May/June 2010 Issue

Ezine.com

ON THE TOWN

May/June 2010

Lisa Lisa Wong Wong Brian Brian Strange Strange Ana Ana Montoya Montoya Naomi Naomi Shihab-Nye Shihab-Nye Texas Texas Folklife Folklife Festival Festival Sebastian Sebastian Lang-Lessing Lang-Lessing Cactus Cactus Pear Pear Music Music Festival Festival Plus Plus 14 14 Additional Additional Articles Articles

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Features High-Flying Entertainment Highlighted Performances in May-June

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Front Cover Photo: Greg Harrison

Sebastian Lang-Lessing opens San Antonio Symphony’s 71st season as its new music director

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Performing Arts Cover Photo: Greg Harrison

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Events Calendar Cover Photo: Young Frankenstein / Paul

Woodlawn Theatre

Set to Relive its Glorious Past with a Brilliant Theatrical Future

May-June 2010 Events Calendar

Kolnik

Texas Folklife Festival Origins of “The Lone Star Party”

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Alameda

Visual Arts Cover Photo: Greg Harrison

Fiesta Noche del Rio

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Cactus Pear Music Festival’s 14th Pear-fect Season

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Culinary Arts Cover Photo: © JinYoung Lee / bigstock-

A Snapshot of Art and Culture

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Lisa Wong Best of Both Worlds

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Brian Strange Carrying on the Family Legacy

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Janet Holliday and Lainey Berkus The CE Group’s Dynamic Duo 4 On The Town | May-June 2010

Festivals & Celebrations Cover Photo: Courtesy Museo

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photo.com

Literary Arts Cover Photo: © 350jb / dreamstime.com

Eclectics Cover Photo: © Natalia Bratslavsky / dreamstime. com

Lair Creative, LLC would not knowingly publish misleading or erroneous information in editorial content or in any adv appear under any circumstances. Additionally, content in this electronic magazine does not necessarily reflect the view mances and exhibits, it is recommended that all times and dates of such events be confirmed by the reader prior to at

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Contributors

Departments Box Office: Cinema Tuesdays Celebrates 10 Years

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More Performing Arts: Raising the Curtain on the Upcoming Season

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Portfolio: The Art of Ana Montoya

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Gary Albright

Kay Lair

James Benavides

Diane Loyd

Julie Catalano

Claudia Maceo-Sharp

Cynthia Clark

Diana Marin

Lisa Cruz

Marlo Mason-Marie

Thomas Duhon More Visual Arts: Spend Some Free Time at San Antonio Museums

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Chris Dunn Brantley Ellsworth

Pinch Pennies & Dine Well: Got Groupon?

Sign Up and Save!

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More Culinary Arts: Dining Outside of the Neighborhood

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Book Talk: Noami Shihab Nye Poet, Anthologist, Novelist

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More Literary Arts: River Spectacular Debuts in May

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Artistic Destination: Artists Flock to Charming Rockport

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Picture This: From the Ground Up – Images

by Sara Selango

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Susan A. Merkner, copy editor

Peabo Fowler

Marks Moore Mikel Allen, graphic designer

Sharon Garcia

Hector Pacheco

Vivienne Gautraux

Sara Selango

Greg Harrison, staff photographer

Shannon Huntington Standley

Michele Krier

Jasmina Wellinghoff

Christian Lair

Erin West

Dana Fossett

On The Town Ezine.com is published by Lair Creative, LLC 14122 Red Maple San Antonio, Texas 78247 210-771-8486 210-490-7950 (fax)

vertisement in On The Town Ezine.com, nor does it assume responsibility if this type of editorial or advertising should ws or opinions of the management of Lair Creative, LLC. Since On The Town Ezine.com features information on perforttendance. The publisher assumes no responsibility for changes in times, dates, venues, exhibitions or performances.

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SA Symphony FP AD

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8 On The Town | May-June 2010

Performing Arts 10-28

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High-Flying Highlighted Performances in May-June

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Entertainment

By Sara Selango

May-June 2010 | On The Town 11

E

very time I sit down to write an article about the entertainment happenings in San Antonio and the surrounding area, I ask myself the same question: Where do I begin? There is always too much in the works to cover it all, so I have to pick and choose.

performances conducted by Ken-David Masur May 14-15, soprano Dawn Upshaw with Cliff Colnot conducting May 21-22, and their season closer Nadja Plays Bruch June 4-5 featuring violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg with Christopher Seaman conducting. After this, the next performance by the symphony will officially open the Sebastian This time, I think I’ll lead off with a one-week run at Lang-Lessing era as music director. Meet You New the Majestic. I’m talking about Mel Brooks’ Young Maestro is scheduled for Oct. 2.

Frankenstein, the musical version of his classic movie by the same name. See it June 8-13 at the Opera is next on the agenda when San Antonio venerable showplace on Houston Street and enjoy Opera presents Rigoletto by Guiseppe Verdi at musical numbers like Transylvania Mania, He Vas My Municipal Auditorium June 18-20.

Boyfriend and Puttin’ on the Ritz. It promises to be a great evening of musical theater. At the Majestic From Broadway to symphony to opera to country in May and June as well are performances by Celtic and western, that’s how I roll. The months of May Woman, The B-52s, Jose Carreras and Loretta Lynn. and June bring out the best from this musical Check the events calendar that follows in this genre. Here are a few examples of who’s appearing magazine for specific dates and times. when and where. Topping the list is George Strait at the Alamodome on May 1. Cory Morrow plays the In addition to the performances mentioned above, Whitewater Music Amphitheater in New Braunfels the San Antonio Symphony also calls the Majestic on May 13, the same day Jerry Jeff Walker brings his home and offers Four Seasons of Buenos Aires on music to Gruene Hall. Two days later, Joe Ely Band May 1 with concertmaster Ertan Torgul as soloist, takes the stage at the oldest dancehall in Texas.

Rogers and Hammerstein at the Movies – pops May 22 has Chris Cagle at Cowboys San Antonio,

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while Asleep at the Wheel takes its turn in Gruene.

Brandon Rhyder is up next at County Line BBQ on May 26, followed by Cross Canadian Ragweed at Whitewater on May 29. June is just as good as May with Greg Allman kicking things off at Gruene Hall on June 2, then there’s Pat Green at John T. Floore Country Store on June 4. Miranda Lambert and Wade Bowen appear at Whitewater on June 5, the same place that welcomes Randy Rogers Band on June 11 and 12. Robert Earl Keen makes a stop at John T. Floore Country Store on June 12, while June 25 has Bonnie Bishop at Gruene Hall and Roger Creager at John T. Floore. The night before, in a non-country show on June 24, Three Dog Night performs at Gruene Hall.

appear. Yarrow has been a staunch supporter of the festival for decades. Rod Kennedy started it all back in 1972. Today it’s the longest continuously running festival of its kind in North America. For more information, including a full schedule of performances, go to their web site at www.kerrvillemusic.com.

Closer to home, you are invited to experience the tradition and color of Fiesta Noche del Rio at Arneson River Theatre in La Villita. This year marks the 54th season for this iconic San Antonio singing and dancing extravaganza that runs from May 14 to August 14. Gates open for this one on Friday and Saturday nights at 7pm with performances beginning at 8:30pm. Still another major music Still another form of music comes to the forefront event that has captured the fancy of locals and at this time of the year. If you are a fan of folk, take visitors alike is the Tejano Conjunto Festival, the short drive to Quiet Valley Ranch near Kerrville presented annually by Guadalupe Cultural Center. for the 39th Annual Kerrville Folk Festival from May Jot down May 11-15 on your calendar for fun times 27 – June 13. Choose from eighteen days of music at both the Guadalupe and Rosedale Park. The featuring over 100 artists including Terri Hendrix, festival turns 29 this year.

Indigo Girls, Jimmy LaFavre, Ronny Cox and many, many more. Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow of the The list of things to see continues with a legendary folk group Peter, Paul and Mary will also super abundance of great community theater

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presentations. The Cameo Theatre has The Andrews Brothers: The Boogie Woogie Musical hitting the boards from May 7 to June 6, with The National Tour of Bill W. and Dr. Bob up next from June 25 to July 3. Grease is the word at the Woodlawn Theatre from June 11 to July 11. Prior to this, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. is featured May 6-16. Jonathan Larson’s acclaimed musical Rent is being performed through May 30 at the JCC’s Sheldon Velxer Theatre, while Russell Hill Rogers Theatre at San Pedro Playhouse brings The Nerd to the stage from May 21 to June 20. The Overtime Theater has The Life and Death of the Amazing Captain Piledriver on its schedule May 14-June 6 and R.U.R – Rossum’s Universal Robots on stage June 18-July 10. This is the tip of the community theater iceberg. Check the listings section for a much broader look.

Please allow me to conclude with more of my favorite upcoming shows starting with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, a must-see at Jo Long Theatre on May 7, followed by The Hunt Family on May 15 at the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre in New Braunfels. On May 27 you’ll find me at Pearl Stable for Riverwalk Jazz Public Radio

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Live Broadcast Recordings with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band and guests Dick Hyman and Catherine Russell.

Show times are 5:45 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Star Wars in Concert at the AT&T Center on June 5 is also on my list, as is Lizz Wright at the Carver’s Jo Long on June 12. And of course, I have to see One Night with Elvis at the Josephine on June 18 featuring tribute artist Donny Edwards. Thank you very much.

There you have it, a brief overview of things to come in the high-flying entertainment world of San Antonio and the surrounding area. Get some tickets and go!

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Photo Credits: Pages 10-11 Young Frankenstein Photo by Paul Kolnik

Pages 12 (L-R)

Page 14 (L-R)

Young Frankenstein Photo by Paul Kolnik

Miranda Lambert Courtesy 360 Artist Management

Jose Carreras Courtesy San Antonio Opera

Hunt Family Courtesty huntfamilyfiddlers.com

Dawn Upshaw Photo by Dario Acosta

Lizz Wright Courtesy Carver Community Cultural Center

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Page 15 (L-R)

Andrew Lang-Lessing Courtesy imgartists.com

Donny Edwards Courtesy Josephine Theatre

George Strait Couresty georgestrait.com

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg Courtesy nadjasalernosonnenberg.com

Cory Morrow Courtesy corymorrow.com

Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow Courtesy Kerrville Folk Festival

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Sebastian Lang-Lessing opens San Antonio Symphony’s 71st season as its new music director

By Lisa Cruz Photography Marks Moore

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his guy rocks” is not a description too many classical music artists can claim, but at the announcement of Sebastian Lang-Lessing as the music director designate of the San Antonio Symphony, chairman of the symphony’s board of directors and chairman of the symphony’s music director search committee Dennert O. Ware said that was exactly how an audience member described Lang-Lessing during one of his local appearances. Others described his past performances as “simply incomparable.”

the musicians of the San Antonio Symphony; they are passionate about music and committed to the orchestra’s success.

These are not terms one throws around lightly, and after just a short time speaking with our newest symphony conductor, one immediately recognizes how he radiates enthusiasm, talent and humility. His resume speaks volumes, though.

San Antonio is coming to love him, too. At Lang-Lessing’s announcement, Judge Nelson Wolff said, “I think you’ll all agree with me that Sebastian’s selection as music director makes that three-year search process well worth it… I know you speak half a dozen languages, so I’m sure you’ll understand when I say, bienvenidos a San Antonio!”

Lang-Lessing began his career at the prodigious age of 24 with the Hamburg State Opera, shortly after he was awarded the Ferenc Fricsay prize in Berlin. He is currently the chief conductor and artistic director of the Tasmanian Symphony and leads major orchestras worldwide, including the Orchestre de Paris, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and the radio orchestras of Berlin and Frankfurt.

He served as conductor-in-residence at the Deutsche Opera Berlin for eight years before being appointed music director and chief conductor of the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy in France for seven years. Under his leadership the Opéra de Nancy was promoted to national status, becoming the Opéra National de Lorraine.

“San Antonio is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city with the charm of a quiet place in the south. The diverse cultural influences make it such an interesting place. It’s a colorful place of contrasts. The more I visit San Antonio and more people I meet, the more I start knowing and loving San Antonio.”

Lang-Lessing begins his tenure as the symphony’s eighth music director in October after an intense, three-year selection process. A committee of symphony musicians, board members and staff, and San Antonio community members spent many hours combing through more than 200 applicants for the position, narrowing the search down to 14 applicants who performed over the past three seasons.

A key element in deciding who would serve as San Antonio’s next music director focused on a commitment to San Antonio. “Lang-Lessing will be a major presence in the community, conducting the vast majority of subscription concerts, additional special performances throughout the year, and leading the symphony’s education and community outreach activities,” according Lang-Lessing made his American debut in Houston and to a symphony announcement released in February. said, “The state of Texas has felt like my American home base, and now I will truly have a home in this great state. In addition, Lang-Lessing and his wife, Britta Funck, will From the beginning, I felt an immediate chemistry with maintain a home in San Antonio, as well as their current May-June 2010 | On The Town 17

residence in Berlin. Lang-Lessing will conduct the opening night of the San Antonio Symphony’s season Oct. 2 in a special gala performance and, later in the season, will lead the orchestra in special performances featuring piano superstar Lang Lang. The symphony also plans a special Tchaikovsky festival that LangLessing will conduct this season, which the symphony intends to develop into an annual event to spotlight a new composer each year.

Lang-Lessing explained that one of his goals is to attract a new audience to the symphony, while maintaining the highest standards of excellence longtime supporters and concert-goers have come to expect.

“My hope is that people walk away from a concert with the sensation of a very unique event, as no concert is like another, even when we repeat it,” he said. “There will stay this feeling of having been on an intense journey. Only music can let you experience the most diverse and contrasting emotions in a very short time. You reach a different level of awareness and sensitivity.”

Describing the unique experience of a conductor, LangLessing explained how some concerts can take hours for him to emerge from after the music ends, because it is such a moving experience.

During the 10-minute mini-concert introducing LangLessing in February, the audience saw him dance across the podium as he conducted Les Toréadors, Prélude and Aragonaise and Danse bohème. One of the more animated conductors, he uses his whole body to guide the orchestra, creating a sound that one person described as “the best I’ve ever heard the symphony sound.”

Lang-Lessing began his musical career at the age of 4, playing the recorder, but found his musical legs and his dedication with the piano shortly after, he said.

“Around the age of eleven, my wish to become a conductor was very determined and became my main goal in life,” he said. “I discovered the symphonic and operatic repertoire and knew this was my world.”

Lang-Lessing’s world is one he wants to share through music, and when asked what he hopes audiences gain from listening to a live, classical concert, he said, “The first concert is often a lifetime-changing experience.

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There’s the aspect of a live performance and the energy that comes from the stage and this feeling of sharing the experience of an intense emotional journey with the players and the audience. Music reaches you on so many different levels and stimulates every hidden part of your body and soul.”

“Getting to Know Sebastian Lang-Lessing” (Answers in the San Antonio Symphony’s new music director’s own words) What is your favorite song?

German composer, Richard Strauss’ Four Last Songs. By the way, the American premiere was in San Antonio.

What is your favorite non-classical style of music?

As long it’s authentic, I enjoy all styles of music.

What are you reading now, or what is your favorite book?

At the moment Volker Kutscher, “Der stumme Tod” or “The silent death” takes place in Berlin 1930, the end of the silent movie era and is a really brilliant thriller that gives a great idea of the world between the wars. My favourite book, for many reasons is Goethe’s “Wahlverwandtschaften,” (which has been translated to both “Elective Affinities” and “Kindred by Choice.”)

What is your favorite food?

Again, as long as it’s authentic, I enjoy all kinds of food.

What is your favorite color?

How can you have a favourite color? It all depends on the light....

Where do you like to go on vacation?

Nature....mountains, the sea, the lakes, the forest.... Places where humans don’t dominate the power of nature and you have to learn to respect nature.

Have you tried any local restaurants yet?

Many... I can say, I have never had a bad meal in San Antonio, and I have had some of my best experiences there.

What other activities do you enjoy outside of being a conductor?

Cooking, outdoor activities, reading, museums, theater, meeting people and having a great conversation.

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20 On The Town | May-June 2010

Woodlawn Theatre Set to Relive its Glorious Past with a Brilliant Theatrical Future

By Michele Krier Photography Cynthia Clark and Hector Pacheco

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ire on the Bayou and Peter Pan are two recent reasons that the storied Woodlawn Theatre is red hot and flying high. Granted, the recent investment in the theatrical flying apparatus does make it hard for the Woodlawn owners to stay grounded in the midst of such excitement, but there’s a lot more than sheer technology to crow about these days.

Before long, her father Kurt Wehner, who is a builder, started building and designing sets for shows. His first efforts centered on building replicas from Fleet Street for Sweeney Todd. The experience made Pennington and Wehner realize that a great partnership was under way. Dr. Sherry Wehner, her mother, now heads up the marketing efforts for the theater and organizes the youth theater arts program.

Although the Woodlawn doesn’t quite date back to the Alamo era, it connects with San Antonio’s Alamo history. “Our daughter had acted with a variety of theater Legendary actor John Wayne hosted the premiere of his companies in the past, but she really bonded with classic film, The Alamo, at the Woodlawn.

Jonathan,” Sherry says. “He has a very creative and special way of working with the company members. He Producer/executive Jonathan Pennington is also the takes the time to be attentive and connect individually, artistic director, and a catalyst for the rebirth and growth one-on-one with the company. This is his passion, and of the Woodlawn Theatre’s productions. He started the it comes through in everything he does -- he’s very renovation project as a sole proprietor in the summer devoted to his work.” of 2006, opening his first musical, in keeping with the rebirth theme, on his birthday, Nov. 3.

Having been recruited themselves, the Wehners decided to take their enthusiasm to a new level, becoming Built in 1946 as a sister theater to the Majestic partners in the Woodlawn, along with Pennington. “We Theatre, the historic Woodlawn Theatre has come full saw that Jonathan had so much to offer, and we were circle and once again is the home of well-honed live able to help give the productions a little extra shine. We entertainment. You can’t get much livelier than High added a little frosting to the cake,” Sherry says modestly.

School Musical which helped the Woodlawn cast a spell The three formed Pennington Productions, becoming over San Antonio musical theater lovers several years official business partners this past January. Kurt runs ago. “We were the first theater in Texas to do HSM 1 and the business side and set design, and Pennington is the HSM 2 on stage with 95 performances and two months creative guru, with Sherry handling marketing. of sold-out shows,” Pennington says proudly.

“I have a team now, it’s the perfect team -- Kurt sees One young girl who became entranced with the what’s in my mind -- and I see what’s in his. We also have Woodlawn’s NYC Youth Performers had no idea when a team of writers on hand who are writing original work she enrolled in the program that she would ultimately while we’re doing mainstream work,” adds Pennington, have a major impact on the future of the historic theater. pointing to several youth productions which will open in May. Her enthusiasm was contagious, with her parents, feeling the same connection, volunteering to help. “We have been working on separating our youth L-R: Kurt Wehner, Sherry Wehner and Jonathan Pennington

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productions and our main stage plays this year,” Sherry says, pointing out that the youth program employs talented teachers who work with the students in all aspects of the art of musical theater. “This really is a great opportunity for children who are interested in training for musical theater.”

At the helm of the fast-paced company, Pennington says, “We have a show almost every weekend -- there’s very little down time. We have more than 100 students in the NYC Youth Performers. And we don’t only focus on the show, but also on education, voice, dancing skills and terminology of the stage -- they learn all aspects of the theater.”

“Our goal is to continue to grow our audiences and devoted following by keeping our productions at the highest possible level and offering the best performances for the community at affordable prices,” Sherry says.

Musicals are the future for the Woodlawn, but Pennington, who is at work on a hip-hop opera and also writing music for several shows off Broadway, says he also sees the company tapping into a few experimental productions in the next year or two. “We want to be diverse, have family shows, as well as shows for adults such as Avenue Q.” Plans for the future will continue the Woodlawn’s strengths. “We want to maintain the excellent growth we’ve experienced with our main stage plays, as well as broaden our youth program,” Sherry says.

The success of Sweeney Todd, Beauty and the Beast and Peter Pan have created great awareness of the Woodlawn.

“You have to fight for the arts -- stand strong! We are not funded by grants -- we’ve been funded on ticket sales. Our audiences support this. There are great signs of a long future here for us,” Pennington says.

A glimpse of future offerings from the Pennington Productions partnership includes Alice in Wonderland Jr. - NYC Youth Performers (May 6-16); Grease (June 11July 11), which will feature a female lead straight from London’s West End; Footloose; The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with Annie during the holiday season. Rent, Fame and Miss Saigon are on the schedule, and several other major productions are under consideration.

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L-R: Jonathan Pennington, Sherry Wehner and Kurt Wehner

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Box Office:

Cinema Tuesdays

Celebrates 10 Years

By Peabo Fowler

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en years ago, the DVD was still in the early stages of public adoption, the Bijou Cinema Bistro hadn’t yet opened, and the Alamo Drafthouse’s only location was in Austin. In other words, classic movies and independent pictures were hard to find, both on video and on the silver screen.

As a movie lover himself, Texas Public Radio’s Nathan Cone saw an opportunity and, with a colleague at the station, pitched the idea of a summer film series to the fundraising and development staff at TPR.

Kurosawa’s take on Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” Ran, on Aug. 31.

Over the years, the Cinema Tuesdays series has shifted its focus to emphasize classic foreign and Hollywood fare, but Cone always makes room for something new each year. This year, besides the Oscar-nominated short films, Cone has scheduled The Girl on the Train on July 6, a French drama about a woman who lies about being the victim of a hate crime.

The idea was to fill the summer months with real, The full Cinema Tuesdays lineup is online at www.tpr.

35mm prints of independent, foreign and classic films org/cinema, but Cone says he’s always trying to add more to the series. Select dates include cartoons or on the big screen. two-reel comedies before the feature presentation.

“That first month, in June, 2001, we screened the David Gordon Green film George Washington, the The Cinema Tuesdays series is open to the public. classic Italian neo-realist film The Bicycle Thief, Akira Texas Public Radio suggests a $10 donation for each Kurosawa’s Rashomon, and a documentary about screening for TPR members, or a suggested $12 cinematography, Visions of Light,” Cone remembers. donation for non-members. Proceeds benefit Texas “We had to turn people away, which surprised me! Public Radio -- KPAC 88.3 FM, KSTX 89.1 FM and KTXI But I guess San Antonio was thirsty for an alternative 90.1 FM. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. at the Bijou each to the summer blockbuster.”

Tuesday during June, July and August. For more information, visit www.tpr.org, or call 800-622-8977.

For the first three years, AMC Huebner Oaks hosted The series is made possible by Americus Diamond Texas Public Radio’s Cinema Tuesdays series. In 2004, Jewelry and Stevens Lighting. the annual event moved to the Santikos Bijou, which features in-theater dining.

Photo Credits: This year’s Cinema Tuesdays series opens June 1 with what many consider to be the best James Bond film of all time, Goldfinger. Other highlights of the summer series include The Godfather on June 29, Rock Hudson and Doris Day in Pillow Talk on Aug. 17, and Akira 24 On The Town | May-June 2010

Top Left: Marlon Brando and James Cann in The Godfather

Bottom Left: Doris Day and Rock Hudson in Pillow Talk

Top Right: Sean Connery in Goldfinger

Bottom Right: Scene from Ran

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More

PA Performing Arts

Raising the Curtain On the Upcoming Season

By Vivienne Gautraux Left: Lang Lang Courtesy camimusic.com Right: West Side Story Photo by Joan Marcus

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Blue Star FP Ad

eason 2010-2011 is shaping up to be spectacular.

Jersey Boys and the beginning of the Sebastian Lang-Lessing era as music director of the San Antonio Symphony top the bill, followed closely by the appearance of Lang Lang and the return of Wicked.

Antonio last season. For performance dates and much more information, go to broadwayacrossamerica.com and click on San Antonio.

San Antonio Chamber Music Society has already announced its five-performance year which includes San Antonio Symphony has announced twelve classical Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Amani Winds, concerts for the upcoming season along with two Cypress String Quartet, Quatuor Ysaye and Lafayette weekends of a Tchaikovky Festival. Meet Your New String Quartet.

Maestro, Lang-Lessing’s first official concert with the symphony on October 2, and Lang Lang’s performance In New Braunfels, Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre celeon January 12 are special “above and beyond” the brates ten years of live performances this coming season. regular season classical offerings. Six pops concerts are Patrons can look forward to Pat Hazell’s The Wonder scheduled to round out what promises to be a great Bread Years, Celtic Blaze, Jim Witter’s Piano Men (Billy Joel year. For all the specifics, visit sasymphony.org. and Elton John), the Off-Broadway musical Greetings from Yorkville and four additional performances.

Broadway Across America has a nine-show package set to take the stage at the Majestic in 2010-2011. The We can expect season announcements in the near aforementioned Jersey Boys and Wicked are joined by future from such presenters as Arts San Antonio, Cirque Dreams Illumination, 9 to 5, A Tuna Christmas, Carver Community Cultural Center, San Antonio Opera, Legally Blonde: The Musical, West Side Story and Rock of Musical Bridges Around the World, Tuesday Music Club, Ages. The ninth show is Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Children’s Fine Arts Series and Kerrville Performing a replacement for 101 Dalmations whose national tour Arts Society, plus the year-long schedules from our was cancelled prior to its scheduled appearance in San community theaters.

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Events Calendar 30-46 36-46

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May-June 2010 Events Calendar Music Notes George Strait 5/1, Sat @ 5:30pm Alamodome San Antonio Symphony: Four Seasons of Buenos Aires 5/1, Sat @ 8pm Josep Caballe-Domenech, conductor Ertan Torgul, violin Majestic Theatre Gary P. Nunn 5/1, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Jason Allen 5/1, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store RockBox Theater in Fredericksburg 5/1-6/27, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 4:30pm & 8pm Sun @ 1:30pm (Thursdays 6/17-8/12 @ 7pm) San Antonio Rose Live 5/1- 6/28, Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 2pm & 7:30pm Sun & Mon @ 7:30pm Aztec Theatre

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Symphony of the Hills: Nancy Zhou, violin 5/2, Sun @ 2:30pm Dr. Jay Dunnahoo, conductor Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater, Kerrville Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart 5/2, Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm Majestic Theatre Russian Dance Musical Bridges Around the World Presentation 5/2, Sun @ 3pm Matreshki, Russian dance group, Maria Markina, soprano Elena Amirbekyan, piano Kalinka, Russian folk group McAllister Auditorium, San Antonio College SAWS Garden Jazz Party 5/2, Sun / 10am-2pm San Antonio Botanical Garden Love and Light: A Celebration of Women Composers Voci di Sorelle Presentation 5/2, Sun @ 3pm St. John’s Lutheran Church

San Antonio Symphony Neighborhood Concert 5/2, Sun @ 4pm Josep Caballe-Domenech, conductor Ertan Torgul, violin Reagan High School Auditorium Beethoven Bookends Mid Texas Symphony 5/2, Sun @ 4pm David Mairs, conductor Christian Leotta, piano Jackson Auditorium, Seguin Aspects of Youth Youth Orchestra of San Antonio Presentation 5/2, Sun @ 4pm Laurie Auditorium Two Tons of Steel County Line Music Series 5/5, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ, IH-10 Brandon Jenkins KJ-97 & Texas Music Magazine Thursday Night Music Series 5/6, Thu @ 7pm (gates open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels Ryan Beaver 5/7, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Two Tons of Steel 5/8, Sat @ 7:30pm (doors open) Kendalia Halle Bob Schneider 5/8, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Nick Lawrence 5/8, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Sunday Jazz at the Witte: Three Divas – Joan Carroll, Katchie Cartwright and Bett Butler 5/9, Sun / 4-7pm Witte Museum Olmos Ensemble: One of San Antonio’s Finest!

Christopher Guzman, piano 5/11, Tue @ 7:30pm First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio Concert 3: Texas SOLI Chamber Ensemble Presentation 5/11, Tue @ 7:30pm Ruth Taylor Concert Hall, Trinity University 5/13, Thu @ 7:30pm Blue Star Contemporary Arts Center

A Day to Remember 5/12, Wed @ 6:30pm Lonestar Pavilion at Sunset Station Scott Wiggins Band County Line Music Series 5/12, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ, IH-10 Cory Morrow KJ-97 & Texas Music Magazine Thursday Night Music Series 5/13, Thu @ 7pm (gates open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels Jerry Jeff Walker 5/13, Thu @ 9pm Gruene Hall Jenni Rivera 5/14, Fri @ 8pm Freeman Coliseum The Subdudes 5/14, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Bleu Edmondson 5/14, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store San Antonio Symphony Pops: Rogers & Hammerstein 5/14-15, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Ken-David Masur, conductor Majestic Theatre The Hunt Family 5/15, Sat @ 7:30pm Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre, New Braunfels

Lil Bit and the Customatics 5/15, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Stoney LaRue KJ-97 & Texas Music Magazine Thursday Night Music Series 5/20, Thu @ 7pm (gates open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels

KNBT 92.1 Americana Music Jam 5/16, Sun @ All Day Gruene Hall

Johnny Cooper 5/21, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

San Antonio Symphony Youth Orchestra of San Antonio Side-By-Side 5/16, Sun @ 2:30pm Laurie Auditorium, Trinity University

San Antonio Symphony: Dawn Upshaw, soprano 5/21-22, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Cliff Colnott, conductor Majestic Theatre

Joe Ely Band 5/15, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

Seven Last Words San Antonio Choral Society Presentation 5/16, Sun @ 5pm Recital Hall, UTSA Main Campus Gary P. Nunn 5/16, Sun @ 6pm Anhalt Hall, Spring Branch The B-52s 5/16, Sun @ 7pm Majestic Theatre

Chris Cagle 5/22, Sat @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Asleep at the Wheel 5/22, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Waltz Across Texas: Lee Brice, 6 Market Blvd.

5/22, Sat @ 5pm John T. Floore Country Store La Mafia 5/23, Sun @ 7:30pm Alamodome

Deryl Dodd County Line Music Series 5/19, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ, IH-10

Brandon Rhyder County Line Music Series 5/26, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ, IH-10

Angels and Airwaves 5/19, Wed @ 7pm Lonestar Pavilion at Sunset Station

Five For Fighting 5/26, Wed @ 8pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Riverwalk Jazz Public Radio Live Broadcast Recordings Jim Cullum Jazz Band with Dick Hyman and Catherine Russell 5/27, Thursday Broadcast 1 @ 5:45pm Broadcast 2 @ 8:00pm Broadcast 3 @ 9:45pm Pearl Stable at Pearl Brewery Black Crowes 5/28, Fri @ 7pm Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels Josh Abbot Band 5/28, Fri @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Honeybrowne 5/28, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Kyle Bennett Band 5/28, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Jagermeister Music Tour: Korn’s Ballroom Blitz 5/29, Sat @ 6pm Sunken Gardens Theatre Cross Canadian Ragweed 5/29, Sat @ 7pm Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels Emory Quinn 5/29, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Monte Montgomery 5/29, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store May-June 2009 2010 | On The Town 31

Spazmatics 5/30, Sun @ 7pm Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels

Wayne Hancock 6/5, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Aaron Watson 5/30, Sun @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Band of Heathens KJ-97 & Texas Music Magazine Thursday Night Music Series 6/10, Thu @ 7pm (gates open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels

Two Ton Tuesdays: Two Tons of Steel 6/1-8/17, Tue @ 8pm Gruene Hall Gary P. Nunn County Line Music Series 6/2, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ, IH-10 Greg Allman 6/2, Wed @ 8pm Gruene Hall Micky & The Motorcars 6/4, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Pat Green 6/4, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store San Antonio Symphony: Nadja Plays Bruch 6/4-5, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Christopher Seaman, conductor Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Violin – Majestic Theatre

Concert Under the Stars 6/10, Thu @ 6pm (gates open) show @ 7pm San Antonio Botanical Garden Bart Crow Band 6/11, Fri @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Chayanne 6/11, Fri @ 8pm Freeman Coliseum Eleven Hundred Springs 6/11, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Star Wars in Concert 6/5, Saturday @ 2pm & 7pm AT&T Center

Randy Rogers Band: Sake of the Song Festival 6/11-12, Fri-Sat @ 4pm (doors open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels

Miranda Lambert & Wade Bowen 6/5, Sat @ 7pm Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels

Slim Roberts 6/12, Sat @ 7:30pm (doors open) Kendalia Halle

32 On The Town | May-June 2010

Lizz Wright Carver Community Cultural Center Presentation 6/12, Sat @ 8pm Jo Long Theatre @ Carver Community Cultural Center Iron Maiden 6/12, Sat @ 8pm AT&T Center Robert Earl Keen 6/12, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Sunday Jazz at the Witte: Johnny P and the Wiseguys 6/13, Sun / 4-7pm Witte Museum Seth James County Line Music Series 6/16, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ, IH-10 Jose Carreras San Antonio Opera Presentation 6/17, Thu @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre One Night with Elvis: Elvis Tribute Artist Donny Edwards 6/18, Fri @ 7pm Josephine Theatre Jason Boland & The Stragglers 6/18, Fri @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Houston Marchman 6/18, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Lil Bit and the Customatics 6/18, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Loretta Lynn 6/19, Sat @ 7pm Majestic Theatre Lee Cadena 6/19, Sat @ 7:30pm Jo Long Theatre @ Carver Community Cultural Center The BoDeans 6/19, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Whiskey Meyers 6/19, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Max Stalling County Line Music Series 6/23, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ, IH-10 Concert Under the Stars 6/24, Thu @ 6pm (gates open) show @ 7pm San Antonio Botanical Garden Three Dog Night 6/24, Thu @ 8pm Gruene Hall Bonnie Bishop 6/25, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Roger Creager & Aaron Watson 6/25, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

May-June 2010 | On The Town 33

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers 6/26, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Texas Renegade 6/26, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store The Temptations Arts San Antonio Presentation 6/27, Sun @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre Josh Abbott Band County Line Music Series 6/30, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ, IH-10

On Stage Jailbirds 5/1, Sat @7:30pm Rose Theatre Company The Happy Couple 5/1, Sat @ 8pm The Overtime Theater @ Blue Star To Kill a Mockingbird 5/1-2, Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Circle Arts Theatre, New Braunfels World on a String 5/1-15, Sat @ 7:30pm Cameo Theatre’s Zumbro Lounge

34 On The Town | May-June 2010

Father’s Day 5/1-16, Thu-Sat @ 8pm (Dinner @ 6:30pm) Sun @ 3pm (lunch @ 1:30pm) S.T.A.G.E – Spotlight Theatre & Arts Group, etc., Bulverde

Waiting for Godot Classic Theatre and Jump Start Performance Co. Presentation 5/13-30, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Sterling Houston Theatre at Blue Star

The Dixie Swim Club 5/1-29, Thu-Sat @ 8pm (Dinner @ 6:30pm) Harlequin Dinner Theatre

ActOne Series Volume XV Renaissance Guild of San Antonio Presentation 5/14-15, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Little Carver Theatre

Rent 5/1-30, Thu @ 7:30pm Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm (No shows on Fridays, and no show on Thursday, 5/20) Sheldon Vexler Theatre The Andrews Brothers 5/1-6/6, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Cameo Theatre The Sweetest Sounds Gala 5/2, Sun @ 6:30pm Russell Hill Rogers Theatre San Pedro Playhouse Got’s Ta B Mo Carefool 5/8-9, Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 4:30pm Jo Long Theatre @ Carver Community Cultural Center Slasher 5/12-30, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Attic Theatre, Trinity University

Remember Me 5/14-29, Thu @ 7:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Boerne Community Theatre Gang War 5/14-29, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm The Rose Theatre Co. The Life & Death of the Amazing Captain Piledriver 5/14-6/6, Thu-Sat @ 8pm The Overtime Theater @ Blue Star Hedwig and the Angry Inch 5/21-29, Fri-Sat @ 9:30pm The Rose Theatre Co. The Nerd 5/21-6/20, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Russell Hill Rogers Theatre San Pedro Playhouse Shakespeare in the Park 6/2-5, Wed-Sat @ 6:30pm (gates open) show @ 8pm San Antonio Botanical Garden

The Sound of Music Playhouse 2000 Presentation 6/3-19, Thu-Sun @ 7:30pm Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater, Kerrville Young Frankenstein Broadway Across America Presentation 6/8-13, Tue-Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm Majestic Theatre R.U.R. – Rossum’s Universal Robots 6/18-7/10, Thu-Sat @ 8pm The Overtime Theater @Blue Star God of Hell 6/11-26, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm The Rose Theatre Co. The Never Ending Story 6/11-26, Thu-Sun @ 8:30pm Point Theatre, Ingram Grease 6/11-7/11, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm Woodlawn Theatre Smokey Joe’s Café 6/17-7/24, Thu-Sat @ 8pm (Dinner @ 6:30pm) Harlequin Dinner Theatre Mourning Dove 6/18-7/11, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Cellar Theatre San Pedro Playhouse

Science Fiction Blast-Off Theater 6/18-7/25, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Cameo Theatre’s Zumbro Lounge The National Tour of Bill W. and Dr. Bob 6/25-27, Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 3pm & 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm 6/29-7/3, Tue @ 7:30pm Wed-Thu @ 3pm & 7:30pm Fri @ 10pm Sat @ 3pm & 10pm Cameo Theatre

Shock Puppets Strike Back 6/25-7/10, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm The Rose Theatre Co.

At The Opera Rigoletto SA Opera Presentation 6/18-20, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Municipal Auditorium

The Dance Willy Wonka Fredericksburg Theater Company Presentation 6/25-7/11, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm, Sun @ 2pm Steve W. Sheperd Theater

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Carver Community Cultural Center Presentation 5/7, Fri @ 8pm Jo Long Theatre @The Carver

Off Center Ballet San Antonio Presentation 5/14-15, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Jo Long Theatre @ Carver Community Cultural Center Fiesta de Vernao 5/22 & 29, Sat @ 7pm Guadalupe Theater Generaciones: Teo Morca, Timo Lozano 6/26-27, Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Jo Long Theatre @ Carver Community Cultural Center

May-June 2009 2010 | On The Town 35

Standup Tom Cotter 5/1-2, Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm, Sun @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Paul Bond 5/1-2, Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Sun @ 8:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Bill Santiago 5/5-9, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Mike Burton 5/5-9, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Rich Vos 5/12-16, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Billy D. Washington 5/12-16, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Cristela Alonzo 5/19-20, Wed-Thu @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

36 On The Town | May-June 2010

Mike Epps 5/21-23, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Bobby Slayton 6/17-20, Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

RC Smith 5/19-23, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Tom Rhodes 6/23-27, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Ben Creed 5/26-30, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Jesse Joyce 6/30-7/4, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Ralph Harris 5/28-30, Fri-Sun @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

For The Kids

Pablo Francisco 6/4-6, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Danny Browning 6/2-6, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Kyle Dunnigan 6/9-13, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Tracey McDonald 6/9-13, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Alice in Wonderland, Jr. 5/6-16, Thu-Fri @ 7:30pm Sat & Sun @ 2:30pm & 7:30pm Woodlawn Theatre Darwin the Dinosaur Children’s Fine Arts Series Presentation 5/11, Tue @ 6:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre When Animals Were People Children’s Fine Arts Series Presentation 5/14, Fri @ 6:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Willy Wonka Kids 5/16-25, Sun-Tue @ 6:30pm Cellar Theatre – San Pedro Playhouse

Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr. 5/30 & 6/1-2, Sun @ 6:30pm Tue-Wed @ 6:30pm Cellar Theatre – San Pedro Playhouse St. George and the Dragon Children’s Fine Arts Series Presentation 6/18, Fri @ 6:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre How I Became a Pirate 5/1-6/12, Tue-Thu @ 9:45am & 11:30am Fri @ 9:45am, 11:30am & 7pm Sat @ 2pm Magik Theatre Snow White & The Seven Amigos 6/30-8/7, Wed @ 10:30am Fri @ 7pm Magik Theatre

Miscellaneous Karl Rove 5/6, Thu @ 7:30pm Laurie Auditorium Valero Texas Open 5/10-16 TPC San Antonio Bellator - Mixed Martial Arts 5/27, Thu @ 6pm Majestic Theatre

May-June 2010 | On The Town 37

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Zing Zang Zoom 6/16-20, Wed-Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 3:30pm & 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm Alamodome Top Rank Boxing 6/26, Sat @ 6:30pm Alamodome Taste of CIA Cookbooks: Baking at Home – The Desserts 5/15, Sat / 9:30am-2:30pm Culinary Institute of America at Pearl Brewery Taste of CIA Cookbooks: CIA Favorites 6/12, Sat / 9:30am-2:30pm Culinary Institute of America at Pearl Brewery

On Exhibit ARTPACE

Hudson (Show)Room Alejandro Cesarco: Index Thru 5/2 Window Works David Zamora Casas: Picante Thru 5/9

Hudson (Show)Room On The Road: Robert Adams, Ant Farm, John Baldessari Walker Evans, Robbert Flick, Mary Heilmann, Roger Kuntz, Danny Lyon, Catherine Opie, Allen Ruppersberg, Ed Ruscha Stephen Shore, Alexis Smith, Kon Trubkovich, Andy Warhol 5/13-9/5 Window Works Ken Little 5/13-9/19 BLUE STAR CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER Amalgamations 25: 28 Artists for 25 Great Years Thru 5/15 Random Elements featuring ARTsmart students curated by Alex Rubio 5/6-15 Red Dot 2010 5/27. Thu / 7-11pm It’s Rigged Kyle Olson 6/3-8/15

INSTITUTO CULTURAL de MEXICO

SAN ANTONIO BOTANICAL GARDEN

The Architecture of Tatiana Bilboa, 2004-10 Thru 6/20

John Henry: Art In The Garden Curated by Bill FitzGibbon Thru 6/1

McNAY ART MUSEUM An Impressionist Sensibility: The Halff Collection Thru 5/9 TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945 Thru 5/9 Impressionist Graphics at the McNay Thru 5/16 Jasper Johns at the McNay: Past and Present Thru 6/13 Terra Incognita: Dulac’s Suite de Paysages 5/26-8/29 MUSEO ALAMEDA

GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER

Arte en La Charreria: The Artisanship of Mexican Equestrian Culture Thru 5/2

Mas Rudas Collective: Operation Canis Familiaris Thru 6/4

Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964 5/22-8/1

38 On The Town | May-June July-August 2010 2009

Albert Paley: Art In The Garden Curated by Bill Fitzgibbons Thru 9/30 Playhouses & Forts 6/26-10/24 SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART Season Three of Seasons of Beauty: Yoshitoshi’s Thirty-two Aspects of Daily Life Thru 7/14 Psychedelic: Optical and Visionary Art since the 1960s Thru 8/1 La Gran Lucha: Popular Graphics from Independence through the Mexican Revolution Thru 8/15 SOUTHWEST SCHOOL OF ART & CRAFT Jung Mun: Retracing Sensation Thru 6/26 Kurt Weiser: Eden Revisited Thru 6/27 Attracted to Light Thru 6/27

May-June 2010 | On The Town 39

The Tradition of Trabajo Rustico: Fantasies in Cement 5/6-30

Festivals & Celebrations

INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES

Cinco de Mayo Commemoration 5/5, Wed @ 9am Avenida Plaza Guadalupe

Race: Are We So Different?

Thru 5/16

First Friday Art Walk 5/7 & 6/4, Fri / 6-9pm Southtown / Blue Star / King William

Texas Contemporary Artists Series: Carmen Oliver Thru 6/20

New World Wine & Food Festival 5/9-15 (complete calendar of events at www.nwwff.org) TPC Resort San Antonio and other venues

Small Town Texas Thru 6/27 A Salute to Military Flight Thru 7/4 WITTE MUSEUM Don Yena: Painting the South Texas Story Thru 6/6 Texas Art: A Sense of History Thru 8/22

29th Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival 5/11-15 (complete performance schedule at www.guad alupeculturalarts.org) Guadalupe Cultural Center and Rosedale Park Soul Food Festival 5/14-15, Fri / 5-11pm Sat / 11am-12am Maverick Plaza La Villita

2nd Annual Backyard River Bash 5/19, Wed @ 7pm San Antonio Museum of Art Kerrville Folk Festival 5/27-6/13 (complete performance schedule at www.kerrville-music.com) Quiet Valley Ranch near Kerrville 39th Texas Folklife Festival 6/11-13 (complete calendar of events atwww.texas folklifefestival.org) Institute of Texan Cultures

On Screen Metropolitan Opera: Armida 5/1, Sat @ 12pm 5/19, Wed @ 6:30pm Cielo Vista 18 Fiesta 16 Theatre McCreeles Mall Cinema

A Royal Garden Thru 9/15

Fiesta Noche del Rio 5/14-8/14, Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm (gates open @ 7pm) Arneson River Theatre

DCI: The Countdown 5/13, Thu @ 7:30pm Cielo Vista 18 Fiesta 16 Theatre McCreeles Mall Cinema

Feathered Fossils: The Latest Dinosaur Discoveries 6/12-9/6

San Antonio Ragtime Festival 5/15-16, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm Market Square

Orfeo 5/20 & 23, Thu @ 7pm Sun @ 3pm Embassy Theatre

Dinosaurs Unearthed Thru 9/6

40 On The Town | May-June 2010

Area Performance Highlights Austin Simply Sinatra with Steve Lippia 5/1, Sat @ 8pm Michael & Susan Dell Hall at Long Center Our Town 5/1-23, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Kleberg Stage Zachary Scott Theatre The Stanley Clarke Band With Hiromi 5/2, Sun @ 6pm & 8:30pm One World Theatre Stomp 5/4-9, Tue-Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 5pm & 9pm Sun @ 3pm & 7pm Paramount Theatre Coppelia Ballet Austin 5/7-9, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 9pm Michael & Susan Dell Hall at Long Center Miro Quartet with Lynn Harrell, cello 5/9, Sun @ 4pm Bates Recital Hall, University of Texas A Chorus Line Broadway Across America Presentation 5/11-16, Tue-Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm Bass Hall, University of Texas

May-June 2010 | On The Town 41

Smucker’s Stars on Ice 5/12, Wed @ 7pm Cedar Park Center

Carrie Underwood: Play on Tour 5/12, Wed @ 7:30pm Frank Irwin Center, University of Texas

Rick Braun & Richard Elliott 5/14, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre

42 On The Town | May-June 2010

Austin Symphony 5/14-15, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Christopher O’Riley, piano Peter Bay, conductor Michael & Susan Dell Hall at Long Center Norm MacDonald 5/14-15, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:30pm Cap City Comedy Club Paramount Theatre’s 94th & State Theatre’s 74th Anniversary Gala featuring Delbert McClinton 5/15, Sat @ 8pm Paramount Theatre

Larry Carlton 5/21, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre

Craig Chaquico 6/4, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre

Rickey Smiley & Friends 5/28, Fri @ 8pm Frank Erwin Center

Mario Cantone 6/5, Sat @ 6pm Michael & Susan Dell Hall at Long Center

Barenaked Ladies 5/31, Mon @ 8pm Bass Hall, University of Texas Becky’s New Car 6/3-7/11, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Whisenhunt Stage Zachary Scott Theatre

Twisted Road: Neil Young Solo 6/5, Sat @ 8pm Bass Hall, University of Texas Star Wars in Concert 6/6, Sun @ 2pm & 7pm Frank Erwin Center

Najee 6/6, Sun @ 6pm & 8:30pm One World Theatre Menopause: The Musical 6/8-11, Tue-Fri @ 8pm Michael & Susan Dell Hall at Long Center Strunz & Farah 6/11, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre Pink Martini Austin Symphony Sarah & Ernest Butler Pops 6/11-12, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Peter Bay, conductor Palmer Events Center The Wizard of Oz Broadway Across America Presentation 6/11-13, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm Bass Hall, University of Texas Pamela Hart Lady Day: A Tribute to Billie Holiday 6/13, Sun @ 6pm & 8:30pm One World Theatre Cowboy Junkies 6/18, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre

The Drowsy Chaperone 6/24-8/1, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Kleberg Stage Zachary Scott Theatre Acoustic Alchemy 6/25, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre Jeff Dunham 6/28, Sat @ 8pm Frank Erwin Center Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 6/27, Sun @ 6pm & 8:30pm One World Theatre Corpus Christi Papa Roach 5/2, Mon @ 6pm Concrete Street Amphitheater Carrie Underwood: Play on Tour 5/13, Thu @ 7:30pm American Bank Center Arena Chevelle 5/15, Sat @ 7pm Concrete Street Amphitheater Star Wars in Concert 6/3, Thu @ 7pm American Bank Center Arena

Rob Schneider 6/18-29, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:30pm, Sun @ 8pm Cap City Comedy Club

Pitbull - Mr. Worldwide’s Carnaval Tour 6/9, Wed @ 7pm Concrete Street Amphitheater

Jose Carreras 6/19, Sat @ 8pm Bass Hall, University of Texas

The Wizard of Oz 6/10, Thu @ 7:30pm Selena Auditorium at American Bank Center

May-June 2010 | On The Town 43

Jeff Dunham 6/27, Sun @ 5pm American Bank Center Arena Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Zing Zang Zoom 6/30-7/4, Wed-Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 1pm & 5pm Sun @ 1pm American Bank Center Arena Hidalgo Jenni Rivera 5/13, Thu @ 8pm State Farm Arena

44 On The Town | May-June 2010

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Illuscination 5/19-23, Wed-Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 3:30pm & 7:30pm Sun @ 3:30pm American Bank Center Arena Dwight Yoakam 6/6, Sun @ 8pm State Farm Arena Chayanne 6/10, Thu @ 8pm State Farm Arena

Laredo ESPN Friday Night Fights 5/21, Fri @ 8pm Laredo Energy Arena Jagermeister Music Tour: Korn’s Ballroom Blitz 6/1, Tue @ 8pm Laredo Energy Arena Pitbull - Mr. Worldwide’s Carnaval Tour 6/5, Sat @ 9pm Laredo Energy Arena

Photo Credits Page 30 (L-R) George Strait Courtesy georgestrait.com Rock Box Theater Courtesy rockboxtheater. com Ertan Torgul Courtesy San Antonio Symphony

Maria Markina Courtesy musicalbridges. org Page 31 Joseph CaballeDomenech Courtesy San Antonio Symphony Nancy Zhou Courtesy Symphony of the Hills Celtic Woman Courtesy bookingentertain ment.com San Antonio Rose Live Singers Courtesy saroselive.com Page 32 Christian Leotta Courtesy christianleotta. com SOLI Photo by Kemp Davis Troy Peters Courtesy Youth Orchestras of San Antonio

Chris Cagle Courtesy chriscagle.com

The Andr ews Brothers Courtesy Cameo Theatre

Page 35

Young Frankenstein Photo by Paul Kolnik

Asleep at the Wheel Courtesy asleepatthewheel.com

Page 40

Jim Cullum Riverwalk Jazz Photo by Greg Harrison Cross Canadian Ragweed Courtesy liveatfloores.com Nadja SalernoSonnenberg Courtesy nadjasalernoson nenberg.com Page 36 Pat Green Courtesy liveatfloores.com Chayanne Courtesy chayanne.com Randy Rogers Band Courtesy randyrogers band.com

Two Tons of Steel Courtesy twotons.com

Lizz Wright Courtesy Carver Community Cultural Center

Page 34

Page 38

Cory Morrow Courtesy corymorrow.com

Jose Carreras Courtesy josepcarreras. com

Ken-David Masur Photo by Greg Harrison Dawn Upshaw Courtesy imgartists.com

Jason Boland and the Stragglers Courtesy cowboysdancehall.com

Rigoletto Courtesy San Antonio Opera Billy D. Washington Courtesy billydwashing ton.com Casey Arguellas Heartsychophant Courtesy bluestararts.org William McGregor Paxton American, 1869-1941 The Morning Paper 1913 Oil on canvas, 30 x 25 in.

Page 42 Jasper Johns Untitled, 1977 Screenprint, Field catalogue 260, ULAE catalogue 186 Bequest of Mrs. Jerry Lawson

Page 43 Flaco Jimenez Courtesy Tejano Conjunto Festival Indigo Girls Courtesy Kerrville Folk Festival Page 44 Texas Folklife Festival Courtesy Institute of Texan Cultures Lynn Harrell Courtesy lynnharrell.com Carrie Underwood Courtesy carrieunder wood.com Christopher O’Riley Courtesy christopheroriley. com Page 45 Menopause The Musical Courtesy menopausethemusical. com

Albert Paley – Cross Cut Courtesty San Antonio Botanical Garden

Pink Martini Courtesy pinkmartini.com

Kurt Weiser-Eden Revisited Courtesy Southwest School of Art and Craft

Rob Schneider Courtesy robschneider. com

Fiesta Noche del Rio Courtesy Alamo Kiwannis Club

Dwight Yoakam Courtesy dwightyoakum. com

May-June 2010 | On The Town 45

46 On The Town | May-June 2010

Festivals & Celebrations 48-58 50-68

May-June 2010 | On The Town 47

“

48 On The Town | May-June 2010

Texas Folklife Festival Origins of the “Lone Star Party” Edited by James M. Benavides Photos Courtesy ITC Editor’s note:

Taking Texas to D.C. The Smithsonian had made an effort to create a festival – a folk festival – but we didn’t know much what they meant by folk festival. They asked me if I knew about folklife, and I wasn’t sure if I did or not. They wanted to have people splitting rails and making butter and sausage and doing all of those things that a frontier person had to do in his daily life. Well, surely I knew what folklife was, in fact, I was folklife! I still had corns on my hands from sawing logs or splitting rails or whatever they might be doing.

The Texas Folklife Festival began in 1972 at the Institute of Texan Cultures.

The Institute became an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in January 2010, but the relationship between the ITC and the Smithsonian began in 1968.

Smithsonian representatives visited the Institute during HemisFair and invited O.T. Baker to attend the second Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The visit inspired Baker to recreate the festival in San Antonio, celebrating Texas’ diversity and folkways. What follows Well, my job grew a little larger. We were to gather are Baker’s words, edited from a May 1976 oral history. together maybe 150 people doing everything from

May-June 2010 | On The Town 49

making lye soap to playing the guitar – two mariachi groups, two Cajun groups, one German group.

We carried two truckloads of Texas plants, with about a dozen people showing about six or eight different uses to everything, from burning prickly pear to feed cows, to making tequila, to making jelly from cactus berries.

I suppose the extreme of what happened was to get Alphonse Dugosch, one of the Cajuns at Winnie.

Somebody had to get on a mule and ride back in the rice field to get him.

But all got to the Smithsonian in proper time. We were up there in ’68, the real beginning of the big push by the Smithsonian. We were the first state to be highlighted.

We actually were there co-sponsoring.

Creating the Texas Folklife Festival We learned quite a few things. We got to talking about it, and we could surely have a show in Texas, just with Texas people. Anyway, we got back to Texas, and I had been for many years involved in what I suppose you’d call community development. And I had quite a bit of experience putting things together. So, we came up with the concept of doing a folklife festival.

We decided it would be better if we invited representatives of each group to come together and let them present to themselves and each other, and to the visitor, a kind of picture of what they were like: their likes and dislikes, the type of food that was peculiar to them, the types of songs they grew up singing, the dances they did, the games they played. We wanted people to come and say, “We are like this. This is what we enjoy.

Come on in and enjoy it with us!”

I had a group of “British Wives,” I believe they call themselves. First year, I spent quite a bit of time with about 15 of them. They were discussing what they would serve in their booth and one said, “Oh, I say, what do the Americans like?” I broke in right there and I said, “This is not what we’re asking you to do. We want you to serve what the English people like and you invite us to participate with you.”

I went to the Smithsonian four times. Kutztown twice in Pennsylvania. I went to Arkansas once – any place I could to find festivals. I discovered that the principal reason why people go to festivals is to fill their stomachs. This would be followed by music, dancing, contests, games.

50 On The Town | May-June 2010

But for the most part, people like to come together and eat together.

So, I said, “I believe we can do this the same way you build a community. You do it one person at a time.”

We would select across the state of Texas, on as wide a range as possible, musicians, dancers, or craftspeople, or any type of storytellers. We picked people that were both representative of the area where they lived, also of the ethnic cultural group they were attached to. We wanted to show them that we were different, yet the same. We’re from every place, but we’re still proud to be here as citizens working together as friends.

At this moment, we have from 15 to 20 areas that we’re going to list as festival schools, where you can sit down and learn how to whittle. You can get in a pen with an ax and learn how to chop, or you can learn to cut stained glass and lead it in, you can learn how to use tools in grandpa’s tool shed or you can do maybe a halfdozen other things that maybe you always wanted to know how to do, like make sauerkraut or hominy or wine. We’re going to try to give all the visitors that we can a chance to learn how to do something that maybe they’ve heard talk about but never had the chance.

We don’t claim to be original in everything we’ve done.

In fact, we quite frankly admit that we probably would never had a festival had not the Smithsonian invited us.

You can’t explain by the written word what it’s like to do certain things. You have to experience these things.

That’s more or less what we’re doing.

The 39th Texas Folklife Festival is June 11-13. Festival information and advance tickets are available at TexasFolklifeFestival.org.

Photo Credits:

Page 50

Page 48

(Above) Rondalla Voces Y Guitarras from Brownsville

Old West sheriff by a vintage stage coach Page 49 (Above) Tom Isaacks prepares a chuck wagon dinner (Below) Texas Folklife Festival founder O. T. Baker

(Below) Funnel cake Page 51 (Above) A dancer from the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions performs the Fancy Shawl Dance (Below) Peruvian-style tamale May-June 2010 | On The Town 51

Fiesta Noche del Rio 54th Season at Arneson River Theatre

By Diana Marin

F

iiesta Noche del Rio, the longest-running outdoor musical revue of its kind in the United States, celebrates its 54th season in 2010 with performances beginning May 14. This professionally produced, fast-paced and colorful extravaganza with

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beautifully-costumed dancers and singers has entertained more than a million visitors since its inception in 1957. Held at the Arneson River Theatre on the San Antonio River Walk, it features the songs and dances of Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Texas.

Elizabeth Sanchez-Lopez is the director, choreographer and lead singer of Fiesta Noche del Rio. She serves in the role created by the legendary Rosita Fernandez, which allows her to celebrate the history and culture of San Antonio while giving back to the community.

Fiesta Noche del Rio is produced each year by the volunteer-run Alamo Kiwanis Club to raise funds to benefit local children’s charities. Nearly $5 million has been raised to date.

“We are excited about our new season,” reports 2010 She is joined this year by cast members Andrew chairman Rocky Hoffman. “We have an outstanding Mauricio, lead male singer; and Ernest Antu, dance new cast and have tightened the show to showcase captain. Also included are Stephen Gueda, Andrew more of our most popular numbers.”

Almano, Steven Moreno, Priscilla Gamboa, Natalie Sonnen, Brittany Leos, and Blanca Mendoza, dancers; The Arneson River Theatre gates open at 7 p.m. with Kimberly Gutierrez and Tina Martinez, chorus dancers; performances beginning at 8:30 p.m. every Friday and and Jennifer Castillo, understudy.

Saturday from May 14 through Aug. 14. For tickets and information, visit www.fiestanochedelrio.com.

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Cactus Pear Music Festival’s 14th Pear-fect Season

By Gary Albright 54 On The Town | May-June 2010

T

he 13th Cactus Pear Music Festival season was what one might expect from a triskaidekaphobic encounter: the music was great but the weather was atrocious as it wrapped its 100-plusdegree days around the entirety of the festival.

Artistic director and founder Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio vowed that CPMF’s 14th season would be a “Pear-fect” one filled with breezy evenings and a cocktail of chamber music programs guaranteed to cool any Texan’s fevered brow. It looks like she has achieved just that—the latter to be sure while we suspend judgment until July on her abilities to prognosticate the weather.

Combing through her “miles” of music Sant’Ambrogio has created another superb season of compelling chamber music. Cactus Pear presents four programs over two weeks in San Antonio, Boerne and New Braunfels. The San Antonio festival concerts—on July 8, 10, 15 and 17—gain a new venue this summer in Coker United Methodist Church, an intimate hall with outstanding sightlines and ample free parking.

The season begins with an anniversary celebration.

Restless Romantics: An Ambrosia of Anniversaries showcases the sublime works of Chopin, Barber and Schumann, all of whom celebrate anniversaries in 2010. One of Brahms’ later works with the unusual instrumentation of piano, cello and clarinet adds another candle to this celebration and features virtuoso San Antonio clarinetist Ilya Shterenberg along with Canadian violist, recording artist and irrepressible musician Dave Harding.

The second program, High Notes and Heart Strings, brings back to CPMF baritone Timothy Jones to sing “Four Songs” for piano, baritone and viola by composer Charles Martin Loeffler. Wanting to add some four-hand piano works to the festival for the first time, Sant’Ambrogio invited three superb keyboardists. Audiences were privileged to hear Peter Miyamoto perform last summer. James Winn, in 2008, made his Cactus Pear debut to much admiration and applause. The exciting and muchrecorded pianist Judith Lynn Stillman joins CPMF Photo Credits: Left: Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio Above: Fred Edelen Below: Ilya Shterenberg

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for the first time in the third program. Miyamoto and Winn perform Mozart’s Sonata in F major, K. 497 for piano duet. Mendelssohn’s compelling piano Trio in C minor, Op. 66, completes this heartfelt program.

CPMF’s “pear-fect” season gets its moniker from Program III, Paired to Pear-fection, with its world premiere of San Antonio composer Timothy Kramer’s “Three Pairs Suite,” a sextet commissioned by CPMF in 2009. Program III also includes the rarely heard four-hand piano piece by Satie, Three Pieces in the Form of a Pear—performed by Stillman and Winn— and Dvorak’s driven Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat, Op. 87. Long-time San Antonio favorite, cellist Fred Edelen travels from Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw to rejoin CPMF, while Russian violinist/violist Dmitri Pogorelov makes his San Antonio debut.

The season finishes with the exquisite Program IV, Baroque Bacchanal. With several of the Bach family featured—C.P.E., J.C., and J.S.—along with French composer Couperin and the Italian Corelli, the artistic director claims “It’s a program to satisfy anyone’s thirst for the elegance of baroque music.”

Flutist Stephanie Jutt and harpsichordist Christina Edelen add their ample artistry to this baroque mix.

Sant’Ambrogio, former concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony for 13 years, is excited to be back to see the festival’s 14th season begin. “We are so pleased with the steadfast support we

56 On The Town | May-June 2010

have received that the board and I added another educational component to our outreach: a Young Composer Award that pairs—there’s that festival word again—with our full-scholarship program, our Young Artist Program. This is a new competition for area composers, ages 24 or younger, with a $500 cash prize. The composers will write a piece, approximately 6 minutes in length. Once the YAP fellows are chosen, the composers will have only four weeks to create their work for that instrumentation— something of an “extreme” competition.” The enthusiasm for this new educational component is evident in Sant’Ambrogio’s beaming smile. “The winning piece will be performed three times, including on the last San Antonio concert. We are really thrilled by this—and the help we are getting from the professional composers we have worked with on festival commissions—and can’t wait to showcase our young artists and young composer.

Season 14 is going to be a great one!”

We don’t doubt her word. Now, let’s see if she’s good at calling the weather. We hope so.

For more information on the Cactus Pear Music Festival, visit www.cpmf.us/pages/festivalschedule.htm.

Photo Credits: L-R: Dave Harding, Christina Edelen, Dmitri Pogorelov, James Winn and Judith Lynn Stillman

The 2010 Programs Restless Romantics: An Ambrosia of Anniversaries Thursday, July 8, San Antonio Coker United Methodist Church - 7:30 pm Chopin: Introduction & Polanaise Brillante, Op.3 for cello and piano Brahms: Trio in A minor, Op. 114 for piano, cello and clarinet Barber: Despite and Still, Op. 41 Songs for baritone and piano Schumann: Piano Quartet in E-flat, Op. 47 for piano, violin, viola and cello Artists - Dmitri Atapine, Dave Harding, Timothy Jones, Peter Miyamoto, Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, Ilya Shterenberg, James Winn High Notes & Heart Strings Saturday, July 10, San Antonio Coker United Methodist Church - 7:30 pm Sunday, July 11, Boerne First United Methodist Church - 2 pm Loeffler: Four Songs, Op. 5 for piano, baritone and viola Mozart: Sonata in F major, K. 497 for piano duet Mendelssohn: Trio in C minor, Op. 66 for piano, violin and cello Artists - Dmitri Atapine, Dave Harding, Timothy Jones, Peter Miyamoto, Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, James Winn

Paired To Pear-Fection Thursday, July 15, San Antonio Coker United Methodist Church - 7:30 pm Satie: Three Pieces in the Form of a Pear (1903) for piano duet Kramer: Three Pairs Suite for piano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello and percussion Dvorak: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat, Op. 87 (1889) for piano, violin, viola and cello Artists - Fred Edelen, Stephanie Jutt, Dmitri Pogorelov, Sherry Rubins, Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio,Ilya Shterenberg, Judith Lynn Stillman, James Winn Baroque Bacchanel Friday, July 16, New Braunfels New Braunfels Presbyterian Church - 7:00 pm Saturday, July 17, San Antonio Coker United Methodist Church - 7:30 pm Sunday, July 18, Boerne First United Methodist Church - 2 pm CPE Bach: Sonata in C, Wq. 147 for flute, violin and basso continuo Couperin: L’Apotheosis de Corelli for 2 violins and basso continuo JS Bach: Air for violin, flute, viola and bass continuo Corelli: “La Folia” in D minor, Op. 5, No. 12 for flute and basso continuo JC Bach: Quintet in D, Op. 22, No. 1 for flute, 2 violins, cello and harpsichord Artists - Fred Edelen, Christina Edelen, Stephanie Jutt, Dmitri Pogorelov, Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio

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58 On The Town | May-June 2010

Visual Arts 60-72

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60 On The Town | May-June 2010

A Snapshot of Art and Culture

By Shannon Huntington Standley

T

he city is bursting with new exhibitions that come from your own back yard and from around the world, that come in every possible medium, and range from the beginning of time to the present.

Here’s a snapshot:

Dinos rule! That’s right, the Witte Museum’s Dinosaurs Unearthed, which opened March 6, has shattered attendance records with good reason. This exhibition, which is making its Texas debut in San Antonio, has it all. From state-of-the art animatronics, fossils, May-June 2010 | On The Town 61

skeletons and a dino dig pit where the visitor can become a paleontologist, this one is a must-see. The good news is it is on view all summer through Sept.

6. While there, be sure to check out the annual Fiesta exhibition on view through Aug. 22. This year’s theme is A Royal Garden, featuring trains from the Order of the Alamo selected by elements found in the garden, including water, flowers, trees and small creatures.

Then take a closer look at 19th and early 20th century Texas through Texas Art: A Sense of History, on view through Aug. 22. Get a sense of the people and places of Texas history through the strokes of the brush in this exhibition featuring 61 paintings from the Witte Museum’s world-renowned Texas Art Collection, which depict narratives of Texas history, illustrating the people and places of the Lone Star State.

Jasper Johns at the McNay: Past and Present, on view through June 13, is the first time all of the McNay’s prints by Johns are on public view. Recognized as one of the greatest living American artists, Johns is a masterful printmaker whose works often combine Pop art imagery with brilliant draftsmanship. Included in the exhibition are Decoy and Decoy II, masterpieces of post-1960 American printmaking. Both lithographs are multilayered formally and iconographically. At the center of each composition is a photolithograph of the Ballantine Ale can, one of Johns’ most famous sculptures.

Museum Art-Cetner FP Editorial

Blue Star Contemporary Art Center’s galleries are full as we head into summer. Opening June 3 and on view through Aug. 15 is an exhibition of student works from the International Sculpture Committee 2009 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award Competition Winners. Works by the 11 winners will be on view, selected from 441 nominations. Also opening June 3 is Fire in the Belly, a student-curated exhibition by Meredith Dean, Dayna De Hoyos and Mark Hogensen, featuring top university students across the city. Don’t miss the limited engagement of ARTsmart MOSAIC Student Exhibition, on view May 6-15 and curated by Alex Rubio, MOSAIC studio manager.

UTSA’s Institute of Texan Cultures is boasting a few mustsees this spring. The Texas Contemporary Artists Series is currently featuring Carmen Oliver with Celebration, on view through June 20. Combining abstract and representational elements, her new work lyrically pays homage to all women. The artists for the series were chosen by their focus on calling Texas home. Don’t

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miss your last chance to see RACE: Are We So Different, on view through May 16. This exhibition encourages visitors to explore the science, history and everyday affect of race and racism in order to understand what race is and what it is not. Small Town Texas, extended to June 27, is a photographic exhibition by Ricardo Romo examining the historic nature of small towns across Texas. Finally, A Salute to Military Flight, on view through July 4, is a three-part exhibition including Military Aviation Comes of Age in San Antonio, Flights of Fancy and San Antonio: Military City USA. Next up at Artpace is On the Road, May 13 through Sept. 5. This exhibition takes its title from the wellknown Jack Kerouac novel and investigates the myth of the American road trip as it started to develop in the 1920s. Featured artists include Robert Adams, Ant Farm, John Baldessari, Walker Evans, Robbert Flick, Mary Heilmann, Roger Kuntz, Danny Lyon, Catherine Opie, Allen Ruppersberg, Ed Ruscha, Stephen Shore, Alexis Smith, Kon Trubkovich and Andy Warhol. The second artist to be featured in Artpace’s year-long WindowWorks tribute to past residents is Ken Little.

From May 13 to Sept. 19, Little’s sculptures are on view and explore the symbolic connotations of varying and somewhat unorthodox materials.

Museum Art-Cetner FP Editorial

The Museo Alameda presents Bittersweet Harvest May 22 through Aug. 10. This moving, bilingual exhibition examines the experiences of bracero workers and their families, providing rich insight into Mexican-American history and useful context to today’s debates on guest worker programs. The exhibition, organized by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History (NMAH) and circulated by SITES, combines recent scholarship, powerful photographs from the 1950s from the Smithsonian‘s collection and audio excerpts from oral histories contributed by former contract workers and their families.

The San Antonio Museum of Art’s funky Psychedelic: Optical and Visionary Art since the 1960s is on view through Aug. 1. Don’t miss this “eye-popping” exhibition documenting the origins and development of a psychedelic aesthetic sensibility in contemporary art from the Op Art of the 1960s to the present day.

Season III of Seasons of Beauty: Yoshitoshi’s Thirty-two Aspects of Daily Life is on view through July 4 featuring the works of one of the greatest Japanese woodblock print artists. These particular works are among the greatest artistic achievements by Taiso Yoshitoshi May-June 2010 | On The Town 63

(1839-1892). La Gran Lucha: Popular Graphics from the Mexican Revolution, on view through Aug. 15, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the start of the Mexican Revolution by exploring the events of 1910-1920 through the work of a dozen significant graphic artists of the time.

Organized by the Arizona State University Art Museum Ceramics Research Center in Tempe and curated by curator of ceramics Peter Held, the Southwest School of Art and Craft presents Kurt Weiser: Eden Revisited through June 27 at the Russell Hill Rogers Galleries.

Also on the Navarro Campus, for a limited engagement May 6-30, is The Tradition of Trabajo Rustico: Fantasies in Cement—a collaboration with the department of art and art history at the University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio Conservation Society, San Antonio Public Library Foundation, City of San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs, Alamo Cement Co., and Hare and Hound Press.

On May 8, Bihl Haus Arts presents “Golden Moments,” a mini-symposium on the art of the mural. Mexican art historian Luis Adrián Vargas-Santiago of the University of Texas at Austin will examine contemporary communitarian murals in Chiapas and the United States. Joining him is Ruth Buentello, director of the San Anto Community Mural Program, and San Antonio muralist Adriana Garcia, lead artist for the “Golden Moments” movable mural, which will be unveiled at Bihl Haus Arts after the symposium. Additionally, Drs. Jill Fleuriet of the UTSA department of anthropology and Adelita Cantu of the University of Texas Health Science Center will present the findings of their recent research on the health and healing benefits of participation by the Goldens in the Bihl Haus art program. Accompanying the mural are more than 100 works of art created over the past year by the Goldens, the senior residents of Primrose at Monticello Park Senior Apartments. Temple of the Ancient Guardian of the Sky, an installation by David Zamora Casas, Latino artist and gay-rights activist, will open June 26 and is based upon la sistema de castas (caste paintings) popularized in colonial Mexico.

This is world-class art, by world-renowned artists. This is Texas debuts and Texas origination. This is culture, this is history. This is San Antonio.

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Photo Credits: Page 60 Fred Tomaselli Detail of Ripple Trees, 1994, assorted drugs, hemp leaves, saccharin, acrylic, resin on wood panel, 48 x 48 in., Collection of Peter Norton Courtesy San Antonio Museum of Art Page 61 Luke William Achterberg Relative Painted steel, 90 x 168 in., 2009 ISC/ International Sculpture Committee 2009 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award Competition Winners’ exhibit.

Courtesy Blue Star Contemporary Art Center Page 62 (Above) Texas Contemporary Artist Series: Carmen Oliver Celebration Courtesy Institute of Texan Culture (Below) Seth Eastman Mission San José, 1848-1849 Oil on canvas mounted to panel Courtesy Witte Museum Page 63 (Above) Taiso Yoshitoshi Japan (1839-1892) Smoky: the appearance of a housewife of the Kyowa era, 1801-1804 Thirty-Two Aspects of Daily Life, 1888 Woodblock print on paper 37.6 x 25.7 cm overall paper

Lent by Lenora and Walter F. Brown Photography by Peggy Tenison Courtesy San Antonio Museum of Art (Below) David Zamora Casas Image Courtesy Bihl Haus Arts Page 64 (Above) Alfaro Siqueiros (Mexican, 1896-1974) Zapata Lithograph, edition no.

33/50 Gift of Gilbert M. Denman 2000.16 Courtesy San Antonio Museum of Art (Below) Dinosaurs Unearthed Witte Museum Photo courtesy of American Anthropological Association and Science Museum of Minnesota Page 65 (Above) Jasper Johns 7 1968 Lithograph, Field catalogue 101, ULAE catalogue 51 Gift of the Friends of the McNay Courtesy McNay Art Museum (Below) Michael Velliquette Breakthrough, 2007 cut card stock and glue on paper 48 x 48 in.

Collection of Guillermo Nicolas San Antonio Museum of Art

May-June 2010 | On The Town 65

Portfolio:

The Art of Ana Montoya

By Sharon Garcia Photo of Ana Montoya by Greg Harrison 66 On The Town | May-June 2010

A

s Ana Montoya comes sweeping into a neighborhood café on a recent spring afternoon, all heads turn. The successful gallery owner, artist and philanthropist is elegant and confident, exuding an unmistakable passion for life that draws people in. That passion is a quality that transcends all aspects of Ana’s life and has helped to establish her reputation as a formidable force in San Antonio’s arts community.

From a young age, the Nuevo Laredo native was fascinated by art and “creating things of beauty.”

Inspired by a grandmother who loved to draw and a home that was “always filled with music and creativity,” Ana began her own pursuit of artistic expression while still in high school. She began working at Dillard’s in Laredo as a full-time model which led to an early career as a makeup artist.

After moving to San Antonio in the mid-’80s, Ana worked for 10 years in the cosmetics industry, as a makeup consultant and stylist for clients such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Chanel. She then decided to expand her “palette” by picking up a brush and trying her hand at painting. She furthered her craft with classes at local art schools.

“I loved the brush and the paints and the whole art world,” she says, beaming. “It also makes sense that I enjoy painting women’s faces – it ties together with being a makeup artist and celebrating the beauty of women.”

When her son Luis was born, she began handpainting his furniture, as well as original designs on his T-shirts and clothes. Her designs were so popular, they spawned a custom children’s clothing line for an Alamo Heights boutique. This was just a small glimpse into Ana’s artistic and entrepreneurial future.

Then suddenly, Ana’s life took a profound turn when in 1994 she was involved in a near fatal car accident.

Nearly two months in intensive care and a year of rehabilitation put her strength and faith to the test.

It also gave her an entirely new perspective on her priorities and the importance of pursuing her dreams.

“I did a lot of thinking about what I really wanted to be doing with my life, and how lucky I was to be given another chance.”

After recovery, she began painting again, taking May-June 2010 | On The Town 67

university-level art classes and became very involved with the San Antonio/ South Texas art scene. “It opened up this whole new road in my life. I was experiencing the passion inside me that had been dormant for so many years,” Ana recalls.

After a chance meeting with mixed-media artist Jorge Purón, she was so impressed by his work that she bought one of his pieces and offered to hold a private reception at her home to showcase his work.

“It was like magic. I had no idea I was going to enjoy it so much. I knew right then what I wanted to do.”

Shortly thereafter, AnArte Gallery opened its doors in January 2000. It was the realization of a dream that had been growing for quite some time.

“The gallery just bloomed,” Ana says. “Artists started talking to other artists, and it took off from there.”

AnArte Gallery tried out a few other locations before landing at its current home at the Collection at Broadway and Sunset. The gallery specializes in figurative, abstract and expressionist art, primarily

by San Antonio and Texas artists, but national and international artists have been hosted as well.

Notable artists have included Texas luminaries Lewis Smith, Betty Ward, Steven DaLuz, Bruno Andrade and Yvette Shadrock. International artists have included Austria’s Gabriela Proksch and Mexican painter Maria Ines DeLeon.

DaLuz has nothing but the highest praise. “Working with Ana is more like a partnership, in that she truly cares about her artists and is enthusiastic about the work she represents. She’s really savvy at marketing her artists’ work to a wide-ranging audience, and she’s able to connect with people at all levels.”

True to Ana’s gracious style and generosity, every show at AnArte Gallery donates a portion of the proceeds to a local nonprofit, in particular those that benefit children, animal welfare and the arts. She also involves her artists in fundraisers and auctions outside of the gallery that benefit local groups. In addition to her other philanthropic endeavors, Ana has actively been involved as a board member of the San Antonio Artists Foundation, Arts San Antonio and San Antonio Opera.

Always looking for new opportunities to expand her love of the arts and community involvement, Ana’s newest endeavor, Artekids Workshop, is a series of art 68 On The Town | May-June 2010

classes for children ages 4-11 that take place during the summer and school holidays. Each week, the kids learn about a different artist and painting techniques – from Picasso to Frida Kahlo to Andy Warhol. They then have the opportunity to create their own artwork on gallery-quality canvas inspired by that specific artist’s style. Her dream is to eventually expand the program and have courses every weekend “to give more young people exposure to the masters and a chance to explore their own creativity.”

While she prefers to focus the spotlight on the talents of others, Ana is an accomplished artist in her own right.

Her Bellas series consists of portraits of women done in Ana’s signature style which is strongly influenced

by Kirchner and his use of color and mood. The series pays homage to the beauty of all women and conveys the “sense of both innocence and mystery that all women possess.” Bella is indeed an appropriate word to describe this inspiring woman who has shared so much of her own beauty and artistic passion with the San Antonio community.

For more information on AnArte Gallery, go to www. anartegallery.com.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Photo Credits: Page 66 Ana Montoya Page 67 Top: Bella Rebecca Bottom: Bella Klaudia Page 68 Top: Bella Flor Bottom: Bella Gigi Page 69 Top: Bella Claudia Bottom: Bella Sharon May-June 2010 | On The Town 69

More

VA Visual Arts

Spend Some Free Time at San Antonio Museums

By Erin West Photo Credits: (Left): Witte Museum (Right): McNay Art Museum

W

hile doing a bit of internet research regarding exhibits at various museums in San Antonio, an interesting fact popped up over and over. It had to do with visiting these marvelous storehouses of culture for free. The Witte, San Antonio Museum of Art, McNay Art Museum and Museo Alameda offer spans of free admission time every week, while the Institute of Texan Cultures is free with ID at all times to students, faculty and staff of the University of Texas at San Antonio and Alamo Colleges.

Charitable Foundation, Macy’s Foundation, Target and Mrs. Martha Landsman. Exhibits in the main building, the Witte Backyard and the H-E-B Science Treehouse are included at no charge while some special exhibits may carry an additional fee.

Free is the best deal of all-time, but beyond the economics of the situation, the mind-blowing aspect of this is to extrapolate the potential affect compli mentary visits to museums can have on the lives of so many people, especially young folks. By taking advantage of free times at museums, exposure to history and the arts is both figuratively and literally priceless.

Also every Tuesday, Museo Alameda at Market Square is free to the public from 12-5pm.

San Antonio Museum of Art virtually echoes this time frame with free admission on Tuesdays from 4-9pm courtesy of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. Please note that a surcharge may apply for special exhibitions.

The McNay offers free admission on Thursdays from 4-9pm. Another complimentary time comes on the first Sunday of each month from 12-5pm. A fee may apply to special exhibits during these hours.

You can’t put a price on the value of cultural enrichment.

At the Witte, admission is free every Tuesday from 3-8 In this case, you don’t even have to try. Spend some pm. Free Tuesdays, as they are known, are generously free time at San Antonio museums, and bring someone supported by Bolner’s Fiesta Products, Inc., Frost Bank with you.

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72 On The Town | May-June 2010

Culinary Arts 74-88

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Contemporary Art Month FP Editorial

Lisa Wong Best of Both Worlds

By Chris Dunn Photography Harrison 74 On The Town | Greg May-June 2010

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

T

here were lots of discussions between my parents about who knew more in the kitchen,” said Lisa Wong, laughing, explaining that her father, Samuel Wong, of Chinese descent, “was always a great cook,” having worked for Lisa’s paternal grandfather at his small Chinese American restaurant, Sung Lee, on East Commerce Street in San Antonio.

Within a few years, Wong was scouting for more restaurant locations; she was intrigued by the untapped potential of the Southtown-King William district and a small, failing restaurant located on South Alamo Street, called Rosario’s.

“I really liked the quirkiness, I liked the neighborhood even though it wasn’t anything like it is today, and I felt that I could turn it around,” Wong said. “And On the other hand, her mother, Isabel Sanchez so, when it became available, I made an offer to the Wong, and her abuelita, Mama Luisa, maintained bankruptcy court, and they took it.” She opened the Mexican traditions of “la familia,” which included Rosario’s for business in May 1992. preparing many elaborate and memorable family meals. “That tradition keeps everyone involved with It soon became a gathering place for neighborhood everyone’s direction and life’s path,” Wong said. residents, local artists, tourists, downtown business people, singles, families--an eclectic crowd drawn These two cultures, seemingly worlds apart, together by their mutual love of Rosario’s food and gave Wong the tools necessary to succeed in the atmosphere. “It happened in a very natural way,” restaurant business--a strong sense of purpose, an Wong said. “I think I’m very fortunate to be able entrepreneurial spirit and a limitless imagination. to bring such a vast group of people from different “My parents taught me to be a contributor,” Wong backgrounds and be able to cohabitate together.” said. “At a very young age, I was very independent.”

In 1999, Wong moved the restaurant two blocks So, at the age of 18, when most young people are north to a larger location at the intersection of searching for the best place to see and be seen, Wong South Alamo and South St. Mary’s streets, where it was searching for the best place in San Antonio to remains the focal point and anchor business of the open a restaurant. area. Rosario’s has a reverberant, lively atmosphere augmented by a concrete floor and bar (inspired “I attended small business seminars…I travelled the by the original location), vibrant art (specifically different neighborhoods trying to find a perfect painted for the restaurant by Gilbert Duran), neon location,” she said. She also gained invaluable lights and weekend entertainment. experience working for Nick Garza at La Casita Mexican restaurant.

Rosario’s success subsequently inspired Rosario’s Cantina at the San Antonio International AirportBut by the time she found her dream location on the -one of the most successful businesses located west side of town, a potential investor had gotten there. Wong said the restaurant is in the process cold feet, and even Garza, her mentor, questioned of moving to the new Terminal B where it will offer why she had chosen a part of town “where there is a an expanded full-service menu. Also at the airport, Mexican restaurant on every corner.”

Wong is teaming with Host Marriott International to open the R Sala Bebida Botana Bar, which will feature Undaunted, she turned to her parents for help. After small plates and beverages with a San Antonio flair. much discussion (i.e., pleading), she managed to persuade them to loan her $7,000, and Lisa’s Mexican One of Wong’s most avant-garde projects so far Restaurant opened in 1981. has been Ácenar Hotmex/Coolbar--a very cool hot May-June 2010 | On The Town 75

spot located next to the Valencia Hotel on Houston Street. Ácenar is like no other Mexican restaurant in San Antonio; the décor has a kitschy, modern vibe inspired by the legendary ’60s New York restaurant La Fonda del Sol, which showcased sleek, low-back chairs by Eames and fabrics designed by Alexander Girard. Her innovative approach is also reflected in the menu, which offers dishes like buttermilk fried oysters on yucca chips, crab tinga tacos and duck chalupas alongside more traditional Tex-Mex fare.

Wong also is developing a new concept for China Latina, located on South Alamo Street near Rosario’s.

She said she would like the menu to remain Asian, but possibly feature “noodles, dumplings and Yakitori” (Japanese-inspired skewered and grilled foods).

With all of her restaurants, Wong said the focus is on the food. “At the end of the day,” Wong said, “it has to be the food that pulls people in and then everything else is icing on the cake.” Wong said her father taught her that “the secret of a good cook was having a little bit of imagination, understanding you can marry different flavors together and come up with some wonderful combinations.”

She also credits her staff for their contribution to the success of her dishes. “It’s all about your people, and I have a wonderful crew,” she said, adding that the main reason her salsa has been a Readers’ Choice Best Salsa in San Antonio for more than a decade is largely attributable to one of her chefs, Angelica Bustamonte. “She wraps her heart around it each and every day, and she’s been with me for about 15 years. She takes pride in every tomato she roasts and every jalapeno that goes into it.”

In spite of her ever-increasing responsibilities, Wong still finds time to give back thousands of hours (and dollars) to her community through organizations such as the YWCA West Side Branch, the Southtown Urban Main Street Program and the Children’s Shelter of San Antonio.

When asked to share the secret of her success, Wong simply answered, “I always say my gift, and one of the reasons why I think that I have succeeded in this business, is I have universal tastebuds—I understand what my customers expect and want. And I try hard to do that.” And she does it very well.

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Page 74 – Lisa Wong (Left) Acenar Executive Chef James Sanchez with Lisa Wong

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Pinch Pennies & Dine Well:

Got Groupon?

Sign Up and Save!

By Marlo Mason-Marie

T

hey’re everywhere, they’re everywhere! Dining discounts are ubiquitous. Restaurants all over the nation are locked in coupon combat with the winner being you. If you can’t find a way to save on quality cuisine, you just aren’t looking.

In previous articles I’ve written about incredible savings from Restaurant.com, Entertainment Book and Enjoy The City, plus I’ve passed along information regarding half-off dining available through television and radio station web sites, restaurant e-club offers, happy hour small plate discounts and other sure-fire methods of preserving your culinary dollar. Now, along comes Groupon.

the deal is on and you get your Groupon! Check your email a few minutes later and there it is, ready to be printed out and used.

It’s a cool concept and a fabulous way to pinch pennies and dine well. Not only does Groupon list offers for San Antonio, but also for fifty other major cities.

Since becoming a Grouponer, I’ve garnered $35 in gourmet Tex-Mex at El Jarro de Arturo for $15, a $70 dinner at Sazo’s Latin Grill in Marriott Rivercenter for $35 and $50 in tasty fondue at the Melting Pot for $25. In addition, I’ve also purchased $25 of savory stir-fry at Genghis Grill for $10 and three $25 dinners Groupon means group coupon. Here’s how it works. at Houlihans for $10 each. That’s $255 in dining for Go to groupon.com, sign up at no cost and receive $115 in dough. one offer a day via email on a Monday-Friday basis.

About 25% of the time it’s a restaurant deal. The Coming soon to San Antonio is still another online other three out of four are specials featuring a deal-maker called Living Social. In many ways it’s myriad of stuff from manicures to movies, personal similar to Groupon but without the “group” aspect. trainers to photo sessions, - well you get the drift. With this one, click the buy button and you own it.

Most dining deals are usually something like pay There’s no waiting for a tip number to be achieved. $10 and get $25 in food from a particular restaurant. Austin is currently featured on Living Social along with a dozen other cities. San Antonio is a promised When you buy the offer, you don’t get it until a pre- addition in the very near future. Go to www.living set amount of deals are sold. Let’s say the service social.com to find out more. has mandated that 150 must to be purchased before anyone secures confirmation. When the cumulative Groupon and Living Social - sign up and save! total hits the magic 150 tipping point (and it will), 80 On The Town | May-June 2010

Š Michael Flippo | Dreamstime.com

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82 On The Town | May-June 2010

Brian Strange: Carrying on the Family Legacy

By Julie Catalano Photography Greg Harrison

I

t’s been scarcely four months since the sudden passing of legendary San Antonio caterer Don Strange, and his oldest son Brian, 43, is sitting in the conference room of the company’s headquarters on Bandera Road discussing his iconic father. Surrounded by oversized pictures of colorful tropical drinks, sumptuous dishes and family photos, the affable, easygoing oldest son of Don and Frances Strange talks about growing up in a business that doesn’t just serve food – it creates an experience.

That passion for entertaining, he says, was his father’s trademark. “He was always the guy who wanted you to have the greatest party in the world,” Brian says. Through the years, thanks to high-profile clients and consistent high quality, the name Don Strange became synonymous with rustic yet stylish events that centered on fun, food and fantasy – creating an atmosphere where people “could relax and know that things are going to be done right.

We take care of everything for them.”

But partying is serious business, and it wasn’t a straight line from working as a youngster in the

family business to carrying on the family legacy.

After graduating from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, and dipping into sports marketing for a while, Brian Strange decided he wanted to be a rock and roll promoter, with his father’s full support. The path back home was inevitable. “I never really saw myself doing anything but this.”

It’s a good fit. Working with his younger brothers Jason, 38, and Matt, 42, who has since left the business (“I still call him several times a week”), Strange already knew from his itinerant childhood that what looked like a nonstop celebration was actually “very demanding work.” That work ethic originated with grandparents Joe and Edith, who started Strange’s Grocery Store in 1952, which became Strange’s Party House, and eventually the off-site catering business, commissary and warehouse that exist today on the same premises (donstrange.com). The young Strange became well-versed at an early age in “the mechanics of throwing a party. But I wouldn’t call it a blast or a party all the time.”

Still, there are memorable moments: In the late May-June 2010 | On The Town 83

1980s, a movie crew was at his parents’ famed 125acre working ranch in Welfare, filming Lost Angels with Donald Sutherland. “On Friday, they crashed a brand-new Chrysler Le Baron in my parents’ pool as part of a scene. The next day, we had a campaign party at the ranch with George H.W. Bush.” He chuckles, remembering the awe of his college buddies at the sight. “They thought I lived a pretty cool lifestyle.”

But Strange insists it’s not, and never has been, about the celebrities – the presidents, movie stars, musicians, heads of state, royalty and business tycoons – that have been on their client list for decades. “It’s the wonderful people that make up our heritage, the people whose homes and ranches you go to and become part of their team, who share a little bit of their lives with you for one evening.”

Strange insists that none of this would be possible without their 50 employees, many of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years.

“I have the greatest team,” he enthuses. “The best people in the world. It’s a true family business.”

Portfolio FP Editorial

Family is really Strange’s favorite topic, citing fishing at Rockport and spending time with in-laws in New Mexico as favorite ways to decompress.

Singing and songwriting also have played a big part since the mid-’90s, when Strange picked up a guitar for the first time at age 26. After a gentle suggestion by wife Shanan to find a pastime other than golf – one that would fit in more with the demands of a family that welcomed first child Emily, now 16 – Strange took the hint, took up music, and formed Brian Strange and the Strange Brothers (brianstrangemusic.com). “My brothers aren’t in it,” he explains, but his sons Austin, 13, and Jake, 11, are. They play every Wednesday at Waring General Store (steaknite.com), with Austin on harmonica and guitar, and Jake on mandolin. And what does Emily play? “Golf,” he deadpans.

He misses his dad, he says, but remembers the things he learned from him every day. “He was not a big lecturer. He would tell these life stories, and it was only afterwards that you realized you’d been lectured to.” Those lessons included “never say no, and never say never,” Strange says. “My dad was a ‘Go for it!’ kind of guy. That’s the way he wanted it, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

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More

CA Culinary Arts

Dining Outside of the Neighborhood?

By Brantley Ellsworth Photography Dana Fossett

A

bout a year ago I created a list of 30 restaurants I wanted to visit within the next twelve months that were located in and around San Antonio. Some were places I had enjoyed in the past and wanted to revisit, and some were establishments I had never graced with my culinary presence. My goal was to dine at each one at least once in that 365-day stretch. In the end, I failed.

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Since I ate out so many times over that period, the question in my mind became, why did I fall so miserably short of my intended result? To me, the overriding answer was laziness. Whether most of us realize it or not, we tend to frequent restaurants within a mile or two of our homes the majority of the time. Think about it; how many times have you eaten at the same Mexican food restaurant or the same

Asian restaurant or the same coffee shop or diner in your neighborhood? It’s not that eateries in our own backyard aren’t worthy of patronage (many are very worthy) but rather that our continued dependence on them relates directly to our lethargy. We are a very mobile society with two cars in every garage, yet we won’t go past a scant few miles in search of a great meal. In my opinion, it’s time to break the barrier and branch out in restaurant selection.

opportunities at Cappy’s, Antler’s Lodge in the Hyatt Hill Country Resort, Zuni Grill, Piatti, Citrus at Hotel Valencia, Azuca Nuevo Latino, Las Canarias at La Mansion del Rio, La Paloma del Rio, Bistro Vatel, Los Patios, Old San Francisco Steak House, Capparelli’s on Main and at so many other quality venues. My vow went unfulfilled.

New places to visit on my list from last year remain as new places for me to visit this year. I didn’t For example, I’ve lived here all my life and haven’t get to Oloroso, Tre Trattoria, Il Sogno Ristorante, been to Little Rhein Steakhouse in La Villita. It opened Wildfish Seafood Grille, Sazo’s Latin Grill at Marriott in 1967 so I’ve had 43 years to make a reservation. I Rivercenter and selected others. have no excuse; shame on me. I remember going to a business lunch in the early ‘80s at La Margarita So what’s the good news in all of this? Even though Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Market Square, and I I failed in my effort to dine at all 30 restaurants (I haven’t been back since. Recalling that occasion, the actually visited 11), I succeeded in realizing that each food was great and the atmosphere was wonderful, of us should endeavor to enjoy what our “entire” city so why have almost three decades passed since has to offer and to prove that it’s possible to say “bon I tasted my last bite of their excellent food? Both appetite” and “buen provecho” all over town. restaurants were on my list but I still didn’t go. The Don’t wait 43 years to make a reservation. Enjoy the blame is mine. great restaurants of San Antonio and the surrounding I also vowed to once again enjoy outstanding dining area now!

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88 On The Town | May-June 2010

Literary Arts 90-96

May-June 2010 | On The Town 89

Naomi Shihab Nye

“

Poet, Anthologist, Novelist Story and Photo by Jasmina Wellinghoff

90 On The Town | May-June 2010

Book Talk: A

mong the literati, Naomi Shihab Nye is so well known that she hardly needs an introduction. The author of nine poetry collections, a volume of essays, multiple books for children and two novels “for young adults,” she has also established a solid reputation as an editor of poetry anthologies, including her latest, Time You Let Me In, which came out in March. Her own poems were most recently collected in You & Yours, published in 2005 by Boa Editions Ltd.

Born to a German-American mother and a Palestinian father whose love of his homeland and pain of exile exercised a strong influence on her life, Shihab Nye has written a great deal about the Near East and her Arab heritage. She first visited Palestine when the Shihab family moved to Jerusalem for a year when she was 14. As an adult, she has traveled extensively all over the world, and her writing reflects a compassionate understanding of other cultures rarely found elsewhere in American poetry. The need to bring strangers to see each other “up close” and witness each other’s humanity has motivated her to put together anthologies such as This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems From Around the World and The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Painting From the Middle East.

the Academy of American Poets, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Isabella Gardner Poetry Award for You & Yours.

We talked to her the day after she returned home from a trip to the Northeast where she spent three days stranded on Block Island waiting out a winter storm.

JW: Tell me about your trip. Were you invited to conduct a poetry workshop?

NSN: I had four different invitations. I worked first in Providence at the Moses Brown School as a visiting poet. It’s an old Quaker school that I love. I was also a speaker for a project called Raise Your Voice which operates in many schools. It encourages students to get involved in issues they care about, such as non-violence. A lot of people came from all over Providence to our event. Then I went to Block Island, 14 miles off the coast, and worked for the Block Island Poetry Project that brings poets together for a weekend workshop. I had a group of 35 people, some of whom came from as far away as Alabama and even Switzerland… That’s where we all got trapped for three extra days because the ferries could not operate. After that, I went to Somers in New York by train to work with students at a junior high school. So, But whether her poems explore far-away lands or the you see, a lot of different groups! home front, their focus is always on specific human experiences, images and details of life to which her JW: Do you see yourself as a teacher of poetry? poetic insight eloquently imparts a deeper dimension.

Literary critic Donna Seaman wrote that “Nye writes NSN: Some people may say that that’s what my role is radiant poems of nature and piercing poems of war, but I feel that I am creating an atmosphere for a group always touching base with homey details and radiant of people who love poetry to have an opportunity to portraits of family and neighbors. Nye’s clarion write, share and converse. condemnation of prejudice and injustice reminds readers that most Americans have ties to other lands JW: When you are invited as a speaker, what topics and that all concerns truly are universal.” do you usually cover?

A cultural icon in Texas, Shihab-Nye is in demand as a speaker and poetry workshop leader all over the United States and beyond. She is the poetry editor for the Texas Observer and the recipient of many awards, including four Pushcart Prizes, the Lavan Award from

NSN: Different topics, including the need for more expression in our lives, the need for personal time spent with language on the page, whether reading or writing. These days, since I am an Arab-American, I am often asked to address political issues such as May-June 2010 | On The Town 91

non-violence and my intense dislike of war. I would sitcom TV because that’s not my interest. Poets may say those are the main topics. have fewer readers but we have passionate readers.

JW: Your latest anthology, Time You Let Me In, is a JW: Where and when do you write? collection of poems by 25 writers under 25. How did this project come about and what about it appealed NSN: I write at home and when traveling. I write to you? all the time. The experience on Block Island gave me the gift of a poem, for instance. When I saw the NSN: Well, I had already made seven anthologies that unbelievable joy of people returning home (when the are all still in print, I am happy to say. They are used ferry service was restored), it reminded me of people in schools quite a lot. My editor Virginia Duncan at who are in exile. My father’s entire life was exile.

Greenwillow Books asked if I was interested in doing His family (in Palestine) lost everything. They were another one and I said “no,” no more anthologies. They kicked out of their house in Jerusalem at gun point. are a lot of work. But because she knew I really cared When he came to the United States as a student, he about young writers, she snagged me by saying, “If didn’t plan to stay. He was always homesick and in you had a chance to put 25 young writers in a book, anguish. So I am working on a poem (that contrasts writers who had never been in a book before, would those two experiences). that appeal to you?” And sure enough, I said “yes.” I did not do an open call, however. I would have gotten JW: How did your stay in Palestine affect you? a thousand submissions and I couldn’t handle that.

Instead I asked poetry teachers to recommend the NSN: It changed me forever. You realize that you won’t best young poets they knew and considered writers be able to look at anything from a single perspective whose work I had read personally. And then I picked ever again. what I liked. It was total subjectivity of the anthologist which is the only glory and pleasure you get from that JW: Do you feel like you are of two worlds? kind of work.

NSN: Yes, but I feel that after having lived for a JW: Let’s talk about your own poetry which is, of while, you are bound to be of more than one world. course, what you are best known for. Why have you But, yes, I do feel close to the Middle East, and I chosen poetry as opposed to perhaps more popular hate that we have come to these days of sorrow, writing formats? war and stereotypes. I was in Morocco recently, and it was comforting to my heart to be in an Arab NSN: I was just intoxicated by it as a young child. I country. I had conversations with people there loved the immediate sense of transport I got, as if I who expressed to me a sense of regret that their had been transported to a calmer, deeper dimension. country had not done more for the Palestinians. I, And once you discover such a pleasure, it would be too, feel a lot of grief for not doing more. I don’t very difficult to give it up. know what to do. Two years ago, I went to Oman, a fascinating country. I was surprised to discover that Let me tell you about something that happened years Omanis have done more for the Palestinians than ago when I was still fairly young and just started any other Arabs. I felt like I wanted to live there. The traveling and doing workshops. A man said to me, Palestinian ambassador gave a party for me, and I “It must be frustrating to be a peddler of poetry in a was given the Palestinian flag. They didn’t see me world that doesn’t much care for it.” And I said to him, as an American. I felt so much at home.

“I don’t think of peddlers in a negative way. You are saying that as a criticism of what I do but when I think I feel lucky that I have so many places on earth that feel of a peddler I think of someone who offers something like home. Texas is certainly one of them but also the to people, whether thread or milk or cloth. I come Midwest. It’s good to belong to more than one place. from an old-world Middle Eastern tradition where having someone who sells, say, a particular kind of JW: In your most recent poetry collection, You & Yours, good bread is a very precious thing. And I also don’t you focus first on personal experience in poems agree that the world doesn’t care about poetry. Many, about life in San Antonio and the United States, and many people do. I don’t care if it’s not (as popular as) in the second part you deal with the “yours” half of 92 On The Town | May-June 2010

the title which looks at the fractured life in much of the Middle East. In the poem During a War you refer to the customary way of closing a letter, “best wishes to you and yours,” and then you wonder “where does ‘yours’ end?” So, where does “yours” end?

• • • • • • • • • • • •

NSN: I don’t think it ends. If it ends, we are in trouble.

We have to belong to each other in this world in more ways than we ever imagined before.

During A War

JW: What would you say are the main themes of your poetry?

By Naomi Shihab Nye

NSN: I have always been interested in poems that help us know each other better. Also, when I am writing about experiences I had, I try to see them in some context. How does my experience connect to other people’s experiences? Like in the poem called Renovation. Many people experience the inconvenience and bother of home renovation; it’s very disrupting. But it’s nothing like having your house blown up or seized by someone else. When you put it in that context, it’s nothing. That’s why I mix in that piece our little petty home renovation with the experience of the Palestinians.

Best wishes to you & yours,

Or take what happened the other day. I saw how happy Block Islanders were to come home on the ferry after only three days of separation. How about six decades? Or compare it to what Iraqi people are suffering now, being cast to the four winds.

Americans should understand that when we are negotiating what we think of as some big war effort that, hey, it might be someone’s neighborhood we are destroying. They shouldn’t buy so easily the pumped-up slogans that get us into wars. Poetry is the opposite of pumped-up slogans.

(from “You & Yours” poems by Naomi Shihab Nye)

he closes the letter.

For a moment I can’t fold it up again where does “yours” end?

Dark eyes pleading what could we have done differently?

Your family, your community, circle of earth, we did not want, we tried to stop, we were not heard by dark eyes who are dying now. How easily they

JW: And that is?

would have welcomed us in

NSN: Poetry describes life. It’s not trying to win anything, it’s not trying to get oil rights or own your land; it just tries to look at human life, respect it and wonder about it, to connect the bits and pieces.

for coffee, serving it

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Your friends & mine.

Shihab Nye’s comments have been slightly edited for reasons of clarity and space. The opinions stated in this article are those of Shihab Nye and are published here with that understanding. Her books are available wherever books are sold.

in a simple room with a radiant rug.

• • • • • • • • • • • • May-June 2010 | On The Town 93

More

LA

Literary Arts

River Spectacular Debuts in May

By Claudia Maceo-Sharp

T

he San Antonio River Foundation’s slogan, “Beautifying our river from north to south” now sends out ripples of beauty through our fair city and into your home to proudly rest on your coffee table and present to guests and travelers. The book, River Spectacular: Light, Sound, Color and Craft on the San Antonio River, makes its debut in late May. With essays by Wendy Weil Atwell, an art historian and free lance critic, and a forward by publisher Lewis Fisher, the San Antonio River Foundation has captured the stories of our city’s visionaries and the artists who helped realize their visions.

River Spectacular archives the new Museum Reach of the River Walk that extends from El Tropicano Hotel to the turnaround basin at the former historic Pearl Brewery.

These two locations merely bookend a collection of projects – stories of dreams, reuse, and renovation as well as new creations, each creation accentuating what it is to be San Antonio for natives and tourists alike.

For the untrained eye as well as the art aficionado, layers of technical and creative genius underlie each project. Twenty-five seven foot long colorful sunfish hang from under a bridge, floating overhead like much larger versions of those that swim in the river directly underneath. Custom-made pigments glow in the dark. Metals are forged to take non- traditional shapes. Rectangular metal panels create an illusion of water and color shifting as passers-by doubletake wondering if the apparently solid metal didn’t shimmer and bend.

The old Lone Star Brewery footbridge over which beer barrels once rolled from one building to another finds new life just outside the San Antonio Museum of Art as a pedestrian footbridge. Ceramic tiles bearing images of village life in Mexico created in the 1930 have been restored and reset in a mural along this reach. The locks that transition the Rio Taxis from one height of the river to the other were inspired by river The San Antonio River currents now flow around and locks in Europe. through new and old. Read the behind the scenes stories about each artist and engineer, from concept Whether you are new to San Antonio or a long-time to actualization. Photographs of the projects display resident, you’ll enjoy seeing the old and new blend the complexity involved in bringing the Museum together in River Spectacular.

Reach into reality.

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96 On The Town | May-June 2010

Eclectics 98-108

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Artistic Destination:

Artists Flock to Charming Rockport

By Julie Catalano Photography Diane Loyd

98 On The Town | May-June 2010

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T

he pelicans are sleeping, the dolphins are leaping, and a new day dawns in Rockport. For the hundreds of resident artists who will soon be painting, composing, writing, sculpting and shooting – with a camera, of course -- in this idyllic Texas seaside town, it’s yet another day in paradise.

An artistic paradise, that is. While other Texas coastal cities have their own charms, few can claim the signature laid-back appeal that continues to lure artists of every type to this New England-style fishing village, once named a top 10 coastal art colony by Coastal Living magazine.

What draws artists here has almost as many answers as there are artists. For painter and custom-jewelry designer Ruben Sazon, it can be summed up in two words: whooping crane.

Of all the abundant wildlife that Rockport is known for, none is more famous than the endangered whopping crane, which makes its winter home at the nearby Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, drawing thousands of visitors every year to catch a sighting.

To hear Sazon tell it, the bird has done nothing short of transforming his work, his art, even his life.

“I tell the history, mythology and the folklore of the crane through my art,” says Sazon, who is also vice president of the Rockport Heritage District Association. “I am an artist but had never really connected to anything. The wildlife is powerful here.

I got really inspired by the crane, began to read and research everything I could find, and realized that it goes around the world, connecting east to west.”

Sazon designs and creates precious-metal custom jewelry with the crane motif (sazonartjewelry.com).

“Artists are always looking for that muse, and I found it here in Rockport.”

Sazon has lots of company, starting with the first artists who sought out Rockport as a haven as far back as the 1800s. Word of the area’s unspoiled beauty quickly spread, and over the years, more artists made the journey to “the charm of the Texas coast.” A fledgling art group was formed, followed by a nonprofit established in 1969 that eventually became the Rockport Art Center, originally housed in the historic Bruhl/O’Connor home. It was later renovated and expanded to include three art galleries, a gift shop and a 10,000-square-foot

100 On The Town | May-June March-April 2010 2010

sculpture garden. The center (rockportartcenter. com) serves as the focal point for Rockport’s vibrant arts scene, including Art Educator Days, ArtLink for Kids and the Rockport Film Festival, to name a few.

The highlight of the artistic year is the annual Rockport Arts Festival, one of the largest juried art festivals in the United States. Last year, more than 10,000 visitors viewed the work of 120 artists, strolling the festival grounds and shopping for everything from fine paintings, photography and glasswork to jewelry, metal arts, ceramics and woodwork. This year the festival will be held July 3-4.

“It’s a great party,” says Beverly Trifonidis, Rockport Art Center’s executive director. “The music, food and libations are housed in a large, air-conditioned tent on the grounds, and the art booths are open air so people can see Aransas Bay and our beautiful Blue Wave beach.” There are, she adds, “a dozen art galleries within walking distance of the festival, the Texas Maritime Museum is across the street, and the Rockport Aquarium is only a block away.” A children’s tent features live entertainers, art activities and a “kids-only” gallery/gift shop.

Afterwards, the party may be over, but the art goes on, especially for those creative souls lucky enough to wake up to the first call of birds among the majestic live oaks and stately palm trees.

For former Rockport artist and gallery owner Larry Felder (feldergallery.com), mornings were indeed the most special of times. “I loved the reflections of the old shrimp boats, birds and buildings in the slick morning water when the wind had yet to make waves,” says the award-winning artist who specializes in large oils, adding that he spent many hours “staring into the water of those wonderful harbors near Rockport.” It was an experience, Felder says, he’ll never forget. “I have driven the whole Gulf Coast from the tip of Texas to the tip of the Florida Keys looking for harbors that could compare to the ones near Rockport. From an artist’s viewpoint, none could.”

The 41st annual Rockport Art Festival is 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Saturday, July 3, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, July 4.

For more information, visit rockportartcenter.com or call 361-729-5519.

March-April May-June 2010 | On The Town 101

Janet Holliday and Lainey Berkus: The CE Group’s Dynamic Duo

By Susan A. Merkner Photography Greg Harrison

102 On The Town | May-June 2010

T

he CE Group (the communications and eventmanagement firm formerly known as Clever Endeavors) started in 1990 with one desk, one telephone, one client – and two dynamic women: Janet Holliday and Lainey Berkus.

CE team managed, promoted and produced more than 60 events, including Luminaria Arts Night, with more than 200,000 people in attendance; seven days of NCAA Women’s Final Four events; the grand opening of Morgan’s Wonderland special-needs family park; and the Fiesta Fiesta grand opening celebration (which Through the years, the San Antonio-based company was rained out.) Attendance at those four major events has expanded from organizing approximately 200 alone was approximately 275,000. Plus, there was the events a year to more than 1,000 annually. The CE opening of the Westin Hotel in Austin, many corporate Group now has 61 employees housed in 6,000 square events and the Pearl’s first paella festival. feet of “green” space in the Full Goods Building at Pearl.

The CE Group, which has handled venue marketing and Those who have worked with Janet and Lainey know sales at Pearl Stable since it opened in 2006, recently them as energetic and enthusiastic entrepreneurs. announced the creation of Events at Pearl to support As president, Janet’s name has become synonymous the former brewery’s evolution as a destination for with many of the city’s premier projects, as well as public and private events. numerous others throughout Texas and the United States. Her entrepreneurial spirit has launched the Upcoming weeks may be slightly less hectic, but company into many areas of event-based marketing. various events will bear the CE Group’s unmistakable Businesses seek her expertise to create compelling stamp. Lemonade Day, which teaches children how to events with her signature style, and they look to her run their own business, is planned for May 2, with an attention to details and strong organizational skills to estimated 4,000 lemonade stands expected to operate ensure all projects deliver results. around the city.

Lainey’s years of public relations experience culminated in her biggest business venture: the partnership with Janet that resulted in the creation of Clever Endeavors 20 years ago. The two continue to share a belief in success without sacrifice, and together they have been able to incorporate the needs of families with the demands of business. This commitment is put into practice every day with the company’s associates, many of whom are balancing their professional and family demands.

After such a hectic springtime schedule, Janet and Lainey took a brief breather to answer a few questions.

What sets you apart from your competitors?

JH: Our total commitment to the relationship with the client.

LB: We “listen” to what clients say and want and deliver “accountable” results.

What has been the single greatest achievement of your business career?

Never one to stop evolving, Lainey chose to semi- JH: Staying on the high road and maintaining integrity retire from the day-to-day operations of the CE Group day in and day out. Success isn’t what we do; it is how three years ago, and now takes pride in watching we achieve it. her partner continue to grow the company to new LB: Growing a business from two people to 61 and impressive heights, she says. After stepping down as growing a company from two divisions to five divisions. co-owner, Lainey now uses her creativity, experience and talent to oversee only the public relations division Many new, start-up businesses fail after a few years, for of the company. Her formula for success includes varied reasons. What advice would you give someone thoroughly examining each business and assessing who wanted to start a new business; not necessarily in its customers, competition and the environment in public relations or event planning – any type of business? which it operates. She then helps the client define JH: Pay your dues, work hard, and give to get. a marketing plan that specifies the actions needed LB: Relationships, relationships, relationships. to develop and deliver its products, services and facilities during competitive times.

How has your industry changed in the years since you started?

This spring alone, from March 1 through April 15, the JH: Since 911 and the recession, there is way less May-June 2010 | On The Town 103

planning and lead time in designing or crafting an event or communication campaign. Budgets are smaller, so the CE Group has to be more value conscious and cost effective to give clients more with less and yet look like more.

LB: The Internet has opened up endless and positive opportunities for marketing efforts. It’s exciting to continually learn new ways to brand and connect with the customer.

How would you describe each other?

LB: Janet is truly the architect of event management, and her skill and grace are what makes her the go-to person if you want the job done right and with flair.

She accommodates with a smile, and the client knows that everything will be in its right place at the right time if they work with Janet.

JH: Lainey takes care of all the basics first. She researches and documents with great enthusiasm. She is quick with creative ideas and has a knack at making partnerships work effectively. The clients trust and 104 On The Town | May-June 2010

respect Lainey’s hard work and dedication to the job.

In a few words, how would you describe yourself professionally and personally?

JH: Humble, grateful, force of nature, high energy, Energizer Bunny, full throttle!

LB: Thoughtful, committed, loyal, strategic thinker, dynamic, imaginative, “dot” connector!

Photo Credits: Page 102: (L-R) Lainey Berkus and Janet Holliday Page 104: Standing (L-R): Christa Scannell, Janet Holliday, Lainey Berkus and Cassie Hager Seated (L-R): Julie Trevino, David Weir, Maritza Quiroz and Nancy Battram

May-June 2010 | On The Town 105

Picture This: fro

Courtyard San Antonio River Walk

106 On The Town | May-June 2010

Judson’s Candy Factory Lofts

Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel

Hist Brewh At P

om the ground up

toric house Pearl

The Vistana Apartment Building

Tower Life Building

110 Broadway Building

May-June 2010 | On The Town 107

images by sara selango

Robert E. Lee Apartments

108 On The Town | May-June 2010

The Chapel of The Incarnate Word

Alameda Theatre

May-June 2010 | On The Town 109

110 On The Town | May-June 2010