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Backstage with Mark Metcalf: Milwaukee Artist Resource Network’s new vision ThirdCoast Digest “In February, the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network announced its first
full-time Executive Director, Melissa Musante, former Associate Director of Film
Wisconsin, Peck School graduate and independent artist, musician and filmmaker.
Mark Metcalf caught up with her to talk about the new MARN web project
artinmilwaukee.com, why MARN is not just for visual artists and how the
organization is ramping up their efforts in a dark economic time.”
Tour of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings starts Friday GM Today MADISON – “Preservation, restoration and green architecture will be
highlighted on a tour of Madison buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and
other local architects. This year is the 14th year Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin
will provide interior tours of private homes and public spaces designed by
Wright and his contemporaries.”
For more photos, click gallery, above. The Isthmus “You can probably name the prominent players on Madison's arts scene. But
they'd be the first to say that the local culture doesn't begin and end with
them. Madison is a thriving and growing center for the arts, thanks to our many
galleries, music venues and performance outlets, to say nothing of the cultural
riches shared with us by our colleges and schools. So we asked our esteemed
writers: What artists deserve more attention? They responded with seven people,
and one group, who ought to be on your mind.”
Community Arts
This summer is ripe for day-trippers Chippewa Herald “For some travelers, it may mean a classic 10-day road trip to Yellowstone
National Park in Wyoming. Others will be off to San Francisco, Las Vegas or
Hawaii, taking advantage of relatively inexpensive airfares and deals at hotels
looking to fill rooms during the national recession. For those who have
experienced cutbacks in their income, or been worried about their shrinking
retirement funds, destinations like Monroe, Milwaukee, Madison or the Fox Valley
may be the preferred option this year.”
Media Arts
GANGSTERS, WISCONSIN STYLE. A legislative column by state Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) Press Release/Wheeler Report “The long-awaited film, “Public Enemies” that was filmed in several Wisconsin
locations last year opens in theaters July 1, 2009. An adaptation of notorious
gangsters from the era of the great depression and Prohibition, the movie
features the popular Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, America’s first Public Enemy
Number One, and Christian Bale as the government agent in hot pursuit, Melvin
Purvis. To mark the occasion of the movie’s opening, the Wisconsin Department of
Tourism is encouraging visits to the many locations used to film action scenes.
You are invited to take it on the lam and go on a Wisconsin gangster tour.
Wisconsin was a favored getaway destination for Chicago criminals in the 1920’s
and 1930’s like Dillinger and Al Capone, thanks to our wooded and rural
landscapes. The Department of Tourism suggests a Northern and Southern tour of Wisconsin sites that served as gangster hideouts and were used to film, “Public Enemies.”
Performing Arts
Music
Kara Patterson: Lawrence University student composes score for silent film Appleton Post Crescent “Lawrence University fourth-year student Garth Neustadter's versatility in
the school's conservatory really came into play when Turner Classic Movies
commissioned him to compose a score for a restored silent film. Neustadter, 22,
a violin and vocal music performance major from Manitowoc, also has studied
piano and wind instruments. One of his initial forays into music composition led
to first-prize honors in the 2007 Young Film Composers Competition.”
Ancora Quartet finishes season with animated, enjoyable recital 77 Square “Before Ancora Quartet's Saturday night recital began at the First Unitarian
Society, Norman Gilliland gave us permission to laugh. By the last piece, it was
a dispensation for which I was grateful. The members of the quartet mugged their
way through "Minimax" by Paul Hindemith with light-hearted antics well-suited to
the intimacy of the space and the humor in the music.”
'Spinal Tap' reunion is like a joke told wrong
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “To mark the 25th anniversary of the classic mockumentary "This Is Spinal
Tap," Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are hitting the road
playing songs from "Tap" and their hootenanny satire, "A Mighty Wind." "This Is
Spinal Tap," of course, was a groundbreaking satire that followed a fictional
fading British rock band, documentary style, on a hilariously disastrous
American tour. But here's the catch: The new tour is called "Unwigged and
Unplugged."
Ancora String Quartet plays final recital of season with Smetana, Griffes,
and Hindemith. Passion, pathos, satire. The Isthmus “The Ancora String Quartet played its final concert of the season on
Saturday, May 30 -- at their home base, the First Unitarian Society -- nicely
filling a yawning gap between the end of spring's formal music-making and the
stirring of busy summer activities in Madison. It filled the gap, too, with a
particularly intriguing program of novelties. This was the third of the season's
"critics' choice" programs, this one suggested by Norman Gilliland of Wisconsin
Public Radio station WERN, who gave a short talk on the music before the
concert.”
Theater
Mabel Tainter's departing director reflects on tenure Eau Claire Leader Telegram MENOMONIE – “Even though the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts has expanded
programming, outgoing Executive Director Gary Schuster believes more is needed.
"It's really about expanding opportunities," said Schuster, whose resignation
was announced in mid-May and who is leaving Friday. "The next step is to allow
artists to come in and run workshops. We really need to continue to push more
and more events with opportunities to make revenue."
WHEN YOU GO
Visual Arts/Museums
Paine nets masterpiece exhibit from Eastman collection Oshkosh Northwestern June 6 – October 11
“In a modern millisecond, cell phones become cameras. They capture our nights
on the town. That family reunion. A vacation landscape. We take it for granted
how easy it is to freeze time these days. And, often, we aren’t too concerned
with what’s frozen – the color, the content, the significance of the moment
we’re capturing. So, consider what it took Carleton E. Watkins to capture his
“Vernal Falls” image in the Yosemite Valley … in 1861.”
Arts Education
Open auditions for RENT @ Greendale Community Theatre Third Cost Digest June 1
“WHAT: OPEN CALL Auditions for GCT’s REGIONAL PREMIERE Production of RENT
WHEN: Monday, June 1st; Open Call Starting at 5:30 PM- callbacks held Tuesday,
June 2nd at 6:30 PM WHERE: Greendale High School Henry Ross Auditorium , 6801
Southway, Greendale, WI 53129.”
Community Arts
Gimme 5: Artwork abounds at this year's Jubilee Eau Claire Leader Telegram June 5
“Editor's note: "Gimme 5" is a five-question interview on topics of local
interest. Is this an important fundraiser for the Eau Claire Regional Arts
Center? Yes! The Jubilee is our largest annual fundraising event and generally
sets the pace for the upcoming season. This year's is especially important,
given the impact the economy has had on arts organizations, and nonprofits in
general, over the last year.”
Literary
Get the inside story on artist Nohl Milwaukee Journal Sentinel June 4
“She lived in a simple home overlooking the lake, and she filled it - and the
land around it - with her art. But the primitive works that sprouted around the
home of Mary Nohl also gave way to legend and even fantasy. Was she a witch? Had
anyone actually seen the woman who created the stone-encrusted figures, the
driftwood sculptures? Had some unspeakable tragedy driven her to a reclusive
life”
Media Arts
Tickets for 'Public Enemies' screening Fox11 June 1
OSHKOSH – “Tickets go on sale Monday morning at the Leach Ampitheatre box
office for a June 30th screening of 'Public Enemies.' The movie was filmed
in-part in downtown Oshkosh. "It was neat for the city to have stars here,"
There are just more than 500 tickets for the screenings, ranging from $30
dollars for the movie alone to $75, including a reception at the old bank
building downtown where a robbery was staged for the film.”
Performing Arts
Presenting
This rocker has no sour grapes Milwaukee Journal Sentinel June 3
“If you know him at all, you probably know Maynard James Keenan as the
frontman for the art metal band Tool, renowned for such refined ditties as "Disgustipated,"
"Cold and Ugly" and "Stinkfist." But that's not quite the whole story. When he's
not on a heavy metal rampage, Keenan lives in Arizona's Verde Valley on his own
vineyard. He actually times his rock tours around harvest and bottling times for
the business, Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. A documentary film on his operation,
"Blood Into Wine: The Arizona Stronghold," is in production.”
Theater
Madison Mallards The Isthmus June 2
“The Mallards are excited to announce the team has partnered with The
Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson to bring fans “High School Musical Night” on
Tuesday, June 2 at the “Duck Pond.”
New talent gets a chance in Queer Shorts 4 evening of one-acts by StageQ The Isthmus June 5 – 7
“When asked to describe Queer Shorts, StageQ's annual festival of ultra-short
plays, Tara Ayres phrases her answer a bit like the saying about Midwestern
weather: If you don't like it, just wait a few minutes. Says Ayres, the
company's artistic director, "You get to see a lot of disparate stories in two
hours. Even if you don't like one of the shorts, you can wait five minutes and
it's over. It's a really accessible route into theater for people who may not
know about theater." Composed of 11 one-act plays told from an LGBT perspective,
Queer Shorts 4 (May 28-June 6) marks the first time the highly popular show has
been presented on the Bartell Theatre's larger stage, the Drury Theatre.”
New Bay View studio says Bring Your Own art OnMilwaukee.com “Milwaukee's art scene took some hard hits this past year with the loss of
Paper Boat Gallery, Spackle Gallery and recently, The Armoury Gallery. A
recession can be devastating to artists trying to make a living and new gallery
owners Kerry and Ken Yandell understand that. Their latest venture, BYO Studio,
is an interesting and inviting gallery and work environment at 2246 S.
Kinnickinnic Ave. that they've completely gutted and rehabbed from its former
days as a liquor store, and before that, Comique, one of Milwaukee's first
moving-pictures theater that opened more than a century ago.”
Monthly Autism Nights at the Central Wisconsin Children's Museum Wausau Daily Herald “Imagine a song stuck in your head...and it never goes away. Imagine people's
voices sounding so loud they're like fire engines. Imagine your soft cotton
T-shirt feeling like a burlap bag. Imagine not being able to feel food in your
mouth, or a full bladder. Imagine someone's simple touch feeling like fire.
Imagine having feeling in your hair and the pain of having it cut. Imagine
having Autism. CWCM has proudly offered Autism Night for the past two years. We
keep it simple, with a “less is more” attitude. The first Monday of every month
CWCM is open for free from 5-8pm exclusively for families that have children
with Autism.”
Arts Education
UWSP appoints Christopher Cirmo dean of Letters and Science Press Release/Wheeler Report “The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point has named Christopher Cirmo to the
post of Dean of the College of Letters and Science, Interim Chancellor Mark Nook
announced today. Cirmo comes to UWSP from the State University of New York at
Cortland, where he has been the chairperson of the Geological Sciences
Department and senior chairperson in the sciences. 'What struck me most about UWSP was the openness of the faculty and staff, and their willingness to do what
it took to address my questions, discuss issues and challenges, and present a
positive view of both UWSP and the Stevens Point area,' Cirmo said. 'What I see
is a fairly unique regional comprehensive liberal arts and sciences institution
which has manifest traditions and demonstrated willingness to move forward in
difficult budgetary times,' he added.”
Aspirus recognizes local artists through STAR program Wausau Daily Herald “Aspirus recently recognized the artistic ability of seven area high
schoolers and awarded the creators of the top three pieces of artwork with
scholarships. The recognition was part of the Fifth Annual Student Talent Art
Review (STAR) contest, which is sponsored by Aspirus Volunteers and promotes art
programs in local schools.”
Schools group seeking new funding method Leader-Telegram staff “Frustrated by the impact of continued budget cuts, a group that includes Eau
Claire school district teachers, staff and administrators are encouraging the
community to send state lawmakers an SOS distress call. Organizers of the Save
Our Schools - or SOS - postcard campaign are hoping that personal stories from
constituents will encourage legislators to seek new ways to fund public schools.
'Revenue caps on public schools are tying the hands of district administrators
and school boards throughout the state when it comes to efforts to continue the
strong public education, which every student in Wisconsin deserves,' according
to a press release from the SOS group…If cuts continue, programs such as
Memorial High School Jazz Ensemble I, which placed third this year at the
Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival in New
York, 'may be on the brink of elimination,' director Bruce Hering said at Monday
night's school board meeting, where some audience members wore 'Art is Not a
Frill' buttons. Jazz Ensemble I performed before the board meeting.”
Fox Lake Elementary open house draws interest Beaver Dam Daily Citizen FOX LAKE – “Staff, administration, parents, alumni and parents of alumni
gathered Tuesday for the Fox Lake Elementary open house. The classrooms were
open for the public to take a look or talk to the teacher. Historical documents,
including yearbooks, artwork and school board information, were on display in
the library and drew a steady crowd. Many parents were looking for their child's
picture in yearbooks.”
Save the falcon - Central High School’s mighty oak-turned-mascot cracking
with age Kenosha News PADDOCK LAKE — The mighty oak that stood in front of Central High School for
decades and was turned into a piece of living art to preserve a promise made in
the early 1950s, is cracking. 'It is splitting,' Superintendent Scott Pierce
said of the 15-foot-tall trunk with the school’s falcon mascot carved into it.
'It is the tree we made a commitment to keep. We are going to try everything we
can to salvage it.'”
Community Arts
Time to regulate Madison's street performers? City eyes permit, fees Wisconsin State Journal “Unregulated busking may be busted in Madison. State Street musicians and
others performing for donations have not been subject to fees or official rules
despite calls for regulation from the city’s street vending coordinator.
Attempts in past decades to regulate musicians under the city’s noise ordinances
have been roundly rejected by the courts. But during this year’s Dane County
Farmers’ Markets on the Capitol Square, a glut of street performers — including
balloon hat artists and a masseuse — has made even Ald. Mike Verveer, 4th
District, change his position on the issue.”
Decorative panels sought Sauk Prairie Eagle “The Sauk County UW-Extension Arts and Culture Committee and the Sauk County
Historical Society are asking organizations, families, classrooms, individuals
and businesses to name what they value as a community asset and create an
informational panel. In addition, these panels, which will be housed at the Sauk
County Historical Society, will be available upon request for various community
festivals, the county fair and for school tours. According to a press release
submitted by the arts and culture committee, assets can be social, historical
and natural. Interested parties should call Orris Smith at the Historical
Society at (608) 356-1001 to announce the intended subject. To submit a finished
panel drop it off at the Van Orden Mansion, 532 Fourth Ave. in Baraboo.”
Circus World Museum in need of local “History Detectives” - Original Interior
Design of Ringling Bros. Winter Quarters Office Building Eludes Circus World
Museum - Asks Public to Submit Photographic Evidence Press Release/Wheeler Report “Baraboo…Circus World Museum will soon be undertaking partial restoration of
the National Landmark Ringling Bros. Winter Quarters Office Building, but it has
no concrete photographic evidence of what the interior actually looked like when
the Ringlings Bros. Circus owned it. Built in 1901, the Queen Anne-style
residence was the offseason financial and operational hub of the brothers’
circus empire. 'The building is slated to have extensive exterior work done this
year, and depending on the budget, we will begin a good portion of interior work
as well', stated Steve Freese, Circus World Museum’s Executive Director.
'Obviously, our ultimate goal is to completely restore the building to its
original form, fully furnished, as the Ringlings would have used it between 1901
and 1918. We want to make it accessible to the general public year round so they
can tour the two-story building where five brothers ran the largest circus show
in the world.'”
Goodbye Paper Boat Blog: Art CityArt and architecture critic Mary Louise Schumacher/Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel “I stopped in at Paper Boat Boutique & Gallery on their final day, Sunday. It
was bittersweet to see that space so empty. It was sad because of the void
that's left behind, but nice to see that the community turned out to clear the
place out, too. I did pick up a bit of information about what's next for Faythe
Levine, co-owner of the shop and gallery with Kim Kisiolek. Levine will continue
to tour with her film, Handmade Nation. But she's got another project in the
works, too. She is going to create a second film about handmade sign makers.”
Literary
West Bend Library Board rejects allegations about controversial books GM Today WEST BEND – “After listening to nearly 60 comments about evenly split between
pro and con arguments, the West Bend Library Board Tuesday night unanimously
voted 9-0 to maintain 'without removing, relocating, labeling or otherwise
restricting access' the books in the young adult category at the West Bend
Community Memorial Library.”
Performing Arts
Music
New Berlin's Banshee to provide music for NASCAR speedway The Business Journal of Milwaukee “Banshee Music of New Berlin has partnered with Bristol Motor Speedway to
serve as official music provider to the NASCAR race track. The partnership,
which was announced Tuesday, will begin with the introduction of a custom,
12-song release designed to capture the feel of the fan experience at Bristol
and racing on the half-mile track. The compact disc is due for release early
this summer and will be available at retail and as a digital download.”
The Old Song and DanceTom Strini, the Journal Sentinel’s music and dance
critic, blogs about concert music and dance and, sometimes, art and life. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Since 1987, Early Music Now has given Milwaukee a window on the world of
"historically informed" performance of music before about 1800. For 22 years,
EMN has brought the best and the brightest in the field to town, from all over
Europe and the U.S. We've seen the field change in that time. In the old days,
some people could really play, but some just had the right instruments, a moral
certitude that the chaste, undramatic way was the right and the only way, and a
preference for velour costumens. Now, everyone can really play. The increase in
skill has led to less moral certitude and much more virtuosic flair. That is a
good thing. What we've seen at EMN concerts over the years is not a mirage but
an evolution in the field. The concept of authenticity, once the theoretical
keystone of the early music movement, doesn't even come up these days. A lot of
this was hashed out in London, long a hotbed of performance practice debate.
Stephen Pettit, a London critic who saw the whole thing unfold since the 1970s,
wrote a panoramic account of all of this in The Spectator. Very much worth
reading.”
Theater
Review: 'Grease' at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center a crowd pleaser Appleton Post-Crescent “If the audience at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center was disappointed by
the illness and absence of the “name” player at last night’s performance of
“Grease,” you certainly couldn’t tell. There was obvious disappointment in the
voices of people as they arrived and learned that Taylor Hicks of “American
Idol” fame was under the weather, but there was no such disappointment apparent
as the crowd leapt to its feet at the finale.”
Other
Art, music help Alzheimer's sufferers unlock memories - Assisted-living
facility gets ailing residents to express themselves Door county Advocate “They're gathered around a table to paint watercolors in an activity area of
the assisted living facility in Allouez. Their work space demonstrates that
creativity can sprout virtually anywhere from virtually anyone. The artists are
in the mid-to-late stages of Alzheimer's disease. 'We also have poetry/writing
groups,' says Noreen Greatens, life enrichment director at Bishop's Court. 'We
introduced dance, and we also use music. So we have the many disciplines.'"
WHEN YOU GO
Visual Arts/Museums
River Gems on the RiverWalk Art City Blogger Mary Louise Schumacher/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Now On Display “Have you had a chance to see the 'gems' on the RiverWalk yet? For the first
time, the annual temporary public art project, RiverSculpture!, will feature the
work of a single artist, John Ready. The 'River Gems' series can be seen
adorning various spots along the river from Wisconsin Ave. north to Cherry St.
The project is also the first public art created especially for the RiverWalk.”
Any there there in "There There?" Art City Guest Blogger Robert Bundy/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Through June 14 “I once saw the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans, and a memorable
drum solo from that performance came to mind recently. For that loping
stride-piano drowse of a piece – the solo started with a one-handed snare beat
in 4/4. The left hand never got involved. The drummer simply leaned back with a
Zen-like smile, his eyes half-closed into slits, like a man on his front porch
taking the breeze on a hot day, idly tapping his foot.”
Dawoud Bey Review Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Through July 12 “Imagine your high school yearbook photograph shot by Richard Avedon or
Irving Penn. Could a luminary photographer bring the packaged banality of these
head shots to life? It’s not a format with a lot of room, when getting the shot
and looking good are the over-riding goals. Still, for the past 15 years,
Chicago-based photographer Dawoud Bey has been working within this sequestered
genre and taking it somewhere noteworthy. 'Class Pictures' is an exhibition of
40 life-sized portraits of teenagers taken at six different high schools across
the country.”
Community Arts
Civic Center meeting scheduled Ashland Daily Press June 10 “After hearing at Monday's public forum citizens' requests to keep the DuPont
Civic Center open for community use, the Washburn Historic Preservation
Commission scheduled a meeting to figure out how to do it. The meeting will be
held at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, June 10, at Washburn City Hall. Member Carla
Bremner said they will discuss making a 'use plan' for the structure, which the
Washburn City Council does not want to pay to renovate or operate.”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Heritage Days celebrates Pen Park Door County Advocate June 9 “In honor of this year’s Peninsula State Park centennial celebration,
the Gibraltar Historical Association is dedicating Heritage Days 2009 to Door
County’s emerald treasure. Since its establishment 100 years ago, the park has
earned a reputation for its boundless recreational opportunities and natural
beauty. Positioned in close to proximity to Fish Creek, the park and community
have maintained a relationship that reflects a remarkable past.”
Literary
WriteCamp Dares You to Come Out and Play CricketToes June 6 “Enter the first ever WriteCamp Milwaukee: A tantalizing one-day event
happening this Saturday that no writer can hope to resist! Founded by James
Boone Dryden, owner of The JB Dryden Company professional editing group,
WriteCamp Milwaukee ambitiously aims to bring together writers, editors,
publishers, and anyone else with an interest in the art and business of writing.
Informal yet informative ad-hoc presentations and discussions will take place
all day, and two keynote speakers have graciously agreed to participate as well,
writer/novelist/musician Mike Magnuson and writer/novelist Karolis Gintaras
Žukauskas (a.k.a. Gint Aras).”
Media Arts
Rooftop Cinema Series starts Friday 77 Square June 5 “The setting -- the rooftop of the Overture Center on a summer night --
couldn't be more beautiful. That's part of the allure for the Madison Museum of
Contemporary Art's Rooftop Cinema Series, which kicks off its fourth year this
Friday. But these aren't summer blockbusters, or even movies you might find at
Orpheum or Sundance. Programmer Tom Yoshikami, a former programmer at the UW-Cinematheque,
assembles a slate of avant-garde shorts that aim to be offbeat and stimulating
but not alienating.”
Just over 100 tickets remain for "Public Enemies" advance screenings Oshkosh Northwestern June 30 “Only 105 tickets remain for the two advance screenings of Public Enemies
on Tuesday, June 30. Only 38 of the $75 VIP tickets remain available after the
second day the tickets were on sale, Oshkosh Area Community Foundation Marketing
Coordinator Samantha Zinth said. There were originally 280 of those tickets
available.”
“Public Enemies” Screening will Roll Out the Red Carpet - June 30 screener of
Universal Pictures action-thriller to benefit Film Wisconsin June 30 “On June 30, Madison will host a special advance screening of Public
Enemies, the new action-thriller from Universal Pictures that stars Johnny Depp,
Christian Bale and Academy AwardŽ winner Marion Cotillard. The film is directed
by UW-Madison graduate and acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann. Much of Public
Enemies was filmed in Wisconsin, including a pivotal scene at the Wisconsin
State Capital building in Madison.”
Performing Arts
Music
Cover Story: Female composers among Midsummer's Music surprises Door County Advocate The Season “The folks at Midsummer’s Music are excited about their upcoming 19th season.
They expect it will be their best. 'This should be a great, sparkling season,'
artistic director Jim Berkenstock said. 'There is something for every taste.'
'We have three works by Mozart and four by Schubert,' Berkenstock said. 'Every
one of our programs has a piece by one or the other.' As usual, Berkenstock also
programmed a number of works by lesser-known composers, including two women,
Melanie Bonis and Louise Farrenc.”
Ssion, Shane Shane, Trin Tran, Vinnie Toma, Homeownered, Problem Child The Isthmus June 3 “Wongz Walk announces 'Fresh Fish' Colt 45 Party Featuring SSION Wongz Walk
presents the internationally acclaimed music and theatrics of trashy gay disco
art punk pop group SSION. SSION and other featured bands will be providing the
music for another monthly mash-up Wongz Walk Colt 45 party. Opening acts for
SSION include Shane Shane (Screaming CynCyn and the Pons), Trin Tran, Vinnie
Toma, Homeownered and Problem Child (Pain Tractor/Deep Shit).”
Presenting
The gospel according to St. Vincent The singer-songwriter talks to
Decider in advance of Friday's show at the Pabst Decider June 5 “Singer-songwriter Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent, is no stranger to the
jangly, bright landscape of indie pop, having racked up years performing with
The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens’ touring band. Clark broke away from the
ensemble in 2007 with her debut solo album, Marry Me—named for a quote by Maeby
Fünke from Arrested Development—and took her collection of dreamy, cinematic
songs on the road for a year and a half. Now Clark returns with a sophomore
album, Actor, which stitches together bits of original scores inspired by a
truly eclectic mix of films, like Badlands and Sleeping Beauty.”
Theater
Greek meets disco - and you can play along Door County Advocate June 5-6 “ he 1890s barn at Woodwalk Gallery turns into a theater and dance club June
5-6 for 'Sing-Along Lysistrata — or Stop In The Name Of Love,' followed both
nights by a live music disco dance. Starring Lief Erickson and Valerie Murre
Schlick, the play is an adults-only (language and behavior) mix of audience
participation shows like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tina ’n’ Tony’s
Wedding with Greek playwright Aristophanes’ 490 B.C. classic comedy Lysistrata.
David Beck is musical director. The play revolves around a plot by Greek women
to achieve peace by refusing to be intimate with their husbands until they end
their 30 years of warfare against each other. The audience serves as the 'Greek
chorus,' singing along to hits like 'Stop In The Name Of Love,' 'Baby, I Need
Your Lovin,’' 'You Can’t Hurry Love' and 'Don’t You Want Somebody To Love.' The
play ends with a live band under a center-stage disco ball.”
Life or Death? Snap Milwaukee “Frankie fever spread through Milwaukee this past
April when former Milwaukeean and Nohl Fellowship recipient Frankie Martin
displayed her new work in an exhibition titled Life and Death? at The Green
Gallery West. Included were several paintings constructed out of drop cloths
from the artist’s studio, a window installation composed of found discarded
materials, as well as a large video projection of a 5-part, two channel, video
Who Died?”
Book Arts in Milwaukee Snap Milwaukee “Book art has begun to be taken seriously as an art
form in the Milwaukee community within the last few years. Its appeal as a
medium has to do with the different dimensions of presentation that are used in
a single book. The content, images and text-blocks in a book are two
dimensional; the book itself is three-dimensional, or sculptural; and the books
ability to be opened and paged through adds a fourth temporal dimension.”
Arts Education
Spring notes lift the spirit Hudson Star-Observer “The Hudson High School Choral Department presented
its spring concert May 27. The event filled the auditorium — 10 choral groups
moved seamlessly on and off the stages performing 24 numbers. Students presented
both conductors, Kari Heisler and Andy Haase, with mementos of thanks for their
guidance throughout the year.”
Community Arts
Madison Etsy explorations: Sugar Plum Collars - Shopping locally online The Isthmus “I don’t own a dog but the collars at Sugar Plum
Collars jumped out at me no less because of it. Sewn with fabric that is bright
and colorful, each one is adorable. The patterns are fun and certainly not ones
that you have ever seen used for a dog collar before. A Sugar Plum collar would
definitely make your pup the most unique on the block.”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Woodworker carves out historical piece Leader-Telegram COLFAX – “Gene Buck chuckles a bit when he sits back
on his chair and glances at the monstrous woodcarving that dominates his shop.
'Sometimes, when I sit down and look at it, I think, "I made that?" I have to
admit, for a guy who likes to whittle a bit, this has become quite a task,' Buck
said. Buck, 69, a retired graphic artist, moved with his wife, Sharon, from
Mounds View, Minn., to rural Colfax about eight years ago.”
Media Arts
New online arts journal launches Thursday Blog: Mary Louise Schumacher of the Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel June 4 “Billed as a 'haven for our community's many
voices,' a critical arts journal called SNAPMilwaukee will launch Thursday. The
online-only journal will cover architecture, visual art, film, music and
performing arts. SNAP will be a place for 'informed critical discourse in and
around the arts through in-depth study, commentary, historical analysis,
synthesis and discussion of what’s going on in this place at this time,'
according to a post on Facebook announcing the launch. A few articles have
already been posted to SNAP, including a piece on the Menomonee Valley by Don
Hanlon, a professor at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee., and a piece on book arts in Milwaukee from
Petra Press. Other categories show only headlines, images and the tag 'Coming
Soon.'"
Also... Aw SNAP! CricketToes “Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Queen of Art City,
Mary Louise Schumacher, helpfully informed us this morning that there's a new
artsy type kid on the block called SNAPMilwaukee, though the names of the
various kids involved are not new to anyone who even pays a modicum of attention
to the scene here. The administrative board includes the ever-evolving brothers
Riepenhoff--Joe and John--artist Cat Pham, former Armoury Gallery co-owner
Jessica Steeber, and Jake Palmert, who co-owns The Green Gallery East with the
John previously mentioned.”
Makela becomes Telegram general manager Superior Telegram “Erin Makela was named the new general manager of
the Superior Telegram today. Makela comes to the Telegram from the Duluth News
Tribune where she has worked as advertising marketing development manager since
November of 2005. She managed special sections, vendor sections and
business-to-business marketing. Recently, Erin has also worked with local
advertising agencies for their print and online media needs.”
Production company shooting horror movie in Eau
Claire Eau Claire Leader-Telegram “The sixth floor of a Banbury Place warehouse sat
mostly empty except for a few tattered couches and mattresses salvaged from
departing college students. Stationed between concrete pillars, a carpenter
assembled wood frames, his airgun whirling nails into the lumber. Grouped near a
freight elevator, white buckets contained red batter capable of mixing 400
gallons of stage blood. Kristopher Bishop, wearing a stocking cap and mirrored
aviator sunglasses, carried a sketch tablet. Assistants hovered as he walked.
Bishop, 33, of St. Paul, is directing the horror movie Fenris Unchained."
Performing Arts
Dance
Why Dance in Milwaukee? SNAPMilwaukee “Around the country, major metropolitan dance
centers have been faced with an ever-growing performing crisis. Notable
companies nationwide continue to lose their rehearsal spaces and financial
instability has forced many performers and choreographers to compromise their
vision. Through this panic, and in our favor, a grass-roots movement has
arrived. Milwaukee has just planted its seed.”
WHEN YOU GO
Visual Arts/Museums
Openings and closings this week Blog: Mary Louise Schumacher of the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel Various Dates and Locations
“Hello, welcome to the work week and the month of
June. Here's the weekly rundown of events that are opening and closing
throughout the state this week.”
FIRST FRIDAYS AT MMoCA: FASHIONABLY SUMMER Verve Madison June 5 “Don your most fashionable summer attire and join us
at MMoCA! Madison's popular Harmonious Wail will inaugurate the rooftop season
with their 'infectious blend of continental jazz, swing, gypsy music and melodic
vocals.' While the band takes five, join MMoCA's curators for a discussion of
the new exhibition Curator's Choice on view in the State Street Gallery.
Admission is $5, or free for members and anyone sporting white shoes or a white
handbag.”
GRAND OPENING: THE GALLERY AT YAHARA BAY Verve Madison June 5 “The Grand Opening of Yahara Bay Distillery's
Gallery, a gallery designed for celebrating Dane County artists. The opening
exhibit will feature 'The Forde Years.' Friday's evening will include music,
food, beverages and a tour of the distillery. Next door, the Madison Squash
Workshop will be open for tours and a gallery presenting the work of Mark Cullen
(mixed media) with more music, food and beverages.”
ART OPENING RECEPTION & EXHIBIT Verve Madison June 5 “Madison favorite Nancy Cox, Watercolorist &
Illustrator of the Colors of Hiku, is exhibiting her personal favorite from her
portfolio at Savoir Faire. The opening reception for Nancy will take place from
5:00 - 9:00 p.m. in the Savoir Faire Wine Bar. Beverages & appetizers will be
served, and a cash bar will be available.”
Paine nets masterpiece exhibit from Eastman
collection Oshkosh Northwestern June 6 – October 11 “In a modern millisecond, cell phones become
cameras. They capture our nights on the town. That family reunion. A vacation
landscape. We take it for granted how easy it is to freeze time these days. And,
often, we aren’t too concerned with what’s frozen – the color, the content, the
significance of the moment we’re capturing. So, consider what it took Carleton
E. Watkins to capture his 'Vernal Falls' image in the Yosemite Valley … in
1861.”
Atyam, Thaler-Cody-Sehak featured artists Chippewa Herald June 10 “Daniel Atyam and Pam Thaler-Cody-Sehak are the June
Artists of the Month at the Heyde Center for the Arts in Chippewa Falls. An
opening reception is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10.”
Arts Education
Main Events Eau Claire Leader Telegram June 8 “CAMPUS SERIES: Chippewa Valley blues group Blue Max
will kick off the University Centers' Summer Events series at UW-Eau Claire. The
free concert will be at 7 p.m. Monday on the Central Campus Mall. The rain site
is The Cabin in Davies Center. Led by slide guitarist Howard Luedtke, Blue Max
performs regularly at rock, blues and jazz festivals throughout Wisconsin and
Minnesota.”
Kid's series starts June 16 Chippewa Herald June 16 “The weekly children’s series, Chill on the Hill,
begins on Tuesday, June 16 and runs through Tuesday, Aug. 25. From 11:15 a.m. to
noon, children 4-10 will enjoy presentations by area artists and performers who
share their love of an instrument, a style of music, dance and other types of
artistic expression or cultural activity. Most offer an opportunity for
'hands-on' experiences.”
2-day institute on Arts Integration - Exploring Arts
Integration and Creativity through Music, Storytelling, and Literacy (no link) Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts June 18 and 19 “Instructor: Stuart Stotts - Leading edge educational
thinkers tell us that creativity and the ability to innovate will be the most
important skills to determine success for our students in the coming years. This
two-day workshop on Arts Integration and Creativity will involve participants in
explorations and techniques that will improve student engagement in learning and
enhance student creativity. This course is open to teachers of all content
areas and grade levels. Course content includes: - Specific arts integration
activities of music and literacy, including vocal warm up technique, percussion
and rhythm, song writing from books, reading comprehension strategies from
lyrics. - Storytelling techniques and connections with comprehension in emerging
readers. Using storytelling techniques to develop written pieces, incorporating
six traits concepts of voice, fluency, organization, and word choice. Workshop
credit available through Cardinal Stritch University. Credit sign-up available
the first morning of class. Course fee: $30.00 To register: contact Laura Aaron
Sear at 262-373-5037,
lsear@wilson-center.com<mailto:lsear@wilson-center.com before June
10 to receive registration materials.”
Community Arts
Youths can audition for 'Rumplestiltskin' at Heyde Center Chippewa Herald June 22 “Children (from those entering first grade to 12th
grade) are welcome to audition for one of the 50-60 spots in the play,
Rumplestiltskin from 10 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 22. There is no limit to
the number of children who may audition and every child has an equal chance of
being cast. The production is presented by the Missoula Children’s Theatre. The
auditions will be conducted by the two MCT Tour Actor/Directors at the Heyde
Center for the Arts, 3 S. High St., Chippewa Falls.”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Welcome to the 5th Annual Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival in Legion Park!! Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival June 5-6 “This old fashioned, outdoor, bluegrass festival,
sponsored by the Village of Brooklyn, is back with another outstanding line up
of bluegrass bands creating the unique Brooklyn bluegrass experience. Once
again, rough camping is available Friday and Saturday night with a campfire jam,
in our beautiful 15 acre Legion Park. The Festival is a short 20 minute drive
south of Madison’s beltline (Hwy 18 & 151) on Hwy 14, then 2 miles west on Hwy
92. The Village of Brooklyn welcomes you!!”
The Moth has tales to attract you to its light Milwaukee Journal Sentinel June 6 “When Tom Farley was approached by the storytelling
show, The Moth, to join its performers in Milwaukee this Saturday, he hesitated
for just the few minutes it took him to check out what The Moth was about. 'I
looked at it and thought, gosh, it's incredible,' he recalled. 'I jumped at the
chance. As I said to my producers, as an Irishman, I would be ashamed to turn
something like this down.'"
Literary
HOT
TRENDS: "The Flavor of Wisconsin" Channel 15 Madison June 9 “How would you like recipes directly from immigrants
to Wisconsin and the stories & old pictures behind them. The book Flavor of
Wisconsin, was so popular when it came out almost 30 years ago, they made a
second edition with an interesting twist. That's the focus of this week's Hot
Trends. Called the Flavor of Wisconsin..the book with more than 450 recipe's...
wants to save dishes from our grandparents at risk of being lost... 'Immigration
has been such an important tradition in what flavors the culinary traditions.'
The book also highlights traditions still being carried on today like the church
supper.”
Performing Arts
Music
La Crosse Concert Band series begins June 10 La Crosse Tribune The Summer Schedule “The 2009 La Crosse Concert Band season of free
concerts in Riverside Park features Broadway, John Philip Sousa, classical music
of Bugs Bunny and another concert hall gala at Viterbo University.”
Jazz in the Park w/ Bonifas Quintet Shepherd Express June 4 “Though Milwaukee wasn’t able to sustain a jazz
radio station, the Jazz in the Park concert series remains one of the city’s
most popular summertime traditions, drawing huge crowds of genre enthusiasts
alongside sun-soaking picnickers seemingly oblivious to the live music. As the
event has grown in size, organizers have repealed the carry-in beverage policy
that helped make the event so popular.”
ISTHMUS JAZZ FEST ON THE TERRACE Verve Madison June 5-6 “The best part of summer, undisputedly, is relaxing
on the Terrace, enjoying a drink, and taking in the sunset. The best addition to
this, of course, is jazz! Join us for two afternoons, evenings, and nights of
great jazz featuring some of Madison's best jazz performers. Past festivals have
included Gerri DiMaggio, Madisalsa, Richie Cole and Tony Castaneda. This year,
again, expect nothing but the danceable, the classic, and the best.”
Switchback to play at Pump House La Crosse Tribune June 6 “The duo Switchback will close out the 2008-09
Concert Series at the Pump House. They will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June
6.”
Steel Bridge Song Fest 2009 Scene June 11-14 “Bridge as metaphor. Bridge as inspiration. Musical
bridges…The idea was to save the Michigan Street Bridge in Sturgeon Bay from the
wrecking ball. A grassroots group formed to raise money for and public awareness
of the bridge. A byproduct of the group’s interest in historic preservation was
a weeklong gathering of musicians, now known as the Steel Bridge song Fest. The
event culminates in a series of concerts around Sturgeon Bay and in a yacht yard
in the shadow of the bridge, with a wide variety of music by local, state,
national and international artists. Jackson Browne has headlined at the final
main concert every year. But what the public does not see is how the week starts
off, with a group of invited songwriters convening and collaborating to create
new music that somehow relates to the bridge or a bridge. The best of those
songs are released annually on a Steel Bridge Songs CD, with each year’s
recording appearing on disc at the next year’s festival. Proceeds from the sales
go to a bridge fund held by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.”
2009 - The 26th Summer of Concerts on the Square Madison Verve The Summer Season “Concerts on the Square's 26th season with The
Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, led by Maestro Andrew Sewell, performs six
consecutive Wednesday evenings beginning at 7:00 p.m. June 24th.”
Presenting
Jenny Lewis Verve Madison June 4 “They say there are two sides to every story, but
that old saying might not quite cover it if we're talking about Jenny Lewis.
Over the decade she's showed us maybe four or five, depending on where you're
standing. With Rilo Kiley, her rock band of the past 10 years, she transformed
before our eyes from a shy indie-rocker singing barely above a whisper to the
authoritative, take-no-prisoners singer/songwriter/frontwoman we know today.”
Theater
WISCONSIN WRIGHTS: KIRITSIS Verve Madison June 4 “The play tells the true story of a small-time real
estate developer who in 1977 abducted the mortgage broker who foreclosed on the
property where he had hoped to build a strip mall. Anthony Kiritsis held his
hostage for three days. The play explores the relationship between the two men -
one volatile and anti-religious, the other conservative and devout - in the
pressure cooker of the hostage situation.”
An Arts Immersion Exhibit at Common Wealth Gallery
With original music composed and performed by Dave Smith, Wisconsin Arts Board
Fellowship Recipient for Music Composition The Isthmus June 5 Opening Reception “About Arts Immersion - We — the two dozen artists
who comprise Arts Immersion — find ourselves joined by an internal push to
produce art, often in multiple modes and media. We do photography, mixed media,
sculpture, poetry, prose, watercolor, pastels, oils, acrylics, and music
performance and composition. We often work collaboratively. Listed
alphabetically, the artists participating in more than one work in the Eunoia
exhibit include: Russell Gardner, Valerie Haefner, Kerry Hill, Kathy Lederhouse,
Kevin Lynch, Greg Markee, Patricia Obletz, Richard Quinney, Kalpana Prakash,
Janis Nussbaum Senungetuk, John Sheean, Daryl Sherman, Jo Simons, Dave Smith,
Katrin Talbot, and Eric Zillner.”
WISCONSIN WRIGHTS: THE LIGHTNING BUG Verve Madison June 5 “The year is 1939. The offices of the Magnopolis
Daily News are buzzing over the rumored return of Dr. Kasady, the evil genius
intent on global domination. As the reporters fight to get the scoop, little do
they realize that one of their own, the unassuming Rishamie Reid, holds the key
to defeating Kasady and saving the world.”
WISCONSIN WRIGHTS: BROKEN AND ENTERED Verve Madison June 6 “Vern and Wally inherit the house in the poor
neighborhood they grew up in. Vern hatches a plan: break into houses to fill up
the house again with items from what he imagines are other people's better
lives. Wally secretly plans another kind of escape with Jamila. When these plans
clash, this play about race, poverty, rage and love reaches a brutal that
reveals the consequences of trying to become a stranger to one's past.”
COMEDY OF ERRORS PREVIEW PERFORMANCE Verve Madison June 6 “The American Players Theatre will offer a preview
their season's production of Comedy of Errors, a play by William Shakespeare,
and directed by William Brown. Laugh and cry under the starlit sky at their
outdoor theatre. As its name implies, this play is funny - rife with the kind of
slapstick humor and wordplay that elicits howls of joy. But Comedy of Errors is
more than the sum of its pratfalls. It is a search for identity. It is loss, and
it is love, and it is trust.”
VIDEO OF THE DAY
ABC News about Iphone
Paintings
“Short piece that ABC news did about Wisconsin Artist, Susan Murtaugh, and her
Iphone paintings using "Brushes", pegged to Jorge Columbo cover of the New
Yorker magazine.”
Friday, 6/5
IN THE NEWS
Arts Education
UW-Stout hoping to offer bachelor's in video game design Eau Claire Leader-Telegram MADISON – “With plenty of jobs available for programmers and designers in the
multibillion-dollar video game industry, UW-Stout hopes to offer the state's
first bachelor's degree in game design and development this fall. A UW System
Regents committee Thursday recommended that the university in Menomonie be
allowed to integrate its applied mathematics and computer science program and
art and design program into a game design and development degree that would
prepare students in either discipline. The full Board of Regents will consider
the request today.”
Shawano Jazz Foundation gets it’s start through student’s contribution Shawano Leader Reporter “At a time of year when most high school seniors are receiving scholarships,
Alexandra Isaacson is awarding them. Isaacson, one of three valedictorians at
Shawano Community High School this spring, surprised the crowd at the school’s
music awards banquet Wednesday by announcing the creation of the Shawano Jazz
Foundation. In addition, she awarded the Foundation’s first two $250
scholarships — to SCHS freshmen Rachel Tierney and Scarlett Young. “I’ve had a
great high school experience in Shawano, and I wanted to find a way to give
something back,” Isaacson said. The inspiration for the jazz foundation came in
March, when Isaacson, a senior trumpet player, received a cash award for her
performance during a Milwaukee area jazz festival. Noting the enthusiasm of
several Shawano freshmen during the festival, Isaacson decided on the spot to
donate her $250 scholarship to an emerging Shawano jazz band participant.”
SCHS students honored for musical achievements Shawano Leader Reporter “Students in the Shawano Community High School bands, choirs and orchestras
were honored Wednesday during the sixth annual Music Awards Banquet, sponsored
by the Shawano Area Music Boosters Association (SAMBA). “As the mother of a
graduating senior, I have to say that the last four years have been a grand
adventure,” said Alex Schreiner, SAMBA scholarship chairperson. “The trips we
took, the friendships we made, the exposure we had to different musical genres,
the growth we experienced in music appreciation. And notice, I said we, because
Shawano School District is a family-friendly place where students and families
alike are able and encouraged to share in this journey.”
Community Arts
Destination ImagiNation competitors surprise themselves at Global Finals Hudson Star-Observer “Abby Duerst hasn’t gotten used to being a global champion. “It’s still
sinking in. Like, I’m so surprised,” the seventh-grader said five days after
returning from Knoxville, Tenn., with a Destination ImagiNation championship
medal. Duerst’s Hudson Middle School team placed first in its age group in the
Instinct Messaging challenge, besting 64 other teams from 42 states and five
foreign countries that made it to the Global Finals in the category. “Once they
called second place and all the special awards, I was just kind of like, there’s
no way we got first,” reported Erin Coyer, the other seventh-grader on the
team.”
Revitalizing Downtowns WJFW TV Rhinelander – “Members of "Main Street" communities from across the state are
meeting in a Northwoods city to work on making downtowns the place to be again.
Three years ago Rhinelander was named a "Main Street" community, and since then
a lot of work has been done to revitalize downtown. Now, other members of
downtown groups around the state are in town looking at the progress and sharing
ideas on how to continue making it better. From hanging flower baskets to an old
fashioned theater, there's a lot of character in downtown Rhinelander, and
visitors are taking notice. These aren't just any visitors, they're all downtown
Executive Directors from Main Street communities in the Badger state. The group
is in town for a 3-day conference, and everyone seems to be impressed by
downtown Rhinelander.”
Tourism holding its own in Dodge County Beaver Dam Daily Citizen
“In a year when many of the state economy's most important sectors were
down significantly, tourism remained strong, bringing $13 billion into the
Wisconsin economy, according to an analysis by the Wisconsin Dept. of Tourism.
Tourism continues to be an important part of Dodge County's economic base. In
2008, tourism brought $86.2 million into the county, a decrease of nine-tenths
of a percent from 2007. State officials estimate that revenue supports more than
1,975 full-time equivalent jobs countywide.”
Piano students perform at RAC Sauk Prairie Eagle “Thirty-eight area students participated in the Kids on the Keyboard event at
the River Arts Center on May 31 to raise between $500 to $600 for the Steinway B
piano fund . For this event, the students solicited pledges for their piano
playing with all the proceeds going to the fund. Each student had the
opportunity to play on the Steinway B grand piano. According to a press release
submitted by the River Arts Center, Nathan Cicero, a student of piano teacher
Patty Brisette started the afternoon followed by Marty Virschow's students
Mattea Holt, Heather Kuhnau, Rachel Kunau, Garret Kippley and Olivia Rauls.”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Days Gone By River Falls Journal “Editor’s Note: As one of its projects for 2009, the Historical Preservation
Commission will be adding a plaque near the limekilns below the lower dam,
explaining the history of the structures. The following information was
submitted by Dan Geister, along with photos from UW-River Falls Archives.”
Media Arts
Discussion: How do you like your news served? dane101 “The Internet is a bastion for different forms of journalism. Video, audio,
photo galleries and even tweets can compliment or sometimes even replace the
written word. Websites like CNN now often provide only a video newscast of a
story. Dane101 occasionally used image galleries or Soundlsides as different
mediums to cover an event. Last week I asked my friends on twitter and Facebook
their favorite way to receive the news. If they could choose only one –
written, video or image – what would they choose.
Zaffiro's draws from adjacent North Shore Cinema Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Mequon – “Dinner and a movie, that traditional night-out combo, could become
a one-stop package if David Marcus' business strategy pans out. Marcus in May
opened a sit-down Zaffiro's Pizzeria and Bar adjacent to North Shore Cinema,
11700 N. Port Washington Road. While Zaffiro's operates as a stand-alone
restaurant, roughly half of its business is coming from people who also are
seeing a movie next door. Marcus plans to expand Zaffiro's throughout the
Milwaukee area, including other movie theater locations. David Marcus is
managing partner of Marcus Investments, which is owned by members of the Marcus
family. North Shore Cinema is owned by Marcus Theatres Corp., the area's largest
theater circuit. Marcus Theatres is part of Marcus Corp., a publicly traded
company founded by the Marcus family, and led by Chairman Stephen Marcus,
David's father, and Chief Executive Officer Gregory Marcus, David's brother.”
MillerCoors pulling mobster-themed advertisements Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Miller Lite TV ads that feature an actor from "The Sopranos" are being
dropped because of complaints that they perpetuated stereotypes of Italians as
mobsters. The TV spots feature a pair of menacing characters, one of them
portrayed by veteran character actor Frank Vincent. They approach a bartender in
one spot and a convenience store clerk in another ad. In both spots, the
wiseguys offer "protection." But the bartender and clerk both say they already
have protection, in the form of improved bottle caps and can lids that help
protect the freshness of Miller Lite. The ads never use the word Mafia.”
Performing Arts
Music
Moe: Awards keep coming for Bunny Wisconsin State Journal “The call came last spring, when Ginny O'Brien was visiting her friend Joyce
Berigan Hansen at the Sunny Hill Health Center on Nakoma Road. Ginny was closer
to the phone and took the call for Joyce. She listened and her eyes got wide. A
vice-president from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
(ASCAP) was on the line. He had news for Joyce. ASCAP was adding Joyce's dad to
its Jazz Wall of Fame. When your dad is Bunny Berigan, those things happen. The
call from ASCAP was a highlight of what has become a warm friendship between
O'Brien, who delights audiences weekly singing Dixieland jazz Mondays at the
Avenue Bar, and Hansen, the 73-year-old daughter of a jazz legend. Bunny
Berigan, who was born in Hilbert and grew up in Fox Lake, less than an hour
northeast of Madison, passed like a meteor across the jazz world, burning bright
and gaining international renown as a trumpet player, only to flame out,
consumed by alcohol, before his 35th birthday. Berigan's freewheeling trumpet
sparked big bands led by Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman. He worked in the studio
for vocalists including Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday. Berigan's best known
recording, "I Can't Get Started," revered by Louis Armstrong, was featured in
the classic noir film "Chinatown" more than 30 years after Berigan's death.”
Justin Perkins gets the perfect take There's a good chance your favorite
Milwaukee band has worked with the engineer-producer Milwaukee Decider “A ubiquitous name in the liner notes of Wisconsin music releases,
Milwaukee’s Justin Perkins is an in-demand engineer-producer who has recorded
recent albums by Cory Chisel, The Candeliers, Goodnight Loving, Blueheels, and
Hayward Williams, among others. Perkins, 28, got his start in the studio
recording his own bands, including Yesterday’s Kids, a pop-punk outfit that was
signed to Ben Weasel’s label, Panic Button, in the early '00s. While Perkins
eventually moved on to The Obsoletes, he maintained a relationship with Weasel,
who recently asked him to join the touring versions of Screeching Weasel and The
Riverdales. (Perkins also recorded The Riverdales' forthcoming record due in
July.) When he’s not playing with Weasel, Perkins focuses on his studio work for
other bands, which garnered him a 2009 Producer Of The Year award from the
Wisconsin Area Music Industry in April.”
Inquiring minds want to know... did Delfs or didn't he? Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “I think it was sometime in 2007 that a music fan stopped me at intermission
during a Milwaukee Symphony concert and asked whether maestro Andreas Delfs was
dyeing his hair. I had no idea. I hadn't noticed any change and the question
hadn't occurred to me. Of course during the second half I couldn't stop looking
at the conductor's substantial mane. It did seem dark. Lately, the still-lush
hair on Delfs' 49-year-old head has been looking pretty gray.”
Theater
Playwrights get to hear their stuff in Wisconsin Wrights New Play Project The Isthmus “Madisonian Kurt McGinnis Brown has some advice for fellow writers: Treat
writing like work. "Don't assume you should be enjoying it," he says. Relevant
words for anyone who has ever sat in front of a blank computer screen and felt
like running off to do the dishes, pull weeds, do anything but write. "In time,"
he says, "you'll develop the same guilt feelings at being late to your desk as
with whatever paid job you might have. Eventually, a play gets written."
Other
The Artful Manager: Weekly Summary ArtsJournal.com "Here are this week's posts to The Artful Manager, a weblog on the business of
arts & culture written by Andrew Taylor, Director of the UW-Madison’s Bolz
Center for Arts Administration and hosted by ArtsJournal.com."
CURRENT EVENTS
Visual Arts/Museums
Paine nets masterpiece exhibit from Eastman collection Oshkosh Northwestern June 6 – October 11
“In a modern millisecond, cell phones become cameras. They capture our nights
on the town. That family reunion. A vacation landscape. We take it for granted
how easy it is to freeze time these days. And, often, we aren’t too concerned
with what’s frozen – the color, the content, the significance of the moment
we’re capturing. So, consider what it took Carleton E. Watkins to capture his
“Vernal Falls” image in the Yosemite Valley … in 1861.”
Madison Art Bikes 2009 to rally 'round the Capitol on Saturday morning Isthmus June 6
“Bicycles are a Madison summer staple. From fancy Bianchis to mountain bikes
bought at Target, we all love a good ride through the Arboretum, down the
Lakeshore Path or beside Lake Monona. Biking is also an eco-friendly method of
transportation to both work and play. And no group celebrates this healthy car
alternative more than Madison Art Bikes and their annual Art Bikes Rally. In
collaboration with the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, Madison Art Bikes will
kick off Bike to Work Week (June 6-12). This Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m., the
group will meet at the top of State Street near the Madison Children’s Museum
for bike decorating.”
Curators' Choice: New Works from MMoCA's Collection The Isthmus June 6-November 8
“Curators' Choice: New Works from MMoCA's Collection presents selected works
that have entered the museum's permanent collection in the last three years. The
exhibition will feature works by Vito Acconci, Mari Eastman, Chris Finley, Sam
Gilliam, Sol LeWitt, Claes Oldenburg, Stephanie Pryor, Tyson Reeder, John Wilde,
Cindy Wright, and Ida Wyman, among others. Works in the exhibition were selected
by MMoCA curator of collections Rick Axsom, director Stephen Fleischman, and
curator of exhibitions Jane Simon.”
Garden party time at the Villa Terrace Milwaukee Journal Sentinel June 7
“The Renaissance Garden on the grounds of the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts
Museum opens for the season Sunday. To celebrate, the museum will let visitors
in for free from 1 to 5 p.m. The courtyard eating area, Café Sopra Mare, opens
at 10 a.m. with live music by Mrs. Fun. This duo, Connie Grauer on keyboards and
Kim Zick on percussion, plays contemporary "hardcore electra-acid-jazz," as it's
described on the group's Web site, mrsfun.com. Mrs. Fun has worked with Violent
Femmes' drummer, Victor DeLorenzo, on several of his solo recordings. The duo
also won best contemporary jazz group from the Wisconsin Area Music Industry
three times in a row.”
Atyam, Thaler-Cody-Sehak featured artists Chippewa Herald June 10
“Daniel Atyam and Pam Thaler-Cody-Sehak are the June Artists of the Month at
the Heyde Center for the Arts in Chippewa Falls. An opening reception is from
4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10.”
Milwaukee aldermen seek say on public art, nix streetcar panel Milwaukee Journal Sentinel June 16
“Seeking to referee future artistic disputes, a Milwaukee Common Council
committee has recommended requiring that all public art projects be reviewed by
the city Arts Board and approved by the council before they move forward. The
ordinance follows a controversy over artist Janet Zweig’s planned flip-art
kiosks, which will be installed as part of the Wisconsin Ave. streetscaping
project. The council approved the $300,000 artwork 12-2 in April, but aldermen
were angry that the city already was committed to pay some of the money to Zweig
before they weighed in. The full council will consider the issue June 16.”
Arts Education
Late art teacher's dream now a reality Wisconsin State Journal June 7
“Even in an old park shelter, as he lugged around garden hoses to mix clay
and untangled extension cords to connect electric potters’ wheels, Don Hunt
dreamt of a year-round place to teach his art. That dream came true earlier this
year with completion of the Adamah Clay Studio, a 3,000-square-foot ceramics
workshop and school near Dodgeville that will be dedicated Sunday. Hunt, a
former West High School art teacher who died in August of brain cancer at age
62, gave the school its vision, and was able to witness its groundbreaking early
last summer.”
Community Arts
Overture offers affordable entertainment options Dane101 Various Dates
“Every year we hear that Overture Center is "only for the rich." But this
year, like every year, we have an awful lot of shows that won’t cost much more
than what you just spent on Star Trek and a bucket of popcorn. Single tickets go
on sale August 15, so for now we’re concentrating on subscriptions. Believe it
or not, you can get a subscription to four shows for about the same price (or
not much more) as just one Badger football game (which run $46, if you’re lucky
enough to pay only face value). A couple of examples:”
Folk Arts/Folklife
Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival The Isthmus June 5 – 6
“It is our 5th Annual Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival located in Brooklyn WI (15
miles south of Madison) in a lovely rural park setting. That would be Legion
Park.”
Media Arts
Rooftop Cinema commences senior year of avant-garde film atop MMoCA The Isthmus The Summer Season
“Four years is a long time in a transient college town, certainly enough to
make Rooftop Cinema at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art an abiding summer
tradition. The four week-long avant-garde and experimental film series returns
on Friday for yet another all-too-short month of screenings atop a rooftop
garden overlooking State Street. Launching the series in 2006 shortly after the
museum opened, UW-Madison film student Tom Yoshikami has programmed Rooftop
Cinema each summer since. His experiences with developing the museum’s series,
along with those previously programming UW Cinematheque and the Wisconsin Film
Festival, are invariably a balancing act.”
"Public
Enemies" Celebrations NBC 15 Madison Various Dates
“We are now just a few weeks away from the July 1 national opening of "Public
Enemies" and many places around the state where parts of the film was shot are
preparing. "It is all everyone was talking about. Everyone was wearing the
Public Enemies t-shirt. It was crazy," remembered Danielle Tramburg who lives
and works in Columbus. And now they hope to re-live it. On July 25, to
commemorate the filming of "Public Enemies" the City of Columbus will have a
party. It was put together by Julie's Java House, which fed the studio crew
while they filmed.”
Columbus residents offered bus trip to 'Public Enemies' Baraboo Daily Citizen July 1
COLUMBUS — “The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation will host "Public
Enemies" Premiere Night on July 1. "Public Enemies" is the Universal Studios
film that stars Johnny Depp as John Dillinger. The movie, directed by Michael
Mann, also stars Christian Bale. It was filmed throughout the Midwest with
scenes shot in both Columbus and Beaver Dam.”
Performing Arts
Music
Freeman Friday Night Live launches GM Today June 5
WAUKESHA – “It’s known as Freeman Friday Night Live, but this summer, the
free weekly music series in downtown Waukesha just may go by the name “Freeman
Friday Night Five.” That’s because for the first time, Freeman Friday Night Live
will have five stages and five performers playing every Friday – starting
tonight at 6:30 p.m. These ‘personal concerts’ come from the area’s top local
talent in all genres of music, including jazz, folk, rock, country and even
bluegrass. The musicians use the opportunity to gain exposure, try out new
material and play in front of a live audience. The performers set up underneath
green garden tents and play for two hours.”
Isthmus Jazz Festival The Isthmus June 5 - 6
“Now in its 21st year, the Isthmus Jazz Festival will take place at the
Memorial Union Terrace, June 5 & 6. The free festival will feature live jazz
from some favorite performers and some new faces starting Friday from 4 pm to
midnight and Saturday from 2 pm to midnight. More information about the 2009
Isthmus Jazz Festival is located at
www.isthmusjazzfestival.com.”
Also... Local lineup sure to please at Isthmus Jazz Fest 77 Square June 5 - 6
“As a jazz archivist, collector, talent agent and longtime disc jockey, Gary
Alderman has rightly earned his chops as Madison's jazz renaissance man. So when
he raves about the Isthmus Jazz Festival's two-day lineup, fans can trust the
solid endorsement. Granted, Alderman is on the committee that helps select the
acts performing at the Memorial Union Terrace for the 21st annual fest. But he
insists that the city is home to a wealth of jazz talent and the festival's
performers, all with Madison ties, prove that sentiment.”
Jazz series opens June 12 at the Park Ashland Daily Press June 12
“Two nationally-acclaimed jazz stars kick off the North Woods Health Center's
Series of Jazz at the Park Theater on Friday, June 12. Singer Connie Evingson
and jazz pianist Mary Louise Knutson top a double bill at the Park Theater at
7:30 p.m. Jazz singer Evingson has appeared in clubs and concert halls across the U.S.,
in Europe and Japan, and has been a guest soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra
and the Toronto Symphony. She is the creator of the original stage production,
“Fever, A Tribute to Peggy Lee,” which she has performed at theatres across the
country. Connie has released eight CDs; all of them charted in the Top 50 Jazz
Releases in the U.S. and Canada.”
Presenting
Now Playing briefs Hudson Star-Observer June 10
“Lorie Line plays here Pianist Lorie Line and five musicians from her Pop
Chamber Orchestra will perform at The Phipps Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 10. Line is celebrating her 20th year of touring this year. She
was discovered in the Minneapolis Dayton’s, where she serenaded shoppers.”
Theater
Phipps stages ‘Joseph’ next month Hudson Star-Observer July 10 – August 2
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” a musical by Andrew
Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, will be performed July 10–Aug. 2 at The Phipps
Center for the Arts. “Joseph” was the first collaboration between the famed
composer and lyricist. Set to a high-energy mixture of musical styles, from
country western and calypso to pop and rock ‘n’ roll, the tale is based on
an Old Testament story has been a family favorite since its debut in the
early ’90s.”
VIDEO OF THE DAY
Baraboo - A film by
MARY SWEENEY -- Official Trailer -- 2009 “Set in bountiful rural Wisconsin, Baraboo follows six people who have each
carved a life out for themselves at Petersen’s Cabins, a rundown motel/resort.
Some are there by choice, and others by circumstance. They circle one another
with caution, desire, anger, confusion and compassion, inching their way toward
understanding. The movie is getting its world premiere at the Edinburgh
International Film Festival in a few weeks.
WAB Wisconsin Arts News is a free service of the Wisconsin Arts Board, the state agency responsible for the support and development of the arts in Wisconsin. These articles are from a variety of
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