Arts and Culture (230)
Stories that capture our creative and cultural spirit
Acclaimed writer Anne Lamott slated for author series
Written by Staff Report
The Main Event Speaker Series, an author series featuring prominent voices from the worlds of literature, the arts, politics and journalism, resumes this fall with bestselling author Anne Lamott Tuesday, November 20, 7 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium in downtown Akron.
Lamott writes and speaks about subjects that begin with capital letters: Alcoholism, Motherhood, Jesus. But armed with self-effacing humor – she is laugh-out-loud funny – and ruthless honesty, Lamott converts her subjects into enchantment.
Lamott is the author of seven novels including, Hard Laughter, Rosie, Joe Jones, Blue Shoe, All New People, and Crooked Little Heart (the sequel to Rosie), as well as five bestselling books of non-fiction, Operating Instructions, an account of life as a single mother during her son's first year and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, a guide to writing and the challenges of a writer's life, Traveling Mercies, a collection of autobiographical essays on faith, and Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith.
A Traveling Nightmare will rock The Akron Civic Theatre on Oct. 26
Written by Staff Report
The Akron Civic Theatre will host The Traveling Nightmare: Haunted Rock Revue at 8 PM on Friday, Oct. 26, 2012.
The Traveling Nightmare is a Haunted Rock Revue....Featuring tributes to Ozzie Osborne (Rock's Prince of Darkness) and his band Black Sabbath and The King of Macabre rock- Alice Cooper. Appearing that evening will also be special guest Typhoid Mary with Steve Hammond from WONE as the front man for this dark original rock band. This interactive Halloween event will be a ghoulish good time, suitable for families with older children.
You never know who or what may be lurking in the theatre before, during, or after the performance!
School House Rock Live Jr. returns to the Akron Civic Theatre
Written by Staff Report
School House Rock Live Jr., a production of Firestone Theatre, will be at the Akron Civic Theatre on Sunday, November 18, 2012 at 2:30pm.
The Emmy Award-winning 1970s Saturday morning cartoon series that taught history, grammar, math, science and politics through clever, tuneful songs is not only making a small-screen comeback, instructing a whole new generation to "Unpack Your Adjectives" and "Do The Circulations," it's lighting up stages everywhere.
Years back while riding the Metro, riders may have witnessed a woman "practicing drums" on her knees. So caught up was she in her newfound love of percussion that..."I'd miss stops, oh yes," says Highland Square resident and musician Elizabeth Morgan.
The call to beat a drum must have been preordained because Morgan says she went out about 14 years ago to buy a used guitar and ended up with a drum. Way back, Morgan played guitar for a quite a few years but adds she was "never more than adequate." Today, she plays the djembe (JEM bay), a goblet-shaped African drum played with bare hands, fashioned of wood and leather with sisal twine.
Sitting on a front porch during an incredibly windy early fall evening in the Square, the intermittent rain lashes about, creating a feisty backdrop that complements Morgan's own passion for music and the group with whom she plays.
The streets of the University Park neighborhood were recently illuminated with music, dance, performance art and, most importantly, lantern lights, for the annual Light UP Lantern Festival. The event included food, a series of lantern-making workshops and artist installations, among a host of other activities.
Click through for more photos from the event.
Media
Akron artist Ron White was recently awarded the inaugural Akron Art Prize, the result of more than a thousand votes, but he’s not one to take a moment off and celebrate. He finished and delivered a piece to Leandra Drumm for the Light-UP Lantern Festival, which took place this past weekend in University Park. And in his studio on a recent Friday afternoon, he was working on a large charcoal drawing. This is in additional to his full-time job as art teacher at Barberton High School and part-time job as yoga instructor.
Highly active seems to be White's natural state. For the last 10 years he has worked aggressively at his art. In the last five, he has kept a working space at Redlight Galleries on North Main Street in Akron. There, he works on and shows his drawings and sculpture. Much of the work is surprisingly large considering the modest space.
Visitors view his art, watch him work, and if White has his way, spend a long time talking with him. White has a strong desire to connect with people and that has made him change his art in the last few years.
Akron Symphony spotlights American classical music masters at Rhapsody in Blue
Written by Joanne Green
The Akron Symphony Orchestra continues the Classics Series with Rhapsody in Blue, featuring popular favorites by American classical music masters Bernstein, Barber and Gershwin. Led by Maestro Christopher Wilkins and featuring a piano solo by Levi Hammer, Rhapsody in Blue takes place at 8 pm on Saturday, October 13th at The University of Akron’s EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall.
“George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue is rightly considered a keystone of American music. Its marriage of popular and serious styles is by now part of the signature American sound,” said Maestro Wilkins. “Gershwin’s uncanny gift for combining unforgettable melodies and vibrant rhythms has made the work a modern icon. It will be a thrill for the audience to hear our own Levi Hammer perform it.”
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Text to vote for your favorite Akron Art Prize artist
Written by Chris Miller
Here are videos of the 11 finalists
Through the power of thousands of text votes, there are 11 finalists competing for the Akron Art Prize, the first contest of its kind in Akron.
The competition, sponsored by the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, kicked off Sept. 1 at the Downtown Akron Artwalk and more than 135 artists entered. The second and final round of voting will end Oct. 6 with all finalists’ works on display at Summit Artspace (140 E. Market St. corner Market/Summit).
Click through to the story for videos about the final pieces.
Poe arises to regale residents at Glendale Cemetery
Written by Thom Callahan
It’s more than fitting this time of year for Edgar Allan Poe to be hosting a graveside chat. And what better a backdrop then Akron’s Glendale Cemetery, with its lush grounds, serpentine roadways, weathered mausoleums and gargoyles keeping watch.
“Poe Arises to Walk and Talk in Akron,” is a cemetery fundraising tour organized by local historian Larry Pentecost, a Canton native who possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of Akron and started years back as a Stan Hywet volunteer.
“There’s an incredible history in this town, how we have led the nation and the world in different products,” Pentecost said. The interesting twist is tour participants will learn of that rich past by visiting the graves of Akron’s illustrious forefathers.
Douglas Bayda named new director for Akron Youth Philharmonic
Written by Joanne Green
The Greater Akron Musical Association recently selected Douglas A. Bayda, the director of orchestras at Akron's Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts, as the new director of the greater Akron Youth Philharmonic (AYP). He will begin as director of AYP at the start of the 2012-2013 school year.
The Director oversees the Akron Youth Philharmonic and prepares members for performances during a 20-week season, which extends from November through March. The director plans, programs and conducts weekly rehearsals and three annual concerts, selects appropriate music for the season, organizes auditions and works with the director of the Akron Youth Symphony (AYS) to coordinate an annual side-by-side concert.
"I am very honored to be working with the Greater Akron Youth Philharmonic," Bayda said. "This ensemble has a long tradition of excellence. I'm excited to be part of the musical journey its members will take."
