Up Front

First Things

A revival of the Broadway production of The Color Purple that earned a Tony Award in 2016 brings its raw emotion and beauty to the stage at Miller Auditorium April 7. Through a special promotion with Miller Auditorium, Encore readers can get a 15% discount on tickets. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, the play follows Celie, an African-American woman in the American South from the early to mid-20th century. The show originally ran on Broadway from 2005-2008 and was revived in 2015. Called a “ravishingly reconceived production that is a glory to behold,” by The New York Times, the show, which contains adult content, begins at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $38–$73. Get the Encore discount by purchasing through this link: tinyurl.com/yx6df227. Something Purple The Color Purple comes to Miller

Something Moving RAD Fest brings weekend of dance to Kalamazoo

So. Much. Dance. That’s what’s on tap March 6-8 when the Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival — RAD Fest — returns to downtown Kalamazoo.

More than 300 dancers, six live performances, eight master classes, a “screendance” film series, discussion panels, visiting artists and networking events are planned for the three-day festival. Live performances will be at 7 and 9 p.m. March 6, 7 and 9 p.m. March 7, and 3 p.m. March 8 at the Wellspring and Jolliffe theaters in the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall.

In addition, there will be RAD Hop events from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at five locations during the March 6 Art Hop including the Epic Center basement and third floor, Discover Kalamazoo, Consumers Credit Union and Down Dog Yoga. All are free except the event at Down Dog Yoga, which has limited space.

RAD Fest will also offer a free screendance series. Screendance is a genre of dance where the choreography is created to be filmed. The series will be screened at 3:30 p.m. March 7 at the Kalamazoo Public Library.

Tickets for the festival are $35 to attend two shows, $65 for four shows or $80 for a full festival pass. To order tickets, register for master classes and view the festival schedule, visit midwestradfest.org.

Something Literary Meet Jason Reynolds, award-winning author

An opportunity to hear New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds speak is offered at 6:30 p.m. March 18 at Portage Central High School, 8135 S. Westnedge Ave.

The free event is sponsored by Portage CommuniTeen Read, a program inviting community teens to join in reading and discussing a favorite book and meeting the author. Reynolds’ Long Way Down (2017) was selected as CommuniTeen Read’s selection for 2020. Long Way Down, a novel in verse, was named a Newbery Honor Book, a Printz Honor Book, and the best young adult work by the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Awards.

Reynolds writes novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade audiences, including the books All American Boys, Ghost, For Everyone and Miles Morales-Spiderman.

Something Rockin’ Idol star Matt Giraud joins Academy of Rock for concert

The Kalamazoo Academy of Rock has taken it up to 11 — 11 years of existing, that is — and will celebrate with a daylong event March 21 at the State Theatre, culminating in an evening concert featuring special guest Matt Giraud.

The event will begin at 2 p.m., and more than 60 student musicians (ages 10-18) in 12 bands will perform throughout the afternoon and evening.

Giraud, a former American Idol contestant who lives in the Kalamazoo area, will headline the evening concert, backed by a band and singers from the K.A.R.

Tickets are $12-$25 and available at the State Theatre box office, 404 S. Burdick St., or online at Ticketmaster.com.

If eclectic electronic music is your thing, then you’ll want to be at Bell’s Eccentric Café March 20 for a night of synth-driven music by four acts, including three from Kalamazoo.

Kalamazoo artists M. Sord and I Satellite, local band Tambourina and Chicago-based band New Canyons will offer an evening of electronic pop reminiscent of late ’70s and ’80s New Wave music.

The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 the day of the show and available at Etix.com and Bell's General Store, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave. Something Electronic Synth pop to light up Bell’s

M. Sord

Something Green Create an animal-friendly garden Looking to make your green thumb a little more, well, green? Then take in “Plant This, Not That — Better Plants for Our Wildlife and Environment” at 6 p.m. March 10 at the Richland Community Library.

In this free program, Master Gardener Nancy Lewis, of the Kalamazoo Garden Council, will discuss how gardens affect wildlife and the environment and how to choose plants that are animal-friendly.

For more information, visit richlandlibrary.org or call 629-9085.

Something Good Walk to end homelessness

You can run, jog, walk by yourself or as a team and even bring your crowd-friendly dog to the Walk to End Homelessness March 28, beginning at 10 a.m. at Homer Stryker Field, 251 Mills St.

This annual 5K walk is a fundraiser for Housing Resources Inc., which works to end homelessness in Kalamazoo County by assisting socially or economically vulnerable persons with housing needs. On-site registration starts at 9 a.m. The event will be followed by a barbecue lunch at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave.

For more information or to register, call 488-0913 or visit housingresourcesinc.org/events-2.

Something Funny Gabriel Iglesias to perform at Wings

Expect storytelling with characters and sound effects that bring all of Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias' personal issues to life when his “Beyond the Fluffy World Tour” comes to Wings Event Center March 12.

Iglesias, a Mexican-American actor and comedian, is recognized as one of America's most successful standup comedians. He was featured in The Hollywood Reporter's Top 40 Comedy Players of 2018, alongside comedy giants Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Lorne Michaels.

The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets are $37, $52 and $72. To buy tickets or for more information, visit wingseventcenter.com or call 345-1125. Paul Mobley

Something Theatrical WMU company stages Tribes

Belonging, community and family are the themes at the heart of Tribes, to be staged by University Theatre March 13-22 at Western Michigan University’s Williams Theatre.

The play focuses on Billy, the only deaf member of a loving but dysfunctional family. He learns how isolated he has been from other deaf people when he meets Sylvia, a young woman who has been raised as the only hearing member of a deaf family. Because of the mature content, Tribes is recommended for audiences 13 and older. Show times are 7:30 p.m. March 13,14, 19, 20 and 21 and 2 p.m. March 22. Tickets are $18- $20 and available online at tickets.millerauditorium.com.

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