Tag Archives: season

Yes Toto, Grand Rapids Civic did just announce its 2021-2022 season

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , , ,
Grand Rapids Civic Associate Director Allyson Paris and Executive Director Bruce Tinker announced the 2021-2022 season for the company. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre Associate Director Allyson Paris admitted she had quite a different feeling this morning than she did about year ago.

“It was definitely much more joyful,” Paris said. Joyful because today, June 1, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre announced its 2021-2022 season which includes “The Wiz,” the production that had to be canceled last spring due to the pandemic.

“We had just cast it and had to make that decision that we would not be moving forward with the show,” Paris said of the announcement that was made to the cast and volunteers in the spring of 2020. But with regulations changing daily as more people get vaccinated, the show will go on with most of the original casted actors and crew planning to return in the spring of 2022 for the production.

“There are going to be some changes as some of the original cast members will be away or at college,” Paris said, “but most of the original cast will be returning.

“The Wiz” will wrap Civic’s 2021-2022 season. (Supplied)

“That has been true for most of the our performers who were rehearsing and preparing and then everything just shutdown. It has been a waiting period to see if that show would return and if it fits into their schedule.”

Grand Rapids Civic there certainly has a schedule for its 96th season which includesthree shows from its scheduled 2020-2021 line up, “The Sound of Music,” “Shakespeare in Love, and “Dragons Love Tacos” along with “The Wiz,” which was originally part of the company’s 2019-2020 season.

 

The season will start off with the musical “Once” and is based on the 2007 film of the same name. It is a love story of “Guy” and “Girl” and centers around the Academy Award-winning song “Falling Slowly.” Civic will then feature the musical concert Black Bold and Beautiful: Onward Together, which Paris described as a celebration of African-American music. Wrapping up 2021, will be the award-winning musical “The Sound of Music,” a musical celebration of the lives of the Von Trapp family with such familiar hits as “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” and “Maria.”

 

Shakespeare finds his muse in the fun “Shakespeare in Love,” which kicks off 2022, followed by the children’s production “Dragons Love Tacos,” which is based off the popular Adam Rubin book. Because of the popularity of its “Ten for All” playwright competition this past February, Civic will again be hosting the competition in 2022.

“Sound of Music” will be Civic’s holiday offering. (Supplied)

Executive Director Bruce Tinker said there are still some variables in regards to health guidelines such as seating capacity and masks requirement for performers. But that aside, Tinker said it was an “honor” to announce the new season.

“After over a year of uncertainty surrounding our calendar, we truly feel this announcement and new season is a gift to ur community,” Tinker said. “We can’t thank them enough for their continued support and encouragement over the past year.”

As for the community excitement, Civic received 690 page views during its June 1 Facebook announcement and Paris said within a few minutes of the announcement, she had received three to four emails asking when auditions would be and who would be directing.

 

“It is joyful because It is much more of a return to normal,” Paris said of the announcement. “It is a celebration as we are are reminded that what we get to do is so special.”

Season tickets for both new and renewal will be on sale start Aug. 3 and individual tickets will go on sale starting Aug. 17. All season packages, such as Flex, will be available. For more information, visit tickets@grct.org or call 616-222-6650.

Wyoming Competitive Cheer team happy to have a season

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Sports, , ,

By Maggie Boorsma and Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The words echo down the hall of the Wyoming Intermediate School “Push the doubt away.”

From the sounds, there is no doubt that the Wyoming Competitive Cheer team is back. Like many of the winter high school sports team, the group has had to weather delays as the state and Michigan High School Sports Association (MHSSA) grabbled with the COVID pandemic and the guidelines for social distancing. While floor routines, seen in Rounds 1 and 2, do not require cheerleaders to touch, stunting, often in Round 3, does, which had competitive cheer fall into contact sports.

In a typical year, tryouts for competitive cheer would happen in November, which they did for the Wyoming’s team, and competitions would have started right after the first of the year. Competitive cheer, along with other contact sports such as basketball and wrestling, were given the go ahead to resumed practice on Jan. 16 but it pushed the season back. Now post season will start on March 19 with the final competitions on March 26 and 27.

This was on top of the fact that there was a switch up in divisions for competitive cheer which started this year. The team was placed in the same league as powerhouse Muskegon Heights, which has consecutively headed to state finals. Rounding out the league is Zeeland East, Zeeland West, Muskegon, and Reeths Puffer.

“We have already had one meet this year and our scores where fairly close,” said Coach Ashley Kron, who took over the program last year. With a growing program and a young team, Kron said it will be tough for the group to bring home a district championship this year, but for many of the girls on the team, that’s OK. They are on the mats and have a season and that is all that maters.

Senior Maddie Dewey has been looking forward to cheering in her senior year. (WKTV)

The stress of waiting to know the future of this competitive season was hard and just when she had thought it would not happen is when senior Maddie Dewey learned that MHSSA had given the go ahead.

“This is something that I have been looking forward to since forever,” said Dewey, who has been cheering since sixth grade. “Even though it is going to be different, I am happy that I am here and that we do have a season.”

There are challenges such as the requirement of wearing masks while competing, which can make it difficult to breathe, but the chance to complete her senior year as cheerleader is worth it, she said.

Tenth grader Amya Brown also has had a passion for cheer since the seventh grade.

Sophomore Amya Brown said she enjoys the connection to her teammates and the coaches. (WKTV)

“I am really glad for this opportunity,” Brown said. “It makes it fun and you have this family, a connection to the girls and the coaches.”

There are still COVID concerns, Brown said, but the fact that the team is having a season demonstrates how much people have followed the guidelines.

The team has four total meets this season. Except for the masks, most of the rounds will not look that different. There are some guidelines on stunting for Round 3. The rules also only allow for each participant to have up to two spectators at each meet. Anyone who has been to a competitive cheer meet knows that the spectators shouting back is part of the fun.

 

“It may not be as loud,” Dewey said, “but it will still be fun.”

For the Wyoming Competitive Cheer Team, being back on the mats and having a season are the most important things. (WKTV)

This weekend the last one for the John Ball Zoo’s 2020 season

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,
The Canadian Lynx is getting ready to for its winter home at the John Ball Zoo. (Supplied)

By Darci David
John Ball Zoo

Only three days left for guests to enjoy John Ball Zoo for the 2020 season. Guests can get their last visits for the year to see the red pandas, along with the chimpanzees, meerkats, lions, bears, tigers and the other amazing animals from Friday, Nov. 20 – Sunday, Nov. 22.

Along with many new babies, including red pandas, armadillos, Canada lynx and others, the Zoo had had other exciting additions for the 2020 season. Guests are now welcomed by a new front entry valley, which includes a winding ADA compliant entry pathway, along with new restrooms, concession stand and groundwork to bring new animals into the Zoo family.

With the increased cases of COVID, the Zoo will require all guests ages 5 and older to wear a mask at all times and everywhere in the Zoo, including outdoor spaces. They also have again reduced guest capacity within the Zoo to allow space for social distancing.

With limited admission tickets available, guests are highly encouraged to reserve their timed tickets ahead of time to guarantee their preferred date and time. Tickets are available at www.jbzoo.org. John Ball Zoo will be open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

For more information about the John Ball Zoo, visit jbzoo.com.