Encore March 2022

'Badass Women' at Farmers Alley

Stories Behind Township Names

March 2022

Taking Aim at Disinformation Exhibit focuses on media literacy

Audrey Randall: Franchise Finder

Meet Lauren Burns

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

ENCORE EDITOR'S NOTE

From the Editor W

hen you are passionate about something, great things can result, as we find out in several stories featured in this month's issue.

Our cover story looks at how Western Michigan University professor and former newspaper reporter Sue Ellen Christian's passion for journalism and its power to inform has led to a new interactive museum exhibition opening in April that can help us all consume media more intelligently.

After Christian's 2019 book, Everyday Media Literacy: An Analog Guide for Your Digital Life, came out, she realized that this message needed to reach more people, especially kids, as we are all are bombarded with information, misinformation and disinformation through social media and other internet sources.

Christian partnered with the Kalamazoo Valley Museum to create the exhibition. Her efforts show that it truly takes a village to educate a child (and adults). In addition to the KVM exhibition designers and staff, a team that included educators, journalists, college students and a couple dozen middle-schoolers also was involved in the exhibition's creation.

Passions of a different sort — environmental conservation and animal husbandry — are explored in our Back Story profile of Lauren Burns. She owns Tending Tilth, a Portage contract sheep grazing business that is probably as close to carbonneutral lawn mowing as you can get. Burns didn't grow up farming but says she "fell in love" with animal husbandry and conservation and regenerative agriculture. She put the two interests together and now has a herd of sheep that can be rented to “mow” grass and/or clear landscapes of noxious weeds such as poison ivy.

Entrepreneurship is very much a passionate endeavor, and Audrey Randall has found her calling in helping match aspiring entrepreneurs with franchise opportunities through her business Paradigm Franchise Group. Randall revels in finding the right franchise fit for her clients and helps an average of five to 10 clients a year become franchise owners.

One thing all three of these women have in common is that their passions are ultimately about helping others and the world. I hope that reading about them stirs a similar desire in you as well.

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'Badass Women' at Farmers Alley

Stories Behind Township Names

Audrey Randall: Franchise Finder

March 2022

Meet Lauren Burns

Southwest Michigan’s Magazine

Taking Aim at Disinformation Exhibit focuses on media literacy

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Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2022, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to:

www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Telephone: (269) 383–4433 Fax: (269) 383–9767 Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com The staff at Encore welcomes written comment from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit encorekalamazoo.com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print–ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date.

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Correction: In February's issue, we incorrectly identified Mike Morrison as "Mike Morris" in a cutline on page 14. Our apologies to Mr. Morrison and our readers.

CONTENTS

M a r c h 2022

FEATURE Taking Aim at Disinformation

WMU Professor Sue Ellen Christian and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum team up to teach media literacy

DEPARTMENTS 16

3 From the Editor 6 Contributors 8 Five Faves

There's some history behind the names of Kalamazoo County townships

10

First Things

12

Enterprise

38

Back Story

A round–up of happenings in SW Michigan Franchise Finder — Audrey Randall plays matchmaker for aspiring entrepreneurs and franchisees

Meet Lauren Burns — As owner of Tending Tilth, she offers a woolly way to conserve the land

T heArts

22 The Revolutionists

Farmer's Alley comedy of 'four badass women' trying live their lives during The French Revolution

27 Theater 28 Music 29 Literature 30 Visual Arts 31 Dance 32 Events of Note On the cover: WMU Professor Sue Ellen Christian, center, and middle school educators Rebecca Attilla-Fried, left, and Adrienne Wilson, right, were part of a team that created the Wonder Media: Ask The Questions! exhibit opening next month at Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

Photo by Brian Powers.

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CONTRIBUTORS ENCORE

Katie Houston

Lynn Houghton A frequent contributor to our Five Faves feature, Lynn Houghton is the regional history curator of the Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History Collections. She leads the Gazelle Sports Historic Walks, a series of free architectural and historic walks at various locations in Kalamazoo County that happen during the summer and fall, and she is the co-author of Kalamazoo Lost and Found, a book on Kalamazoo history and architecture. She also participated in the PBS documentary series 10 That Changed America, about the history of architecture and urban planning. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from WMU and a master’s in library and information science from Wayne State University.

Katie Houston has been a media junkie since before cable TV and doesn’t want to confess her online habits, the fact that her journalism degree was completed on a typewriter, or that she still reads books printed on paper. As a former museum professional, she’s gratified to be writing about exhibits again for this issue’s cover story about the media literacy exhibit opening at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in April. Katie, who also penned the story about Audrey Randall and Paradigm Franchise Group in this month's issue, is a Kalamazoo-based freelance writer and marketing consultant.

Donna McClurkan Donna McClurkan has volunteered at several local family farms over the past 15 years, so when she learned about the work being done by Lauren Burns of Tending Tilth she was intrigued. "There’s something about the breaking down of animal, sweat, straw, dirt, and manure that grounds me. One can’t not slow down on a farm. There’s a lot of time to think and I’m almost never not thinking about climate change," Donna says. "So it’s easy to imagine my instant connection with shepherdess Lauren Burns. My interest was sparked by her business model: carbon sequestering, land stewardship with near zero fossil fuel usage, and honoring the agency of the animals as partners. And tagging along on the photo shoot was chaotic and fun!"

Donna is a Kalamazoo-based freelance writer and climate activist.

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FIVE FAVES ENCORE

Five Faves

Historian notes neat names of local townships

BY LYNN HOUGHTON

I

f you've ever wondered why there is a Kalamazoo and also a Kalamazoo Township, you can thank the settlers who came to Michigan from New England. This form of local government traces its origins to New England, which for centuries used the city, village and township model. With so many people coming to Michigan during the early to mid-1800s from New England, it made sense to adopt a style of government they knew, in which townships were a subdivision of a county, while a city or village was the actual settlement with residential districts, shops, etc. The townships have

Texas

their own governing board of trustees, and in Michigan govern 96 percent of Michigan's land outside of cities. In fact, in Michigan, if you don’t live in a city, you live in a township. Even villages are part of townships.

Kalamazoo County has 16 townships that were developed over a 17-year period, from 1829 to 1846. Their names fall into five categories reflecting events, people, the land and Native Americans.

There is at least one, Ross Township, for which the origin of the name is unknown. Here are five of my favorite township names.

Kalamazoo County Townships

T

he Texas Revolution, fought between Mexico and the territory of Texas from October 1835 to April 1836, caught people’s attention in the United States. Newspapers covered the events during that sixmonth period, including the battle at the Alamo, which the Texans lost and which resulted in a large number of deaths. The Kalamazoo Gazette continued to carry articles about the revolution up to a year after Texas gained its independence from Mexico. The revolution also served as the motivation for the names of two townships in Kalamazoo County: Texas, to the west, and Alamo, to the north, both organized in 1838.

Prairie Ronde

Of the eight prairies in the region with fertile land perfect

for farming, Prairie Ronde is the largest. Located in the southwest corner of the county, this prairie comprises about 13,000 acres and spans both Prairie Ronde and Schoolcraft townships, in addition to parts of Texas Township and St. Joseph County. Its name is a French term meaning “round meadow.” The area that is now Prairie Ronde Township attracted early settlers, including Bazel and Martha Harrison, farmers from Ohio who arrived with their party of 21 people in November 1828.

8 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

Richland

Ro

Kalamazoo

Comstock

Char

Portage

Pavilion

Cli

Brady

Wak

Alamo

Cooper

Oshtemo

Texas

Prairie Ronde

Schoolcraft

oss

Kalamazoo K

alamazoo is not the only township in the county with a name having Native American roots. Oshtemo and Wakeshma, which mean “headwaters” and “shining,” respectively, also have that distinction. Kalamazoo, though, has received the most attention. There are several potential meanings of the word Kalamazoo, including “boiling water,” which relates to the rapids in the Kalamazoo River, or “boiling pot,” part of a legend about a Native American foot race from what is now Galesburg to Kalamazoo. Another potential definition is “mirage of reflecting river.” Although the true meaning has not been found, the name has been included in songs and children’s books.

Pavilion T

he opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 allowed more people to get to Michigan, including many residents of the state of New York, who traveled here to take advantage of the opportunities the land and area offered. These settlers brought many things with them, including the names of the communities they left behind. There are at least 74 cities and townships in Michigan that get their names from cities and towns in New England and New York. Pavilion Township, created in 1836 and encompassing an area east of Portage Township, is one of these. Ruel Starr, an early resident of the area, came from Pavilion, in Genesee County, New York. Genesee is also the name of one of Kalamazoo County’s eight prairies and of a cemetery in Oshtemo Township.

rleston

imax

keshma

Brady K

alamazoo County has five townships named for individuals: Schoolcraft, Charleston, Comstock, Brady and Cooper. Brady Township, created in 1829 or 1830, depending on the source, originally encompassed what is now Kalamazoo and Barry counties, eventually becoming its present size in 1846. It is not known why the township, which is in the southern part of the county, was named for General Hugh Brady, U.S. Army Commander for the Great Lakes area. Brady, who was based in Detroit, oversaw the construction of forts in the Upper Peninsula and was in charge of all troops and forts between Michigan and the Mississippi River. Along with this township, a fort, which is now the site of Lake Superior State University, and a community in Saginaw County are named for him.

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FIRST THINGS ENCORE

First Things Something ‘Compelling’

The Accidentals to play at Bell’s

It'll be a songwriter fan's dream concert when The Accidentals perform with singers Kim Richey, Maia Sharp and Beth Nielsen Chapman at Bell's Eccentric Cafe at 8 p.m. March 5.

The Traverse City-based trio, said to be "among the most emotionally compelling songwriters of our time" by National Public Radio, will sing songs they wrote and recorded for their pandemic-period album, Vessel, and their Time Out EP, which includes collaborations with Chapman (whose songs have also been recorded by Willie Nelson, Elton John and Faith Hill), Kim Richey and Maia Sharp (who has also written for Bonnie Raitt, The Chicks and Cher).

Tickets are $25 in advance or $27 at the door and are available at Etix. com and Bell's General Store, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave. Proof of vaccination status through the CLEAR Health App, a valid vaccination card or a negative Covid-19 lab test obtained within 72 hours before the show will be required for entry.

Something Sweet

KNC hosts Maple Sugar Festival That annual ritual of spring’s arrival — maple sugaring — will be

celebrated by the Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., at its annual Maple Sugar Festival March 5 and 6.

While details were still being worked out at press time due to Covid-19 safety concerns, it is expected the festival will include many of the hallmark events from past festivals, including maple sugaring demonstrations, samples and the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and learn about this spring tradition.

For registration and a schedule of activities, visit naturecenter.org.

Something Fun

Contest encourages family shenanigans Families

will try to prove their prowess at penny tower building, marshmallow tossing and other skills when they vie for the 2022 Portage Shenanigans Cup March 26 at Schrier Park, 850 W. Osterhout Ave. Sixty-Second Family Shenanigans is a competition designed for those 6 and older in which each family member competes in 60-second challenges such as building penny towers and moving cookies from their foreheads to their mouths.

The competition will begin at 10 a.m., and the cost to participate is $5 per family. Registration is required, and families may do so at portagemi.gov/207/Parks-Recreation.

Please note: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, some of these events may be cancelled or changed after press time. Please check with venues and organizations for up-to-date information.

10 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

Does my portfolio match my investment risk tolerance?

Something for Beer Lovers

Ted Linabury, Brewery Outre

Tour gives a peek at new breweries

Check out the latest craft beer additions to the area on the New Breweries of West Michigan Bus Tour on March 19, hosted by West Michigan Beer Tours.

According to John Liberty, general manager of WMBT, the tour will run from noon to 5:45 p.m. and include stops at the new Murray Street Brewing in Mattawan; Deep End Brewing in Plainwell, under development by Adam Wisniewski (former brewer at Rupert's Brew House in Kalamazoo and currently brewing at Wax Wings Brewing Co., on Gull Road); and Brewery Outre, founded by brewmaster Ted Linabury and located at 567 Ransom St., in Kalamazoo.

The cost is $69 and includes samples or a full pour at the three stops and as much craft beer knowledge as you can absorb. The tour will start at Old Burdick's Bar & Grill, 100 W. Michigan Ave., and participants are encouraged to sign up in advance at westmichiganbeertours.com/tour.

Something Musical

Chocolate Factory comes to Miller Willie Wonka's marvelous and mysterious chocolate factory will come to life in a presentation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The New Musical March 18 and 19 at Miller Auditorium.

The show follows Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners who embark on a tour of Wonka's factory, complete with Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, a glass elevator and, of course, everlasting gobstoppers. In addition to songs from the original 1971 film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” the show will feature new songs from the songwriters of Hairspray.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. March 18 and 2 and 7:30 p.m. March 19. Tickets are available at millerauditorium.com or by calling 387-2300.

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ENTERPRISE ENCORE

12 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

ENCORE ENTERPRISE

Franchise Finder

Audrey Randall plays matchmaker for aspiring entrepreneurs

BY KATIE HOUSTON

When people decide to start a business,

many of them choose to go with a franchise.

But how do they decide which one? Franchise matchmaker Audrey Randall helps people find the best fit for their personality and desires.

“I work through a discovery process to identify opportunities that align with lifestyle and financial goals” for clients, says Randall, who heads Paradigm Franchise Group in Portage. Her company recruits and advises potential new owners of franchises — a sector that represents 3 percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

Once she presents a few options, the client chooses their favorite and is introduced to the franchise’s company to learn more.

“It is an investment like any other, but one that comes with a complete business package,” Randall says, “so instead of managing or building something from the ground up, you have brand-name recognition, an operations guide, marketing tactics and ongoing coaching and training.

The franchiser offers that ‘business in a box,’ which represents a quick start for the franchisee.”

In less than 10 years, what started as a “side hustle” late into Randall's 20-year career in risk management has turned into Audrey Randall, a franchise owner herself, consults with aspiring entrepreneurs about franchise opportunities.

her primary gig. When she went looking for a franchise to own herself, someone helped her realize that perhaps she could use her talents to instead do what he did — advise others seeking franchise opportunities.

“At the time, I thought I wanted to own (a franchise), so I met with a franchise consultant," says Randall. “We came to the conclusion that my background, experience and goals pointed me toward franchise consulting rather than acquiring my own.”

(Last year, however, she did acquire her own franchise, Frost Shades of Southwest Michigan, which offers window films and tinting.)

Paradigm Franchise Group is licensed by the Business Alliance Network and represents a network of 300 brands in 80 industries, everything from oil change and transmission shops to heating and cooling and cleaning services, plus the restaurant outlets everyone is familiar with. She assists an average of five to 10 individuals a year and is currently working with U.S. clients in Wisconsin, North Carolina and California. She is also working with a client in India who is looking to bring a well-known health-and-fitness brand to the country.

Randall is paid by the franchiser — the company that sells franchises — once a successful match is made. She says she often hears clients say, “I wish I would have done this a long time ago” and “I’m having the

Fundamentals of Finding a Franchise If you're thinking about going into business for yourself as a franchise owner, here are questions that Audrey Randall suggests you answer before starting your search: • How much are you able to invest?

• What kind of income do you wish to draw from your business?

• Do you have the resources needed for the six to 12 months before you turn a profit, such as a partner with an income, or a retirement fund, or would you expect to use business loans?

• How much work do you plan to put in? 9–5 weekdays? Weekends only?

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 13

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One such client, Rob Perkins, opened Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Southwest Michigan in 2020, after working in the corporate world for 30 years. His business plans and installs outdoor lighting for residential and commercial customers.

“It seemed every year we were asked to do more with less, and I came to the realization that I was killing myself and figured I might as well make myself wealthy instead of some Fortune 200 company,” Perkins says, adding that he started talking to Randall five years before he actually “made the jump.”

“I was downsized from a large organization after 25 years when we first met, but in short order I had multiple offers,” he says. “Since I had kids heading to college, I took the safe route and accepted one, but Audrey checked in with me on occasion and she called once when I had a month’s worth of work to do in one day, and all of a sudden I was ready to go.”

Perkins admits that his first year as a franchisee was not what he expected. “It hadn’t really dawned on me that when you’re a startup, you do everything from dealing with insurance and taxes to storage units and inventory," he explains.

His first hire was a general manager who ran the day-to-day operations while Perkins worked evenings and weekends until he could manage his exit from the corporate world.

Perkins says Randall’s service was invaluable and “she really tailored the opportunities she brought me to my strengths and interests.”

Randall says most franchise owners are not first-timers in the business world, due to the financial requirements of opening a franchise.

“Most of my clients have already been in business and are looking for a change or a

second or third career,” says Randall. “I see executives who have been downsized or just burned out. Perhaps they want to see more of their family when their kids get older. They realize they’re missing out, not going to their kids’ games or recitals.”

Randall says she explores all of these factors during the discovery process, asking clients a range of questions during several meetings held over a few months: “Where have they been, what have they been doing, what’s their skill set, why a franchise? Did you have employees? What kind — blue-collar, white-collar? What have you done before that you enjoy and want to continue, and what do you never want to do again?”

Right before signing what is usually a 10-year contract with a franchise, the potential franchisee reviews a Franchise Disclosure Statement mandated by the Federal Trade Commission that spells out everything the contract will include.

Investment requirements vary. Familiar fast-food restaurants, for example, might require a cash outlay of $200,000, with a total minimum investment of $300,000 and a minimum net worth of $500,000. Sectors with the lowest entry costs include pet care and home or business services like cleaning and landscaping, with costs that are less than half of those of a restaurant franchise. In the middle are businesses focused on real estate, medical services or fitness.

Finding a franchise is a process for the energetic and motivated, says Perkins. Even after a few months of learning about the details of his opportunity, he had to dig deep to make a final decision, he says.

“When you’re in a large corporation, you have all these safety nets,” says Perkins. “You might not love your job, but you don’t have to worry about health insurance or feeding your family. I finally decided ‘If I don’t do this now, I never will.’”

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Brian Powers

Taking Aim at

16 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

Disinformation Team creates exhibit to make us all more media savvy

BY KATIE HOUSTON

Do you wonder about the volume of digital

media you absorb every week? What about how much your kids absorb? Do you think about the accuracy of the information you and they consume? Perhaps you should.

The omnipresent internet, once called the information superhighway, has become an unfiltered information tsunami, littered with the pollution of false information.

In an effort to help students and families learn to critically engage with incessant waves of digital information, a new exhibition opens this month at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Wonder Media: Ask the Questions! was created in partnership Middle school educators and advisers for the exhibit, from left, Peter Aranda and Rebecca Attilla-Fried of Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts, Adrienne Wilson of Milwood Magnet School, and Katie Murdock of Maple Street Magnet School, try their hand at the interactive "Whack A Fact" game.

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 17

Brian Powers

with Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, the museum’s parent organization. It is the brainchild of Sue Ellen Christian, WMU Presidential Innovation Professor in the School of Communication and author of Everyday Media Literacy: An Analog Guide for Your Digital Life (2020).

“Media is a wonderful part of life. It’s extraordinary,” says Christian.

“Some of the content is top-notch, but unfortunately there are some awful dividends when misinformation (and/or disinformation) gets mixed in with the good stuff and repeatedly shared.”

Now in her 21st year of teaching journalism, multimedia studies and media literacy at WMU, Christian was a staff writer for the Chicago Tribune for 10 years and previously wrote for the Detroit News and Los Angeles Times. She was named 2016 Michigan Professor of the Year by the Michigan Association of State Universities and received the WMU Distinguished Teaching Award in 2014. She is also the author of Overcoming Bias: A Journalist's Guide to Culture & Context (first published in 2012 and updated last year).

The content for the Wonder Media exhibition is informed by her newer book, Everyday Media Literacy, which she wrote for a Global Media Literacy class she teaches at WMU. The exhibition, developed in line with state-required Common Core social studies standards and reviewed by dozens of students and educators, offers more than a dozen interactive stations to help middle-schoolers improve their ability to analyze and evaluate the credibility of news and information and develop critical thinking skills around media content.

18 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

Sue Ellen Christian sits with Algo the Non-Binary Robot, which was assembled by local middle schoolers out of discarded computer parts to draw attention to how algorithms shape users' online experiences with content and consumption.

“Young people’s autonomy starts to expand in middle school,” says Christian. “That’s when they might become a latchkey kid, with more time on their own, and it’s when many get their first phone. I know, as a mom, that’s when I needed that phone in their hands to stay in touch.”

Making an exhibit Wanting to broaden the reach of her messages about smart media consumption, Christian approached the museum in early 2020 with her idea for the exhibition. Executive Director Bill McElhone says he and the museum staff were "delighted" when she shared her proposal.

“We saw the opportunity to deliver important information about critical thinking to guests of all ages in a hands-on, engaging way,” McElhone says. “Even adults enjoy reading less than they do touching and playing with things.”

Although she had the vision for the exhibit, Christian emphasizes that the effort to make it a reality has been decidedly collaborative.

Tamara Barnes, who was the lead curator at KVM, paired with Christian to start the work in earnest, while Tom Howes, exhibits technician at KVM, has been a creative partner throughout the process. (In the fall of 2021, Barnes left KVM to take the head curator position at the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry at the University of Michigan.)

Christian also formed an academic advisory team to provide guidance and problem solving that included 15 members: three national experts in news literacy and media literacy, a KVCC instructor, six WMU faculty or instructors, and five members of the Kalamazoo Public Schools middle school teaching staff or administration. Also essential to the exhibit's formation were 34 students, mostly middle schoolers, who gave feedback on the clarity, word choice and design of the content via email, video conference or in person. The KVM contracted with Impact Communications in Cleveland, a nationally recognized exhibit production company, to make Christian's concepts reality.

WMU faculty, staff and students also contributed content. WMU's Brian Abbott, an interactive media specialist and instructor of kinetic imaging in the Frostic School of

Art, designed the software for "Fact Check This," an interactive digital game that follows Wonder Media journalist Mia as she seeks to verify a viral social media post. Two classes of senior-level graphic design students in the WMU Design Center created expansive wall displays of content under the supervision of center director and faculty member Nicholas Kuder and assistant director Paul Sizer. In

addition, communication undergraduate student Zaria Bell created a 5-minute video on deep fake technology that is showcased in the exhibit, while journalism major Lauren Schuster is designing a fast-paced card game in which users match images with their purpose (such as to inform, entertain or persuade) for middle school students to play after a field trip visit to the exhibit.

Above: Sue Ellen Christian, center, goes over a layout for the exhibit with, at right, Tamara Barnes, former lead curator at Kalamazoo Valley Museum and, at left, Zaria Bell, a Western Michigan University School of Communication senior majoring in Film, Video and Media Studies and an intern on the Wonder Media project. Photo by Mike Lanka.

Left: A mockup of the interactive "Daily Media Use" station that will be part of the Wonder Media exhibit opening next month at KVM.

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 19

During the entire process, the team worked to create content that had diverse and inclusive representation, something McElhone notes is a core value of KVCC and the museum. Christian affirms that intention, informed by her years serving on the board of Kalamazoo’s Society of History and Racial Equity and working with the Narrative Change Committee of the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Initiative of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, an initiative facilitated locally by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation.

"That work and my own scholarship has taught me and continues to teach me about what inclusivity in narrative looks like. The exhibit seeks to reflect the powerful diversity in our country, and how media has often not told that story accurately," she says noting, for example, the exhibition station called "Same Message, Different Meaning" presents a variety of real people, “showing how different people may understand the same message differently.” Christian interviewed and took portraits of residents sharing what the U.S. flag means to them.

Those represented include a public high school history teacher, a couple who emigrated from Columbia, a community activist, a college student, the executive director of the Burma Center in Battle Creek that serves Burmese-Americans, a military veteran and a rabbi.

"We want people who come to the exhibit to see themselves reflected in the content and to see content that resonates with their experiences," says Christian. She also noted that the exhibit intentionally avoids political topics and instead seeks to focus user attention on critical thinking around all kinds of media messages and their sources.

After two years of rigorous planning, the exhibition will open in April at Kalamazoo Valley Museum to the public and a gradual schedule of visiting school groups, a tactic the museum has embraced during the pandemic. Guests will be able to view the exhibition through 2023, after which some stations will remain while others may become part of a touring exhibition for other museums. McElhone says creating

Brian Powers

Diverse and inclusive

the exhibition was a new experience for the museum in terms of size, scope and technical complexity.

“We developed original games, designed original characters, hired local voice actors, filmed our own content,” says McElhone. “It grew into something much bigger than we anticipated, and I have to give full credit to Sue Ellen as lead curator and all the work she’s done. She has been an incredible resource, doing an enormous amount of work before we even became involved.”

Testing it with kids An additional priority for the exhibition team was to test content with nearly three dozen middle school students from around the state.

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Left: Bill McElhone, Kalamazoo Valley Museum executive director, stands with a gramophone and TV set that are museum artifacts included in the exhibit. Above: A mockup of the exhibit's "Escape the Fake" station that helps identify misinformation and disinformation in the media.

“They were insightful, funny, engaging and very helpful,” Christian says of the students. “As an academician and journalist, I knew what I wanted to do, but these students helped me create content that engaged with their intellectual level and interest. When we worked with a graphic artist to design our narrator, Mia, the students helped to craft who she is and what she looks like.”

An advisory team of WMU colleagues and local teachers also helped review exhibition content. One of them was Peter Aranda, a social studies teacher at Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts.

Christian’s three children remembered him from attending the middle school and recommended him to help with the project.

“I’m constantly talking about the information the kids get and take as gospel,” he says. “There’s so much wrong information out there.

The exhibit offers real-world experience in critical thinking and why it’s important.”

Now in his third school year of teaching during a pandemic, Aranda is looking forward to taking students to the exhibition next fall. He says the incorporation of Common Core curriculum standards into the content will help make that happen.

Aranda is an adamant advocate for students to understand the “whys” behind the media they consume. “After the nuclear bomb, social media is the most dangerous thing created by mankind,” he asserts. “Just like a firearm, it’s a tool that, used improperly, can be weaponized and has been.”

McElhone is also passionate about the importance of accurately informed digital citizens.

“We share more content from more sources with more people more quickly and more often than ever before, and a healthy democracy depends on informed citizens who rely on facts and evidence to govern themselves,” McElhone says.

Though the exhibition is designed to reach sixth through eighth graders, the developers hope that parents and other adults might learn something too, given that identifying false messages can be hard for everyone. A 2018 survey by the Pew Research Center found

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that only 25 percent of adults surveyed could correctly identify all of the factual statements presented to them, and just one in three, or about 33 percent, could correctly identify all the opinion statements. This problem inspired the exhibition’s "Whack A Fact" interactive game, in which players are presented with two statements projected onto a wall-size screen and must “throw” balls at the one they believe to be factual.

Other stations in the exhibit offer a range of topics and tactics for screening the information we consume and signage to encourage visitors to become “more knowledgeable and intentional in your media use, to use media for your purposes instead of being used by media.” Among these include a digital game to create a favorite T-shirt design, a showcase of popular movies and TV shows that represent a variety of cultures Business Coverage

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with commentary from individuals who identify with those cultures, a digital game to escape from fake information, a display on how just five media conglomerates control the majority of content globally, a video on the lack of ethnic diversity in Hollywood and kiosks to learn to identify conspiracy theories, honest reporting and deep fake videos.

A recurring theme in the exhibit is that media consumers' attention is the product being sold to advertisers by media companies, and that media consumers can exert their influence by being thoughtful about the media they click on, like and share.

There’s no doubt the Wonder Media exhibition is important and timely, given that a 2017 study by the American Journal of Epidemiology found that higher social media use correlated with self-reported declines in mental and physical health and life satisfaction. Through the exhibition, patrons can learn to ask questions about the media they see, questions such as “Who created this message?” “Who is the message targeting, and why?” and “What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented, or missing?”

Tips to build a healthy relationship with digital usage are also offered, such as recommendations that individuals set aside time to be offline each day, consume one media format at a time, keep track of usage, and pause before sharing, forwarding or commenting on a post until they can verify that the information in the post is true by going to respected sources.

New for many people may be the exhibition’s emphasis on the difference between misinformation, which is false information shared without intent to deceive, and disinformation, which is false information spread with the intent to mislead and deceive.

For former reporter Christian, bringing the exhibition from proposal to reality has been a labor of love as well as a professional accomplishment.

“This will be a dream come true for who I am intellectually and creatively, and (in keeping with) my commitment to being community-oriented, so for me this is a real sweet spot.”

Meet the Author:

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TheArts Spotlighting greater Kalamazoo's arts community

'Four Badass Women'

The Revolutionists offers a timely woman-powered comedy

BY KATIE HOUSTON

S

potlighting a woman playwright and four women characters, Farmers Alley Theatre will present a dark comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. The Revolutionists, written by Lauren Gunderson and inspired by true events, opens March 18 at the downtown Kalamazoo theater.

Gunderson, called one of the most produced playwrights in America by American Theatre Magazine, has a knack for timely projects. Her latest work — The Catastrophist, a story about a scientist researching the causes and effects of pandemics — premiered just last year.

Pictured with renderings of the costumes of the character they will be playing are, from left to right, actress Gabrielle Filloux, who will portray Queen of France Marie Antoinette; Arizsia Staton, who will portray Marianne Angelle; Lisa Abbott, who will portray Olympe de Gouges; and Devon Hayakawa, who will portray assassin Charlotte Corday.

The Revolutionists is about women trying to live their lives and do their work while a revolution rages around them. This 100-minute play in two acts was commissioned and first produced by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in 2016 and was described by the Cincinnati Enquirer as “a sassy theatrical adventure ... wonderfully wild and raucous … an invigorating and enlightening journey.”

“This show was one of the easiest choices to make,” says Farmers Alley Deputy Director Rob Weiner. “First and foremost, it’s extremely funny and supremely thought-provoking. I laughed out loud while reading it, nodding my head 24 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

along with some of the messages. That's the kind of show I love, one that entertains while bringing up important ideas.”

In The Revolutionists, Gunderson gives us what she describes as “four badass women” who argue, laugh, cry and in the end die by guillotine. Only one is fictional: Marianne Angelle, played by Arizsia Staton. The others are real historic characters: Queen of France Marie Antoinette (played by Gabrielle Filloux), assassin Charlotte Corday (Devon Hayakawa) and 18th-century playwright Olympe de Gouges, who wrote more than 40 plays on social issues such as the slave trade, marriage and women’s rights and also wrote the prescient

Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen in the late 1700s. She is played by Kalamazoo actor Lisa Abbott.

“She starts out as kind of a self-involved brat,” says Abbott about her character. “She wants to change the world but doesn’t want to leave her apartment — it makes me think of the cliché of the Facebook activist. But I love the journey she goes on. I love how the other women become her sisters and help her find her voice, and by the end she’s willing to sacrifice herself for the truth.”

Last seen on stage at Farmers Alley in The Christians in 2018, Abbott acts and directs with community and professional theaters

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TheArts throughout Southwest Michigan. Opening night will be Abbott’s 50th birthday, which doubles her anticipation.

“I have a fantastic character who has some amazing lines,” she says. “It’s an incredibly well-written play, and I can’t wait to get it on its feet and to be back on stage. I am so hoping for a live audience — there is nothing like that energy exchange. I truly appreciate Farmers Alley’s strict protocols that will allow us to do that if it’s possible.”

Artistic Director Jeremy Koch notes that the company made an intentional choice in selecting a show by a female playwright for its current season. “We are committed to being more diverse, inclusive, and equitable in our choices,” Koch says. “Reflecting on our season during the pandemic, we realized we’ve only produced a handful of plays written by women.”

The Revolutionists will be the second Kalamazoo production of the year for Chicago-based director Dee Dee Batteast, who directed The Conviction of Lady Lorraine for Kalamazoo College in January. The one-woman production was written by and starred Dwandra Lampkin.

Batteast says she’s thrilled to stage a play written by Gunderson.

“She didn’t write heroes; she wrote women who were doing heroic things as they try to live and thrive while a revolution rages right outside their doors,” says Batteast. “The revolution draws them in, often against their will. We think of revolution as being done by men, but women have always been present during wars and revolutions.

“This idea really resonates with me, especially because of the last two years and our country’s turmoil around race,” adds Batteast. “I can’t not participate, but I have work to do, that I’ve devoted my life to. How do I participate and still do what I’m meant to do? It’s like there’s a hurricane outside and your dog is sick, how do you behave?”

26 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

The Revolutionists Where: Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley When: 7:30 p.m. Mar. 17–19, Mar. 24–26 & Mar. 31–Apr. 2; 2 p.m. March 20, 27 & April 3 Tickets: $35, available online at farmersalleytheatre.com or by calling the box office at 343-2727.

Koch points out that the play deals with subjects such as art, activism, equality, feminism, racism and class warfare “but analyzes those themes with a steady hand. The play remains poignant and never gets too preachy,” he says.

“We all know how these women end up,” says Batteast. “We know the end is coming, but there’s a way to march towards it that isn’t as dark, stark and meager as history has told us. That work can be soft.

I see this as a scary tale that’s warm and beautiful, with a heart that is still beating.”

“I really think audiences are going to leave the theater fueled with conversation for days to come,” says Weiner.

THEATER

Emilia

Leaving Iowa

Perfectly timed for Women's History Month is the Western Michigan University theater department’s staging of Emilia, a play inspired by the life of the 17th-century poet and feminist Emilia Bassano.

Bassano was the first woman to assert herself as a professional poet. Her legacy, however, has been overshadowed by speculation that she was the model for the “Dark Lady” sonnets of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was Emilia’s lover, naming two characters in his plays after her.

The play Emilia, written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, focuses on her life and how even the most talented and clever women in history struggled to find their place in the world.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. March 18–19 and 24–26 and 2 p.m. March 27 at WMU’s Williams Theatre, in the Gilmore Theatre Complex. Tickets are $6–$20 and available at wmutheatre.ludus.com.

March is the month for spring break road trips, and the Civic Theatre invites you to take one without leaving town.

Leaving Iowa will be presented by the Civic's Senior Class Reader's Theatre, a program for adults ages 50 and older who perform without props or scenery, with the focus on the written word and storytelling of the script.

In this comedic presentation, middle-aged writer Don Browning decides to finally take his father's ashes to his childhood home, as requested. But when Don discovers Grandma's house is now a grocery store, he begins traveling across Iowa in search of a proper resting place for his father. This father-and-son road trip shifts from the present to Don's memories of the annual, torturous vacations of his childhood, leading him to reconcile his past and present.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. March 25, 26, April 1 and 2 and 2 p.m.

March 27 and April 2 at the Carver Center Studio, 426 S. Park St. Tickets are $12 and available by calling the box office at 343-1313 or visiting kazoocivic.com.

March 18–27 WMU Theatre

March 25–April 3 The Civic Theatre

Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr. March 11–20 The Civic Theatre

If you've got such lyrics as "Three is a magic number" or "I'm just a bill, yes, I'm only a bill, and I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill'' indelibly written into your memory, then you’ll enjoy the Civic's presentation of Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr. The musical is based on the Emmy award-winning educational Saturday morning cartoons that taught multiplication, U.S. civics, science and grammar to millions. It includes such Schoolhouse Rock classics as “I'm Just a Bill,” “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly” and “Conjunction Junction.”

The local show, directed by Jacki Stahr, is a production of the Penguin Project, which gives youth and young adults with disabilities an opportunity to explore their creative talents on stage, with the assistance of peer mentors.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. March 11 and 18; 2 p.m. March 12, 13, 19 and 20; and 10 a.m. March 16 and 17 at the Civic Auditorium, 329 S. Park St. Tickets are $12 and available by calling the box office at 343-1313 or visiting kazoocivic.com.

Other Theater Performances

The Piano Lesson Through March 6 Parish Theatre

For more information on these and other theater events, see the story on The Revolutionists on page 24 and the Theater section of our Events of Note, on page 32.

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 27

TheArts Western Invitational Jazz Festival March 4–5 Dalton Center Recital Hall

If you like jazz, the Western Invitational Jazz Festival is the place to be this month.

This adjudicated festival features high school jazz bands and combos as well as concerts featuring the Western Jazz Collective.

The festival will open at 8 p.m. March 4, with acclaimed pianist and composer Helen Sung performing with the Collective. Bands will compete during the day March 5, and that evening a closing concert at 7:30 p.m. will feature the festival's top high school big band and combo performing with the WMU Jazz Orchestra and Sung.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door and $5 for seniors and are available at wmumusic.ludus.com/index.php.

Music of the Americas

March 4 Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra & Derrick Parker Bass-baritone Derrick Parker, who has been hailed by Opera News for his “vividly flavored vocalism” and “tall and commanding” presence, will join the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra to sing selections from Aaron Copland's Old American Songs at Miller Auditorium.

Parker is the recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant as well as a Sullivan Foundation Award. A former member of the Houston Grand Opera Studio Program, Glimmerglass Opera’s Young American Artist program, Wolf Trap Opera’s Filene Young Artist Program, and studio artist with Chautauqua Opera, he is currently on the voice faculty of Gonzaga University, in Spokane, Washington.

Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are $5–$67 and available online at kalamazoosymphony.com. Proof of vaccination and masks are required; children under age 12 are permitted to attend with a vaccinated guardian and must follow the masking policy.

Doron Schleifer

Il Dolce Suono – Ki Kolech Arev March 10 KNAC/First Baptist Church

Jewish and secular music from late medieval Italy will be performed by countertenor Doron Schleifer and early keyboard/ recorder specialist Corina Marti at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church/Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition (KNAC) building, 315 W. Michigan Ave. The songs of late medieval Italy include an until-recently hidden world of Jewish musicians. Medieval music specialists Schleifer and Marti will share this beautiful and mysterious music that has just begun to emerge from centuries of obscurity.

“Il Dolce Suono” is Italian for "the sweet sound," while a "Ki Kolech Arev” is a phrase from the lyrics of a song by Jewish composer Shlomo Carlebach.

Schleifer is a member of the Thalamus Vocal Quartet and the all-male vocal ensemble Profeti della Quinta, with which he recently won the York Early Music International Young Artist Competition. He is also the conductor and musical director of the Basel Synagogue Choir.

Marti has extensively performed, recorded and taught late medieval and early Renaissance repertoires throughout Europe, the Middle East and the United States. She has appeared as a soloist and with chamber music ensembles.

This concert is presented by the Connecting Chords Music Festival and the Southwest Michigan Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Tickets are “pay-what-you-can,” with suggested pricing of $20, or $15 for seniors, and $5 for ages 25 and under. Tickets are available for purchase online at mfsm. us and at the door.

For more music events, see the Music section of our Events of Note, on page 32.

28 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

Corina Marti

MUSIC

Members of the Juilliard String Quartet with pianist Gloria Chien March 20 Dalton Center Recital Hall

This Grammy Award-winning ensemble, known for engaging with the classics while also championing new works, is celebrating its 75th season. It has been hailed by The Boston Globe as "the most important American quartet in history.”

On March 20 at 3 p.m., members of the Juilliard String Quartet will perform with pianist Gloria Chien to present works by Mozart, Penderecki and Brahms. The concert will be held in Western Michigan University's Dalton Center Recital Hall.

This concert is a presentation of Fontana Chamber Arts. Tickets are $30 for general admission, or $15 for students, and available online at fontanamusic.org.

GC 44: Songbirds in Spring March 25–27 Dalton Center Recital Hall

Western Michigan University's internationally renowned and award-winning student vocal jazz ensembles, Gold Company and Gold Company II (GCII), will present three performances of their annual concert.

These ensembles are part of the Jazz Studies program at WMU and have performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. For the March performances, Gold Company will be directed by Greg Jasperse and GCII by Liz Townsend.

Show times are 8 p.m. March 25 and 26 and 3 p.m. March 27, with livestreaming available.

Tickets are $15–$25 and available online at wmumusic.ludus.com/index.php.

Meet the Author: Thi Bui

Spektral Quartet March 7 Stetson Chapel

The three-time Grammy-nominated Spektral Quartet will perform at Kalamazoo College's Stetson Chapel in a 7:30 p.m. concert presented by the Connecting Chords Music Festival and the Kalamazoo College music department.

The performance by the Chicago-based ensemble will feature nine new works: a string quartet composed by Bernard Rands and a series of short pieces written by members of the Chicago Composers' Consortium (C3) in response to Rands’ new work. The C3 composers include Kalamazoo's own Elizabeth Start.

Tickets are “pay-what-you-can,” with suggested pricing of $20, or $15 for seniors and $5 for ages 25 and under.

Tickets are available for purchase online at mfsm.us and at the door.

LITERATURE

March 22 KPL Live

The author and artist of the graphic novel The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir will talk about her book at 7 p.m. during a presentation on KPL Live, the Kalamazoo Public Library's video streaming channel.

The Best We Could Do, selected as KPL's 2022 Reading Together title, chronicles Bui's parents’ life before and during the Vietnam War and their escape from Vietnam when Bui was a child. To join the event, visit kpl.gov/live five minutes before the program begins.

For other literary events, see the Library and Literary Events section of our Events of Note, on page 33. w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 29

TheArts

Westminster Art Festival Submissions Through April 10

Submissions are being sought for the Westminster Art Festival, which combines visual arts and poetry.

The festival is scheduled for April 30–June 15 and offers cash prizes for visual art and poetry, which will be judged by Mary Brodbeck and Susan Ramsey, respectively.

The Westminster Art Festival is presented by the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1515 Helen Ave., in Portage. The festival's theme this year is “A Certain Slant of Light,” and the focus is on the environment and Earth care.

Visual art will be accepted in person April 3–10. Writers may submit poetry from now until April 10 by email to jerryandjanet@wpcportage.org. Artists and writers are encouraged to visit the website westminsterartfestival.org for details and inspiration.

Art Hop

March 4 Downtown Kalamazoo In conjunction with the Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival, many of the activities in this month’s Art Hop will have a dance theme.

This free event, organized by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, will feature a variety of artists' works in various locations in downtown Kalamazoo as well as live music and the chance to visit downtown businesses.

Art Hop runs from 5–8 p.m., and the Arts Council has an app that provides a guide and map of Art Hop sites, information about participating artists, and walking directions. For more information or to access the app, visit kalamazooarts.org.

Colors! Shapes! Patterns!

Opens March 12 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

An exhibition exploring colors, shapes and patterns as the building blocks of art will open this month in the Upjohn Mason Grandchildren’s Gallery of the KIA, 314 S. Park St. Works in the exhibit, which will run until June 12, come from the KIA's permanent collection and include a variety of media.

KIA hours are 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and noon–4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, or $2 for students and free for members, children through age 12, school groups and active military personnel. All visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask when visiting the KIA. For more information, call 349-7775 or visit kiarts.org.

30 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

VISUAL ARTS Blue Heat: Glass Art Gala and Auction March 12 Glass Art Kalamazoo

A chance to mingle with talented glass artists and bid on one-ofa-kind art pieces is available at this annual fundraising event, set for 7–10 p.m. at Glass Art Kalamazoo, in Suite 100 of the Park Trades Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave. Guests are encouraged to wear blue or blueaccented attire and will be able to bid on glass art during live and silent auctions. The works are created by GAK's visiting artists and local glass artists, with some of the pieces created during public demonstrations. Proceeds will benefit GAK’s glass education opportunities, youth scholarships, visiting artist program and community outreach initiatives.

Tickets are $70 and include food and drinks, live entertainment and a keepsake glass tumbler made in the GAK studios. Due to Covid-19, the size of the event will be limited and guests will be asked to show proof of vaccination.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit glassartkalamazoo.org.

ONGOING EXHIBITIONS Arty's Zooseum Through March 6 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts The Illustrated Accordion Through March 25 Kalamazoo Book Arts Center Africa, Imagined: Reflections on Modern and Contemporary Art Through May 1 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Linling Lu: Musical Meditations Through June 5 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Unveiling American Genius Through December Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

DANCE

RAD Fest March 4–6 Epic Center

The Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RAD Fest) brings modern, postmodern and contemporary dancers and choreographers from across the country to Kalamazoo for a weekend of performances, classes, lectures and networking.

This is the 13th year for the event, which is hosted annually by Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers at the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall. Performances, which will be in-person and virtual, include:

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• "The Conversation Series: Stitching the Geopolitical Quilt to Re-Body Belonging," a performance by RADicle Resident Artist Helanius Wilkins, 8 p.m. March 4.

• Professional Artist Series, 7 and 9 p.m. March 5.

• Youth Performance, 2 p.m. March 6.

The festival will also offer showings of “screendances,” dance works designed to be filmed; open rehearsals; and an immersive movement installation. Ticket prices are $15–$50 depending on the event, and all-access passes are $80. For a complete schedule and more information, visit midwestradfest.org.

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EVENTS ENCORE

Please Note: Due to the COVID–19 virus, some of these events may have been cancelled after press time. Please check with the venue and organizations for up–to–date information.

PERFORMING ARTS THEATER Plays

The Piano Lesson — The Civic presents this August Wilson drama about family and the legacy of slavery, 7:30 p.m. March 4–5, 2 p.m. March 6, Parish Theatre, 426 S. Park St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

The Revolutionists — Four beautiful women lose their heads in an irreverent, woman-powered comedy set during the French Revolution, 7:30 p.m. March 17–19, 24–26, & 31 & April 2, 2 p.m. March 20, 27 & April 3, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, farmersalleytheatre.com.

Emilia — A drama inspired by the life of the 17thcentury poet and feminist Emilia Bassano, 7:30 p.m.

March 18–19 & 24–26, 2 p.m. March 27, Williams Theatre, WMU, wmich.edu/theatre.

Leaving Iowa — The Civic's Senior Class Reader’s Theatre presents this comedy about a man who embarks on a road trip to find a resting place for his father's ashes, 7:30 p.m. March 25–26 & April 1–2, 2 p.m. March 27 & April 3, Civic Theatre, 329 S. Park St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

Musicals

Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr. — The Civic Youth Theatre’s Penguin Project presents this musical based on the classic Saturday morning educational cartoon series, 7:30 p.m. March 11 & 18, 2 p.m. 12–13 & March 19–20, 10 a.m. March 16–17, Civic Theatre, 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The New Musical — Songs from the original film alongside a new score, 7:30 p.m. March 18 & 19, 2 p.m. March 19, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

Music of the Americas — Baritone Derrick Parker joins the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra to perform Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs, 7:30 p.m. March 4, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.com.

Disney Princess: The Concert — Come attired as your favorite princess for this show featuring songs, animation and stories, 7:30 p.m. March 25, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.

Western Invitational Jazz Festival — Opening concert featuring pianist Helen Sung with Western Jazz Collective, 8 p.m. March 4, and closing concert featuring Sung with University Jazz Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. March 5, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, with livestream available, 387-4678, wmich.edu/music/events.

DANCE Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RAD Fest) — Featuring modern, post-modern and contemporary dance, hosted by Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, March 4–6, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, midwestradfest.org, 342-4354.

Ballet Arts Ensemble Spring Concert — 3 & 7 p.m.

March 19, 3 p.m. March 20, Wellspring Theater, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, BAETickets.org.

Ballet Fine Arts Junior Jury Presentations — 3 p.m.

March 26, Dalton Center Studio B, WMU, 387–2300.

MUSIC Bands & Solo Artists Virtual Fretboard Festival — March 5 (see listing below under MUSEUMS, Kalamazoo Valley Museum).

Little Feat — Rock ’n’ roll band, with special guest Ida Mae, 8 p.m. March 5, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Back Room Concerts — The Accidentals, 8 p.m. March 5; Cycles, 8 p.m. March 6; Todd Snider: Pickin’, Grinnin’, Tellin’ Stories, Takin’ Requests, 8 p.m. March 11; Lady Ace Boogie, 8 p.m. March 12; Drink Their Blood, 8 p.m. March 18; Fool House, 9 p.m. March 19, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382–2332, bellsbeer.com.

Tracy Lawrence & Clay Walker — Country music icons, with special guest Randall King, 7:30 p.m.

March 17, Wings Event Center, 3600 Vanrick Drive, wingseventcenter.com/events.

Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More Trombonist Yu Tamaki —1 & 7:30 p.m. March 2, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, with pre-concert talk at 7 p.m. and livestream available, 387-4678, wmich.edu/ music/events.

Chamber Music Festival — Presented by the Michigan chapter of the American String Teachers Association, 8 a.m. March 7, Dalton Center, WMU, 387-4678, wmich. edu/music/events.

Spektral Quartet — Grammy-nominated quartet based in Chicago, 7:30 p.m. March 7, Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College, mfsm.us.

Il Dolce Suono — Ki Kolech Arev — Jewish and secular music from late medieval Italy presented by countertenor Doron Schleifer and keyboard and recorder musician Corina Marti, 7:30 p.m. March 10, First Baptist Church/ KNAC building, 315 W. Michigan Ave., mfsm.us.

Euclid String Quartet — 7:30 p.m. March 14, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, with livestream available, 387-4678, wmich.edu/music/events.

Bass Trombonist Jason Hausback — 7:30 p.m. March 15, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, with livestream available, 387-4678, wmich.edu/music/events.

Southwest Michigan Vocal Festival — University Chorale, with Kimberly Dunn Adams directing, 7 p.m.

March 17, Miller Auditorium, 387-4678, wmich.edu/ music/events.

Members of the Juilliard String Quartet with Gloria Chien — The Grammy Award-winning ensemble performs with pianist Chien, 3 p.m. March 20, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 382–7774, fontanamusic.org.

WMU Drum Choir — 5 p.m. March 21, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, with livestream available, 387-4678, wmich.edu/music/events.

WMU Flute Choir — 7:30 p.m. March 21, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, with livestream available, 387-4678, wmich.edu/music/events.

WHAT’S

NEW

is NOW OPEN! This new service of the Arts Council allows us to sell event tickets for these local arts organizations:

Tickets may be purchased online or at the box office. The box office is located at the Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, downtown Kalamazoo.

Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo 32 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

Box Office Hours:

Mon - Fri, 10 am to 6 pm Sat, 10 am –1 pm

Visit KalamazooArts.org

ENCORE EVENTS GC 44: Songbirds in Spring — WMU’s vocal jazz ensembles Gold Company and Gold Company II perform, with special guest Rosana Eckert, 8 p.m. March 25 & 26, 3 p.m. March 27, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, with livestream available, 387-4678, wmich.edu/ music/events.

Flutist Shanna Pranaitise — 7:30 p.m. March 30, Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, with pre-concert talk at 7 p.m. and livestream available, 387-4678, wmich. edu/music/events.

COMEDY Patton Oswalt — Comedian known for his unflinching honesty and relatable perspectives on the world, 7 p.m.

March 5, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

Tig Notaro — Grammy- and Emmy-nominated standup comedian, 7 p.m. March 12, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.

VISUAL ARTS Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org Exhibitions

Arty’s Zooseum — Arty Mouse’s exhibition of art for the young and young at heart, through March 6.

Colors! Shapes! Patterns! — Exhibition exploring the building blocks of art, March 12–June 12.

Kirk Newman Art School Faculty Review — Biannual exhibition showcasing more than 40 Southwest Michigan artists, through March 13.

Africa, Imagined: Reflections on Modern and Contemporary Art — A curated combination of modern and contemporary works exploring escapism, social inquiry and cultural reclamation, through May 1.

Linling Lu: Musical Meditations — Paintings that inspired by sound and color, through June 5.

Unveiling American Genius — Abstract and contemporary works emphasizing stories that African American, Latinx and other artists have told about our cultures, art and history, through December.

Events ARTbreak — Programs about art, artists and exhibitions: The Dance of Social Justice, talk by Helanius Wilkins, inperson and virtual event, March 1; Centering Diverse and Authentic Cultural Voices in a Museum Gallery, discussion by Monica Scott, in-person event, March 15; Handmade Bone Folder Tools, talk by Rachel Stickney, in-person and virtual event, March 29; sessions begin at noon in the KIA Auditorium or via livestream; reserve tickets online.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts Western Michigan University, 387-2436, wmich.edu/art

Printed — A selection of works from the WMU Frostic School of Art’s print collection, researched and curated by current print-media students, March 25–April 16, Netzorg and Kerr Gallery.

Annual Student Exhibition — Works by students in the WMU Frostic School of Art, March 25–April 16, Monroe-Brown Gallery.

Other Venues Art Hop — Displays of art at various locations, 5–8 p.m. March 4, downtown Kalamazoo, 342–5059, kalamazooarts.org.

Blue Heat: Glass Art Gala and Auction — An annual celebration of glass art with live and silent auctions, food, drinks and music, 7–10 p.m. March 12, Glass Art Kalamazoo, Suite 100, Park Trades Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., glassartkalamazoo.org.

The Illustrated Accordion — A non-juried exhibition of accordion-style books by emerging and established artists, through March 25, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, Suite 103A, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org Discovery Kits — Learn a new skill or hobby with bags that contain all of the materials needed to learn birdwatching, journaling, crocheting, knitting, macrame, metal stamping, origami, cake shapes, woodburning, postcard embroidery, therapy light or metal detecting.

Book Club in a Bag — Start a book discussion with a bag that includes multiple copies of a book and discussion questions that can be checked out for up to six weeks.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov Fleece, Love and Kindness — Pick up a no-sew throw blanket kit and make a blanket for a child in need with Project Linus, at all KPL locations during open hours through April 1.

Displaced Persons in Southwest Michigan — A refugee community services specialist and a family coach/advocate discuss services for displaced people in our area, 6–7 p.m. March 8, Van Deusen Room, Central Library, 315 S. Rose St. We Are Our Stories: Being Asian and Asian American in Kalamazoo — Members of the Asian American/Pacific Island Affinity Group from Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Kalamazoo share stories and experiences, 6–7:30 p.m. March 15, Van Deusen Room, Central Library, 315 S. Rose St. Meet the Author: Thi Bui — Virtual discussion with Thi Bui about her graphic novel, The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir, which is the KPL 2022 Reading Together selection, 7–8:30 p.m. March 22, kpl.gov/live.

Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org Picturing Women Inventors — A Smithsonian poster exhibition highlighting the history of U.S. women inventors, March 1–31.

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Hands-On Event at the Kirk Newman Art School — Participants can try their hand at several projects and take home their artworks, 5–8 p.m. March 4.

Artist as Curator: Taking Your Show on the Road — Kalamazoo Art League presents Reni Gower, who will talk about how she brings exhibitions to life, 10–11 a.m.

March 16.

Call Us Today.

We Can Help

Book Discussion: The Best We Could Do — This book

by Thi Bui chronicles her parents’ life and their escape from Vietnam when Bui was a child, 2 p.m. March 16.

269-321-9442

A Woman’s Voice: Then and Now? — KIA Chief Curator Rehema Barber and WMU professors discuss the roles of women within the African diaspora, 6 p.m.

March 17, KIA Auditorium and livestreamed.

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www.cornerstoneisit.com w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 33

EVENTS ENCORE Parchment Book Group — Discussion of The Best We Could Do, by Thi Bui, 6 p.m. March 14.

Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org

Mystery Book Club – Discussion of Murder at the Brightwell, by Ashley Weaver, 4 p.m. March 21.

Writing Your Memoir: How to Get Started — Zoom discussion led by Diana Raab, author of Writing for Bliss, 7–8 p.m. March 2; registration required.

Turn the Page: The Bob Seger Story – Visit by author Edward Sarkis Balian, with copies of the book available for purchase, 6:30 p.m. March 30.

Portage District Library 300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagedistrictlibrary.info

Gilmore Car Museum 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org 2022 Lecture Series — Open Wheel Racing, Fred Otterbein with Jeff Bloom, Taylor Ferns and A.J. Lesiecki, March 6; Michigan Wine Country, Ken Fischang, Aaron Harr and Crick Haltom, March 13; Advertising and Marketing of the Motorcar: From 1900 to the Late 1960s,

Storytelling Festival: A Celebration of Time! — In online presentations, storytellers from across the globe tell tales of traditions, the importance of relationships and the movement toward peace, freedom and purpose, through March 20.

HOME

A poetic exploration and expression of the concept of home

2022 Kalamazoo Poetry Festival April 22-23 • ONLINE •

Celebration of Community Poets Friday, April 22 • 6 pm Workshops Saturday, April 23 • 10 am, 12:30 pm & 3 pm OPEN MIC Saturday, April 23 • 7 pm

kalamazoopoetryfestival.com 34 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

Kalamazoo Valley Museum 230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org Virtual Fretboard Festival — Annual celebration of Kalamazoo’s stringed-instrument heritage, March 5, with livestreamed performances by The Purple Lemurs (11 a.m.), Out! (1 p.m.), the Out of Favor Boys (3 p.m.), and Schlitz Creek (5 p.m.); three workshops; and recorded performances by the Kalamazoo Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra, Kaitlin Rose and the Band of Thorns, and Matt Cosgrove.

Books with Friends Book Club — Zoom discussion of The Best We Could Do, by Thi Bui, 7–8 p.m. March 17; registration required.

MUSEUMS

The Portage District Library’s temporary location at 5528 Portage Road will close on March 1 to begin moving back into the newly renovated and expanded building at 300 Library Lane. The library anticiaptes reopening in May.

Ed Garten, March 20; Michigan State Parks Along the West Michigan Lakeshore, M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson, March 27; all sessions begin at 3 p.m.

Toys: The Inside Story — Explore the inner workings of toys and create your own toy-like combinations of gears, pulleys, linkages, cams and circuits, through May 1.

The Forgotten Fights of the Kalamazoo Boxing Academy — Traces the history of the academy while focusing on fighters who recount their personal experiences, through Sept. 18.

Filling in the Gaps: The Art of Murphy Darden — Online exhibition on Kalamazoo resident Murphy Darden, who explores local history, civil rights and America’s forgotten black cowboys, kvmexhibits.org/ murphy-darden.

Close to Home: The Walker Brothers — Online exhibition on Ryan and Keith Walker, who were afflicted with the rare genetic disorder Hunter syndrome, and their impact on family, friends and civil rights in Kalamazoo, kvmexhibits.org/2020/walkerbrothers.

NATURE Kalamazoo Nature Center 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org Maple Sugar Festival — Annual celebration of spring’s arrival, with maple sugaring demonstrations, March 5–6.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu Nature Scavenger Hunt — Test your winter naturalist skills by seeking nature’s clues to complete challenges, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. March 5; registration required.

Birds and Coffee Chat Online — Discussion of thrushes and ally birds, 10 a.m. March 9; registration required.

Other Venues

Kalamazoo Living History Show — Join re-enactors of the French & Indian War through the Civil War, along with craftspeople, dealers and history buffs, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. March 19, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. March 20, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, kalamazooshow.com.

5K Walk to End Homelessness — Sponsored by Housing Resources Inc., 10 a.m. March 19, Homer Stryker Field, 251 Mills St.; sign up online now or in person at 9 a.m. March 19; housingresourcesinc.org.

New Breweries of West Michigan Bus Tour — Noon–5:45 p.m. March 19, with tour setting off from Old Burdick's Bar & Grill, 100 W. Michigan Ave., and making stops at Murray Street Brewing Co., Deep End Brewing Co. and Brewery Outre; purchase tickets at westmichiganbeertours.com/tour.

Kalamazoo County 4-H Tack Sale — With more than 300 vendors selling items for horse and farm, 5–9 p.m.

March 21, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North; for more information, send email to kalamazoo4hhorse@ yahoo.com.

Thunderbirds RC Club Swap Meet — Offering radiocontrolled airplanes, trains, helicopters, boats and more, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. March 26, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, 269-823-4044.

Sixty-Second Family Shenanigans — Families compete in challenges to claim the 2022 Portage Shenanigans Cup, 10 a.m. March 26, Schrier Park; registration required, portagemi.gov/calendar.

March - June • Schedule an appointment to get your teeth professionally whitened at a discount - call 269.344.4004.

• Sharp Smile Center donates our time and Ultradent donates the materials.

• Proceeds go to Smiles for Life Foundation, funding children’s charities.

Take home trays: $99 In-Office: $300

Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Buy, sell or trade a variety of reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and other exotic pets, plus supplies & food, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. March 26–27, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, kalamazooreptileexpo.com.

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society General Meeting and Speaker — Fran Bagenal presents a talk on Exploration of the Outer Solar System: The Voyagers and Beyond, 7–9:10 p.m. March 4 via Zoom; register at kasonline.org.

Painting in the Park — Join a class to create a painting to take home, 6–9 p.m. March 10, Schrier Park, 850 W. Osterhout Ave.; registration required, portagemi.gov/ calendar.

Ranger Hike: Winter Tree Identification — Join park staff for a hike to discover how to identify trees in winter, 2 p.m. March 13, Schrier Park; registration required, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Astrophotography: Remote Astro-Imaging for Everyone — Discussion of advances in technology that have made this hobby more accessible, 8–9:30 p.m.

March 18; register at kasonline.org.

John Ball Zoo: Animal Senses — Explore your senses and the senses animals use to survive in this event led

by John Ball Zoo staff, 10 a.m. March 19, Schrier Park; registration required, portagemi.gov/calendar.

MISCELLANEOUS Winter Craft Show — With more than 150 vendors, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. March 5, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, 2900 Lake St., 269-903-5820.

Creating Community Connection — The Arc Community Advocates’ 15th Annual Inclusion Conference, online via Zoom, 8:45 a.m.–4 p.m. March 9, communityadvocates.org; registration required.

Kalamazoo Home & Garden Expo — Showcasing building trends, products, ideas and inspiration, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. March 11–12, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. March 13, Kalamazoo County Expo Center.

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 35

PATRICK ALLKINS

Founder, Chairman and CEO - OnStaff Group

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ENCORE BACK STORY Lauren Burns (continued from page 38) The work involved feeding, keeping the animals' environments clean and training the animals to receive veterinary procedures such as dental exams and vaccinations. I fell in love with animal husbandry and grew increasingly interested in conservation and regenerative agriculture.

After moving back here (from Chicago) in 2013, I knew I wanted to work with sheep in an environmentally impactful way. I did some research and found a list of mentors on the Michigan Sheep Producers Association website. Jeff Buckham, a fifth-generation sheep farmer, was on this list. I cold-called Jeff to ask if I could volunteer on his farm and learn from him. We have been working together ever since.

I’ll add that I didn’t grow up on a farm or learn about farming other ways such as 4-H. But it’s become my passion, and there are many farmers in our area, like my business partner, Jeff, who are willing to share their vast knowledge.

What is so great about sheep?

Grazing animals such as sheep have been partnering with humans for centuries to improve soil and control plant growth. In the United States, grazing is being implemented for wildfire prevention, soil improvement and the sequestration of atmospheric carbon. When we created our business, there were no other sheep grazing companies like ours in Michigan.

Why not goats?

I get asked that a lot. Sheep are quiet. They keep to themselves.

Sheep won’t climb trees or eat bark like goats do. Sheep mind a fence better, and they provide us with their wool and meat.

What are some examples of local land stewardship services your sheep have provided?

We started back in 2018 doing small backyards and since then grew to include municipal projects. The City of Kalamazoo Parks & Recreation Department hired us to mow the tall grass and brush at Mayors Riverfront Park, behind the Growlers' stadium. Our sheep

(also) removed bush plants, invasives and other nuisance plants from the steep hill at Woods Lake Park. At Spring Valley Park, we targeted three different areas around the lake edge with our sheep to remove wild grapevine and poison ivy so that guests could have better access to the lake.

How do you contain sheep when they are working?

We have over 100 sheep, and we usually bring 40 to 60 with us, depending on the size of the project. We bring enough animals to ensure even mowing of grass and thorough brush or invasive species removal within a one- to two-day period. The animals are contained in ElectroNet fencing that is powered by a solar charger. The fencing is flexible and can go around anything — trees or a rose bush the property owner wants to protect. The fencing also protects the sheep from predators. As a friendly reminder, folks that see our sheep working during summer in parks and other public properties should keep in mind that our fencing is electrified.

Two additional things I’m often asked: Yes, the sheep stay overnight in the fenced area if the project requires more than a day. And, yes, it’s OK if they get rained on.

If someone wanted to hire your sheep, how would they do that?

Each project is unique. When contacted, we come out to see the property in question and then create a quote. Pricing is affected by factors such as existing fencing, distance from our farm and length of time the sheep will be working. We love meeting new clients and providing an environmentally friendly option for our community’s landscaping needs.

What are your future plans for Tending Tilth?

Sheep can easily access areas around solar panels. We’d love to expand our grazing services to solar farms. And I’m in the early stages of training our English shepherd, Murphy, to be a herding dog.

— Interview by Donna McClurkan, edited for length and clarity

w w w.encorekalamazoo.com | 37

BACK STORY ENCORE

Lauren Burns

Brian Powers

Owner, Tending Tilth

Lauren

Burns owns Tending Tilth, a Portage contract sheep grazing business that provides a unique option for mowing grass and brush. The company’s wooly eaters have been hired to chomp away on everything from small lawns to tall grass and nuisance bushes and plants at Mayors Riverfront, Woods Lake and Spring Lake parks for the city of Kalamazoo.

"Our sheep love to mow/graze steep hillsides and eat invasive and nuisance plant species like poison ivy, wild grapevine and Japanese knotweed," says Burns.

And lest you think it would just be cute to have sheep do your gardening, Burns notes that there's also a big advantage to the environment.

"The conservation aspect to the work we do is huge. No fossil fuels are used, except to transport the animals," says Burns. "Sheep specialize 38 | ENCORE MARCH 2022

in grazing a variety of landscapes, including steep hills. While moving through a landscape, sheep hooves aerate the soil and their manure fertilizes, helping to build topsoil. Healthy topsoil promotes plant root growth, sequesters carbon and improves watershed function."

But, yes, they are cute.

What’s the meaning behind the business name, Tending Tilth?

Tending is another word for shepherding, and tilth is an old term for optimal, healthy soil.

How did Tending Tilth come to be?

I earned a degree in biology at Western Michigan University.

After graduation, I worked as a zookeeper at Binder Park Zoo, in Battle Creek, and then Lincoln Park Zoo, in Chicago, taking care of hooved animals such as antelope, zebras, giraffes, goats and sheep. (continued on page 37)

Le wis Re e d & A llen P .C . a tt orn eys Front row, center: Richard D. Reed Middle Row (L-R): Stephen M. Denenfeld, Vernon Bennett III, James M. Marquardt, Jennifer Wu, Michael A. Dombos, Michael A. Shields, Owen D. Ramey, Kimberly L. Swinehart Back Row (L-R): Gregory G. St. Arnauld, Thomas C. Richardson, Joseph W. Vander Horst, Michael B. Ortega, David A. Lewis, Jonthan J. Vander Horst, Ronald W. Ryan, Wesley J. Todd 136 east michigan avenue suite 800 | kalamazoo

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Classical Music

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Kalamazoo’s only dedicated classical music station.

Information, analysis, and conversations from around the globe and right here in West Michigan on 102.1 FM.

Tune in online at WMUK.org or on the dial at 89.9 FM in Kalamazoo.

Have you heard the sounds of WMUK?

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