid school ID, beginning 60 minutes prior to show time at the Ballet Box Office. Tickets subject to availability.
A 20% discount is available for groups of 8 or more. For group tickets, please call (616) 454-4771, email rissat@grballet.com or visit grballet.com.
Originally from Brussels, Belgium, Olivier Wevers is the founder and Artistic Director of Seattle’s critically acclaimed contemporary dance company Whim W’Him. In 2012, Wevers was honored with the City of Seattle’s Mayor’s Arts Award, and in 2011, he received the Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship. In both 2011 and 2010, Wevers’ work took home the grand prize award at the Annual Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival in California and he has also been named by Dance Magazine as one of their 25 to watch.
Wevers first began exploring choreography in 2002 while still a Principal Dancer at Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB). In 2009 he founded Whim W’Him to create a “platform, centered around choreography and dance, for artists to explore their craft through innovation and collaboration.” In 2011 Whim W’Him was named the resident dance company of Intiman Theatre.
Besides developing new creations for Whim W’Him, Wevers has created works for numerous companies and festivals in Canada, Japan, and the United States, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theater, Northwest Dance Project and Ballet X.
Wevers was chosen to participate in the 2009 National Choreographers Initiative held in Irvine California. In 2008, he was the recipient of the Artist Trust/ Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship Award, recognizing his work, Shindig, commissioned by PNB. In 2006, he was selected to participate in the prestigious New York Choreographic Institute.
Wevers danced as a Principal Dancer at Royal Winnipeg Ballet before becoming a Principal with PNB, where he danced lead roles in the major full-length classical ballets, as well as in contemporary works by some of the world’s most noted choreographers.
Since the mid 1980’s, Michael Mazzola’s critically acclaimed designs have been seen in venues all over the US and Europe, ranging from opera houses to circus tents to outdoor amphitheaters. Beyond his work as resident lighting designer for Oregon Ballet Theatre, the two-time New York Dance and Performance Award-winning designer has created lighting for the Bebe Miller Company, for whom he has designed since 1986; Steve Paxton and Lisa Nelson, Yoshiko Chuma; the multimedia symphony Babar composed by Raphael Mostel, as well any number of regional companies including Milwaukee Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Aspen / Santa Fe Ballet Company, Trinity Irish Dance Company, and Hubbard Street Dance Company. Recent projects have included the lighting design for Nicolo Fonte’s premiere of Within/Without, set on Pacific Northwest Ballet. In August 2000, Michael was the production designer for Stars of the New York City Ballet, performing outdoors in a garden he designed especially for the event in the south of France. Michael’s lighting for music events has been seen many times in venues such as NJPAC’s Prudential Hall and Victoria Theatre, working with artists such as India Irie, Celia Cruz, Michael Feinstein and guests, and a wide variety of jazz greats such as Kenny Barron with Regina Carter and Pharoah Sanders.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is sponsored by Varnum, The Wege Foundation, James and Mary Nelson, and Michael and Melissa Lojek. Media sponsor is Michigan Radio.
Peter Martin Wege Theatre – one half hour before the performance (7:00pm & 1:30pm). Certain performances may also include choreographers. Free for ticketholders.
Wevers pares down the complex narrative of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by exploring unresolved tensions between Oberon and Titania and radically stripping away the usual green-and-mossy-bower setting in favor of a totally white stage. The use of color and contrast is used to tell the characters apart: white for fairies and color for mortal lovers.
Unlike Shakespeare’s play, Wevers sees the fairies as the real protagonists, rather than the mortals. The tangled, teasing, confrontational relationship of the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, expresses real love’s complexity– not the superficial love of the mortal couples who chase each other about the stage, falling in and out of love at the drop of some magical nectar.
At the core of this tale is love, and love in its many guises. Olivier responds to the story’s commentary on societal values and priorities that make love trivial, without shading.
THE DREAMER: Young Nick, a misfit, is an avid reader with a wild imagination. He loves nature and science, believes in magical creatures and dreams of running for President when he grows up. In bed one midsummer night, fueled by his day’s adventures he drifts into a deep sleep and finds himself in a world where bright flowers burst open revealing sweet love drops, youthful lovers court, grownup politicians changing their stripes, and through it all, magical fairies inject their perverse sense of humor into the mortal collage.
THE FAIRIES: Queen Titania and King Oberon love each other, but make a game of dueling over the young dreamer’s attention. Oberon orders his minion Puck to bring him a magic flower, whose nectar he will squeeze into his Queen’s eyes as she sleeps. The magic drops will cause Titania to fall in love with whatever creature she sees upon waking, thus embarrassing her in front of her Kingdom and giving him the upper hand.
THE LOVERS: Lysander and Hermia are in love. Helena loves Demetrius, but he has fallen out of love with her and in love with Hermia. Helena pursues Demetrius who chases Hermia.
THE MISTAKE: Witnessing this love tangle, Oberon orders Puck to drop some of the magic flower’s nectar in Demetrius’s eyes so he will awake in Helena’s company and fall back in love with her. But Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, and places the magic drops in his eyes instead. In the confusion, Helena stumbles over Lysander, waking him. As he lays eyes on Helena, he falls madly in love with her, dismissing Hermia.
THE SWITCH: Looking for the perfect creature to make Titania fall in love with, Puck spots Nick Bottom, an ambitious politician busy running in the dreamland’s presidential election, and transforms him into a donkey. As luck and Puck would have it, Bottom-the-ass is the first creature Titania sees on waking from her enchanted slumber. She falls in love with him and tends to his every desire.
THE MESS: Though Oberon enjoys the trickery, he becomes angry when he realizes that Puck has ruined his attempt to reunite Helena and Demetrius. Oberon himself anoints Demetrius with the love nectar. When Demetrius proclaims his love to Helena, however, she feels mocked by both Demetrius and Lysander and runs off.
THE FOG: Finally, Oberon puts an end to all the quarreling. With Puck’s help, he confuses the four lovers in a fog and tires them so they fall asleep. He then squeezes love nectar in Lysander’s eyes and insures that the first person he sees on waking is Hermia, thus securing love and peace between the two couples.
THE END: All that remains is to lift the spell on Titania, and for them to reconcile their differences.
Broadway Grand Rapids proudly strides into its 2014-15 season with KINKY BOOTS. The 2013 Tony- Award® winner for Best Musical will bring its inaugural tour to Grand Rapids as the high-heeled highlight of BGR’s next season. The huge Broadway hit won six Tony’s overall, including best musical score by Cyndi Lauper.
Also on the four-show subscription season will be the celebrated new musical based on the Academy Award-winning film ONCE, which won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2012. The enduringly popular ANNIE returns with a new dose of optimism. And the season opens with a vibrant and colorful new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.
The subscription series is sponsored by Fifth Third Bank.
In addition, Broadway Grand Rapids will present four special events next season. The perfect stocking stuffer to start the holiday season, ELF THE MUSICAL, will be here for five performances Thanksgiving weekend. At the heart of Valentine’s week, I LOVE LUCY® LIVE ON STAGE will recreate actual Lucy television episodes from the 1950s, commercials included. DANCING PROS LIVE! A high-energy dance competition where you -yes the audience chooses the winner- will be on stage in April. And Grand Rapids’ favorite Beatles concert, RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES returns in May.
All performances, subscription shows and special events alike will be presented at DeVos Performance Hall in downtown Grand Rapids. Season subscribers can save up to 30 percent off single-ticket prices for the four-show package — and for any of the special events.
Subscribers receive advance ticket purchasing before the general public for all presentations. Beginning August 4, 2014 individual tickets for select shows will go on sale to the public. We offer easy payment plans, free lost-ticket replacement, no-fee ticket exchanges, personalized service, exclusive privileges, and the same reserved seats for each show. The Subscription Series package price ranges from $109 to $338, depending on seating section and performance day and time. Subscribers can also purchase tickets for special events now. New for 2014-15 is a four-payment plan option. The 2014-2015 Subscription Series may be renewed or purchased from Broadway Grand Rapids by calling 616-235-6285 in person at 122 Lyon Street NW in downtown Grand Rapids, by mail using the order form which can be downloaded from the website or using the ONLINE ordering system at www.broadwaygrandrapids.com . BGR office hours are 9 to 5 Monday through Thursday, and 9 to 4 on Fridays. The subscription renewal deadline to keep the same seats is Friday, May 23rd, 2014. New subscribers will begin to be seated on Tuesday May 27.
To receive exclusive pre-sale offers and discounts on upcoming shows sign up for the BGR Eclub at www.BroadwayGrandRapids.com/Eclub.
September 30-October 5, 2014 Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday at 7:30pm; Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm & 8pm; Sunday at 1pm & 6:30pm
Tickets from $32.50 | DeVos Performance Hall
“THE BEST KIND OF FEEL-GOOD SHOW, WARM-HEARTED AND IRRESISTIBLE.” -Sunday Times
One of the most enduring shows of all time, Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber’s JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT is the irresistible family musical about the trials and triumphs of Joseph, Israel’s favorite son. Directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Andy Blankenbuehler, this new production will feature Broadway/television star Diana DeGarmo (Hairspray, Hair) as The Narrator and Broadway star Ace Young (Grease, Hair) as Joseph. Retelling the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colors, this magical musical is full of unforgettable songs including Those Canaan Days, Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door. Book your tickets and be part of the magic!
AGE RECOMMENDATION: a Musical for all ages!
November 4-9, 2014
Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday at 7:30pm; Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm & 8pm; Sunday at 1pm & 6:30pm
Tickets from $32.50 | DeVos Performance Hall
“ONCE USES SONG AND DANCE IN A WAY I’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IN AN AMERICAN MUSICAL.” -The New York Times
“4 STARS (OUT OF 4)! EXQUISITELY CRAFTED, GORGEOUSLY RESONANT AND WHOLLY NOT-TO-BE-MISSED” -Chicago Tribune
Winner of 8 2012 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL, ONCE is a truly original Broadway experience. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, ONCE tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights… but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, ONCE draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. It’s an unforgettable story about going for your dreams and the power of music to connect us all.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: PG (contains some strong language)
January 13-18, 2015 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday at 7:30pm; Saturday at 2pm & 7:30pm; Sunday at 1pm & 6:30pm
Tickets from $32.50 | DeVos Performance Hall
“SPECTACULAR ON EVERY COUNT.” -Newsweek
“OVERFLOWING! BIG, WARM-HEARTED AND FUNNY!” -New York Post
Leapin’ Lizards! The world’s best-loved musical returns! Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin, this Annie is a brand new incarnation of the iconic original. With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie is determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago at an orphanage run by the embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other orphans, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of New York. In a series of adventures, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations, befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and finds a new home with billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his secretary Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy. Featuring book and score by Tony Award® winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, Annie includes such unforgettable songs as It’s the Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, and the eternal anthem of optimism, Tomorrow.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: a Musical for all ages!
June 2-7, 2015
Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday 7:30pm; Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm & 8pm; Sunday at 1pm & 6:30pm
Tickets from $32.50 | DeVos Performance Hall
“THERE IS NO SHOW HOTTER THAN KINKY BOOTS.” – CBS News
“A FEEL-GOOD EXTRAVAGANZA! This show is a HIT!” -The Huffington Post
KINKY BOOTS is the exhilarating Broadway musical that will lift your spirits to new high-heeled heights! Winner of six Tony Awards® including BEST MUSICAL, this inspirational story follows a struggling shoe factory owner who works to turn his business around with help from Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. Together, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible… proving that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.
Inspired by a true story, KINKY BOOTS features a joyous, Tony-winning score by CYNDI LAUPER, direction and Tony-winning choreography by JERRY MITCHELL and a hilarious, uplifting book by four-time Tony winner HARVEY FIERSTEIN. Come join the sold-out audiences who’ve discovered why – sometimes – the best way to fit in is to stand out!
AGE RECOMMENDATION: PG
2014-15 SPECIAL EVENTS
November 28-30, 2014
Friday at 2pm & 7:30pm; Saturday at 2pm & 7:30pm; Sunday at 2pm
Tickets from $32.50 | DeVos Performance Hall
“SPLASHY, PEPPY, SUGAR-SPRINKLED HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT!”
-The New York Times
ELF is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner ELF.
February 10-12, 2015
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday at 7:30pm
Tickets from $27.50 | DeVos Performance Hall
I LOVE LUCY® LIVE ON STAGEis the brand-new hit stage show adapted from the most beloved program in television history! It’s 1952 and you are a member of the Desilu Playhouse studio audience awaiting the filming of two hilarious and oh-so-familiar I LOVE LUCY® episodes. A charming host entertains and enlightens you to the behind-the-scenes filming process of this brand new thing called “television,” the Crystaltone Singers perform advertising jingles in perfect 50s style harmony and the sidesplitting antics of America’s favorite foursome – Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel – are presented live on stage and in color for the very first time! It’s a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience TV Guide’s William Keck calls “the most entertaining stage production I’ve seen in years – including Broadway!” The truth is in the title – whether young or old, everybody really does LOVE LUCY!
April 17, 2015
Friday at 8pm
Tickets from $30.00 | DeVos Performance Hall
“Top notch dancing from the best in the world and a live fan vote for the winner. If you like Dancing with the Stars you’ll love the drama, excitement and unpredictability of Dancing Pros.” – People Magazine
The world’s finest dancers battle it out live on the stage and the audience picks the winner! DANCING PROS: Live – hosted by Alan Thicke (Golden Globe nominee and Growing Pains star, TV series) is an unforgettable live competition show created by some of the most accomplished DANCING WITH THE STARS pros – Edyta Sliwinska & Alec Mazo.
In DANCING PROS: Live, for the first time pros from DANCING WITH THE STARS, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, and Dance Champions from around the globe dance off against each other. Using electronic voting remotes attached to every seat, each member of the audience will get a chance to vote for their favorite couple, becoming part of the show that will dazzle everyone with an amazing caliber celebrity & pro cast, a glamorous set, fantastic costumes, video packages, group numbers, and of course unbelievable dance moves. Singers from the best competition TV shows; The Voice and American Idol will accompany dazzling group performances and solos while celebrity guest star judges like Edyta Sliwinska of DWTS help the audience select the winning pair. It’s the ideal family outing with bragging rights for the winner!
May 13, 2015
Wednesday at 7:30pm
Tickets from $30.00 | DeVos Performance Hall
RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES is a live multi-media spectacular that takes you on a musical journey through the life and times of the world’s most celebrated band. Going further than before, this expanded RAIN adds even more hits that you know and love from the vast anthology of Beatles classics such as “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “Hard Day’s Night,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Let It Be,” “Come Together” and “Hey Jude.”
This stunning concert event takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is the next best thing to the Beatles. Don’t miss the Broadway smash that’s taking the world by storm…RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES.
Practically everyone knows The Wizard of Oz front to back. Sources say it is the most widely viewed movie of all time, even more than Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, and most Disney films. Going in to the visiting Broadway Grand Rapids presentation, audiences may be hesitant to go as it will not be able to equal the movie which everyone has grown up seeing. Well, this show really comes close to that.
All the classic characters are present here. Dorothy is perky as ever with a tad more rural quality to her voice and mannerisms than the quintessential Judy Garland. The Wicked Witch is slightly more personable with a dry sense of wicked humor, not quite to Stephen Schwartz’ Wicked levels, but more so than the classic film. The Scarecrow still hobbles around daintily, the Tin Man still looks solidly built and acts equally powerful, and the Lion is amusingly wimpy with moments of clear bravery hidden here and there. The Wizard is portrayed properly too, from his booming maleficence in his Act I appearances to his revealed self all pompous, but bumbling persona in Act 2. Rounding out the cast are Glinda the Good Witch, as well as slightly taller versions of the Munchkins, and the Winkies, the Wicked Witch’s guards alongside her ferocious flying monkeys.
Design-wise, this show brings whimsical perfection. The practically sepia Kansas sets are economically proportioned and there are plenty of little touches that reinforce a sense of rural struggle. Once the setting moves to Oz, the colors explode off the stage and the locales come to life in ways expected from an Oz adaptation. The show makes use of many technological effects such as the iconic twister that whisks Dorothy and Toto to Oz as well as a journey through the woods to the Wicked Witch’s lair at the top of Act II. Technically, the show proves to be impressive in all aspects.
The costume designer paid attention to details in creativity and color. The Manager of the production had local ties. He graduated from Rockford High School and majored in Theater production.
This season at Broadway Grand Rapids has been exceptionally lively and The Wizard of Oz proved to be the proverbial cherry on top of a delicious season of shows provided. The entire production was a wonderful treat along the yellow brick road with Dorothy, Toto, and all the other wonderful denizens of Oz.
Check out the incredible season that will be offered for 2014-1015 theater season with Broadway GR at their website http://www.broadwaygrandrapids.com/
Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s only 10-day community-wide festival of laughter, attracted 50,000 attendees from across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom during its fourth annual event. LaughFest officially kicked off on March 6 when 1,675 people broke the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing sunglasses in the dark.
Preliminary numbers indicate that nearly 50,000 individuals attended LaughFest’s 278 events (66 ticketed and 212 free) at 54 stages in Grand Rapids, Lowell and Holland. A total of 30,517 tickets were sold and visitors traveled from 593 U.S. zip codes across 35 states, and Canada and the United Kingdom. Attendances at the free events totaled 19,380.
In addition to the attendance figures, LaughFest officials are estimating the fourth year of the festival will have net proceeds of $235,000, bringing the four year total to $1,061,000. The money raised will support free emotional healthcare programs for children and adults living with cancer, grief and loss through Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids (GCGR). Proceeds from LaughFest 2014 account for about 15 percent of GCGR annual operating budget.
“The community continues to come out and support the festival, and the important role laughter plays in emotional health,” said Wendy Wigger, president, GCGR. “Without their continued support, Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids would not be able to provide quality programming and care. We look forward to continuing to spread the word about Gilda Radner’s vision, while raising the visibility of Grand Rapids and West Michigan on a national level.”
Almost 900 artists appeared at LaughFest, with 170 headliners and artists who participated in the ticketed events during LaughFest, and a total of 729 people from 27 states such as Arizona, California, Florida, along with Canada performed during the free showcases.
Artist Michael Gehl, of Milkshake, noted LaughFest provides a positive experience for those who perform. “We came to Grand Rapids as strangers and felt like we left with many new friends,” he said. “The audiences were enthusiastic and open-minded, folks on the street were friendly and helpful and the LaughFest staff was wonderful. It felt like an event and a city with a strong sense of purpose and positivism.”
“Without the amazing staff, volunteers, talent, community partners, sponsors and community support we would not be able to put together such an amazing event year-after-year,” said Wigger. “We are grateful to everyone who supports this event and cause, including our 370 sponsors and partners, 1,200 volunteers and all who attended LaughFest 2014. Together we’re able to build the success of the festival, bring dollars into the local economy and share a collective laugh while enjoying a wide variety of all things seriously funny!”
Call 616-735-HAHA (4242) to learn more about Gilda’s LaughFest.
Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids provides free emotional healthcare to children adults, families and friends on any kind of cancer journey or those grieving the death of someone in their life due to any cause. The comprehensive program, delivered by licensed healthcare professionals includes education, structured sharing times, networking, lectures, workshops and social activities. Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is one of the largest and busiest of the 52 affiliates in North America. The organization runs entirely on charitable donations and currently serves more than 10,000 individuals each year at its clubhouses in Grand Rapids and Lowell, Mich., in various schools and in five community centers. For more information, visit www.gildasclubgr.org.
by Penny Notter
What happens when you team the beloved children’s book author Barbara Park’s work with the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre: It’s Christmas in April at the Civic! Straight from the storybook, the Theatre brings to life the world’s funniest first-grader, Junie B. Jones. The production takes the stage from April 18-27.
“Whether you are familiar with Junie B. Jones or not, you won’t be disappointed. I found myself laughing out loud just reading the script!” admitted Civic Theatre Associate Director, Penelope Notter. “The script follows the book closely and Junie B., and her classmates have been cast by 10-11 year old students from our School of Theatre Arts.”
The casting of children in the first grader roles brings a level of realism and connection for young audience members. When producing a popular and endearing children’s favorite story, the Theatre works hard to bring the book’s pages to life. “This creates that magic moment that makes Live Theatre real” states Community Relations Director, Nancy Brozek. “For so many children, this is the moment they remember throughout their life. It is the moment they become a fan of the art!”
As a teaching Theatre, the Civic involves the actors in many aspects of the production. Prop Master, Michael Wilson notes “With this show, the cast are involved in making some of the props for the show. They will be creating the ornaments for the classroom’s tree and other decorations. To be authentic, these decorations should look like they are made by children. This accomplishes that AND provides them (cast) with some insight into another role in theatre.”
Barbara Park’s books have been showing children that reading is fun for the past 20 years. This Allison Gregory adaptation brings Park’s clever humor to the stage, and is sure to bring that magical moment to young audience members too. In theatre, it doesn’t have to be December for Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells and Batman Smells to help keep your holiday spirit alive this spring.
