Arts Center News

New LAC Grant Writer

The Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire, has hired Leslie vonHolten as a grant writer. Ms. vonHolten comes to the Arts Center with extensive experience in research, tracking, and reporting for federal and private grants for the University of Kansas Center for East Asian Studies. Ms. vonHolten works also as a freelance writer and copy editor. An active member of the Lawrence arts community, she has volunteered as a grant for the Percolator and for individual artists.

Ms. vonHolten was previously employed at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art.

Cast List For Oliver!

Click Here to Download and print the Cast List

Click Here to View the Cast List

Rehearsals will be held Monday through Thursdays in the evenings with some weekend times called for individuals as we get closer to the show. Spring Break week will be ‘light’ as we allow for travel plans on the part of some performers. Specific schedule for that week March 15th – 20th is TBA. Performances are at 7:30 PM on March 26th, 27th, and April 1st, 2nd & 3rd. There will be one matinee on Sunday, March 28th at 2 PM.

Poet Laureati! A Convergence Of Midwest Poets Laureate

Featuring Mary Swander, poet laureate of Iowa; Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, poet laureate of Kansas; Jim Barnes, poet laureate of Oklahoma; Marilyn L. Taylor, poet laureate of Wisconsin; Kevin Stein, poet laureate of Illinois, Denise Low, former poet laureate of Kansas; Walter Bargen, former poet laureate of Missouri; and more to come.

Poet Laureati: A Reading
Sun., March 14 at 4 p.m. Spencer Museum of Art central court
The collected poets laureate will read from their own works. A reception, courtesy of the Community Mercantile, will follow.

Lunch Laureati: Brown Bag it with the Poets Laureate
Mon., March 15 at 12pm Lawrence Arts Center

Bring your own lunch and discuss the art and the passion of creating poetry with the visiting poets laureate. Ask questions, visit, and share stories in this informal community setting.

Sponsored by the Kansas Arts Commission, Spencer Museum of Art, the Lawrence Arts Center, the Lawrence Public Library, the Raven Bookstore, and the Community Mercantile.

For more information, call the Lawrence Arts Center at 785.843.2787

New Work by Andrea Fuhrman

Andrea’s work takes a dynamic look at graffiti on railroad cars and notions of vandalism.

Andrea will also have work in the 940 Dance Company’s performance, Transformations.
Performance: January 26. 7pm

www.andreafuhrmanfineart.com

Bonnie and Clyde vs. Dracula

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 @7pm | Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula

May not be suitable for all audiences

Now here’s the perfect Valentine date movie! Come join us for drinks, popcorn and an excitingly “horror-ble” time as this locally filmed feature comes to life as part of the Free State Travelling Picture Show of the Kansas Film Commission. Check out www.bcvdmovie.com. $5 general admission

Bonnie and Clyde vs. Dracula Selected for Free State Traveling Picture Show

The award-winning Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula, an independently produced action-horror feature film, is the latest selection for the Free State Traveling Picture Show series sponsored by the Kansas Film Commission. Dates and locations will be announced for screenings at participating independent and historical multi-purpose theatres throughout Kansas. The film’s festival screenings throughout the United States and in Europe have garnered several ‘Best Feature’ awards, a ‘Best Actor’ award for Clyde (Trent Haaga), and a ‘Best of the Fest’ grand prize award.

Timothy and Jennifer Friend

The film was produced by Big Atom Productions, LLC, an independent film company based in Shawnee, Kansas. Big Atom is led by husband and wife team Timothy and Jennifer Friend. Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula was filmed in association with the Lenexa, Kansas company Outpost Worldwide. The film was the original creation of Timothy Friend, who wrote, directed, and co-edited the film. Jennifer Friend, an Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, co-produced and acted in the film in the co-starring role of Annabel.

Dubbed “One of the best independent horror films of the year,” by Deadpit Radio, Bonnie and Clyde vs. Dracula stars horror celebrities Tiffany Shepis and Trent Haaga as Bonnie and Clyde. Supporting actors include Kansas City’s T. Max Graham, who appeared in David Lynch’s cult classic, ‘Eraserhead’. The film combines the rough and tumble world of 1930s gangster movies with the violence and gothic atmosphere of a classic horror film, and was filmed in HD (high definition) by Emmy-award winning Director of Photography Todd Norris, a resident of Prairie Village, Kansas.

Legendary outlaw couple Bonnie & Clyde are on the run from the law and in need of fast money. When one of their companions is shot during a robbery, they are forced to seek help from the crazed Dr. Loveless. When Bonnie & Clyde arrive at the Doctor’s mansion they discover he has a secret. Deep in his cellar, the recently revived Dracula awaits…and when gangsters meet vampires, there’s bloody hell to pay.

Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula was filmed on location in St. Joseph and Weston, Missouri. The film has not yet been released on DVD in the United States. The Free State Traveling Picture Show theatres will be the only venues to see the film.

I♥DANCE, A Concert for Kids of All Ages

940 Dance Company (the resident professional dance company at the Lawrence Arts Center) presents its annual youth dance concert, I♥DANCE, February 13th and 14th at 2:00 pm at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire, Lawrence, Kansas.

I♥DANCE will include an updated Goldilocks and the Three Bears, choreographed by former 940 dancer Michael Ingle, which brings this traditional story to life like never before. The wind blows through the story and the dancing in a new delightful interpretation of the children's' story King of Capri . Other delights include Dancing Poems, where the words of favorite children's poets come to life through movement and the crazy and quirky fun dance called Y, choreographed by Bobbi Foudree. An audience favorite will close the concert, Prismatica, a dance with moving lights viewed through special glasses that will give audiences a totally different way to look at movement.

The 940 Dance Company, as one of the artists' on the Kansas City Young Audiences, Inc. roster, tours to schools throughout the Kansas City metro area. The company has also performed in schools across Kansas and in six additional states with the Kansas Arts Commission and Arts Midwest. The 940 dance company is delighted to bring their expertise in performing HOME to Lawrence. Dance and movement can provide kids a means of expression as well as a confidence- building experience, not to mention fun!. By attending this lively performance, kids will see that dance is accessible to all types of people.

This concert offers an entertaining and educational afternoon that showcases the amazing skills and technique of this professional modern dance company. Don't miss it!

Tickets are $6.50 for students/seniors and $8.50 for adults and available at the Arts Center. Girl Scout badge workshops follow each performance. Register at the regional Girl Scout website.

Multicultural Theatre Initiative

“The purpose of the MTI is to create truly diverse, thought-provoking theatre.”

The Reason:

By doing shows that appeal to a diverse crowd, we hope to encourage all students to feel welcome in the theatre, either in the audience or on the stage. No longer will the unsung student feel that the theatre doesn't appeal to their culture. No longer will there be a disparity between those who'd love to do theatre and those who are actually doing it. This is the heart of the MTI: to make life-changing theatre available to all students. Interested?

To learn more, send your email address to Secretary Austin Robinson at mti@ku.edu

The Season: Click for details

10-Minute Plays by: Students just like you
An evening of eight original plays running no longer than ten minutes each selected from plays submitted and created by students. Why? Because students are passionate about their art and want more opportunities to act, direct, write, design, publicize, manage and produce. Opportunities like this don’t come around every day. This is your chance!

Performance = Thursday, November 5th @ 7:30pm @ the Camelot Ballroom

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The Pillowman by: Martin McDonagh
This dark comedy follows the interrogation of Katurian and his brother Michal by two police detectives. While shocking and intellectually intrusive, its main goal is to teach us about our familial upbringing and the potentially destructive nature of art, as well as the dangers from suppressing art. Lastly, The Pillowman asks us what responsibility does the artist have over his creation?

Performances = January 29-31 @ 7:30pm and Jan. 31 @ 2:30pm @ the Lawrence Arts Center (9th & New Hampshire)

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Dark Matter by: Tosin Morohunfola
This story follows an interracial couple as they unite in their astronomy studies, and meet the parents. From the classroom to the dining room, the bumpy and comedic tension that arises highlights a sort of latent racial ignorance of contemporary family life, all while examining cultural phenomena like Hip-hop and what it means to be Black in America.

Performances = February 19-21 @ 7:30pm and Feb. 21 @ 2:00pm @ the Lawrence Arts Center (9th & New Hampshire)

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House of Atreus by: Spencer Lott
This hilarious and raucous puppet-show… is NOT for kids. Complete with murder, dismemberment, cannibalism and golden chariot races a lá “2 Fast 2 Furious,” this Greek tragedy is jam-packed with anachronistic comedy and sadistic drama. As the first puppet-show to grace the MTI stage, House of Atreus will prove there’s a lot more to puppets than what you’ve seen from the Muppet’s.

Performances = April 16-18 @ 7:30pm and April 18 @ 2:00pm @ the Lawrence Arts Center (9th & New Hampshire)

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All shows are FREE. ($5 suggested donation). No Tickets. No Reservations. First Come, First Seated.

Welcome To Asteroid Head Land... Dude

New works, installation, performance & memorablia by Asteroid Head Art Club

Read Exhibition Essay by Alaska Noyes

Asteroid Head Art Club is at it again. Their upcoming show at the Lawrence Arts Center, Welcome To Asteroid Head Land... Dude, is a tacit invitation to escape everydayness, at least momentarily.

The group has been doling out such invites since they formed in the spring of ‘09. Clad in matching uniforms they have set aside the lone artist in the studio art production model for something a little more tribal, a little more exuberant. Collaboration is at the heart of their work, often a multitasking of painting, sculpture, printmaking, and performance.

This is an outlet with a healthy dose of optimism and no dearth of absurdity. There is potential energy when Asteroid Head gets together, energy greater than the sum of its parts. It is in the interactions, the exchanges, the sharing of information, dreams, anecdotes, theories, and whims. It is in having things to do, not because you have to, but because you want to and you can. Nothing is too silly, too weird, or too ambitious to talk about, laugh about, consider, attempt. Asteroid Head Art Club, for its ragtag members, has become a site for experimentation, trials, tribulations, and camaraderie.

Asteroid Head Land is a physical embodiment of this group spirit. It is an unpredictable installation full of collaborative energy, absurdity, and papier-mâché. Welcome to Asteroid Head Land...Dude.

www.asteroidhead.com

940 Dance Company Receives Two Prestigious Grants

Lawrence, KS -- January 4, 2010 -- Lawrence Arts Center announces that 940 Dance Company has received grants from both the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation and the Francis Family Foundation in support of the company’s 2009-2010 season.

The Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, located in Kansas City, Missouri, has awarded grants to 940 Dance Company for the past three seasons. 940 received $7,500 this year.

The Company’s proposal to the Francis Family Foundation was one of 87 applications and just 47 grants were awarded. While the Francis Family Foundation has funded the Arts Center previously, this is the first time it has supported the 940 Dance Company, with a $5,000 grant.

Susan Rieger

“These two foundations generously support operating costs of the company, which increases the quality and strength of our programming. The grants are a wonderful match to our earned income, which comes from out-of-town bookings and both out-of-town and local ticket sales.” said Susan Rieger, Artistic Director of the 940 Dance Company.

940 Dance Company is one of northeast Kansas’ few professional modern dance companies. For over 21 years, the Company has taken dance and educational programs to communities in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska. Their next performance will be Transformations, January 26th, 7pm at the Lawrence Arts Center. Tickets are $5.00 for all ages.

The Lawrence Arts Center, located at 940 New Hampshire, is supported in part by the Kansas Arts Commission, a state agency, the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, which believes that a great nation deserves great art and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

City Youth Theatre: don't u luv me?

Once again, GaDuGi SafeCenter is partnering with Lawrence Arts Center's City Youth Theatre, and producing powerful socially conscious plays for and about TEENS.

This is don't u luv me, an new play by Linda Daugherty, about an abusive teen dating relationship. While showing what can happen when relationships are unhealthy, the play also encourages kids to make healthier choices.

The cast and staff of GaDuGi and WTCS will conduct audience discussions after each show.

The performances are FEB 19 and 20 at Lawrence Arts Center, 7pm. Tickets are $8 for adults/$5 for students and seniors. Group rates are available. Call 785.843.2787 to purchase tickets.

Cindy Novelo in Concert at the Lawrence Arts Center

Lawrence native Cindy Novelo will be in concert at the Lawrence Arts Center, Saturday, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m. with special guests Tricia Spencer and Chris Devictor. Tickets are $13 in advance or $15 at the door. They can be purchased over the phone with a credit card or picked up in person!

Born and raised in Lawrence, Cindy Novelo (born Cindy Bodle) is an award-winning musician and singer/songwriter who is celebrating the release of her first solo album, Stone’s Throw. Novelo blends her classical training on the viola with her deep love of folk music into haunting interpretations of traditional tunes and soulful original compositions on the viola, fiddle, guitar and vocals. Her unique sound inspired producer Tom Prasada-Rao to coin a new term for her music – Appalachian Classical.

Read More about Cindy Novelo

Stone’s Throw was recently selected as one of folk DJ Bob McWilliams’ (Kansas Public Radio/Trail Mix) “Best of 2009” along with new albums by Antje Duvekot, Sarah Jaroscz, Richard Shindell and Cheryl Wheeler and includes Song for Mutsa (Prayer for Zimbabwe), an original piece for 5-string viola, which won the best instrumental songwriting selection at Winfield’s Walnut Valley Festival 2009.

Classically trained, Novelo was a long-standing member of the National Symphony of Costa Rica and the Proyer String Quartet. She has performed across the U.S, in Europe and Latin America and has frequently accompanied many internationally acclaimed singer/songwriters, including Brooks Williams, Antje Duvekot, Kelley Hunt, David LaMotte, Don Conoscenti and Johnsmith.

“I am so very excited and honored to be performing at the Lawrence Arts Center,” Novelo shares. “I grew up taking dance and art classes through the LAC and its predecessors and very much believe in its mission to support and encourage a love for the arts in the Lawrence area community. My family has been deeply involved with the LAC for many years and continues to be very active in the community.”

“I love the idea of being able to reach out to the wider audience - an audience that is not just limited to steadfast folk concert aficionados. This is, for me, part of the beauty of the Lawrence Arts Center, this wonderful inclusion of community. I am honored to be able to perform at this location so dear to my heart and to those who most support the arts in Lawrence.”

Novelo's music reflects her love of the Midwest and the surrounding prairie landscape as well as her international living experience and unique world view. “I hope in some small way my music might offer healing to this world, and to whomever hears it. While I will always love classical music, its brilliance, purity and romance, I find the spirit of giving and receiving found in folk music, its tradition of sharing and its authentic, natural expression, to be incredibly inspiring,” Novelo reflects.

For this special show at the LAC, Novelo will be joined by well-known local musicians Tricia Spencer (of The Prairie Acre) on fiddle, vocals and guitar and Chris Devictor (of The Sunflower Colonels) on string bass. “I love playing solo and the beauty of a single instrument, but it’s also wonderfully fun to collaborate with other musicians. This concert will allow me to do both – to reach deep down in to the depths of my viola and fiddle to find each instrument’s unique soulful sound - but also to jam with Chris and Tricia. It is so much fun to get two fiddles going and to have that steady rhythm of the string bass. The best of both worlds!” Novelo says.

Audio clips of Novelo’s music may be found at Myspace or Cdbaby.

Praise for Stone’s Throw:

"When Cindy's bow hits the strings I am captivated. Her tone is intoxicating, and her phrasing makes me weep."

Souper Bowl Saturday

Souper Bowl Saturday February 6, 11am-2pm at the Lawrence Arts Center

The Lawrence Arts Center will be hosting its Annual Souper Bowl sale on Saturday, February 6th starting at 11:00 am.

This event has people lining up early to purchase unique handmade ceramic bowls donated by area artists, community members and students. Bowls range in price from $10 - $50 and include a hearty lunch of soup from HyVee and rolls from Great Harvest Bread.

Proceeds from this event enhance the ceramics program.

Drama Ed Classes

HOW ABOUT A CLASSY PRESENT FOR THE HOLIDAY?

Drama Ed classes in acting, puppetry, scriptwriting, tech theatre, film and musical theatre begin the week of January 11th!!!

Why take theatre classes?

Hey - it’s a Stage I’m going through!!!

STUDENTS often ask “How can I get cast more often?” or “How can I get a bigger part?”

There are two ways to do this.

One – patience and persistence. Audition over and over again, pay your dues with smaller roles and eventually the right role will be yours at the right time ...

BUT there’s also a lot to be said for theatre training – this is an art form we can teach!

Two – TAKE A CLASS.

In a classroom setting EVERYONE is an arts practitioner. Everyone writes, acts, creates and learns the basic of acting from sensory awareness to characterization, from story structure to improvisation.

We have new four week classes in acting for K-2nd graders. We have a class for 3rd – 5th graders to put on a production of Tall Tales – EVERYONE gets a role and we perform in May. We have First Saturday Players for all actors 6th grade and up – performing plays for younger children about Dragons and the Three Billy Goats Gruff! These are ‘all plays’ where students learn by doing – as opposed to auditioned shows.

We also have classes in Film, Movie Editing, Scriptwriting, Technical Theatre and, brand new for this Winter, puppetry.

There are classes when school’s out and Musical Theatre and Puppetry Camps during Spring Break.

So take some time to get to know our Director/Teachers Jennifer Glenn, Amanda Clark, Shannon Draper-Gard, Ric Averill, Jeff & Christie Dobson and you’ll increase your theatre skills and be ready for that next big role – and learn and have fun along the way!

“Hey, it’s a stage we ALL have to go through.”

Ric Averill, Drama Program Director

Oliver!

Something new for 2010!
Broadway - our way - at the Lawrence Arts Center!

Ric Averill

The Lawrence Arts Center will present Ric Averill’s delightful ‘street scene’ staging of Lionel Bart’s masterpiece Oliver! at the Lawrence Arts Center Theatre, 940 New Hampshire, Lawrence, Kansas. Oliver! is one of the most beloved British musicals, vividly bringing to life Dickens’ timeless characters with its ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more.

Ric Averill, Drama Program Director, playwright and composer in residence at the Center & well known local comedic actor, will direct the play with a combination of professional and community actors from Lawrence, Kansas City, Topeka, and surrounding cities and towns. Auditions will be held at the Center on Sunday, Jan. 31st and Monday, Feb. 1st with callbacks on the 2nd & 3rd of February.

Mary Baker will direct the sensational score, which is full of Lionel Bart’s irresistible songs including; ‘Food Glorious Food,’ ‘Consider Yourself,’ ‘You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two,’ ‘I’d Do Anything,’ ‘Oom Pah Pah,’ ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ and many more.

Choreography by Molly Gordon of the Arts Center dance faculty, set design by resident Tech Director, Danny Rogovein, lights by resident Facility Operations Manager, Lee Saylor and costumes by resident Costumer, Jennifer Glenn, will fill every inch of the stage. More than 50 young people and 25 adults will be cast, creating a beautiful and evocative glimpse into the world of Dickens’ London.

Performances will be Friday and Saturday, March 26th & 27th at 7:30 PM, Sunday, March 28th at 2:00 PM and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 1st, 2nd & 3rd at 7:30 PM. Tickets will be on sale for $15.00 for adults and $12.00 for students and seniors. Group rates are available and reservations will be taken beginning February 8th, 2010. The Arts Center production will be great theatre, but also a laboratory for the education of young actors. In addition to working along side professionals in the production, in the orchestra pit and backstage, students will explore the world of Charles Dickens and Oliver Twist! The Center will bring in experts on Dickens to discuss the world of the play. The entire production will serve as a training ground for young actors looking to improve their craft and look at theatre as a career option as well as an avocation.

The Arts Center’s Drama Program believes that the best education comes from doing the best possible theatre – production values will be high and the demands on both the student and professional actors rigorous. The result will be a highly entertaining evening of theatre for the entire community AND an excellent educational opportunity for all participants.

For more information, please call 785-843-2787 or email ricaverill@lawrenceartscenter.org

LAC Welcomes Susan Tate

The Lawrence Arts Center today expands its creative leadership with the hire of Susan Tate as Executive Director.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Lawrence, Kansas - November 18 2009:

We are very pleased to announce that Lawrence resident Susan Tate has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Lawrence Arts Center. Susan has been active in various Lawrence Arts Center programs through the years and served on the LAC 2001 Capital Campaign Steering Committee. A 2002 graduate of Leadership Lawrence, Susan Tate brings experience in community engagement, concept, direction and execution to her new role. She is a Director on the Board of Directors for the Spencer Museum of Art and has previously served as Board President and Chair of the Major Gifts Committee. She is a current member of the Trinity Episcopal Church Vestry, a past Board Director with the Lawrence Public Library, and a past Board member of Van Go Mobile Arts, where she also Chaired the capital campaign.

Susan has been a Humanities and English teacher at Lawrence High School since 1989 and has chaired and served on North Central Accreditation committees.

"With her strong experience in humanities education, her experience and ability to lead an engaging vision, and her passionate advocacy for the arts, Susan will be a strong leader for the Lawrence Arts Center," said LAC Board President Bill Carswell.

"I am proud to join the Lawrence Arts Center staff, the Board, our artist partners, and our sponsors in serving the community with arts programming for individuals of all ages, interests, and backgrounds," said Ms. Tate. "I share the vision of the Lawrence Arts Center, and I am very enthusiastic about this tremendous opportunity to work with an organization so vital to Lawrence."

Susan Tate has a Masters Degree in English and Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Kansas. She will begin her new position on Dec 1 2009.

Read More in

Photo by Mike Yoder

Preschool Garden News

Kids learn gardening basics

Lindsey Slater and the 6 News crew visit the Lawrence Arts Center preschoolers and chat with Pre-School Program Director Linda Reimond about an exciting new project. Thanks to a grant from the rotary club, the Lawrence Arts Center can teach kids the ins and outs of gardening.

In The Galleries

This group exhibition is designed to explore many medium & approaches to art making, all under the umbrella of a theme, place. Such a broad theme provides for engaging, enriching and challenging responses by these artists.

Place - an area set aside for a particular purpose.
Place - an abstract mental location.
Place - home, landscape, standing, situation, mapping, reservation, location, inhabit, territory, space, room, zone, position.

Past, present or future sense on the idea of place as it relates to you personally or our local/global community might feed into your conceptualization of place. Various styles, doctrines, ideas, in both process and concept will culminate for a powerful experience for viewers.

Participating Artists:

• Norman Akers
• Dylan Beck
• Daniel Coburn
• Rick Dunn
• Heather Smith Jones
• Ke-Sook Lee
• Chris Mateer
• Armin Mühsam
• Matt Needham
• Laura Nugent
• Mike Sinclair
• Celia Smith
• David Vertacnik
• Yuri Zupancic

This organization is supported in part by the Kansas Arts Commission, a state agency, the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, which believes that a great nation deserves great art and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

2009-10 Artists-in-Residence

LAC students this year will have the opportunity to learn from our two newest Artists-in-Residence. Learn more about them below.

Sarah Gross

Sarah Gross, 2009-10 Ceramics Artist-in-Residence teaches Handbuilding and Sculpture, sarahFirst Time Potter, and Advanced Ceramics. She received a BA in Studio Art from Carleton College and an MFA in Ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design. Sarah has exhibited nationally and has taught classes and workshops throughout New England. She makes functional pottery as well as ceramic sculpture.

Alison Filley

Alison Filley, Printmaking Artist-in-Residence is originally from Edmond, Oklahoma and after graduating from high school attended Washington University in St. Louis where she received a BFA in Printmaking. A year after graduation she headed north to the University of Iowa where she received her MFA in Printmaking with a minor in drawing. Her works of art explore the ubiquity of celebrity culture in our contemporary society. She works in a variety of traditional and contemporary print mediums and incorporates various elements from DIY craft culture including glitter and flocking. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally. Visit her website at www.alisonfilley.com

Arts Ed Key to 21st Century Skills

Diane E. Franken, executive director of the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education writes about the importance of arts education in the Des Moines Register.