March/April 2017

Ezine.com

ON THE TOWN Eighth Anniversary Issue

NIOSA Cristina Balli Max & Louie’s The New Witte

March/April 2017 January/February

Rockbox Theater Briscoe Night of Artists Majestic Broadway Series Plus 11 Additional Articles March/April 2017 | On The Town 1

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Features

Performing Arts in March and April Offer Something for Everyone. Mark Your Calendar and Don’t Miss a Thing.

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Tony Award Winners and Blockbuster Musicals Take The Majestic Stage for 2017-2018 North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio Season

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When Jazz Meets Classical: Why Choose One When You Can Have Both

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Arts San Antonio Closes Out Its 25th Anniversary Season with Five Exceptional Shows

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Rockbox Theater Keeps the Hill Country Rockin’ with Family Friendly Shows and Concerts

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Culinaria Festival: May 18-21

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Max & Louie’s New York Diner Hits the Mark with Three Square Meals a Day

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Torre di Pietra: A Strong Name for a Solid Winery

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The Briscoe Western Art Museum Draws Top Western Artists to San Antonio

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Features Cont.

The New Witte 66 Contemporary Art Month: Witte Unveiling 70 and more at Museums and Art Centers in March and April Cristina Balli: A New Role at Guadalupe Cultural 82 Arts Center NIOSA: A Celebration of Preservation 84 36th Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio May 24-28

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Harp & Shamrock Society: Keeping Irish History and Culture Alive

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Departments Events Calendar

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Book Talk: Jen Knox Short Story Writer and Gemini Ink’s WIC Director

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Out & About With Greg Harrison

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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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Cover Credits Contributors Front Cover Photo: Rockin’ Road to Dublin Courtesy rockinroadtodublin.com Performing Arts Cover Photo: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Courtesy Majestic Theatre

Greg Harrison staff photographer

Jeanne Albrecht

Mikel Allen creative director/ graphic designer

Christian Lair operations manager/ webmaster

Rudy Arispe

Kay Lair

James M. Benavides

Yadhira Lozano

Olivier J. Bourgoin (aka, Olivier the Wine Guy)

Ginger McAneerRobinson

Culinary Arts Cover Photo: Photo by Greg Harrison

Julie Catalano

Susan A. Merkner copy editor

Lisa Cruz

Sara Selango

Visual Arts Cover Photo: © Metin Cengiz Barış | Dreamstime.com

Thomas Duhon

Jasmina Wellinghoff

Dan R. Goddard

Patti Zaiontz

Events Calendar Cover Photo: Che Malambo Courtesy Arts San Antonio

Literary Arts Cover Photo: © Janpietruszka | Dreamstime.com Eclectics Cover Photo: Courtesy mariachimusic.com Eclectics Cover Photo: © Tsui Shan So | Dreamstime.com Out & About With Greg Harrison Cover Photo: Photo by Greg Harrison

OnTheTownEzine.com is published by Lair Creative, LLC 14122 Red Maple San Antonio, Texas 78247 210-771-8486 210-490-7950 (fax) info@onthetownezine.com www.onthetownezine.com

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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Performing Arts 8-32

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PERFORMING ARTS IN MARCH AND APRIL OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. Mark Your Calendar and Don’t Miss a Thing!

By Sara Selango

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must admit to being ver y excited about Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at the Majestic Mar. 14-19. I will most definitely be a face in the crowd at one of the per formances enjoying her stor y and ever y minute of her iconic music. Beautiful is joined at the Majestic in March and April by three other notewor thy touring shows, the first being Elvis Lives! Mar. 1 followed by Rent Mar. 3-5 and a favorite of mine, Greater Tuna Apr. 13. In addition, One Woman Sex and the City: A Parody of Love, Friendships and Shoes makes a tour stop at the Tobin Center ’s Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater Apr. 5 and Hedwig and the Angry Inch takes the stage at the Tobin’s H-E-B Per formance Hall Apr. 8-9 for three per formances. In a one -night-only per formance, the Car ver Community Cultural Center presents the touring company of A Clothesline Muse Mar. 4 at the Jo Long Theatre.

Community theatre also shines in the third and fourth months of the year starting with Pippin at the Woodlawn followed by Sister Act. The Roxie Theatre offers us All Shook Up plus Edgar Allan Poe’s Nevermore and The Playhouse San Antonio has The Secret Garden on the main stage of its Russell Hill Rogers Theatre with Disgraced playing its Cellar Theatre. The Tempest continues at The Classic Theatre San Antonio and The Overtime Theatre tenders two originals, Seven Card Stud and The Last Days of Oscar Wilde. Area highlights include The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and 1940’s Radio Hour at S.T.A.G.E in Bulverde, Hello Dolly! and Driving Miss Daisy from the Fredericksburg Theatre Company and Godspell at Smith-Ritch Point Outdoor Theatre in Ingram.

Dance is next up. Art San Antonio’s presentation of Rockin’ Road to Dublin kicks things off Mar. 7 at the

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laughs from some great comedians. Here are names, dates and places: Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias Mar. 10 – AT&T Center, Rodney Carrington Mar. 11 – Majestic Theatre, Jubal Flagg Mar. 25 – Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin, Louie Anderson Mar. 26 – Carlos Alvarez, Jim Jefferies Mar. 30 – H-E-B Per formance Hall at the Tobin, Lisa Lampanelli Apr. 1 – Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, and Bill Burr Apr. 9 – Majestic Theatre.

This is good stuff, lots of laughs. Also, don’t forget the stand up per formances that happen Even more Broadway and dance oppor tunities on an almost nightly basis at the Improv Comedy now come to you with popcorn and a sof t Club Rivercenter and Laugh Out Loud Comedy drink attached. See Newsies: The Broadway Club in Park North.

Musical Mar. 4 at several movie theaters around town. You can also experience A Contemporar y In the way of classical music, the San Antonio Evening from Bolshoi Ballet Mar. 19 and the Symphony opens with a special engagement Bolshoi’s Hero of Our Time Apr. 9. Both are per formance by vir tuoso violinist Gil Shaham from Fathom Events and can be seen at movie Mar. 4 and follows that with Masks Mar. 17-18 theaters as well. The Metropolitan Opera is also featuring the symphony ’s concer tmaster Eric featured on Fathom. Four different operas are Gratz with Sebastian Lang-Lessing conduc ting. available at theaters in March and April. For Af ter that it ’s From Piano Duo to Cinderella Mar. 24-26. Identical twins Christina and M ichelle more information, check the website.

Naugton form the duo and Lang-Lessing Before delving into music, I want to go for a few conduc ts once again. The final classical concer t Majestic followed by Alvin Ailey American Dance Company at the H-E-B Performance Hall Mar. 28 as a part of the Tobin Center Dance Series. Shen Yun offers four performances on that same stage Apr. 1416. Shortly after, Momix: Opus Cactus comes to the city Apr. 19. Again, this is a featured performance from the Tobin Center Dance Series and will also play the big hall. Arts San Antonio concludes the dance category with Che Malambo Apr. 20 at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre.

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for the symphony during this time period is The Unfinished Symphony and Mahler No. 4 Mar. 31Apr. 1. Soprano Mane Goloyan is showcased in this one.

All symphony per formances mentioned are in the H-E-B Per formance Hall at the Tobin Center for the Per forming Ar ts. O ther significant classical events in March and April are being presented by Musical Bridges Around The World, Camerata San Antonio, San Antonio Chamber Music Society, Olmos Ensemble, Tuesday Musical Club, Musical O fferings, San Antonio International Piano Competition and the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio.

For information on specific events and times, check out the events calendar in this magazine.

Ariana Grande, Mnozil Brass, Betty Lavette, Justin Hayward and Pink Martini.

Willie, Loretta, Leann, Jerry Jeff, Robert Earl and Ronnie head up the country and western genre in March and April. Willie Nelson is set to appear at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels Apr. 21-22 along with special guest Kacey Musgraves.

Loretta Lynn and Leann Rimes come to Gruene Hall Mar. 3-4 and Mar. 10-11 respectively and Jerry Jeff Walker brings his Texas Bash 2017 to the same hall Mar. 26. Robert Earl Keen takes the Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater stage in Kerrville Mar. 4 and Ronnie Milsap sings his songs Apr. 5 in the H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin. A couple of youngsters also take the spotlight in March. Maren From the pop side of things, the symphony offers Morris makes an appearance at Gruene Hall Mar. Fiesta Pops at the H-E-B Per formance Hall Apr. 25 and Hunter Hayes can be seen six days later 21-23 with Akiko Fujimoto conducting. Special at the Aztec Theatre. These performances are the guests are Guadalupe Dance Company and icing on a very large C&W cake. Check the websites Mariachi Campanas de America. A sampling of for Gruene Hall, John T. Floore Country Store, other pop-eclectic opportunities includes Paul Luckenbach Dancehall, Blue Bonnet Palace, Leon Anka, Scrap Arts Music, Bryan Ferry, Morrissey, Springs Dancehall and Cowboys Dancehall to get The Lettermen, Chicago, Liverpool Legends, the big picture on the totality of what’s available.

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Before closing, I want to take a moment to mention several other per formances in the area that are super-worthy of your attention. In New Braunfels at the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre, spend three evenings enjoying the music of John Anderson Mar. 10, Mandy Barnett Mar. 18 and The Hitmen Apr. 21. If you are not familiar the Hitmen, the group is comprised of talented musicians and singers who have per formed in a background capacity on many recordings for such legendary performers as Carole King, Elton John, Franki Valli, Carly Simon and Three Dog Night, to mention a few.

In Fredericksburg, The Rockbox Theater brings magician Adam Trent to the Hill Country Mar. 1415 and the aforementioned Liverpool Legends (Beatles tribute band) Mar. 24-25. Kerrville is home to Symphony of the Hills. Mostly Mozart is next up for the orchestra at the Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater Apr. 27.

March and April are loaded. Get some tickets and go!

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Photo Credits: Page 8 Hedwig and the Angry Inch Courtesy Tobin Center Page 10 – 11 (L-R) Alvin Ailey Dance Company Courtesy Tobin Center Rockin’ Road to Dublin Courtesy rockinroadtodublin.com Scrap Arts Music Courtesy Arts San Antonio Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Courtesy Majestic Theatre Page 12 (L-R) Rent Courtesy Majestic Theatre Elvis Live!

Courtesy elvislive.com

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Tony Award Winners and Blockbust for 2017-2018 North Park Lexus

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ter Musicals Take the Majestic Stage s Broadway in San Antonio Series

Courtesy Majestic Theatre

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he Majestic Theatre announced an exciting lineup of shows for the 2017-18 North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio season. With eight productions, the series includes a mixture of Blockbuster Tony Award®-winners, four market premieres and returning audience favorites.

the 2018-19 season will be able to guarantee their tickets for the premiere San Antonio engagement of Hamilton before tickets become available to the general public. Information regarding Hamilton dates and how to purchase group and single tickets will be announced at a later time.

“We are proud to present another season that represents the best that Broadway has to offer," said Emily Smith, general manager of the Majestic and Charline McCombs Empire theaters. “We also are thrilled to announce that Hamilton will come to the Majestic for our 2018-19 Broadway season, and renewing subscribers will be able to guarantee their tickets for its premiere engagement.”

The North Park Lexus Broadway series opens in September with the market premiere of The Bodyguard.

The romantic thriller features a number of classics, including one of the biggest selling songs of all time, “I Will Always Love You” by the late Whitney Houston.

In October, the Lincoln Center Theater Production of one of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s finest works, The King The best way to guarantee tickets to Hamilton is and I, returns to the Majestic. This family classic tells the to purchase a season subscription for the 2017- story of the unconventional relationship that develops 18 season, Smith said. Subscribers who renew for between the King of Siam and a British schoolteacher. It 16 On The Town | March/April 2017

includes a score of beloved songs including “Getting to In March, On Your Feet! takes you behind the music Know You,”“Shall We Dance” and “Something Wonderful.” and inside the real story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, who came to America from Cuba. This market December welcomes a holiday classic, Irving Berlin’s premiere chronicles the story of the singer’s rise to White Christmas, about a song-and-dance team putting international superstardom and life-threatening on a show in a magical Vermont inn and falling for a tragedy while featuring some of the most iconic stunning sister act in the process. songs of the past quarter-century — and one of the most inspiring stories in music history.

The Majestic welcomes Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella for a return engagement in January 2018. Back by popular demand, The Book of Mormon returns This contemporary, lush production has all the to San Antonio in May. This outrageous musical moments you love: the pumpkin, the glass slipper, comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched the masked ball and more. pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the good word.

Tony Award-winner for Best Musical Revival, The Color Purple, returns in February with its soul-raising The season concludes in June with An American in Paris, score of jazz, gospel, ragtime and blues ballads and the new hit musical about an American soldier and a Pulitzer Prize-winning story. mysterious French girl in an indomitable European city.

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Both yearn for a new beginning in the aftermath of war Page 16-17 (L-R) highlighted by unforgettable songs from George and Cinderella Ira Gershwin. This show earned more awards than any Photo by Carol Rosegg other musical in the 2015 season.

The Body Guard Season packages are now available. Subscribers can Courtesy Majestic Theatre choose a six-show package or a seven-show package The Color Purple that includes The Book of Mormon.

Photo by Matthew Murphy For more information, visit www.BroadwayIn SanAntonio.com or call 800-215-SHOW (7469).

On Your Feet Photo by Matthew Murphy

Photo Credits:

Page 18 (L-R)

Pages 14-15

The King and I Photo by Matthew Murphy

An American in Paris Photo by Matthew Murphy

Hamilton Courtesy Majestic Theatre

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When Jazz Meets Classical: WHY CHOOSE ONE WHEN YOU CAN HAVE BOTH?

By Susan A. Merkner

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or music-lovers who can’t decide whether they prefer jazz or classical music, why choose?

An annual San Antonio event provides opportunities to enjoy both genres simultaneously.

programmed to accompany the masterpieces.

Christenson assumed the role of Musical Offerings’ director in 1989 and went on to establish the Jazz Meets Classical series in 1992 with a group of likeThe Jazz Meets Classical series sponsored by Musical minded local musicians.

Offerings observes its 25th anniversary this year “The biggest difference as musicians is that classical with concerts on April 30 and May 1. music performers don’t improvise on stage like jazz Joan Christenson, artistic director of Musical musicians do,” Christenson said. “This concert series Offerings and violinist with the San Antonio gives classical musicians a chance to perform jazz.”

Symphony, said the Jazz Meets Classical program combines the best of both musical genres and gives The Jazz Meets Classical group fluctuates in membership each year and typically includes 10 to musicians new opportunities to experiment.

14 musicians, she said. Performers this spring will A graduate of the University of Michigan, Christenson include a string quintet, two pianists, percussionist, began playing violin at age 8. “I knew that was the guitar, clarinet, sax, trumpet and vocalist. only instrument I wanted to play,” she said.

“The group grows each year as more people join us,” She was associate concertmaster with the Shreveport Christenson said. “Now we all know each other well.”

Symphony before accepting a position with the The annual series has had a variety of themes through San Antonio Symphony in 1983, the same year that the years. Sometimes composers were featured: Musical Offerings was founded. It began as a gallery George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Nina Simone, series at the San Antonio Museum of Art, with music Dave Brubeck and Leonard Berstein. In other years,

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music from geographic places was emphasized: Jazz Meets Classical 25th Anniversary Concerts Brazil, Cuba, 1920s Paris.

3 p.m. April 30 Christ Episcopal Church “This year the theme is our 25th anniversary,” 510 Belknap Place Christenson said with a chuckle.

For information: 210-736-3132 or visit www.musicalofferings.org Original scores were written by three composers: Jim Balentine, professor of music theory and composition 7 p.m. May 1 at the University of Texas at San Antonio and a jazz San Antonio Museum of Art saxophone and clarinet player; Matthew Dunne, 200 W. Jones Ave. guitar studies coordinator at UTSA, and bassist For information: 210-978-8121 or visit Darrel Tidaback of Indiana University South Bend. www.samuseum.org Clarice Assad will be guest artist in this year’s shows.

Christenson described the BrazilianAmerican musician as a “bold composer, pianist and vocalist who incorporates Brazilian rhythms in her work.” The Grammy-nominated Assad also is a music educator and founder of VOXploration, an award-winning, research-based outreach program designed to connect, inspire and empower people through music.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Photo Credits: Page 20-21 (L-R) Joan Christenson Musical Offerings Artistic Director Photo by Susan Riley

Christenson said the musicians look forward to the annual concerts.

Jazz Meets Classical musicians From 2016 performances “We work hard because these are new arrangements,” Photo by Susan Riley she said. “It keeps us fresh.”

Clarice Assad Photo by Cynthia Van Elk Learn more at musicalofferings.org.

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ARTS San Antonio

closes out its 25th anniversary season with five exceptional performances

By Lisa Cruz

A

RTS San Antonio is concluding its 25th anniversary season with the variety and distinction audiences have come to enjoy from its world-class performances.

of zydeco with country, jazz, blues and R&B for a unique harmony that has delighted audiences for 40 years. Gala proceeds support the ARTS San Antonio’s education initiative, ARtsTEach.

Matching the uniqueness of its New Orleansinspired surroundings at Boudro’s Texas Bistro, ARTS San Antonio’s “Deep in the ARTS of Texas Gala,” on March 2 will host BeauSoleil Avec Michael Doucet, who also performs March 3 at Laurie Auditorium. One of the few Cajun bands to win a Grammy award, BeauSoleil blends the sounds

“We aim for our performances to be family friendly,” said ARTS San Antonio president and executive director John Toohey. “While we charge for tickets, we try to do as much as possible to reduce prices in order to reduce barriers.”

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Keeping to a theme of blended music, a

performance by percussionists Scrap Arts Music on March 25 at the Majestic Theatre is expected to deliver heart-pounding rhythms on instruments fashioned from industrial scrap pieces.

Sw i tc h i n g to p e r fo r m a n ce a r t a n d m a k i n g t h e i r Te x a s d e b u t , C h e M a l a m b o, a n A rg e n t i n e d a n ce t ro u p e, w i l l p e r fo r m A p r i l 2 0 a t t h e C h a r l i n e M c Co m b s E m p i re Th e a t re.

“O u r gro u p co m e s d i re c t l y f ro m A rg e n t i n a , a n d we p re s e n t a c rowd - p l e a s i n g s h ow b a s e d a ro u n d m a l a m b o, w h i c h i s t h e t r a d i t i o n a l d a n ce o f t h e g a u c h o s ( S o u t h A m e r i c a n cow b oys ) ,” s a i d M a t t h e w B l e d s o e, m a n a g e r o f Gregory Kozak, co-artistic director of Scrap Arts C h e M a l a m b o. “ I t ' s ve r y d i f fe re n t f ro m h ow Music, said the materials used for the instruments t h e cow b oys d a n ce i n Te x a s, b u t o u r ro o t s c a n were salvaged from construction shops around b e t r a ce d b a c k to s i m i l a r b e gi n n i n g s i n S p a i n Vancouver, Canada. “We take people on an unusual s o t h a t i s s o m e t h i n g t h a t co n n e c t s u s i n a w ay.” yet ultimately delightful musical journey that the Co n n e c t i o n to S a n A n to n i o a u d i e n ce s i s entire family can enjoy,” he said. c r i t i c a l to A R TS S a n A n to n i o w h e n c u r a t i n g From pulsating beats to brass and belly laughs, t h e s e a s o n .

ARTS San Antonio brings Mnozil Brass to the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre on April 8. To o h e y s a i d a r t i s t s a re c h o s e n b a s e d o n t h e Hailing from Vienna, Austria, Mnozil Brass employs o rg a n i z a t i o n’s f i ve co re v a l u e s : a cce s s i b i l i t y, trumpets, French horns, trombones, tubas and co l l a b o r a t i o n , d i ve r s i t y, e xce l l e n ce and more than a touch of humor in its performances. f i n a n c i a l re s p o n s i b i l i t y.

“We have hand-built all of our sculptural musical instruments – over 145 of them – out of recycled materials,” said Justine Murdy, co-artistic director of Scrap Arts Music.

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“Performances must resonate with the international DNA of San Antonio and provide audiences an opportunity to experience performers from all over the world,” Toohey said.

In the spirit of collaboration, ARTS San Antonio is teaming up with Gemini Ink and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center to present a free public reading as part of Gemini Ink’s 2017 Autograph Series, “An Evening with United States Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera,” on May 4 at the historic Guadalupe Theater. Herrera, the country’s first Chicano poet laureate, is author of more than 30 books of poetry, young adult novels and children’s book collections, according to the Library of Congress.

Education is a cornerstone of ARTS San Antonio. Its signature program, ARtsTEach, is supported each year by various contributions including its annual gala and Floating Feastival, an entertainment and culinary adventure along the San Antonio River.

This year’s Feastival event will be held May 2-3.

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ARtsTEach is a program of more than 100 educational workshops and middle and high school master classes and performances aimed at providing a broad range of arts activities to students with limited access to artistic resources and encouraging the development of their artistic skills.

“Annually, we have our guest artists present a daytime performance or master class for students, and many performers offer master classes or small workshops with students,” Toohey said.

Closing out the anniversary season is a performance

by The 5 Browns on May 13 at the Empire Theatre.

The 5 Browns is a classical piano ensemble featuring five siblings who perform on five grand pianos.

"A 5 Browns concert is likely the only place you'll ever be able to see five huge Steinway pianos on stage at the same time,” said Gregory Brown of The 5 Browns. “The energy of our concerts is fairly unique for a classical concert. We understand each other so

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

well, and I think this interactional ease helps foster an unintimidating atmosphere for the audience, especially those who feel less comfortable at Photo Credits: classical concerts."

The 5 Browns, originally from Texas, became the Page 22 first family of five siblings to have been accepted Beau Soleil Avec Michael Doucet simultaneously to New York’s Julliard School of Music. Courtesy Arts San Antonio " We're absolutely thrilled to be coming back to San Antonio,” Brown said. “Playing in San Antonio always feels a little bit like coming home. I don' t think there are warmer people in the countr y, and we'll be look ing to repay the k indness they' ve shown us over the years with this program in May."

Page 23 Scrap Arts Music Photo by Anneke Jannisen Page 24 Mnozil Brass Courtesy Arts San Antonio

With a diverse lineup that is expected to be both Page 25 accessible and exceptional, Toohey said his goal The 5 Browns with this season’s performances was to “offer a Courtesy the5browns.com respite for escape, enrichment and entertainment.”

For details: http://www.artssa.org.

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26 On The Town | January/February March/April 2017 2017

Rockbox Theater

Keeps the Hill Country Rockin’ with Family Friendly Shows and Concerts A

By Rudy Arispe

fter spending the day in Fredericksburg sampling vino at a winer y, climbing Enchanted Rock or shopping for antiques, plan on taking in a show or concer t that evening at the Rockbox Theater.

something extra-special to add to their visit here.”

“ The Hill Country continues to attract visitors from all over the world and surrounding areas,” said Lynda Haines, Rockbox house director. “We offer an entertainment aspect to people looking for

Next up is “Liverpool Legends: Beatles Tribute” on March 24-25, which includes songs spanning the Beatles’ career through their solo years. “Liverpool Legends has been endorsed by George Harrison’s

Sp r ing will b r ing an exc it ing l i n e u p o f enter t ainment b eginning wit h “Ada m Tre nt : M agic ian Ex t raord inaire” on M arch 1 7 - 1 8 . Th e self-t aught illusionist has b een feat u re d o n t h e Now in its 10th year, the Rockbox Theater is a live Ellen D eG eneres show as well as B ro a dway a n d music venue that offers top-notch entertainment has hosted t he annual M ac y ’s Th a n ks gi vi n g for all ages.

Day Parad e.

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sister, Louise,” Haines said. “This show always sells concerts, she said. out, so consider getting your tickets early.”’

“Our shows are always family friendly,” Haines Country singer Larry Gatlin, who along with his said. “We never have anything you couldn’t bring two brothers charted 33 Top 40 singles, headlines grandma to.” the Rockbox for two shows on May 13, followed by The Rockbox Theater “Seven Bridges: Eagles Tribute” on May 27-28.

109 N. Llano St. Summer sizzles with a heat wave of hot talent Fredericksburg, TX beginning with “Michael Hix: American Proud” on 830-997-7625 June 30 and July 1. Hix’s music ranges from pop www.rockboxtheater.com. and rock to patriotic tunes in honor of active-duty military and veterans.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

The season ends with an homage, “Donny Edwards: Photo Credits: Elvis Tribute.” His dynamic performance hearkens back to the 1950s and the early years of rock. The Page 26 show includes Elvis’ biggest hit movies and his Donny Edwards as Elvis famous black leather ’68 Comeback Special.

Page 27 “Haines said Edwards is considered one of the best Interior of the Rockbox Theater Elvis impersonators in the world.

Page 28 (L-R) The Rockbox Theater opened in 2007 in a former Liverpool Legends furniture warehouse. A resident cast performed Larry Gatlin every weekend until a few years ago, when the theater changed its format to feature shows and All photos courtesy of the Rockbox Theater 28 On The Town | March/April 2017

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Events Calendar

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March/April 2017 Events Calendar Music Notes Arts San Antonio Beausoleil Avec Michael Doucet 3/3, Fri@ 7:30pm Laurie Auditorium Trinity University Tesla 3/3, Fri @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Dale Watson / Ray Benson 3/3, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall Loretta Lynn 3/3-4, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Gruene Hall Cactus Country 3/3, Fri @ 8:15pm Leon Springs Dancehall Prophets and Outlaws 3/3, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Mike Ryan 3/4, Sat @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys Dancehall

San Antonio Symphony An Evening with Violinist Gil Shaham 3/4, Sat @ 8pm Akiko Fujimoto conductor H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Robert Earl Keen 3/4, Sat @ 8pm Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater Kerrville Billy Mata 3/4, Sat @ 8:15pm Leon Springs Dancehall James McMurtry 3/4, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Mikki Daniel and Texas Wildfire 3/4, Sat @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Justin Hayward 3/5, Sun @ 3pm & 7:30pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center Patio Andaluz 2017 Reunion 3/5, Sun @ 5pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Olmos Ensemble Tribute to International Women’s Day 3/6, Mon @ 7pm Dianne Frazer, piano Laurel Heights Methodist R. Kelly: The After Party Tour 3/7, Tue @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center

Arts @ Coker Con Brio String Quartet 3/5, Sun @ 3pm Coker United Methodist

Tobin Studio Sessions Kathy Mattea 3/8, Wed @7:30pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center

Heart of Texas Band Talent Showcase 3/5, Sun @ 3pm Thomas Jefferson HS Auditorium

Bela Fleck & Abigale Washburn 3/9, Thu @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center

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Yuridia 3/9, Thu @ 8pm Aztec Theatre An Intimate Evening with John Anderson 3/10, Fri @ 7:30pm Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre New Braunfels Dokken, Warrant & Trickster 3/10, Fri @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Leann Rimes 3/10-11, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Gruene Hall Band of Heathens / Mike & the Moonpies 3/10, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall Wade Bowen / Cody Canada & The Departed 3/10, Fri @ 8:30pm John T. Floore Country Store Camerata San Antonio Late Beethoven 3/10, Fri @ 7:30pm First United Methodist Boerne 3/11, Sat @ 3pm

March/April 2017 | On The Town 35

First Presbyterian Kerrville 3/12, Sun @ 3pm Luella Bennack Concert Hall University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio Jon Wolfe 3/11, Sat @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys Dancehall San Antonio International Piano Competition Concert Series Gustavo Romero, piano 3/11, Sat @ 8pm Luella Bennack Concert Hall University of the Incarnate Word The Black Lillies / The O’s 3/11, Sat @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall Led Zeppelin 2 3/11, Sat @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Gary P. Nunn 3/11, Sat @ 8:30pm Kendalia Halle The Strayhearts 3/11, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Experience Hendrix: 2017 Tour 3/12, Sun @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre

Youth Orchestra of San Antonio Purple Rain 3/13, Mon @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center 5th Annual Two Ton Tuesday Spring Break Show 3/14, Tue @ 8:30pm Gruene Hall Pink Martini 3/15, Wed @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Games of Thrones Live Concert Experience 3/16, Thu @ 7pm AT&T Lucas Jack Music of Elton John & Billy Joel 3/16, Thu @ 7:30pm Brauntex Theatre for the Performing Arts New Braunfels Charlie Robison / Cale Tyson 3/17, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall San Antonio Symphony Masks 3/17-18, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sebastian Lang-Lessing conductor Eric Gratz, violin H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center

36 On The Town | March/April 2017

Ruby Dee & The Snakehandlers 3/17, Fri @ 8:30pm John T. Floore Country Store Roger Creager 3/17-18, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Mud Dauber Rock ‘n Billy Chili Fest /Billy Joe Shaver, Tessy Lou and the Shotgun Stars Plus more performers 3/18, Sat @ 12pm Luckenbach Dancehall Mandy Barnett Heroines of Heartache 3/18, Sat @ 7:30pm Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre New Braunfels Steel Panther 3/18, Sat @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Jake Penrod and the Honky Tonk Express 3/18, Sat @ 8pm Anhalt Hall South Texas Blues Fest 3/18, Sat @ 8pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center The Spazmatics 3/18, Sat @ 8pm Bluebonnett Palace

Marge Price 3/18, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Bryan Anthony/ Celebrating Sinatra: His Life In Music 3/18-19, Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm Fredericksburg Theater Company Steve W. Shepherd Theater The Lettermen 3/19, Sun @ 3pm Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater Kerrville Fredericksburg Music Club Doug Montgomery, piano 3/19, Sun @ 3pm Fredericksburg United Methodist Newsboys 3/19, Sun @ 6:30pm Laurie Auditorium Trinity University Hip Hop Orchestra 3/19, Sun @ 7pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center Bryan Ferry 3/20, Mon @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center St. Jude’s Jam Scotty McCreery, Maren Morris, Gary Allan and more 3/21, Tue @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys Dancehall

Tobin Studio Sessions Tiffany 3/22, Wed @ 7:30pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center

Liverpool Legends: Beatles Tribute 3/24-25, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 4pm Rockbox Theater Fredericksburg

Tobin Studio Sessions Vanessa Carlton 3/23, Thu @ 7:30pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center

San Antonio Symphony From Piano Duo to Cinderella 3/24-26, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor Christina and Michelle, Naughton, piano duo H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center

Rick Cavender Band 3/23, Thu @ 8pm Gruene Hall Rich O’Toole 3/24, Fri @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys Dancehall

Arts San Antonio Scrap Arts Music 3/25, Sat @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre

Daryle Singletary 3/24, Fri @ 8pm Bluebonnet Palace

Byrne and Kelly 3/25, Sat @ 7:30pm Little Carver Theatre

Hal Ketchum 3/24, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Max Baca & Los TexManiacs 3/24, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall JB and the Moonshine Band 3/24, Fri @ 8:30pm John T. Floore Country Store

Maren Morris: The Hero Tour 2017 3/25, Sat @ 8pm Gruene Hall Grease Sing-a-Long 3/25, Sat @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Eleven Hundred Springs / Robby White and Tom McElvain 3/25, Sat @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall March/April 2017 | On The Town 37

Charlie Robison 3/25, Sat @ 8pm Bluebonnet Palace Bart Crow 3/25, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store LGSM Foundation Celebration of Music 3/26, Sun @ 2pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Mid-Texas Symphony Concerto for Violin No. 5 3/26, Sun @ 4pm David Mairs, conductor Laura Scalzo, violin Jackson Auditorium Seguin Musical Bridges Around The World Viennese Tort 3/26, Sun @ 7pm San Fernando Cathedral Jerry Jeff Walker Texas Bash 2017 3/26, Sun @ 7pm Gruene Hall Tuesday Musical Club Roman Rabinovich, piano 3/28, Tue @ 2pm Laurel Heights Methodist Texas State University: Stars at Night Concert Series Andrew Marriner, clarinet 3/28, Tue @ 7:30pm Performing Arts Center Recital Hall

Jezzy: The Trap or Die Tour 3/28, Tue @ 8pm Aztec Theatre A Night On Broadway 3/30-31, Thu-Fri @ 7pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center Hunter Hayes 3/31, Fri @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Zane Williams 3/31, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Max Stalling 3/31, Fri @ 8:30pm John T. Floore Country Store Chicago 3/31, Fri @ 8pm Majestic Theatre Almost Patsy Cline Band 3/31, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall San Antonio Symphony The Unfinished Symphony and Mahler No. 4 3/31-4/1, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor Mane Goloyan, soprano H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center

38 On The Town | March/April 2017

New Braunfels Theatre Company Presents Broadway Dreams 3/31-4/2, Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 2:30 & 7:30pm Sun @ 2:30pm Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre New Braunfels The Avett Brothers 4/1, Sat @ 7pm Whitewater Amphitheater New Braunfels Blanco Performing Arts Jolente de Maeyer & Nikolaas Kende, violin and piano 4/1, Sat @ 7:30pm Uptown Blanco Ballroom Ray Wylie Hubbard 4/1, Sat @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall George Ducas / Jesse Stratton Band 4/1, Sat @ 8pm Bluebonnet Palace 21 Savage: Issa Tour 4/1, Sat @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Stoney Larue / Aaron Einhouse 4/1, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Arts @ Coker Sung Chang, piano 4/2, Sun @ 3pm Coker United Methodist

Tobin Studio Sessions Songwriters in the Round 4/2, Sun @ 7pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater Chris Tomlin Worship Night in America 4/4, Tue @ 7pm Freeman Coliseum Texas State University: Stars at Night Concert Series Attacca String Quartet 4/4, Tue @ 7:30pm Performing Arts Center Recital Hall Ronnie Milsap: A Legend in My Time Tour 4/5, Wed @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Jarabe de Palo 4/5, Wed @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Ariana Grande: Dangerous Woman Tour 4/6, Thu @ 7:30pm AT&T Arena Cailloux Performances Series Semi-Toned 4/6, Thu @ 7:30pm Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater Kerrville

The Fab Four The Ultimate Beatles Tribute 4/7, Fri @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Boerne Performing Arts Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue 4/7, Fri @ 7:30pm Champion HS Auditorium Boerne Jacob Sartorius 4/7, Fri @ 7:30pm Aztec Theatre

Bob Schneider 4/7, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Cash’d Out 4/7, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall The Reed Brothers 4/7, Fri @ 8:30pm John T. Floore Country Store Maverick Music Festival 2017 4/7-8, all day both days La Villita Maverick Plaza

Camerata San Antonio Camerata Salon 4/7, Fri @ 7:30pm First United Methodist Boerne 4/8, Sat @ 3pm First Presbyterian Kerrville 4/9, Sun @ 3pm Luella Bennack Concert Hall University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio Testament 4/8, Sat @ 6:30pm Aztec Theatre

Arts San Antonio Mnozil Brass 4/8, Sat @ 7:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Cash’d Out 4/8, Sat @ 8pm Bluebonnet Palace Carver Community Cultural Center Betty Lavette 4/8, Sat @ 8pm Jo Long Theatre at the Carver

March/April 2017 | On The Town 39

Hijas de su Madre 4/8, Sat @ 8pm Majestic Theatre

Almost Patsy Cline Band 4/14, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Max Stalling 4/8, Sat @ 8:30pm Kendalia Halle

Back in Black: AC/DC Tribute Band 4/14, Fri @ 8pm Bluebonnet Palace

Aaron Einhouse 4/8, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Black Violin 4/10, Sun @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Texas State University: Stars at Night Concert Series Ashraf Sewailam, base voice 4/11, Tue @ 7:30pm Performing Arts Center Recital Hall Morrissey 4/12, Wed @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Tarrus Riley: Reggae Royalty 4/13, Thu @ 7:30pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center Buttercup: Battle of Flowers 4/14, Fri @ 7:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Classic Old-Fashioned Country 4/14-15, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 4pm Rockbox Theater Fredericksburg Robert Earl Keen / Randy Rogers Band 4/14, Fri @ 7:45pm John T. Floore Country Store Portugal: The Man 4/15, Sat @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Texas State University: Stars at Night Concert Series Emil Richards, vibraphone 4/18, Tue @ 7:30pm Performing Arts Center Recital Hall The Hitmen 4/21, Fri @ 7:30pm Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre New Braunfels Josh Ward 4/21, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

40 On The Town | March/April 2017

Willie Nelson with Kacey Musgraves 4/21-22, Fri-Sat @ 7pm Whitewater Amphitheater New Braunfels ‘70s Rock 4/21-22, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 4pm Rockbox Theater Fredericksburg San Antonio Symphony Fiesta Pops 4/21-23, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Akiko Fujimoto, conductor Mariachi Campanas de America Guadalupe Dance Company H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center The Merles 4/21, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Sam Riggs 4/22, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Fredericksburg Music Club Sonic Escape – Piano and Flute Duo 4/23, Sun @ 3pm Fredericksburg United Methodist San Antonio Chamber Music Society Calmus Ensemble 4/23, Sun @ 3:15pm Temple Beth-El Ford Mariachi Celebration and River Walk Royalty Coronation 4/25, Tue @ 6:30pm Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza

Mike & The Moonpies 4/21, Fri @ 8pm Bluebonnet Palace

Paul Anka 4/26, Wed @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center

Delbert McClinton 4/21, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

A Perfect Circle 4/26, Wed @ 8pm Freeman Coliseum

Quebe Sisters, Dottsy And Rance Norton 4/22, Sat @ TBD Texas Theater Seguin

Symphony of the Hills Mostly Mozart 4/27, Thu @ 7:30pm Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater Kerrville

Cody Joe Hodges 4/22, Sat @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Tech N9ne 4/27, Thu @ 8pm Aztec Theatre

Camerata San Antonio Camerata SQ 4/28, Fri @ 7:30pm First United Methodist Boerne 4/29, Sat @ 3pm First Presbyterian Kerrville 4/30, Sun @ 3pm Luella Bennack Concert Hall University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio The Mavericks with Los Lonely Boys and Los Bandoleros 4/29, Sat @ 7pm Whitewater Amphitheater New Braunfels

Mid-Texas Symphony Americana Goes Classical David Mairs, conductor Stewart Mann & Garrett Mann of The Statesboro Revue 4/29, Sat @ 7:30pm Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre New Braunfels Victoria Symphony Master Series 5 – Pictures at an Exhibition 4/29, Sat @ 7:30pm Darryl One, conductor Vadym Kholodenko, piano Victoria Fine Arts Center

Chris Knight / Kody West 4/29, Sat @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall Jams and Jokes with Wyman Productions 4/29, Sat @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Wayne Hancock Two Tons of Steel 4/29, Sat @ 8pm John T. Floore Country Store

Musical Offerings Jazz Meets Classical 25th Anniversary 4/30, Sun @ 3pm Christ Episcopal 5/1, Mon @ 7pm San Antonio Museum of Art

Live Theater Elvis Lives! (touring) 3/1, Wed @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre

March/April 2017 | On The Town 41

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 3/2-5, Thu-Sat @ 8pm (dinner served @ 6:30pm) Sun @ 2:30pm (lunch served @ 1pm) S.T.A.G.E in Bulverde at the Krause House North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio Rent (touring) 3/3-5, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre Hello Dolly!

3/3-5, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm Steve W. Shepherd Theater The Wimberley Players The Miss Firecracker Contest 3/3-5, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2:30pm Wimberley Playhouse

Woodlawn Theatre Pippin 3/3-12, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm The Classic Theatre San Antonio The Tempest 3/3-12, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm The Playhouse San Antonio The Secret Garden 3/3-12, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Russell Hill Rogers Theatre at San Pedro Playhouse The Overtime Theater Seven Card Stud 3/3-5, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 7pm 3/10-25, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Greg Barrios Theater

42 On The Town | March/April 2017

Carver Community Cultural Center The Clothesline Muse 3/4, Sat @ 8pm Jo Long Theatre at the Carver Roxie Theatre All Shook Up 3/4-19, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3:30pm Boerne Community Theatre Pied-a-Terre 3/10-18 Thu @ 7:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Harlequin Theatre at Fort Sam Houston Iconic 3/10-4/8, Thu-Sat @ 8pm

North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio Beautiful: The Carol King Musical (touring) 3/14-19, Tue-Thu @ 7:30pm Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm Majestic Theatre The Playhouse San Antonio Disgraced 3/17-4/9, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Cellar Theatre at San Pedro Playhouse Smith-Ritch Point Theatre Godspell 3/24-4/8, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Ingram

Circle Arts Theatre New Braunfels As Long As We Both Shall Live 3/31-4/15, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm One Woman Sex and the City: A Parody of Love, Friendships and Shoes (touring) 4/5, Wed @ 7:30pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center Roxie Theatre Edgar Allan Poe’s Nevermore 4/6-15, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Woodlawn Theatre Sister Act 4/7-5/7, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm BMW of San Antonio Signature Series Hedwig And The Angry Inch (touring) 4/8-9, Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7pm The Overtime Theater The Last Days of Oscar Wilde 4/9, Sun @ 7pm 4/14-14, Fri-Sat @ 8pm 4/21-23, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm 4/26-29, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Greg Barrios Theater

Greater Tuna (touring) 4/13, Thu @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Fredericksburg Theater Company Driving Miss Daisy 4/13-30, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm Steve W. Shepherd Theater The Wimberley Players

By The Water 4/14-5/7, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2:30pm Wimberley Playhouse 1940’s Radio Hour 4/27-5/13, Thu-Sat @ 8pm (dinner served @ 6:30pm) Sun @ 2:30pm (lunch served @ 1pm) S.T.A.G.E in Bulverde at the Krause House

Dance Rockin’ Road to Dublin 3/7, Tue @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre Tobin Center Dance Series Alvin Ailey American Dance Company 3/28, Tue @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center March/April 2017 | On The Town 43

San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet: Dance Kaleidoscope (includes The Firebird) 4/2, Sun @ 2:30pm Majetic Theatre Shen Yun 2017 4/14-16, Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 2pm & 7pm Sun @ 2pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Tobin Center Dance Series Momix: Opus Cactus 4/19, Wed @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Arts San Antonio Che Malambo 4/20, Thu @ 7:3opm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Cinema Fathom Events The Met Live – Rusalka 3/1 Newsies: The Broadway Musical 3/4 All About Eve 3/5 & 8 The Met Live – La Traviata 3/11 & 15 Bolshoi Ballet – A Contemporary Evening 3/19

The Met Live - Idomeneo 3/25 & 29 North By Northwest 4/2 & 5 Bolshoi Ballet – Hero of our Time 4/9 The Met Live – Eugene Onegin 4/22 & 26 The Graduate 4/23 & 26 For theater locations and show times for these performance visit fathomevents.com

Comedy Lil Duval 3/3-5, Fri @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 7pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Slade Ham 3/3-5, Fri @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter Megan Gailey 3/8 & 12, Wed @ 8pm Sun @ 7pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Nathan Macintosh 3/8-3/12, Wed-Thu @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter

44 On The Town | March/April 2017

Gary Gulman 3/9-11, Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Anthony Jeselnik 3/23-25, Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias 3/10, Fri @ 8pm AT&T Center

Jubal Flagg 3/25, Sat @ 7pm & 10pm Carlos Alvaraz Studio Theater at the Tobin Center

Rodney Carrington: Here Comes The Truth Tour 3/11, Sat @ 7pm Majestic Theatre Kim Kerley 3/15, Wed @ 8:30pm Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter Rory Albanese 3/16-19, Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 7pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Vladimir Caamano 3/16-19, Thu @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter Nick White 3/22-26, Wed-Thu @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter

Louie Anderson 3/26, Sun @ 7pm Carlos Alvaraz Studio Theater at the Tobin Center Ryan Stout 3/29-4/2, Wed-Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 7pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Mike Recine 3/29-4/2, Wed-Thu @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter Jim Jefferies: Unusual Punishment Tour 3/30, Thu @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Lisa Lampanelli 4/1, Sat @ 8pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

March/April 2017 | On The Town 45

Janet Williams 4/5-9, Wed-Thu @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter Jo Koy 4/7-9, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 7pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Bill Burr 4/9, Sun @ 7pm Majestic Theatre JR Brow 4/12-15, Wed-Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Raul Sanchez 4/19-23, Wed-Thu @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter Night in Pinche San Antonio 4/20-23, Wed-Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 7pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Ben Moore 4/26 & 30, Wed @ 8pm Sun @ 7pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Donnell Rawlings 4/28-29, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Lolud Comedy Club

Hudson Showroom Natasha Bowdoin Rodrigo Valenzuela Harold Mendez Thru 4/30

Children's

Main Space Benjamin McVey Thru 4/30

The Three Javelinas 3/3-4/9 The Magik Theatre www.magikthatre.org for exact days and times

BLUE STAR CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM

Madagascar Jr. 3/24-26, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sat @ 3pm, Sun @ 3pm 3/31-4/1, Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 3pm Roxie Theatre

M’dres Thru 5/7

The Emperor’s New Clothes 4/21-5/31 The Magik Theatre www.magikthatre.org for exact days and times

Exhibitions ARTPACE Spring 2017 International Artists in Residence Exhibit Kate Newby Nicholas Frank Robert Hodge Michelle Grabner, curator 3/16-5/7

46 On The Town | March/April 2017

Turning Memory Thru 5/7

The Blue Hour (A Clock Stopped) Thru 5/7 Homage Thru 5/7 Plexus C18 Thru October 2019 BIHL HAUS ARTS On & Off Fredericksburg Road Group Show Thru 3/17 Fred Reads 3/4 , Sat @ 2pm Fred Sings 3/5, Sun @ 4pm Tafsiri – Interpretations Naomi Wanjiku Opening reception 3/25, 5:30pm

Gallery Talk: Naomi Wanjiku 4/1, Sat @ 2pm Stone in the Stream Poetry Reading 4/29, Thu @ 6:30pm BRISCOE WESTERN ART MUSEUM 210/West Gallery Talk: Hollywood and Pancho Villa 3.14, Tue @ 6:30pm Sounds of the West The Texas Woman, Her Heritage in Song 3/21, Tue @ 6:30pm 2017 Native Film Series Reel Injun 3/28, Tue @ 6:30pm Night of the Artists Exhibition 4/2-5/14 Voices of the West: Lecture Series Billy Schenck: Origins of the Western Pop Art Movement 4/11, Tue @ 6:30pm 2017 Native Film Series Winter in the Blood 4/25, Tue @ 6:30pm GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER San Antonio Cine Festival Thru 3/4 Guadalupe Theatre

INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES Painted Churches of texas Thru 3/5 Foreign by Land, Native by Heart Thru 4/9 1000 Parks and A Line in the Sky Thru 4/16 Perceptions of Texas Thru 5/28 Texans One and All Ongoing Texas Missions and Churches of Roberto Cardinale 3/4-8/20 The Upshaws of County Line 3/11-4/20 Texas German Heritage Day 3/12 Texas Frontier Week 3/13-17 Fiesta Family Day 4/9 LINDA PACE FOUNDATION Secondary Stories Thru 7/29

McNAY ART MUSEUM Sur Papier: Works on Paper by Renoir, Chagall, and Other French Modernists Thru 5/21 Rashid Johnson: The New Black Yoga and Samuel in Space Thru 5/7 LP to MP3: The Original Cast Recording Thru 6/18 Broadway: 100 Years of Musical Theatre Thru 6/18 Leigh Anne Lester: A Variety of Forms Recovering from Transubstantiated Clarity Thru 7/30 Monet to Matisse: A Century of French Moderns 3/1-6/4 THE MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART KERRVILLE The Legend Lives: Masterpieces from the Permanent Collection Ongoing March/April 2017 | On The Town 47

SAN ANTONIO BOTANICAL GARDEN

Elvia Perrin: Clean Cut 3/20-7/16

Art in the Garden: Scattering Screen by Alyson Shotz Thru June 2017

WITTE MUSEUM

SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART

Texas Art of Early Days to Now: The Witte Collection Thru 5/29

Carlos Merida: Selections from the Permanent Collection Thru 3/19 Julian Onderdonk and the Texan Landscape Thru 4/23 Of Country and Culture: The Lam Collection of Australian Aboriginal Art Thru 5/14 The Magic of Clay and Fire: Japanese Contemporary Ceramics Thru Fall 2017 SOUTHWEST SCHOOL OF ART Southwest School of Art Photography Department: Student Exhibition – Florence Through a Plastic Lens Thru 4/30 CAM Perennial: Reflections of Landscape and Memory 3/10-4/30

48 On The Town | March/April 2017

Above and Beyond Thru 5/7

Rudolf Staffel: Gathering Light Thru 5/29

Miscellaneous Contemporary Art Month At museums, art Centers and galleries citywide 3/1-31 The New Witte Grand Opening 3/4 The Price is Right Live!

3/8, Wed @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center Killer Instinct Con 3/10-12, Fri-Sun @ 9am Multiple Locations at the Tobin Center St. Patrick’s Day Festival 3/17-18 River Walk

H-E-B Big League Weekend Texas Rangers vs.

Cleveland Indians 3/17-18, Fri @ 7pm Sat @ 2pm Alamodome Adam Trent: Magician Extraordinaire 3/17-18, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 4pm Rockbox Theater Fredericksburg 9th Annual Rivertini Premier Cocktail Competition 3/23 Wyndham Garden Riverwalk Hotel Brain Candy Live!

3/24, Fri @ 8pm Majestic Theatre Poteet Strawberry Festival 4/7-9 San Antonio Book Festival Presents: The Moth 4/7, Fri @ 7pm Majestic Theatre 5 Annual San Antonio Book Festival 4/8 th

FiestaÂŽ San Antonio For complete details for all events including FiestaÂŽ parades and NIOSA dates and times www.fiesta-sa.org 4/20-30

Thunder From Down Under 4/26, Wed @ 8pm Aztec Theatre

Photo Credits Page 34 (L-R) Dale Watson Courtesy liveatfloores.com Gil Shaham Photo by Christian Steiner Akiko Fujimoto Photo by Eric Green Robert Earl Keen Courtesy Cailloux Theater Page 36 (L-R) Kathy Mattea Courtesy mattea.com Kenneth Freudigman Courtesy Camerata San Antonio Emily Watson Freudigman Courtesy Camerata San Antonio Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn Courtesy Tobin Center Page 37 (L-R) Warrant Courtesy Tobin Center

Two Tons of Steel Courtesy twotons.com

Joan Christenson Courtesy musicalofferings.org

Page 39 (L-R) Almost Patsy Cline Band Courtesy liveatfloores.com

Mane Galoyan Photo by Simon Pauly

Charlie Robison Courtesy charlierobison.com

Paul Anka Courtesy paulanka.com

Eric Gratz Courtesy ericgratz.net

Page 46 (L-R) Mnozil Brass Courtesy Arts San Antonio

The Spazmatics Courtesy thespazmatics.net

Ronnie Milsap Courtesy Tobin Center

Page 40 (L-R) The Lettermen Courtesy thelettermen.com

Elvis Lives!

Courtesy elvislivestour.com Rent Courtesy Majestic Theatre

Tiffany Courtesy Tobin Center Vanessa Carlton Courtesy vanessacarlton.com Liverpool Legends Courtesy Rockbox Theater Page 41 (L-R) Naughton Piano Duo Courtetsy tinaandmichellenaughton.com Scrap Arts Music Photo by Anneke Janissen Max Stalling Courtesy maxstalling.com

Page 47 (L-R) Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Courtesy Majestic Theatre Jim Jefferies Courtesy Tobin Center Page 48 (L-R) Janet Williams Courtesy Improv Comedy Club Rivercenter Louie Anderson Courtesy Tobin Center

Ray Wyle Hubbard Photo by Courtney Chavanell

Page 49 (L-R) Liza Lampanelli Courtesy Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Page 38 (L-R) Gary P. Nunn Courtesy garypnunn.com

Page 43 (L-R) Roman Rabinovich Photo by Balazs Borocz

Kim Kerley Courtesy Improve Comedy Club Rivercenter

Troy Peters Courtesy Youth Orchestras of San Antonio

Willie Nelson Courtesy iiveatfloores.com

Megan Gailey Courtesy Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Jon Wolfe Courtesy jonwolfecountry. com

Morrissey Courtesy Tobin Center

Page 44 (L-R) Fab Four Courtesy Tobin Center

Adam Trent Courtesy Rockbox Theater March/April 2017 | On The Town 49

50 On The Town | March/April 2017

Culinary Arts 52-62

March/April 2017 | On The Town 51

CULINARIA FESTIVAL 2017: MAY 18-21

By Ginger McAnear Robinson Photography courtesy Culinaria

O

nce upon a time, a weekend festival brought in some notable names and a few rising stars from both San Antonio and across the globe all with the goal of celebrating the cuisine of San Antonio. Visitors made their way to our great city to partake in the educational yet elegant events and the locals found a way to make this into something more.

at La Cantera Hill Countr y Resor t (a move that the organization made last year) this May 1821. While many of the events remain in place, guests can expec t a bit of a cosmetic makeover throughout the weekend.

“Our goal is always to keep the attendee who has joined us since day one happy but also to add new elements to leave guests anxious for the nex t event and ready for more,” said Suzanne Taranto -Etheredge, President and CEO of Culinaria. “ We can grow tired of the same event year af ter year and we feel as though if we’re getting tired of it, so are the attendees, so, we always want to keep it interesting.”

Six teen festivals later with the seventeenth around the corner, the Culinaria Festival has evolved into so much more than the early beginnings, but, the mission remains the same – to celebrate the culinar y industr y through fantastic food, wine, spirits and beer in a weekend of events while promoting the city we The Becker Luncheon, the Grand Tasting and call home.

Burgers, BBQ & Beer are three of the longThe nex t gathering will once again take place standing events that guests k now and love 52 On The Town | March/April 2017

and will continue to be a par t of the festival.

However, some added components to the Grand Tasting and more of a competition at Burgers, BBQ & Beer will spice things up a bit.

ever yone at the festival. And, that ver y festival has fueled the growth of Culinaria into so much more than a once a year offering to guests, both in San Antonio and to visitors.

The Bubbles event has also been a crowd favorite and will once again be on the schedule as the Friday night event, but, this year, an added star of the show will be the Texas Gulf and the “pearls” found there.

Now, Culinaria hosts the 5k Wine & Beer Run in March, R ambling Rosé in August, Chefs & Cellars in September and the biggest “event ” for Culinaria, San Antonio Restaurant Weeks in Januar y and August. All of these events are paving the way to the Culinaria Farm, a projec t the organization has been work ing on and per fec ting that will feature an array of indoor (and a few outdoor) growing prac tices that will be an epicenter for culinar y education.

The uniqueness of The Farm will be another highlight for Culinaria and wor th a visit from not only members of the San Antonio community but tourists as well.

During the day on Saturday, guests can once again par ticipate in wine, spirit and food seminars. We say par ticipate only because these seminars include tasting oppor tunities and are way more than any class lec ture that seems to invite more of a nap than a fun experience.

Tex-Mex of ten receives a bad reputation, but, Culinaria has decided to embrace it this year and will feature some of San Antonio’s best Tickets are now on sale for the Culinaria Tex-Mex with Tequila in an event in a casual Wine and Food Festival. To purchase tickets, visit CulinariaSA.org or call 210-822-9555.

Saturday af ternoon.

Culinaria can also be found on Facebook at The other motto of Culinaria that will always CulinariaSanAntonio and on Instagram and remain true is that there is something for Twitter at CulinariaSA. March/April 2017 | On The Town 53

Drew Glick 54 On The Town | March/April 2017

Max & Louie’s New York Diner

Hits the Mark With Three Square Meals a Day By: Olivier J. Bourgoin (aka. Olivier the Wine Guy) Photography Greg Harrison

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ord has spread quickly about Max & Louie’s New York Diner since it opened in September.

Patrons have been streaming through the doors and packing the place at all hours of the day -- and night.

two about food preparation before he and his uncle, San Antonio surgeon Dr. Sheldon Braverman, decided to jump into the Alamo City restaurant scene.

“My uncle and I had talked about opening a restaurant and eventually we did in 2011 with Drew’s American Raised in Brooklyn, the son of a kosher butcher and Grill near Stone Oak. We built a good reputation there, caterer, owner Drew Glick already knew a thing or and we had a successful run but the space was just so March/April 2017 | On The Town 55

big, it was hard to make it profitable so we decided to close it down in 2014,” Glick said.

Since then, Glick has been keeping himself busy catering special events and preparing top-quality meals for oil-field workers in South Texas -- and planning his next move.

“We have been busy since we opened,” Glick said. “I think we are unique. There is not another restaurant in San Antonio that offers what we offer. The fact that we serve breakfast -- there’s Magnolia Pancake House next door and there’s Schilo’s deli downtown -- but we are different. We struck a chord with the city.”

Among Glick’s favorites are the split pea soup, a recipe from his grandmother’s kitchen in Brooklyn, and the authentic corned beef on rye and Parmesan chicken.

Glick also recommends the pancakes and French toast. "The pancakes are handmade from scratch with a rather tricky batter. We hand-sift the flour and the eggs are separated with the whites folded in. Our French toast is made with freshly baked challah bread dipped in egg custard; griddled and both are served with homemade maple syrup."

Other specialties are a classic Brooklyn egg cream, made with milk, seltzer and Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate Syrup imported from New York.

“Right now we’re only open until 10 p.m.,” Glick said with a laugh recently. “But every weekend the movie theater next door (Santikos Embassy 14, near Bitters Road and U.S. Highway 281) is packed. The whole parking lot gets filled up so I’m thinking about staying open later on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and about offering an after-hours limited menu to cater to the folks who are coming out of the theater. It’s a captive audience.”

Although you may not be seated at Artie’s Delicatessen or at Fine and Shapiro, you can almost hear the honking from the Big Apple’s taxi cabs. Like its owner, the vibe you get from Max & Louie’s New York Diner is that real.

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Max & Louie’s New York Diner 226 W. Bitters Road, San Antonio, TX 78216 210-483-7600 maxandlouiesdiner.com

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Ken 58 OnMaxwell The Town | March/April 2017

Ken and Jenise Maxwell

Torre di Pietra: A Strong Name for a Solid Winery By: Olivier J. Bourgoin (aka. Olivier the Wine Guy) Photography courtesy Ken Maxwell

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t’s a little-known fact, but Texas, and more specifically its charmingly picturesque wine-producing region in the Hill Country, has slowly but surely become the No. 2 wine destination in the U.S. Travel website Orbitz lists it among the top 10 wine destinations in the world.

adventurous couple traded the world of microchips, software and semi-conductors for Hill Country living, grapevines and winemaking.

Ken Maxwell said he and Jenise met while they were working at Intel in Albuquerque. “I’m a chemist but It’s no wonder, then, than this economic and tourism she is the smart one, and she also has a business boom would have sparked interest from folks with degree,” he said. “We’ve been married since 1985. dreams of becoming winery owners.

Today, Jenise takes care of the tasting room and gifts and also the employees and the wine club. Our Such was the case in 1999 when Jenise Maxwell priority is to grow the wine club. If you combine and her husband, Ken, decided to put their careers good product and good service, that’s when you at Intel Corp., on the proverbial back burner. The create a winning combination.”

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“First we bought a ranch in Doss in 1999,” Maxwell said.

“Then in 2001 we bought 68 acres near the intersection of highways 783 and 648, and we planted our first vineyard there.”

Torre di Pietra means “Tower of Stone” in Italian, although the winery does not specialize in Italian grape varietals.

“We focus on Mediterranean varietals,” Maxwell said. “As far as the name is concerned, all the (Texas) wineries built before 2000 were made with limestone.

Instead, we used native sandstone from a little village in the area named Sandy.”

When Torre di Pietra received its Texas wine-producer’s license in 2003, there were just over 100 wineries in the state. (Torre di Pietra was No. 103.) Today there are more than 350 and the number keeps growing.

“My wife is from Las Cruces, New Mexico,” Maxwell said. “I’m originally from Dallas but I’ve lived all over the state. I just don’t care to live in Dallas. We lived in Austin for 15 years but to me the Hill Country is the most beautiful part of Texas.”

The winery includes about 50 acres and the couple’s son, Ben, is in charge of the vineyards, Maxwell said. “We make 16 different wines. Some of the grapes we buy but it’s all Texas fruit. The majority are reds and a few whites, but everything we sell, we make ourselves. In total, we produce about 4,500 cases per year, and I’m the one who runs the bottling machine.”

Vineyard consultants generally agree that the Texas Hill Country is a great place for grape growing but the Texas climate is challenging because it is subject to two main weather patterns: El Niño, which produces unusually warm air masses in the winter, and its opposite, La Niña, which produces cooler weather. The two alternating weather patterns occur at the rate of about 5 to 1 (El Niño to La Niña). Sometimes an early warm spring can trick the vines into producing buds too early, only for a killer freeze to occur as late as April.

“And we’re not talking about temperatures in the 30s but down to the 20s,” Maxwell said. “When that occurs, we can’t put enough moisture out to prevent freezing.”

Growing grapes is challenging, he said. “Last year, we lost a lot of grapes during the first two weeks of August, and in the Panhandle they lost a lot of crops 60 On The Town | March/April 2017

in the past two years. But I like Black Spanish grapes.

We’ve had a lot of good luck with them, and this is our 14th year growing them. To me it has a sort of elusive fruitiness, kind of like a pinot noir.”

Mediterranean varietals work best in Texas, Maxwell said.

The problem is that temperatures get so warm in July and August, and a lot of grapes can ripen early, but they cannot develop full flavors. “I really like Black Spanish for Texas, but we also do well with Montepulciano, Primitivo, Petite Sirah and even a cab clone. We use two different ones, one from Davis (the West Texas Davis Mountains area) and one French.”

Among his personal favorite wines are the Primitivo, “which I’ll eat with red meat any day,” Maxwell said.

“Pairing is essential to wine enjoyment. For example, pair Montepulciano with a mixed-green salad with sliced strawberries, pinons, feta and a raspberry vinaigrette, and all those things are going to dance on your palate. It’s a way of helping you focus on your meal and not on consumption.”

For seafood? “Nothing beats Albariño in my book,”Maxwell said. “We also make Port (100 percent Black Spanish) and some dessert wines. We also make one called Tango Port made with 100 percent Primitivo. We even made a Late Harvest Zin once, using raisins.”

Asked about future expansion plans, Maxwell said: “We may try to do some satellite locations. There are lots of opportunities. Texas only produces about 10 percent to 11 percent of all the wine Texans drink so there is huge opportunity. Texans are proud, and there is a lot of interest in Texas products.”

Maxwell added: “Wine is not our only focus. We’re serious about music. We have live music on Saturdays with bands from Austin and San Antonio; bands that also play the circuit in Luckenbach, etc. We have a lot of customers who come from everywhere, Austin, San Antonio and also Houston and Dallas. We want people to come out and relax.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Torre di Pietra 10915 U.S. Highway 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 830-644-2829 httorredipietra.com March/April 2017 | On The Town 61

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Visual Arts 64-74

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THE BRISCOE WESTERN ART MUSEUM DRAWS TOP WESTERN ARTISTS TO SAN ANTONIO Over 260 Works Featured in Annual Night of Artists Sale and Exhibition Story and photography courtesy Briscoe Western Art Museum ach year the Briscoe Western Art Museum brings together the country’s leading Western artists, collectors and art enthusiasts for its celebrated Night of Artists Art Sale and Exhibition.

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best painters and sculptors of the Western genre. Tickets for the April 1 event include live entertainment, cocktails, food and the first opportunity to purchase art from the exhibition.

This year’s opening weekend includes a private preview with artist awards on March 31 and the main art sale and reception on April 1. The show features 263 new works from 73 of the country’s

“ This truly is a ‘Night of Artists,’” said Jessica Elliott, Briscoe Museum board chair, “because so many of the participating artists are actually there, talking about their artwork, their inspiration; patrons get

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to know them one-on-one.”

Photo Credits:

The range of subjects and styles reflect the vastness of the great American West from breathtaking landscapes, rugged frontier cowboys, majestic wildlife and detailed Native American tableaus. Among the notable artists included in this year’s show are T.D. Kelsey, Mark Maggiori, Bill Nebeker, Sandy Scott, Martin Grelle, Billy Schenck, Kent Ullberg and Kim Wiggins.

Pages 64 (L-R)

The annual Night of Artists is the largest fundraiser for the Briscoe Western Art Museum. In 2016, the Briscoe sold nearly $764,000 in art. All art, sold and unsold, will be on display during the public exhibition that runs April 2 through May 14. Artwork that is not sold opening weekend will be available for purchase throughout the six-week exhibition.

Pages 65 (L-R)

The Path of Least Resistance Bruce Graham, oil on board - 30” x 24” Three Fingers Mikel Donahue, mixed media – 20” x 25”

Marfa Landscape Caroline Korbell Carrington, oil on canvas – 36” x 36” Standing Wave Mark Kohler, watercolor – 31” x 32”

For more information and tickets, visit BriscoeMuseum. org or call 210-299-4499.

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THE NEW WITTE

By Dan R. Goddard Photography Greg Harrison

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uetzy, a life-size, fleshed-out Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest flying creatures ever discovered, is prepared to greet you at the New Witte.

of renovations and expansions featuring state-of-theart technology, up-to-the-minute research and familyfriendly, interactive and immersive exhibits.

“We’ve taken our time to truly turn the Witte into a toptier, world-class museum and we’re excited to finally show people what we’ve done,” Marise McDermott, Witte president and CEO, said. “The design by Lake/ Flato Architects is inspired by Mission Espada and we’ve re-connected to the San Antonio River by restoring the Acquia Madre and Diversion Dam that dates to 1719 so the museum will better reflect the city’s Spanish colonial heritage. We have a much warmer and more welcoming appearance that is more in line with the After two years of construction in a $100 million city’s history and traditions.” transformation, the 91-year-old Witte Museum -- the city’s grande dame of museums -- is looking like the While the rather plain front of the Witte hadn’t changed resplendent, fashion-forward belle of the ball. With a grand much since the early 1960s and the small, cramped lobby opening set for March 4, the New Witte is finally ready to gave no clue to the treasures the museum contained, reveal the culmination of more than 174,000-square-feet the New Witte has a dramatic, light-filled, stone-andFull-size dinosaur skeletons including a towering Tyrannosaurus rex and other Texas residents from more than 110 million years ago walk, swim and fly through the Naylor Family Dinosaur Gallery. Life-size recreations of ancient rock shelters transport you back in time thousands of years to visit the People of the Pecos. Big horn sheep, a prong horn antelope and a golden eagle can be found in the greatly expanded Texas Wild galleries featuring realistic dioramas of the state’s flora and fauna.

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glass entrance that lets you see giant dinosaur skeletons, monstrous footprints climbing the walls, enormous “road cut” sediment sculptures tracing eons of geologic time and the Cabinets of Wonder filled with fossils and historical artifacts.

windows in the Ethan Walsh Deep Ocean Exhibit make it appear as if you are underwater in the ancient seas that once covered most of what is now Texas. In the Dinosaur Lab, visitors will be able to excavate dinosaur bones and experience how paleontologists study fossils.

Most of the first floor of the main building has been gutted so that one of the Witte’s most popular exhibits, the McLean Family Texas Wild Gallery, could be more than doubled in size. Various ecosystems in the state, such as the Piney Woods, West Texas Mountains and Thorn Brush, are represented with large-scale realistic dioramas and a variety of wildlife species, including alligators, buffalo and rattlesnakes. Country music legend George Strait provides the narration for the enhanced Mary West and The two-story Gates Mineral Company Orientation Richard Traylor Sounds of South Texas. The SWBC Live Gallery, Valero Great Hall and the first permanent Dinosaur Lab and the East Foundation Land Stewardship Lab have Gallery in the Witte’s history have been built between the hands-on activities about the variety of habitats in Texas. old main building and the South Texas Heritage Center.

The second-floor of the main building has been remade Panoramic 18-foot murals by natural history and into a life-size, rocky replica of the Fate Bell Shelter in the wildlife artist Karen Carr put you in the middle of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands near the Texas/Mexico border.

Mesozoic past. The 39-foot-tall skeleton of meat-eating The night sky from 4,200 years ago is projected onto the Acrocanthosaurus walks in its footprints cast at the ceiling of the Kittie West Nelson Ferguson People of the Government Canyon State Natural Area. Specially-tinted Pecos Gallery. Images of ancient rock art are projected “We have more than 300,000 artifacts in our history collection and now we can show a lot more of them,” McDermott said. “The galleries of the New Witte are infused with what we are calling Texas Deep Time from the dinosaurs that roamed this region millions of years ago to present-day Texas spanning science, history and culture. Now people will know what we’re all about as soon as they walk in the door.”

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onto the walls of five sheltered rock overhangs around the gallery populated with realistic sculptures of the prehistoric hunter-gatherers of Texas.

being added to the campus, including a Discovery Trail leading from the Brackenridge Park Parking Garage across Avenue B to the new entrance to the New Witte.

“We’ll have 4,000-year-old artifacts such as a sandal, agave knife, a hunter’s kit, fishing nets and beautifully woven baskets that the Witte Museum has excavated since the 1930s and now we’ll be able to show many of them for the first time,” McDermott said. “These are some of the most important prehistoric textiles and objects found in North America, but not many people know about them so this will be a major new attraction.”

Photo Credits:

Along with a new gallery for temporary exhibits on the second floor, a balcony extends into the Valero Great Hall so you can look down at the dinosaur skeletons.

A new passageway has been built to the South Texas Heritage Center, which connects to the already opened Mays Family Center designed to accommodate major touring shows, such as the current aeronautical exhibit “Above and Beyond.” Besides a new entryway and bus drop off for the thousands of school children who visit the Witte each year, six major gardens and riverside landscapes are 68 On The Town | March/April 2017

Pages 66 -67 (L-R) Tyrannosaurus Rex Zachry Family Dry Land Diorama Bird in the McLean Family Texas Wild Gallery Prehistoric person in the Kittie West Nelson Ferguson People of the Pecos Gallery Page 68 (L-R) Agujaceratops Mariscalensis Coastal Diorama Gryposaurus Coastal Diorama in the Naylor Family Dinosaur Gallery

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CONTEMPORARY ART MONTH Witte Unveiling and More at Museums and Art Centers in March and April

By Dan R. Goddard

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wim with the dinosaurs that once roamed the seas covering ancient Texas in the New Witte, which bears only a passing resemblance to the old Witte Museum after undergoing two years of renovation. The once-in-a-century $100 million transformation will be unveiled at a grand opening March 4. Besides an awesome new Dinosaur Gallery, the popular Texas Wild Gallery now fills the first floor of the old Witte main building while the upstairs is devoted to the rock shelters of the people of the Pecos. The touring, interactive aeronautical exhibit

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“Above and Beyond” continues through May 7, and “Texas Art of Early Days to Now” and “Rudolf Staffel: Gathering Light” run till May 29.

March is Contemporary Art Month, which has a Miami vibe. Look for new work by local, regional and national artists at nearly all of the city’s museums, galleries and artist-run spaces. The kickoff celebration is March 2 at Blue Star, and the closing CAMMIE Awards ceremony will be March 30 at the Linda Pace Foundation in CHRISpark.

“Homage” at the Blue Star looks back to the original “Blue Star Exhibition” in 1986 that inspired CAM. Seven local artists were asked to make new artworks inspired by select pieces from the 30-years-ago exhibit, but without seeing the original work and only having titles and descriptions for guidance. The artists are David Almaguer, Joe Harjo, Jennifer Khoshbin, Michele Monseau, Andrei Renteria, Anthony Rundblade and Ed Saavedra. “Homage” runs through May 7.

Chris Ingalls of Miami, a member of the International Society of Appraisers and member of ArtTable, served as curator for the 2017 CAM Perennial, “Reflections of Landscape and Memory,” March 10 to April 20 at the Southwest School of Art. Following numerous studio visits, he selected 15 local artists, including David Alcantar, Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Ana Fernandez, Saint Lorraine, Karen Mahaffy, Alejandro Pedilla, Kallie Pfeiffer, Ryan Takaba and Guillermina Zabala.

The annual CAM exchange show, CAMx 2017, is being

hosted by R Space operated by acclaimed San Antonio artist Alex Rubio. The collaboration with the Laundromat Art Space in Miami fostered an exchange of works by San Antonio and Florida artists. CAMx opens March 11.

Visitors are invited to tour artists’ studios during the CAM Open Studios March 19. For a full calendar, visit contemporaryartmonth.com.

Michelle Grabner, a professor in the department of painting and drawing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, curated the Spring 2017 International ArtistsIn-Residence at Artpace March 16 to May 7. She selected Nicholas Frank of Milwaukee, Robert Hodge of Houston and Kate Newby of Auckland, New Zealand. She also selected three artists from Artpace’s Texas Open Call list – Natasha Bowdoin, Harold Mendez and Rodrigo Valenzuela -- for “Did You Ever See Such a Thing as a Drawing of Muchness?” through April 30 in the Hudson Showroom. San Antonio artist Benjamin McVey is March/April 2017 | On The Town 71

snow at a rock quarry to an undeveloped, pastoral Leon Valley to, of course, pastures overflowing with bluebonnets, are on view in “Julian Onderdonk and “Monet to Matisse: A Century of French Moderns,” the Texas Landscape” through April 23 at the San originally scheduled to open Feb. 22, is now set to Antonio Museum of Art. More than 100 works, many run March 1 to June 4 at the McNay Art Museum by women artists created since the mid-1990s but featuring many of the biggest names in 19th and inspired by traditions dating back more than 40,000 20th century art from the Brooklyn Museum’s years, are featured in “Of Country and Culture: The Lam renowned collection, including Claude Monet, Henri Collection of Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art” Matisse, Marc Chagall, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste through May 14 at SAMA. Renoir, Yves Tanguy and Auguste Rodin. “Klee at the McNay” March 2 to May 7 combines for the first Four refugee families living in San Antonio explain what time works by Swiss-German artist Paul Klee from caused them to flee their native countries and how they both the McNay’s collection and the collection of have adapted to their new homes in “Foreign by Land, Robert L.B. Tobin. Also at the McNay, “Sur Papier: Native by Heart” through April 9 at the Institute of Texan Works on Paper by Renoir, Chagall, and Other French Cultures in HemisFair Park. These new Texans are from Moderns” through May 21, “Broadway: 100 Years of Malaysia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

Musical Theater” through June 18 and “LP to MP3: Centro Cultural Aztlan focuses on the contributions of The Original Cast Recording” through June 18.

Scenes of early 20th century San Antonio, ranging from women artists in its annual Segundo de Febrero exhibit featured in the newly christened Main Space, formerly known as Window Works.

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commemorating the signing of the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican American War. “Las Mujeres de Aztlan y El Segundo de Febrero” runs through March 15.

Giovanni Boldini (Italian, 1842–1931).

Portrait of a Lady, 1912.

Oil on canvas, 91 x 47 3/4 in. (231.1 x 121.3 cm).

Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 41.876.

(Photo: Sarah DeSantis, Brooklyn Museum)

Photo Credits:

Jennifer Khoshbin, America stop pushing, I know what I’m doing, 2017 Found book, cut paper, collage, 7” x 10”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Pages 70-71 (L-R) Paul Cézanne (French, 1839–1906). The Village of Gardanne, 1885–86. Oil and conté crayon on canvas, 36 1/4 x 28 13/16 in. (92.1 x 73.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Ella C. Woodward Memorial Fund and Alfred T. White Fund, 23.105. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum) Tess Tipungwuti Australian (Tiwi, Tiwi Islands), n.d.

Bima, 2006. Ironwood with natural ochre pigments, h. 57 in.; w. 7 in. Gift of the Lam Family, 2016.14.37 © artist, courtesy of Tiwi Designs Photography by Peggy Tenison

Pages 72-73 (L-R) Julian Onderdonk, Blue Bonnets and Cactus in the Rain, San Antonio, Texas, 1914, on panel, h. 19 ½ in.

(49.5 cm); w. 29 ¾ in. (75.6 cm), William J. Hill Collection.

Tyrannosaurus Rex Zachry Family Dry Land Diorama

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Literary Arts

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Book Talk:

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JEN KNOX

Short Story Writer and Gemini Ink’s WIC Director Story and Photography by Jasmina Wellinghoff

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native Ohioan, Jen Knox moved to San Antonio eight years ago when her husband found a job here and she eventually became an adjunct professor of English at San Antonio Community College. An avid reader and writer of short fiction, she’s the author of two story collections, After the Gazebo (Rain Mountain Press 2015), and The Glass City (Hollywood Books International) due to be released this year. Many of the stories originally appeared in a variety of literary journals, and a few have been included in anthologies, such as Short Story America Anthology in 2011 and Aestas Anthology published

by Fabula Press, in 2017.

Her work has earned multiple honors and awards along the way but especially in the past five years.

After the Gazebo was nominated for the Pen/Faulkner Award, for instance, and her story The Code won the Global Short Story Award from Certys Limited in 2011.

The Glass City is being published because it received the Prize Americana for Prose from the Institute for the Study of American Popular Culture.

Reviews have been mostly positive but this columnist found the comment by author Stephanie Dickinson, particularly relevant and accurate. In her endorsement of Gazebo, Dickinson wrote that, “A Knox tale begins in a recognizable place, but in every one of these brilliant stories, she confounds the reader’s expectations and ends them in eerily beautiful, untrod territory.”

JW: Why did you choose to write mostly short fiction?

JK: I have always enjoyed short stories as a reader. I can immerse myself in a different world but actually finish reading the whole piece in a day or two. As a writer, I was drawn to that format because I always held a regular job, too, and had limited time to write.

I could finish a story in a single weekend – or at least a draft – without being distracted by other things.

Also, the format demands an almost poetic attention to language; you have to be able to communicate a lot in a limited number of words. In longer narratives, you can meander here and there but you don’t have that luxury in short stories.

JW: When did you write your first story and what was it about?

JK: I wrote my first one when I was very young but it was entirely plagiarized (laughs). I believe it was from a Tom and Jerry cartoon. I took the entire plot and regurgitated it on my construction paper.

After that I didn’t really take writing seriously until I got to college and decided to major in English. In middle school and high school, I was rather horrible in English classes. At that time, I was more interested in science. In college, however, I ended up writing a lot for a psychology class and I fell in love with the story-telling aspect of it. So, I majored in English with a minor in psychology.

JW: Your narrators and other characters come from Since May 2015, Knox has worked at Gemini Ink all walks of life, they are male and female, different as the director of the Writers in the Community ages, etc. Are they inspired by real life people or are ( WIC) program. they entirely products of your imagination?

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JK: I am always interested in what existence is like for other people. In general, my characters are not based on a single person. So, if I happen to see a gentleman waiting for the bus, I may write a story about a gentleman waiting for the bus, but he will be a compilation of people and questions that I have about the world. Also, I like to imagine how someone who doesn’t think like me experiences the same experiences I go through. I often write about rather ordinary scenarios from different points of view.

that story is how I got past that. I tried to understand who is this character (the robber), so that he would be less threatening to me. I think a lot of my writing happens in response to things that I don’t understand about life and want to explore.

For instance, in After the Gazebo, there’s a story told from the point of view of someone robbing a house. I wrote that after I was robbed. It’s a horrible experience. You just can’t find a sense of calm in your own home after something like that. Writing

JK: The Vermont Studio Center was a wonderful experience. I had my own office there, a simple one but with a beautiful view of Vermont outside. Aside from communal meals that I shared with others in the program, I had pretty much the whole day to write. I

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JW: Some of your stories were written during special residences offered by various cultural institutions to writers and artists. Tell us how you benefitted from those programs.

had never had that in my life before, so I really dove in. What emerged from that particular residency of 2 ½ weeks was a character I named Rattle. I ended up writing three stories about him, just first drafts, but I was thinking where to take him next.

In addition to uninterrupted writing time, you also find connections during residencies. I went to one place called the Art Farm in Nebraska which was somewhat different. You were in charge of your own meals and had to be more self-sufficient. But I found a community there that is still with me.

senior centers, in prisons, libraries and in so many other locations. Because we work in such different settings, every workshop that I facilitate has its own energy. Basically, my job is to find the right writer for the right location. San Antonio has so many talented writers and teachers. We have about 25 on our WIC list. Depending on their availability and their focus, I pair them with a site. We usually offer workshops that range from 6 to 12 weeks, and they are focused on the students finding their creative voices. It’s not about literacy or spelling, it’s about people expressing themselves. Even the most resistant students end up having fun with it. People open up.

JW: It seems there are fewer and fewer publications that feature short literary fiction. However, a lot of In the classes, we introduce the students to a literary your stories were published individually before you model, a poem or a short story, and we have them collected them in books. Tell us about that process? write based on some kind of prompt that we offer.

At the end, we invite them to share what they JK: That process has changed quite a bit. It used to have written. One of the prompts we suggest to be, you submitted your story by mail and waited for younger children, for instance, is to write a letter to several months to hear back from the journal. Today their future selves. Oh, my God, it’s amazing what it’s easier. Most publications have a platform called comes through sometimes. The sharing part is also “submissions” and many charge a small fee. I think, important because what we want to communicate to generally speaking, it may be a bit easier to publish them is that their voice matters, their stories matter. now because, quite frankly, you can publish yourself.

However, the competition for the more discernible JW: You personally teach adult classes in Gemini magazines has gotten even fiercer. It’s so easy to Ink’s Creative Writing Classes program and one submit online that the number of submissions is scheduled for March - April. Could you briefly can be staggering. Also, it’s tougher to get into describe the short story class syllabus? the magazines that pay. I have made the decision to submit only to journals that pay. I believe it’s JK: This is going to be a five -week class which important for authors to value what they do. is enough time to work on a shor t stor y. I’ll introduce a few concepts to kick things off, JW: What are you working on now? star ting with characterization, because it ’s so impor tant. You can have a great plot but if the JK: I am currently trying to work on linked stories characters are not there, the stor y is not there. that star the same characters. Because I am so And then we’ll get the class writing. Some class comfortable with the short story form I can eventually time will be used for workshopping when we’ll approach a novel through a series of short story- go over the work already produced. Then I also type, self-contained chapters. I love collections of want to focus on living as a writer – what the linked stories and I remember them well. I find that goals are, how to remain productive by setting the more I write, the more certain characters sneak shor t term goals, that sor t of thing. At the end, back into my stories. It’s almost like the survival of the I am hoping ever yone would have at least the fittest because only the characters that I connected first draft of a stor y and some kind of direction to the most come back. as to where they are headed after that. I enjoy teaching these classes because ever y time, I am JW: Let’s talk about your work, here, at Gemini Ink. also revisiting my own goals as a writer.

JK: I am the director of the Writers in the Community ----------------------------------------------------------------Program. It’s amazing work. We work with people of all ages, through schools, in homeless shelters and Ms. Knox’s comments have been edited for publication.

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Eclectics 82-90

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Cristina Balli:

A New Role at Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center

By Julie Catalano Photography Greg Harrison

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W

hen Brownsville native Cristina Balli (pronounced BUY-ee) earned her bachelor of arts degree in social work from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio more than 20 years ago, she had no idea that a circuitous and serendipitous journey would culminate in her current position as executive director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (GCAC), a nonprofit arts organization that presents Latino, Chicano and indigenous programming in music, theater, film, dance, and visual and literary arts. But as she retraces her steps, it soon becomes clear that she is a perfect fit for what she calls “a very special place. Everybody feels like the center belongs to them.”

Julie Catalano: How did you go from social worker to arts administrator?

take vacation days to attend the Guadalupe's Tejano Conjunto Festival. Never did I imagine that someday I would be running it. This year will be the transition in leadership for the festival.

Founder Juan Tejeda built it, and he has retired from teaching and producing the festival, but he will still be serving as advisor. The lineup includes Conjunto Music Hall of Fame award winners.

People come from all over Texas and the U.S. JC: What did you think when you were offered the job at GCAC? The center has had a bit of a bumpy ride.

CB: It's had a very bumpy ride, and I'm well aware of that. I just feel that this is where I belong. This center is the mothership of Mexican and Mexican American arts and culture in the Southwest.

Fortunately, I've been working with many in the San Antonio arts community from my San Benito days and after that, when I was executive director of Texas Folklife in Austin, an organization designated by the National Endowment for the Arts to research and present folk and traditional arts in Texas. I was there for eight years right before coming here. The level of responsibility here is huge, but I'm not doing this job alone. This is a great staff that is working very hard to rebuild the programming, especially in Chicano theater and visual arts. From the first day, it felt like we had been working together forever.

Cristina Balli: It was totally unplanned. I was a practicing social worker for a good number of years. I knew and had worked with the general manager at RGV Educational Broadcasting in Harlingen, Texas, and he thought my skills would be transferable to public radio. I started with the arts beat, doing the community calendar, promo interviews and eventually complete radio documentaries focusing primarily on the arts and culture of the Rio Grande Valley border region.

That's where I really immersed myself in the arts world. That position of producer/operations manager led to an opportunity to run a small but JC: Do you have a wish list for the Guadalupe powerful Chicano cultural arts center.

Cultural Arts Center?

JC: Which was ...?

CB: To make more money, find more sponsorships, CB: The Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center in meet our challenge grant, rebuild our development San Benito, where I was director for two years. plan, not just in programming but on our campus.

It's a small, grassroots center that has had a We have a lot of real estate here on Brazos tremendous impact on the region as the leader of Street. Besides plans to upgrade the Guadalupe Chicano arts and culture when it opened in the Theater, we are launching renovations on the old late 1980s. While there, I ended up collaborating Progresso Pharmacy building. We want to develop with three other groups in town, and I oversaw the Guadalupe Corridor of Arts and Culture and the opening of three museums: the Historical, Economic Development. This position is a great the Freddy Fender, and the Conjunto Hall of Fame privilege and a great responsibility. I'm happy and museums. The center's biggest annual event was honored and humbled. Very humbled. and still is the Narciso Martinez Conjunto Festival.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • JC: And here you are at the GCAC with their Guadalupe 36th Annual Conjunto Festival renowned and very successful conjunto festival.

May 24-28, 2017, Guadalupe Theater and Rosedale Park CB: Yes, when I was a social worker I used to For tickets and information, guadalupeculturalarts.org March/April 2017 | On The Town 83

NIOSA:

A CELEBRATION OF PRESERVATION

By Patti Zaiontz - 2017 NIOSA Chairman/Fourth Vice President of San Antonio Conservation Society Photography courtesy NIOSA

A

Night In Old San Antonio®” (NIOSA®) celebrates so many things: friendships, food, volunteerism, music, culture, reunions, romance, families and San Antonio’s rich and diverse ethnic legacies—both past and present. Through the magic of more than 200 food, drink and atmosphere booths, 14 live musical acts, children’s games, decorations, souvenirs and costumed volunteers, NIOSA brings the city’s heritage alive in its 15 areas, and occurs this year from April 25 to 28, on the grounds of La Villita National Historic District. "

We know that our NIOSA dishes are comfort food to our guests. The minute you smell that wonderful BBQ smoke and taste your favorite NIOSA treat—whether it’s BongoK-Bobs, Anticuchos, Escargot or Fried Mushrooms—you know you are home!

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Your longtime favorites are still here, but we have added new dishes that will become perennial favorites, as well: • Flaming Cheetos—a Cheetos/chamoy/pickles concoction (Arneson Theatre) • Funnel Fries—stack of funnel cake fries (Clown Alley) • Veggie-k-Bobs—shish-k-bob of mushrooms, peppers, squash and onions AND Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings (International Walkway) • Fried Dill Dippers (Main Street) • Chicken & Waffles on a Stick—with maple or jalapeño syrup (Main Street) • Schinkenbrot—shaved ham on rye with butter and a gherkin pickle (Sauerkraut Bend)

There are a few new libations, as well: • four craft beers on draft from Ranger Creek (Frontier Town and Sauerkraut Bend) • non-alcoholic PiñaCocanada with Crema (Mexican Market) • non-alcoholic Mangonada (Frontier Town) • Beir mit Eiscreme—beer floats in orange and new black cherry flavor (Sauerkraut Bend)

NIOSA is put on entirely by volunteers, so consider joining the fun as a volunteer and help the Conservation Society preserve the built and natural heritage of our region.

Volunteers with any expertise are welcome and needed: office/clerical, staging, booth shifts and teardown. We rely on thousands of volunteers, so please fill out the volunteer form on the website at www.niosa.org, or call the NIOSA office at 210-226-5188 for more information.

And remember: “A Night In Old San Antonio” is solely • NIOSARITAs in lime and strawberry flavors (South of sponsored by—and solely benefits—the San Antonio Conservation Society, one of the oldest and most active the Border) community preservation groups in the U.S. Beginning • Finding Friday from local Busted Sandal Brewery in with efforts to prevent historic structures from being cans (in the “Especial” booths in several areas that also razed and to preserving such unique sites as the serve Dos Equis) city’s Spanish Colonial missions, the Society has been responsible for saving most of the historic attractions Another new item this year: e -tickets that you that make San Antonio one of the top destinations and can download from the new-and-improved places to live in the country.

NIOSA website to your phone or tablet, or print out. All gates will have separate lines for e -ticket So, when you visit NIOSA this year for any reason— users—and they are discounted!

Discount be it friendships, food, volunteerism, music, culture, tickets are also available March 1 through April reunions, families or whatever—remember that 28; check NIOSA website for ticket locations and the money you spend funds the Society’s mission to download e -tickets. NOTE: some sellers add to preserve historic properties, places, customs ser vice charge. Tickets can also be purchased at and educational programs—making NIOSA the top the gates. fundraiser for historic preservation in the nation.

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Conjuno dancers by Al Rendon

Flaco Jimenez by Al Rendon

36TH ANNUAL TEJANO CONJUNTO FESTIVAL EN SAN ANTONIO MAY 24-28

By Yadhira Lozano

T

he 36th Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival is set to take place on Memorial Day weekend this year. Fans of the popular event have come to expect a line -up of the best bands from throughout Texas as well as veterans of the music scene. What is different this year is the festival's leadership. Long-time festival director, Juan Tejeda, stepped-down last year to a grand sendoff into retirement saying it was time to pass the event along to new leaders in the community.

He continues to stay involved by ser ving as an advisor to the Festival.

The festival is run by the Guadalupe Cultural Ar ts Center that conducted a nation-wide search for a new Executive Director last year selecting Rio Grande Valley native, Cristina Ballí. Ballí was instrumental in the development of Conjunto music preser vation and promotion effor ts in San Benito, Texas, and was most-recently Executive

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Director at the state -wide nonprofit, Texas Folklife, out of Austin. With over twenty years of experience in nonprofit community-based work, and over a decade in Latino ar ts programming and administration in Texas, Tejeda believes the festival is in good hands with Ballí.

Top p r ior it y for Ballí is guid ing t he o rg a n i z at i o n t hrough a c hange in lead er shi p b u t a l s o foc using on t he m any high p rof i l e e ve nt s o n t he organizat ion' s year-round ca l e n da r. Sh e has since organized a Tejano Conju nto Fe s t i va l team consist ing of what Tejed a wo u l d c a l l t he nex t generat ion of Conjunto c u l t u ra l a r t s lead er s. Am ong t hem are Yad hira Loz a n o w h o is M anaging Direc tor of Conju nto H e r i t a g e Taller, an organizat ion t hat teac he s a cco rdi o n and b ajo sex to to st ud ent s of a l l a g e s, a n d also ser ves on t he Cit y of S an Anto n i o' s Ar t s Com mission. R aised on t he sout h s i de o f S a n

Eva Ybarra by Ric Vasquez

Anton i o, h e r b ackgro u n d i s i n ma r ket ing, publi c re l at i o n s a n d event pl a n n i n g having spent 2 0 ye ars wo r k i n g i n th e a r ts a n d c ult ure sce ne of Lo s An g el es, C A .

I leana Vasquez is another member of the Festival team w h o b r in g s h er a ca demi c ba ckground to th e fe s t ival ' s To n a ntz i n M a ga z i n e. I liana is a gra d u ate s t u dent o f M exi ca n Amer ic an Stu di es at t h e U n i versi t y o f Texa s i n Aust in wh ere s h e is w r it i n g h er th esi s o n Conjunto a ccord i o n m as te r, Esteva n Jo rda n . Or iginally fro m L a G ru l l a, Texa s, I l i a n a i s a music ian he r self p e r fo r m in g ma r i a ch i mu si c a n d playing (le f t h an d e d ) acco rdi o n . M o st recent ly she a pprent i ce d w it h ma estra Eva Yba r ra .

Th e fest i val i s p ar t o f S a n Anto n i o's cult ural leg a c y. Wh at b e ga n a s wo r k i n g- cl a ss folks g e tti ng to g e t h e r a f ter a h a rd- days wor k to play a nd e n j oy t h e bu tto n a cco rdi o n a nd b ajo sex to h as s in ce d e vel o ped i nto w h at we now he a r on t h e rad io a s Co n j u nto a n d Teja n o m usic com pl e te wi t h e l e c tr i c ba ss a n d a f u l l drum set.

Th i s g en re o f m u s i c i s u n i qu e to S o u th Texas a nd i s a cu l t u ral trea su re th e Festi va l team is dedi c ate d to p re s e r v i n g.

Max Baca by Ric Vasquez

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Director and Curator Daniel Sheehy called the festival and Tejeda a national treasure saying, “It would be hard to imagine a world without the San Antonio Conjunto Festival!�

The 36th Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival takes place May 24-28 at the historic Guadalupe Theater and Rosedale Park. The celebration star ts on Wednesday morning with a Free Seniors Conjunto Dance. Thursday night features the Conjunto Music Hall of Fame Gala that includes an induction ceremony followed by live music and reception. Opening ceremonies at Rosedale Park take place Friday evening with an exhibition of poster contest entries and awards. An accordion tuning workshop will be held Saturday morning at the historic Guadalupe Theater. Saturday and Sunday kick off at noon with a Conjunto Student Showcase featuring youth from across South Texas. Over 30 bands and countless musicians take the stage as patrons enjoy food, dancing, vendors and the highly coveted Hohner accordion raffle. The Festival team expects to deliver the same level of fanfare and quality of per formers as in years past.

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HARP & SHAMROCK SOCIETY: Keeping Irish History and Culture Alive

By Jeanne Albrecht Photos courtesy Harp & Shamrock Society

M

arch is a month of celebrations—not only because Spring arrives but St. Patrick’s Day comes in and paints the town green!

The Harp & Shamrock Society of Texas is here to help you express your inner-Irish self with a weekend full of activities. The Society has been “Keeping Irish History and Culture Alive” in central Texas for more than 50 years through music, arts, dance, sports and food—and they know how to throw great St. Patty’s Day parties!

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The annual Harp & Shamrock celebrations will kick-off to the sound of bagpipes on Saturday, March 11 at the 34th annual 5K Run & Fitness Walk—with Guinness at the Finish. Awards will be given out to greenest runners and pets (yes, bring your dog!), ugliest kilt, Irish Road Bowling and fastest times. This isn’t your ordinary, 5K run—this is a party, with Guinness, food and dancing at the finish! For more information, contact or Terence Peak at tpeak@uiwtx.edu.

The festivities continue St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Friday and Saturday, March 17 and 18, with San Antonio landmarks lit up green, Irish festivals and the only St. Patrick’s Day River Parade in the world.

A wreath-laying ceremony to honor the Irish heroes at the Battle of the Alamo kicks off the weekend at noon on March 17, in front of The Alamo.

The weekend will conclude with the Murphy’s St. Patrick’s Day River Parade at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 18. Thirteen decorated river barges will be filled with Irish bagpipes and drummers, Irish step dancers, music and singers. The St. Patrick’s River Parade was started in 1969 by the Harp & Shamrock Society and Paseo del Rio Association, and continues to this day with no interruptions.

The Murphy’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival and Harp & Shamrock Music Festival will offer Irish and Texas beer and food, arts and crafts and games at La Villita on Friday and Saturday from 2 to 9 p.m.

Don’t miss “Passport to Ireland,” interactive exhibit with genealogy research, introduction to Gaelic language and bag pipes, history of early Irish Texans and more. Enjoy non-stop concerts of Irish bands, singers and dancers at the Harp & Shamrock Music Festival at Arneson River Theatre. Admission is free to both events.

The Harp & Shamrock Society celebrates the Irish heritage throughout the year as well. Members and the public are invited to social and educational events such as Irish stew/soda bread cook-offs, Irish movie nights, concerts, fun runs, happy hours, parades and golf tournaments— all which highlight Irish culture. You need not be Irish to join the Harp & Shamrock Society, but only need the spirit of the Irish in your heart to become a part of our family of businesses, companies and other organizations.

Visit www.harpandshamrock.org to join or find out more about any of these events. Sláinte (cheers!)

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