Seven Days of Opening Nights 2013-2014 Season Brochure

2013 2014

SEVEN DAYS of OPENING NIGHTS at FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

sevendaysfestival.org

2013-2014 series schedule Clint Black

September 24, 2013 | 8:00 PM Richard G. Fallon Theatre

September 25, 2013 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

octoBER 2013

Tere O’Connor Dance October 4, 2013 | 8:00 PM Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre

january 2014

February 14, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

January 29, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Monty Python’s Spamalot

Mural Project

eighth blackbird

Ongoing Location:TBD

February 9, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

The Graduate

Kathy Mattea

February 4, 2014 | 8:00 PM Turner Auditorium Tallahassee Community College

February 9, 2014 | 2:00 PM Pebble Hill Plantation February 10, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

February 6, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Urban Bush Women

The Irish Rovers

February 11-12, 2014 | 8:00 PM Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre

February 7, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

The Spring Quartet February 8, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall 2 seven days of opening nights

Museum of Fine Arts

Jonny Lang

Itzhak Perlman

February 14-15, 2014 | 8:00 PM February 16, 2014 | 2:00 PM February 19-22, 2014 | 8:00 PM February 23, 2014 | 2:00 PM February 26 -28, 2014 | 8:00 PM Richard G. Fallon Theatre

february 2014

PRISM

(cont.)

Opening Night: February 14, 2014 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Ongoing: February 14, 2014 March 30, 2014 (Closed Spring Break) FSU Museum of Fine Arts

SEPTEMBER 2013

Adam Johnson

february 2014

February 15, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Saturday Matinee of the Arts February 15, 2014 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tallahassee Museum

New York Voices February 16, 2014 | 4:00 PM Opperman Music Hall

Lewis Black February 16, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Matt Bondurant & Jane Springer February 18, 2014 | 7:30 PM FSU Alumni Center Ballroom

march 2014

Spamalot (cont.)

March 1, 2014 | 8:00 PM March 2, 2014 | 2:00 PM Richard G. Fallon Theatre

Nnenna Freelon & Earl Klugh March 3, 2014 | 7:30 PM Opperman Music Hall

april 2014

Poncho Sanchez

Becca Stevens Band

February 12, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

April 22, 2014 | 7:30 PM The Carriage House at the Goodwood Museum and Gardens

Nicola Benedetti February 13, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

Geoffrey Gilmore Movie

Cover images (clockwise): Esperanza Spalding, Jonny Lang, Itzhak Perlman, Clint Black

Above images (clockwise): Lewis Black, Becca Stevens, Nicola Benedetti, Poncho Sanchez

Chanticleer April 28, 2014 | 7:30 PM Ruby Diamond Concert Hall

2013-2014 SERIES guide

3

director’s welcome Welcome to the 2013-2014 season of seven days of opening nights: the 92nd season of performing arts presenting at florida state university.

In 1921 the Florida State College for Women Artist Series launched with a concert by composer and bandleader John Philip Sousa. Since this inaugural performance, iconic names like modern dance pioneer and choreographer Martha Graham, cello virtuoso Pablo Casals, bandleader and pianist Count Basie, the Metropolitan Opera National Company, and most recently, Renaissance man Steve Martin have graced the stages of our campus and community.

The 92nd season continues in this great tradition of iconic performances in the fall of 2013 with Pulitzer Prize winning author and Florida State University alumnus Adam Johnson (The Orphan Master’s Son), country music superstar Clint Black, and 2013 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award-winner Tere O’Connor.

We move into the New Year with one of the greatest violinists of our time, Itzhak Perlman, performing the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the University Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Alexander Jiménez. Multiple GRAMMY® Award-winner Esperanza Spalding makes her Tallahassee debut with The Spring Quartet, performing with pianist Leo Genovese and jazz legends Joe Lovano and Jack DeJohnette. Also making his Tallahassee debut is comedian, actor, and author 4 seven days of opening nights

Lewis Black. Black’s shows sell out from coast to coast … a performance you will not want to miss.

Artists who perform as a part of the Seven Days of Opening Nights series not only entertain audiences; they educate students and the community at large. This season artists such as Tere O’Connor Dance, violinist Nicola Benedetti, 2013 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award-winning dancer and choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and Urban Bush Women, jazz vocal ensemble New York Voices, and new music ensemble eighth blackbird will participate in our extended residency program. This program lengthens the duration of the artists’ stay beyond one day and delivers educational immersion at Florida State and throughout Tallahassee.

Other educational initiatives this year include Entrepreneurship in the Arts by eighth blackbird, My Coal Journey by Kathy Mattea, Inside the Actor’s Studio Roundtable by L.A. Theatre Works, and multiple performances for our K-12 students in Leon County.

As executive director of the performing arts series at Florida State University, I am honored to carry on this outstanding tradition by presenting world-class artists on campus and throughout our state’s capital that not only entertain, but also educate audiences and students of all ages. Enjoy the Iconic Series of 2013-2014!

All the best,

Christopher J. Heacox

sponsors

S

even Days of Opening Nights gratefully acknowledges its sponsors, whose generosity helps make this series possible. Community support has been a cornerstone of Seven Days from its inception, and these area businesses have taken a personal stake in the series’ success. Thank you! platinum sponsors

platinum sponsors

FSU License Plate

gold sponsors

silver sponsors dr. charles and amy newell and dr. emily ashmore

MICHAEL SHERIDAN & Judy Wilson Sheridan

bronze sponsors ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN PLANNING

GILCHRIST ROSS CROWE

Arnold’s Oriental Rugs and Antiques

LAMPLHERBERT LAMPLHERBERT

ARCHITECTS

Strategies and Solutions for Natural Resources

V

L

P

Vezina, Lawrence & Piscitelli, P.A. Construction & Public Contracts Attorneys

grant sponsors

Executive Director Seven Days of Opening Nights 2013-2014 SERIES guide

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adam

johnson “… Adam Johnson’s The Orphan Master’s Son … the single best work of fiction published in 2012. The book’s cunning, flair and pathos are testaments to the still-formidable power of the written word.“ – The Wall Street Journal

P

ulitzer Prize winner Adam Johnson carries readers on a journey into the depths of totalitarian North Korea and into the most intimate spaces of the human heart in his most recent work, The Orphan Master’s Son. This riveting portrait of a world heretofore hidden from view: a North Korea rife with hunger, corruption, and casual cruelty but also camaraderie, stolen moments of beauty, and love. The Wall Street Journal proclaims, “Stylistic panache, technical daring, moral weight and an uncanny sense of the current moment combine in Adam Johnson’s The Orphan Master’s Son.”

tue 9/24

8:00

/ Richard G. Fallon Theatre $35 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 PM

6 seven days of opening nights

In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, The Orphan Master’s Son was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, long listed for the American Library Association’s Andrew Carnegie Medal, and was the winner of the California Book Award for Fiction. It is also a New York Times bestseller.

Dr. Johnson, who received his Ph.D. in Creative Writing in 2001, returns to Florida State University this fall. He lives in San Francisco and teaches creative writing at Stanford University. His fiction has appeared in Esquire, The Paris Review, Harper’s and Tin House, as well as in Best New American Voices. Other works include Emporium, a short-story collection, and the novel Parasites Like Us. 2013-2014 SERIES guide

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CLINT BLACK

“Black and his monstrously talented … band gave (the audience) nearly everything a mainstream country act could offer: an engaging host, spot-on lead vocals and harmonies, sterling instrumental support, and plenty of songs with both sizzle and steak.“ – Los Angeles Times

P

rolific singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Clint Black has long been heralded as one of Country music’s brightest stars. The New Jersey born and Texas raised artist has written, recorded, and released more than 100 songs, thirteen of which have reached Number 1 on the Billboard Country charts. On top of his chart-topping single success, Mr. Black has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. His success is attributed in part to his deep sense of Country music history with influences like Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson.

Clint Black’s triple platinum releases Killin’ Time (1989) and Put Yourself in My Shoes (1990) garnered multiple awards including the Country Music Association Horizon Award, Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year, American Music Awards Favorite New Male Country Artist, Academy of Country Music Best New Male Vocalist, Academy of Country Music Best Male Vocalist, Academy of Country Music Album of the Year (Killin’ Time), and Academy of Country Music Single of the Year (A Better Man). Mr. Black has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1991.

In addition to his success as a musical artist, Clint Black has recently been seen on television in NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice and PBS’s History Detectives.

8 seven days of opening nights

WED 9/25

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $75 | $55 | $35 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 2013-2014 SERIES guide

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tere

o’connor dance

Poem and sister ““Hang around the contemporary dance scene, and you’ll hear (O’Connor) described as an essential figure, adored for his exquisitely constructed works, his mentoring, and his fiercely articulated beliefs about all things related to dance.” – The New York Times

T

ere O’Connor has been choreographing since 1982 and has created more than 35 works for his company, which has performed throughout Europe, South America, Canada, and the United States He has created numerous commissioned works around the world, including works for the Lyon Opera Ballet, White Oak Dance Project, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Jean Butler.

FRI 1/19 10/4 SAT

8:00 PM // Florida Nancy State’s Smith Fichter Dance Theatre 8 p.m.

Fallon Theatre $10students students $25 |$40 $10| for tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 10 seven days of opening nights

Mr. O’Connor received a 2013 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award and earned a 2013 Faculty Award for Excellence in Research from the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois. He is the recipient of a United States Artist Rockefeller Fellowship, the Foundation for Contemporary Performance Art Award, the Creative Capital Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship and more. He has received grants from the NEA, New York State Council on the Arts, NEFA/ National Dance Project, New York Foundation for the Arts, The Map Fund, and the Jerome Foundation.

He is the 2013 Chair of the Chime Without Borders mentorship program initiated by Margie Jenkins Dance Company in San Francisco.

A much sought after teacher, Mr. O’Connor has taught at festivals and universities around the world; and is a tenured professor at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, dividing his time between New York and Illinois.

2013-2014 SERIES guide

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itzhak

perlman

University Symphony Orchestra Alexander Jimenez, conductor

SPONSORED BY

program

Symphony No. 4 | Beethoven Violin Concerto | Beethoven

U

ndeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician.

Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, Mr. Perlman is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond to his remarkable artistry and irrepressible joy of making music.

Born in Israel in 1945, Itzhak Perlman completed his initial training at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. After his move to New York, he was propelled into the international arena with an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show (1958). Following his studies at the Juilliard School, Mr. Perlman won the prestigious Leventritt Competition (1964) and has since appeared with every major orchestra and in recitals and festivals around the world.

Mr. Perlman’s awards and honors include four Emmy® Awards, fifteen GRAMMY® Awards, a GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award (2008), Kennedy Center Honoree (2003), Medal of Liberty (Reagan, 1986), National Medal of Arts (Clinton, 2000), and numerous honorary degrees.

Over the past decade Mr. Perlman has become more actively involved in educational activities. He teaches at the Perlman Music Program and currently holds the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Chair at the Juilliard School.

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WED 1/29

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $95 | $85 | $70 | $50 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 2013-2014 SERIES guide 2012-2013 festival guide

13 13

L.A. Theatre Works

Susan Albert Lowenberg, Producing Director presents:

the

graduate Adapted by Terry Johnson Based on the novel by Charles Webb, and the motion picture screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry by special arrangement with StudioCanal

SPONSORED BY

TUE 2/4

8:00 PM / Turner Auditorium, Tallahassee Community College $45 | $35 | $25 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 14 seven days of opening nights

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hese lines, so etched in the American psyche, are emblematic of the “advice” still offered to all recent graduates. The Graduate, its characters, phrases, and themes, continue to ring true a half-century after the publication of the novel. Whether seen on film or stage, or read, The Graduate has been a touchstone for generations – representing the universal feelings of rebellion, confusion, frustration, love, and redemption – so honestly, and hilariously, embodied by the characters of Mrs. Robinson, Benjamin Braddock, Elaine, and the rest.

The Graduate is presented by L.A. Theatre Works, a non-profit media arts organization based in Los Angeles whose mission for over 25 years has been to present, preserve, and disseminate classic and contemporary plays. Notable actors of L.A. Theatre Works include John Lithgow, Annette Benning, Hilary Swank, Anne Heche, Ed Asner, Alfred Molina, David Straithairn, Jobeth Williams, Paul Giamatti, Neil Patrick Harris, Laurence Fishburne, and Jimmy Smits among hundreds of others.

2013-2014 SERIES guide

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PRISM “The PRISM shows are built on a more-is-more philosophy. A saxophone ensemble might pop up in the balcony, followed by ten tuba players on the stage and then a marching band might come stomping down the aisles. It’s a sonic collage of barely controlled madness.”

– Tallahassee Democrat

P

RISM returns for yet another magnificently conceived and beautifully played performance. Featuring music students from Florida State’s top-ranked College of Music, PRISM covers the spectrum of band activities at the university. Chamber Winds, Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensembles, and the Marching Chiefs are just a few of the ensembles performing in the annual event.

According to the Tallahassee Democrat, “PRISM’s contrast between traditional fare and more experimental groups may be one of the reasons behind the program’s success. Its multifaceted nature makes PRISM a gem among music lovers. Because of its design, PRISM offers a unique show depending on where an audience member sits – those in the balcony will be nearer to certain ensembles than those in other sections, and vice versa.”

If you’ve never attended a PRISM concert before, you need to ... just ask someone who’s been there!

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SPONSORED BY

THU 2/6

7:30

/ Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $35 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 PM

2013-2014 SERIES guide

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the irish

rovers the farewell tour

“Irish Rovers celebrate a bonny resurgence ... the lads have returned to their glory days, and are still charging ...“ – The Morning Call

T

he Irish Rovers have charmed and entertained audiences around the world with their exciting stage shows for nearly five decades. On the heels of their Irish Music Association’s Tommy Makem Award (2012), the Rovers will be performing their Farewell Tour of the United States in 2014 with wit, a wink, and a smile.

SPONSORED BY

MiCHAEL SHERIDAN & Judy Wilson Sheridan

FRI 2/7

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $55 | $40 | $25 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 18 seven days of opening nights

Throughout their illustrious career, the Irish Rovers have hosted three award-winning television series, topped the music charts again and again, and made several appearances as musical bank robbers on The Virginian. They have produced more than 46 years of international recordings and tours around the world.

Celebrate an outstanding evening with The Irish Rovers, “one of the most successful and enduring of all Irish folk bands.”

- BBC ULSTER, 2010

2013-2014 SERIES guide

19

jack dejohnette, joe lovano, esperanza spalding & leo genovese

The

spring quartet

“To call Ms. Spalding the most talked-about jazz musician in a generation seems almost like an understatement, and beside the point: she’s a phenomenon in human form, unbound by the usual strictures of style.“ – The New York Times

B

assist/vocalist/composer Esperanza Spalding was one of the biggest breakout stars of 2011. Her receipt of the 2011 GRAMMY® for Best New Artist marked the first time in history that a jazz musician won the award. Ms. Spalding won her second and third GRAMMY® Awards in 2013 for Best Jazz Vocal Album (Radio Music Society) and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist (City of Roses, Radio Music Society).

NEA Jazz Master Jack DeJohnette has stayed in constant demand as a drummer, bandleader, and sideman for over five decades. Hailed by The New York Times as “one of the greatest musicians in jazz history,” Mr. DeJohnette is well known for his performances with the late Miles Davis. GRAMMY® Award-winning saxophone giant Joe Lovano has distinguished himself as a force in the arena of creative music. Mr. Lovano’s twenty-three recordings on the famed Blue Note label are unparalleled, and he has received endless accolades as a bandleader and soloist. Argentinean pianist, Leo Genovese, a long-time collaborator of Esperanza Spalding, rounds out the all-star frontline.

20 seven days of opening nights

SPONSORED BY

SAT 2/8

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $70 | $55 | $40 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 2013-2014 SERIES guide

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eighth

blackbird heart & breath program

Duet for Heart and Breath | Richard Reed Parry Lamento della Ninfa | Monteverdi, arr. Munro Moro, lasso al mio duolo | Gesulado, arr. Munro Babys | Bon Iver, arr. Kaplan intermission

Colombine’s Paradise Theatre (2013) | Amy Beth Kirsten Directed & Choreographed by Mark DeChiazza

T

he six musicians of multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning eighth blackbird play, speak, sing, whisper, growl, and mime, breathing theatrical life into the commedia dell’arte characters of Colombine’s Paradise Theatre, a musical tale of love and death, dream and delusion.

Sun 2/9

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $50 | $35 | $25 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 22 seven days of opening nights

Lingering in a world between death and life, torn between desire and truth, Colombine is caught in a haunted loop. The possessive Harlequin and the lovelorn Pierrot orbit around her in a fight for both her heart and soul. Composer and Guggenheim Fellow Amy Beth Kirsten’s fragile, seductive music has been described as “torrential and haunting.” The Washington Post lauded Director Mark DeChiazza’s production of Pierrot Lunaire with eighth blackbird, “This was a dramatic ‘Pierrot’ … [an] inventive, dark, cabaret­-style production … eighth blackbird added to the sense of a high wire act with the almost unheard-of feat of playing the whole thing from memory.”

2013-2014 SERIES guide

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kathy

mattea “The particular genius of Kathy Mattea is to call up the touchstones of hope and heartbreak that we all carry in our pockets.“ – Barbara Kingsolver

A

ppalachian: of a wild and beautiful mountain land, a genre of distinctly American music, and for many, the deep roots of family. For Kathy Mattea, Appalachian represents an essential piece of her musical education and heritage. Her recent release, Calling Me Home, is a collection of songs that celebrate the Appalachian culture of her native West Virginia. Ms. Mattea says, “This album is about home.”

Kathy Mattea has gathered songs and stories of bravery, pride, and grief that further define and describe the life and times of her home.

GRAMMY®-nominated COAL (2008) was her first step in discovering this vast and rich genre of music that producer Marty Stuart described as, “in her blood,” taking her back to the lore of family stories, her place, and her people.

Ms. Mattea’s concerts present her new and most recent material alongside her Top 20 radio hits: from the signature ballad Where’ve You Been? to the bluesy 455 Rocket to the iconic Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses. Long known as an impeccable song catcher, her seventeen albums are woven with bluegrass, gospel, and Celtic influences, and have garnered multiple Country Music Association Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and GRAMMY® Awards.

24 seven days of opening nights

SPONSORED BY

sUN 2/9

2:00 PM / Pebble Hill Plantation $100 Performance and Private Reception with Kathy Mattea

MON 2/10

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $50 | $35 | $25 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 2013-2014 SERIES guide

25

urban

A music and movement journey inspired by the making of and music from saxophonist John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme.

bush

women

Walkin’ with Trane “… The Urban Bush Women are committed, triplethreat performers who dance, sing and act with a sometimes searing sense of truthfulness.“ – The New York Times

S

ince Urban Bush Women burst onto the dance scene in 1984, the company has made an indelible mark on the field with works that challenge assumptions about women, people of color, body types, society, and appropriate content for the stage. The company weaves contemporary dance, music, and text with the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of African-Americans and the African Diaspora, exploring the transformation of struggle and suffering into the bittersweet joy of survival.

TUE 2/11 & WED 2/12

8:00

/ Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre $50 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500

PM

26 seven days of opening nights

Urban Bush Women founder and Artistic Director Jawole Willa Jo Zollar partners with pianist George Caldwell in Walkin’ with Trane.

The piece plunges into the depths of John Coltrane’s legacy in this new work inspired by the man and the journey of his work: A Love Supreme (1964). Ms. Zollar founded Urban Bush Women after moving to New York City to study with Dianne McIntyre. She is a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award-winner (2013), a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (2009-2010), and a United States Artist Wynn Fellow (2008). Ms. Zollar is a Nancy Smith Fichter Professor of Dance and a Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor at Florida State University.

2013-2014 SERIES guide

27

poncho

sanchez & his latin jazz band

CUbano be! cubano bop! tribute to the conga king chano pozo and trumpeter dizzy gillespie

“As Elvis is to rock and James Brown is to soul, Poncho Sanchez is to salsa … particularly the congas.“ – Los Angeles Times

P

oncho Sanchez & His Latin Jazz Band present a hot new project: CUBANO BE! CUBANO BOP! The program is a tribute to the legacy of the original Conga King, Chano Pozo and his co-collaborator, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.

In the late 1940s, the Cuban percussionist and American music icon changed the face of music history when their collaborations ignited the Afro-Cuban jazz genre. Their 1947 Carnegie Hall concert has since become the stuff of legend, yielding such instant standards as Manteca, Tin Tin Deo, and Cubano Be, Cubano Bop. Poncho Sanchez & His Latin Jazz Band have put together a program that recreates the energy, spirit, and innovation of that seminal 1947 concert by Chano & Dizzy as they perform the Afro-Cuban standards, their own compositions, and fresh new collaborations.

28 seven days of opening nights

SPONSORED BY

wed 2/12

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $50 | $35 | $25 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 2013-2014 SERIES guide

29

Nicola benedetti plays the Gariel Stradivarius (1717), courtesy of Jonathan Moulds.

nicola

benedetti

& alexei grynyuk piano

program

Violin Sonata No. 7 | Beethoven Violin Sonata No. 1 | Prokofiev Violin Sonata | Elgar

N

icola Benedetti has proven to be one of Britain’s most innovative and creative violinists, captivating audiences and critics alike. Born in Scotland of Italian heritage, she began violin lessons at age five. Appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours (2013), Ms. Benedetti has taken part in performances at Windsor Castle for Her Majesty the Queen, the Ryder Cup Handover Ceremony (2012), the opening of the Scottish Parliament, and the G8 Summit at Gleneagles.

THU 2/13

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $50 | $35 | $25 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 30 seven days of opening nights

Nicola Benedetti’s awards include winner of the Best Female Artist at the Classical BRIT Awards (2012), the Young British Classic Performer Award (2008), and the BBC Young Musician of the Year (2004). Ms. Benedetti has released five CDs with Universal/Deutsche Grammophon. Her most recent, The Silver Violin (2012) was the #1 Classical album for 2012 in the U.K. and topped the 2012 U.S. Billboard Classical charts. Through her work with such organizations as Sistema Scotland, Ms. Benedetti has helped demonstrate the power music has in transforming the lives of young people. Fiercely dedicated to music education and philanthropy, she has devoted herself to humanitarian causes and is a UNICEF Celebrity Supporter.

2013-2014 SERIES guide

31

jonny lang

“(Lang) plays scorching blues-rock guitar over this funky, gospel-infused stomp from Fight For My Soul.“ – USA Today

A

t the age of sixteen, guitarist Jonny Lang found incredible success with the release of the album Lie To Me (1997). Fame has not changed the thirty-two year old farm boy from Fargo who got his start in the blues clubs of Minneapolis. He survived the passage to adulthood, fell in love, began a family, and experienced the life lessons we all endure.

Jonny Lang achieved world-class status through his recordings and collaborations. He won the Best Rock Gospel Album GRAMMY® for Turn Around (2006) and has performed with music giants that include Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Santana, Aerosmith, and Cyndi Lauper. Mr. Lang’s musicianship and song-craft are captured on his first live album, Live at the Ryman (2010), a recording that illustrates the performer in his natural element – on stage in front of an electrified audience, celebrating the past and heralding the future.

With a keen sense of what he aims to achieve creatively, Mr. Lang is focused on the impact his songs bring to the lives of those that encounter his repertoire. “I really look forward to bringing our music to people in places that I’ve never been before … if Fight For My Soul (2013) can help somebody by making them feel better or that they’re not alone, that’s my idea of success.”

32 seven days of opening nights

SPONSORED BY

FSU License Plate

FRI 2/14

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $75 | $60 | $45 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 2013-2014 SERIES guide

33

geoffrey

gilmore a movie you HAVEN’T seen VII “Geoffrey Gilmore is the best-known curator of American independent film in the world.“ – Frank Patterson, Dean of the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts

S

urprises abound when Geoffrey Gilmore brings a movie to Seven Days. In the past, we’ve seen romantic comedies, grim dramas, Oscar®-nominated performances, Q&A’s with directors and producers … and all on a sneak-preview basis, months before the rest of the country.

The connecting thread has been the incredible quality of the films – previous movies The Visitor, 500 Days of Summer, Blue Valentine, Win Win, Being Flynn, and War Witch were all diverse and well-received. Mr. Gilmore, the chief creative officer at Tribeca Enterprises and former head of the Sundance Film Festival, sees more movies than just about anyone in the country, and has an unerring sense for those distinctly “indie” qualities in American independent film.

SAT 2/15

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $35 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 34 seven days of opening nights

What’s this year’s movie? We won’t know until the lights go down, but if Geoffrey Gilmore’s picking the movie it will be smart, provocative, heartfelt, and brilliant. Join us for the first Seven Days movie presentation in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall.

2013-2014 SERIES guide

35

the school of theatre at florida state presents

monty python’s

SPAMalot Winner of three Tony® Awards, including “Best Musical”

Recommended

age: 13+ Contains material that may be inappropriate for audiences under the age of 13

H

ear ye, hear ye, this campy cult-classic musical comedy “lovingly ripped off” from the renowned film Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a highly irreverent parody of the Arthurian Legend and of Broadway itself. Sure to dazzle and entertain the lords and ladies of the audience, this rollicking production is directed by Tony® nominee Malcolm Gets.

fri 2/14 sun 3/2

February 14-15, 2014 | 8:00 PM February 16, 2014 | 2:00 PM February 19-22, 20 14 | 8:00 PM February 23, 2014 | 2:00 PM February 26-March 1, 2014 | 8:00 PM March 2, 2014 | 2:00 PM Richard G. Fallon Th ea $20 | $10 students tre tickets.fsu.edu | 85 0.644.650

0

A new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. From the original screenplay by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. Original Broadway Production produced by Boyett Ostar Productions, The Shubert Organization, Arielle Tepper Madover, Stephanie McClelland/Lawrence Horowitz, Elan V. McAllister/Allan S. Gordon, Independent Producers Network, Roy Furman, GRS Associates, Jam Theatricals, TGA Entertainment, Live Nation.

Monty Python’s Spamalot is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW), 570 Seventh Avenue, Suite 2100, New York, NY 10018.

(866) 378-9758 | theatricalrights.com.

36 seven days of opening nights

2013-2014 SERIES guide

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sun 2/16 4:00

/ Opperman Music Hall $40 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 PM

New york voices

with the florida state

vocal jazz ensemble

kevin fenton, director

“New York Voices lives up to its reputation as the most exciting vocal ensemble in current jazz, to collect such quality voices in one group is rare.“ – Boston Herald

2

013 marks the 25th Anniversary of the GRAMMY® Awardwinning vocal group, New York Voices. Known for their closeknit voicing, inspired arrangements, and unparalleled vocal blend the group has refined their musical story to a high art. Their chameleon-like musicianship allows them to move seamlessly from setting to setting, be it orchestral, big band, or performing with the Florida State Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

With deep interests rooted in jazz, Brazilian, R & B, Classical, and pop, New York Voices’ music blends traditional sensibilities with the unexpected. They have worked with great arrangers and conductors who know and admire the complexity of their work, including Don Sebesky, Michael Abene, Keith Lockhart (Seven Days, 1999), and Rob Fisher. New York Voices are firmly a part of a vocal jazz legacy and are dedicated to passing it on to generations to come.

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2013-2014 SERIES guide

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lewis

black the rant is due

“He (is) sarcastic, biting, profane, and manic. But he’s so good at being all of those things and making them funnier than anyone else can.“ – TheatreJones

L

ewis Black is one of today’s most prolific and popular performers.

He executes a brilliant trifecta as a stand-up comedian, actor, and author. Receiving critical acclaim, Mr. Black performs over 200 nights a year to sold-out audiences throughout Europe, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.

Lewis Black has won two Best Comedy Album GRAMMY® Awards for The Carnegie Hall Performance (2007) and Stark Raving Black (2011).

He is well-known on television for his recurring “Back in Black” segment on The Daily Show (Comedy Central), multiple HBO and Comedy Central stand-up specials, and on the shows Mad About You, Law and Order, and The Big Bang Theory. Notable film work includes Man of the Year with Robin Williams, Accepted, the Woody Allen film Hannah and Her Sisters, and the voice of “Jimmy” in Farce of the Penguins.

In the midst of a rigorous touring schedule, regular television appearances, and movie roles, Lewis Black has written three bestselling books; Nothing’s Sacred (2005), Me of Little Faith (2008), and I’m Dreaming of a Black Christmas (2010).

lewisblack.com 40 seven days of opening nights

SUN 2/16

7:30 PM / Ruby Diamond Concert Hall $75 | $60 | $45 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 2013-2014 SERIES guide

41

TUE 2/18 7:30

/ Florida State University Alumni Center Ballroom $35 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 PM

Matt

Bondurant

& jane

springer “(Matt) Bondurant is a nimble writer.”

– The New York Times

“Jane Springer’s poems are dazzling, devastating, and utterly original.”

– Naomi Shihab Nye

S

even Days of Opening Nights welcomes two more Florida State University creative writing alumni back to Tallahassee as part of our 2013-2014 season.

Matt Bondurant’s newest novel The Night Swimmer (Scribner) was published in January 2012 and was featured in The New York Times Book Review, Outside Magazine, and The Daily Beast, among others. His novel The Wettest County in the World (Scribner, 2008) was a New York Times Editor’s Pick, a San Francisco Chronicle Best 50 Books of the Year, and was made into the feature film Lawless, starring Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain, Gary Oldman, and Florida State University alumnus Marcus Hester.

Jane Springer is the author of two collections of poetry, Dear Blackbird, (Agha Shahid Ali Prize, 2007) and Murder Ballad (Beatrice Hawley Award, 2012). Her honors include the Robert Penn Warren Prize for Poetry, a Pushcart Prize, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and a Whiting Writers’ Award. She currently teaches English and Creative Writing at Hamilton College in New York.

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nnenna

freelon

& EArl klugh “Freelon makes each song ... such a personal statement that they all seem fresh and new.” – USA Today “(Klugh is) ... one of the most highly esteemed jazz guitarists in the world.” – The Washington Observer Reporter

I

n the vain of jazz greats Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass, six-time GRAMMY®-nominated vocalist Nnenna Freelon and GRAMMY® Award-winning guitarist Earl Klugh come together for a night of outstanding music. Whether it’s the music of Charlie Chaplin or Stevie Wonder, you’ll hear a conversation between two like-minded musical souls, celebrating some of the greatest songs and songwriters of all time.

Anyone who has heard Nnenna Freelon sing knows she is a skillful interpreter of even the most familiar tunes. Her performance of Duke Ellington’s Prelude to a Kiss was featured on the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning AMC show Mad Men (Wee Small Hours, Season 3) and she was also featured in the movie What Women Want. Ms. Freelon has performed with The Roots, The Count Basie Orchestra, Ray Charles, Ellis Marsalis, and Herbie Hancock, to name a few.

Earl Klugh is one of the true statesmen of contemporary jazz. In a recording career spanning more than three decades, Mr. Klugh has more than 200 compositions in circulation and nearly thirty full-length albums. His live performances, set off by his amazing fingerstyle jazz guitar playing, are complex, warm, memorable, and original.

44 seven days of opening nights

Tue 3/4

7:30

/ Opperman Music Hall $45 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 PM

2013-2014 SERIES guide

45

becca

stevens

band

“Stevens speaks a universal language.“ – NPR

N SPONSORED BY

TUE 4/22

7:30 PM / The Carriage House at the Goodwood Museum & Gardens $35 | $25 for Seven Days Members tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 4646seven seven days days ofof opening opening nights nights

orth Carolina-bred, New York-based singer/composer/ guitarist Becca Stevens has already received copious praise from the likes of The New York Times, who described her as “a best-kept secret” and “impressively absorbing.” The Boston Phoenix noted Ms. Stevens’ “big voice and no-bull – emotional delivery,” while The Winston-Salem Journal stated, “Stevens’ singing is remarkable, soulful, pitch-perfect, and subtle in its controlled acrobatics. The arrangements are exquisitely produced, and her acoustic songs boast musical textures and colors that embrace the adventurism of jazz.”

Ms. Stevens’ intimate vocals communicate both warmth and urgency.

Her understated arrangements and seamlessly crafted tunes embrace inventive acoustic textures, idiosyncratic rhythm, and melodic elements.

The resulting music offers a beguiling blend of head and heart that resists easy categorization, drawing upon elements of pop, jazz, or folk without limiting itself to the rules of any particular genre. Her close-knit band, which includes Liam Robinson (accordion, keyboards, vocals), Chris Tordini (upright bass, vocals) and Jordan Perlson (drums and percussion) complement Ms. Stevens’ own expressive work on guitar, ukulele, and charango, while their earthy vocal harmonies provide a compelling counterpoint to her own personally-charged vocals.

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chanticleer an orchestra of voices “They are, to put it directly, one of the world’s best.“ – San Francisco Chronicle

C

alled “the world’s reigning male chorus” by The New Yorker magazine, and named “Ensemble of the Year” by Musical America (2008), the multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning ensemble Chanticleer celebrates its 36th anniversary in the 20132014 season. They are set to perform more than 100 concerts in the United States, Europe, and the Asia/Pacific region.

Named for the “clear-singing” rooster in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Chanticleer was founded in 1978 by tenor Louis Botto, who sang in the Ensemble until 1989 and served as Artistic Director until his death in 1997. Chanticleer has performed with Frederica von Stade, Al Jarreau, Garrison Keillor, the Shanghai Quartet, as well as the New York, San Francisco, and St. Paul orchestras. The ensemble has commissioned over 70 composers who have written over 90 pieces premiered by the group.

Praised by The San Francisco Chronicle for their “tonal luxuriance and crisply etched clarity,” Chanticleer is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices.” Their seamless blend of twelve male voices ranging from bass to countertenor; and their original interpretations of vocal literature – from Renaissance to jazz … from gospel to new music – have earned them their status as the preeminent vocal ensemble in the world.

48 seven days of opening nights

mon 4/28

7:30 PM / Ruby DIamond Concert Hall $50 | $35 | $25 | $10 students tickets.fsu.edu | 850.644.6500 2013-2014 SERIES guide

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saturday

matinee of the arts

opening: fri 2/14 6:00 - 8:00 PM

ongoing 2/14-3/30 Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 4;00 PM Saturday - Sunday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM closed spring break

FREE

museum of

sat 2/15

fine arts

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tallahassee Museum FREE

Voted 2012 Tally Award-winner for “Best Cultural Institution.”

– Capital City Youth Services, Inc.

S

aturday Matinee of the Arts presents a rich lineup of visual and performing arts, including live music on the outdoor stage and in the museum’s historic buildings. The day’s dance performances typically range from ballet to flamenco, while artists and artisans from fine painters and potters to jewelry makers display their work in picturesque settings throughout the museum’s grounds.

Children will have the opportunity to play and partake in activities just for them, and there will be plenty for adults to enjoy as well. The Tallahassee Museum opens its doors free of charge for the matinee.

50 seven days of opening nights

Making Now:

trevor bell:

The collaborative ensemble of Making Now creates contemporary light and magic through serious and quirky inventiveness. The tools of these 21st century artists will likely involve digital wizardry and embrace global awareness and responsible ecology. They have finely tuned senses of both humor and the absurd.

Making Now will be a surprise – an indefinable exhibition bustling with movement, vivid artwork, and the incandescent glow of life. Guest Curator Carolyn Henne is Chair of the Art Department at Florida State University and Assistant Dean in the College of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance. She believes most firmly in the unexpected.

From the Space Coast of Florida to the rugged cliffs of southwestern England, Trevor Bell has been drawn to dynamic environments. Some of his keenest enthusiasms are for the pillars of light from the launches of Cape Canaveral shuttles, or the steep downward vistas at the edge of the sea in Cornwall.

Mental images gathered throughout the world are armatures underlying his vibrant sculptural canvases.

Much lauded in Florida, Mr. Bell has been re-discovered by the British art world since returning to England in 1996. Last year the Tate Britain added several of his paintings to their permanent collection.

OPEN FOR EXCHANGE

Both Sides of the Atlantic

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february 2014

education

LOCATION TBD FREE

Arts education is at the core of Seven Days of Opening Nights’ mission, providing meaningful artistic experiences to students of all ages on and off of Florida State University’s campus.

This year is no exception with master classes, question and answer sessions, and lectures by a myriad of artists including extended residencies by choreographer Tere O’Connor, violinist Nicola Benedetti, the GRAMMY® Award-winning ensemble eighth blackbird, jazz vocal ensemble New York Voices, and dance company Urban Bush Women.

mural project

T

he inaugural 2011 Seven Days Mural Project – co-sponsored by the City of Tallahassee and the Florida State University Department of Art Education – was a roaring success. At the 2011 unveiling, Mayor John Marks said, “It represents all that is good about Tallahassee – our appreciation of the arts … and our success at working together with our local universities and students to make a meaningful difference.”

When something works that well, you need to do it again! Now in its fourth year, Seven Days of Opening Nights, along with the Florida State University Department of Art Education, will sponsor a mural created by the community, for the community.

52 seven days of opening nights

Previous murals can be found in the following locations throughout Tallahassee: 2013:

635 West Tennessee Street

2012:

Carlstedt building on Gaines Street

2011:

Corner of Gaines Street and Railroad Avenue

Adam Johnson

Kathy Mattea

New York Voices

September 23-24, 2013 Creative Writing Lectures

February 10, 2014 My Coal Journey Lecture

February 17-18, 2014 Vocal Jazz Master Classes

Tere O’Connor

Urban Bush Women

Matt Bondurant & Jane Springer

September 30, 2013 October 1-2, 2013 Master Classes & Lectures

February 10-12, 2014 Dance Master Classes Dance Master Classes | K-12

February 17-19, 2014 Creative Writing Workshops

January 29, 2014 Question & Answer Session

Poncho Sanchez & His Latin Jazz Band

March 5, 2014 Vocal Jazz Master Class | K-12

L.A. Theatre Works

February 13, 2014 Student Concert | K-12

Itzhak Perlman

February 4, 2014 Inside Acting Panel Discussion

eighth blackbird February 10, 2014 Entrepreneurial Lecture Chamber Music Master Classes

Nicola Benedetti February 13-14, 2014 Chamber Music Master Classes Student Concert | K-12

Geoffrey Gilmore February 14, 2014 Film Master Class

Nnenna Freelon

For updated information on Seven Days’ education programs, visit

sevendays festival.org 2013-2014 SERIES guide

53

educational outreach activities

2

VIP parking pass(es) for festival events

venues

For venue information, parking recommendations and maps, please visit

sevendaysfestival.org or call 850.644.7670

ruby diamond concert hall

fsu museum of fine arts

Florida State University Westcott Building 222 S. Copeland Street Tallahassee, FL 32306

Florida State University Fine Arts Building 530 W. Call Street Tallahassee, FL 32306

Tickets

1

1 1 17, 2013 1 . go on sale to the general public September For priority ticket ordering see below about Seven Days Memberships.

Tickets can be ordered through the Fine Arts Ticket Office:

Preferred parking pass for festival events

Two complimentary drink tickets per event

VIP concierge service for festival ticket ordering

Online: tickets.fsu.edu ($2.00 Ticket Office processing fee per ticket) Backstage visit and photograph with festival artist of your choice (subject to artist approval)

Phone: 850.644.6500 ($1.50 Ticket Office processing fee per ticket)* Private lunch and conversation for two with the Director

In Person: Florida State University Fine Arts Ticket Office - located in the lobby of the FSU Fine Arts Building at the corner of Call and Copeland Streets. Free parking is available on the _______________________________________________________________________________ Name: ground floor of the Call Street Garage (no processing fee for In Person tickets).* _______________________________________________________________________________ * Regular business hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11:00 AM-4:00 PM Address: (appearing in printed materials)

City: __________________________________________ State: ______________ Zip: _______________

opperman music hall

fred turner auditorium

Florida State University Kuersteiner Music Building 114 N. Copeland Street Tallahassee, FL 32306

Tallahassee Community College Fine and Performing Arts Center 444 Appleyard Drive Tallahassee, FL 32304

nancy sMITH fichter dance theatre

tallahassee museum

Florida State University Montgomery Hall 130 Collegiate Loop Tallahassee, FL 32306

3945 Museum Drive Tallahassee, FL 32310

richard g. fallon theatre

pebble hill plantation

Florida State University Fine Arts Building 540 W. Call Street Tallahassee, FL 32306

1251 U.S. Highway 319 South Thomasville, GA 31792

MEMBERSHIP 2013-2014 MEMBERSHIP 2013-2014 ___________________ Cell ___________________ Phone: Day ___________________ Evening PRODUCER’S PARTNER FRIEND ASSOCIATE DEBUT Email ( VERY IMPORTANT ): ____________________________________________ CIRCLE

BENEFITS

$1500 +

PARTNER’S CIRCLE

$1000

PARTNER

$500

FRIEND

Name listed in the festival program distributed at all festival events $1500 + $1000 $500 Priority ticket ordering before the general public based on 8/7 8/13 8/14 8/20 membership level

ASSOCIATE $250

8/21 - 9/2

$250

$100

SPARK 7DAYS

DEBUT $100

9/3 - 9/9

$50

9/10 - 9/16

Invitations to exclusive member receptions and events

Payment Method: Ticket and handling fees waived

Please charge my Visa, Mastercard or American Express (circle one)

Online (sevendaysfestival.org)

Invitations to master classes, open rehearsals, and other FSU Employee educational outreachpayroll activitiesdeduction (download form at sevendaysfestival.org)

Check enclosed to FSU Foundation

VIP parking pass(es) for festival events 2 1 Card Number: ___________________ Exp. Date: ___________________ Preferred parking pass for festival events 1 1 1 Name as it Appears on Card: ___________________ Two complimentary drink tickets per event

Becoming a Member is EASY! Complete this form and return it to: VIP concierge service for festival ticket ordering

Seven Days of Opening Nights

Backstage visit WES, and photograph with festivalAve. artist of your Room 216 222 S. Copeland choice to artist approval) P.O. (subject Box 3061350, Tallahassee, Fl. 32306-1350

or fax: 850-644-3612 Private lunch and conversation for two with the Director

Purchase tickets online: sevendaysfestival.org Questions about membership, call 850-644-7670 or email sevendays@fsu.edu

fsu alumni center ballroom

goodwood museum and gardens

_______________________________________________________________________________ Name: SPARK 7Days* Join Tallahassee’s Premier Young Professional Arts Group, SPARK 7Days! $50 Membership benefits include

Florida State University Alumni Center 1030 W. Tennessee Street Tallahassee, FL 32306

1600 Miccosukee Road Tallahassee, FL 32308

educational_______________________________________________________________________________ activities, and SPARK 7Days events. Membership limited to young professionals 18-40 years old.

Address:

5454seven seven days days ofof opening opening nights nights

name on festival program; priority ticket ordering; waived ticket and handling fees; and invitations to exclusive member events, (appearing in printed materials)

City: __________________________________________ State: ______________ Zip: _______________ To become a member, please visit sevendaysfestival.org ___________________ ___________________ Phone: Day ___________________ Evening Members will be contacted with instructions regarding advanceCell ticket purchases.

Email ( VERY IMPORTANT ): ____________________________________________ 2013-2014 SERIES guide 55 PARTNER’S

PARTNER

FRIEND

ASSOCIATE

DEBUT

SPARK

sevendaysfestival.org /sevendaysofopeningnights

/7daysfestival

Seven Days of Opening Nights Florida State University 216 Westcott Building P.O. Box 3061350 Tallahassee, FL 32306-1350

/sevendaystallahassee

Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID Tallahassee, FL Permit #55