Theatre ,
A wonderful wiz, there was
Theatre in the Park closed its 40th anniversary season last weekend with a Kansas legend: The Wizard of Oz. Having seen multiple versions of this musical over the years, Theatre in the Park outshone them all. Whether it was due to the ingenious costumes, the versatile sets or the passion of the amateur performers, this was one well-conceived and expertly directed production.
The casting was inspired. Molliann McCulley (Dorothy) was in her element as the petulant and perky young heroine. With her very own dog, aptly named Toto, in her arms throughout the entire performance she danced her way down the yellow brick road and into the hearts of the viewers.
Other standouts included Jaime Scherrer who played Glinda, the Good Witch of the North and Aunt Em. She made both roles completely believable with her native Kansas and Oz accents and beautiful singing. Wendy Godfrey, as the Wicked Witch of the West, gave a deliciously twisted portrayal of the vengeful antagonist and Don Leonard captured the misguided Wizard to a tee.
The handsome trio of the Scarecrow (Zak Smith), Tin Man (Peter Purin) and the Cowardly Lion (David Thompson) acted, sang and danced well and reminded this reviewer of a boy band when they took the stage in Act 1 as the farm hands. David Thompson was particularly entertaining with his excellent comedic timing. He injected some very humorous lines into the predictable story.
Deserving special recognition were the clever and multi-functional costumes, created by Libby Irving and her crew. The adorable munchkin children looked like multi-colored Seussian cupcakes with fondant hats. When they took the stage an audible "aw!" could be heard throughout the audience. Other highlights were the poppies which sat on stage as both set and chorus, a la Lion King. When the magic snow falls, they pulled the back of the skirting over their bright red flower faces to exhibit white mounds of snow. In addition, the transition from pre-tornado geometric black and white patterns to brilliant color in Oz was also well done.
Although the script was nearly identical to the movie, a few of the deleted scenes were replaced. Harold Arlen had written music for a dance sequence called the Jitterbugs which was like a 1930's tribute to that dance craze. It did extend the production, but it pumped up the energy in the Act 2. All of the verses were restored to the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion's introductions. Never having heard these before, I was enthralled. Some of the ladies of the chorus sang a clever Andrew's Sister's-esk number as trees in the Tin Man sequence, while a trio of jazzy crows tortured the poor Scarecrow. Even the Winkies, the Wicked Witch's slave guards, performed a zombie-inspired number. These additional scenes could have slowed the action considerably, but the leads kept the pace up and there was no lag time between scenes.
Singing the 1930's style harmony couldn't be easy, but the chorus was more than up to the task. It isn't a sound that had a lasting appeal but recreating that heavenly chorus gave the score an authentic edge. It was also lovely to hear the live pit orchestra conducted by Joell Ramsdell, since many other theatres are opting for canned substitutes.
Director Hank Koehn and his team deserve a special mention. The Wizard of Oz was well designed and expertly executed. Theatre in the Park deserves a big round of applause. In my opinion, this amateur production was easily the best musical I'd seen all summer.
REVIEW
The Wizard of Oz
Theatre in the Park
Saturday August 8, 2009
www.theatreinthepark.org
Photos by Aaron Linberg.
KC Events this week and beyond
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theSTEADY,
Giggin' on theSTEADY
Sons of Brasil
Thursday, August 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club
4536 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-6480 or online at www.jardines4jazz.com or www.stantonkessler.com
Mark Lowrey with Drums
Friday, August 14 at 10:30 p.m.
Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club
4536 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-6480 or online at www.jardines4jazz.com or www.marklowreymusic.com
Jeff Harshbarger
Saturday, August 15 at 10:00 p.m.
Record Bar
1020 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-753-5207 or online at www.therecordbar.com or www.jeffharshbarger.com
Barclay Martin Ensemble
Tuesday, August 18 at 6:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club
4536 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-6480 or online at www.jardines4jazz.com or www.barclaymartin.com
Improv-abilities
Tuesday, August 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Record Bar
1020 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-753-5207 or online at www.therecordbar.com or www.kcimprov.com
Alacartoona
Thursday, August 20 at 5:30 p.m.
Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club
4536 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-6480 or online at www.jardines4jazz.com or www.alacartoona.com
Rex Hobart and Friends
Tuesday, August 25 at 7:00 p.m.
Record Bar
1020 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-753-5207 or online at www.therecordbar.com or www.rexhobartandthemiseryboys.com
Megan Birdsall
Wednesday, August 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club
4536 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-6480 or online at www.jardines4jazz.com or www.meganbirdsall.com
Sons of Brasil
Thursday, August 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club
4536 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-6480 or online at www.jardines4jazz.com or www.stantonkessler.com
Snuff Jazz Late Show
Saturday, August 29 at 10:30 p.m.
Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club
4536 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-6480 or online at www.jardines4jazz.com
Jeff Harshbarger presents an
Alternative Jazz Series
Sunday, August 30 at 7:00 p.m.
Record Bar
1020 Westport Rd., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-753-5207 or online at www.therecordbar.com or www.jeffharshbarger.com
Film,
Coppola is at his best with "Tetro"
Written, directed and produced by legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, Tetro is a captivating, brilliantly acted, half-English/half-Spanish drama that contains a heightened sense of mystery and intrigue thanks to being filmed almost entirely in black and white.
Tetro begins innocently when 17-year-old Bennie (Alden Ehrenreich) arrives late one night in Buenos Aries at the apartment of his previously missing older brother, Tetro (Vincent Gallo). Brimming with nervous anticipation, Bennie is greeted by Tetro's cheerful girlfriend Miranda (Maribel Verdú, Y tu mamá también) who informs him that Tetro no longer cares about his family.
For the next few days, a determined Bennie attempts to get Tetro, who avoids referring to Bennie as his brother, to open up about their family and answer why he never came back for him as he had promised. Haunted by a fatal car accident and scarred by an egotistical, yet acclaimed symphony conductor father, the emotionally volatile Tetro slowly begins to grapple with their past.
Thanks in large part to Bennie uncovering an unfinished play written by Tetro, once an aspiring writer, old wounds are reopened and dark family secrets begin to rear their ugly heads. This all leads to a climax that's worth the wait.
Gallo is magnificent in a brooding performance which contains as much depth as any actor could ever muster. All one has to do is look into his eyes to see the tumultuous pain that courses through his character's troubled, guilt-ridden soul. Not to be outdone, Ehrenreich is equally brilliant with a performance that is reminiscent of a younger Leonardo DiCaprio: his Bennie loses the naiveté of youth in a way that no one ever should.
The shooting of feature-length, black and white films has become almost a lost art form. (Can you recall more than a couple titles since Schindler's List?) Coppola successfully reminds us just how powerfully dramatic the usage of light and shadow can be with this form of the medium, especially when the camera focuses on the eyes of the players. Overall, his work does tend to drag a bit, especially when he uses surreal imagery and dance movements in blasts of color as a means to depict the past. Still, with that quibble aside, Tetro is an engrossing film that demonstrates Coppola's mastery.
On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, Tetro receives a B+.
Tetro is rated R and has a running time of 127 minutes.
Now Showing
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO.
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for showtimes.
KCMetropolis.org to resume weekly publishing on August 19
KCMetropolis.org has been on a publishing hiatus since July 8 to implement some new features to the website. We will resume weekly publishing on Wednesday, August 19 in time to showcase the new 2009-10 performing arts season.
The KC Events community-wide calendar is now live and performances are being added daily. We hope to make this calendar one of the most comprehensive and all-inclusive performing arts calendars in the KC metro area and link it to multiple locations for easy access. If you are an online media resource and are interested in linking to KC Events, please contact marcy@kcmetropolis.org for more details.
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Classical,
Summerfest IV - Cypresses
This reviewer wonders how many of the audience members at Summerfest's final concert series on August 1 and 2 had ever heard of Danish composer Knudage Riisager. Very few, probably, including this writer. So we are all indebted to Summerfest for bringing us, at the culmination of its 2009 season, a fascinating and sprightly work by a little known composer which simultaneously served as a delightful end to the season and a reminder of the kind of thanks our community's cultural life owes to Summerfest's unique programming.
Leading up to the Riisager piece were three rather more traditional chamber pieces, one a selection by Baroque composer Attilio Ariosti ("La Rosa" from The Flowering and Fading of Love), one by the giant Czech master Antonin Dvorak (selections from the string quartet setting of his song cycle Cypresses), and one from Franz Schubert (Der Hirt auf dem Felson, translated as The Shepherd on the Rock).
Soprano Rebecca Sherburne of the vocal faculty of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance was the "star," if that word is appropriate for chamber music, of the concert's first half. In the Ariosti piece she and the other instruments began tentatively, perhaps calibrating downward their volume and passion due to the restrained chords from the harpsichord, but by the fourth movement when the full five-piece ensemble got going, it was unbridled excitement all the way, with an exciting and vigorous ending. The instrumentalists in the piece included flutist Sharon Finney, violinist Mary Grant, cellist Mark Gibbs, and harpsichordist Rebecca Bell.
The richly romantic tones of the Dvorak string quartet offered a stark, and welcome, contrast to the restrained Baroque opening, with Gibbs' cello providing a rich and firm foundation for violinists Mary Grant and Doris Dai Janssen, along with violist Michael Kimber. Dvorak was not above an occasional dissonance, pleasingly resolved, and after a number of beautiful floating melodies played by the various instruments, the number ended on a soft note.
Not so the Schubert, which called for coloratura from the soprano as well as the other instruments of the trio. In this one, clarinetist Jane Carl and pianist Melissa Rose joined Sherburn in a score filled with running scales, high-flying melodies, vigorous playing and a spectacular ending, with Sherburn tossing high notes to the rafters. It was great stuff, as testified by the audience's warm applause.
The real highlight of the concert, though, was the four-movement Divertimento for String Quartet and Woodwind Quintet by Riisager. For the summer's final selection Summerfest brought out nine musicians. Violinists Grant and Janssen were joined by Kimber and Gibbs on the string side, and for the woodwind quartet Summerfest presented Finney, guest oboist Brian Greene, clarinetist Jane Carl, bassoonist Joshua Hood, and Kelly Cornell on the French horn.
Riisager's music is alternatively lyrical and sprightly, throwing in a share of dissonances and modern effects, but not without charm and often resolved. This listener detected the substantial influence of the French master Francis Poulenc. Almost every member of the group had at least a short solo or duet opportunity; a favorite was the opening comic bassoon solo in the third movement, reminding one of a croaking (but very melodious) frog. The composer displayed a gift of writing for a number of different instrumental combinations, and finished it all with a brilliant upbeat conclusion.
An easy piece it is not, and the musicians' ability just to hold it together with so many instrumentalists operating without a conductor was impressive in itself. Hopefully we will hear more of Riisager's music in future summers.
Thank you, Summerfest, for a series that brings us both the old and the new in chamber music.
REVIEW:
Summerfest IV
Cypresses
Saturday August 1 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, August 2 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
www.summerfestkc.org/
Theatre ,
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang soars into Starlight
For musical theater lovers, seeing a show at the Starlight Theatre in Swope Park is a summer tradition. The beautifully renovated theater boasts restaurants, dancing fountains and a fabulous gift shop. Cotton candy vendors hawk their wares before the curtain goes up creating a carnival atmosphere that fit the show perfectly. Tuesday night, July 28th, under a double rainbow, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang soared into town.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang landed on Broadway in 2005 although it had been a favorite children's movie since 1968. With the book written by Ian Fleming (that's right-the man who invented James Bond), screenplay by Roald Dahl (the esteemed children's writer and creator of Willy Wonka) and music by the Sherman brothers (remember Mary Poppins?) this is a show with a stellar lineage. Re-tooling the film for the stage would seem like an obvious move, but why did it take nearly 40 years?
Set in Europe around 1910, Inventor Professor Potts, his children Jemima, Jeremy and the senile Grandpa Potts live in a windmill barely making ends meet. Professor Potts saves a rusty old car from the junkyard and turns it into a magical machine capable of floating and flying. They meet a candy makers' daughter, Truly Scrumptious (a name only Ian Fleming could devise) who develops a fondness for the Professor. Vulgarian spys, played to comedic perfection by Dirk Lumbard and Scott Cote, report the car to the manipulative Baroness who covets it for her infantile husband's birthday present. The Baroness despises children and has had all of them kidnapped and eliminated from Vulgaria with the help of the uber-creepy child catcher (Oliver Wadworth). When Grandpa (Dick Decareau) is mistakenly kidnapped as the genius behind the amazing vehicle, the family must travel to Vulgaria to save him.
The sets creatively interconnected in an inventive way moving seamlessly from scene to scene. Creating a flying car is no small feat and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang soars. The special effects are dynamite and the orchestral score heightens the effect with a booming bass drum that makes the audience feel like they are watching fireworks on the fourth of July.
But it wasn't just the special effects and charming costumes that made this show so entertaining. The performances were spot on.
Professor Potts played by Steve Wilson, had the lanky frame and expression of Dick Van Dyke without the silly pratfalls and Kelly McCormick gave Truly just the right touch without being overly sweet.
The children played Tuesday night by Jeremy Lipton and Camille Mancuso, commanded the stage with enthusiasm and even the local children, portraying orphans in this production played with confidence. But stealing nearly every scene they ran across, were the adorably scruffy mutts provided by Wilson Dogs.
The scenes were true to the original but with the addition of the Baron's birthday spectacle which enlivened the second act. The red and black sets and costumes matched the Vulgarian uniform but the Spanish influenced samba surprise party was totally unexpected.
Elizabeth Ward Lane, the sickeningly sexy baroness, in her red and black teddy and nightgown , was a standout, and played off of Baron Bomburst (George Dvorsky) with a twisted maternal edge. Double entendres flew as freely as the magic car.
Hearing the music for the first time again in 30 years, this reviewer was instantly transported back to her childhood living room where she would wait for days to catch Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on TV. The nostalgia was particularly moving during the lullaby, Hushabye Mountain, when the little girl sitting behind me said, "I hope this song is done soon, I'm getting sleepy." It was Déjà vu.
Unfortunately, the Starlight performances of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang end the American tour. Hopefully, this is a show that will make its way through again very soon so more people can remember and enjoy this delightful story.
REVIEW
Starlight Theatre
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
July 28 - August 2, 2009 (Reviewed July 28)
For tickets to the rest of the 2009 Broadway Series
(816) 363-STAR (7827) or www.kcstarlight.org
Classical,
Summerfest III - Chrysanthemums
For the third concert of its garden-themed 2009 season, Summerfest performed no works by living composers, which it often does, but instead featured compositions by three 20th century masters, Giacomo Puccini, Endre Szervánszky and Edward Elgar.
The Puccini composition was a string quartet written early in his career to commemorate the death of a Duke of Savoy, supposedly named after the flowers often used to adorn caskets. Although this work predated most of his famous operas (and in fact is from the 19th century), many Puccini-isms are in evidence, including his soaring melodies, the poignancy of minor key writing, and the steady rhythmic cadence provided by the cello, whose repeated low notes brought to mind a bell like that which might have been tolling at the Duke's funeral.
Puccini never liked to waste a good melody, so operagoers familiar with his Manon Lescaut will observe that two of the musical themes used in this string quartet were later recycled into that work, most notably the poignant last scene of the opera where the heroine dies. Death, in fact, imbues this somber but expressive music, which the Summerfest quartet played with poignancy throughout.
Performing the piece were violinists Mary Grant and Anne-Marie Brown, longtime Summerfest violist Michael Kimber, and cellist Alexander East. All of the players, particularly East, drew impressive poignancy from the strings of their instruments.
The second composer of the evening, Endre Szervánszky, is a name not as well known to American audiences as his Hungarian predecessors Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. However, his all-wind Quintet No. 1 left nothing to be desired when compared to the works of his more famous countrymen.
The opening Adagio featured an up-and-down series of running notes reminiscent of ocean waves, tossed back and forth among the instruments. Various combinations of players took the melody from each other, and back again, until the movement ended with a horn fanfare which, in the hands of Ryan Gruber, virtually drowned out the rest of the ensemble, as the composer may have intended.
The Allegro which followed featured a fugue sandwiched around a slower B section in the middle. The high woodwinds, led by flutist Shannon Finney, oboist Melissa Peña and clarinetist Jane Carl, paced the movement.
A slow and moving Andante, featuring the clarinet, led to a lively Allegro vivace with the lower voices, primarily bassoonist Joshua Hood, providing a staccato background to soaring melodies in the soprano instruments. At times the syncopation was almost jazzy (the piece dates from 1953), and the quintet ended with an upbeat flourish.
As is always the case with chamber music, the interest for the listener lies in the interaction between the individual musicians and how or whether they blend their voices to a common cause. The Szervánszky was a showcase for the talents of the Summerfest players. The ease with which they combined their instrumental voices, then broke into vivid contrast, then joined in unison or parallel playing, showcased the composition to best advantage. This listener would be very happy to see more of this composer's music in future programs.
The second half of the Summerfest concert was devoted to the piano quintet by Edward Elgar, written during a stay in the English countryside during the height of World War I. According to some it may have been inspired by nearby trees, thus justifying its inclusion in this garden-themed Summerfest season. One cannot help but feel that the sadness of the war permeated the composer's mentality, however, because the essential mood was somber.
The first movement, an Allegro, was the brightest of the three sections, turning a cello melody into a march-like number and making the piano, ably played by Melissa Rose, almost a percussive instrument. The second movement gave the audience an opportunity to appreciate the melodic playing of violist Michael Kimber, whose instrument is rarely used for melody (no wonder violists like chamber music). The final section, marked Andante-Allegro, began with a four-note theme in a minor key, turning sprightly after switching to a major key, played in parallels and with great energy by violinists Anne-Marie Brown and Mary Grant with support from Kimber and East.
Particularly in this last section the Elgar reminds one of chamber music by other British composers, particularly Frank Bridge and George Butterworth.
The fourth and final program of Summerfest this season will feature more music with the garden theme, ranging from the Baroque (Attilio Ariosti) to the late Romantic (Antonin Dvořák). It should end this summer's sessions on a memorable note.
REVIEW:
Summerfest III
Chrysanthemums
Saturday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m. (Reviewd)
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
Summerfest IV
Cypresses
Saturday August 1 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, August 2 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestkc.org/
Theatre ,
The hills are alive
In 1959, Rogers and Hammerstein opened The Sound of Music on Broadway. 50 years, six Tonys and five Academy Awards later the musical still strikes a chord within us (pun intended). This particular production was presented by the New Theatre Restaurant and directed by Richard Carrothers.
The show is set in Austria in the late 1930s, just before Nazi Germany takes over the country. Maria Rainer is sent to widower Captain Von Trapp's home as a governess for his seven children. She teaches the children to sing, and finds herself falling in love with the captain, despite her intention to become a nun. Based on a true story, the Von Trapp family must escape Austria before Captain Von Trapp is forced to join the Navy of the Third Reich.
Ron Bohmer and Leigh Ann Larkin costar as Von Trapp and Maria. Both have credits that include Broadway and many national tours, and the New Theatre was very lucky to get them. They have beautiful voices and good chemistry. Some of the most interesting acting moments in the show were between these two.
Jim Korinke played Max Detweiler with flair and energy. Baroness Schraeder, Tausha Torrez was a sympathetic villain with clear motivation, everything is done to protect her own interests. Georga Osborne's Mother Abbess was refreshingly playful and has a gorgeous voice. Jeff Sears and Annie Simpson, Rolf and Liesl, are talented dancers with nice voices, but had little believable chemistry.
The children were predictably cute and talented without ever stealing the spotlight. The other cast members played their parts well enough, but seemed low on energy the evening I attended. Perhaps my criticism was ill placed, since I have no idea how one would play an energetic Nazi.
Richard J. Hinds choreography was sufficient. However, the dancers seemed talented enough to my eyes, and Hind should have made the steps more difficult and a little less cheesy, especially in "Sixteen Going on Seventeen".
As the curtain opened, I saw a gorgeously ornate set of archways and gold detailing, designed by Jason Coale. During the performance, different drops were used along with the arches to suggest an abbey (complete with stained glass), a large home, a hillside, a hallway of paintings, a bedroom and a garden. It was extremely versatile. My only complaint was that the hillside drop was brought in after the curtain rose, thus distracting from the title song.
Along with this awkward drop, there was a noise (perhaps to suggest wind on the hillside?) that sounded like the Millennium Falcon taking flight. Perhaps this colored my judgment for the rest of the evening, but sound levels just seemed a little off. There was an echoing door knock with some static attached, and the orchestra sounded more like a recording than live music. To be fair to award-winning sound designer Roger Stoddard, these were the only specific instances, so I can only assume everything else sounded just fine. The performers had microphones and sounded lovely. I was surprised that there were only four musicians in the pit. They did an agreeable job and perhaps sound mixing made them sound much larger.
Randy B. Winder's lighting was beautiful. The lighting storm in Maria's bedroom was very well done. The light quality always told what time of day it was. There was a hole toward the very front of stage right, but an actor only wandered into that spot once, so I'll assume it was by accident.
Costumes were fairly typical for this show, designed by Vincent Scassellati and coordinated by Mary Traylor. I liked the children's clothes made out of drapes and their festival costumes; but their marching uniforms seemed a bit wrinkled, which the real Captain Von Trapp would never have allowed. The Baroness' party dress stuck out as anachronistic, especially since all the other guests were dressed appropriately.
New Theatre is always an enjoyable evening out. The Sound of Music was visually stimulating and the songs were excellent - and the food was great.
REVIEW:
The Sound of Music
New Theatre Restaurant
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS 66212
Runs June 25- August 30, 2009 (Reviewed July 3, 2009)
For tickets call 913-649-SHOW or online at www.newtheatre.com
Local Arts News,
Rocco Landesman confirmed as tenth Chairman of the NEA
For Immediate Release
Native St. Louisian Rocco Landesman, nominated by President Barack Obama as the tenth chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, was confirmed today by the U.S. Senate. Upon his confirmation Mr. Landesman said:
"I am honored to receive the Senate's vote of confirmation. I look forward to serving the nation as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. I believe this is an auspicious time for the NEA and the country. Art is essential to the civic, economic, and cultural vitality of our nation. It reflects who we are and what we stand for -- freedom of expression, imagination, and vision. I am eager to work with our many partners to bring quality arts programs to neighborhoods and communities across the country."
Mr. Landesman follows Dana Gioia who left the chairmanship in January 2009. Patrice Walker Powell, the NEA's deputy chairman for state, regions, and local arts agencies has served as acting chairman in the interim. Mr. Landesman
Mr. Landesman was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He pursued his undergraduate education at Colby College and the University of Wisconsin, Madison and earned a doctorate in Dramatic Literature at the Yale School of Drama. At the completion of his course work, he stayed at the school for four years, working as an assistant professor.
Mr. Landesman's ensuing career has been a hybrid of commercial, philanthropic, and purely artistic engagements. For a full biography please click here.
Mr. Landesman will not be available immediately for media interviews. However, those interested in scheduling an interview in the coming weeks should send an email to comm@arts.gov.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest annual national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. Please visit the NEA website.
Local Arts News,
KC Arts Council awards $243,500 in stimulus funding grants
Kansas City Metro (July 30, 2009) - The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City announced today grant awards of $243,500 to 16 arts organizations to support the preservation of jobs threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support due to the current economic downturn. The Arts Council was one of 19 local arts agencies nationwide to receive funds for regranting for salary support from the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
"We are grateful for the opportunity to help these organizations continue to provide arts education services and other vital programs to the community despite the economic challenges facing us all," said Arts Council President and CEO Harlan Brownlee. "These funds will help to ensure access to the arts for all area residents at a time when we need the arts the most in addition to providing a boost for the local economy."
Including the grants announced by the Arts Council today, a total of 22 KC metro arts organizations have been awarded $386,450 in ARRA funds. The Arts Council grants are in addition to two grants directly from the NEA to the Kansas City Symphony and the Kansas City Repertory Theatre for $50,000 each. The Missouri Arts Council also has awarded ARRA funding to three local organizations: Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and Octarium, and the Kansas Arts Commission has funded the Kansas City Performing Music and Arts Association.
ARRA Grant Recipients from the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City
Accessible Arts - $10,000
American Jazz Museum - $20,000
Arts Incubator - $20,000
City in Motion Dance Theatre - $11,500
Coterie Theatre - $10,000
Heart of America Shakespeare Festival - $20,000
Kansas City Artists Coalition - $20,000
Kansas City Young Audiences - $15,000
Mattie Rhodes Center - $20,000
Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre - $15,000
Owen/Cox Dance Group - $12,000
Paul Mesner Puppets - $15,000
Theatre for Young Audiences - $10,000
Unicorn Theatre - $20,000
Wonderscope Children's Museum of Kansas City - $10,000
Wylliams/Henry Dance Theatre - $15,000
About the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
On February 17, 2009 President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) which is designed to jumpstart the economy, create and protect jobs, and invest in key priorities. A component of the federal law acknowledges the importance of the nonprofit arts industry to our national economy and ARRA funds are being distributed by the National Endowment for the Arts directly to arts organizations and to regional, state and local arts agencies for subgranting. The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City was selected by the NEA for $250,000 in ARRA funds to support salaries for critical full and part-time personnel employed by not-for-profit arts organizations located in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
About the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City
The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is a nonprofit organization that serves the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area, and strives to strengthen and enrich the community by growing appreciation, participation, and support of the arts. For more information about the Arts Council and its programs, visit http://www.ArtsKC.org.
RSS ArtsJournal
Many thanks to ArtsJournal.com's editor, Douglas McLennan
~ Formerly an arts columnist and arts reporter with the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer and the Seattle Weekly. Doug writes on
the arts for a number of publications (in his abundant free time)
and is currently acting director of the National Arts Journalism
Program while it reinvents itself ~
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