Opening Nights Performing Arts Spring 2016 Program by Opening Nights

PERFORMING ARTS

2015-2016 SEASON

Elizabeth Gilbert

SPRING 2016 | VOL. IV | ISSUE III

Sponsored by

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re providing two Master Classes this season to give students the opportunity to work one-on-one with artists. MARCH 11, 2016

APRIL 5, 2016

globalFEST

Elizabeth Gilbert

Please note: Dates are subject to change. Visit openingnights.fsu.edu or call 850.644.7670 for the most up-to-date information regarding these events.

POP UP SERIES

globalFEST Friday 3/11 | Capital City Amphitheater at Cascades Park | 7:30 p.m.

ver the past decade, globalFEST has become one of the most dynamic global music platforms in North America. What started as an annual showcase in New York has grown into an international brand, building audiences for world music with stages at SXSW, Bonnaroo, and beyond. globalFEST spotlights artists who represent diverse global styles, bringing down boundaries between countries and creating cultural opportunities for collaboration. Creole Carnival Tour honors the roots of African musical currents, crossed with a fusion of sounds from the Americas, and revolving around Carnival, the pre-Lent festival celebrated globally that’s everyone’s favorite excuse for a party. From Brazil (Casuarina) to Haiti (Emeline Michel) and Jamaica (Brushy One String), each country has its own rich traditions for music, dancing, costumes, and cutting loose. globalFEST’s international trio of artists, will explore, expand, and upend notions of Carnival with a madcap, no-holds-barred soirée. Join us for this FREE event! Continued on pg. 49

This program is sponsored in part through COCA’s Cultural Grant Program funded by the City of Tallahassee and Leon County. 2016 Spring Program 19

Maya Beiser Sunday 3/13 | 2:00 p.m. Pebble Hill Plantation Monday 3/14 | 7:30 p.m. The Carriage House at Goodwood Museum Pebble Hill Plantation Program: Air on G – J.S. Bach / arr. by Maya Beiser Fratres – Arvo Part Mariel – Osvaldo Golijov/ arr. by Maya Beiser Cello Counterpoint – Steve Reich Kashmir – Jimmy Page and Robert Plant/ arr. by Evan Ziporyn Goodwood Museum and Gardens Program: Cello Counterpoint – Steve Reich with film projections by Bill Morrison Mariel – Osvaldo Golijov/ arr. by Maya Beiser World to Come – David Lang with film projections by Irit Batsry Intermission Just Ancient Loops – Michael Harrison with film projections by Bill Morrison Kashmir – Jimmy Page and Robert Plant/ arr. by Evan Ziporyn Continued on pg. 51

Sponsored by

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HELP US CELEBRATE! JOIN US AT: March 4 March 24-26 & March 31-April 2 April 23

Cleaver & Cork: A farm to table wine affair, Goodwood Museum and Gardens The New Mel Brooks Musical: Young Frankenstein TCC Fine and Performing Arts Center Hops and Half Shells 5K Run for the TCC Wakulla Environmental Institute

Find a full list of TCC 50th anniversary events and more at www.tcc.fl.edu/50

Photo by David Fenton, Getty Images

South Arts Southern Circuit Film Tour

The Trials of Muhammad Ali Monday 3/14 | 7:30 p.m. Challenger Learning Center IMAX Theatre PRESENTED BY OPENING NIGHTS PERFORMING ARTS AND THE CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER

he Trials of Muhammad Ali covers Ali’s toughest bout: his battle to overturn a fiveyear prison sentence for refusing US military service in Vietnam. Prior to becoming the most recognizable face on earth, Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali and found himself in the crosshairs of conflicts concerning race, religion, and wartime dissent. The Trials of Muhammad Ali explores Ali’s lifelong journey of spiritual transformation. From is Louisville roots, through his years in exile, to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the film traces Ali’s path from poet to pariah to global ambassador for peace. Continued on pg. 52

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FSU School of Theatre Alumnus André Holland

Selected Shorts Monday 3/21 | Richard G. Fallon Theatre | 7:30 p.m. FEATURING PATRICIA KALEMBER, DANIEL GERROLL, AND FSU SCHOOL OF THEATRE ALUMNUS ANDRÉ HOLLAND PERFORMING WORKS BY FSU CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM FACULTY ROBERT OLEN BUTLER - “JEALOUS HUSBAND RETURNS IN FORM OF PARROT” ELIZABETH STUCKEY-FRENCH - “INTERVIEW WITH A MORON” BARBARA HAMBY - “DOLE GIRL” HOSTED BY PATRICIA KALEMBER

elected Shorts is a weekly public radio show broadcast on over 130 stations to more than 300,000 listeners. It is produced by Symphony Space and WNYC Radio and distributed by Public Radio International. The Selected Shorts podcast, featuring a theme and a variety of stories for every episode, consistently ranks as one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes. Continued on pg. 55 Sponsored by

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Semi-Toned The University of Exeter’s A Cappella Sensation Presenting Game of Tones Wednesday 3/30 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

omprised of current students from the University of Exeter, Semi-Toned has built a large following of enthusiastic audiences throughout the UK and the US for their charismatic, whimsical, and witty choreographed performances of hits from the 70s, 80s, 90s, Broadway, and movies. Semi-Toned is the reigning University Champion of The Voice Festival UK, having won this honor in April 2015 and in the last two years alone, they have won multiple awards for their performances, choreography, arrangements and individual soloist in both national and international competitions and is the only a cappella ensemble ever to be awarded a prestigious Bobby Award for being one of the most highly-rated shows of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Semi-Toned’s performance will feature two fantastic a cappella groups from Florida State – Acabelles and All-Night Yahtzee! Continued on pg. 56

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A Movie You Haven’t Seen April 2016 | Askew Student Life Cinema | 7:30 p.m. Rose’s (1999), The Red Violin (2000), Curdled (2001), Gettysburg (2002), The General (2003), 11:14 (2004), The Agronomist (2005), The Trees Have a Mother, Stories of the Amazon (2007) Curated by Geoffrey Gilmore, Director of the Tribeca Film Festival: The Visitor (2008), 500 Days of Summer (2009), Blue Valentine (2010), Win Win (2011), Being Flynn (2012), War Witch (2013), Palo Alto (2014) Curated by Paul Cohen: Racing Extinction (2015)

ince its inception in 1999, Opening Nights has presented an annual movie. Silent films, local creations, Oscar® Nominees, and international film circuit delights– each film has added to the collective cinema experience in Tallahassee. The selected film will be appropriate for all audiences and will include a panel discussion with industry professionals. Presented collaboratively with the FSU College of Motion Picture Arts Torchlight Program, this year’s film is sure to inspire, entertain, and educate.

Sponsored by

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Ken Kato and Nan Nagy & Charles and Amy Newell Proud Supporters of Opening Nights Performing Arts AND SPONSORS OF TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE

Photo by Timothy Greenfield Sanders

Elizabeth Gilbert Tuesday 4/5 | Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | 7:30 p.m.

lizabeth Gilbert’s memoir Eat, Pray, Love has been called “a generation’s instruction manual” (Toronto Sun). Exploding onto the scene ten years ago, the bestseller famously chronicled the year Gilbert spent traveling the world after a shattering divorce. Translated into more than 30 languages, Eat, Pray, Love has sold over ten million copies worldwide. The book—“fueled by a mix of intelligence, wit, and colloquial exuberance that is close to irresistible” (The New York Times Book Review)—catapulted its author from respected but little-recognized writer to a woman Oprah Winfrey has called a “rock star author.” Continued on pg. 57

Sponsored by

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Photo by Joan Marcus

The Illusionists Thursday 4/7 | Donald L. Tucker Civic Center | 7:30 p.m. PRESENTED BY OPENING NIGHTS PERFORMING ARTS AND THE DONALD L. TUCKER CIVIC CENTER AS A PART OF THE TALLAHASSEE BROADWAY SERIES

his mind-blowing spectacular showcases the jaw-dropping talents of the most incredible illusionists on earth. The Illusionists–Live from Broadway ™ has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions. “A high-tech magic extravaganza” – The New York Times. Continued on pg. 59

Sponsored by

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Sponsors of The Barefoot Movement Educational Tour

We support arts and education for students of all ages WALMART.COM

South Arts Southern Circuit Film Tour

Ghost Town to Havana Thursday 4/14 | 7:30 p.m. Challenger Learning Center IMAX Theatre PRESENTED BY OPENING NIGHTS PERFORMING ARTS AND THE CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER

host Town to Havana is described as a “street level story of mentorship and everyday heroism in tough circumstances.” This film follows the lives of two youth baseball teams and their coaches as one team travels from Oakland to Havana, Cuba to play baseball with the other. Continued on pg. 61

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Once Thursday 4/28 | Donald L. Tucker Civic Center | 7:30 p.m. PRESENTED BY OPENING NIGHTS PERFORMING ARTS AND THE DONALD L. TUCKER CIVIC CENTER AS A PART OF THE TALLAHASSEE BROADWAY SERIES

inner of eight 2012 Tony Awards® including BEST MUSICAL, Once is a truly original Broadway experience. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/ musicians who play their own instruments onstage, Once tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights... but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. Emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, Once draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. It’s an unforgettable story about going for your dreams... not living in fear... and the power of music to connect all of us. Continued on pg. 66 Sponsored by

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Cuban Art in the Twentieth Century:

Cultural Identity and the International Avant-Garde

Segundo J. Fernandez Curator

Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts

February 12 - March 27, 2016 Reception: February 12, 6-8pm

An historical progression of paintings, sculpture and mixed media from the Colonial, Republican and PostRevolutionary periods of Cuban Art to the present day. Juan Gil Garcia (18791932), detail of Still Life, oil on canvas.

Builder Levy Appalachia USA An epic documentary project by New York-based photographer Builder Levy that presents life and labor in coal mining communities. Organized by The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

Builder Levy, detail of Smith Brothers Mining Company, Williamson, Mingo County, West Virginia, 1971, gold-toned gelatin silver print.

museum hours:

M-F 9-4, Sat. & Sun. 1-4 Hours vary during Spring Break ADMISSION IS ALWAYS FREE

tours

For tours and school or community groups please call: (850) 645-4681 www.MoFA.fsu.edu ยก 850-644-6836 530 West Call Street 250 Fine Arts Building

Bernadette & Roger Luca

Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra Continued from pg. 13

The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra was founded as the Palestine Broadcasting Service Orchestra in the late 1930s. In 1948, it became the national radio orchestra and was known as the “Kol Israel Orchestra.” In the 1970s, the orchestra was expanded into the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA). As a radio symphony orchestra, the majority of the concerts, which the orchestra holds at its resident hall – the Henry Crown Auditorium, are recorded and broadcasted over IBA’s Kol Ha’musika station. The orchestra maintains a varied repertoire that ranges from the Baroque and Classical periods through the Romantic period and extends to contemporary composers — including many who have received their Israeli premières with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. The current Music Director of the JSO is Maestro Frédéric Chaslin. The orchestra has had seven musical directors hitherto: Mendi Rodan, Lukas Foss, Gary Bertini, Lawrence Foster and David Shallon. At the end of the 2009-2010 Season Maestro Leon Botstein stepped down after seven years of service as Music Director. Maestro Botstein presently continues his work with the JSO as a Laureate Conductor. The orchestra was the first Israeli Orchestra to perform the works of renowned composers

such as Sofia Gubaidolina, Henry Dutilleux, Alfred Schnittke and others. Since its inception the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra has consistently encouraged Israeli composers by commissioning and performing their works. Over the decades, some of the music world’s legendary musicians have performed with the JSO, with memorable performances by Igor Stravinsky, Otto Klemperer, Arthur Rubinstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Isaac Stern, Pablo Casals, Igor Markevitch, Henryk Szeryng, Yo-Yo Ma, Pierre Boulez, Neville Mariner, Christa Ludwig, Tabea Zimmermann, Martha Argerich, Radu Lupu, Jose Carreras, Jean Pierre Rampal, Maxim Vengerov, and Yefim Bronfman. Among the most notable premières performed by the orchestra: the opera David by Milhaud (1954); the cantata Abraham and Isaac by Stravinsky, conducted by Robert Craft (1964); and The Seven Gates of Jerusalem by Krzysztof Penderecki conducted by Maestro Lorin Maazel, which was commissioned as the conclusion for the Jerusalem 3000 celebrations (1999). In the past, the orchestra took particular pride in the Liturgical Festival, founded by Maestro Gary Bertini, which presented music of worship from the three major religions. The festival has now been incorporated into the concert season as a series of vocal and liturgical concerts. The orchestra performs annually at the Israel Festival. In 2008 the JSO presented the Israeli première of Das Klagende Lied (Mahler) with conductor Uri Segal and the Warsaw Philharmonic Choir.

The JSO often conducts tours in Europe and in the United States, and has played in some of the most prestigious venues. Recently, the orchestra toured South America with Maestro Yeruham Scharovsky. In 2008 the JSO led a US tour, performing a special program of composers from the American Diaspora. In June 2009 the orchestra performed the oratorio Elijah(Mendelssohn) at the closing event of the annual Bachfest in Leipzig. In May 2001 the orchestra toured in Europe and has played in prestigious venues such as the Musikvereine in Vienna, the Philharmonie in Cologne and major halls in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Lucerne. In 2003 the JSO-IBA played at Carnegie Hall in New York during an especially successful tour in Spain and the United States. The orchestra is supported by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, the Ministry of Culture and Sport, and the Jerusalem City municipality.

Conductor Laureate Dmitry Yablonsky Grammy nominated conductor, cellist and conductor Dmitry Yablonksy was born in Moscow into a musical family. He began playing the cello when he was 5 years old and was accepted to the Central Music School for gifted children. At the age of 9 he gave his orchestral debut playing Haydn’s cello concerto. Since then, his career had taken him to the most important stages in the world, such as the Carnegie Hall, La Scala, Moscow Great Hall, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, Tai-

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wan National Hall, Teatre Mogador, Cite de la Musique, Louvre, among others. He regularly plays with important artists as Boris Berezovsky, Vadim Repin, Shlomo Mintz, Itamar Golan, Yuri Bashmet, and has collaborated with artists as Monserrat Caballé, Roberto Alagna, Olga Borodina, ... He played Mº Penderecki’s Cello concerto with the composer at the podium. He has also an important career as Conductor that begun in Camerino (Italy), where he had his first opportunity to conduct an orchestra. He was 26 years old and since then, has collaborated with many important orchestras as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra (principal guest conductor 2000-2004), Novoya Rossiya (Principal Guest Conductor 2012- ), Israel Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra, Antwerpen Orchestra, North Netherlands Orchestra, Maastricht Orchestra, Russian State Orchestra, Orchestre National d’Ile de France, Taiwan National Orchestra, Catania Opera Orchestra, Holland Symphonia, Bologna Chamber Orchestra, Ofunam (México), etc.. His mother is the famed pianist Oxana Yablonskaya, with whom he immigrated in 1977 to New York where he studied with Lorne Munroe (solo cellist of New York Philharmonic Orchestra), David Soyer, cellist of Guarneri quartet, and with Aldo Parisot. In the summer of 1979, at the age 16, Dmitry was accepted to participate in Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont and was the youngest participant. There, he had the opportunity to meet many great musicians as M. Horszowski, M. Tree, M. Shneider, M. Foley... and after playing for David Soyer, cellist of Guarneri quartet, he offered him to come to Curtis Institute of Music to study with him. In 2010 Dmitry Yablonsky received the Diploma of the Honorary Academician at the Independet Academy of Liberal Arts at the Russian Academy of Sciences. He has transcribed and edited works for cello, which was released by International Music Company

and Dover Publications. Naxos records released his recording of all 40 Popper etudes for solo cello in the fall of 2008, which received great critical acclaim. But maybe, his most important recording is the Piano trio recording for Erato/ Warner with Vadim Repin and Boris Berezovsky that has won numerous awards. He has an enthusiastic and charismatic character that takes him to initiate many projects, and he organizes many festivals all over the world, including Qabala Festival in Azerbaijan and Wandering Stars Festival, which takes place in different countries of the world each year as in Israel, Italy, Russia, USA and more. Dmitry plays two cellos: a Joseph Filius Andrea Guarneri and a Matteo Gofriller.

Cello Soloist Danielle Akta Danielle began to learn to play Cello at the tender age of four and ten months old (2007), at her request, after listening to the music of Jacqueline du Pré. She studied the instrument with her teacher, Ms. Galina Aharonovich, for five years. Danielle has been a student of Ms. Luba Rubin at the Raanana Music Center since September 2012. Danielle has already performed in many concerts with string quartets, chamber music outfits, and as chief cellist of the Youth String Orchestra of Raanana Music Center. Danielle participated in the Spring Music competitions at the Raanana Music Center in 2011 and 2012 and won the “Promising Young Musician - Excellence” award. In December 2012, Danielle played as soloist with the “Raanan.” These concerts are part of the “Soloists of Tomorrow” music program at the Raanana Music Center, run by Mr. Guy Porat, that is intended to cultivate excelling young players of various instruments. Danielle is a participant in this special excellence program to this day. In March 2013, Danielle was unanimously granted first place (in 1st category – “Youngsters”) by the panel of judges at the Israeli National Cello Competition. A second place was not granted.

In 2014, Danielle performed “Kol Nidrei” by Max Bruch as soloist with the Ashdod Symphony Orchestra, led by conductors Yoni Farchi and Vahagn Papian. In addition, Danielle performed as soloist with orchestra at a special concert in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the America – Israel Cultural Foundation. In the international competition FLAME in Paris, Danielle won 1st prize, noted with special honor. Danielle also won 1st prize at the “The Muse” Music Competition in Athens, Greece. In May 2014 at “Young Cellist Day,” Danielle performed as soloist at the invitation of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. During the years, Danielle has participated in master classes with Prof. Maria Tchaikovskia, Dmitry Yablonsky, Prof. Rafael Wallfisch, and Prof. Paul Katz.

Black Violin Continued from pg. 15

An assortment of voices—different ages, genders, races—speak over a tense, clipped groove. Phrases overlap, offering definitions of a word while a beat snaps and propulsive strings bite and race up and down a scale. “A stereotype is an often unclear and untrue 2016 Spring Program 41

Let your pride take center stage. Display your pride in Florida State University with the purchase of an FSU license plate. Proceeds from plate sales are applied to the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general scholarship fund to support need- and meritbased scholarships for Florida State students. Rebates for first-time buyers, as well as gift certificates and information on purchasing your FSU license plate is available online at fsu.edu/mytag.

Photo by Lisa Leone belief” says one; “a standardized mental picture,” echoes another. Eventually, one voice settles in out front, explaining the responsibility that comes with a stereotype—“it gives me a goal, something to try to debunk.” The opening and title track to Stereotypes, the major-label debut by Black Violin, serves as a mission statement for an ambitious and groundbreaking group. Wil Baptiste (viola) and Kev Marcus (violin) are a string duo from Florida with equal footing in the worlds of classical music and hip-hop. Though they have been playing together since high school, with Stereotypes, they take a great leap forward, from admirable rarities to significant innovators.

(Soulive), pianist Robert Glasper, drummer Daru Jones (Jack White), and string arranger Rob Moose (Bon Iver) all contribute, adding R&B, jazz, and rock elements to the mix and illustrating the genre-busting sensibility behind Black Violin’s music.

They developed an act covering hip-hop songs on their violins, which became popular in local clubs. Two years after sending in a tape to Showtime at the Apollo, they were invited to appear on the show—which they won, and kept winning.

“Wil and Kev’s DNA is all about shattering and breaking stereotypes,” says producer Eli Wolf, who has worked with the likes of Norah Jones, Wynton Marsalis, and Elvis Costello. “We wanted the album to thread their sound through a kaleidoscope of styles, and bring out ways to break down categories and barriers into something multi-faceted and expansive.”

“After we won the Apollo, which is the hardest audience on the planet, we knew there was something there,” says Kev. “The hard thing was to package it so that people would give us a chance, because we’re doing something that nobody had ever seen. Every time we step on stage, we had to prove it over and over.”

“Our mantra has always been to engage the audience to look at things from a different perspective,” says Kev. “At first, we leaned on the fact that we were different, more than on our technique—we wanted you to be confused. This time, we tried to keep our core message, but with more gravitas, more seriousness. Not just be crazy and different, but really step it up and be badass violinists.”

The members of Black Violin first met in Ft. Lauderdale and played together in the orchestra at the Dillard High School of the Performing Arts. Classically trained by day, they faithfully put on their headphones and listened to the hottest rap records each night. They went to different colleges—Marcus attended Florida International University and Wil B went to Florida State—but then reconvened, moved into an apartment together, and started trying to produce other musicians.

The album features a wide range of guest artists and writers, expanding and enhancing the work of these young African-American string powerhouses. MCs Pharoahe Monche and Black Thought, singers Melanie Fiona and Kandace Springs, guitarist Eric Krasno

“We wanted to be the next Neptunes, the next Timbaland,” says Baptiste, “but we noticed how, whenever we performed with our artists, the audience was really drawn to us.”

They were approached by the manager of Alicia Keys, who asked them to perform with the singer on the Billboard Awards. Other offers followed—they toured with Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, opened for the WuTang Clan, scored an episode of CSI: New York, and even performed for President Obama at his second inauguration in 2013. Individually and together, Wil and Kev have worked with everyone from Kanye West to Tom Petty, Lupe Fiasco to Aerosmith. All the while, Black Violin continued touring non-stop (playing as many as 200 shows a year) and released two independent, selffinanced albums. The pair created a distinctive, peerless sound. “A hard-hitting beat with lush string sounds,” 2016 Spring Program 43

says Wil, “Something you can listen to if you don’t listen to hip-hop, or if you don’t listen to classical music—we bridge that gap.” But in bringing Black Violin to Universal Music Classics, Wolf saw the opportunity to give the duo the resources that would take their music, and their intentions, even further. “These songs really put the message in the music, instead of being more instrumental,” he says. “The lyrics reflect those ideas. A lot of them speak to racial strife today, in ways that are timely and timeless.” The results demonstrate all of the possibilities, in sound and content, for the versatile pair. “Invisible” offers a penetrating update on themes explored by Ralph Ellison in Invisible Man. The Beck-meets-Seal space-soul of “Addiction,” with a lead vocal by Wil, picks up where PM Dawn left off, while “Stay Clear” has a swirling groove that recalls such lush R&B as Quincy Jones’s historic creations with Michael Jackson. The head-nodding,

About the Tallahassee Youth Symphony Orchestra The Tallahassee Youth Symphony Orchestra is a full orchestral ensemble including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion that performs orchestral literature at the highest level.

About Alexander Jiménez, Music Director and Conductor Dr. Alexander Jiménez serves as Professor of Conducting, Director of Orchestral Activities, and String Area Coordinator at the Florida State University College of Music. He has served on the faculties of San Francisco State University and Palm Beach Atlantic University. He holds degrees from Baylor University (B.M.), and Florida State University (M.M., M.M.E., and D.M.). Dr. Jiménez is an active guest conductor, teacher, and adjudicator throughout the United States and Europe.

virtuosic “Runnin” required a new level of instrumental precision from the musicians; “we really had to practice and learn new things to pull that one off,” says Kev.

Saturday Night Fever

Even the three covers included on Stereotypes

Continued from pg. 17

of strings in contemporary music. “Shaker,”

New Fever On Tour LLC Presents Saturday Night Fever The Musical

are purposeful, mapping out the possibilities

from Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, is among the purest of American melodies (“You’ve heard it before, even if you don’t know what it’s called,” says Wil). Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Walk On By” was given one of the most epic, dramatic string arrangements of all time in Isaac Hayes’s incomparable 1969 rendition. And “Bittersweet Symphony,” by the Verve (a bonus track on this album) is truly a modern classic; “that song’s been in everyone’s wedding for twenty years,” says Wil. With Stereotypes, Black Violin set out to

achieve something more than just selling some records or gaining notoriety as a curiosity. “We want to really be something that young musicians aspire to,” says Kev. “For us, the violin is the vehicle for a bigger message, which is not to be afraid to be different.”

Based on the Paramount/RSO Film and the story by Nik Cohn Adapted for the stage by Robert Stigwood in collaboration with Bill Oakes North American version written by Sean Cercone and David Abbinanti Featuring songs by the Bee Gees Music by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and Robin Gibb; Lyrics by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and Robin Gibb

STARRING Matthew Baker, Danielle Marie Gonzalez with Lance Bordelon, JJ Butler, Chris Carsten, Michael J. Clark, Maclain Dassatti, Katie Laduca, Maria

Lawson, Mike Mclean, Walter A. Milani, Gabriel Andrew Reyes, Gabriel Rodrigues, Benjamin Paul Rowan, Yvonne Strumecki, Jenna Leigh Zito and Anna Baker

SCENIC DESIGN Randel Wright

LIGHTING DESIGN Kirk Bookman

COSTUME DESIGN Costume World

SOUND DESIGN

Bruce Landon Yauger

CASTING

Alison Franck CSA

VOCAL SUPERVISOR Casey Breves

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Ritchard Druther

GENERAL MANAGEMENT Sure Zon Productions

NATIONAL PRESS REPRESENTATIVES

David Gersten & Associates

MUSICAL SUPERVISOR Skip Brevis

MUSIC DIRECTOR Ethan Andersen

CHOREOGRAPHED BY Denis Jones

DIRECTED BY Jeffrey B. Moss

This performance is dedicated to the memory of Robert Stigwood (April 16, 1934 - January 4, 2016) SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER is presented through special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 570 Seventh Avenue, Suite 2100, New York, NY 10018 theatricalrights.com 2016 Spring Program 45

Proud Sponsor of Opening Nights Performing Arts

SNIFFEN & SPELLMAN, P.A.

Proud Annual Sponsor of Opening Nights Performing Arts Series & Festival SNIFFENLAW.COM | TALLAHASSEE , FL

Barbara & John Mahoney

Cast

Song Credits

Scene 5: Verrazano Bridge

Tony . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew Baker

Music by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and Robin Gibb; Lyrics by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and Robin Gibb “Staying Alive,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Night Fever,” “More Than A Woman,” “Jive Talkin’”, “You Should Be Dancing,” “If I Can’t Have You,” “Immortality,” “Nights On Broadway,” “Tragedy”

Scene 6: Manero Home

Stephanie . . . .

Danielle Marie Gonzalez

Annette . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Baker Bobby C . . . . . . . . . . Lance Bordelon Jay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JJ Butler Frank Senior . . . . . . . . . Chris Carsten Joey . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael J. Clark Double J . . . . . . . . . .Maclain Dassatti Doreen . . . . . . . . . . . Katie LaDuca Candy . . . . . . . . . . . . Maria Lawson Salesman/Frank Junior . . . Mike McLean Fusco . . . . . . . . . . . Walter A. Milani Cesar . . . . . . . . Gabriel Andrew Reyes Monty . . . . . . . . . .Gabriel Rodrigues Gus . . . . . . . . . Benjamin Paul Rowan Flo . . . . . . . . . . . Yvonne Strumecki Pauline . . . . . . . . . . Jenna Leigh Zito

DANCE ENSEMBLE Katherine Margo Brown, JJ Butler, Nicolas De La Vega, James Du Chateau, Marlon Feliz, Gabriel Andrew Reyes, Katherine Stanas, Lauren Tanner

SWINGS

Music by Barry Gibb and Albhy Galuten; Lyrics by Barry Gibb and Albhy Galuten “What Kind Of Fool” Music by David Shire; Lyrics by David Shire “Salsation,” “Night On Disco Mountain,” “Manhattan Skyline” Adapted by Walter Murphy “Fifth of Beethoven” Music by Harry Casey and Richard Finch; Lyrics by Harry Casey and Richard Finch “Boogie Shoes” Music by Leroy Green and Tyrone Kersey; Lyrics by Leroy Green and Tyrone Kersey “Disco Inferno” Music by Ronald Bell / Kool & The Gang; Lyrics by Ronald Bell / Kool & The Gang “Open Sesame”

“Top of Your Game” . . . . . . . . . Tony Scene 7: Outside & Inside Dance Studio Scene 8: On the Street “How Deep is Your Love” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pauline and Bobby Scene 9: Manero Home Scene 10: Inside Dance Studio / Street / Cafe “100 Reasons” . . . . .Tony and Stephanie Scene 11: Street “Jive Talkin’” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby, Joey, Double J, Gus Scene 12: Inside Dance Studio “If I can’t Have You” . . . . . . . Annette Scene 13: 2001 Odyssey “Night Fever” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Candy, Monty and Ensemble “You Should Be Dancing” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tony and Company

Scenes & Musical Numbers

ACT II

Time: 1977 Place: Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and Manhattan

Scene 1: 2001 Odyssey / Street

ACT I

“Nights on Broadway” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Candy, Annette, Pauline

Katie LaDuca

Scene 1: Street/Shirt Store/Paint Store

Scene 2: Tony’s Bedroom

MUSICIANS

“Stayin’ Alive” . . . . Tony and Company

Scene 3: Dance Studio

Scene 2: Manero House

Scene 4: Paint Store

Scene 3: Outside 2001 Odyssey “Boogie Shoes” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tony, bobby, Joey, Double J, Gus

Scene 5: Outside Stephanie’s Apartment / A Park / The Manero Home

Banji Aborisade, Katie LaDuca

DANCE CAPTAIN

Ethan Andersen, Conductor Kelly Thomas (Keys 2/Assistant Conductor), Tom Goslin (Guitar), David Vincola (Drums), Will Hack (Bass)

UNDERSTUDIES & STAND-BYS Banji Aborisade (Monty), JJ Butler (Tony, Frank Junior), Katie LaDuca (Stephanie, Annette, Pauline, Candy), Mike McLean (Joey, Double J, Gus, Bobby)

Scene 4: Inside 2001 Odyssey “Disco Inferno” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Candy, Monty and Company

“What Kind of Fool” . . . . . . . Stephanie Scene 6: Hospital Scene 7: Inside 2001 Odyssey 2016 Spring Program 47

Bobby Dick, Mark Webb & Michael Robinson

215 S. MONROE STREET, #300 TALLAHASSEE, FL 32301 (850) 599-8908

Dr. Emily Ashmore

Michael Sheridan & Judy Wilson Sheridan Proudly support Opening Nights and the performing arts in the Tallahassee community

“Open Sesame” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monty, Candy and Ensemble

PRESS ASSOCIATE

Danced by Chester and Shirley

ASST CHOREOGRAPHER

“More Than a Woman” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monty and Candy

LIGHTING PROGRAMMER

CREDITS

LIGHTING DESIGN ASSISTANT

Scenery fabrication by Center Line Studios. Costumes provided by Costume World Inc. Lighting equipment provided by Christie Lites.

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR/HEAD CARPENTER

globalFEST

Danced by Tony and Stephanie “Salsation” . . .Danced by Cesar and Maria “How Deep is Your Love” (Reprise) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Scene 8: Verrazano Bridge “Tragedy’” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tony “Top of Your Game” (Reprise) . . . Tony Scene 9: Outside Stephanie’s Apartment “Finale” . . . . . . . . Tony and Stephanie There will be one fifteen-minute intermission

Staff GENERAL MANAGEMENT SURE ZON PRODUCTIONS Jeffrey Chrzczon Morag MacPherson/Evan Pulliam

NATIONAL PRESS REPRESENTATIVES DAVID GERSTEN & ASSOCIATES David J. Gersten/Daniel DeMello

TOUR DIRECTION Columbia Artists Theatricals columbiaartiststheatricals.com

COMPANY MANAGERS Grace Guo, Walter A. Milani

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Richard Druther

STAGE MANAGER

Daniel DeMello

Barry Busby

Corey Whittemore

Steve O’Shea

Justin Glinn

ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR/PROPS Joshua Nicholson

PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN John Kernisky

ASSISTANT ELECTRICIAN Erin Yoshida

AUDIO ENGINEERS

Colin Hardesty, Tim Jarrell

KEYBOARDS PROGRAMMER James Harp

WARDROBE SUPERVISOR Melanie Clifton-Harvey

WARDROBE ASSISTANT Emily Rosko

PROPS SHOPPER Lena Forman

COSTUME SHOPPER Rodney Harper

PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY Carol Rosegg

ACCOUNTING

Jen Grunfeld

Marks Paneth LLP/Mark D’Ambrosi, Jana Jevnikar

HAIR & WIG DESIGN

INSURANCE

Shannon Harrington

Hub International/Carol Bressi Cilona

BUSES

Mayo Tours Inc

SCENIC TRANSPORT JANCO Ltd

Continued from pg. 19

Brushy One String One night, rural Jamaican musician Brushy (born Andrew Chin) dreamed of the guitar under his bed. He knew, suddenly, that if he picked it up and dedicated himself to playing it, he’d get to see the world. The instrument in question—a battered but resonant acoustic guitar—had only one string. That didn’t stop Brushy, the son of a musical family with a hardscrabble past, and his dream has come true. He has a seemingly innate ability to inspire even casual listeners—including millions of people who have watched and shared Brushy’s videos on YouTube (his Chicken In the Corn video has almost eight million views). The veteran musician evokes the sweetness of soul singers like Percy Sledge, Al Green, Toots Hibbert of Toots & the Maytals and the grit and wit of Delta bluesmen, all woven together with a Jamaican pulse and ingenuity that shows that the island’s music is about far more than reggae. Heartfelt blues combine with dancehall-style vocals, and uplifting, catchy ballads channel a soulful intensity and profound faith.

Casuarina Samba is more of a musical family than a specific genre, rich in different accents, both familiar and unfamiliar to American audiences, including the bossa nova, samba from Bahia, and the Afro-Brazilian rhythms of the Nordeste. The music of Casuarina incorporates all of them, while flirting with pop and urban music. Born a dozen years ago in Lapa, 2016 Spring Program 49

a hip yet gritty bohemian Rio neighborhood, the five-piece member group is part of a samba renaissance that has spread like wildfire in recent years. In addition to their own compositions, Casuarina creates original and sophisticated arrangements of classics, often drawing on the work and spirit of chorinho and of MPB, Brazil’s wildly creative popular music. This, too, runs in the family: Vocalist João Cavalcanti is the son of an equally innovative musician, Lenine.

Emeline Michel The reigning queen of Haitian song, Michel combines traditional Haitian rhythms and acoustic jazz with social, political, and inspirational messages, in spirited songs that capture the reverence and gratitude for each moment. Her warm voice, captivating live performances, and moving compositions have made her one of the leading ladies of a unique wave of Haitian musicians who emerged in the 1980s and emphasized complex themes, conscious lyrics, and a broad palette of musical styles, including Haitiancompas, twoubadou, and rara. Born in the northern city of Gonaïves, she first sang gospel as a young woman, before leaving home for Detroit and then France and Canada, where she mastered jazz and pop forms. As a performer, she has graced some of the Caribbean, Europe, and North and South America’s most respected stages. In English, French, and Haitian Kreyol, her ten albums have catapulted her to international acclaim. The New York Times has compared her to “an island goddess”, and Haitian Times proclaims her an “all-time favorite artist.” Michel now resides in New York City.

ten for her by today’s leading composers. The Boston Globe declares, “with virtuoso chops, rock-star charisma, and an appetite for pushing her instrument to the edge of avant-garde adventurousness, Maya Beiser is the post-modern diva of the cello.” Raised in the Galilee Mountains in Israel, surrounded by the music and rituals of Jews, Muslims, and Christians, while studying classical cello repertoire, Maya has dedicated her work to reinventing solo cello performance in the mainstream classical arena. A featured performer on the world’s most prestigious stages including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, BAM, London’s South Bank Centre, Sydney Opera House, The Kennedy Center, LA’s Royce Hall, and the Beijing Festival, she has collaborated with artists across many disciplines and wide range of musical styles, including Brian Eno, Philip Glass, Shirin Neshat, Steve Reich, David Lang, Tan Dun, Robert Woodruff and Bill Morrison, among many others.

Maya’s 2011 TEDtalk has been watched by close to one million people and translated to 32 languages. Her critically acclaimed multimedia productions, including World To Come, Almost Human, Provenance, Elsewhere: A Cello Opera, and All Vows, have consistently been chosen for top critics’ “Best Of The Year” lists. Maya’s latest production, All Vows, explores the dichotomy between the physical, external world we inhabit and the inner landscape of our secret selves – the border between the sacred and the profane. It premiered at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in 2014 and has since been performed in Dallas and Chicago; this season it will be presented by BAM and SPA Houston. All Vows features the music from Maya’s newest album Uncovered plus works by Michael Gordon and Michael Harrison, both with original film by Bill Morrison, as well as music by Glenn Kotche, David T. Little, and Mohammed Fairouz. Other highlights of the current

Maya Beiser Continued from pg. 21

Renowned cellist Maya Beiser “has etched a bold career path that marries classical to rock, starched collars to casual dress, and tradition to unorthodoxy,” reports AllMusic.com. Throughout her adventurous and versatile career she has reimagined the concert experience, commissioning and performing hundreds of new works writ2016 Spring Program 51

season include a solo appearance as part of the Barbican’s Sound Unbound festival in London, and in January 2016, the premiere of Fairouz’s new cello concerto with the Detroit Symphony. Highlights of Maya’s US tours include performances at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, Celebrity Series in Boston, Ojai Music Festival, International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, and major venues and festivals in Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Torino, Tokyo, Taipei, Athens, Mexico City and Bogota. She has appeared with many of the world’s top orchestras performing new works for the cello including the St. Paul Camber Orchestra, Montreal Symphony, BBC Concert Orchestra, Boston Pops, Sydney Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Nashville Symphony, China Philharmonic, and Shanghai Philharmonic, among many others. Maya’s vast discography includes nine solo albums. Her latest best-selling album, Uncovered – a collection of re-imagined and re-contextualized classic rock, in stunning performances by Maya and new arrangements by Evan Ziporyn – topped the classical music charts making the number one spot on both Amazon and iTunes. These “uncovers” evoke the unprecedented power of the music of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Janis Joplin, Howlin’ Wolf, King Crimson, Muddy Waters, and AC/DC as musical masterpieces. The San Francisco Chronicle raved, “With this electrifying disc, the avant-garde cello virtuoso Maya Beiser transformer herself into something of a rock ‘n’ roll diva.” A frequent collaborator with film composers, Maya Beiser is the featured soloist on James Newton Howard’s soundtracks for films by M. Night Shyamalan (The Happening, After Earth), Denzel Washington (The Great Debaters), Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond), and Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman). Maya was a founding member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars and is a graduate of Yale University. She makes her home in New York. mayabeiser.com 52

Opening Nights Performing Arts

For additional materials contact publicity@opus3artists.com

The Trials of Muhammad Ali Continued from pg. 23

Director’s Statement “Why another film on Muhammad Ali? Because no Ali film has deeply explored his exile years, his spiritual transformation and his impact on the world beyond the ring. This is an intimate film weaving artful and unseen archival footage, with the contemporary interviews from firsthand sources, resulting in an intense, focused narrative with hard-hitting relevance. THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI uses percussive sounds of the speed bag and heavy bag to drive and punctuate the story. It has tensions involving faith, race, duty, and identity. And when you personalize those tensions through the humanity of Muhammad Ali, it gives them depth and definition in ways that resonate now. Ultimately, it is a story that has at least as much to say about put society and how Ali’s principals continue to challenge us as it does about his own transformation. In many ways, he stayed true to his beliefs and identity while the country changed around him.” – Bill Siegel

Credits DIRECTED BY Bill Siegel

PRODUCED BY

Rachel Pikelny and Bill Siegel

EDITED BY

Aaron Wickenden

ORIGINAL MUSIC BY Joshua Abrams

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Leon Gast and Kat White

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR KARTEMQUIN FILMS Justine Nagan and Gordon Quinn

About the Film THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI explores Ali’s lifelong journey of spiritual transformation. From is Louisville roots, through his years in exile, to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the film traces Ali’s path from poet to pariah to global ambassador for peace. At each stage, the challenges Ali faces go far beyond the boxing ring and ultimately encompass issues of power, race, faith, and identity that confront us all. THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI is not a boxing film and has no highlight reel. Instead, focuses on Ali’s toughest bouts: his decision to join a controversial religious group, his battle to overturn a five-year prison sentence for refusing US Military service, and his struggle with Parkinson’s disease. While other Ali films focus on his heroic exploits in the ring, they tragically under-examine some of the most noteworthy, provocative and resonant aspects of Ali’s life, such as his relationship with the Louisville Sponsoring Group, the Nation of Islam, and is Muslim faith. Most of the interviewees have never been featured in any Ali film before, yet are central to his life story and the global impact he has made. Prior to becoming the most recognizable face on earth, Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali and found himself in the crosshairs of conflicts concerning race, religion and wartime dissent. In 1964, then the 22-year-old, Olympic gold medalist wins his first heavyweight championship, he shouts, “I shook up the world!” But his earthshaking had only begun. Soon he announces he is a Muslim, a member of the Nation of Islam, and takes a new name: Muhammad Ali. After Ali is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, me makes his defining expression of resistance: “No, I will not go 10,000 miles to continue the domination of white slave masters over the darker people of the earth.” In 1967, after the US government denies Ali’s conscientious claim, he refuses military induction. The government convicts Ali of draft evasion, sentences him to five years in prison, and revokes his passport. Ali is banned from boxing and stripped of his title. He begins life in exile within the U.S., vilified in many corners at home, while becoming an international symbol of opposition to unjust

war. As Ali files legal appeals round after round, all the way to the Supreme Court, he supports his family via a nationwide speaking tour, amidst a country divided over the war abroad and racism at home. Rare and riveting archival footage of Ali’s fiery speeches on college campuses and fierce exchanges during TV appearances, show him fearlessly speaking his mind as he fights for freedom. THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI delves deeply into a time when an emerging sports superhero chooses faith and conscience over fame and fortune. The fury he faced from an American public enraged by his opposition to the Vietnam War and unwilling to accept his conversion to Islam, has global implications for generations now coming of age amidst contemporary fissures involving freedom, faith and military conflict. Archival scenes highlight the life forces who support and oppose him, including his spiritual mentors, Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, and critics of his stance, such as Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis. Interviews shot exclusively for the film feature those who were there: his brother, Rahman; his bride, Khalilah Camacho-Ali; New York Times writer, Robert Lipstyle; and Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan. What emerges is the hidden story of Muhammad Ali.

Filmmaker Bios Bill Siegel (Director/Producer) has more than 20 years of experience documenting filmmaking and education. He co-directed the Academy Award-nominated documentary The Weather Underground; was a researcher on the films Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story and Hoop Dreams; and a writer on One Love, a documentary on the cultural history of basketball by Leon Gast (When We Were Kings). Siegel is Vice President of School Programs for the Great Books Foundation, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to literacy and lifelong learning. Rachel Pikelny (Producer) is a producer affiliated with Kartemquin Films, where she produced The Trials of Muhammad Ali and co-produced Mormon Movie. She recently served as associate producer on A Good Man, which aired on PBS’ American Masters in

... the challenges Ali faces go far beyond the boxing ring and ultimately encompass issues of power, race, faith, and identity that confront us all. November 2011. Previously, she co-pro-

ments include: Co-Editor and Post Supervi-

On Beauty, both now is post-production.

umentary Cinematographer and Post

duced Kartemquin’s films American Arab and

With documentary production house The Kindling Group, Rachel recently served as

production coordinator for “What’s Your

Calling?” — the companion web engagement campaign for The Calling, a four-hour documentary miniseries broadcast on PBS’ Independent Lens in December 2010. Rachel

spent several years at Kurtis Productions, creating episodes of Cold Case Files for A&E and American Greed for CNBC.

She also produces promotional content for Fortune 500 companies such as Pepsi and

LKQ Corporation, and serves on committees for the News & Documentary Emmy Awards, the Chicago Short Film Brigade and the Hugo Television Awards.

Aaron Wickenden (Editior) is a filmmaker

with extensive experience as an editor and cinematographer. His recent accomplish-

sor for Kartemquin’s The Interrtupters, DocSupervisor for Andrew Bird: Fever Year, and Producer

and

Cinematographer

for

multi-media content on The New Yorker

website. Prior to that, Wickenden Co-Produced and Co-Edited Steve James’ At the

Death House Door for Kartemquin and IFC, and was Associate Editor and Post Supervisor on The War Tapes.

Wickenden’s editing credits also include

Scrappers, named one of the top 15 docs of

2010 by Roger Ebert. He is currently working on a number of projects in various stages of development. Wickenden is a Cinematographer for Mormon Movie, Editor on Finding Vivian Maier, Editing Advisor for

Street Fighting Man and Keepers of the Earth, and a Consultant on WBEZ’s Curious City.

In addition, along with filmmaker Dan Rybicky, he is Co-Directing and Co-Producing

a Kartemquin documentary titled Almost

There, which has been six years in the making. 2016 Spring Program 53

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Executive Producer Bios Kartemquin Films (Justine Nagan and Gordon Quin, Executive Producers) is a collaborative center for documentary media makers who seek to foster a more engaged and empowered society. With a noted tradition of nurturing emerging talent and acting as a leading voice for independent media, Kartemquin is building over 45 years of being Chicago’s documentary powerhouse. Kartemquin sparks democracy through documentary. Their films, such as The Interrupters, Hoop Dreams, and The New Americans, are among the most acclaimed documentaries of all time, leaving a lasting impact on millions of viewers. Kartemquin is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. kartemquin.com Justine Nagan (Executive Director) has led Kartemquin since 2008, guiding strategic vision and daily operations while serving as Executive Producer on new films. She also directed Typeface (2009), and was Associate Producer on the Peabody award-winner Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita (2008). Gordon Quinn (Artistic Director) is the co-founder of Kartemquin. He has been producing documentaries and mentoring filmmakers for five decades. A passionate advocate for independent media makers, he is a noted expert on issues of fair use, ethics and storytelling documentary. Leon Gast (Executive Producer) directed the Academy Award-winning documentary, When We Were Kings, about the Muhammad Ali–George Foreman ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ heavyweight title bout in Zaire, He has directed numerous other documentary films, including Our Latin Thing (1972) and Salsa (1977), both of which anticipated the huge influence Latin American music now has on American Culture. His latest documentary about photographer Ron Galella, Smash His Camera, premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Macbeth, and Somewhere in Time, premiering at Portland Center Stage summer 2013. In addition to serving as Executive Producer on The Trials of Muhammad Ali, she is an Executive Producer on Kertemquin Flims’ Life Itself, a documentary on film critic Roger Ebert, slated for an early 2014 release. Past film credits include Grace is Gone, The Promotion, Drunkboat, Ca$h, and The Merry Gentlemen. The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. This screening is supported in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Selected Shorts Continued from pg. 25

ACTORS Daniel Gerroll was born in London and studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He appeared in Once a Catholic in the West End in 1976. From there, he went on to star in numerous films, television shows, and live productions. His film credits include Chariots of Fire, Big Business, The Namesake, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and Still Alice. On Television, Gerroll has had recurring roles on Sisters, Cashmere Mafia, The Starter Wife, Ugly Betty, and Madoff. His theater work has earned him the Theatre World Award for The Slab Boys and Knuckle, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Translations, and the Village Voice’s Obie Award for

Sustained Excellence of Performance. His Broadway credits include Plenty, The Homecoming, Enchanted April, and High Society. André Holland (pictured on page 25) made his theatrical debut in Oliver at the Birmingham Musical Summerfest Theatre at age 11. He received his BFA from Florida State University’s School of Theatre and his MFA from New York University. His theater credits include Blue Door with Playwright’s Horizons, Wig Out! At the Vineyard Theatre, The Brother/Sister Plays at the Public Theatre, and The Whipping Man with The Manhattan Theatre Club, for which he received the Vivian Robinson/Audelco Award for Best Supporting Actor. In film, he has appeared in 42, Selma, Black or White, and the upcoming Moonlight. On television, he has had recurring roles on Friends with Benefits and 1600 Penn. He currently stars on the Cinemax drama The Knick. Patricia Kalember’s stage credits include The Nerd, Losing Louie, Y2k, Don’t Dress for Dinner, Sea of Tranquility, Loose Knit, and From Above. She received an Outer Critics Circle nomination for her role in the original cast of The Foreigner. On television, she had a recurring role on thirtysomething and starred in Sisters. Other television credits include Law & Order SVU, Power, Orange Is the New Black, Gossip Girl, Blue Bloods, Allegiance, Madame Secretary, Veep, The Good Wife, and the HBO miniseries Olive Kitteridge. Her numerous films include Jacob’s Ladder, Path to War, A Far Off Place, Signs, Rabbit Hole,

Kat White (Executive Producer) is a principal in KatLei Productions and has enjoyed a multifaceted career supporting both with film and dramatic arts, including current involvement in Broadway’s Kinky Boots and 2016 Spring Program 55

The Company Men, Limitless, Girl Most

Barbara Hamby “Dole Girl”

Tom Broadbent 1st Year - International Relations

WRITERS

Barbara Hamby is a Distinguished University Scholar at Florida State University, specializing in poetry and fiction. She is the author of numerous poetry collections, including The Alphabet of Desire, which won the 1998 New York University Prize for Poetry and was chosen by the New York Public Library as one of the best books of 1999; Babel, which won the Donald Hall Prize in Poetry; All-Night Lingo Tango; and most recently, On the Street of Divine Love. Her book of linked stories, Lester Higata’s 20th Century, received the 2010 Iowa Short Fiction Award/John Simmons Award. She coedited an anthology of poetry, Seriously Funny, with her husband, David Kirby. Hamby is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Kate Tufts Award, and numerous other honors. Her poems have been widely anthologized in The Best American Poetry.

Rob Cross 3rd Year - Classics

Likely, and Run All Night.

Robert Olen Butler “Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot” Robert Olen Butler is the author of numerous novels and short story collections, including The Alleys of Eden, Hell, A Small Hotel, Tabloid Dreams, Weegee Stories, and A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, which won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Butler has also published a volume of lectures on the creative process, From Where You Dream. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in fiction and a National Endowment for the Arts grant, he also won the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. He has twice won a National Magazine Award in Fiction and has received two Pushcart Prizes. His stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, Harper’s, The Atlantic Monthly, Zoetrope, The Paris Review, and Ploughshares, and have been chosen for inclusion in four annual editions of The Best American Short Stories, eight annual editions of New Stories from the South, and most recently, The New Granta Book of the American Short Story, edited by Richard Ford. Butler is a Francis Eppes Distinguished Professor, holding the Michael Shaara Chair in Creative Writing at Florida State University. Elizabeth Stuckey-French “Interview with a Moron” Elizabeth Stuckey-French teaches fiction writing at Florida State University. She is the author of the novels The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady and Mermaids on the Moon, and the short story collection The First Paper Girl in Red Oak, Iowa. Stuckey-French was the founding editor of Sycamore Review at Purdue University, and a James A. Michener Fellow at the Iowa Writers Workshop. In 2005, she was awarded the O. Henry Award for the story “Mudlavia.” Her stories have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, The Gettysburg Review, The Southern Review, Five Points, and Narrative. 56

Opening Nights Performing Arts

Semi-Toned Continued from pg. 27

“The charm in this group lies within the fact that they don’t take themselves too seriously, and that each member brings their own quirky style to every number. This individuality is a breath of fresh air from the traditional show choir set-up, as they relate to the audience as people, not just shiny, stagey, Glee cut-outs. ” — Natasha Granger, Edinburgh Fringe 2014

Members:

Tommy Hamer Musical Director 2nd Year - French and Spanish

Henry Edwards 1st Year - English and Drama Sam Harper 2nd Year - English and Drama Michael Luya 4th Year - Mathematics Duncan Payne 3rd Year - Biology Sylvan Rackham 2nd Year - Engineering Charlie Rockall 1st Year - Engineering Ashley Waters 3rd Year - History and Ancient History

Acabelles Program “Hey Mama” (originally performed by Nicki Minaj, arranged by Amanda Springer) “Valerie” (originally performed by Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson, arranged by Amanda Springer) “Stone Cold” (originally performed by Demi Lovato, arranged by Amanda Springer) “Hair” (originally performed by Little Mix, arranged by Amanda Springer)

Members of the Acabelles Emily Alcott Emily Bishop

Satchit Srikanth Business Manager 2nd Year - Law

Amelia Blanton

Jamie Blencowe Group Secretary 3rd Year - Archaeology

Judy Gaunt

Ted Bartram 2nd Year - English and Drama

Noelle Flynt

Amalie Meer Eden Olsen

Marah Oropeza

Katie Lang

Samantha Piccirilli

Michael Leyte-Vidal

Sofia Scattarregia Amanda Springer

Elizabeth Gilbert

Maddie Taylor

Continued from pg. 31

Natasha Voigt

Educated at New York University, Elizabeth Gilbert hails from an ascetic childhood in rural Connecticut. Fearless reporting skills and an abiding appreciation for workingclass values have colored her writing from the beginning. Meanwhile, a persistent longing to understand the world and her place in it have made her not merely a writer, but an explorer. Gilbert worked in a Philadelphia diner, on a western ranch, and in a New York City bar to scrape together the funds to travel: “to create experiences to

Lindsey Wilcox

All-Night Yahtzee Program Say/Say Love Arranged by Michael Arellano, Michael Leyte-Vidal, and Angel Coleman Soloists: Karly Villar and Jordan Bilbrew Chic Fil A Arranged by Dave Girtman Soloist: Michael Arellano

write about, gather landscapes and voices.” Her efforts weren’t wasted: Gilbert’s writing was published in Harper’s Bazaar, Spin, and The New York Times Magazine. Her work in Spin caught the attention of editors at GQ, and she became a stalwart at that publication, producing vivid, provocative pieces that soon grew into books and even a film: 2000’s Coyote Ugly. Gilbert was a Finalist for the National Magazine Award, and her work was anthologized in Best American Writing 2001. Gilbert’s first book, a wide-ranging collection of short fiction called Pilgrims (1998), was a New York Times Most Notable Book and won the Ploughshares prize, among many other honors. Her first novel, Stern Men (2000), won the Kate Chopin Award in 2001. Her third book, The Last American Man (2002), which compellingly explores

Levels Arranged by Michael Arellano and Joseph Hennessy Soloist: Katie Lang

Members of All-Night Yahtzee Michael Arellano Victoria Hurley Kadi Helms Karly Villar Jordan Bilbrew Kelly Post Angel Coleman Daniel Cardenas Molly Cloonan Valeria Rigobon Michael Mattox Santiago Arbelaez Joseph Hennessy Jasmine Richardson

Photo by Timothy Greenfield Sanders 2016 Spring Program 57

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America’s long-standing intrigue with the pioneer lifestyle, was a Finalist for the National Book Award. For Gilbert, who built her journalism career writing for men’s magazines and creating powerful portraits of epic, unusual men, it is more than a little ironic to be dismissed by some critics as a writer of “chick lit.” “I think my gift, far beyond whatever gifts that I have as a writer, my gift as a human is that I can make friends with people very quickly,” she told interviewer Frank Bures at Powell’s Books in Portland, Oregon. “Everything I learned about being a journalist I learned by being a bartender. The most exquisite lesson of all is that people will tell you anything. Want to. There’s no question you can’t ask if your intention is not hostile. And it’s not like entrapment; it’s more like a gorgeous revelation. People want to tell the story that they have.” With Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert attracted an adoring international audience. The courage and humor that mark Eat, Pray, Love make it the kind of book that people keep on their nightstands for years, pages flagged, passages highlighted, margins filled with the reader’s own thoughts and revelations. In 2010, Eat, Pray, Love was made into a feature film starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem—an experience Gilbert has called “surreal,” “amazing” and “touching.” The 10-year anniversary anthology Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It is due out March 29, 2016 and was curated from nearly 2,000 submissions. In 2010, Gilbert published Committed: A Love Story, the breathlessly anticipated follow-up to Eat, Pray, Love. Committed tells the story of Gilbert’s unexpected plunge into second marriage—this time to Felipe, the man with whom she falls in love at the end of Eat, Pray, Love. Part memoir, part meditation on marriage as a sociohistorical institution, Committed is rich with Gilbert’s trademark humor, sparkling prose, and warm, intimate voice—and she is quite grateful to be forever liberated from the pressure to write the follow-up to Eat, Pray, Love.

Named as one of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times, O Magazine, NPR, and TIME, Gilbert’s novel The Signature of All Things is a sweeping story of botany, exploration and desire, spanning across much of the 19th century. The author’s first novel in over a decade, it was described by O Magazine as “the novel of a lifetime” and praised by The Washington Post as “that rare literary achievement: a big, panoramic novel about life and love that captures the idiom and tenor if its age.” It is being produced as a miniseries by PBS’s Masterpiece. Ten years ago, Gilbert captivated the world with her powerful and transformative memoir Eat, Pray, Love, encouraging millions of readers to make changes, large and small, in their own lives. In the ensuing decade, people worldwide have sought further advice from Gilbert on how to lead a bold and inspired life and she has dedicated herself to exploring the mysteries of creativity and courage. Out of this period of investigation Gilbert has written a brilliant nonfiction treatise on creativity: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. Gilbert makes her home in a Victorian house in New Jersey, where she writes and owns an import store, Two Buttons, with her husband.

Selected Writings • Big Magic (Riverhead, 2015) • The Signature of All Things (Viking, 2013)

• Committed (Viking, 2010) • Eat, Pray, Love (Viking, 2006) • The Last American Man (Viking, 2002) • Stern Men (Houghton Mifflin, 2000) • Pilgrims (Houghton Mifflin, 1997)

Awards 2015 Publishers Weekly, Best of 2015, Big Magic 2014 Shortlist, Welcome Book Prize, Signature of All Things

2006 New York Times Notable Book of the Year, Eat, Pray, Love 2002 Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award, The Last American Man 2002 Finalist, National Book Award, The Last American Man 2002 Library Journal Best Books of the Year, The Last American Man 1998 Pushcart Prize, Pilgrims 1998 Best First Fiction Award, Paris Review, The Southern Review & Ploughshares, Pilgrims

The Illusionists Continued from pg. 33

Yu Ho-Jin, The Manipulator Through elegant manipulation and mystery, the artistic Yu Ho-Jin, The Manipulator has the ability to turn anyone into a loyal fan, whether children and parents or his colleagues — the world’s finest magicians. Yu was recently named Magician of the Year (2014) by the Academy of Magical Arts (AMA). At the age of nine, the South Korean Yu developed an interest in magic after seeing his first stage card manipulation act. He would eventually turn his conservative parents, who originally opposed his magic, into his biggest fans. Often referred to as “The Future of Magic,” Yu would go on to win numerous magic competitions with his emotional performances. At age 19, he took first prize in the manipulation category and was the Grand Prix Winner in stage magic at Federation Internationale des Societes Magiques (FISM) World Championships of Magic (2012), a competition that is considered the Olympic games for magicians. The Deceptionist, James More British-born James More is quickly becoming one of the most successful young illusionists working today. He burst into an unsuspecting world following an amazing run of 2016 Spring Program 59

performances on Britain’s Got Talent. His first appearance has now been viewed by nearly twenty-eight million people on YouTube. His modern approach to magic, involving fast-paced, high-risk illusions, combined with his good looks and charisma, have been witnessed by millions of people around the world. James has appeared extensively on international television, including ITV’s primetime entertainment extravaganza Fool Us, where he performed for Penn & Teller and Jonathan Ross.

He has not only performed live on international TV, but also with several variety shows in such places as Bogota, Colombia, Dortmund, Germany, and at Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans, USA.

James is extremely proud to be appearing in The Illusionists Live On Broadway and comes directly from a sell-out Arena Tour in the UK with Diversity’s “Limitless” Show, where he became the first illusionist to ever appear at the 15,000 seat 02 Arena in London.

The Escapologist, Andrew Basso Andrew Basso is Italy’s star escape artist. He considers Houdini his hero and is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular illusionists. Born in 1985 in Trento, Italy, Basso has always had an interest in anything related to arts and performance. But at the age of 12, his fortuitous encounter with a professional magician began his transition from doing simple tricks for friends to learning the real secrets of magic.

Unlike the magic you’ll often see on TV, James prides himself on being the guy that can actually “do it live.” There are no camera tricks or special edits - what you see is what you get! He takes the art of illusion to new heights with a performance that promises to keep you on the edge of your seat. The Weapon Master, Ben Blaque Ben Blaque established himself as America’s foremost master of the crossbow after appearing 4 times on America’s Got Talent. His “Danger Act” was one of the Judges’ Favorites in the Vegas round, he made it to the Quarterfinals, and then even got brought back by Howard Stern for the “Wild Card Show.” Ben performs incredibly dangerous acts of dexterity using highly powerful crossbows to shoot various objects supported by his assistant. His acts are as thrilling and action-packed as they are entertaining and will leave every audience member on the edge of their seat. Originally from Springfield, Missouri, Ben developed his amazingly skilled crossbow performance while working as a crew member at the world-renowned Kirby Van Burch Show in Branson, Missouri. Kirby gave Ben his shot by allowing him to perform as a featured variety act and Ben’s crossbow act very soon became an audience favorite. 60

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Ben continuously strives to create new and exciting extreme crossbow stunts in order to provide his audiences with the best entertainment experience they have ever had. benblaque.net | @BenBlaque

A high-tech magic extravaganza. – The New York Times In July 2003, he performed his first underwater escape before a live audience of 2000 spectators. The event’s producer, Dennis Forti, took notice and would become his manager. At 18, he could barely speak English but debuted in Las Vegas at the World Magic Seminar, the area’s most important gathering of the world’s greatest illusionists. Lance Burton, Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger named Basso one of the best teenager illusionists, giving him his chance to study at the prestigious Mystery School. Basso was the first Italian and the youngest in history to be named “Escape Champion” at the 2005 World Convention on Escapology. He performs in more than 150 live shows every year, and stars in “Street Magic” a show where he puts his abilities to the test

on the road, improvising with the public and sharing his incredible magic, breathtaking illusions and miraculous escapes. The Anti-Conjuror, Dan Sperry Dan Sperry is described as Marilyn Manson meets David Copperfield. He combines the art of magic with the macabre and is one of the top-10 most Googled people, thanks to a legendary America’s Got Talent appearance. Born in 1985, the Minnesota native, now living in New York City, headlined Fright Dome (2010), a popular Las Vegas Halloween attraction. He also headlines his own award-winning off-broadway production, “Magic Show,” where guests experience the unimaginable; Sperry uses razor blades, buzz saws, and broken glass to create a whimsically entertaining non-stop roller coaster ride of pure mayhem. Sperry defines himself as an Anti-Conjuror, a conjuror or “magician” that goes against the common trend in magic. He uses magic in creating a sense of wonder and amazement by placing the audience in situations filled with suspense and anticipation. His goal is to take audiences out of their comfort zone. After several years touring throughout Canada, Greece, Italy and numerous other destinations, Sperry appeared on season five of NBC’s America’s Got Talent in early 2010. He shocked audiences, captivated voters, and sent judges running into the stands when he made a lifesaver appear out of his throat. Jeff Hobson, The Trickster Jeff Hobson is the epitome of glamour and showmanship. He parlayed an audition at the famed comedy club Catch a Rising Star (at Bally’s Casino) into numerous return, headlining engagements. Don’t be fooled by his innocent appearance; Jeff has audiences laughing long after the curtain goes down. Because of his refreshing and clever mix of comedy and magic, he is one of today’s most in-demand magicians. The Academy of Magical Arts (aka The Magic Castle in Hollywood, California) awarded Hobson with Stage Magician of the Year and he received the Best Comedy Magic award from the International Magic Awards Asso-

ciation. The World Magic Awards acknowledged his role as star and producer with Best Magic Review for the critically acclaimed Carnival of Wonders show. In 1993, Hobson joined the cast of Spellbound at

Harrah’s Casino for over four years. He went on to produce and star in the critically acclaimed magic production Carnival of Wonders. He then went back home to become the “Host of Las Vegas” and since has starred in his own, one-man show, Money and Mad-

Kevin’s performance blends comedy and magic and he has performed on television in 25 countries, including the United States, where he has performed on all of the major television networks and many cable channels. In 2003, Kevin was named “Parlour Magician of the Year” by the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California and in 2005 was named “Most Original” by the International Magicians Society.

ness. Hobson is regularly the Master of Ceremonies for countless special events and

production shows including the World’s Greatest Magic Show and V-The Ultimate Variety Show. Kevin James, The Inventor Kevin James is an inventor, comedian, and collector of the strange and unusual and is known for his innovative illusions. At a very early age, Kevin decided performing magic would be his life’s calling. Born in France in April 1962, the award-winning magician is also a prolific magical inventor. He has created many unique magic effects used in shows of other famous magicians including Doug Henning and Mark Wilson. His “Floating Rose” trick is performed by David Copperfield.

Ghost Town to Havana Continued from pg. 35

Eugene Corr (Producer/Director) has broad experience in both fiction and non-fiction filmmaking. He wrote and co-directed the documentary Waldo Salt: A Screenwriter’s Journey, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award in 1991. He also wrote and directed the dramatic feature film Desert Bloom (Jon Voight, AnnaBeth Gish) in 1986 (Selection Officelle, Cannes Film Festival). In addition, Corr has worked as a second unit director on major motion pictures,

written or co-written dramatic features, and written for TV. He has directed episodic television, including such shows as: Crime Story, Miami Vice, Shannon’s Deal, I’ll Fly Away, and Arli$$. He also directed television commercials for Chelsea Pictures, NYC and co-wrote the documentary Butte, America for Pamela Robert’s Rattlesnake Productions with Edwin Dobb. Roberto “Chile” Perez (Director of Photography/Co-Producer/Cuban Co-Director) Widely regarded as one of Cuba’s finest cinematographers, Chile’s images have traveled the world. He has worked as Director of Photography on hundreds of documentaries including productions for ABC, CBS, NBC, Discovery Channel and the Halogroup in the United States, NHK and TV Asahi of Japan, Canal Arte of France, and O Globo y Manchete of Brazil. Chile creates frames of great depth and stunning visual beauty, perfect to capture the raucous, sensuous, color-saturated vitality of Cuba. Among his important documentaries are: When I think of Che, Lennon in Havana, Cuban Art Series, and the documentary series Spiked Wings. He has received dozens of awards in national and international competitions.

2016 Spring Program 61

... street level story of mentorship and everyday heroism in tough circumstances. Robert Deutsch, Former Cisco Executive, long-time baseball fan, member on the board of TechSoup Global, and numerous other nonprofits. Supporter of the Oakland Royals and inner-city baseball. Ruth Shapiro works in and is an advocate for the arts. Her films have screened at Sundance, on PBS, and network TV. She is vice-president of Citizens Reach Out, a Bay Area non-profit.

the heart of their stories. Her most recent award-winning documentary, Soft Vengeance: Albie Sachs and the New South Africa, won a prestigious Peabody Award. The film has screened at film festivals around the world, winning two audience awards for Best International Documentary and the Grand Prize Humanitarian Award from the Accolade Film Awards. She was the Consulting Producer on The Barber of Birmingham, which premiered at Sundance, was nominated for an Oscar® in the Short Doc category in 2012 and aired on POV.

Felix Braendel

Cinematographers

Executive Producers

Consulting Producer Abby Ginzberg has been producing award-winning documentaries about race and social justice for the past 30 years. Her films have illuminated the lives of people whose steadfast commitment to justice is at

Ashley James is co-founder of Searchlight Films and a member of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. His Director of Photography credits include Blacks & Jews, Street Soldiers, Crumb, The Color Of Honor, Booker, and Ancestors In America. Ashley James’ work has covered historical, racial, artistic, reli-

gious, and cultural topics for cable television and national broadcast, for which he has been awarded numerous grants and awards. A former ballplayer, Mr. James has deep roots in the Oakland community, where he is currently the station manager of KTOP/Channel 10 in Oakland, CA. He continues working as Director of Photography on film projects around the world. Monica Lam’s current work as a producer includes The Bonesetter’s Daughter: The Mak-

ing of an Opera. She has produced international reports for the PBS series FRONT-

LINE/World, including Paraguay: Sounds of

Hope about a social entrepreneur’s effort to transform Paraguay through music and China: Silenced about Muslim Uighurs living in

Xinjiang, China. Her most recent story for FRONTLINE/World, A Message from the

Sea, took her to the Faroe Islands to examine how new research on mercury contamina-

tion is affecting the centuries-old whale 2016 Spring Program 63

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35 YEARS OF PASSION FOR THE STAGE PRODUCTION SUPPORT GROUP, INC. 850.562.1070 P R OD UCT I O N S U P P O R TG R O U P . C O M

hunting tradition. Lam also co-produced and shot a news magazine piece about the American right-to-life movement and fertility technologies for Swiss National Television.

PBS, 2007. Gary edited two documentaries that were nominated for Academy Awards: Memorial, 1989 and Superchief: The Life and Legacy of Earl Warren, 1991.

Steve Burns was Director of Photography for the Showtime movie Manhood and the independent feature films Berkeley, Scheme C6, and Attitude. He co-produced and was production designer for Heat and Sunlight, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. He art-directed the feature films Signal 7, On the Edge, the American portion of Until The End Of The World, and the NBC TV Movie of the Week The Long Road Home. Mr. Burns also produced and shot additional photography for Stones and Paper, a documentary about the sculptor Isamu Noguchi, for the PBS series American Masters.

Matthew Baldwin Starting his career as a graphic designer, Mr. Baldwin has edited work as varied as short animations, commercial productions, and documentaries for clients as diverse as the International Federation of the Red Cross, Google, Cisco, and BART.

Emiko Omori, who was also an Editor on Ghost Town to Havana – began her career as a cinematographer in 1968. She has freelanced as a cinematographer on many award-winning documentaries. In 1991, she wrote and directed the highly acclaimed drama Hot Summer Winds, a co-production of American Playhouse and KCET. In 1999, her documentary/memoir Rabbit in the Moon, about her family’s confinement in a World War II American concentration camp, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, was broadcast on POV, and won a National Emmy and other awards. With Wendy Slick, she co-produced and directed Passion and Power: The Technology of Orgasm, which premiered at Lincoln Center in New York. Additional Cinematography: Liza Corr

Editors Gary Weimberg has spent the last three decades making award-winning documentaries as a producer, editor, writer, and cameraman and making films for ABC, PBS, HBO, Fox, the WB Channel, and others. He has won many national and international awards including two national Emmy Awards (Earth and the American Dream, HBO, 1992 and Loyalty and Betrayal: A History of the American Mob, Fox, 1994) and a nomination for a third Emmy for Soldiers of Conscience,

Additional Editing

John Nutt (Post Production Supervisor) has been editing film for 35 years. He received a British Academy Award for his sound work on Amadeus, which also received an Academy Award for Best Sound. He was a Sound Editor on Apocalypse Now and The Black Stallion, both of which received Academy Awards in Sound. Jennifer Chinlund has edited many award-winning documentaries, including films shown on PBS’s POV series: The Self Made Man, Discovering Dominga, Baby It’s You, and Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter, which won an Emmy and was nominated for an Academy Award. Other broadcast credits include Secrets of Silicon Valley and Beyond the Call, both on Independent Lens, Coming to Light: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indian, for American Masters, Ishi, the Last Yahi, American Experience and Children of the Amazon and Atomic Mom. A consummate filmmaker and collaborator, her innate sensibilities and talents as a storyteller, combined with her understanding of character and skills in deciphering complex historical subject matter, make her an editor in demand. Her films have been shown at numerous film festivals including the Sundance, New York, Berlin, San Francisco, American, and Tribeca festivals.

Featuring

Coach Roscoe Bryant has mentored youth in inner city Oakland for over 20 years. He has been a volunteer youth baseball coach, often working 20 or more hours a week on an entirely volunteer basis. After a neighborhood boy was murdered in front of his house,

Mr. Bryant and his then-wife, Lehi, co-founded the Oakland Royals Baseball team in 2005. The idea was to give kids in his violent neighborhood, Ghost Town, something positive to do. Today, there are five Oakland Royals Teams for youth ages 7-15. Coach Bryant’s current passion is taking the Royals’ positive message of teamwork, peace, and achievement to inner city communities across the state of California. Mr. Bryant is the proud father of three children: Ralannah Cheyenne Bryant (cosmetology/makeup artist), Roscoe Bryant III (San Jose State University junior), and Reuel Bryant (UC Irvine sophomore). Coach Nicolás Reyes is a coach of young baseball players, aged 5 to 10 years, in Centro Habana, Cuba. He is a youthful 61 years, a coach for 38 years. Nicolás is a legend in Centro Habana and a celebrity on its streets and on rocky fields of dreams. He says, “I love to work with kids who don’t even know how to hold a bat. If I was born again, I’d like to come back as what I am now, a coach of young players.” Nicolas played shortstop for the powerhouse Habana Industrialies, the equivalent of Major League baseball in Cuba. As a player, he was known as “the small pelotero with the huge heart.” Happily married for 38 years, he is the proud father of four children and grandfather of four grandchildren.

Project Advisor/California Humanities Scholar

Michael Messner is professor of sociology and gender studies at the University of Southern California. After receiving his B.A. and M.A. from C.S.U. Chico, Messner earned his Ph.D. in Sociology at U.C. Berkeley. His teaching and research focuses on gender and sports, men and masculinities, and gender-based violence. He is the author of several books, including It’s All For the Kids: Gender, Families and Youth Sports (California, 2009) and Messner’s new book, co-authored with Max Greenberg and Tal Peretz: Some Men: Feminist Allies and the Movement to End Violence Against Women (Oxford University Press, 2015). His honors include the Pursuit of Justice Award from the California Women’s Law Center, the 2016 Spring Program 65

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AVAILABLE FOR MOST PERFORMANCES STUDENT RUSH TICKETS MAY BE PURCHASED ONLINE, OVER THE PHONE, AT THE FINE ARTS TICKET OFFICE, OR AT THE EVENT VENUE (NOTE: EVENT VENUE TICKET OFFICES OPEN ONE HOUR BEFORE EVENTS). LIMIT 2 RUSH TICKETS PER STUDENT ID.

Feminist Mentoring Award from the Sociologists for Women in Society, and the Jessie Bernard Award, presented by the American Sociological Association in recognition of contributions to the understanding of women’s lives.

the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards, ran for more than 1,100 performances on Broadway with acclaimed international productions from London and Melbourne to Japan and South Korea.

The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. This screening is supported in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Once features the Academy Award-winning music and lyrics of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, a book by award-winning Irish playwright & screenwriter, Enda Walsh (Penelope, Hunger, The New Electric Ballroom), direction by the acclaimed Scottish director of Black Watch, John Tiffany, movement by Steven Hoggett (Black Watch, American Idiot) and music supervision and orchestrations by Martin Lowe (Mamma Mia!). The set and costume design are by five time Tony Award winner Bob Crowley (The Coast of Utopia, Mary Poppins), lighting design is by Tony winner Natasha Katz (Aida, The Coast of Utopia), and sound design is by Clive Goodwin. Once is the celebrated new musical based on the Academy Award-winning film. It tells the story of an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful

Once Continued from pg. 37

The cast will feature Sam Cieri as “Guy” and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy as “Girl,” along with Patricia Bartlett, Jenn Chandler, Barry DeBois, Nyssa Duchow, Liam Fennecken, Lynn Flickinger, Marlene Ginader, Isaac Haas, John Hays, Julia Hoffmann, Angel Lin, Tom McGovern, Bristol Pomeroy, Adam Huel Potter, Theodora Silverman, Dan Tracy, Grant Alan Watkins, and Luke Wygodny. Once, which was also named Best Musical by 66

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week, their unexpected friendship and collaboration evolves into a powerful but complicated romance, heightened by the raw emotion of the songs they create together. Brought to the stage by an award-winning team of visionary artists and featuring an ensemble cast of gifted actor/musicians, Once is

a musical celebration of life and love: thrilling in its originality, daring in its honesty... and unforgettable in every way. The 2007 Academy Award-winning film Once was written and directed by John Carney and starred Glen Hansard and Markéta

Irglová with original music and lyrics by Mr. Hansard and Ms. Irglová. The Oscarwinning independent Irish film Once was

made for $150,000. Shot in 17 days, it went on to gross $20M worldwide, becoming a critically acclaimed and international smash hit. Glen and Markéta won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly,” the Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Music, and the soundtrack was nominated for two Grammy Awards. oncemusical.com

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