Ruckus December 23, 2022

WMPAC still learning after first decade

BY RACHEL HERGETT FOR THE CHRONICLE

As the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center prepares for its 10th season of winter shows, executive and artistic director John Zirkle said the organization is still leaning into its adventurous spirit, attempting to look at each year and each challenge with fresh eyes as inspired by its namesake. Warren Miller was a ski film pioneer who lived half of each year in Big Sky leading up to his death in 2018.

“He believed freedom existed out in the mountains,” Zirkle said. “And he used to really encourage that type of thinking.”

Zirkle has tried to stick to Miller’s core philosophy in looking at the arts and the performing arts as taking the audience on an adventure, something that tied in well with the mentality of residents of places like Big Sky.

“Everybody’s instinct is a constant search for freedom,” Miller said in a video promoting the new space. “That’s one of the reasons why a creative arts center — people can get on stage here and create, in my opinion, a whole lot better than they can if they’re living in a half a bedroom apartment somewhere in

Manhattan. Just because people move to a ski resort, doesn’t mean that they move away from the arts.”

Zirkle keeps going back to Miller’s thoughts about mountain towns when he reflects on a decade of the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center.

“Warren’s challenge is ‘You can do anything in a ski town,’ and I think there’s some truth to that,” Zirkle said over the phone on Friday evening. “Because there is a really healthy, robust, vibrant community spirit in Big Sky of, like, people want to get things

done. They want to see the promise of a community out in the mountains realized.”

WMPAC represents that promise for Zirkle, who has been involved with the organization from its inception and wants to see it continue growing.

“We’re 10 years old,” Zirkle said over the phone on Friday evening. “We’re like a fifth grader. We’re still really young… We’re still discovering who we are.”

WMPAC’s 10th winter season opens on Dec. 28 with mandolinist Sierra Hull and features events like a live version of NPR’s “Planet Money,” a staging of “The Three Musketeers” from The Acting Company, drumming from TAIKOPROJECT and the Ahn trio, an experimental classical group comprised of Montana State University professor and Bravo! Big Sky Music Festival artistic director Angella Ahn and her sisters, performing with the James Sewell Ballet.

“There is a show for everybody on the season, though not every show is for everybody,” Zirkle said, highlighting WMPAC’s desire to push the boundaries, to adventure in art. “If we tried to make sure every show was for everybody, we wouldn’t be doing our job.”

Chronicle File, Tori Pintar

ABO VE: The Warren Miller Performing Arts Center in Big Sky in 2013. BELOW: WMPAC’s take on an escape room in the pandemic, “Through the Fourth Wall”, was designed by Jason McDowell-Green, Alejandra Fajardo, Maya Davis and Ben Truppin-Brown.

Fri 12/23

Celtic Quintet

@ 6pm

Music from Ireland, Scotland and places beyond. Valhalla Meadery, 875 Bridger Drive, Bozeman. knealh49@gmail com

Intermediate Country Swing

@ 6:30pm / $15

Been dancing for a while? Need some styling or new moves? Or need to work on you lead/follow with a new partner This class is for you!! Starlite Bozeman, 622 East Tamarack Street, Bozeman. mt countrydance@gmail com, 406570-7422

Marcedes Carroll: Montage @ 7pm Montage Big Sky, 995 Settlement Trail, Big Sky

Sat 12/24

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service @ 5:15pm

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service Fellowship Baptist Church, 516 East Bryant Street, Bozeman. info@fbc-mt.org

Tue 12/27

Beginner Country Swing @ 7:30pm / $15

Learn Montana's favorite style of dancing! Simple and �uid you will �nd folks dancing country swing everywhere under the big sky! No partner needed! Starlite Boze‐man, 622 East Tamarack Street, Bozeman. mtcountrydance@ gmail com, 406-570-7422

Bone Dry Comedy Hour

Open Mic

@ 8pm

Bone Dry Comedy brings Open Mic night to Last Best Comedy

Our weekly open mic is a sup‐portive place to start your comedy journey, try new material, and connect to the Bozeman Stand up scene. Last Best Comedy, 321 East Main Street, Bozeman. info@ lastbestcomedy com, 406-5707766

Wed 12/28

Sierra Hull

@ 5:30pm / $30

Mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull and her band kick off the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center's 10th Anniversary season on Weds, Dec. 28th with two shows at 5:30pm and 8:00pm. Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, 45465 Gallatin Road, Gallatin Gateway cara@warrenmiller pac.org, 406-995-6345

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

East Main Street, Bozeman. info@ lastbestcomedy com, 406-5707766

Warren Miller Performing Arts Center (Early + Late Show) - Sierra Hull @ 8pm

Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, 45465 Gallatin Rd, Gallatin Gateway

Thu

Aaron Ban�eld @ 7pm

Live music while you soak! Featur‐ing the Bozeman-based folk artist

Aaron Ban�eld Bozeman Hot Springs, 81123 Gallatin Road, Bozeman. adam@bhsprings com, 406-586-6492

Montana State Bobcats Mens Basketball vs. Idaho Vandals Mens Basketball @ 7pm

Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, 1 Bob‐cat Circle, Bozeman

The Roast of '22 @ 8pm / $15

Intermediate Country Swing

@ 6:30pm / $15

Been dancing for a while? Need some styling or new moves? Or need to work on you lead/follow with a new partner This class is for you!! Starlite Bozeman, 622 East Tamarack Street, Bozeman. mt countrydance@gmail.com, 406570-7422

Friday Night Stand-Up with Lucas Zelnick @ 7pm / $20-$25

Lucas Zelnick is a stand-up co‐median born, raised, and based in New York City, who challenges his cushy upbringing through punchheavy material Last Best Comedy, 321 East Main Street, Bozeman. info@lastbestcomedy com, 406570-7766

Marcedes Carroll: Montage @ 7pm

Montage Big Sky, 995 Settlement Trail, Big Sky

are taught and called. Danceable costumes encouraged. Potluck dinner at 6:30 with a Community Dance to follow. Eagle Mount Bozeman, 6901 Goldenstein Lane, Bozeman. doubleboyd@aol.com, 406-580-2559

Bozeman Folklore Society

New Years Eve Community Dance

@ 7:30pm / $12

For all dances we provide live mu‐sic and callers, all ages are wel‐come, and partners are not re‐quired Eagle Mount Bozeman, 6901 Goldenstein Lane, Bozeman. doubleboyd@aol com, 406-5802559

New Year's Eve - Crystals and Cowboys

Bozeman Film Society

A Roast is the best way to Toast to 2022! Elections, the Olympics, the attack on the Ukraine, World Cup soccer, 2/22/22 on a Tuesday .it's been a crazy year. Last Best Comedy, 321 East Main Street, Bozeman. info@lastbestcom edy com, 406-570-7766

The Dirty Shame: Private Event @ 8pm

Montage Hotel, Big Sky Meadow Village

Eli Howard and the Greater Good @ 7pm

Stacey's Old Faithful Bar & Steak‐house, 300 Mill St, Gallatin Gate‐way

El Wencho: New Years Eve EVE at the Attic @ 7pm

The Attic Montana, 110 N Main St, Livingston

The Lil Smokies @ 8pm

The Elm, 506 S 7th Ave, Bozeman

@ 8pm Say adios to 2022 Cowboy Style Country music, swing dancing, line dancing, dinner and drink specials Party bus from Gallatin Valley Mall The Jump Restaurant & Marketplace, 75770 Gallatin Road, Gallatin Gateway mtcoun trydance@gmail com, 406-5707422

The Last Best Night of the Year!

@ 8pm / $25 Join us for our Comedy Count‐down to 2023! Last Best Comedy, 321 East Main Street, Bozeman. info@lastbestcomedy com, 406570-7766

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs: New Years Eve at The Elm!

Set in the international world of Western classi‐cal music, we meet Lydia Tár, the groundbreaking conductor of a major Ger‐man Orchestra, who's life unravels in a singularly modern way. Rated R. 2h 37m. Ellen Theatre, 17 West Main Street, Boze‐man. lisa@bozeman�lmso ciety.org, 406-581-2188

House Team Night & Jam! @ 8pm

We have two new House Teams that are ready to try some stuff out and showcase their improv prowess! Starting at 8pm our teams will each get a 30 minute show and then it's time to JAM! FREE! Last Best Comedy, 321

@ 8pm The Elm, 506 S 7th Ave, Bozeman

Featuring the Bozeman-based al‐ternative folk duo “Brambles & Briar” Bozeman Hot Springs, 81123 Gallatin Road, Bozeman. adam@bhsprings com, 406-5866492

line dancing, dinner and drink specials. Party bus from Gallatin Valley Mall The Jump Restaurant & Marketplace, 75770 Gallatin Road, Gallatin Gateway mtcoun trydance@gmail com, 406-5707422

The Last Best Night of the Year!

@ 8pm / $25 Join us for our Comedy Count‐down to 2023! Last Best Comedy, 321 East Main Street, Bozeman. info@lastbestcomedy.com, 406570-7766

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs: New Years Eve at The Elm!

@ 8pm The Elm, 506 S 7th Ave, Bozeman

Happy Hour Open Mic at Last Best Comedy @ 5pm

Join us for Happy Hour Open Mic with host Jon Jacobs! The perfect end of the week activity. Grab your of�ce mates and come try your hand at some comedy Signups start at 5:30pm Last Best Comedy, 321 East Main Street, Bozeman. info@lastbestcom edy com, 406-570-7766

Fri 12/30 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////

Celtic Quintet @ 6pm

Music from Ireland, Scotland and places beyond Valhalla Meadery, 875 Bridger Drive, Bozeman. knealh49@gmail com

Two Runner / The Lil Smokies @ 8pm

The Elm, 506 S 7th Ave, Bozeman

Sat 12/31

Montana State Bobcats

Mens Basketball vs. Eastern Washington Eagles Mens Basketball @ 2pm

Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, 1 Bob‐cat Circle, Bozeman

Bozeman Folklore Society

New Years Eve Family Dance

@ 5:30pm / $15

All ages welcome at this kidfriendly event. Live band all dance

STiLGoNE @ 9pm The Elm, 506 S 7th Ave, Bozeman

Madeline Hawthorne Music

@ 9pm The Elm, 506 S 7th Ave, Bozeman

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If family dynamics served with a side of restaurant business is what you crave, a docuseries coming to Food Network and discovery+ may sate the palate.

In “Chef Dynasty: House of Fang,” premiering Tuesday, Dec. 27, viewers are introduced to the Fang family of San Francisco, who own and operate the House of Nanking, a popular Chinese eatery and fixture on the Financial District culinary scene since 1988.

At the restaurant’s heart are its father/ daughter co-owners Peter and Kathy Fang, who also represent its yin and yang. While Peter, 74, is old school and tends to prefer the recipes that made the restaurant the hot destination it is, 40-year-old Kathy feels it’s important to modernize the menu, take risks and play to young influencers.

And while there is a natural conflict between these forces, “Chef Dynasty” isn’t about arguments and drama, stresses Kathy Fang, as much as it is a window into the running of a

successful family restaurant. And it all starts with her and Peter.

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“And it’s hard sometimes because my dad has been so successful with House of Nanking, you can’t argue with him ... . He’s always talking about people coming in and wanting the same things. They don’t want new dishes; they want the same friggin’ thing that they had 20 years ago. They’ll be sad if it’s not there anymore. So there are a lot of valid points to what my dad is saying and I take all those into account.

“But we also still have to innovate and change with the times,” she continues, “because I don’t think you can do the same exact thing for 50 years. Maybe you can do it for 40 years, 45, but it’s not going to work 60 to 80 if we want to create this dynasty. Maybe my kids will want to do this, too, then we do have to evolve.

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While the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center is perhaps best known for its annual slate of winter events, the attached Ophir School and its students have always been core to the mission of the organization.

“We want to bring in national acts, not just to entertain tourists, but to inspire our kids,” Zirkle said in a 2013 interview with the Chronicle about the inaugural season. “It makes us a more creative, interesting community.”

WMPAC opened on March 12, 2013, six years after the attached Ophir School and following a $1.94 million fundraising effort by the Big Sky community, Friends of Big Sky Education and the Big Sky School District. The theater serves the school where Zirkle still teaches, hosting awards presentations, lectures and performances. The school cafeteria is converted into an atrium gathering space for larger events.

“With the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, the thing that grounds me the most is that we’re on the campus of a school,” Zirkle said. “So I get to teach high school every day.”

Zirkle, who moved to Big Sky in 2009 and has started a variety of performance groups in the area, said he has now mentored students from kindergarten through their high school graduation.

“To have the privilege to get to work in the arts and education consistently, I think is really, really special,” Zirkle said. “Every day I try to remind myself of that.”

The past decade hasn’t been the easiest time to be a new arts organization.

“I’d be lying if I said it went by really quickly,” Zirkle said. “The last few years have certainly made things interesting.”

While the now 10-yearold space is still held dear to the community, Zirkle said shutdowns for COVID-19 forced the organization to look beyond the stage to inspire the people of Big Sky and beyond.

‘We realized that maybe we’re bigger than the four walls of the theater,” Zirkle said. “We had to be for the pandemic and we learned that we could be.”

Exactly seven years after it opened, the theater closed its doors on March 12, 2020. Not deterred, Zirkle said WMPAC began virtual offerings in the first week of April. Then, the theater explored small group activities, like a theater-sized escape room.

In Dec. 2020, the

organization built a crosscountry skiing course around a 9-foot Steinway piano, weatherized against moisture and freezing temperatures. Gloved pianist Hunter Noack performed to an audience

The event, Zirkle said, “literally put people on skis. It doesn’t get more Warren Miller than that.”

This winter season is a celebration of getting people back into the theater, filling the seats and sharing in the community spirit.

“Our programming reflects that,” Zirkle said. “It’s joyful. It’s exciting. It’s comfortable. It’s wonderful.”

“And it’s worth the drive,” he added.

Provided photos by Tori Pintar

TOP: Ira Glass dances with Monica Bill Barnes and Flannery Gregg at a sold-out Warren Miller Performing Arts Center show March 9, 2019.

ABOVE: Broadway actors Abby Mueller and Ben Jacoby perform in a production of Jason Robert Brown’s “The Last Five Years”.

Solution on page 12

BY GEORGE DICKIE

Questions: Answers:

1) On Christmas Day 1984, this All-Star forward scored 60 points in a New York Knicks victory over the New Jersey Nets. Can you name him?

2) In 1971, the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs played an AFC playoff game that was the longest NFL game ever. Who kicked the winning field goal in double overtime?

3) Which team, the Cleveland Browns or Los Angeles Rams, won the Christmas Day 1950 NFL title game?

4) What leadoff hitter extraordinaire was born on Christmas Day 1958?

5) What fiery former major league manager and player perished in a motor vehicle accident on Dec. 25, 1989?

6) What former Oakland Raiders field general was a Christmas baby in 1945?

7) Born on Christmas 1946, this All-Pro running back won two Super Bowls. Name him.

8) This 1946 Heisman Trophy winner was born on Dec. 25, 1925. Who was he?

9) The son of an NFL great, this soccer star was born on Dec. 25, 1950. Can you name him?

10) On the day after Christmas in 1919, the New York Yankees acquired a dominant left-hander who would change the course of the franchise’s history. Who was he?

BY GEORGE DICKIE

Henry puts Titans on his back for playoff run

It’s not an exaggeration to say that as Derrick Henry goes, so go the Tennessee Titans.

Indeed, the big back out of Alabama is that rare combination of size (6 feet 3 inches, 247 pounds) and speed (4.5 in the 40) that coaches dream about and opposing defenses fear. And once again, he’s the centerpiece of the Titans’ smashmouth style of football, one that has led them to the top of the AFC South standings.

Through 11 games in 2022, the 28-year-old Florida native was second in the league in rushing, posting 1,048 yards on 247 carries with 10 touchdowns. And as a receiver, he’s also been effective, hauling down 21 passes for another 278 yards. For those scoring at home, that’s a combined 1,324 yards – in 11 games.

But wait, there’s more. As a passer, he’s completed two of two passes for four yards and a touchdown. An MVP candidate, indeed.

Beyond the numbers, the hulking Henry is the type of runner that gives secondaries fits. When he isn’t running away from the fleetest of safeties, he’s running over them. An ex-teammate, Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receiver A.J. Brown, offered his own opinion on how to bring down Henry – by knocking his stiff arm away and pulling him into an alligator roll.

Henry and the Titans can be seen in action Thursday, Dec. 29, when they host the Dallas Cowboys in a game streaming on Prime Video.

FULL NAME: Derrick Lamar Henry Jr.

BIRTH DATE: Jan. 4, 1994

BIRTHPLACE: Yulee, Fla.

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6 foot 3 inches/247 pounds

TEAM: Tennessee Titans (2016-present)

DRAFT: Selected in the second round (45th overall) by the Titans in 2016

POSITION: Running back NO.: 22

COLLEGE: Alabama HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS: NFL

Offensive Player of the Year (2020); NFL rushing champion (2019, 2020); Pro Bowl (2019, 2020); First-Team All-Pro (2020); CFP champion (2015); Heisman Trophy winner (2015); USA Today High School All-American (2012)