729 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(07/24/13 11:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>FROM IDS REPORTSGambling, drug abuse and alcohol addiction are just a few habits Bloomington’s Amethyst House aims to eradicate from the community.To kickstart its upcoming programs, Amethyst House will rent out the Buskirk-Chumley Theater at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 for a benefit concert named “From Shadows to Light.”Local musicians Carrie Newcomer, Scott Russell Sanders, Joe O’Connell and Kate Long will perform at the event to raise money for the not-for-profit sober living facility.The Buskirk-Chumley regularly rents out its space to local businesses and nonprofit organizations for events such as this.Cost of the use of the theater is either covered by the BEAD Grant program or the Buskirk-Chumley’s Movie Partner Project.In 2012 alone, eight separate events raised a combined $233,000 for participating local organizations, according to a Buskirk-Chumley press release.This will be one of just a few current fundraisers for Amethyst House this year, along with its Capital Campaign and Homeward Bound 5K Walk.Donations to the Capital Campaign will help fund the repair of the facility’s roof and chimney.The Homeward Bound 5K Walk raised more than $8,500 for local homelessness prevention.Amethyst House was originally established as Ray of Love in August 1980.The founders of the sober living house were recovering community members who saw a need for safe housing for other recovering addicts, according to the center’s website.The organization’s name was changed in 1989 to Amethyst House, Inc. to reflect the detoxifying properties of the gemstone amethyst.Tickets for the benefit event are now on sale to the public and range from $20 to $100 depending on seating locations inside the theater.To purchase tickets, guests can go to buskirkchumley.org or visit the Buskirk-Chumley Theater box office during its business hours.— Amanda Jacobson
(07/14/13 10:38pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Classical music meets hip-hop and bluegrass to form Black Violin, voted one of the top-five new bands at the 2013 South by Southwest festival.Black Violin, a decade-long partnership between musicians Wil B and Kev, will take the stage at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater this fall to showcase their eclectic sound to the Bloomington community.Black Violin will perform one time only at 8 p.m. Oct. 12.Tickets for the performance will go on pre-sale 11 a.m. July 17 at the BCT Box Office, located at 114 E. Kirkwood Ave.The musical duo will be accompanied by its band, featuring turntable expert DJTK (Dwayne Dayal), drummer Beatdown (Jermaine McQueen) and cellist Joe Cello (Joseph Valbrun).Black Violin has performed more than 200 shows annually, in 49 states and 36 countries across the globe. Traveling as far as Dubai, Prague and South Africa and joining other artists on stage for three past NFL Super Bowl celebrations, Black Violin has experienced a large response from its audience.Throughout the years, Black Violin has collaborated with the likes of 50 Cent, Tom Petty, Aerosmith and Kanye West, among other artists.For more information about the upcoming Black Violin performance, contact the Buskirk-Chumley Theater at 812-323-3023.General ticket sales will also begin 11 a.m. July 24. Main floor and lower balcony tickets are $32 and upper balcony seats are $26 per ticket. Tickets will also be available for purchase by phone at 812-323-3020 and online at www.bctboxoffice.com.
(06/23/13 10:17pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Awe and wonder can be found in small places.Stardust, a circus troupe of only 12 members, performed at Bloomington’s National Guard Armory Saturday and Sunday.The setup was modest, staged in the armory’s gymnasium.Wooden bleachers were packed with audience members, and children who wanted a closer look sat against the border of the ring stage, only feet away from performers. Acts included a low-wire balancing performance, juggling and traditional trapeze tricks.After a short intermission where children could get face paintings and popcorn, the finale featured a stunt where a performer rode a motorcycle inside a globe-like metal cage. There were no animals.Celeste Garcia, the narrator of the show who was raised in circus life, said the troupe of 12 traveled from its home in Florida and has been all over the country 10 months out of the year. Where most circuses feature animal acts as their main attraction, Garcia said it was just easier to leave its animals at home. But many circuses that do use animals have been notorious for animal cruelty since their beginnings.In 2012, Barnum and Bailey, the biggest circus in America, was charged with the largest penalty in circus history by the United States Department of Agriculture. The company had to pay $270,000 for violations of the Animal Welfare Act, the only piece of animal-related legislature that directly addresses circuses. Among other violations, 30 elephants had been killed under the circus’ care between 1993 and 2012 according to PETA.Garcia said in the circuses she grew up in and eventually helped run, animals were used, but cruelty had never been used as a form of training or punishment. “Our animals are like family to us,” Garcia said. “We don’t hurt them.”Stardust, which Garcia said sometimes uses pet dogs in performances, practices a liberal treat system to train an animal to do tricks. “When we’re training a dog to do a trick, we give him a treat as a kind of positive reinforcement,” Garica said. “If he doesn’t do the trick, we wait. If he doesn’t end up doing it, we just move on.”While some animal activists said they were impressed that Stardust doesn’t usually employ animals, some audience members said they were disappointed. Trisha Gentry, who brought her 3-year-old son, said she wished there had been animals.“I’ve been to circuses before where animals were the main act, and I guess that’s kind of what I was expecting,” Gentry said. “I feel a little let down.”Garcia said to keep the show exciting, they rotate members.Stardust consists of three families whose members all participate in the show.Switching members who specialize in different performances help maintain a sense of variety in their small troupe.“It’s all about a fresh show,” Garcia said.
(06/19/13 10:38pm)
Find something new to experience this week with local events and performances.
(06/12/13 11:36pm)
A variety of big-name and local musicians will perform in Bloomington this month.
(05/08/13 11:22pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>By Hannah Cranehmcrane@indiana.eduThe whining of the saxophone and the rhythm of congas could be heard all the way down Kirkwood Avenue.Families, students and passers-by came to enjoy the free Lunchtime Concert between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday in Peoples Park.Every Tuesday in Peoples Park, different musical performers will present free lunchtime concerts to the public as a part of the Bloomington Summer Performing Arts Series. Downtown Bloomington came alive on the first clear day of summer to the sounds of feel-good tunes like Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up”.This summer marks the 10-year anniversary of the Lunchtime Concert events. The Summer Performing Arts Series will take place May through August, providing 17 different events at various locations. “It’s just this wonderful intersection of sun, music, lunch and the hustle and bustle of downtown,” Greg Jacobs, the Community Events Coordinator for Bloomington Parks and Recreation, said.Afro-Cuban, folk, blues, jazz and country are among the featured music genres. “I look to offer a variety of types of music,” Jacobs said. “Bloomington has such a great music community, so we can put together a full series.”Afro Hoosier Intl was the featured band Tuesday and performed songs from the African diaspora. This included a variety of covers from Bob Marley to Latin-Cuban songs in Spanish.“It was fun performing in Peoples’ Park,” Robert Port, IU professor emeritus of linguistics and co-founder of Afro Hoosier Intl, said. “We must’ve had several hundred people see us perform throughout the hour and a half time. We’re used to around 50 people at our shows.”Afro Hoosier Intl was founded 13 years ago by Port and another IU linguistics professor, Michael Gasser, after returning from their work in Kenya and Ethiopia with Peace Corps. “I loved the African pop music I heard when I was in Kenya,” Port said. “I just loved what I heard when I turned on the radio, so here I am now playing it.”After 13 years, Port is the only original member remaining, but Afro Hoosier Intl is made up of 11 musicians and vocalists. This includes five IU faculty and staff members, and one Ph.D. student. “We all just really enjoy playing, but we all have day jobs,” Port said. “We are a dance band, and play so that people to dance to our music.”Though Tuesday did not draw much of a dancing crowd, many people flocked to Peoples’ Park to listen to the international rhythms and sing along as they ate lunch, let their children play, and soaked in the summer atmosphere.“IU offers fewer activities during the summer, so we try to cater to the summer audiences,” Jacobs said. “We present these concerts to provide the community with just a fun thing to do in the middle of the work day.”To view the full summer concert schedule, visit bloomington.in.gov/concerts.
(05/03/13 3:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>By Jimmy Jenkinsjenkijar@indiana.eduOne hundred fifty performances on 10 stages in four days. Bonnaroo is the annual music festival that takes place each year in Manchester, Tenn.The show is known for hosting an eclectic mix of performers, featuring not only musicians but comedians as well. During the four day blitz, concert-goers from all over the country will have to choose between seeing Maria Bamford or Maps and Atlases, among others. While not sharing the same stage, Paul McCartney will effectively be followed by the Wu-Tang Clan. The multitude of entertainment options can be overwhelming. So can the number of fans. In the past, as many as 80,000 people have attended the show. In a recent conference call, Ken Weinstein of Big Hassle Media — the publicity firm for Bonnaroo — said based on ticket sales they expect at least that many in attendance this year.Even the announcement of the performance roster has become something of a phenomenon.This year’s lineup was announced live on YouTube via a parody telethon hosted by Weird Al Yankovic. Announced musical performers range from time-tested big names to newcomers from all genres. As in years past, while the concert lineup has a deep bench, the festival is anchored by well-known names. This year the headliners are Paul McCartney, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mumford and Sons. No-less-impressive nationally touring acts will include David Byrne & St. Vincent, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and Passion Pit.The festival offers several chances to see acts that have limited tours such as rapper Kendrick Lamar or psychedelic rock band Tame Impala. It is also a way to access those artists that otherwise might be out of one’s price range (see Paul McCartney).Last year’s festival featured a performance by formerly Bloomington-based group The Main Squeeze.Main Squeeze lead singer Corey Frye recently recounted the experience of playing for thousands of people for the first time.“That was honestly one of the biggest crowds we had ever played for — the energy is amazing,” Frye said. “But the best part was all the B-Town support. We knew a lot of people from Bloomington would be down there, but to actually see so many people in Hoosiers jerseys cheering for us was a huge confidence booster that made our show so much better.”Frye said his band took advantage of the opportunity to meet and get advice from other up-and-comers like Alabama Shakes.Bloomington record labels will be represented at the festival as well. Dead Oceans artist The Tallest Man on Earth will be performing as well as artists from Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar.Tickets are still available at the Bonnaroo website, but most of the lower pricing levels have sold out. However, there will be a new way to attend the festival, offered for the first time. Starting Friday, the site will offer the sale of packaged day-pass tickets and shuttle rides from the city of Nashville, Tenn.Sean Hallarman of Big Hassle Media said this option was added for those who want to check out the shows but may not be into the whole festival scene.
(04/26/13 2:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Hooshir A Capella performed its spring concert Thursday night in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. About half of the group’s members are Jewish, and the religion features in the group’s performances. The group performs songs by American, Hebrew and Israeli musicians. The group formed in 2006 and has grown in the years since its inauguration. Hooshir performs throughout the year and competes at various competitions across the country. This year, Hooshir was crowned champion at the third Kol HaOlam National Collegiate Jewish A Capella Championship, the group’s first national championship. The group entertained the crowd with renditions of some popular top-40 songs, including David Guetta’s “Titanium,” fun.’s “Some Nights” and Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.” The evening’s performance also featured Jewish and Israeli songs “Lecha Dodi,” “Ana Bekoach” and “Shoshanim Atzuvot.”Senior group member Julie Womack said the group is collaborative and encourages input from all members on song options. “At the beginning of the year, each person is asked to come with their own arrangement, whether it is American, Israeli or Jewish,” Womack said. “We then choose our repertoire from that list.”In addition to official performances at ceremonies and functions around campus, the group has also performed spontaneously at venues like Starbucks and the Sample Gates. The group has even put on flash mobs in the past. While a capella groups like Straight No Chaser and Another Round have more of a presence on campus, Womack said what makes Hooshir special is its Jewish ties. “I think the biggest difference between us and other groups is simply the fact that we sing Jewish and Israeli music,” she said. “We’re also supported by Hillel instead of IUAA, like other groups.”Womack said the final performance is an exciting moment in the group’s season, and she hopes the group is able to always put on an exciting, entertaining show.“We have a lot of fun singing and being on stage together,” she said. “Hooshir loves nothing more than spending time together and making music and sharing it with everyone.”– Carolyn Crowcroft
(04/25/13 3:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The power of music can be a soothing one.On Sunday, April 28, a number of leading Baroque violinists who studied at the Jacobs School of Music will return to benefit the Middle Way House with a special concert at Fairview United Methodist Church, 600 W. Sixth St.The 2 p.m. concert will be a performance of Heinrich Biber’s “Mystery Sonatas,” also known as “The Rosary Sonatas.” The concert is renowned for a technique called “scordatura,” which involves irregular tuning of the violin strings. Each of the 15 sonatas in Biber’s performance cycle is inspired by the praying of the Rosary.Artistic director Janelle Davis said she plans to use Sunday’s event as a tribute to the influential women in her life. “One of the most famous women in history is the Virgin Mary, and it’s the story of Mary’s bravery in the face of adversity that Biber depicts in this sonata cycle,” Davis said. “I’ve been so impressed by the way Middle Way House serves and supports women in hardship. I can’t think of a better fit for this project.”Toby Strout, director of the Middle Way House, said he is thrilled that this event will benefit the House.“What makes this event so special is the opportunity it will afford audience members to honor the special women in their lives,” Davis said. For more information about the concert or the Middle Way House, visit bctboxoffice.com or middlewayhouse.org.
(04/14/13 7:16pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The sound of live music echoed throughout campus Saturday. WIUX and Business Careers in Entertainment Club combined to host the annual Culture Shock Music Festival. Jen Samson is one of the student organizers of the festival. She was happy with this year’s turnout, she said, because usually a downpour of rain has stifled the event in the past.“It’s been really great seeing everybody come out here,” she said. “It hasn’t been a more perfect day.”Saturday, direct sunlight beamed onto the ground, and combined with the remnants of drifting cigarette smoke. The combination created a luminous, hazy effect on all that could be seen in Dunn Meadow. This haze settled over the hundred-person crowd. There was not a drop of rain in sight.At the mouth of the meadow facing Kirkwood stood the stage where most of the crowd was condensed. Many bands graced the stage Saturday, one of them being local group Apache Dropout. Anu Nath, also known as Nathan, is a bassist and vocalist of the group. Resting against the mossy surface of a tree after his performance, he described the beauty of playing his instrument. “The bass sort of strips everything down into a really simple level,” he said.The sound of this group is hard to describe because it is so intricate. WIUX described the group as “psych-rock veterans who throw every decade into a blender and spit out the best Technicolor smoothie you could ask for.” The group first got together five years ago, Nath said. While this was not his first time being at Culture Shock, he said that this was the first time Apache Dropout had played in the festival. “I love to play outside,” Nath said. “You get to play really loud, it’s really fun.”In the five years they have worked together, he said that they have constantly grown in that time. “We’re creating art for the people,” he said. “We want everybody to get together and make something beautiful happen in the world.”
(04/05/13 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson returns to the IU Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Fellow singer-songwriter Pegi Young and her band, the Survivors, will open for Nelson.With a career that spans more than 60 years, Nelson has released more than 200 albums and won 37 music industry awards, seven of which are Grammys. Nelson’s performance Saturday night will feature fan favorites as well as new music from his album “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” played alongside his touring and recording group, the Family. The album is scheduled to be released April 16.Maria Talbert, associate director of the IU Auditorium, said the venue has been working with Nelson’s concert promoter, New Covenant Productions, since summer 2012 to bring Nelson to Bloomington.“We were thrilled that we were able to find a date that would work,” Talbert said. “Willie Nelson is a legendary performer who we were certain our audience would love to see again on our stage.”After performances at the IU Auditorium in 2001 and 2004, Talbert said Nelson’s reputation among the Bloomington community will draw a sizable turnout.“The combined talent on the stage on Saturday will truly make for an unforgettable, nostalgic and inspiring evening of incredible music,” she said.Talbert said Nelson is a true talent whose music has withstood the test of time, and that alone should allow for an enjoyable evening of entertainment for all.“In addition to his incredible talent for writing and performing music that has spanned across generations starting in the ’60s, I believe people really embrace the multifaceted life he has led as not only a musician but also as an author, poet, actor and activist,” she said. “He is truly a living legend.”As of April 4, tickets are still available through the IU Auditorium, and prices start at $39. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office. — Carolyn Crowcroft
(04/04/13 2:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Each year, the IU Office of Disability Services for Students plans an event in March in recognition of Disability Awareness Month. Originally scheduled for March 26, the event was postponed because of inclement weather. This year, they have organized a concert from 2-5 p.m. April 14 in Dunn Meadow. This year’s theme for Disability Awareness Month is “Community Connections,” which aims to feature a growing community in which people with disabilities can live successful, independent lives. With the new date, the concert falls at the end of IU’s Culture of Care Week in addition to being a kick-start to Little 500 week. Rhajaan Edwards, an IU graduate student and special events coordinator for the Office of Disability Services for Students, was the first to initiate the idea of a concert as this year’s event. “I’m a big advocate for local music,” Edwards said. “When I saw the opportunity to raise awareness for disabilities and also raise money for a scholarship that recognizes disabilities, I figured, why not integrate the diversity of the university as well as integrate some local music from people who may or may not have been heard of around campus?”The concert will feature three local musicians: Isaac Lightfoot, rap artist; Jiridon, an African drum ensemble and Crescent Ulmerm, a folk artist. With the diversity among these artists, an analogy can be made to the numerous IU students living with various disabilities, Edwards said.“I wanted to integrate the whole community and share this experience as one,” Edwards said. “I figured, through music, we can get everybody together and make that happen.” This concert, in addition to raising awareness about disability month, is also a fundraiser for the Amanda Meredith Mills Memorial Scholarship. “This is the first time we will be raising funds for a scholarship and it has yet to be endowed, which means that there aren’t enough funds in the scholarship yet to be given out to a student,” Edwards said. “So we’re hoping with this event and with the coming year, we’ll make that happen.” In order for the scholarship to be endowed, a total of $10,000 must be raised. Significant funds have contributed to this goal, but there are still a few thousand dollars that must be acquired.The Office of Disability Services for Students will be working with the IU Foundation to collect donations at the concert. There will be pledge cards available, which will allow donators to write down their credit card information with the amount of money they wish to give. Cash donations will also be accepted.In addition to live music, there will be food and games for participants to enjoy. Martha Jax, director of the Office of Disability Services for Students, said if she feels this event is successful, the office is open to discussing the motion to make this an annual benefit concert. “It’s the first time we’ve done it, and we want to see how it flies,” Jax said. “If nothing else, people that walk by will get the chance to connect our names to something and maybe it will affect how they feel about disabilities down the road. Little things like that add up after a while.”
(03/25/13 1:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students Kelly Lusk and Nathan Alan Davis premiered their original plays, “(a love story)” and “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea,” Friday and Saturday night at the Wells-Metz Theatre. The plays are part of “At First Sight: A Repertory of New Plays,” which correlates with the revival of IU’s MFA playwriting program.“(A love story)” centers around three couples struggling to define what love really is and how it can be achieved. Senior cast member Jacque Emord-Netzley said the opening night went very well and that she thoroughly enjoyed performing in front of the Wells-Metz Theatre’s full house.“The audience had a lot of energy and seemed really into the production, and all the feedback I’ve heard has been really positive,” Emord-Netzley said. “It just felt great to finally allow people to see what we’ve all be working on.”“Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea” premiered Saturday. The show tells the story of Dontrell, an intelligent boy from Baltimore who dreams of his ancestor falling into the sea and has an unexplainable urge to go out and find him.Yusuf Agunbiade, a freshman studying theater and drama, plays Dontrell in the show. He said the cast’s first night performing in front of a live audience was exhilarating, and he was so happy to have shared it with his fellow cast members. “The vibe that we started with going on the stage was enormous,” Agunbiade said. “That was due to the unity that all of the cast members felt with one another, and it really helped with the performance as a whole. No matter what happened during the play, there was a trust built from the cast that helped give a very astounding and memorable performance.” Jessica Evans, a sophomore studying theater, attended the latter show’s opening night and said she enjoyed the play for its dramatic and visual elements.“I loved the colors and how they played together in the play,” Evans said. “I also loved the use of costume and how the actors used it to change character.”“(A love story)” and “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea” will continue to run through Saturday as part of the repertory. Agunbiade said he hopes to keep the energy the cast built around its first show going until the final production.“Overall, I felt really incredible about the show, and the feedback we received afterwards definitely reassured me that we made a huge impact on the audience that we had,” he said. “I hope to see the same passion and enthusiasm from the cast members as it was tonight and the same packed crowd who are ready to witness a magnificent piece of work for the rest of the performances.”
(03/24/13 10:02pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students Kelly Lusk and Nathan Alan Davis premiered their original plays, “(a love story)” and “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea,” Friday and Saturday night at the Wells-Metz Theatre. The plays are part of “At First Sight: A Repertory of New Plays,” which correlates with the revival of IU’s MFA playwriting program.“(a love story)” centers around three couples struggling to define what love really is and how it can be achieved. Senior cast member Jacque Emord-Netzley said the opening night went very well and that she thoroughly enjoyed performing in front of the Wells-Metz Theatre’s full house.“The audience had a lot of energy and seemed really into the production, and all the feedback I’ve heard has been really positive,” Emord-Netzley said. “It just felt great to finally allow people to see what we’ve all be working on.”“Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea” premiered Saturday. The show tells the story of Dontrell, an intelligent boy from Baltimore who dreams of his ancestor falling into the sea and has an unexplainable urge to go out and find him.Yusuf Agunbiade, a freshman studying theater and drama, plays Dontrell in the show. He said the cast’s first night performing in front of a live audience was exhilarating, and he was so happy to have shared it with his fellow cast members. “The vibe that we started with going on the stage was enormous,” Agunbiade said. “That was due to the unity that all of the cast members felt with one another, and it really helped with the performance as a whole. No matter what happened during the play, there was a trust built from the cast that helped give a very astounding and memorable performance.” Jessica Evans, a sophomore studying theater, attended the latter show’s opening night and said she enjoyed the play for its dramatic and visual elements.“I loved the colors and how they played together in the play,” Evans said. “I also loved the use of costume and how the actors used it to change character.”“(a love story)” and “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea” will continue to run through March 30 as part of the repertory. Agunbiade said he hopes to keep the energy the cast built around its first show going until the final production.“Overall, I felt really incredible about the show, and the feedback we received afterwards definitely reassured me that we made a huge impact on the audience that we had,” he said. “I hope to see the same passion and enthusiasm from the cast members as it was tonight and the same packed crowd who are ready to witness a magnificent piece of work for the rest of the performances.”
(03/22/13 3:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“At First Sight: A Repertory of New Plays” will debut Friday night at the Wells-Metz Theatre, featuring original plays written by students Kelly Lusk and Nathan Alan Davis. The two plays, “(a love story)” and “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea” will run in rotation at the Wells-Metz Theatre. “(a love story)” will open Friday and “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea” will debut Saturday.“(a love story)” tells the story of three couples from different walks of life as they struggle to define what love really means to them. Senior cast member Emily Mange said she thoroughly enjoyed getting to act in a production created by fellow IU student Lusk.“It is a thrilling experience to be able to work so closely with the playwright and see when his inspiration came from experiences in Bloomington,” Mange said. “Being able to craft my role with the knowledge of the playwright’s intentions was very satisfying.”Although the show’s message is grounded in real life, Mange said a lot of fantasy has been incorporated into the play, something she hasn’t particularly dealt with before as an actor.“(a love story),” while grounded in realistic feelings and emotions, deals with many non-realistic images and occurrences,” she said. “I have never dealt with a play that incorporates such fantastical concepts, so it was a fun process to treat even the silliest of things as a real and tangible part of the play’s world.” The second play, “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea,” follows title character Dontrell and his dreams of an ancestor thrown off a ship and his decision to dive into the ocean and save him.Junior Patricia Millard plays Shea, Dontrell’s cousin, to whom he often comes for advice. Millard said getting the opportunity to act in this play was wonderful, and she especially appreciated the strong relationships formed on set.“I loved the atmosphere that always surrounded the space during our rehearsal,” Millard said. “Everyone who was in the room during our rehearsals grew together as a unit and became very close very quickly. It allowed for us to grow in our understanding of the story and to discuss relevant issues that more distant groups cannot.”Millard said she thinks the shows are wonderful, and she expects people to walk away from “Dontrell” feeling moved. “People can expect a beautiful experience, a wonderful story that is unlike any other you will probably see in the theater,” she said. “A story that needs to be told. To quote my castmate Ian Martin, ‘Enjoy its comedy, but look for its gravity.’”
(03/19/13 3:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With incense burning and skulls decorating the stage, opening band Thee Open Sex played to a large crowd at The Bishop Bar, setting the tone for main act Jacco Gardner and second opener The Mallard.Comprising five members, Bloomington-based Thee Open Sex singer Miss Mess said the band was happy to come back to town after their visit to South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.The band played one new song titled “Drippin’ Down” and will start a tour later this spring.“It was our first time at South by Southwest, and we had a blast,” Miss Mess said. “We opened for a couple of bands — PC Worship and Useless Eaters — and then we also played our own showcase of songs.”Taking the stage after Thee Open Sex was The Mallard, a San Francisco-based band working on its sophomore LP, which will be released on record label Castle Face this spring.Jacco Gardner closed the night out with his solo instrumental set, featuring pop and psychedelic melodies from his myriad of instruments, including drums, harpsichord and guitar.Gardner’s set included songs from his debut LP “Cabinet of Curiosities”.Miss Mess of Thee Open Sex said she looked forward to playing in Bloomington and thanked the crowd multiple times while on stage for supporting the bands of the night.“I really enjoy being on stage and just trancing out,” she said. “It may sound cheesy, but I just like being in the moment and feeling the crowd.”The driving beats and heavy guitar rhythms of Thee Open Sex had the crowd moving, complete with “lots of reverb,” as requested by Miss Mess.
(03/05/13 4:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When ESPN College GameDay came to IU Feb. 2 for the Michigan men’s basketball game, each commercial break ended with a familiar song: “The Heist” by hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.Now, the pair is headed to Assembly Hall for the official Little 500 concert April 17, presented by Union Board.“Assembly Hall is a place where people are used to celebrating and having a great time,” said Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium who helped Union Board organize the event. “We’re going to move it from a place where everyone loves to watch basketball to a place where everyone can enjoy a great concert.” Rapper and Seattle native Macklemore has gained recent popularity for his songs “Thrift Shop” and “Same Love,” written in collaboration with producer Ryan Lewis. Macklemore and Lewis recently performed on Saturday Night Live and are currently on tour promoting their debut album, “The Heist.”“We’ve been surveying for over a year now on the kind of music students want to see, and the overwhelming majority came back with hip-hop,” said Erin Brown, director of external affairs for Union Board. “We felt very strongly that we were answering those requests by bringing a top 40 pop and hip-hop crossover.”Two other hip-hop artists, 2013 Grammy nominee Wale and longtime underground rap artist Talib Kweli, will also perform.“In terms of bringing the hip-hop genre, we hit all corners with the three artists we decided on,” Brown said.After studying recent attendance numbers of Macklemore performances, Union Board and IU Auditorium directors determined that Assembly Hall, which seats about 15,000 for a concert venue, would be optimal not only to draw in high attendance numbers but to keep ticket prices low.“If an artist costs $100,000, and we only have 3,200 tickets to sell to make that money back, tickets are going to be very expensive,” said Asher Wittenberg, Union Board concerts director. “To put Macklemore in the auditorium would have been unfair to students, because prices would have had to be well over $100 just for us to make back our initial investment.”IU Auditorium, which seats 3,200, was the venue for last year’s Little 500 concert featuring Sublime with Rome. After receiving generally negative feedback from students, Wittenberg and Brown said they feel this year’s choice will be more appealing.“In terms of Sublime with Rome, we ran into a few issues with that,” Wittenberg said. “Their average draw across the country is 1,200 per show, and I think they might not have been the right fit for this campus.”Though Wittenberg is optimistic that Macklemore will draw in high ticket sales, he said the inability of the past Union Board to book an artist earlier in the year made finding a popular act so late in the year difficult. “Because Union Board directors switch in January, there’s a gap of getting to know your situation,” Wittenberg said. “It takes me a month to getting used to being an actual director, and that’s a month that could be used to plan a show. Not to say that the past concerts director did a bad job, but this is how it’s gone in the past. I want to change that.”Since spring is a common time of year for musicians to tour overseas, Union Board’s options of available artists were limited.“Our top five weren’t in the United States, so we had to go back to the drawing board several times, which is why the announcement came so late,” Brown said. “We were lucky to find an artist as popular as Mack at the last minute.”While Union Board is working with less funding than past years and still living under the shadow of the highly popular Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj Little 500 concert from 2011, Brown and Wittenberg hope this year’s lineup represents a successful, yet realistic, booking.“If we want to bring in someone like Kanye West, and it’s coming out of our budget, students are going to pay at least $100 for a ticket,” Wittenberg said. “If they don’t want to pay that much, they have to understand we’re doing all we can to make it affordable.”
(02/25/13 1:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Department of Theater and Drama’s production of “The School for Scandal” began its residency at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre on Friday.Directed by Dale McFadden, “Scandal” focuses on how the gossip culture corrupts the public’s mind, leading to obsessions over all things scandalous. The show featured a cast of mostly undergraduate and graduate theater and drama majors. The play intertwines two major playlets, “The Slanderers” and “Sir Peter Teazle,” written by playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. “The Slanderers” focuses on brothers Charles and Joseph Surface, played by first-year master’s student Joshua Krause and second-year master’s student Aaron Kirkpatrick. While the brothers maintain different reputations in the public’s eye, it is revealed throughout the play that the public’s perception may not be correct. “Sir Peter Teazle” tells the story of Teazle, played by second-year master’s student Clayton Gerrard, and his tumultuous relationship with his wife, Lady Teazle, played by first-year master’s student Mara Lefler. As a newly married couple, the two get into frequent arguments brought on by Lady Teazle’s desire to gossip with the higher class.While the play is set in the 1700s and features some heightened 18th-century language, cast member and sophomore Cassie Alexander said the response to the show was great. Alexander plays Lady Teazle’s maid in the production.“The audience followed everything quite well and responded positively to the show,” Alexander said. “It’s hard sometimes to perform a period comedy like this because you’re not sure if other people, especially students, will find it funny. But we had lots of laughter and positive responses, which is extremely rewarding.”Fellow cast member and junior Jackson Goldberg, who plays Crabtree, said it’s the talent and enthusiasm of the actors that really help bring the show to life.“This play succeeds when the entire cast brings intense enthusiasm and energy to every scene, and there is not a moment of dead space throughout,” Goldberg said. “Our enormous cast of 25 actors have done this beautifully. The show is hilarious and exciting to work on, and I have my fellow cast members to thank for that.”The show has repeat performances from Feb. 26 to March 2 with an additional performance at 2 p.m. March 2. Alexander said the opening weekend went well, and she hopes to see the warm reception she and the cast received continue through the show’s final performances.“The cast in this show is really incredible,” she said. “Everyone delivered a wonderful performance for opening and will continue to do so throughout the run. It is such a privilege to work with this talented ensemble.”
(02/22/13 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Opening over the land of ancient Egypt, the audience will be introduced Friday to the story of Akhnaten, the pharaoh who worshipped the sun.After two to three months of auditioning, costume and set designing and acting lessons, Friday will bring the debut of the IU Opera “Akhnaten,” at 8 p.m. at the Musical Arts Center. It is also performed in Bloomington on Saturday and March 1 and 2 before traveling to Indianapolis for two more performances.As the first production between the IU Opera Theater and Indianapolis Opera, the production of Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” will also be performed at the Clowes Memorial Hall on the Butler University campus March 8 and 9.Akhnaten is the first Philip Glass production. Glass is one of the most influential American composers of the late 20th century. Alain Barker, director of marketing and publicity at Jacobs School of Music, said Glass is a minimalist composer with a very particular style of music.“He creates a soundscape that creates a completely new sense of time with the music,” he said. “You just have give in to it. It is quite an experience.”The opera is about the story of the Egyptian pharaoh, Akhnaten. The young pharaoh corrupts the current method of religion of worshipping animals and instead selects the sun God, Aten as the only form of worship in Egypt. The opera uses acting, choreography and singing, a mixture of multiple languages, to transform the theater into the land and story of Egypt. The opera consists of three acts, telling the true story of a pharaoh named Akhnaten.Speaking on behalf of the production, Barker names the stage and set director as two pertinent aspects of the success of the performance. Candace Evans, a former New Yorker, now living in Texas, was called by the IU Opera production staff to return to Bloomington for the opera. The actors, Nicholas Tamagna, playing Akhnaten, and Laura Thoreson, are also professionals returning to a college production. Working last year as the stage director for the performance, “Candide,” Evans considers the IU Opera no different than the big houses she works with in Texas, except that students here are nicer.“I love it here in Bloomington,” she said. “It is an incredible facility.”Evans said it is amazing the University is willing to put on such an expensive show.“Akhnaten” is a large production, composed of a double cast and more than 30 people on the production/artistic staff. For each planned performance, the IU Opera usually selects outside professionals to help in the chosen work. Though usually IU alumni, the staff asked Evans, Douglass Fitch, set director and Todd Hensley, the lighting director to add their expertise to the college performance.Because of the double cast, the dress rehearsal was the turn of actor, Tamagna. Switching off between shows will be his co-star, Brennan Hall, a Jacobs School of Music student. Before beginning the construction of the work, both directors sit down to listen to the music. Evans, who is in charge of everything visual in the entire show, said she chooses how to use the music to help paint the picture of the show.“I listen, listen, listen, look at the text and then decide how to show it to the audience,” she said. “It is my job is to decode everything so you (the audience) know what is happening and it is understandable the first time.”Fitch, a designer living in New York, was also requested by IU to work on this production. He said after listening to the music, he was able to write the storyboard in an hour and a half, and get a clear idea of the designs in the next two to three days.“The music is cyclical, looping,” he said. Describing the way the opera is a transformation, he designed the pieces to be in continuous motion, opening and closing the doors of the horizon, and bordering the edge of the stage with a flowing river over the land.Fitch worked to create a set that could transform from hard and dark materials to light ones, a metaphor he said of the change between the world of Akhnaten’s father and the time he takes over as ruler. “It is extraordinary music,” Fitch said. “The different languages wash over you, give you a feeling you have to trust.”Evans said the difficulty of operas, particularly one of such ancient tales, like “Akhnaten,” is translating the music, acting and singing into a language the audience will understand. But Fitch said he believes it is important the audience comes to the performance, without knowing everything.“It is the feeling of getting to know something about the story,” he said. “It is important that people do not know, to get the experience.”Barker said the music of the opera gives the audience the complete story of “Akhnaten” as the pharaoh he was, his life and how it affects us today.“Music is the pathway to our past, slowing life down and taking us back,” he said.
(02/18/13 4:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It began with a poem.Debby Herbenick, co-director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at IU’s School of Public Health, read “Ode to an Oosik,” a poem celebrating the ever-rigid and lengthy penis of a male walrus.The poem was the ice breaker to an open discussion at the Bishop Bar Sunday surrounding the topic of sexually explicit media and its effects on viewers.Presented by the IU Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Sunday night’s lecture was part of lectures titled Bloomington Sex Salon.The idea behind the monthly series was to create a conversation about various sexual education issues and sexual advocacy research, Herbenick said.“We wanted to find a way to communicate sexual information to the public and deliver others’ research to the community,” she said. “We’ll have one (lecture) every month for as long as people are interested in coming.”The lecture featured Bryant Paul, associate professor in the IU Department of Telecommunications. He presented his findings on the effects of sexually explicit media on society and overall perception of sex on viewers.Paul’s research in the area of sexually explicit media included any form from online pornography to strip club performances to sexually explicit images featured in print media. Paul said his research began because of his teenage self, described as a “child of the AIDS crisis,” realizing his own sexual awakening during the mid-’80s, a time when HIV and AIDS cases were most prevalent in the U.S.The main problem Paul uncovered during research as a graduate and Ph.D. student was most people thought pornography was harmful to the human psyche.“When I’m asked, ‘is porn harmful?’ people want a yes or no answer,” he said. “What I believe is that most content for most people can be harmful, but for most people most content has the opposite effect. There’s no real answer to that question.”Paul said he participated in the lecture series because he wants the community to better understand the research and information surrounding sexual education, advocacy and research.Herbenick said she chose Paul to kick off the series because he has the ability to engage an audience while communicating statistical data in a very accessible way.“There is this quest for more information,” Paul said. “The biggest hurdle we have with sex in society is people’s unwillingness to talk about it. But it’s also a great thing that we can talk about it.”The Bloomington Sex Salon will take place monthly, Herbenick said. The not-for-profit, volunteer-run series will include lecturers from IU’s faculty and special guest speakers, as well.
