Ten Buildings That Changed America

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Cranbrook-Academy-of-Art

The always-colorful and interesting Reed Kroloff, architect, editor, educator, and Director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art, is featured tonight on “Ten Buildings That Changed American,” an upbeat DPTV program that also features the Ford Highland Park Plant.

“10 Buildings” is a one-hour dash through more than 200 years of the remarkably creative output of American architecture, and we hope you enjoy it. The program airs Thursday at 9 p.m. and again this Sunday at 4 p.m.

Details from PBS:

Ever wondered how your house got its plan? Or why you occupy your office the way you do? How would you have designed an airport if you didn’t know what a jet was?

These questions and more are addressed in the new PBS documentary “10 Buildings that Changed America,” airing this week on Detroit Public Television. As its title suggests, the program considers how 10 landmark buildings reshaped life as we know it in the United States.

Hosted by Geoffrey Baer, the program features interviews with leading architects, historians, and critics, including Reed Kroloff, Director of the Art Academy. Speaking from the living room of Saarinen house, Reed appears in a number of the show’s ten segments, which includes an analysis of Eero Saarinen’s Dulles Airport, the original model of which now resides in the Cranbrook Art Museum.

 

So, what are the most important buildings
and greatest architecture in Michigan? 

We asked The Michigan Architectural Foundation for an answer.

They recommended Great Architecture of Michigan by John Gallagher (author) and Balthazar Korab (photographer).

As Senator Carl Levin points out in the forward to the book, “The State of Michigan, almost entirely surrounded by the world’s greatest fresh waters, has one of the most distinctive and easily recognizable boundaries on the planet.  But the state’s geography is just one of the forms that has shaped Michigan’s story of growth and production.  Another enduring backdrop is the buildings that have housed some of Michigan’s finest moments, with architecture that is as diverse and eclectic as the people of Michigan.”

Looking for more information about Michigan’s architecture? 

The Michigan Architectural Foundation is an excellent resource to connect people with architecture in Michigan, through a variety of tools, including the library that is under development.

The Michigan Architectural Foundation serves as a resource to connect people with architecture in Michigan through a comprehensive collection of resources published on MichiganArchitecturalFoundation.org – from grants to facilitate historic preservation to scholarships to support the profession and perpetuation of architecture.  Educational resources also are available through the Michigan Architectural Foundation, including a curriculum for elementary grades, an architectural handbook for high school students and summer camps held across the state.  The Foundation has just begun efforts to assemble a Library of Architecture that will be housed in existing libraries.

Want to stay connected to Michigan architecture?  Join the Foundation on Facebook, Twitter or Linked in, or sign up to receive their blog or e-newsletter.

Michigan Architectural Foundation is dedicated to the promotion, perpetuation and preservation of architecture as a fine art. By serving as a visible resource for funding, information and educational programs, we increase the public’s appreciation for architecture, which encourages cohesive, sustainable communities, increasing economic value, enriching experiences and adding beauty.

 

 


 

Filed Under: Architecture, Art & Design, Culture, Detroit Inspires, Feature, History, Painting, Sculpture, Video, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , , , ,

Hastings Street

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Mosaic-Youth-Theatre-present-Hastings-Street

At a time when history was just around the corner, this was the street at the center of it all! Experience a special time in Detroit’s cultural history when Mosaic Youth Theatre presents “Hastings Street.” Performances are Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Detroit Film Theatre inside the Detroit Institute of Arts.

For teenagers in Detroit’s “Black Bottom,” the 1940’s were a time of exploration and conflict. Hastings Street was at the heart of it all – filled with business and commerce by day; and bright lights, blues music, and danger by night.

Originally commissioned for the Detroit Tri-centenary Celebrations, Hastings Street swings with a jazzy beat and the low-down blues the 1940’s. Told through song, dance and an unforgettable story, the production is proudly presented with the support of Ford Motor Company Fund.

Tickets are $32 for premium seating, $22 for adults and $15 for students and senior citizens (available at box office only). For reservations and more information, please call (313) 872-6910.

 

Filed Under: Blues, Community, Culture, Dance, Feature, Jazz, Music, Theatre, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , ,

Frog Belly Rat Bone

May 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Matrix Theatre Company presents Frog Belly Rat Bone

The Matrix Theatre Company’s School of Theatre presents The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone. Written by Timothy Basil Ering, the story follows the adventures of a little boy who takes a journey to discover a very special treasure which ends with new friends and a colorful, joyous world.

Told through puppetry, The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone runs from Friday, May 31 through Sunday, June 2. All Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 p.m., and Sunday performances are at 3 p.m. Adult tickets are priced at $8. Students, seniors, and children are $5.

All performances are held at Matrix Theatre, 2730 Bagley in the heart of Detroit’s Mexicantown. Visit www.matrixtheatre.org to register online, or call (313) 967-0599. Call (313) 967-0999 for detailed information.

Frog Belly Rat Bone is a delightful fantasy about a very special boy who lived in a dull, gray endless place called Cementland. After much searching among piles of greasy toaster ovens and wet, smelly socks, he spies a box filled with hundreds of “tiny grey specks” and a wrinkled note that says: “Put these wondrous riches in the earth and enjoy.”

Horrified to learn that thieves are after his treasure, the boy scrounges the junkyard and creates a creature to stand guard – a scarecrow-like gardener with crooked bony arms, a giant belly, a jaunty crown, and preternatural wisdom: Frog Belly Rat Bone, king and protector of the specks. The story is full of surprises and an ending with an inspiring message on world beautification.

The Matrix Theatre Company’s School of Theatre, challenges and encourages students to become creators of their own work by writing and performing original works. They believe that everyone has a story to tell and that the best way to learn is by doing. Therefore, the School of Theatre at Matrix has its own season where students perform shows they have, in most cases, authored themselves.

 

Matrix Theatre Company

Celebrating 22 years as a non-profit community-based theatre, Matrix Theatre Company is located in southwest Detroit. By using the transformative power of theatre to change lives, build community and foster social justice, Matrix creates everything from scratch, from puppets of all sizes to more than 130 original plays. It provides creative opportunities for children, youth, adults and elders, especially those in isolated or challenged communities, to become creators, producers, and audiences of original and heritage theatre. For further information or to follow Matrix on Facebook, Twitter and Blogger, go to matrixtheatre.org.

Matrix’s Inclusive Theatre Initiative (ITI) strives to offer the transformative power of theatre to all. It aims to build a community for those with and without disabilities. It is a model of relating to people, rooted in the essential dignity and value of each person, offering ways to build deeper connections between people, places, and institutions.

 

Filed Under: Community, Culture, Fun, News, Theatre, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , ,

My Name is Asher Lev

May 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Jewish Ensemble Theatre presents My Name Is Asher Lev

Jewish Ensemble Theatre and Performance Network Theatre present the story of Asher Lev. Based on a novel by Chaim Potok and adapted for stage by Aaron Posner, “My Name is Asher Lev” tells the story of a talented painter in New York City challenged to find balance  in his life and satisfaction in his work.

The drama is directed by David Magidson, artistic director of Jewish Ensemble Theatre. The production features performances by Mitchell A. Koory as Asher Lev, John Seibert as The Men, and Naz Edwards as The Women.

Performances run through May 25. Tickets are $38 to $45. For reservations, please call (248) 788-2900. For details, click here.

Aaron DeRoy Theatre is located on the West Bloomfield Hills campus of the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit, 6600 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322.

 

Performance Dates and Show Times:

Thursday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 18 at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 25 at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

 

 

Filed Under: Community, Culture, Spotlight, Theatre, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , , , , ,

Books & Beer Bash

May 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

WSUP-Books-and-Beer

Young or old, book lover or poet, there’s no better way to support Lit in the Mit than the Books & Beer Backyard Bash, A/K/A the 8th Annual Made in Michigan Writers Series Celebration, on Friday, May 17.

Rub elbows with the Press’s most accomplished Michigan authors, such as Chris Dombrowski, Ron Reiki, Jack Ridl, and National Book Award winner Gloria Whelan. Sip (or slug) libations from the bar and munch (or scarf) tasty grilled bites. Then let the funky lit-fusion of M. L. Liebler & The Coyote Monk Poetry Band drag you to the dance floor.

Presented by Wayne State University Press and The Meijer Foundation, the celebration includes books published by Detroit’s oldest non-profit publisher, prose and poetry readings, live music and dancing. You also get to sneak a peek at the soon to be world-famous Made In Michigan Writers Series Bus, which is set to embark on a statewide journey, beginning Saturday, May 18.

The Books & Beer Backyard Bash happens from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 17 at Old Miami in Midtown Detroit. Admission is a $10 suggested donation at the door.

Old Miami is located at 3930 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48201. There’s free parking across the street.

The 8th Annual Made in Michigan Writers Series Celebration and Bus Tour is sponsored by:

  •  The Meijer Foundation
  • Wayne State University Alumni Association
  • Historical Society of Michigan
  • Michigan Women’s Historical Center & Hall of Fame
  • 826Michigan
  • The Peacock Room/Emerald
  • Michigan Council for the Arts & Cultural Affairs
  • National Endowment for the Arts
Filed Under: Fun, Jazz, Music, News, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

A Thousand Circlets

May 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Detroit-Repertory-Theatre-presents-A-Thousand-Circlets

Detroit Repertory Theatre presents the Midwest Premiere of “A Thousand Circlets.” Written by Theroun D’Arcy Patterson and directed by Leah Smith, the DRT production runs on select dates through May 19 at Detroit Repertory Theatre.

In the drama, an African American architect is about to reach the crowning moment of his career when a sense of foreboding sends ripples that threaten what had been smooth waters.

From Detroit Repertory Theatre:

 A Thousand Circlets

Midwest Premiere

A Thousand Circlets by Theroun D’Arcy Patterson

Earl Leighton, the family patriarch, an African American architect, self-made, proud, is on the verge of realizing his life’s ambition: to build a skyscraper. His family is gathering in anticipation of the big presentation to come. Caleb, his eldest son, a CFO in his father’s architecture firm, Rebecca, his daughter, a journalist, a wanderer, Grey, his stepson, an architect at a small firm in New York and Liz, Earl’s second wife of twenty years, a retired literature professor who runs an efficient household among the trappings of wealth.  When Earl forgets how to tie his tie we realize foreboding ripples threaten the seemingly smooth waters.

Resident company member, Leah Smith, is director of A Thousand Circlets. Last season Leah directed the Rep award winning powerhouse production Burying The Bones.

Leah’s cast includes two members of last season’s rollicking hit Rep comedy Engagement Rules, one returnee and two newcomers to the Rep stage. Veteran Rep company member, Harold Uriah Hogan, will play the lead role of Earl Leighton in A Thousand Circlets. Charlie Newhart will portray Earl’s son, Caleb, and Jenaya Jones will return to the Rep stage as Earl’s daughter, Rebecca. Jenaya last appeared at the Rep in the 2007 production of Between Men and Cattle. Connie Cowper will make her debut on the Rep stage as Earl’s wife, Liz, and Stephen Brown will make his Rep debut as Earl’s stepson, Grey.

General admission is $17 per ticket in advance and $20 the day of performances. The Rep’s “Anytime, Multi-use” Gold Double Subscription for two is the unmatched price of $100 and a Silver Single Subscription stays at $50. 10-ticket Bargain Booklets, Regular and Matinee are $110 and $100 respectively and still make great mini-fundraisers.

For tickets, fundraiser bookings and information call or visit the Rep Box office, (313) 868-1347. Tickets may be purchased by phone without a surcharge using Visa or MasterCard.

The image above is from the DRT production. Left to right are Jenaya Jones, Harold Hogan, Charlie Newhart, and Stephen Brown.

Curtain Times:

8:30 p.m.  Thursdays and Fridays

3 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. Saturdays

2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Sundays.

General Admission for all seats, all performances is $17 for advance sales; $20 for door sales. For ticket availability call the Box Office 313-868-1347.

Detroit Repertory Theatre is located at 13103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit, MI 48328.

Phone for reservations: (313) 868-1347. Click here to visit online.

 

Filed Under: Community, Culture, Spotlight, Theatre, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Mountaintop

May 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Performance Network presents The Mountaintop

Performance Network Theatre presents a series of community discussions regarding “The Mountaintop,” by Katori Hall – the current Performance Network production that is an imagined portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on earth.

The discussions will be held on Monday, May 13 at 6 p.m.; Sunday, May 19 at 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 2 at 4:30 p.m. The programs are open to the public to facilitate dialogue about the play’s innovative take on Dr. King’s final hours.

“The Mountaintop” runs on select dates through June 2.

 

The Baton Passes On: Community Discussion;  6 p.m. on Monday, May 13 at Performance Network Theatre – FREE

Performance Network Theatre invites the acclaimed Civil Rights historian Matthew Countryman and Associate Professor of Theatre and writer-in-residence at the University of Michigan OyamO (a.k.a. Charles F. Gordon) to lead a comprehensive discussion regarding the themes of “The Mountaintop”. Due to the complexity of “The Mountaintop”, Performance Network Theatre offers perspectives from both historical and theatrical sources. This event is perfect for the historic and/or theatre enthusiast who is interested in discussing and analyzing Katori Hall’s unique depiction of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on earth and the tools she used to create the story. It is not a requirement to see the production of “The Mountaintop” before attending the discussion as it may serve as a useful guide during an audience member’s viewing of the show. This event is first come, first serve: General admission.

 About the Panel:

Matthew Countryman is faculty director of the University of Michigan’s Arts of Citizenship program and is an associate professor of History and American Culture, where he teaches modern U.S. and African-American history and comparative race relations. Countryman is the author of “Up South: Civil Rights and Black Power in Philadelphia”, which won the 2006 Liberty Legacy Foundation Award from the Organization of American Historians for the best book on the subject of civil rights history. His research interests include African American social and political movements, comparative race and ethnicity, and United States politics.

OyamO’s plays have been performed in theatres across the country, including the Yale Repertory Theatre, the Manhattan Theatre Club, the Working Theatre, the Public Theatre, Negro Ensemble Company, the Arena Stage Theatre, the Goodman Theatre of Chicago, the Kennedy Center in D.C., and many more. He is also a past member of the NEA Professional Nonprofit Theatre Panel and was a 1998 panelist for the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund of San Francisco. He has received fellowships from the Berrilla Kerr, Guggenheim, Rockefeller and McKnight Foundations, as well as grants from the Ohio and New York State Arts Councils and three NEA fellowships. OyamO received his MFA in playwriting from the Yale School of Drama and is a member of PEN, Dramatistis Guild, New Dramatists (alumni), the Ensemble Studio Theatre, Writers Guild East, the O’Neill Playwrights Center, and the Black Theatre Network. With HBO, he has written an episode for the “Famous Black American Anthology” and a TV adaptation of “I Am a Man”. He was a site monitor for the NEA and is a former vice president of the board of directors of The Theatre Communications Group. He wrote a musical based on the history of Detroit, the research funds for which were provided by UM’s OVPR through its Arts For Citizenship program. The Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit commissioned him to write two plays, one on the Civil Rights Movement in Detroit, “City in a Strait”, produced May 2007, the other on the Fisk Jubilee Singers, “Sing Jubilee”, for a May 2008 production at the Detroit Institute for the Arts. Join Performance Network Theatre to explore “The Mountaintop” with these fascinating individuals.

 

Backstage Cafe: Where Artists Share Their Creative Caffeine; 4:30pm on Sunday, May 19 at Performance Network Theatre – $10/$5 for students and seniors

Join us in the Performance Network Theatre’s lobby for an in-depth conversation exploring the nuances of making theatre from the artist’s perspective while sipping complimentary coffee from Mighty Good Coffee and Roastery. Associate Artistic Director Carla Milarch interviews Brian Marable on portraying the historical icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Brian Marable does not imitate Martin Luther King, and thereby creates a solid, real character. In a final speech we hear the fiery skills that marked the career of, arguably, the greatest orator of the 20th century, but Marable has made it all his own,” John Quinn of Encore Michigan. Backstage Cafe is the perfect event for cultural gurus and aspiring theatre professionals. Only 20 seats! Reservations suggested.

 About the Artist

A native Detroiter, born and raised, Brian Marable is a graduate of Cass Technical High School’s Performing Arts Department, and attended Wayne State University as a theater major. Marable has appeared in productions such as “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Old Settler” with Plowshares Theatre Company, “Take Me Out” and “Piano Lesson” at Performance Network Theatre, “Superior Donuts” at the Purple Rose Theatre, and the award-winning Best Play of the Year (2003) “Jesus Hopped the A Train” with African Renaissance Theatre Company. Join Milarch and Marable to discover the genius behind his original portrayal of one of the greatest figures in American history.

 

 The Baton Passes On: Community Discussion; 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 2 (after the final performance of “The Mountaintop”) at Performance Network Theatre – FREE

Join diversity-centric children’s theatre personality, LaRon Williams, for the final community discussion for “The Mountaintop” at Performance Network Theatre. Williams will offer his extensive experience as a nationally acclaimed African American theatre professional to examine the play’s unusual plot devices and complex characters and how they affect the depiction of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on earth. This event is first come, first serve: General admission.

 About the Speaker:

LaRon Williams is a nationally acclaimed, award winning storyteller who has toured the country with his highly participatory music-spiced program of traditional and original tales crafted to improve literacy, foster cooperation, build self-esteem, and deepen our understanding of the ideal of American democratic inclusion.

Reservations are not necessary for the Baton Passes On: Community Discussions on May 13 and June 2. Backstage Cafe reservations can be made at the Performance Network Box Office at 734-663-0681, by email at boxoffice@performancenetwork.org, or at Performance Network Theatre (120 East Huron St., Ann Arbor, 48104) Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

 

Founded in 1981, Performance Network Theatre has grown from a fledgling company to Ann Arbor’s resident professional theatre. The Network reaches 40,000 theatre patrons and children each year through the year-round Professional Series and the Children’s Theatre Network. Performance Network also presents the Fireside New Play Festival and a series of classes on theatre-related topics. The Network provides uncompromising artistic leadership in the region and produces works that engage, challenge and inspire audiences and artists.

Filed Under: Community, Culture, History, News, Theatre, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , , ,

33 Variations

May 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

PRTC presents 33 Variations i2

First off: Full Disclosure. I am a Beethovenophile, which is a pseudo-intellectually fancy way of saying I’m crazy about all things having to do with the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven: His music. His words. His story.

So, I met with great interest news that Purple Rose Theatre was going to present “33 Variations” by Moisés Kaufman. The drama will be performed on select dates through June 1 at the Purple Rose in Chelsea.

If you have the opportunity: Go! It is an outstanding play that explores important questions almost all of us present in the world may one day face. Even if you don’t care about the Ninth Symphony or the Moonlight Sonata, go! You will experience theater at its finest.

Personally, “33 Variations” represents a transformative experience that left me a better person. Why? I witnessed many of the ideas expressed through Beethoven’s music and life brought to life through the stage. In the process, I also learned new lessons that I will never forget.

Playwright Kaufman may be best known as a co-writer of The Laramie Project, a dramatization of a community’s real-life responses to the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, a young University of Wyoming student. Kaufman and his colleagues at the Tectonic Theater Project interviewed hundreds of people in the town of Laramie to create characters for the stage. Through a series of sketches, the community reveals a complicated tragedy and details its own unique response to hate.

The idea, perhaps, is to use the important lessons remembered by the people who knew Mr. Shepard and his attackers in order to create a better world for all. Similarly, we find lessons for us all in 33 Variations. The work illustrates how the very passions that threaten to overwhelm us can also save us. It is a rare theatrical treat, filled with surprises for the heart and mind.

33 Variations centers on an acclaimed fictional musicologist, Katherine Brandt, and the object of her professional passion: Ludwig van Beethoven. The story is set in two times: 19th century Vienna, where we experience scenes from the city where Beethoven lived most of his professional life; and 21st century Bonn, the city of Beethoven’s birth and home to one of the world’s great archives — the original manuscripts and sketch pads on which Beethoven composed and we today can discern “the Master’s” thoughts.

The lives of the great composer and an obscure music publisher come into our world as Katherine discovers the story behind some of the most sublime music ever created, the Diabelli Variations. After achieving fame as a composer, Beethoven in the story and in real-life wrestled for years with a commission he could not immediately complete: a variation on a simple waltz created by his music publisher and friend, Anton Diabelli, whom Beethoven, according to his biographer and secretary Anton Schindler, on occassion called “Diabolus.”

In the present day, Katherine struggles to unlock the mystery behind Beethoven’s obsession with the simple waltz. Unlike Mozart who composed in his imagination and transcribed his thoughts almost directly to paper, Beethoven committed his ideas to paper, writing and re-writing the musical ideas that often came to him in the natural splendor of Austria.

Using Beethoven’s own writings — the compositions he created, the quotes recorded by his friends and family, and the “Conversation Books” he used to communicate after he became deaf — Katherine explores the drive of the creative genius. The written record serves as a map that preserves his complicated music. What’s more, the documents reveal his thinking and his intentions.

It all sounds complicated. And it is complicated, as revealed in one remarkable scene where several characters speak simultaneously across time and space. Yet, we in the audience understand, hearing the signal emerge from the noise.

As she races against time and her failing health, Katherine discovers the true nature of Beethoven’s genius and gains insight into the other great mystery in her life: her daughter.

33 Variations premiered at Washington D.C.’s Arena Stage and later opened on Broadway in March 2009. The Broadway production featured Jane Fonda in the leading role and received five Tony Award nominations.

The Purple Rose Theatre is, itself, one of the world’s artistic treasures. The house is an intimate experience, by which I mean every seat is outstandingly close to the action on stage. Seats surround an outcropping, a Yooper or Troll might say “a penninsula,” on three sides. A traditional stage connects along the back wall.The Purple Rose staff know how to treat the public, from Box Office Bob III to the kind intern thanking by name before the show each of the sponsors and supporters who help make modern, professional theater possible. Every one there treated guests better than gold – like human beings.

Let me add a word about the audience: They were world-class, too. During the 95-minute production, there was not one cough. No cell phones beeped. No one talked or even whispered. They were there for the performance.

Directed by Guy Sanville, the cast includes David Bendena (Chelsea, MI), Daniel C. Britt (Hamilton, OH), Lauren Knox (Macomb, MI), Richard McWillams (Dayton, OH), Michelle Mountain (Grass Lake, MI), Michael Brian Ogden (Berkley, MI), and Rhiannon Ragland (Flint, MI).

Tickets and reservations can be made by calling The Purple Rose Theatre Company Box Office at (734) 433-7673 or online at www.purplerosetheatre.org. Please know: This play contains adult language and content. Regular performances for the duration of the run are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 3 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
The Purple Rose Theatre
Founded in 1991 by actor and Chelsea native, Jeff Daniels, The Purple Rose Theatre Company is a leading American theatre dedicated to producing the new American play and creating opportunities for Midwest theatre professionals. The PRTC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit professional theatre operating under a Small Professional Theatre agreement with the Actors’ Equity Association. The PRTC promotes the development of new American theatre and its practitioners, provides valuable educational opportunities for young artists, and, through consistently high quality production values, has earned the respect of both local and national theatre communities.

The photo above includes Richard McWilliams, Michelle Mountain, David Bendena and Daniel C. Britt who will perform in the Purple Rose Theatre Company production, “33 Variations.” The image is a detail from a photograph by Sean Carter Photography.

If I believed in subjective rating scales, I’d give “33 Variations” at the Purple Rose Five Stars out of Five Stars. In memory of the great Siskel and Ebert, who I believe in for their appreciation of cinema and the narrative arts, I’d say: “Two thumbs up.”

 

Beethoven in Michigan
The stars of Beethoven have aligned in 2013 over Southeast Michigan.
This weekend, the Chamber Music Detroit presents two of the world’s most eminent classical musicians, cellist Lynn Harrell and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott. They will perform three Beethoven cello sonatas in concert on Saturday, May 18 at the Seligman Performing Arts Center. The music begins at 8 p.m. A pre-concert conversation begins at 6:45 p.m.
We have been treated to the Michigan Opera Theatre production of Fidelio. Beethoven’s only opera, the work is considered a masterpiece for both its music and the themes of democratic justice and true love told through its story.
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Leonard Slatkin, hosted a Beethoven Festival which included performances of the complete series of nine symphonies, the 32 piano sonatas and many other outstanding works. Unparalleled piano virtuoso Emanuel Ax performed a special one-night engagement with the DSO Civic Orchestra at The Max M. Fisher Music Center.
The Warren Symphony Orchestra performed Ta-Ta-Ta-Tum, the magnificent Fifth Symphony. Beethoven said the work evokes the Hand of Fate, knocking on one’s door.
Pro Musica Detroit presented Dr. Richard Kogan, M.D. and “Inside the Mind and Music of Beethoven,” in which the Juilliard trained virtuoso pianist and Harvard-trained psychiatrist performed three sonatas representing three creative periods in Beethoven’s life.
The Tuesday Musicale of Detroit is proud to present pianist Maria Meirelles. The world reknown artist performed “The Hammerklavier,” considered one of the most difficult pieces to perform in all music, as part of her recent program.
The good people who present Palmer Woods Music in Homes presented “Beethoven & Beyond,” a concert featuring pianist Pauline Martinand violinist Yehonatan Berick.
More stars and constellations are ahead. Please let me know of Beethoven and the others in the classic and jazz firmament you sight at dperforms@dptv.org. I’ll share them through Detroit Performs.
– Frank J. Bunker, editor, Detroit Performs
Filed Under: Classical, Culture, History, Music, Reviews, Theatre, Words Tagged With: , ,

Get Versed

May 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment

InsideOut presents Get Versed

Get set to Get Versed! InsideOut Literary Arts‘ annual showcase happens Thursday, May 23 at the Detroit Institute of Arts. In the program, amazing students of letters will perform original works on stage. The curtain goes up at 5:30 p.m.

The  show has been hailed as one of the best ways to spend $5 in Detroit. The program takes place at the premier Detroit Film Theater inside the DIA.

The fast-paced show offers Metro Detroit a glimpse of the poetic, literary and artistic expression that happens each day as InsideOut writers-in-residence work show Detroit Public School students how to unleash their voices.

“We teach children to discover the beauty of their voices and to write a better world through their words,” Dr. Terry Blackhawk said. An award-winning poet and educator, Dr. Blackhawk founded iO in 1995 after years of working as a Detroit Public School teacher.

iO now serves more than 5,000 K-12 youth in over 30 schools per year, through a celebrated teaching model aligned with state standards in language arts education. iO creates a professionally printed literary journal for each school served.

Teens in Citywide Poets, iO’s after school poetry workshop, perform for local audiences in the thousands and travel across the US to meet and compete with other youth.

“By immersing students in the joy and power of poetry and literary self-expression, InsideOut inspires them to think broadly, create bravely and share their voices with the wider world,” Dr. Blackhawk said.

Tickets for the 2013 Get Versed arts showcase are available online: click here.

 

Filed Under: Community, For Students, Fun, News, Who We Are, Words Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Marat/Sade

April 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The Hilberry Theatre presents Marat Sade

The 50th Hilberry Season concludes with The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade, or simply, Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss. The drama opens Friday at the Hilberry Theatre, located on the campus of Wayne State University. The drama runs on select dates through May 11.

From the Hilberry Theatre Company:

While an inmate at France’s infamous insane asylum, Charenton, the libertine and seductive author the Marquis de Sade directs fellow inmates in an intense re-creation of the breathtaking murder of Jean-Paul Marat. This fact-based play-within-a-play is total theatre. Philosophically problematic, it engages the eye, the ear and the mind with every imaginable dramatic device, technique and stage picture.

For tickets, call (313) 577-2972 or visit the Wayne State University Theatre Box Office at 4743 Cass Avenue on the corner of Hancock. Click here for tickets online.

About the Hilberry Theatre Company

The Hilberry Company is unique in that it is the nation’s only graduate theatre company staffed by young up-and-coming professionals that also runs on a rotating repertory schedule. About forty graduate students are selected in national competition to receive fellowships to work in this theatre and study for advanced degrees. The company performs an annual season of six plays, including high school matinees for nearly 6,000 students. Through the years four Hilberry productions have been selected to appear at the American College Theatre Festival.

Performance Times:

  • Friday, April 19 at 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 24 at 2 p.m.
  • Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m.
  • Friday, April 26 at 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 27 at 8 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 2 at 8 p.m.
  • Friday, May 3 at 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 4 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 9 at 8 p.m.
  • Friday, May 10 at 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 11 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

 

 

 

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