Woodruff Arts Center receives $38 million grant

The Woodruff Arts Center has received a $38 million grant from the Woodruff Foundation, the largest in the 46-year history of the center.

The largest portion of the grant is $25 million in endowment matching funds to support artistic and educational programming, including funds to match gifts for musician positions with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Other endowment funding will support the High Museum of Art, the Alliance Theatre and the Arts Center.

The gift also provides support for a major renovation of the Alliance Theatre’s main performance and production support areas, the first major renovation in the theater’s history. The improvements in the Alliance spaces are phase one of a long-term plan to improve the public and performance spaces of the Memorial Arts Building.

“We are so grateful to the Woodruff Foundation Trustees for this incredibly important investment to strengthen the Arts Center,” said Virginia Hepner, president and chief executive officer of The Woodruff Arts Center.

“The Foundation’s generosity has been instrumental to our success for nearly 50 years, and this added support will help all of our arts partners continue to adapt and thrive for decades to come for the benefit of our community.”

For the convenience of our patients, we have a new o ce location at Northside Hospital Campus. Appointments being accepted now! Call to schedule for either o ce today: 404-352-2850

Visual Arts

New Takes: Peter Bahouth and Matthew Gamber explore charming, new and rewired methods of making a picture in this Hagedorn Foundation Gallery exhibit. Closes January 10. Free. hagedornfoundationgallery.org

Outside the Box: Encourage kids to go “outside the box” at Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s exhibit inspired by the potential of cardboard boxes. Closes January 25. $12.75. childrensmuseumatlanta.org

GYRE: The Plastic Ocean: The David J. Sencer CDC Museum looks at the relationship between humans and the ocean in a contemporary culture of consumption in this unique art and science exhibition. Opens January 26. Free. cdc.gov/museum

American Sabor: Latinos in Popular U.S. Music: The Atlanta History Center explores how Latin music genres have profoundly influenced American popular music, from the 1940s to the present. Daily. $11 to $16.50. atlantahistorycenter.com

The Art of Diplomacy – Winston Churchill and the Pursuit of Painting: In honor of the 50th anniversary of Sir

Newsies

Shen Yun

light on the little-known practice of leasing African-American convicts to private individuals and corporations. Daily. $8.50 to $13. atlantahistorycener.com/mmh

Where the Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak in His Own Words and Pictures: This acclaimed children’s exhibition at The Breman Museum is an engaging multi-media exhibition featuring the famed “chicken soup” slide, a dress up area, and activity stations where children can let out their inner Wild Things. Sunday through Friday. $6 to 12. thebreman.org

Performing Arts

The Merry Wives of Windsor: The lecherous Sir John Falstaff sets his sights on the wives of Windsor, setting off an evening of side-splitting mischief and schemes. Opens January 1. $15 to $39. shakespearetavern.com

Winston Churchill’s death, The Millennium Gate Museum brings together more than 30 of Churchill’s paintings, photographs, letters, films and personal belongings. Daily. $10 to $12. Churchill-atlanta.com

Gordon Parks: Segregation Story: The High Museum of Art presents more than 40 rarely seen color prints by trailblazing

African-American artist and filmmaker Gordon Parks. Tuesday through Sunday. $10 to $19.50. high.org

Slavery by Another Name: Paintings and Assemblages by Robert Claiborne Morris: The Margaret Mitchell House presents a mixed-media art exhibit inspired by the Pulitzer-Prize winning book that shed

Shen Yun Performing Arts: With classical Chinese dance, a live orchestra, dazzling costumes and animated backdrops, Shen Yun transports audience members to another world. January 2 through 4. $67.45 to $221.70. cobbenergycentre.com

Asher Fisch Conducts Liszt And Strauss; Daniil Trifonov Makes ASO Debut: The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs works by Franz Liszt (who was the ultimate “rock star” of his day), Rachmaninov’s last piece for orchestra and piano, as well as Strauss’ symphonic nod to heroism. January 8 and 10. $24 to $99. atlantasymphony.org

The Stinky Cheese Man: Based on the wildly popular children’s book, Jack (of Beanstalk fame) guides the audience through this hilarious collection of fairy tale parodies. Closes January 11. $16.50. puppet.org

Conductor Marin Alsop Returns to the ASO: The first female conductor of a major U.S. orchestra leads the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in a concert featuring works by Barber and Tchaikovsky’s final symphony. January 15 and 17. $24 to $99. atlantasymphony.org

Rain Pryor: Fried Chicken & Latkes: Rain Pryor shares her experience growing up the daughter of famed comic Richard Pryor and Shelley R. Bonis, a Jewish go-go dancer, in this one-woman show featuring a live jazz band. January 15 through 17. truecolorstheatre.org

Private Lives: A comedy of manners and marriage, this show at Stage Door Players follows two ex-lovers who find themselves both honeymooning with their new spouses at the same hotel. Opens January 16. $15 to $30. stagedoorplayers. net

Newsies: Direct from Broadway to the Fox Theatre, this smash-hit Disney musical is a high-energy show of song and dance based on the true story of New York’s paper boy strike in 1899. January 20 through 25. $25 to $95. broadwayinatlanta.com

Bad Jews: This savagely funny battle royale over a cherished family artifact returns to Atlanta after a critically acclaimed run in New York City. Opens January 21. $20 to $32. actors-express.com

Tuck Everlasting: A young girl dreaming of adventure meets a family with a fascinating secret, and their chance encounter will change them all forever in this Alliance Theatre production. January 21 through 31. $21 to $60. alliancetheatre. org

Keep on Singing: Atlanta Women’s Chorus begins its second season with a concert of personal stories interwoven with music that honors heroines. January 23 and 24. voicesofnote.org/awc

Marin Alsop

A Weekend with Scott Adsit: “30 Rock” and Second City alum Scott Adsit joins Dad’s Garage for two nights of improve jams. January 23 and 24. $21 to $28. dadsgarage.com

Bad Jews

Atlanta Community Choral Festival: Atlanta Master Chorale hosts this annual concert at Emory’s Schwartz Center featuring the special guests Chattanooga Boys Choir and two additional choirs from metro Atlanta. January 24. Free! atlantamasterchorale.rog

Wendy Whelan: Restless Creature: After retiring from the New York City Ballet this fall after 25 years, Wendy Whelan presents this new show of duets with upand-coming choreographers. January 27. $48 to $76. rialtocenter.org

Arlo Guthrie: For the first time in a decade, folk icon Arlo Guthrie brings to the stage the entire blues song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” in honor of its 40th anniversary. January 31. $39 to $49. ferstcenter.gatech.edu

Connor Christian & Southern Gothic: This unconventional contemporary country band has opened for everyone from Tim McGraw to ZZ Top and traveled globally. Also featuring Davin McCoy and The Deadfields. January 31. $15 to $18. thebuckheadtheatre.com

Urban Bush Women: Since 1984, these women have used movement as a movement, their art confronting social issues and imploring civic action. January 31. $40 to $66. rialtocenter.org