Up Front

First Things

Something Theatrical Farmers Alley offers backyard shows

If you can’t come to the theater, let the theater come to you. You can do that in your own backyard this month with Farmers Alley Theatre’s Backyard Broadway performances. A Backyard Broadway show is a private 40-minute performance for an audience of up to 10 people, featuring a musical revue of Broadway hits past and present from shows such as Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story. With proper sound equipment, the cast is able to maintain social distancing from the audience at all times.

The cost to book a Backyard Broadway performance is $250. One can be scheduled by contacting Rob Weiner at info@farmersalleytheatre.com.

Something Musical Beats on Bates goes on

Summer may be over (well, not officially until Sept. 22), but there are still a slew of outdoor concerts you can enjoy this month.

Beats on Bates, sponsored by Downtown Kalamazoo Partnership and the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, is offering a full slate of Wednesday evening performances. This series runs from 5-8 p.m. on Bates Alley, located between 200 and 276 E. Michigan Ave., and this is the September lineup: Sept. 2: Melissa Lee, a contemporary country singer. Sept. 9: Out of Favor Boys, a contemporary blues band. Sept. 16: Kanola Band, a Midwest jazz band playing the music of New Orleans.

Out of Favor Boys

Sept. 23: Lana Hoffman & Steve Kamerling, a duo featuring vocals and guitars. Sept. 30: Cabildo, an alternative Latin rock collective.

For more information or to check for schedule changes, visit kalamazooarts.org.

Something Active Run or walk for a good cause

If you are missing the flurry of fundraising walks and runs that normally take place this time of year, you can still register to do some of them on your own and at least one in a group of 100.

Bronson Children’s Hospital’s Run and Walk, an annual event to raise money for the children’s hospital, will take place as a virtual event Sept. 18–27. Participants can choose where and when they will complete their 5K or one mile run or walk. All registered participants will receive a T-shirt, bib and finisher medal. The event will also feature fun challenges, prizes and videos shared on social media to help participants feel connected. For more information or to register, visit bronsonhealth.com/runwalk.

The Kalamazoo Walk to End Alzheimer's won’t be a large in-person gathering either, but you can walk with small teams of friends or family Sept. 20 to raise money for Alzheimer’s support, care and research. To register, visit act.alz.org.

On Sept. 26, Gryphon Place will host its annual Suicide Prevention Walk as a virtual event. It will begin at 9 a.m. via Facebook Live, and participants can complete their walk at any time that day. Participants will receive a T-shirt and wristband and are encouraged to take pictures during their walk and post them on social media, using the hashtag #GPSuicidePreventionWalk. Registration for the event is at gryphon.org/events.

The annual SPCA 5K Doggie Dash this year gives you the option of walking or running the Spring Valley Park trails with others or running your own virtual course at the same starting time. Dogs are optional. The event is set for 10 a.m. Sept. 19, and the park is at 2605 Mount Olivet Road. Only the first 100 people to sign up will be able to participate at the park. To register for either the in-person event or the virtual one, visit runsignup.com/ Race/MI/Kalamazoo/5kDoggieDash.

And if you don’t like running all that much but want to support a good cause, you can participate in the Duck Derby Point1K on Sept. 26 on the Kalamazoo Mall. This spoof event involves a 329-foot flat course and Duck Derby raffle to benefit Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan. Pre-race events begin at 10 a.m. and the race at noon. For details, visit point1k.com.

Something Old Workshop looks at old windows

More than 50 percent of the houses in Kalamazoo were built before 1960, so chances are that the average Kalamazoo homeowner has an old double-hung window or two. And for those who don’t know the difference between a stool, a stop and a parting bead, the Kalamazoo Public Library is offering a free online workshop at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 to explain the intricacies of old windows.

“How to Understand Your Window” will be presented by the Old House Owners Workshop (OHOW), a program of the city of Kalamazoo’s Historic Preservation Commission. The workshop will explore window anatomy and function. North Coast Window Works owner Peter Carroll joins Historic Preservation Coordinator Sharon Ferraro and OHOW Planning Committee member Lenee Powell-Wilson to answer common window questions.

The workshop is available to view at kpl.gov/venue/online. For more information, visit kpl.gov.

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