'The Bear' comes to campus

Long time activist for transgender and transsexual individuals S. Bear Bergman has traveled the country lecturing at colleges about gender and sexuality. This week, Bergman comes to Athens.

Sponsored by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Center, Bergman will perform his one-man show "Monday Night in Westerbork" at 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater in Kantner Hall.

The play is based on the experiences of a group of Jewish prisoners at the Westerbork concentration camp in the Netherlands during the Holocaust, where they put on cabaret performances to cope with their certain and inevitable deaths.

While the performance will educate the audience on the horrors of the Holocaust, it will also simultaneously bring in an air of humor and lightheartedness to the time, and be extremely moving. Bergman was inspired by his own experiences being brought up around Holocaust survivors and also coming out as a transgender Jew.

"(The play) is a multi-layered piece that can touch some aspect of most audience members' lives," said Mickey Hart, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Center. "I hope the performance resonates with each person on some level. At the same time, I hope audience members come to see the diversity within the LGBT community."

Ohio University's rural setting makes it a vital stop for LGBT performers and artists such as Bergman.

"Since we are located in rural Ohio, it is vital to have LGBT speakers and artists come to campus on a regular basis. In larger cities, students have more exposure to LGBT people and events. Bringing an LGBT artist is a thought-provoking way to stir students' thoughts about issues they may not deal with on a regular basis, while also reflecting the lived experience for non-majority students," Hart said.

Bergman also will participate in discussions Friday at the School of Theater Lunch Bag Forum from noon to 1 p.m. at the Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater in Kanter Hall and at the "Perspectives: A Discussion with S. Bear Bergman" event from 2 to 4 p.m. at the LGBT Center in Baker University Center 354. All events are free and open to the public.

School of Theater takes 'The Hostage'

The School of Theater will present its first main-stage production of the year, Brendan Behan's classic Irish play "The Hostage," at 8 p.m. today through Saturday and Oct. 21 through 24 at the Forum Theater in the RTV Building.

"The Hostage" is set in 1950s Ireland and revolves around the IRA kidnapping of a young British solider that was used as a ploy to get British troops to release an IRA member before his execution. The young soldier is held in a brothel, where he meets a misfit group of people and falls in love with a resident of the house.

"The play itself is extraordinarily theatrical and has a lot of unconventional breaking of the fourth wall, like talking directly to the audience and singing out to the audience in a music hall fashion," said Dennis Delaney, head of the professional directing program and director of "The Hostage."

The integration of music into this play is one of the many things that make it unique, with more than 20 songs incorporated as well as a pianist and Celtic fiddler as members of the cast.

"The play has music, it has comedy, it has drama and it has a very strong political statement. It is one of those plays that has a little bit of everything, but the thing I love most about this play is its tremendous amount of heart," Delaney said.

Though the play was written by Behan over half a century ago and set in a time of prejudice and religious turmoil between England and Ireland, the major themes of the play can still resonate with audiences and students today.

"(The themes) are relatable to audiences now more than ever," Delaney said. "The idea of secular violence, religion as a controversial wedge between people who are really not that different from each other and the waste of human life for political and religious causes never stop."

Admission is free for Ohio University students, $7 for seniors and non-OHIO students, and $10 for general admission. Tickets are available by calling 740-593-4800 or visiting the College of Fine Arts ticket office in Kantner Hall.

Writers Harvest aims to break hunger's hold

The Ohio University Program in Creative Writing will host its annual Writers Harvest benefit reading at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the Baker University Center Theatre. Proceeds from the $5 admission fee will go to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeastern Ohio.
This year's featured writers are Ohio University faculty members Joan Connor and Erik Ramsey and local writer John Thorndike. The event aims to bring awareness to the issue of poverty in Southeastern Ohio.

"We choose writers who have a strong connection to the local community and a desire to have their work benefit those who are less fortunate," said Kevin Haworth, coordinator of special projects for the English department.

The Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeastern Ohio is one of 196 regional affiliates of Feeding America, which was formerly America's Second Harvest. It distributes surplus food, donated from manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, to more than 200 food pantries, soup kitchens and congregate meal sites throughout Athens, Hocking, Perry, Vinton, Jackson, Gallia, Meigs, Morgan and Washington counties. Donations will be accepted at various locations throughout the week.

"Our university is based in a lovely rural area but not everyone sees those benefits directly,” Haworth said. “This is an opportunity to extend the bounty of the university to those outside its immediate reach."

The department is hoping to raise $1,000 from the event, which translates into several hundred meals -- or about two months of nutritious meals for a needy family, Haworth said.

"In the current economic environment, it would be difficult for most of us to write a check for $1,000, but by working together, $5 at a time, we can deliver just that."

Connor, professor of creative writing, is an award-winning author for her collection of short stories, "History Lessons" and her book of essays, "The World Before Mirrors." Two earlier collections of stories she has written are, "We Who Live Apart" and "Here on Old Route 7."

Ramsey is head of the BFA Playwriting Program at Ohio University. His plays have been workshopped and produced around the country, and several of his short works have been published by Samuel French and Dramatic Publishing. His latest play, "Lions Lost in Translation," has been developed, read and workshopped at numerous regional theaters.

Thorndike is the author of the memoir "The Last of His Mind," published in 2009 by Ohio University/Swallow Press. He is also the author of two novels, "Anna Delaney's Child" and "The Potato Baron," and a previous memoir, "Another Way Home." He lives in Athens, Ohio.

School of music faculty present talent

The School of Music is showcasing some of its talented members with a series of faculty recitals. During the first two weeks of October, distinguished faculty members Paul Barte, organ; Matthew Morris, bassoon, and Sylvia Eckes, piano, will present their talents for the community.

"As a faculty musician, you strive to tell the composer's story," said Morris, a visiting assistant professor. "It's like time travel; I connect with them across time. It's as if I animate the bones of a dinosaur and make it get up and walk around the room."

Morris will showcase his love for 20th century English composers at 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4, at the School of Music Recital Hall in Glidden Hall. The works included in his recital are pieces he is preparing to record for a CD project.

"The CD will showcase the English gift for lovely melodic writing and the depiction of vivid images," Morris said.

Barte performs at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2, at Galbreath Chapel and Eckes performs at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the School of Music Recital Hall. Admission is free to all concerts.

'Moving Bodies' redefines dance

Ohio University's School of Dance and faculty-led professional African dance and music ensemble, Azaguno, has reached across the Atlantic Ocean to create a dance concert that combines European and African contemporary dance.

Featuring the Cathy Sharp Dance Company from Basel, Switzerland, "Moving Bodies: A Euro-African Contemporary Dance Concert" will take the stage at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3.

"With funding for dance absent from public schools it is imperative that university dance programs work diligently to provide exposure to and training in contemporary dance forms, especially of diverse backgrounds, to ensure the position of dance in American cultural tradition," said Assistant Professor of Dance Zelma Badu-Younge.

The Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble is an international group comprising six dancers from Switzerland, Italy, France, Belgium and Japan. Sharp, a native of Nashville, Tenn., was a soloist with the renowned Basel Ballet in Switzerland for 15 years before co-founding her company in 1991.

Azaguno is directed by Badu-Younge and Associate Professor of Multicultural Music Education Paschal Younge. The group is a colorful and vibrant multi-ethnic ensemble that focuses on research, preservation, education and performance of traditional African music and dance.

The concert is free for OHIO students with a valid ID, $9 for non-OHIO students and $12 for general admission. In addition, a free lecture and demonstration will be presented from 3 to 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2, at the Shirley Wimmer Dance Theatre in Putnam Hall and a free children's dance class will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, at Arts/West on W. State Street.

"DeWitt Godfrey: Drawings"

Visiting artist DeWitt Godfrey gives a new meaning to the art exhibit by focusing on the process of making art in his current showing at the Ohio University Art Gallery.

Godfrey, associate professor of sculpture and director of the Institute of Creative and Performing Arts at Colgate University in New York, is best known for his large, abstract sculptures of circular, weathered steel that draw from his training as an architect. But for this exhibit, Godfrey changes directions and shows the process behind his structures.

"I have seen DeWitt's work and was interested in bringing him and his work to the galleries," said Petra Kralickova, curator of the Kennedy Museum of Art. "In keeping with the missions of Ohio University's galleries, it's important to bring art to the region that can not otherwise be seen or found unless you travel to a larger city such as Columbus or Cleveland."

His conceptual renderings not only show his architectural background, but also portray the link between form and context that includes the material, process, place and collaboration that go into one of his sculptures. The drawings on display include Godfrey's sketch titled "Exchange (Greenwich South Proposal)" of his well-known stacked spherical designs in New York City's Greenwich Village. Viewers get a sense of its enormous scale because cars are depicted driving through it.

"These preparatory drawings help the artist better realize the project and think about the scale, material, funding, viewers, environment among other aspects," Kralickova said.

Included in the exhibit are drawings and a folio of work correlated to an upcoming installation at The Ridges, just next to the Kennedy Museum of Art. That installation will be completed in May 2011.

The exhibit also includes graphite drawings of blocks, showing the artist's signature style and message on how shapes can fit together to create something lucid.

The Ohio University Art Gallery is located on the fourth floor of Seigfred Hall. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday. Admission is free. Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/art for more information.

"L'Histoire du Soldat"

The Marshall Chamber Players, comprising Marshall University music faculty, will visit Ohio University to perform Stravinsky's famous "L'Histoire du Soldat" ("The Soldier's Tale") at 4 p.m. Sunday at the School of Music Recital Hall in Glidden Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

The piece, composed in 1918 during World War I, tells the story of a soldier coming home from war, who trades his fiddle to the devil for a book that knows the future of the economy -- something that many people wish they could obtain even 90 years later.

"It's really completely different from the work Stravinsky was writing at the time," said Michael Parkinson, director of the School of Music. "With the influence of the war, he didn't write the huge works he is so known for because many musicians had been enlisted."

Because so few musicians were available, each part includes only one instrument, meaning only the most talented musicians would be able to perform its difficult score that encompasses multiple genres.

"It includes elements of ragtime, early jazz and classical -- it almost sounds like the folk music of a 'town band' that gets together just for the joy of playing music," Parkinson said.

Meant to be a theatrical work, it includes narration and is told by three characters: the soldier, the devil and the narrator, all played by faulty members from Marshall University.

"It's such a great way to start the year with such a great concert. There's a lot of sarcasm and memorable melodies in the piece and people should be prepared to laugh throughout the performance," Parkinson said.

Prints kick off Hispanic Heritage Month

The Multicultural Center will host a selection woodblock prints created by the Assembly of Revolutionary Artists of Oaxaca (ASARO), a collective of young Mexican artists, in a new exhibit on display through Oct. 9 in its gallery on the second floor of Baker University Center.

"These prints give their makers the ability to voice their discontent in an expressive, evocative and direct way," said Caitlin Nolan, co-curator and a printmaking graduate student. "Because of the tumultuous political situation in Oaxaca many ASARO artists remain anonymous and would have great difficulty bringing their work out of the country for exhibition."

Seldom seen in the United States, ASARO's remarkable woodblock prints are part of Mexico's long tradition of popular revolutionary art. The artists sell woodblock prints for 100 pesos, roughly $10, in Oaxaca's zocalo, or the public square. ASARO's main objective, however, is to use the artwork in activist statements that highlight injustice and the turmoil of the area.

ASARO's acts have included creating paper stencils of an arrested comrade and painting her portrait over the walls of the historic city center. The group also printed 3-foot-tall woodblock prints of goose-stepping police monsters on tissue paper. By dawn a chorus line of mutant police was pasted to a cathedral's wall.

The exhibit was curated by Nolan and Kevin McCloskey, a professor at the Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, where the prints are on loan from its collection.

The exhibit will conclude on Oct. 9 with a lecture and reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. The gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Treasure hunting in Athens and Ohio University

Internationally known artist Mark Dion will shine his spotlight on the collections from both Ohio University and Athens community members at the Kennedy Museum of Art in the exhibit "Collections Collected: The University Collects and Athens Collects Miniatures" running from Sept. 24 to Nov. 29.

Dion, an installation artist, examines the ways in which dominant ideologies and public institutions shape our understanding of history, knowledge and the natural world. A Mark Dion gallery space is unique because of the way he brings together objects from a variety of collections. He visited many departmental collections, including those from the anthropology and geology departments, the College of Engineering, athletics and aviation.

Royal Mapes, professor of geological sciences, oversees the university's paleobotanical collection and is eager to see the completed exhibition.

"I know [Dion] will put the collected objects in a format to excite people's interest and make them ask questions," he said. Mapes added that Dion was interested in objects such as mineral and fossil specimens and even an old miner's hat.

Dion chose visually compelling objects that represent aspects of the university and its researchers. He likens his process to treasure hunting, explaining that he looks for things that are unique to a particular collection, but also may represent the direction of that collection. He is especially enthusiastic about bringing people together from the community and revealing treasures from the collections he visited.

To complement the Kennedy's exhibit, the School of Art will host "Mark Dion: Collected Editions 1992-2009" in Trisolini Gallery from Sept. 18 to Nov. 14. The exhibit will feature limited-edition prints and multiples created by Dion between 1992 and 2009.

Opening receptions with the artist will be held at Trisolini Gallery in Baker University Center from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, and at the Kennedy Museum of Art from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24. Both events are free and open to the public.

Located in Lin Hall at The Ridges, museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 12 to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays and holidays. Parking and admission are free. Visit www.ohio.edu/museum for more information.

Trisolini Gallery is located in Baker University Center 405. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday. Admission is free. Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/art for more information.

Film Fest is almost here! 171 films in 7 days!

What's the cheapest way to take an extended international vacation, travel the globe and tour exciting places? It's attending the Athens International Film + Video Festival running April 24 through 30.

"We'll take you to the Philippines, South Africa, France, Ireland, China and few dozen other locales," said Ruth Bradley, director of the festival, which is celebrating its 36th year. "We'll introduce you to incredible and interesting people from around the world and show you sights you've never thought possible. And all the while, there'll be fresh popcorn, comfortable seats, great conversation and an easy trip home."

This year's festival will screen 171 feature films, documentaries and shorts from around the world. Highlights of the International Feature Showcase include "Wendy and Lucy," the poignant story of a young woman on the edge of economic catastrophe; "Hunger," the portrait of IRA prisoner Bobby Sand's prison hunger strike and "The Beaches of Agnes," a playful autobiographic film by the legendary French director Agnes Varda. Other feature films to be screened during the festival's seven-day run include: "Examined Life," a surprisingly funny study of contemporary philosophers; "Food, Inc," a documentary about what we eat and "Serbis," a controversial film from the Philippines about a family-run movie theater.

In addition to the Feature Film Showcase, the festival is renowned for its competition for independent film and video artists. One example of this dedication and appreciation of independent artists is the special screening at 7:30 p.m. on April 24, the festival's opening day, at Stuart's Opera House of "Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie," a documentary about two friends from Portsmouth, Ohio, who hope to convince the world that Bigfoot really exists. The screening will top off the April installment of Nelsonville's "Final Fridays" event.

Screening locations include the Athena Cinema, the Baker University Center Theatre and Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio. The majority of the screenings will take place at the Athena Cinema with shows beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing through midnight. The Baker University Center Theatre will host screenings on April 24 through 26.

Read the whole story here: http://www.ohio.edu/outlook/08-09/April/519.cfm

Visit the festival web site here: www.athensfest.org

Don't miss these other arts events:

• The School of Theater will finish its two-week run of "The Trojan Women" this Wednesday through Saturday. Adapted by Ellen McLaughlin, Euripides' play follows the stories of the women of Troy after Greek armies conquered their city and is the third tragedy in a trilogy about the Trojan War. In addition to this weekend "The Trojan Women" will run April 15-18. All performances are at 8 p.m. at the Forum Theater in the RTV Building. Admission is free for OHIO students with a valid ID, $7 for other students and seniors, and $10 for adults.
  
  
• Keep an eye on the art galleries. From now until graduation a variety of student BFA and MFA thesis work will be exhibited in the Ohio University Art Gallery in Seigfred Hall and Trisolini Gallery in Baker University Center 405. Exhibits will change about every two weeks. Visit the galleries page for more information: www.finearts.ohio.edu/art/galleries/upcoming.htm.
  
  
• The School of Music hosts its annual Clarinet Gala on Sunday, April 19. The gala includes Visiting Artist Recital at 3:30 p.m. and a Potpourri Recital at 6 p.m. Both performances will be in the School of Music Recital Hall and admission is free.
  
  
• Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/ to see the complete Arts for Ohio online calendar.

Kennedy Museum puts blues on the walls

'Blues in Black and White'

The Kennedy Museum of Art kicks off spring with its newest photography exhibit, "Blues in Black and White" that will feature 50 to 60 photographs by Stanley Livingston documenting the behind-the-scenes activities and onstage performances of blues legends at the landmark Ann Arbor Blues Festivals of the late 1960s.

"Not only does the exhibit portray some of the most legendary figures every to play blues, but it captures a particular time in America when these two blues festivals occurred in Ann Arbor, Mich.," said Edward Pauley, the John B. and Dareth A. Gerlach Director of the Kennedy Museum of Art. "It's the first time we could document in photographs these mainly black artists playing in front of a mainly white crowd and reflects that pivotal time in America when these two groups who were traditionally segregated started to come together and create dynamic changes in our society."

Including artists such as B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy and Johnny Winter, Livingston's photographs document these events and how a form of American music brought together blacks and whites and also influenced popular music.

"Many of today's artist have been influenced by these artists and students will probably be surprised to discover that the music they listen to, whether it's hip hop and contemporary rock, there is a connection," Pauley said.

The exhibit will open April 17 and run through June 14. An opening reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on April 17. Admission is free to the museum and reception. Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 12 to 5 p.m., Thursday 12 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

Don't miss the opera!

'Gianni Schicchi'

The School of Music's Opera Theater has been rehearsing since last quarter for its upcoming performance of the comedy "Gianni Schicchi" and hopes audiences will take advantage of this rare opportunity to experience opera in the Athens area.

"Opera is a great experience for the student performers," said Richard Crist, director of Opera Theater. "It gives them an opportunity to not only sing on stage but to bring a character of life, be part of the production aspect and create something with 18 other people. It's a real challenge and more than just being part of an ensemble."

Because the production is sharing the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium with many other events, the cast will have little time to set the stage before their performances at 7:30 p.m. April 24 and 25.

"This opera is kind of like watching an episode of 'The Sopranos' but with a comedy twist," Crist said.

"Gianni Schicchi" by Giacomo Puccini is a one-act opera set in Florence and based on a story that is referred to in Dante's "The Divine Comedy." After relatives of the deceased Buoso Donati learn that he left all of his money to a local monastery, they concoct a scheme to rewrite the will. The family teams with Schicchi, who is known for his clever schemes and who crosses the family to will everything to himself. "You need to come to the opera to see how Gianni turns the tables and steals the money from them," Crist said.

Don't worry if you don't speak Italian -- the opera will be performed in English.

Admission is $10. Ohio University students with a valid ID receive free admission through Arts for Ohio.

Contribute to the Arts for Ohio Blog

Would you like to contribute to our blog? Are you a student or faculty member with an upcoming arts events or have you just attended an event you'd like to comment about?

Send your submission (up to 300 words) to fineartsnews@ohio.edu. We welcome respectful submissions that provide a personal preview or reaction to upcoming or recent events.

Thanks!

B.E.A.T.S. Hiphop Expo Saturday!

The Building Education through the Arts and Transforming Society (B.E.A.T.S) will host a Hiphop Expo April 11 at Baker University Center. The expo, titled "Bridging the Rural and Urban Experience through Sustainability," is an interactive event that merges the elements of Hiphop and discussions of social, economic and environmental justice toward solutions of how art transforms rural and urban communities. Visit www.ohio.edu/aas/hiphop/ for more information.

Visit Ohio University's Outlook to view an interview with Akil Houston, assistant professor of African American studies and hip-hop expo co-organizer, as he previews Saturday's event and discusses why it will have a positive impact on the local community. He also introduces viewers to the guest presenters at the expo and explains the graffiti wall project.

View the interview here: http://www.ohio.edu/outlook/08-09/April/498v.cfm

Cinematheque explores the 'End of the Line'

Cinematheque's April run at the Athena Cinema on Court Street kicks off Friday with the theme "End of the Line." The monthly film series will feature five films that examine the unsettling space between society's hopes and the darker impulses and trauma that afflict mankind.

With screenings through April 16, this month's films are "Gimme Shelter," "Solaris," "M," "Day of Wrath" and "WR: Mysteries of the Organism."

The films represent a wide variety of cultures, eras and languages including English, Russian, German and Danish. All foreign language films include English subtitles. The films date from 1931 to 1972.

The film series is sponsored by the Arts for Ohio initiative and aims to expose the Ohio University and Athens communities to a variety of classics, documentaries and international titles.

Cinematheque films are free for students with a valid ID, including local high school students and those visiting from other universities. Ohio University employees and community members pay $4 per film. Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/cinematheque.htm for more information.

Visiting Faculty Exhibition at Trisolini

Featuring 17 works by six visiting faculty members, the exhibit "Chicken, Beer and Celery: A Random Assortment of Academic Units" is eclectic to say the least.

The exhibition, which runs through April 18 in Trisolini Gallery in Baker University Center 405, features works in video installation, ink, mixed media and textile by visiting faculty members Brandon Boan, David Colagiovani, Nathan Davis, Mitchell Goodman, Suzanne Hagood and Cindy Malon.

"Most of my work has to do with place and memory," said Malon, a visiting professor in graphic design. "As a visiting faculty I am only here in Athens for nine months. Being in a place temporarily is a very different experience than being in a place permanently (or at least the mindset of thinking of a place as being permanent)."

Malon's piece "Felix Gonzalez-Torres" uses pink damask napkins and red cotton thread textiles to make reference to childhood memories of her grandmother's quilting, embroideries and knitting.

"Having lived outside of the U.S. since 1989, my connection to Ohio has always been that of a displaced tourist visiting family members, even though I was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio," Malon said. "Throughout my childhood we would spend two weeks every summer at my grandmother's house in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky near Hindman. Because of these childhood experiences, I have a strong sense of attraction to the local landscape of Athens County."

Gallery hours are Mon. through Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is free and open to the public.

Other events for coming weeks include:

Beginning tomorrow, the Trisolini Gallery in Baker University Center 405 will feature the work of six School of Art visiting faculty members in an exhibit title Chicken, Beer and Celery: A Random Assortment of Academic Units. The eclectic works include video installation, ink, mixed media and textile. The exhibit will run April 18. Gallery hours are Mon. through Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Both the gallery and opening reception are free and open to the public.

The Cinematheque monthly film series kicks off April 10 and features the theme "End of the Line" and features five films that examine the unsettling space between society's hopes and the darker impulses and trauma that afflict mankind. This month's film are "Gimme Shelter," "Solaris," "M," "Day of Wrath" and "WR: Mysteries of the Organism." Admission is free for Ohio University and local high school students with a valid ID and $4 per showing for the public. Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/ for show times and more information.

The School of Theater will get spring quarter off to a fast start with the production of "The Trojan Women." Adapted by Ellen McLaughlin, Euripides' play follows the stories of the women of Troy after Greek armies conquered their city and is the third tragedy in a trilogy about the Trojan War. "The Trojan Women" will run April 8 through 11, and April 15 through 18 with performances at 8 p.m. at the Forum Theater in the RTV Building. Admission is free for OHIO students with a valid ID, $7 for other students and seniors, and $10 for adults.

The Building Education through the Arts and Transforming Society (B.E.A.T.S) will host a Hiphop Expo April 11 at Baker University Center. The expo, titled "Bridging the Rural and Urban Experience through Sustainability," is an interactive event that merges the elements of Hiphop and discussions of social, economic and environmental justice toward solutions of how art transforms rural and urban communities. Visit www.ohio.edu/aas/hiphop/ for more information.

Balloons become art workshop

The Aesthetics Technologies Lab presents a hands-on workshop with sculptor and musician Addi Somekh from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday at 227 Putnam Hall.

Somekh has traveled more than 30 countries from the Sahara desert to the Mongolian mountains to the forests of the Amazon creating art from inflatable forms such as balloons. As an inventor, Somekh has extended his balloon craft into the world of music, adapting a Sean Rooney balloon model into what he calls the balloon bass -- an electronically amplified bass instrument constructed from three simple balloons. Additionally, he's taken the concept a step further developing a range of percussive balloon drums.

The workshop will teach the basics of balloon twisting for sculptural shapes, objects and music. The workshop is free but space is limited, so interested participants must RSVP. Visit www.ohiou.edu/atlab/ for more information.

Inside/Outside: Art Talks at the Kennedy

The Kennedy Museum of Art continues its Inside/Outside: Art Talks at the Kennedy series with fabric artist Francia Patti at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Kennedy Museum of Art at The Ridges.

"It has always been my intent to separate myself from my work," said Patti, whose focus is wearable art. "In truth, my textile work has been integral in my development as a human being. Through meeting other artists and hundreds of customers and a 6-year apprenticeship with a Hopi medicine man, my work has led me down a winding road to a beautiful life -- filled with adventure and peace of mind."

The series invites artists from the region to speak about their art and the unique process that led to their art making. Sponsored by the Friends of the Kennedy Museum, the event is free and open to the public.

Moving Images International Dance Film Festival

Assistant Professor of Dance Zelma Badu-Younge is bringing dance and film together in the Moving Images International Dance Film Festival this Friday.

An exciting collection of contemporary dance films by Canadian, American, African and Australian choreographers, will open the annual OhioDance Festival, which is hosted this year by Ohio University. Highlights include works by O'Vertigo Danse and award-winning filmmaker Laura Taler and a lecture demonstration by Philip Szporer, a freelance writer, broadcaster and Scholar in Residence at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.

Screenings will run from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Athena Cinema on Court Street and from 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Shirley Wimmer Dance Theatre in Putnam Hall. All film showings are free and open to the public.

In addition to the film screenings, the festival includes an OhioDance Showcase concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Shirley Wimmer Dance Theatre. The showcase features some of Ohio's most sophisticated choreography and performance talent representing the diversity and excellence of dance in Ohio. Admission is $12 for seniors and students and $15 for adults.

'Blues in Black and White'

The Kennedy Museum of Art kicks off spring with its newest photography exhibit, "Blues in Black and White" that will feature 50 to 60 photographs by Stanley Livingston documenting the behind-the-scenes activities and onstage performances of blues legends at the landmark Ann Arbor Blues Festivals of the late 1960s.

"Not only does the exhibit portray some of the most legendary figures every to play blues, but it captures a particular time in America when these two blues festivals occurred in Ann Arbor, Mich.," said Edward Pauley, the John B. and Dareth A. Gerlach Director of the Kennedy Museum of Art. "It's the first time we could document in photographs these mainly black artists playing in front of a mainly white crowd and reflects that pivotal time in America when these two groups who were traditionally segregated started to come together and create dynamic changes in our society."

Including artists such as B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy and Johnny Winter, Livingston's photographs document these events and how a form of American music brought together blacks and whites and also influenced popular music.

"Many of today's artist have been influenced by these artists and students will probably be surprised to discover that the music they listen to, whether it's hip hop and contemporary rock, there is a connection," Pauley said.

The exhibit will open April 17 and run through June 14.

'Gianni Schicchi'

The School of Music's Opera Theater has been rehearsing all quarter for its upcoming performance of the comedy "Gianni Schicchi" and hopes audiences will take advantage of this rare opportunity to experience opera in our area.

"Opera is a great experience for the student performers," said Richard Crist, director of opera theater. "It gives them an opportunity to not only sing on stage but to bring a character of life, be part of the production aspect and create something with 18 other people. It's a real challenge and more than just being part of an ensemble."

Because the production is sharing the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium with many other events, the cast will have little time to set the stage of before their performances at 7:30 p.m. April 24 and 25.

"This opera is kind of like watching an episode of 'The Sopranos' but with a comedy twist," Crist said.

"Gianni Schicchi" by Giacomo Puccini is a one-act opera set in Florence and based on a story that is referred to in Dante's "The Divine Comedy." After relatives of the deceased Buoso Donati learn that he left all of his money to a local monastery, they concoct a scheme to rewrite the will. The family teams with Schicchi, who is known for his clever schemes and who crosses the family to will everything to himself.

"You need to come to the opera to see how Gianni turns the tables and steals the money from them," Crist said.

Don't worry if you don't speak Italian -- the opera will be performed in English.

'The Trojan Women'

The School of Theater will get spring quarter off to a fast start with the production of "The Trojan Women," which will mark the first time the school has split production over two quarters.

"This is atypical for us but exciting," said Wagner, who also serves as the assistant director of the School of Theater. "To split a production into two quarters means as soon as the student get back for spring quarter they will be rolling right into tech week."

Adapted by Ellen McLaughlin, Euripides' play follows the stories of the women of Troy after Greek armies conquered their city and is the third tragedy in a trilogy about the Trojan War.

With "What the Butler Saw" closing a little more than a week ago and production elements already in the final stages of completion for "The Trojan Women," the school and its students have had no time to rest.

"Normally after a production closes, we would have a little time to catch our breath, but the opposite is true in this case," Wagner said.

"The Trojan Women" will run April 8 through 11, and April 15 through 18 with performances at 8 p.m. at the Forum Theater in the RTV Building.

A look ahead

As winter quarter comes to a close, the College of Fine Arts is already working on productions and planning for a jam-packed spring quarter. With so many events on tap, now is a good time to look ahead and pencil in your schedule.
"Spring quarter offers a very eclectic time where you can see and experience a wide variety of different art forms," said Maureen Wagner, director of Arts for Ohio.

The spring calendar features three theatrical productions, including an opera performance; three dance concerts; three new gallery exhibits and too many music performances to recount.

Spring is also festival time for the university with the Athens International Film + Video Festival, Seabury Quinn Jr. Playwright's Festival and Moving Images International Dance Film Festival. In addition, this year's annual AZA! African music and dance concert will include a three-day African Arts symposium.

Be sure to check out the entire Arts for Ohio calendar for more events.

Make a meal out of music

The audience of the New Music Ensemble's concert titled "New Music Ensemble a la carte" should be ready to experience a "musical meal with large courses alternating with smaller side dishes and intermezzos," said Steven Huang, assistant professor of music and director of the ensemble.

The New Music Ensemble specializes in discovering and performing works written in the 20th and 21st centuries that represent the cutting edge of contemporary musical trends. The concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the School of Music Recital Hall will feature a student composition by senior music major Seth Jervis.

"New Music Ensemble concerts promise a musical experience that is out of the ordinary -- our mission is to stretch the boundaries of the concert experience and to challenge the audience's expectations," Huang said.

Kennedy Museum creates community

The Kennedy Museum of Art kicks off the 2009 continuation of the Inside/Outside: Art Talks at the Kennedy series at 5:30 p.m. Thursday with local stained glass artist John Matz.

The talks provide university and community members with the chance to hear local visual artists in every discipline speak about their work and their viewpoints about art in an intimate environment.

Matz, a self-taught artist, is the owner of Sunflower Glass Studio in Amesville, Ohio. All of Matz's designs are original and inspired by Tiffany works. Each design is completed by hand and his collection includes mirrors, one-of-a-kind stained glass pieces and large windows.

During his talk, Matz will question who we consider to be artists and where art comes from, among other things. "The talks bring together students, staff, current and retired faculty and community members who share an interest or appreciation of the process and product of art," said Beth Tragert, administrative associate at the Kennedy Museum of Art.

According to Tragert, the name "Inside/Outside" shows how the artists come from both inside the university and outside -- from the larger community.

"It's really an opportunity for participants, both artists and audience, from each group to come together at a place devoted to art and share their interest."

The Kennedy Museum of Art is located in Lin Hall at The Ridges. All events are free and open to the public.

Ohio's Best Dance Crew

Fans of "America's Best Dance Crew" and "Dancing with the Stars" won't want to miss the School of Dance's Winter Dance Concert 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

"All the competitive dance shows on TV are very popular now. And that's good because audiences are becoming primed to watch movement," said Mickie Geller, professor of dance. "But, dance is a 3-D form best seen live on stage. It's more exciting because of the immediacy of live performance and the ability of the audience to react and interact in person and in real time."

The concert features a wide range of movement styles and music selections, from one first choreographed in the 1940s to new works created during the past quarter, with performances from the School of Dance students and faculty.

"When watching live performance it's possible to engage emotionally, kinesthetically, visually, aurally and intellectually -- it's a whole body experience to be had even while sitting in a theater seat," Geller said.

Students and faculty have been working on the concert for the entire quarter, choreographing performances, designing and producing the set and lighting, arranging and composing music and helping with the costume design.

Admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children. Ohio University students with a valid ID are admitted free.

Undergraduate Student Juried Exhibition

Art often is seen as individual and not competitive or comparable, but the School of Art pits student works against each other in the Undergraduate Student Juried Exhibition.

The highly competitive exhibition, juried by nationally known sculpture artist DeWitt Godfrey, features artwork created by School of Art undergraduate students. Godfrey selected about 40 works for inclusion in the exhibition, which runs through April 9 at the Ohio University Art Gallery in Seigfred Hall. The opening reception is open to the public and will be held Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. Awards will be presented at 7:30 p.m.

"I thought the works submitted were very interesting," said Godfrey, an associate professor of art at Colgate University in New York whose work has been exhibited throughout the world. "There was a wide variety of approaches including the use of nostalgia forms, quotes from popular culture, narrative and story telling and imagery, which was sometimes very strange but incredibly compelling."

Given only rough guidelines by Director of Exhibitions Petra Kralickova, Godfrey said it was up to him to decide how pieces were selected.

"I tried to focus on work that I felt had a voice and was genuine and in the end I was very happy with the works selected."

The gallery is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

26 trombones

It will sound like a scene from "The Music Man:" At 7:30 p.m. tonight, the Trombone Choir will take the stage at the School of Music Recital Hall.

For graduate student Andrew Cech, the concert will be his last performance for the school and the culmination of six years at Ohio University.

"It's really sentimental and bittersweet but also exciting because it means I'm getting ready to take the next step in my musical career," said Cech, who also completed a bachelor's degree at the school.

Homogeneous chamber ensembles, like the 26-piece Trombone Choir, have a long history and originated in Europe before coming to United State when the country was still just developing, Cech said.

"When people think of musical concerts they always think of band, orchestra and marching band. This is an opportunity for people to see that there are ensembles outside of large bands," Cech said.

The ensembles repertoire includes classical works by Handel and Brahms, the band Chicago, the musical "Hello Dolly" and big band.

"Personally, the Trombone Choir is my favorite homogenous instrument ensemble because you have such a nice variety of low to high range and a really mellow sound that we can maintain without becoming harsh or abrasive," Cech said. "The approach to chamber ensembles like the trombone choir is completely different than playing in the orchestra, and it gives us the opportunity to play intimately with other musicians and really show off our musicality."

Admission to the concert is free and yes, members will perform "76 Trombones" from "The Music Man."

'Like You Mean It'

Imagine walking on stage without knowing a single choreographed step. Frightening? Not for Visiting Associate Professor of Dance Adriana Durant.

Durant, with fellow dancers Noelle Chun and Annie Kloppenberg, uses improvisation as a choreographic tool and a method for training performers.

"Working with movement, sound and text, we construct a coherent piece in real time," Durant said. "We are crafting a completely new work in each performance, rehearsal or showing."

Audiences can observe the art in progress titled "Like You Mean It" at 6 p.m. Friday at the Shirley Wimmer Dance Theatre in Putnam Hall. Admission is free.

"Much like improvisation in jazz music, these compositions, though spontaneous, can be viewed just like finished choreography," Durant said.

Durant, who produces the shows, premiered "Like You Mean It" at Ohio State University in 2008. The trio has been performing together since 2007 and routinely performs and teaches workshops throughout Ohio.

"For 'Like You Mean It,' improvisational performance is choreography," Durant said. "It requires the same seriousness of purpose and regular rehearsing that yields engaging dance works."

'What the Butler Saw'

When Joe Orton's "What the Butler Saw" was first performed in the '60s, audiences were so shocked by the play's explicit theme that actors were booed off stage.

The university community can view the controversial play at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Feb. 25 to 28 at the Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater in Kantner Hall. The risque comedy centers on a psychiatrist who invents a series of increasingly outrageous lies to cover up his attempts to seduce a prospective young secretary, Geraldine.

"This play was written in the '60s during a sexual revolution," said Casiha Felt, a second-year Master of Fine Arts student who plays Geraldine. "Many of the topics discussed in the play were very taboo at the time so it's interesting to see how the play will be interpreted by a modern audience."

"What the Butler Saw" was Orton's last play, completed just a month before his death at the hands of his longtime partner.

"The play was a ton of fun to work on," Felt said. "It is the first comedy the theater program has done in awhile, so it should be very exciting for audiences."

Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for senior and free for all OHIO students with a valid ID. To reserve tickets, call the fine arts box office at 593-4800.

February Cinematheque

The monthly Arts for Ohio Cinematheque series will have screenings Friday through Feb. 19 at the Athena Cinema on Court Street. Films featured this month are "Women in the Dunes," "Match Factory Girl," "Stranger than Paradise," "Rules of the Game" and "The Last Wave." Cinematheque films are free for students with a valid ID, including local high school students and those visiting from other universities. General admission is $4 per film. Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/cinematheque.htm for more information.

Symphony Orchestra

The University Symphony Orchestra will take the stage at 4 p.m. Sunday in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

Their program titled "Flutes of Fantasy" features Alison Brown Sincoff, associate professor of flute, and includes Mozart's "Overture to The Magic Flute," Lukas Foss' "Renaissance Concerto for Flute and Orchestra" and Igor Stravinsky's "Suite for The Firebird."

Brown Sincoff has received awards at several national and international competitions including first prize in the 1996 National Flute Associations Piccolo Artist Competition and third prize in the Young Artist Competition. She was one of only two Americans selected to participate in the Fourth International Flute Competition held in Kobe, Japan.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors. Children and Ohio University students with a valid ID will be admitted free. Tickets are available at the Memorial Auditorium Ticket Office (740-593-1780) and one hour before the performance.

Visiting artist performs history

School of Music visiting artist James Hildreth grew up aspiring to play the organ.

After receiving his first instruction from his father who was formerly employed by the Schlicker Organ Co., Hildreth excelled at the instrument as a child and became a seasoned performer in his teens.

He will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Galbreath Chapel, offering works by Vincent Lubeck, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Heinrich Scheidemann, Johann Sebastian Bach, Henry Heron and Louis Vierne.

Hildreth received a bachelor's of music in organ performance from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and a master's of sacred music from the Southern Methodist University.

Since 1987, Hildreth has served as the organist of the Broad Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Ohio. He also has served as organist for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra for many years and traveled with the orchestra to perform in Carnegie Hall. In 2004, he was the first American to perform at the Organ Hall in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.

The concert is free and open to all.

Generations Trio

With age differences of more than 50 years, members of the Generations Trio bridge the gaps through a pure love of music.

The group, consisting of cellist John Sant'Ambrogio, pianist Judy Lynn Stillman and violinist DMitri Pogorelov, will perform "From Rameau to Ragtime" at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the School of Music Recital Hall in Glidden Hall.

"Their concert shows how music has evolved over about 200 years in a light and informal way," said W. Michael Parkinson, director of the School of Music. "This is not a concert where you will hear 'shhh;' the musicians are looking to reach out to the audience and expect interaction."

Stillman is artist-in-residence and professor of music at Rhode Island College in addition to serving as a piano and chamber music faculty at the New England Conservatory. She began playing piano at age 3, entered the Juilliard School at 10 and completed bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from Juilliard.

Sant'Ambrogio has enjoyed an illustrious career as a cellist in top orchestras and chamber music ensembles for more than five decades. He was appointed principal cello of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra in 1968 after being a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for nine years. In 1987, he founded and was the first artistic director of Strings in the Mountains.

Pogorelov is a prize-winning young virtuoso violinist and a seasoned performer. He is the youngest member of a well-known family of outstanding musicians in his native Russia. Pogorelov has won many international violin competitions before coming to the United States in 2001.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors. Children and Ohio University students with a valid ID will be admitted free.

Students design sketchbooks that reflect Athens

School of Art graphic design students received some professional practice and are now reaping the rewards from their junior studio art class.

Led by Visiting Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Cindy Malon, the class was charged with creating a product. The result is a collection of wire-bound sketchbooks featuring six different covers that portray aspects of the Ohio University and Athens communities.

"The influence the university or community has had on the students is visible in each cover," Malon said. "The students whose work was chosen for a cover each wrote an artist's statement that addresses their inspiration."

The students were required to give a formal presentation of their idea to a panel that included faculty, practicing artists and marketing administrators. Panel participants offered questions, comments and suggestions that have helped make the project a success. "It was great practice for when they go out into the industry," Malon said. "It teaches them that every presentation they do should be considered a professional presentation."

The books are such a hit that the students sold out of their first 150 and are on the second printing. Proceeds from the books benefit the students' senior BFA exhibition -- a requirement for graduation. To keep production costs low, the students traveled to the printer in Toledo and spiral-bound the books by hand.

Sketchbooks are $9 each. Images of the six covers along with the artists' statements can be seen at www.finearts.ohio.edu/pages/news/student_sketchbooks.htm. To purchase a book, please contact Betsy Combs at ec198206@ohio.edu or Matt Parris at mp368606@ohio.edu.

Prints from the Print Club of Cleveland

Print Club Cleveland members and longtime Athens residents R. Budd and Janet Kelsey Werner's donation of 50 prints from their personal collections are now the feature of a Kennedy Museum of Art exhibit.

"The exhibit is incredibly rich in terms of imagery," said Edward Pauley, the John B. and Dareth A. Gerlach Director of the Kennedy Museum of Art. "The prints are a mixture of both color and black-and-white and abstract and representational images from a group of select and very well known artists with varying styles."

Beginning Friday, the exhibit showcases the prints, which were issued to the Cleveland Museum of Art annually from 1964 to 2007. Visitors have the opportunity to marvel at a broad range of prints from a variety of impressive artists including Bridget Riley, Will Barnet, April Gornik and Victor Vasarely.

"To have every print issued between 1964 and 2007 is a great way to show the history of the Print Club of Cleveland," said Jeff Carr, the museum's registrar.

The Print Club of Cleveland is dedicated to enriching the collections of the Cleveland Museum of Art and generating an interest in printmaking among the general public. Annually, the club commissions and publishes a presentation print by an influential artist.

Adding to the Kennedy Museum's already notable print collection, the donation helps to fill in gaps of content and introduce many new artists to the collection, Carr said.

The exhibit will be on display through April 5.

Selections from the Permanent Collections

The Kennedy Museum of Art also has put its permanent collections on display and is asking for feedback.

The new exhibit displays a wide cross-section of works representing the individual collections within the museum's holdings. Weavings, prints, ceramics, photographs, paintings, mixed media and jewelry infusing American, African and Native American cultures are among the offerings in the show.

Through May, visitors are encouraged to submit their personal interpretations of select pieces online.

"In acknowledging this year's theme of citizenship in the College of Fine Arts, part of being a productive citizen is participation," Pauley said. "Why not let our public participate when it comes to interpreting works of art. It also lets us know what visitors get out of their experience at the museum."

To contribute interpretations to the museum's blog, it is recommended that visitors view the entire exhibition. Works selected for public interpretation are notated with a symbol on the label. All respectful points of view are welcome.

The exhibition will be ongoing, with works being changed periodically so that additional works from the museum's collections may be display.

Museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 12 to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 12 to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays and holidays. Parking and admission are free. Visit www.ohio.edu/museum for more information.

January Cinematheque

The monthly Cinematheque series begins Friday featuring films on the theme "Bright Lights: Five Visions of Urban Living."

Each film takes place in a different city around the world and structures the story around the unique characteristics of that city, said Cinematheque program manager Chris Iacofano.

"So in a way the city is the main character in these films," said Iacofano, who is also the general manager of the Athena Cinema where the Cinematheque series is shown.

The film series is sponsored by the Arts for Ohio initiative and aims to expose the Ohio University and Athens communities to a variety of classics, documentaries and international titles.

"We try to select films for Cinematheque that will lead to discussion, either in the classroom or amongst friends," Iacofano said. "I hope that these are films that will inspire, anger or in some way move the audience. For the two hours or so that you are in a Cinematheque screening, you are in the only theater in the world playing that particular film on that particular week and oftentimes these are the very films that inspired today's contemporary directors."

This month's films are "Mala Noche," "Jubilee," "Black Orpheus," "Memories of Underdevelopment" and "The Last Metro."

Cinematheque films are free for students with a valid ID, including local high school students and those visiting from other universities. Ohio University employees and community members pay $4 per film. Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/cinematheque.htm for more information.

Second-year Film Screenings

Film graduate student Satish More can't wait for audiences to give him their take on his latest work, a short piece he calls "Open." It's been two years in the making.
His film is one of 10 that will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Sunday at the Athena Cinema on Court Street. The short films, completed during the students' second year of study in the School of Film, range from nine to 38 minutes.

"These screenings are a personification of the sheer long-term collaborative effort that goes into making a film," More said.

More's 32-minute film tells the story of Jack Donahue, a man in his 40s living in New York City whose life takes a dramatic turn when he begins to notice how simple things can have a huge impact.

More conceived the idea for his film in 2006. After seven drafts and help from fellow students and faculty, he started production in November 2007. He will complete the final touches just in time for the film's Sunday premiere.

"Filmmakers, like all artists, can be closed in their mental domains when making films," More said. "Film being a collaborative art, allows for suggestions and critique by the crew and cast during the making, but there still has to be critical feedback from all kinds of people for a director to actually mature as a filmmaker."