Top Wisconsin News for the Week of
September 2, 2008
Subscribe
The Wisconsin Arts Board has set up a listserve which will
provide you with a daily mailing of Wisconsin Arts News directly to your email
account. Anyone can subscribe to this list. To sign up for this feature, type in
your full email address in the box below.
Unsubscribe
Enter your full email address in the box below.
Portal Wisconsin
Have you entered your events on Portal? DO IT TODAY!
Library Mall facelift to continue Badger Herald
“A large hole and construction fencing will block a portion of Library Mall
until October, as the University of Wisconsin works to complete a utility
project for the new East Campus Mall. UW physical plant director John Harrod
said Library Mall will be back to normal in time for Halloween festivities on
State Street, and pedestrians will be able to navigate their way through a
detour on the north side of Library Mall.’
Arts Education
First-time teacher shares hopes, concerns for the year Racine Journal Times RACINE — “As students pile into classrooms today for their first day of
class, it’s the first day for teachers, too. On Tuesday, Kevin Roth, 26, is
scheduled for his first full day of teaching in his own classroom. He is a
first-time teacher at McKinley Middle School, where he will be teaching
seventh-grade geography and eighth-grade U.S. history. Roth, a 2000 Case High
School graduate, has student-taught, substituted and taught summer school, but
doesn’t know exactly what to expect for his first full school year.”
University of
Wisconsin launches safety Web site GM Today MADISON – “The University of Wisconsin-Madison has
launched a new Web site promoting safety as students return to campus for the
fall semester. Dean of Students Lori Berquam says she hopes everyone integrates
safe habits into their every day lives. The Web site was created after a pair of
high profile killings. UW-Madison student Brittany Zimmermann was killed in her
home near campus in April, while a UW-Whitewater student, Kelly Nolan, was slain
after a night of bar-hopping with friends in downtown Madison.”
Commentary: Passing before their eyes - Films send kids indelible messages Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Classroom supplies have been purchased and dropped off. Quality time between
parent and child suddenly shifts from vacation bliss to school car lines. The
start of fall classes for kids means summer is realistically over and the
homework treadmill jumps back to life - starting with that essay about what they
did on their summer vacation. If they spent this summer at the movies, what did
they learn? The answers from your kids may surprise you. WALL-E, The Dark
Knight and Iron Man may have a greater impact on their sense of what's cool
and uncool than their teachers and parents.”
Technology Meets Education WUWM Milwaukee “School starts today for thousands of students in
Milwaukee Public Schools. Most of us remember the days of chalk boards, written
homework assignments and passing notes. But the reality for many school-aged
kids these days is much different. They’ve grown up in the digital age, so many
don't remember a time without mp3 players, digital cameras and the Internet.
WUWM’s LaToya Dennis caught up with teachers preparing for the start of the
school year to see how they're incorporating technology into the classroom.”
Chancellor’s home receives makeover Badger Herald
“As the University of Wisconsin welcomes a new chancellor, the chancellor’s
official residence received a brand new look — remodeled with state-of-the-art
updates. Former Chancellor John Wiley and his wife moved out of the University
Heights residence in 2006 when design work to modernize it began. Since Wiley
stepped down from his position Sept. 1, incoming Chancellor Biddy Martin has
taken up residence.”
MATC, UW College of Engineering partner up Badger Herald
“The University of Wisconsin’s School of Engineering will likely receive more
transfer students in the coming years due to a guaranteed admission agreement
signed in July by UW and Madison Area Technical College. The agreement provides
a course of studies for MATC students to follow in order to be able to receive a
bachelor’s degree in engineering once at UW.”
Union committees gearing up for fall ‘08 semester Badger Herald
“The speedy construction of the new University Square serves to remind those old
enough to remember the old U-Square of its convenient, albeit shabby movie
theater, along with the bitter reality that there will not be a new theatre to
carry on its legacy. But fear not fellow moviegoers. You needn’t waste time or
money on buses and Marcus’ outrageous prices because the Cinematheque’s fall
schedule offers over 25 films you can enjoy free here on campus.”
Kewaunee Academy announces addition to instruction staff. Press Release, No link “Norma Bell, owner of Wisconsin’s Kewaunee Academy
of Fine Art, announced the addition of Bonnie Paruch, Door Peninsula, WI
resident, to the Academy Instruction Staff effective immediately. Ms. Bell
stated, 'Bonnie, a strong colorist, is equally conversant in oil and pastel
painting. We are delighted that she chose to join our staff of professional
painters and instructors. Her work and her teaching credentials are nationally
recognized.' Bonnie is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, the
Oil Painters of America, the National Oil and Acrylic Painters, the American
Impressionist Society and National Plein Air Painting Association. Her bold and
impressionistic oil and pastel paintings have been exhibited in many national
and regional publications including: International Pastel Artist, International
Artist, American Artist, Southwest Art, the Artist Magazine, The Pastel Journal,
North Light Magazine, Wisconsin Trails Magazine, and the Best of Flower Painting
Two. Bonnie has participated in numerous group and solo gallery shows.
Northwestern Publishing of Milwaukee, WI, the Dane County Cultural Affairs
Commission of Madison, WI. and Edgewood Orchard Galleries of Fish Creek, WI
utilized the artist’s work for book cover, calendar and book illustrations.
Bonnie has taught painting workshops for many organizations including: Utrecht
Art Supply, Milwaukee, WI. The Peninsula Art School of Fish Creek, WI., The West
Bend Art Museum of West Bend, WI, The Clearing of Ellison Bay, WI, and The
Wichita Center for the Arts of Wichita, KS. For further information contact Dick
Bell 920 388 4391”
Community Arts
Letter to Editor: Artstreet space no longer suitable Green Bay Press Gazette PULASKI — “Having attended Artstreet Aug. 23-24, I
was struck by the unsuitability of the space for the event. Business has pretty
much abandoned the area, the parking structure on the corner of Washington and
Cherry took away the music stage and the parking lot being used for the stage
and seating area isn't suitable.”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Festivals help folks celebrate their German roots Eau Claire Leader-Telegram “Capturing the spirit and activity of Milwaukee's
annual German Fest in a photo wasn't as easy as it might sound. Few people wore
lederhosen and dirndls. Beer drinkers cradled plastic cups, not steins. As dusk
approached, out of the huge Sprecher Oktoberfest tent came the perfect picture:
four easygoing guys from the Freistadt Alte Kameraden Band, who just had
finished performing. The agreeable models, who wore traditional German garb,
represent a proud tradition that began in 1942, when the band began performing
as a small group of friends who loved sharing the music of their native land.
This particular foursome included Franklin Klug of Random Lake and son Al Klug
of Sun Prairie. To find two or more generations of a family in the band is not
unusual, the men said.”
Media Arts
Soft economy speeds newspaper decline, job cuts GM Today/Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) – “The newspaper industry's downward
spiral is accelerating as the weak U.S. economy depresses already-tumbling
advertising revenue and forces more rounds of job cuts and other trims. The
developments of recent weeks come in a season when newspapers normally can
anticipate boosts from upcoming holiday promotions and ads for new car models.
The decline's severity makes it even more difficult for newspapers to hang on
while they figure out how to generate enough revenue from growing Internet
audiences to make up for lost print ad sales.”
Making an indie takes dedication Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Making a low-budget independent film is a bit like
watching a train wreck in slow motion. It’s easy to see what’s gone wrong;
fixing the problem is a different matter altogether. '355,' the Revolutionary
War drama I'm shooting right now in and around Milwaukee, is costing roughly
1/10,000th of a Hollywood action flick. That'd be like reducing the average
American's annual salary to $3. The only reason to make a movie like this is
that you love it enough to ignore your better judgment.”
Ratings mask words’ power Badger Herald “For a competent critic, the review is one of the easiest things to write. The
critic experiences the work (album, movie, whatever), develops an impression,
digests the impression and expresses this impression. This might be considered
the youth of a review (though the review’s entire life is confined to this
youth). Throughout this stage, the writer is a faceless actor, a booming voice
without a mouth. That vague sense of anonymity should ensure an effective
review, one whose consumption by the reader impregnates within them genuine
interest, excitement, any sort of reaction — arrived at by the strength of the
writer’s thoughts on the work. But a dooming agent lurks always, ensuring the
review’s failure: It is the impersonal measure of evaluation, most relevantly as
the 'insert symbol here' rating.”
Column: Hey, CNN, I can dance, too Chippewa Herald “I want to be a professional TV windbag. Clearly, I
have the talent to make it work. I lose my temper easily. My arguments
blissfully ignore valid points made by anyone opposing my views, because they
are evil people. Besides, I don’t really believe everything I say and enjoy
interrupting people. Most importantly of all, I can out scream anyone while
hitting all of my talking points. That should be good enough to nail down one of
those cushy windbag jobs on the cable networks. I should be on Fox’s speed dial
already. Or at least MSNBC’s.”
Morning stars - A crabby critic takes aim at coffee-time talkers The Isthmus “Israel and Iran have just declared war on each
other, the Russians have landed on Mars and removed all our flags, and a
Middleton man refuses to eat omelets not made with free-range eggs! Those
headlines after this look at the weather. Which will last 10 times as long as
any of the news stories. Then there'll be a traffic report, around 240, uh,
messages from local advertisers, more weather, a perky chitchat-laden interview
with someone from the YMCA who's going to show us how to exercise our biceps
using cans of soup much like those found in any home, more weather, more
commercials, lots of grinning and brandishing coffee mugs bearing the station's
logo, more weather, more commercials, more traffic, more weather.”
Performing Arts
Music
MacDowell Club prepares to celebrate its centennial Vital Source Magazine “Gracious. Elegant. Gifted. Enthusiastic. These classical characteristics
describe Thallis Hoyt Drake, recording secretary and publicity chair of the
MacDowell Club of Milwaukee, and the prestigious organization itself,
celebrating its centennial in May 2009. Drake, a past president and member of
the MacDowell Club for 50 years, describes the vision of the first 38 women who
were strong minded, talented, and desired a stage to perform and display their
musical skills back in 1909, well before women achieved the right to maintain
property or to vote. As Drake says, 'It wasn’t considered proper for a woman to
perform in public,' but these women signed the charter for the club on May 19th
of that year, which provided them with a new venue to use their abilities and
education. Following through on this original charter, the MacDowell club
initiated an all-female chorus and orchestra, conducted by a woman, which
presented a series of yearly concerts at the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin, still a
historic presence in contemporary Milwaukee. Members either performed or
supported the club by attending the productions free of charge. Guests were
allowed to listen for a 25-cent admission fee. The concerts, student
organizations and musical study groups that developed in the succeeding decades
illustrated the MacDowell Club’s mission statement: furthering musical interests
in Milwaukee, providing incentive for progressive work for both professional and
amateur musicians and acquainting the public with the number and excellence of
local musicians.”
Theater
Meeting the Neighbors: MadStage dane101 “For information about theater happenings in Dane
County, you can’t do much better than MadStage.com. The site has a list of
what’s opening and closing for the current week, a performance calendar, a
directory of theater companies and venues, volunteer opportunities, job
listings, and more — provided at no charge to readers or submitters. (Though
donations are welcome.) While MadStage isn’t a blog it’s an important part of
the online landscape for theater participants and enthusiasts, and I thought a
modified version of the Meeting the Neighbors questionnaire would be a good way
to profile the site’s creator and manager, Eric Houghton. Eric lived in Madison
when he started MadStage over a decade ago and now lives in the state of Oregon,
but he’s as committed to the site as ever and I’m happy to spotlight him.”
APT revives classics at outdoor amphitheater Badger Herald “The time has come to finish off the piña colada,
fold up the beach towel and get back to work. Yet, amid the crowded libraries
and procrastination on papers, we are all looking for that one last reprieve
before the school year actually gets into full swing. For that, there are no
better footsteps in which to follow than those left by the 100,000 people who
head to Spring Green each year. Only an hour-long drive from Madison, this is
where you the American Players Theatre grounds is located, nestled among 110
acres of forests and meadows.”
Other
Under the hood: Car buffs share stories of their rides at Pardeeville show Portage Daily Register
PARDEEVILLE – “It might be difficult for some vehicles to stand out among
hundreds of cars, but one souped-up miniature school bus and an antique car
driven by Johnny Depp won over crowds Saturday at the Pardeeville Car and Truck
Show at Chandler Park.”
Wisconsin company makes beach souvenirs GM Today MILWAUKEE – “A Glendale-based company isn't letting
its northern climate location affect business. Visionary Products makes beach
souvenirs and sells them to shops in resort towns across the United States and
the Virgin Islands as well as major cruise lines and Las Vegas casinos. Owner
Peter Engel started the company in 1991 and has turned it into a million-dollar
company. 'We brought some of the creativity of the gift industry to souvenirs,'
Engel said.”
WHEN YOU GO
Visual Arts/Museums
Artists do their part for the environment La Crosse Tribune Through September 20 “Conserving nature is the muse for 'Where the
Prairie Meets the River,' an exhibit at Winona State University’s Paul Watkins
Gallery and the Winona Arts Center through Sept. 20. The works are done by
Project Art for Nature artists, a group devoted to educating through art about
the need for conservation. Each PAN artist chooses one to three focal sites
where natural communities of plants and animals still dominate, primarily within
Minnesota and Wisconsin. The artists visit their sites regularly throughout the
two- to three-year cycle, studying changes caused by weather, human intervention
and restoration. Their observations provide ideas, images and inspiration for
art.”
Governor's Awards In Support of the Arts: A 25-Year Retrospective September 2–28 “Shown together for the first time, a collection of
twenty-five commissioned works by Wisconsin artists given as the annual
Governor’s Award in Support of the Arts. This retrospective exhibit of artworks,
created in honor of more than 135 individuals, businesses, and organizations
which have made extraordinary contributions to the vitality of the arts, will be
on view at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts from September 2–28. The
Governor’s Awards in Support of the Arts is a program of the Wisconsin
Foundation for the Arts, and independent citizen body advocating for the arts in
Wisconsin. The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts is a natural partner for
showcasing this work, as the Wilson Center is proud to exhibit the work of
Wisconsin’s fine artists in the Ploch Art Gallery and the annual Hidden River
Art Festival. By supporting the state’s dynamic visual arts community, the
Wilson Center furthers its mission of providing access.”
Arts Education
Northlanders unite in song and dance Superior Daily Telegram September 11 - 28 “A musical about bringing together jocks, smarts and
drama kids is bringing together kids from across the Northland. The Duluth
Playhouse’s September production of High School Musical: On Stage! is being
presented by a group of students ages 12-18 from across northeastern Minnesota
and northwestern Wisconsin as part of a performance intensive. An intensive is a
theater camp ramped up to a professional performance schedule. Students learn
all aspects of the production from acting to costuming, lighting, sound and
advertising.”
Express Lane Milwaukee Journal Sentinel November 3 – Submissions
will be accepted
“Titanic rhymes - The sinking of the Titanic is the stuff of legend. But is it
the stuff of poetry? All Milwaukee students in grades three through 12 can
decide for themselves through a student poetry competition being held by the
Milwaukee Public Museum in connection with its upcoming 'Titanic: The Artifact
Exhibit.' The show opens Oct. 10, and poetry submissions will be accepted
starting Nov. 3. The theme is the Titanic, ships and shipwrecks. Winning poems
will be published in the museum's 'Wings' magazine and displayed in the Titanic
exhibit. For details, call Richard Hedderman, museum education programs
coordinator, at (414) 278-2718. Then start thinking of words to rhyme with
iceberg. . . .”
Community Arts
Opening and closing Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Various Sites & Dates “As always, here's a rundown of art exhibits that
are opening and closing this week”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Food, music will be showcased in park Eau Claire Leader-Telegram September 10
“The Great Taste of Durand, featuring 12 food and beverage vendors, will run
from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, in Durand's Memorial Park, at the
intersection of Madison and Second streets. Live music will be performed from 6
to 9 p.m. The Great Taste of Durand is offered in conjunction with the Music in
the Park series presented by the Durand Improvement Group and coordinated by
Robert and Roxie Weishapple. The 30-member Holy Rosary Lima Polka Choir of Lima
and Maiden Rock-based Patchouli, the acoustic world beat-folk duo of Julie
Patchouli and Bruce Hecksel, will perform.”
Performing Arts
Theater
Behind the Scenes: Former basketball star cuts his acting teeth on a meaty role La Crosse Tribune September 11 - 14
“Danny Jones doesn’t miss basketball and doesn’t even follow the sport anymore.
The former University of Wisconsin and La Crosse Catbirds star is trying his
hand at something new and somewhat foreign to him — acting. Jones is playing Tom
Robinson in the La Crosse Community Theatre’s production of To Kill A
Mockingbird, which opens the 2008-09 season Friday. 'I don’t know anything
about acting, but I’m trying to do the part the best I can,' Jones said. Allen
Ebert, the theater’s executive director, talked to Jones at a dinner party and
mentioned that no black person had auditioned for the part of Robinson. Ebert
asked him to read the part. 'I always wanted to try acting because playing roles
has been kind of easy for me,' Jones said. 'But with my basketball career, I
never had the opportunity to be on stage.'”
LCCT's ‘Mockingbird’ stage adaptation restores
beloved story to its original charm La Crosse Tribune
“If there’s one thing most book lovers can agree upon, it’s that Harper Lee’s
To Kill a Mockingbird is a really good book. But for many others, the story
they are most familiar with is the movie that starred Gregory Peck. Now, La
Crosse theatergoers will have a chance to see the stage version, which opens
Friday at La Crosse Community Theatre. Director Greg Parmeter said the play is
not based on the movie screenplay but on the book.”
FLW's Taliesin showcases 'organic' architecture WIBA 1310 Radio
“Thousands come each year to the Wisconsin River valley where Frank Lloyd Wright
built his home and tested his ideas about building in harmony with nature.
Nestled on a hillside overlooking the river, Wright's Taliesin has the
cantilever roofs, wide windows, great room and open floor plan that became some
of the architect's trademarks. The design concepts, revolutionary in Wright's
time, are now widely taught in architecture schools and common among builders
concerned about the environment. 'He spans generations,' said Robert Mattison, a
professor of art history and architecture at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.
'There is a parallel between (Wright's) idea of organic architecture and what we
call sustainability today, and that's what makes it interesting.' Wright is
often associated with Chicago, where he established his career, and Arizona,
where he spent much of his later years and established his foundation. But the
self-proclaimed 'world's greatest architect' had lifelong ties to the
southwestern Wisconsin valley settled by his mother's family. He was born in
1867 in nearby Richland Center and spent many summers working on his uncles'
farms in Spring Green.”
Arts Education
Snapshot of UW-Stout statistics on College Portrait
U. W. Stout
“The University of Wisconsin-Stout has become one of the earliest participants
in an effort to instill more accountability in how universities portray
themselves to the public. UW-Stout has launched a Web site, known as a College
Portrait, which offers comparable data, including statistics on students, cost
of attendance, student engagement with the learning process and core educational
outcomes. Details are offered on number of students per faculty member, active
learning experiences, undergraduate admissions, financial aid awards and more.”
HHS graduate hopes opera is in her future Hudson Star-Observer
“When Madeline Morton’s grandparents first took her to the opera, she wasn’t
impressed. But fortunately, her first impression wasn’t her last. Morton, 18,
graduated in June from Hudson High School and will attend UW-Eau Claire this
fall. From there she hopes to attend the music conservatory at DePaul University
in Chicago to study music performance, more specifically opera. While Morton
wasn’t impressed with that first opera, Elephant Man, her grandparents, Doug
and Barbara Peterson of Hudson, didn’t give up. And when she saw the Minnesota
Opera’s production of Romeo and Juliet, she was hooked.”
NO ID? - Underage Students Scrounge For Entertainment Milwaukee Shepherd Express “Kevin Christensen had heard promising talk about Milwaukee’s music scene and
was eager to take in as many local bands as possible when he enrolled in
UW-Milwaukee as a freshman last year. He was in store for a letdown. 'Most of
the music venues in the city are 21-plus, so I never get to go to any of them,'
Christensen laments. 'Milwaukee is a drinking city.' Christensen, a performance
percussion major, found friends to jam with in the dorms and now drums for the
band Atlatl, but when his older band mates hit the bars, he’s left behind. 'I
guess I’m pretty jealous,' he admits. 'They get to go out to these bars and meet
all these other musicians, but I have to find other ways to spend my time. I get
a lot of practicing in by myself.' Christensen’s experiences are shared by
countless college students who, without the money for Milwaukee Rep season
tickets or the ID to enter the Cactus Club, feel shut out from the city.
All-Ages Music The situation isn’t entirely dire for underage students, however.
Although bars still form the epicenter of the local music scene, Milwaukee now
hosts more all-ages concerts than it did just five years ago, when the Globe
East, one of the few club-sized venues with regular all-ages shows, shut down.”
Students young and older start another school year Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“In the beginning, there was fresh eagerness and fear of the new, rules to learn
and reunions to enjoy, ice breakers and sweltering classrooms, new clothes, new
teachers, new settings and the great shifting of the rhythm of life in the
metropolitan area from summer schedules to school-year routines. Tuesday was the
first day of school for most students involved in all levels of education. Five
Journal Sentinel reporters spent the day in schools across the area, getting the
flavor of the launch.”
Community Arts
Youth Symphony needs musicians
Chippewa Herald
“The Chippewa Valley Youth Symphony is seeking talented viola, French horn and
bass players to participate in the youth symphony this upcoming season. The
ideal student enjoys playing challenging music and performing with other young
people. Musicians interested in playing in the CVYS need to register now for an
audition, on line at the Web site, www.cvyouthsymphony.org. Someone will contact
you to set up an audition time. Rehearsals will begin in early September. The
Youth Symphony is an enrichment program offered to any 7th-12th grade musician
in the Chippewa Valley, to provide an opportunity to enhance young musicians
overall understanding of music and is designed to help them grow as performers.”
Events highlight historical society's summer Sauk Prairie Eagle
“The Sauk County Historical Society has had a busy summer with its outreach
projects and events around the Sauk County and participating in tours according
to its press release. Baraboo Old Fashioned Day The miniature Van Orden Mansion
was displayed during Baraboo's Old Fashioned Day along with photos. The model
was crafted by inmates at the Waupun Correctional Facility over the past four
years. The actual mansion is the home of the society. Literature and history
displays Literature and history displays were in the Spring Green Public
Library, Baraboo Public Library, and the West Square Building in Baraboo plus
the Reedsburg Library just prior to the unveiling of the Van Orden Mansion
miniature.”
Society nominates Bowman House for state award Wisconsin Dells Events
“The Dells Country Historical Society is nominating the Bowman House for one of
the top 20 houses in Wisconsin. A letter of nomination will be submitted to the
Wisconsin State Journal to enter the Bowman House into the competition. It was
read and approved at the society's recent meeting. The group nominated the house
because of the importance of the Bowman family in the Dells and the state, and
because of the unique use of the home and family trust fund to provide a
vacation for unmarried working women for nearly 40 years, which was an important
contribution to social history. The Dells Country Historical Society had 22
members in attendance at its recent monthly meeting. In addition to the regular
items of business, members discussed several points of special interest. These
included the completion of the installation of a new security system in the
Bowman House Museum. Not only is it more secure, but also easier to operate.”
Literary
Novel talk - Author Patchett makes a tight connection to the literary heart
of Marquette students Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“It’s been a long day. She’s been 'on' since breakfast, and now it’s dark, the
day slipping toward 9 p.m. Patchett discussed her ideas and themes during the
program. 'I wanted to write a book about what I thought about politics, what
other people thought about it, about family life,' she said. 'You're a lovely
group of people, but what's a book club without wine!' she sighs, teasing the
roomful of women sipping coffee or tea and eating dessert. Still, she remains
engaged with her audience, animatedly answering questions between swigs of water
out of a plastic bottle. It doesn't matter that she has heard most of the
questions hundreds of times during hundreds of promotional stops for her five
novels and a memoir. She is a star author. She refuses to disappoint her
readers.”
Media Arts
Madison radio team may be heard in Milwaukee Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“There’s no word from WQBW-FM (97.3), but there’s talk that The Brew could be
looking to Madison for its new morning show. The buzz is focused on 'Connie and
Fish,' the morning team at Madison’s WZEE-FM (104.1). Like The Brew, the station
known as Z104 is owned by Clear Channel. The talk is that the show would be
simulcast on The Brew from Madison. The Milwaukee rock station dumped its
morning show, featuring Sean Lynch and Joanie Meyers, at the end of last week.
Even if it doesn’t happen, you can listen to 'Connie and Fish' live, or in podcast form.”
Performing Arts
Music
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Will Pay Tribute To Les Paul - Paul Is Second Living
Recipient Of Award WISN-TV Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE – “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame plans to pay tribute to guitar
legend Les Paul. The Waukesha native will be honored in November as part of the
Hall of Fame’s Annual American Music Masters series. The 93-year-old is only the
second living recipient of the award, which started in 1996 to honor artists who
helped change American culture.”
WHEN YOU GO
Visual Arts/Museums
The Public Eye Milwaukee Shepherd Express Through September 28 “When Richard Sennett published his provocative thesis on the diminishing
boundaries between public and private selves in the late '70s, things like
reality TV and the Patriot Act were unheard of. Today they're incontrovertible
facts that have further breached this boundary. An exhibition at the John
Michael Kohler Arts Center titled 'Under Surveillance' prompts viewers to
confront both culturally and institutionally endorsed forms of spying.”
Historical Society to host Art in the Garden Wausau Daily Herald September 6-7
“Artists are invited to participate in en pleine aire painting sessions to be
held this weekend in the garden of the Yawkey House Museum. People interested in
art are invited to stop on by to watch them work. Sponsored by the Marathon
County Historical Society, the Art in the Garden event is meant to augment
Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend. It will be held from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on
Saturday and Sunday at 403 McIndoe St., Wausau.”
Fall festival taking shape Sept. 6-7 for final year New Richmond News September 6 – 7
“Don Hall expects to have about 2,000 to 3,000 people wandering around his yard
on Sept. 6 and 7. Huntingdon Farm Pottery, which is also Hall and his wife
Karen’s home just outside of Star Prairie, will host the annual Fall Arts and
Crafts Festival for the 28th straight - and final - year. 'A lot of people
really enjoy coming here,' Hall said. 'Vendors say there’s a different
atmosphere here. That’s what I’ll miss the most.' Don Hall is the sole potter of
Huntingdon Farm Pottery. His studio, pictured above, is full of work in various
stages of completion. Although he’s calling the Fall Festival quits after this
year, he will continue to make and sell pottery.”
Photographic Legacy Milwaukee Shepherd Express September 12
“Milwaukee's rich heritage of fine art photography continues this week when the
Coalition of Photographic Arts (CoPA), a new network of artists in the city,
opens their 'Second Annual Juried Exhibition' at Walker's Point Center for the
Arts on Sept. 12. With sixty images in the show representing four states, CoPA
strives to continually promote Milwaukee as a focal point for fine art
photography. The 42 participating artists produced more than 140 intriguing
entries juried by George Slade, artistic director of the Minnesota Center for
Photography and contributor to numerous photography publications. Slade hosts a
gallery talk on Oct. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m., to discuss his own ideas regarding
the conception and direction of contemporary photography.”
Arts Education
UW-L theater season tickets on sale now La Crosse Tribune The Season
“Season tickets for the 2008-09 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Department of
Theater Arts season are now on sale. The season opens Oct. 10 with The
Diviners, by Jim Leonard. Season tickets are $15 for UW-L students, $35 for
senior citizens and other students and $45 for others, and are available by
calling (608) 785-6701. Season tickets include vouchers for all five
productions, postcard reminders and early ticket reservation privileges. This
year’s productions include:”
WITC-Hayward offering special interest fall continuing ed classes Ashland Daily Press September 8
“With the start of the fall class semester WITC-Hayward offers a variety of
Continuing Education courses. Two courses being repeated because of popular
demand are Conversational Spanish and Photography. Dale Thomas, professional
photographer from Northern Photographics and NP Studios in Ashland, is returning
this fall to teach several classes. The Beginner Digital Camera class is being
held three Monday evenings from 5:30-8:30 p.m. beginning September 8. Cost is
just $28.26 for the three sessions or $4 for individuals 62 and over. Next,
learn more specific skills for your digital or traditional camera, such as how
to adjust lighting, consider composition, and shoot portraits and close-ups.”
Butterflies and Friends Leave Parade, Head for Auction WBAY-TV Green Bay September 23
“Starting Wednesday, the butterflies, birds, and frogs which spent their summer
around Green Bay are migrating toward the auction block. The artwork was created
by area artists for the Einstein Project's annual Butterflies and Friends on
Parade. The art pieces will be fixed and touched up before they're auctioned off
on Tuesday, September 23, at the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay.
Money raised at the auction will be used to purchase science materials for kids
in kindergarten through 8th grade.”
Phipps has drawing and painting class Hudson Star-Observer October 6 – 27
“Drawing and Painting: Exploring the Artist Within, for beginning and
intermediate artists ages 16-adult, will be held over four weeks, Mondays, Oct.
6-27, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at The Phipps Center for the Arts. Students will
explore line, form and perspective to gain a deeper understanding of composing a
finished work of art. The first two weeks will focus on sketching, drawing and
composition using pencil, colored pencil and pastel. The second two weeks will
focus on applying drawing techniques in preparation for painting with acrylics
and exploring basic painting techniques.”
Express Lane Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Various Sites & Dates
Folk Arts/Folklife
Wo-Zha-Wa Parade takes shape Wisconsin Dells Events September 14
“There will be at least seven new entries in the annual Wo-Zha-Wa Parade on
Sept. 14. The parade's organizer, Patrick Scully, marketing director for the
Bank of Wisconsin Dells, submitted a list of groups registered to participate to
the Wisconsin Dells Wo-Zha-Wa Committee Tuesday. Sixty-five parade participants
were listed, but Scully told the committee the list would grow in the coming
weeks. Entries that are new since last year's parade are the Marine Corp
Memorial Truck, Walter 'Never Falter' Janikowski, The Great Wild West Revue,
Central Wisconsin Save the Animals Group, Budweiser, Redneck Camper and the New
Lisbon High School Rocket Band.”
Literary
Dave Wood's Book Report New Richmond News “About 35 years ago, I was startled to read in Time Magazine that a big-time
journalist had purchased the weekly paper in my little hometown and planned on
running it himself. His name was Edwin Goodpaster and at the time of the Time
story, he was Time’s Deputy Bureau Chief in Washington, D.C. So Ed moved his
family from our nation’s capitol to tiny Whitehall, Wis., and made a very big
splash with his little weekly. If it was a slow news week, which was most of the
time, Ed ran high school sports stories on the front page and put the boring
stuff on the back. When school opened, Ed showed up at the school board meeting
to take notes. The board informed him that they were meeting in secret. Ed told
them that was against the law. That was news to the board, but they swallowed
hard and Ed covered board proceedings like a very heavy carpet.”
Media Arts
Wisconsin Film Festival - 2009 Submission Guidelines Wisconsin Film Festival’s Official Website Various Deadlines
“The Wisconsin Film Festival welcomes narrative, documentary, experimental, and
animated films or videos of any length. There are three categories: Wisconsin’s
Own (films of any length from filmmakers with 'Wisconsin ties') deadline:
Monday, December 1, 2008 Wisconsin Student Shorts (films under 60 minutes by
Wisconsin college students or Wisconsin residents attending college in another
state) deadline: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 Open Reel (general submissions of
any length, open to all) deadline: Monday, December 1, 2008.”
The 21st Annual LGBT Film/Video Festival Milwaukee Shepherd Express September 4 – 14
“As autumn approaches and daylight hours diminish, more and more of us will be
inclined to spend our nights looking for something bright and clear- especially
on the big screen. From Sept. 4-14, Milwaukeeans get another chance to bright
en their eyes and enlighten their minds with the annual LGBT Film/Video
Festival, presented by the film department of UW-Milwaukee's Peck School of the
Arts. Now in its 21st year, festival director Carl Bogner jokes that the 11-day
event is 'finally old enough to drink whatever it wants.' But the purpose
remains serious: the positive representation of diverse sexuality on film. 'The
festival has always been an LGBT festival and a film festival, of interest to
anyone interested in good movies,' says Bogner, who has been curating the
program for 11 years. 'The festival's mission of presenting films by, for and
about the LGBT community remains unchanged. We are showing films that would
otherwise not be on local screens-even on local art-house screens-allowing a
diverse array of images and discussions around LGBT life.'"
Stand Up To Cancer WKBT-TV La Crosse September 5 “An hour-long special will air at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, on WKBT-TV
NewsChannel 8, as part of a nation-wide event to raise money for cancer
research. Stand Up To Cancer will unite the major television networks,
entertainment industry executives, celebrities and prominent leaders in cancer
research and patient advocacy. ABC, CBS and NBC will donate one hour of
simultaneous commercial-free primetime for a nationally televised fundraising
event, aimed at rallying the public around the goal of ending cancer's reign
as a leading cause of death.”
Discover Wisconsin on Travel Channel Beloit Daily News September 6 - 13 “Stephanie Klett, of Beloit, who has been hosting the Discover Wisconsin
Television and Radio Series for 15 years, is going national as host of the
Discover Wisconsin Life's so Good Choice Destination Series. The program will
air nationally in 80 million homes via The Travel Channel, and will be broadcast
seasonally to promote each of Wisconsin's distinct seasons. The upcoming
30-minute episode will highlight locations, attractions and events across the
state, including Milwaukee, the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe, House on the Rock,
the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans, Oshkosh, the Warrens Cranberry Festival
and Wisconsin Dells.”
Birding areas featured on ‘Discover Wisconsin' La Crosse Tribune September 6
“Some of bird enthusiasts’ favorite spots in the Prairie du Chien area, Juneau
County and elsewhere in the state will be featured on the 'Discover Wisconsin'
TV program that airs next weekend. Highlights include the Upper Mississippi
River National Wildlife Refuge, Wyalusing State Park, Petenwell Dam and Wildlife
Area and the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. The show airs at 10 a.m. Saturday
on Fox Sports Net statewide and at 5 p.m. Sunday on WXOW-TV.”
Israel’s Founding Mother - Golda remembers Milwaukee Shepherd Express September 7
“Shalom and salam: words so similar in sound and identical in meaning. In
Golda's Balcony, an imaginative telling of the life of Golda Meir, Israel's
founding mother pauses to consider that peace sounds almost the same in Hebrew
as in Arabic. The Jews and the Arabs, children of a common father and heirs to
the world-altering idea of monotheism with its implication of oneness, are
locked in a deadly family feud over a common holy city overlooking a narrow
sliver of rocky land on the eastern Mediterranean shore.”
Performing Arts
Music
Caravan Gypsy Swing Ensemble, Jon Hendricks - Jazz at Five series The Isthmus September 3
“Jazz at Five, now looking forward to its 15th season in 2008, has become a
downtown Madison tradition. The series has consistently provided exceptional
free concerts in a stunning locale - the 100 block of State Street, where State
Street meets the Capitol Square. When the sun is shining, and the music is
flowing, there is no better place to be than State Street. Think blue skies and
the setting sun reflected onto the Capitol dome.”
The Edge of Classical - Present Music’s season opener Milwaukee Shepherd Express September 6
"'It's exciting to play new music there,' Stalheim says. 'You feel the history,
and it's like the place is brought back to life.' Bringing the feel of old
Turner Hall back to life is Sofia Gubaidulina's Witty Waltzing and Igor
Stravinsky's Ragtime, two compositions that turn back the clock to the days when
the ballroom hosted formal dances. Caroline Mallonee's Keeping Time In a Bottle,
a variation on 100 Bottles of Beer in which musicians play empty beer bottles,
is a tongue-in-cheek throwback to the old German beer hall tradition.”
Presenting
Blackbird Raum - Tonight @ the Borg Ward - 7 p.m. Milwaukee Shepherd Express September 3
“Billing themselves as 'emissaries from your local, tightly knit community of
anarchists and squatters,' Santa Cruz, Calif.’s Blackbird Raum embodies a
distinctly youthful sub-sub-genre of dark protest folk. Borrowing accordion and
banjo from the more morbid corners of traditional European and American music,
the young group plucks up aggressive acoustic music as they share their
none-too-subtle politics.”
Theater
Dinner theater begins third season Hudson Star-Observer September 5 – November 1
“The third year of St. Croix Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, located in the Best
Western Hudson House Inn, begins with the farce Don’t Dress for Dinner Friday
and Saturday evenings, Sept. 5-Nov. 1. Actors Jason Decheine, Joseph Lullo and
Michael McKay portray the mistaken identity that threatens a marriage and makes
for a twisted plot.”
ArtBarn presents Ole and Lena's Wedding – Osceola New Richmond News September 12-13
“St. Croix ArtBarn cordially invites all to attend Ole and Lena’s Wedding, an
interactive audience participation dinner theatre celebration. The presentation
continues at St. Croix ArtBarn, 1040 Oak Ridge Drive, Osceola, Fridays and
Saturdays, Aug. 29-30 and Sept. 12-13.”
Man of Many Faces Milwaukee Shepherd Express September 10 – October 5
“'Even Shakespeare gave the guy playing King Lear a 20-minute break,' says actor
Michael Gotch, who is embracing a challenging lead role with the Milwaukee Rep.
When the Rep's Stiemke Theater opens the season with I Am My Own Wife on Sept.
10, Gotch won't be given the luxury of anytime offstage. The show features more
than 30 characters-and Gotch is the only actor in the production. Conceived by
playwright Doug Wright as a one-man show, I Am My Own Wife is an acclaimed drama
based on the remarkable true story of German transvestite Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a resilient individual who survived the brutality of World War II and
the Third Reich.”
VIDEO OF THE DAY
Save the Superman house “The house where Google was created is saved. The farm where Hewlett
Packard was founded is preserved. And Richard Nixon’s house is a museum. But the
house where Superman — one of the world’s most recognized heroes — was created?
It’s a wreck. So, with the creation of The Siegel & Shuster Society, we hope to
raise enough money to repair the house and make sure it will be saved, restored,
and there so you can take your kids one day.”
Thursday, 9/4
IN THE NEWS
Arts Education
Mom of West Bend East students kicks in $15,000 for school play - She thought
anti-drug message was important GM Today WEST BEND – “Knowing ticket sales may lag and the topic will hit home hard,
the West Bend High Schools student production committee chose to put on a play
about teen drug abuse anyway, and administrators backed them. Now, so is Dr.
Marjorie Vukelich. Upon reading an article on Go Ask Alice in the Daily News,
the mother of two East students became inspired, so much so she got out her
checkbook to help the schools’ anti-drug and alcohol message.”
Literary
Avol's Bookstore Appeals To Book Lovers, Curious Shoppers. Store Located On Gorham Street Madison Magazine
“Avol's Bookstore is that place you've been meaning to check out for years, but
haven't found the time. The charming storefront gives off the air of a quaint
neighborhood bookseller. Local authors and political novels are featured in the
storefront display and the window dressing invokes a mix of medieval kitsch and
bookstore homeiness. It's the kind of place that's universally appealing to all
passerby: unique enough to pique anyone's curiosity, yet humble enough to remain
familiar and inviting. It's the type of place that resides as a fixture in
mental images of Madison's State Street area, even if few have gone inside.”
Media Arts
Reel to real: Film’s growth recalled on birthday Badger Herald
“Whether it’s walking from class to class or during the bored stupor that comes
with running through yet another syllabus, one thing is certain: We all need to
take the time to sing a silent 'Happy Birthday' to film which celebrated its
111th birthday on Sunday. Why you may ask? For starters, just think of
everything those rolls of transparent celluloid have done for you. Whether it is
The Shining helping you cozy up to your date, The Notebook hanging by your
side as you get over that cheating boyfriend of yours or Rocky inspiring the
underdog in all of us, film has always been there for us.”
Capitol offices double as exhibit space for local artists 77 Square/Capital Times Blog Now Through October
“When Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton was preparing to move into the Capitol shortly
after the 2002 election, she looked at the bare walls of the double office and
saw artistic potential. 'I looked around and realized that this was a tremendous space,' Lawton said,
'and that it would be a wonderful opportunity to make the work of Wisconsin's
artists visible to the people of this state.' The first exhibit opened on the
day of her inauguration. Since then, the Wisconsin Arts Board has kept artwork
rotating every six to eight weeks on the walls of 19 East in the Capitol.”
‘Color My World’ at artists gallery Ashland Daily News September 4 – Reception, Through September 29 “The September gallery show at Superior Artists Gallery, 109 W. Bayfield St.,
Washburn, is titled 'Color My World.' The show features the work of area artists
Janice Kausz Benson, Royanne Goossen, Catherine Sebek and Eli Wilson. These four
artists work in different mediums and are presenting a variety of art that finds
inspiration in the colors of nature. Eli Wilson, Washburn, works with clay,
finding her inspiration from the natural area surrounding her. She uses wood
firing and high firing techniques with an emphasis in wheel throwing.”
Coalition of Photographic Arts Regional Juried Exhibition @ Walker’s Point
Center for the Arts Vital Source Magazine September 12 – October 18 “Wisconsin’s fastest growing arts organization, the Coalition of Photographic
Arts (CoPA) is proud to announce the artists selected for the Second Annual
Juried Exhibition. CoPA received 138 entries representing WI, IL, MN, and MI.
Juror Awards for CoPA’s Second Annual Juried Exhibition include Best in Show,
2nd and 3rd Place Honorable Mention, as well as a People’s Choice Award selected
by viewers. The exhibition opens with an artist’s reception on Friday, September
12, 2008 from 6-9pm at the Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, 911 W. National
Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53204, (414) 672-2787. George Slade, Artistic Director of
the Minnesota Center for Photography and contest juror, will be giving a Gallery
talk at 7:00 p.m. on October 10th with a reception beginning an hour before his
talk. A closing reception during Milwaukee’s Gallery Night and Day on October
17th will bring CoPA’s Second Annual Juried Exhibition to a close on Saturday,
October 18th.”
Hidden River Art Festival @ Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts Vital Source Magazine September 19 “Over 80 Wisconsin artists will feature their work at this third-annual arts
festival. Bring your family and friends out to Brookfield’s Mitchell Park to
support regional artists and peruse local photography, sculpture, textiles,
jewelry and ... well, the list goes on and on. If you’ve been bitten by the
creative bug, this three-day festival lets you explore your own artistic
tendencies with workshops, artist demonstrations and hands-on activities. A
highlight of this year’s fest is their first-ever Emerging Artists gallery,
featuring work by Wisconsin’s best and brightest up-and-comers. Check out our
video interview with Seventh Floor Studios in Milwaukee at vitalsourcemag.com.
262-781-9470 or hiddenriverartfestival.com”
Arts Education
Pierre Bensusan @ The UWM Peck School of the Arts Vital Source Magazine September 6 “The UWM Peck School of the Arts Guitar Series welcomes French finger-style
guitarist Pierre Bensusan for his first concert in Milwaukee in 15 years. The
series will present the internationally-acclaimed guitarist on Saturday,
September 6, 2008 at 7:30 pm in the Recital Hall, 2400 East Kenwood Boulevard,
on the UWM campus. Tickets are $20 general/$12 students, seniors and for UWM
alumni, faculty & staff; they are available from the Peck School of the Arts Box
Office, 414-229-4308. Bensusan will also offer a series of finger-style guitar workshops open to
the public on Friday, September 5 from 9 am-12 noon and from 2-5 pm; and on
Saturday, September 6 from 10 am-1 pm. The workshops will address issues of
musicianship, philosophy of music and approach to the guitar as well as
technique and ear training. Sessions are $10 each for auditors and take place at
Kenilworth Square East, 1925 E. Kenilworth Pl. Those interested in attending
should contact John Stropes, head of the UWM Guitar Program, at (262) 994-8710.”
Former 'Rent' star Idina Menzel to visit Madison 77 Square/Capital Times Blog November 2
“Tony Award-winning vocalist Idina Menzel will perform at the Wisconsin Union
Theater in Madison on Nov. 2. - Idina Menzel, one of the original cast members
of Rent and Wicked, is coming to the Wisconsin Union Theater in early
November. 'We're incredibly excited that they've chosen to bring Broadway's best
to Madison,' said Sarah Marty, general manager of Four Seasons Theatre Company.
Four Seasons is a presenting partner with the Wisconsin Union Theater for Menzel,
who will bring her 'I Stand' tour to Madison on Nov. 2.”
Quick hits: Country and classic rock concerts Appleton Post-Crescent Various Sites & Dates “Their name is Rio. Here’s some Diamond Rio trivia: The band temporarily
changed its name to Jed Zeppelin when it recorded a cover of Merle Haggard’s
'Workin’ Man’s Blues' with two other guitarists for a tribute album. The song
went on to win a CMT video event of the year award in 1996. That’s just one fun
anecdote from Diamond Rio’s career, which is still going strong after more than
20 years. The band has found success — three of its albums have gone platinum
and the group has won numerous Country Music Association and Academy of Country
Music awards — with strong vocal harmonies and a blend of traditional country
with just a touch of rock ’n’ roll.”
Express Lane Milwauee Journal Sentinel September 6 “Golda comes home - Actress Valerie Harper will be in town this weekend for a
special screening Sunday night of Golda’s Balcony, the 2007 film version of
her successful Broadway play. The screening, at 7:15 p.m. at The Pfister Hotel,
424 E. Wisconsin Ave., is part of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s yearlong
celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. The
cost is $18 per person; a reservation and a gift to the federation’s 2009 annual
campaign are required. Reservations can be made online at
www.milwaukeejewish.org or by calling (414) 390-5700.”
There's less than two weeks until Chetek Harvest Fest, which takes place Sept.
13 in downtown Chetek The Chetek Alert September 13
“The festival begins at 9 a.m. with the craft show/flea market/farmers market
held on Moore and Knapp streets. More than 30 vendors are expected to
participate in this event, which runs until 4 p.m. Setup is from 7-9 a.m. Chili
connoisseurs can taste-test the chili in a contest and cast their vote for their
favorite starting at 11 a.m. at The Courtyard on the corner of Knapp and Second
streets. Contestants have a chance to win prizes donated by local businesses,
including gift certificates and merchandise. There is no charge to enter, and
the only requirements are that contestants provide one large crock pot of chili
and a serving utensil. Contestants must serve their own chili or provide someone
to serve. No additional garnishes will be allowed-chili only. Contestants should
plan to be at The Courtyard no later than 10 a.m.”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Polish Arts Festival @ Alfons Gallery Vital Source Magazine September 7 “Alfons Gallery, located in the School Sisters of St. Francis St. Joseph
Center, will host an exhibit entitled, Polish Arts Festival. The exhibit
features mixed media art and opens September 7th and runs through October 26th.
The opening festivities on September 7th from 1:00-4:00 p.m. include the Syrena
Polish Folk Dance Ensemble, demonstrations of egg painting and paper cuts, taste
treats by Polanki – Polish Women’s Cultural Club, winners of the 2008 Chopin
Youth Piano Competition, and tours of St. Joseph Chapel. St. Joseph Center is
located at 1501 S. Layton Blvd. in Milwaukee. For information and hours, call
(414) 385–5273.”
Irish Fest to Host Brock McGuire Band Lake Country Living September 12
“The Brock McGuire Band is familiar to trad music lovers from appearances at
Irish Fest and its award-winning CDs. Drawing from Irish, Irish-American and
Irish-Canadian influences, the Brock McGuire Band give us an exciting musical
tutorial and a highly-polished performance that has become their hallmark. The
first half of the concert will be a lecture tracing the evolution of Irish
traditional music in America starting in the 19th century. The second half of
the evening features the superb musicianship of the band – Paul Brock, Manus
McGuire, Enda Scahill and Denis Carey.”
Literary
Nancy C. Unger @ UW-Milwaukee Bookstore Vital Source Magazine September 10 “Prize-winning historian and biographer Professor Nancy C. Unger celebrates
in words and pictures the life of Wisconsin great Robert M. La Follette
(1855-1925) and reveals why there is an increasing urgency that we understand
and appreciate his progressive legacy. A signing of the new paperback edition of
Fighting Bob La Follette: The Righteous Reformer will follow the presentation
and discussion. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bookstore / 2200 E Kenwood
Blvd / Milwaukee WI 53211.”
Isabel Sharpe @ Harry W. Schwartz Vital Source Magazine September 15 “As Good as it Got tells the story of three newly-single women on the path to
discovery, learning lessons about love, life and themselves. Author Isabel
Sharpe will be promoting on her new book AS GOOD AS IT GOT at Harry W. Schwartz
Bookstore in Shorewood on Monday, September 15th at 7:00pm.”
Media Arts
Milwaukee LBGT film festival to open Milwaukee Journal Sentinel September 3 - 14 “The 21st Milwaukee LGBT Film/Video Festival opens at 7:30 tonight with
Were
the World Mine, a 2008 film about a boys’ high school production of A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Oriental Theatre, 2230 N. Farwell Ave. The rest
of the films in the festival can be seen at UWM Union Theatre, 2200 E. Kenwood
Blvd. The 11-day Milwaukee LGBT Film/Video Festival features an eclectic mix of
narrative films, documentaries, experimental works and short films from around
the world.”
Stars Ready To 'Stand Up To Cancer' WISN-TV Milwaukee September 5 “Several familiar faces from the entertainment world, news media and beyond
will bind together Friday night on network television to battle cancer. Three
networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- will simultaneously air 'Stand Up to Cancer,' a
commercial-free hour of primetime television to help rally the public to end
cancer's reign as the leading cause. The networks' news anchors -- ABC's Charles
Gibson, CBS' Katie Couric and NBC's Brian Williams -- will be prominently
featured on the special, as they report on potentially life-saving research and
interview patients and scientists.”
Performing Arts
Dance
Wisconsin Dance Council Awards Ceremony @ The Madison Club, Madison WI Vital Source Magazine September 11
“Wisconsin Dance Council Honors Milwaukee Ballet’s Michael Pink Wisconsin Dance
Council (WDC), a non-profit organization devoted to dance as a fine art, will
honor four of its own outstanding dance pioneers in a glittering evening at the
Madison Club in downtown Madison on Thursday, September 11, 2008. Two leaders in
the Milwaukee dance community, Michael Pink, Artistic Director of Milwaukee
Ballet, and Janet Lilly, Chair of the Dance Department at the University of
Wisconsin – Milwaukee, will each receive the WDC Choreography/Performance Award.
In addition to the Milwaukee-area award recipients, Kay Kuester-Doran of Antigo,
who studied folk dance in Mexico as a Rockefeller Fellow, will be awarded the
WDC Career Recognition Award and Betty Hayes-Baxter of Avoca, who has brought
dance to students throughout southwestern Wisconsin for over sixty years, will
be honored with the WDC Lifetime Achievement Award. The evening will commence
with a social hour starting at 6:00 p.m., with a buffet of hors d'oeuvres, cash
bar, and live music, with the awards presentations and special entertainment to
follow. Special guest appearances include principal dancers from Milwaukee
Ballet, students from the Peck School of the Arts, a Madison folk dance group,
and a ballroom duet by the seasoned team of Vivian Tomlinson and Karen Cowan.”
Music
Global Union Music festival @ Humboldt Park Vital Source Magazine September 13 - 14 “This two-day event brings musicians and artists from around the globe right
to our own backyard, turning Humboldt Park into a who’s-who of world music. One
of the last great (and FREE) parties of the summer, Global Union showcases an
eclectic mix of performances, including Carnatic-style guitar tributes to Jimi
Hendrix, traditional Russian music and village vocals with a tinge of American
folk, and a Cuban jazz flutist, to name a few. Bring the whole gang (young and
old), a lawn chair and a picnic lunch. You can even bring your dog (leashed, of
course). Don’t like to plan ahead? The festival features food, beverage and arts
and crafts vendors aplenty, and dancing is strongly encouraged. VITAL Source is
a proud sponsor. Need we say more? alvernopresents.alverno.edu/global-union”
Forward Music Fest @ Various Locations, Madison, WI Vital Source Magazine September 19 “Forward Music Fest is launching a new Midwestern music event on 9/19-20 2008
spanning eight music venues across Madison, Wisconsin (including Orpheum
Theatre, Orpheum Stage Door, Cafe Montmartre, High Noon Saloon, Majestic
Theatre, The Frequency, Project Lodge, and the Corral Room). The unique event
will feature a diverse selection of Midwestern-rooted acts, highlight Wisconsin
as a music destination and give back to Wisconsin charities like MAMAs- an
organization that puts instruments in the hands of children and reinforces
school music programs.”
Theater
Students, TAs bare all in musical Badger Herald Through September 28 “You know that old stage trick where you look at everyone seated in the crowd
and imagine they are all naked so you don’t lose your cool? Well, if you head
out to the Bartell Theatre starting tonight you will no longer have to pretend,
since University of Wisconsin theater students and teaching assistants strip
down with hilarious results for Mercury Players’ production of the outlandish
musical The Full Monty.”
Doubt: a parable Verve Magazine September 4 – 6
“Doubt unveils the struggle between moral certainty, blind suspicion and the
devastating consequences that hang in the balance. Set in a Catholic school in
1964 Bronx, New York, Shanley tells the story of a nun desperately trying to
protect a young boy from the lecherous grip of an overly friendly priest.
However, are her suspicions correct or has Sister Aloysius removed the only hope
this boy had of a successful future? The Wall Street Journal writes that Doubt
is 'a play that is un-preachy, thought-provoking, and so full of high drama that
the audience will gasp out loud a half-dozen times.'”
From opera to Audrey II, Brumfield brings up the bass 77 Square/Capital Times November18
“Madison performer Gregory Brumfield will join the cast of Lyric Opera of
Chicago's production of Porgy and Bess this fall. - Michelle Stocker/The
Capital Times John DeMain isn't the only Madisonian who will appear in this
fall's production of Porgy and Bess at the famous Lyric Opera of Chicago.
While DeMain, the artistic director of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the
Madison Opera, will conduct the performance, another Madisonian, Gregory
Brumfield, will be singing in the chorus. The show opens Nov. 18. Brumfield came
to Madison from Indiana in 1980 as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin.
Since then, he's performed with Children's Theatre of Madison, Madison Repertory
Theatre, Madison Opera and many more. He has also appeared in productions in New
York City, Princeton, New Jersey and Virginia.”
Other
Re-Art Swap Verve Magazine September 6
“Due to overwhelming success Absolutely Art is proud to host our second Re-Art
Swap. Do you have beads you don't need, or glues you don't use? We invite you to
clean out your studios, closets and garages for art supplies and useable items
you don't use any more. Bring them to our 'Re-Art Swap' and try something new.
You can trade in your trash to find your next treasure. Some examples of things
to trade are beads, broken ceramic items, brushes, buttons, calendars, cardboard
and mat board, clay, crayons, fabric samples, findings, gears, glass, industrial
scrap/end caps and rolls, magazines, metal, office supplies, old vases, packing
material, paint, paint swatches, pens, pencils, wood, paper, wallpaper books,
screws, spools, stock photo books, tools, unused yarn/string ...”
VIDEO OF THE DAY
Plaid Tuba Interactive
Mural, Milwaukee
“Plaid Tuba, a consortium of artists and media specialists, collaborated
during Gallery Night (July 25, 2008). Featuring the art of Reggie Baylor,
community members had an opportunity to participate in creating a mural using
colored pencil. Sponsors included: Reginald Baylor Studio, ArtMailMilwaukee.com,
Finn Digital, Milwaukee Public School's Catch a Rising Star Foundation, Whole
Foods Market, A&E Graphics, musician Matt Hendricks, and the Shepherd Express.”
Friday, 9/5
IN THE NEWS
Visual Arts/Museums
Utah landscapes inspire ‘Birds’ master artist Wausau Daily Herald “Being an aspiring artist in a small mining and farming town in Utah made
James Morgan a bit of an 'odd duck,' as he puts it. The work he produces now,
though, is about as natural as it gets. 'I don’t have an explanation,' he said
Thursday, surrounded by his work at Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. 'It’s what
I’ve been interested in all my life.' This year’s Birds in Art master artist
draws upon the wetlands, high deserts and mountain landscapes of Utah for
inspiration. His works appears alongside those of more than 110 other artists in
an event that opens to the public Saturday, said Marcia Theel, associate
director of the museum.”
Governor Doyle Unveils Fall Tourism Campaign Wisconsin Department of Tourism "Wisconsin took its first step toward implementing a unified competitive
branding strategy covering all economic sectors and government agencies.
Governor Doyle unveiled the new campaign, which highlights the passionate, proud
and spontaneous nature of Wisconsin’s people and the original ways they embrace
fall. The campaign’s creative focuses on personal interpretations of fall color
and is built around two sets of 'Wisconsin Originals': Jake, John and Dick Leinenkugel of Leinenkugel Brewing and Sam Llanas and Kurt Neumann of the band
The BoDeans."
See the full campaign online:
http://www.boelterlincoln.com/tourism/fall/
Arts Education
GUEST VIEW: Students must be made ready for the world West Coulee News “The excitement of a new school year brings so many opportunities: a new
teacher, a different school, the chance to connect with friends, and the joy of
learning. Our teachers, principals, and other school staff members are ready to
make the 2008-09 school year the best ever. Wisconsin has a long and proud
tradition of supporting public education and preparing students to be productive
contributors to our society. Education may have changed from the one-room
schoolhouses of yesteryear, but there is still a common foundation. We want
students who think critically, who can identify and solve problems, who know how
to work together, who have a basic sense of ethics, and who can adapt to new
situations.”
Involvement crucial to collegiate experience The Daily Cardinal “Students should take the opportunity of joining a student organization to
enhance their connection to the campus Let’s take a minute, step back and take a
good look at the amazing university we belong to. Not only do we have phenomenal
professors leading cutting-edge research, top-notch academic facilities in all
areas of campus and across-the-board excellent arts programs, we also have an
amazingly vibrant campus extending beyond the reaches of the academic world. As
UW-Madison students, we literally have hundreds of opportunities to become
involved in our campus. Last year alone, there were 750 student organizations
registered through the Student Organization Office. Nearly all areas of interest
are represented in one way or another in the multiple student-run organizations.
Only at UW-Madison are we able to attend meetings about the importance of
divestment in Sudan, greener energy solutions, volunteer opportunities in the
Madison public schools and martial arts techniques—all on the same night.”
Community Arts
After one pulls out, new tattoo shop arrives River Falls Journal “Not all art is made to hang on walls or stand on a pedestal in a park. Some
art follows its owner everywhere and has a tendency to get under people’s skin.”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Video journals: Seniors preserve history on tape Wausau Daily Herald MERRILL – “A video journaling project designed to preserve family history is
taking root. 'In my 30-plus years working with seniors, this is one of the most
emotional programs I have done,' said Jane Weddig, Merrill Senior Center
director and the driving force behind the project. 'I have such a passion for
people and their lives.' The idea for the video journals began when a group of
women started sharing stories from their pasts during a regular journaling group
session at the center.”
Literary Arts
NYT calls Levine ambassador of handmade OnMilwaukee.com “The Sept. 3 issue of the New York Times includes an article titled
'The
Ambassador of Handmade,' and author Penelope Green is referring to Milwaukee
renaissance woman Faythe Levine. Green calls Levine a 'pillar of the
do-it-yourself movement' for her multi-faceted roll as a gallery owner (Paper
Boat Boutique, 2375 S. Howell Ave.), collector, musician (she plays the musical
saw in Wooden Robot), artist and documentarian. Of course, this isn't the first
time the NYT has recognized her accomplishments. She was interviewed for a July
2, 2006 article by Rob Walker called 'Craft Work' about her contribution to the
'new wave of craft' and her budding film project, a documentary of the artful
craft movement. Today, her documentary, Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art,
Craft and Design is all but finished and will debut at festivals and museums in
early 2009. In the meantime, look for her book of the same name, which she
co-wrote with friend Cortney Heimerl, to hit shelves this November.”
Why newspapers matter: Isthmus news editor Bill Lueders' speech to Madison Downtown Rotary The Isthmus “This morning, I was putting on a yellow shirt for this event, as an homage to
yellow journalism, when my wife suggested: You should wear black, white and red.
You know the old joke: What’s black and white and read all over? The newspaper!
I didn’t have a red tie, so my hair will have to do. It used to be redder. So
now the joke is: What’s black and white and not quite as read any more?
Newspapers today! When people I meet for the first time ask me what I do, I
never say: 'I’m news editor of Isthmus, a Madison weekly, and president of the
Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, a statewide group that watchdogs
public access to meetings and records. (Also the author of two books, including
the acclaimed Madison-based true crime story, Cry Rape, available from your
local bookstore and on Amazon.com.)' No. When someone asks me what I do, I tell
them: 'I’m a newspaper reporter.'”
Performing Arts
Theater
Mabel Tainter earns award for restoration Eau Claire Leader Telegram MENOMONIE – “Builders and financial donors gathered Thursday at the Mabel
Tainter Center for the Arts as it was honored with the 2008 Wisconsin Historical
Society Restoration Award. 'The review committee recognized this was a great
challenge to make the building handicapped accessible and able to do more
modern, contemporary programming and still be sensitive to the historical
qualities of the building,' said Janet Seymour, field service representative for
the northern region of the Wisconsin Historical Society. 'They did a great job.'
The award was presented to Carolyn Barnhart, president of the Mabel Tainter
Literary, Library and Educational Society Board of Trustees. 'I'm honored the
historical society would recognize the efforts of Dunn County to make this
historical site accessible to all citizens,' she said, noting the project never
would have happened without private donations and the cooperation of the city of
Menomonie and Dunn County to make historic tax credits available.”
Other
The Artful Manager: Weekly Summary ArtsJourna/a>Here are this week's posts to The Artful Manager, a weblog on the business of
arts & culture written by Andrew Taylor, Director of the UW-Madison’s Bolz
Center for Arts Administration and hosted by ArtsJournal.com."
CURRENT EVENTS
Visual Arts/Museums
Season’s last Brice Prairie art fair set Onalaska Life September 5
“The La Crosse Society of Arts & Crafts’ monthly Season of Art series will
wind up on Saturday, Sept. 5. The outdoor art fair will run from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. and will be at 7203 North Shore Drive (look for the white barn). Seventeen
artists offering a wide range of works will be on hand for the event, including
Sharon Aalseth (semiprecious stone jewelry), Loyd Mieden (weaving), Pamela
Clafton Lee (watercolors) and Carol Witt-Smith (stained glass) of Onalaska and
Arthur Anderson (river landscapes, original oils and prints) of Holmen.”
Headwaters Art League Show WJFW-TV Newswatch 12 September 5 – 9
“Land O' Lakes - If you're looking to add art to your collection, you still have
time to get to one art show in the Northwoods. The Headwaters Art League is
hosting a show every week day from 9 to 5 until Tuesday at Conserve School in
Land O' Lakes. The show features 60 pieces done by 17 local artists. While the
art is great to look at, so is the view from the building where the show takes
place. Eleanor Lapp, the Presdient of Headwaters Art League, says 'They have
this lovely view of the art, plus a lovely view of a marvelous building and it's
the education building in the commons. And it's just a good feeling.' Kathy
Klein, who attending the art show, says 'So this is just lovely. And then the
music in the background. This wonderful setting at the Conserve School. So it's
just a lovely evening.' There's oil, fiber, watercolor, and photography, and
every piece is for sale.”
Work of kinetic sculptor featured at Cable First Friday Art Market Sawyer County Record September 5
“Norman Andersen, a Cable area part-time resident and retired professor at
the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, will join other artists for the final
First Friday Art Market at Firefly Trading Company on Friday, Sept. 5. The Art
Market hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Andersen had contacted L.J., the owner of
Firefly Trading Company, last summer to inquire about exhibiting his sculptures
in the sculpture garden beside Firefly. After doing some checking L.J. realized
that she had seen his piece 'Rainmaker’s Baggage' at the baggage claim area of
SeaTac Airport in Seattle during the previous fall. At his alternative studio in
Cable, Andersen has been creating outdoor kinetic and sound sculpture for the
past 15 years. He has exhibited his work throughout the United States, and in
Canada, Europe and Japan. He has received numerous grants, awards, fellowships
and public art commissions. During the summer of 2007, Andersen brought his
first group of sculptures to Firefly.”
Not your garden variety art show
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel September 5 – Reception
“The Armoury Gallery’s new exhibition, 'Garden Variety,' features work by
Midwest artists with an unusual take on the term 'garden.' 'Garden Variety'
Signed, limited-edition prints of Joseph Sinness' 'Apocalyptic Dolly' will be
part of the attraction when the Armoury Gallery hosts 'Garden Variety.' The
exhibition opens with a reception tonight. Milwaukee's River Bullock, a 2005
graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, has a series of new
photographs and an installation exploring her relationship with her backyard
garden. Bullock shot her pictures with a medium-format camera, with larger-scale
prints that show a depth of detail.”
IT'S A GAS, GAS, GAS: Mark R. Fay will display "An Exhibit of Photography" at
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, 400 Eau Claire St. Eau Claire Leader Telegram September 6 – October 14
“The show opens Sunday and will remain on view through Oct. 14. An opening
reception is set for 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The photo exhibit features historic
Wisconsin architecture as well as samplings of Fay's other work. Fay spent two
years traveling the state's roads for the Wisconsin Historical Society book
Fill 'er Up: The Glory Days of Wisconsin's Historic Gas Station to be
published this fall. Admission is free. Library hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 839-5004, e-mail
librarian@eauclaire.lib.wi.us or click on www.ecpubliclibrary.info.”
Arts Education
UW-Stout to show 9/11 documentary Eau Claire Leader Telegram September 10
MENOMONIE – “University Honors Program will show the documentary
Divided We
Fall: Americans in the Aftermath at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Room 210 of the Applied
Arts Building at UW-Stout. 'Divided We Fall' follows the journey of 20-year-old
college student Valarie Kaur as she documents violence against Sikhs and Muslims
immediately following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. On a two-year
international tour, the film has won more than a dozen awards and reached 150
campuses and communities. Menomonie will join 50 cities across the United States
in a campaign to discuss racism, religion and renewal. The film campaign
commemorates Sept. 11 and also Sept. 15, which is the anniversary of the murder
of Balbir Singh Sodhi, the first person killed in retribution for the terrorist
attacks. Admission is free. Call 715-232-1497 or e-mail basul@uwstout.edu for
information.”
Collage exhibit opens UW-L art season Onalaska Life September 12 – October 12
“An exhibit of contemporary collage work by six nationally respected artists
will open the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse art gallery season. 'Collage'
opens with a reception featuring the artists from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, in
the gallery, located on the first floor of the UW-L Center for the Arts. The
show features collage media and process presented through a variety of
applications. It contains work utilizing collage process on ceramic surfaces,
textiles, printing processes, traditional works on paper, and relief-type
assemblages. Artists in the exhibit include: Roberta Allen, Minneapolis; Marna
Goldstein Brauner, Shorewood, Wis.; Karen Gunderman, Milwaukee; Amy Newell,
Madison; Josie Osborne, Milwaukee; and Vivian Torrence, Columbus, N.C. The
exhibit runs through Oct. 12. Regular gallery hours are noon to 8 p.m. Mondays
Thursdays, noon to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and during events in Toland
Theatre. Admission is free.”
OHS marching band is stepping lively Onalaska Life September 13, October 4
“The Onalaska High School Marching Band will have a very busy September
schedule, beginning with a brat and bake sale to be held at Festival Foods in
Onalaska on Saturday, Sept. 13. Brats will be sold from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and
the band will perform the music from this season’s halftime shows beginning at
11:30 a.m. The Marching Hilltoppers, under the direction of Dawson Strutt and
James Knutson, are scheduled to appear in the 2009 Outback Bowl Parade in Tampa,
Fla. Other upcoming September events include appearances in parades for La
Crescent Applefest, Warrens Cranberryfest and La Crosse Oktoberfest. In
addition, on Oct. 4 a Best Bands World Tour will be held at the Onalaska
OmniCenter as a fundraiser for the marching band. Outback Steakhouse has agreed
to sponsor the evening with food, and many talented local bands are scheduled to
perform.”
Northwoods music scene Sawyer County Record Various Sites & Dates
“Hello music lovers, The kids are back in school, but there are still things
happening in the music scene.”
Northern lights and darks Duluth News Tribune September 5? (Check for Date)
“Artists get together for a lot of reasons. Famous movements such as Fauvism
or Dadaism often started simply to get likeminded artists together to have a
drink and talk. Sometimes they gather to critique each others’ work or to share
skills. Photographers near and far come to the Black Iris Gallery in Spooner,
Wis., for all of those reasons and more. The Northern Lights Camera Club is a
place to learn new digital skills or darkroom techniques, to socialize, to
discuss members’ work and to get ideas, said its founder, Connie Nadeau. The
club’s first group show opens with a free reception from 5 to 8 p.m. at the
gallery, 410 N. River St. Artists will talk about their work starting at 7 p.m.
The show runs through Sept. 20.”
LYSO orchestras seek musicians Onalaska Life September 6 - 7
“The La Crosse Area Youth Symphony Orchestras are looking for young musicians
to fill spots in the two orchestras. Placement auditions will be held Sept. 6-7
at English Lutheran Church in La Crosse. The Youth Symphony Orchestra, a full
orchestra for advanced student musicians, is directed by Randall Mastin,
orchestra director for the Viroqua schools. Instruments needed include violin,
viola, cello, bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone,
tuba and percussion. The Philharmonic Orchestra, a string orchestra for
intermediate student musicians, is directed by Linda Lebakken, orchestra
director for the Onalaska schools. Intruments needed include violin, viola,
cello and bass. To register and find out what to play for placement in one of
the orchestras, log onto www.lyso.org.”
Auditions planned for ‘See Jane Vote’ Onalaska Life
September 7
“Open auditions for the musical comedy See Jane Vote will be held at 6:30
p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Pump House Regional Arts Center in la Crosse. See
Jane Vote, directed by Anne Drecktrah, follows Jane Duncan in her quest for
life, liberty and the pursuit of the ballot box. When Jane’s husband, Richard,
runs for mayor of Liberty Grove, Jane illegally casts a ballot in the election,
leaving Richard (the town constable) no choice but to arrest her. Humiliated,
Richard flees the small town, returning in disguise in a desperate and hilarious
attempt to regain control over his wife and the town. Roles are available for two men playing age 35-55, one man playing a
character in his 20s, two women playing age 35-55, and one women playing late
teens or early 20s. Interested applicants should come prepared to sing 32
measures of a song of their choice. Perusal copies of the play can be picked up
at the Pump House.”
Singers are invited to join choir group Eau Claire Leader Telegram September 11
RICE LAKE – “Vocalists are invited to join the Red Cedar Choir. The first
rehearsal will be from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday in the UW-Barron County Fine
Arts music room. Rehearsals will continue on Thursday nights through November.
The season will culminate with the annual holiday concert on Dec. 7 at St.
Joseph's Catholic Church in Rice Lake. The choir also will perform in UW-Barron
County theater department's fall production of Oedipus Tex. There is no
singing audition for new members. Call 715-234-8176, ext. 5480, or e-mail benjamin.schoening@uwc.edu with questions.”
AUDITIONS: LCCT seeks actors for radio production Onalaska Life September 15
“La Crosse Community Theatre will hold auditions for this year’s radio
production, H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror, on Sept. 15, beginning at 7
p.m., at the La Crosse Community Theatre Annex, 508 Main St. in downtown La
Crosse. In the show, Dunwich, Mass., is the home of the strange Whateley family.
Their conjuring and tampering with the laws of nature unleashes an unspeakable
abomination upon the world. Only the brave men from Miskatonic University have a
chance of saving the world from the Dunwich Horror. Set specifically to air on
Halloween, this is a tale of mysterious creatures, magic spells and other
worlds. This radio adaptation of The Dunwich Horror brings Lovecraft’s tale of
suspense to life in the style of The War of the Worlds. It will include a
large cast and original music by Ben Koch. The cast will be made up of 11 to 12
men and women. Cast will also perform sound effects and read commercials. People
auditioning should be prepared to read from the script. Rehearsals will be once
a week on Sundays. All cast will need to be present beginning Sunday, Sept. 21.
Final tech rehearsal will be Thursday, Oct. 30. Performance will be 8 p.m. Oct.
31, and it will be broadcast by WIZM-AM 1410 For more information, call 784-9292
or log onto www.lacrossecommunitytheatre.org.”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Second gospel bluegrass festival begins Sept. 5-7 near Spooner Sawyer County Record September 5-7
“The second of two summer events for gospel bluegrass music fans will be held
Friday through Sunday, Sept. 5-7 at the 9th Street Gospel Bluegrass Festival,
located east of Spooner. Featured acts travel to rural Wisconsin from throughout
the United States to offer inspiring performances and talented musicianship.
Performers offer heart-felt singing accompanied by mandolin, guitar, banjo,
fiddle and upright bass.”
Tangled Roots brings bluegrass to the Park Sawyer County Record September 6
“Tangled Roots, an energetic young bluegrass band, will play at the Park
Theater at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6. With a broad spectrum of material
ranging from songs by Bill Monroe and Elvis Presley to more recent songs penned
by Bruce Hornsby, John Prine, and Bruce Cockburn, they are a favorite of
bluegrass fans throughout the upper midwest. Tickets for the show are $12 in
advance at Art Beat, 934-2780, $15 at the door, or $5 for students 18 and
under.”
Quilt guild show-and-tell meeting is Sept. 8 Sawyer County Record September 8
“The Hayward Piecemakers Guild will have a show-and-tell at its next meeting,
set for 9:30 a.m. Sept. 8 at the Weiss Community Library in Hayward. Quilters
are asked to bring bags and totes or purses they have made. Ann Chudy will
demonstrate how to put a zipper in a fat quarter purse, and there will be a
charm square exchange (five 5-inch squares) with a Halloween theme. At its Aug.
11 meeting at the Weiss Community Library, the quilt show committee reported
that the July show and sale was a huge success. Next year’s show will be held
July 24-25 at the Ramada. Carol Hillary gave a demonstration of how to make
three quilt tops out of three yards of fabric. The quilt can be used for baby or
lap size. A sample of one of the three quilts made is on display at the River’s
Edge Quilt Loft on Highway 27 South in Hayward.”
Literary Arts
Holmen author to sign new book Onalaska Life September 5
“Dan Marcou, a retired police lieutenant who took up writing after he left
the La Crosse Police Department, will hold a book signing session at Barnes &
Noble in the Valley View Mall on Friday, Sept. 5, starting at 5 p.m. Marcou
recently published his second book, S.W.A.T.: Blue Knights in Black Armor, a
true-to-life novel about life on the police force in the fictional town of La
Claire, Wis. The book continues the adventures of officer Dan McCarthy begun in Marcou’s first book,
The Calling: The Making of a Veteran Cop. See next week’s
edition of this paper for a story on Marcou and his new book.”
Annual needlework show seeks entries Onalaska Life October 1 Deadline
“The Coulee Country Chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America seeks
entries for its annual needlework show held during Oktoberfest. Needleworkers
are invited to participate with entries in cross stitch, surface embroidery,
canvas, counted thread, hardanger and small quilting. New this year is a youth
category for ages 18 and younger in any of the needlework categories. Entries
will be received Wednesday, Oct. 1, from noon to 6 p.m. at the La Crosse Public
Library auditorium. The free show then opens on Thursday, Oct. 2, and goes
through Saturday, Oct. 4, during library hours. The public is invited to vote
for their favorite in each category. People's Choice awards as well as Mrs.
Oktoberfest and Festmaster ribbons will be presented to the winners. A boutique
with needlework ornaments and more will be available for people looking for
unique gifts. During September, the library showcases display vintage needlework
with a theme of 'Following in Our Mothers’ Footsteps.'"
Media Arts
Madison hosts April film festival
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Various Submission Deadlines
“The new Film Milwaukee festival is not the only such area gathering planned
for next year. First up is the Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison, April 2
through 5. And that festival is inviting narrative, documentary, experimental
and animated film and video entries in three categories: Wisconsin’s Own,
Wisconsin’s student shorts and Open Reel, which is open to all. The deadlines
for the Wisconsin’s Own and Open Real categories is Dec. 1; the deadline for the
student films is Dec. 31.”
Movies to fall for Get ready for some serious flick time Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Various Sites & Dates
“Fall is a season of transition, between the heat of summer and the chill of
winter, with sunshine and falling leaves mingling along the way. Journal
Sentinel film critic Duane Dudek gets your calendar started with his annual fall
film preview (dates are subject to change).”
School of rock - UW-Madison's student radio kicks off the fall semester The Isthmus September 5 “She attended high school in Middleton, but Y Mae Sussman's musical tastes span
the globe. Most recently, she's been making sonic journeys to exotic pop
landscapes like Sweden and Denmark. For Sussman, the names of Scandinavian
artists — Jens Lekman, the Figurines and Peter, Bjorn & John — come as easy as
John Mayer and Coldplay. Sussman will be broadcasting an hour of Scandinavian
folk, rock and electronic tracks every Friday at 3 p.m. this fall on WSUM, 91.7
FM, the student-run radio station of UW-Madison. At 11 a.m. each Friday, Sussman
will be on the air with her roommate, Mary Beth, spinning Bollywood hits.”
Dancing camera: UW Cinematheque mounts a Max Ophüls series The Isthmus September 12 “A true cosmopolitan, Max Ophüls directed films in five different countries and
five different languages. And yet there's a consistency to his work that has
made the German-born Frenchman, who spent some crucial years in Hollywood, an
auteurist's dream come true. Themes keep repeating themselves, especially love,
in all its guises and disguises. But there's also the way Ophüls' films move.
'His camera could pass through walls,' Stanley Kubrick, a great admirer, once
said about Ophüls' style. That just begins to describe what Ophüls' camera could
do, though. Swirling, twirling, gliding and sliding, it's practically a member
of the cast, leading audiences through the story like a dance partner who never
tires, never sits one out.”
