Beyond the Stage - January 2020
December 26, 2019
Take off the mask. Sing your song.
You can’t stay in the shower forever, and the other drivers probably wonder what you’re yelling about. When are you going to face the music and sing where people can hear you?
Yes, it can be a scary prospect, but it’s a lot easier after you’ve had a crash course from a pro. The Center is pleased once again to partner with instructor Todd Neal for another round of Group Vocal Coaching, a four-week program that covers everything from vocal technique and stage presence to song selection and interpretation. It’s a safe space for any adult or teen who enjoys singing in any context, no previous training required. Neal is an Equity actor, director, producer and veteran of the New York cabaret scene who has taught at universities across the country.
Here’s what our alumni say:
- “I loved the experience because everyone was very supportive. Todd was an amazing coach that brought out the best in everyone.”
- “I learned to be more confident in my singing, even if I missed a note or screwed up a line. I also learned to choose music that fits my voice.”
- “It was just so much fun, especially due to the knowledge, talent, well-rounded ability and exuberance from a very good coach who made us all feel good about our singing.”
The cost is a bargain-basement $65 for the next four-week sequence, starting March 18. Participation is limited to 20, so register now! (Insider tip: Many Group Vocal Coaching graduates choose to perform in the annual World Voice Day celebration in April, a chance to sing on the Palladium stage.)
Not your father’s marching band
They wear deliberately non-matching uniforms, and they channel sounds and rhythms from New Orleans, Latin America, West Africa, Eastern Europe and points unknown. You and your little ones probably haven’t seen or heard anything quite like the Bloomington-based Jefferson Street Parade Band, so why not join us for the next Peanut Butter & Jam session on January 18? You can even bring your own instruments and noisemakers to join in!
The Center’s interactive, Saturday morning PB&J concerts help kids ages 1-7 connect with the arts. Tickets are just $10 per child and include two free adult admissions.
Peanut Butter & Jam: Jefferson Street Parade Band
Saturday, Jan. 18, at 10:30-11:15 a.m.
The Palladium
Tickets: (317) 843-3800
Behold the jazz violin, un-unplugged
Violinist Cathy Morris has been a fixture at local clubs and public events for decades, honing a signature “party jazz” style that combines contemporary jazz with elements of funk, blues, rock, Celtic, Cajun and Latin music. You’ve probably seen her perform somewhere, but have you heard her story?
Don’t miss the next gathering of the Luminaries, the Center’s daytime lecture club, where Morris will talk about the value of arts in the community and perform on one of her unconventional electric instruments. The 2 p.m. presentation will be followed by light refreshments.
Luminaries: Electric Violins, Jazz and Community with Cathy Morris
Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 2 p.m.
The Palladium
Tickets: $10
Weekend hours for new Songbook Gallery exhibit
Our friends at the Great American Songbook Foundation have mounted a fascinating new installation in their Songbook Exhibit Gallery at the Palladium.
Of Thee I Sing: Politics on Stage is a timely collection of images, sounds and artifacts exploring political and patriotic themes in the world of musical theater. It didn’t start with Hamilton – the title comes from the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1931 Broadway satire Of Thee I Sing, a rom-com built around a presidential campaign and songs by George and Ira Gershwin. One particularly fun feature is that visitors can cast votes on a series of sociopolitical questions posed in the exhibit.
Admission is free to the gallery, which typically is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; and prior to select concerts at the Palladium. Given the interest in this exhibit, however, the gallery will be open from noon to 4 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month through November, coinciding with the monthly Carmel Arts & Design District Second Saturday Gallery Walk. Visitors can enter at the Palladium’s west entrance, by the Box Office.
ATTENTION TEACHERS: Your fellow educator Sue Ackley is writing a year-long blog series to help teachers and students use Of Thee I Sing: Politics on Stage to explore political themes in the classroom. Follow her monthly posts here.
… and then there’s the portable version
By the way, the Songbook Foundation maintains traveling versions of its current and past exhibits that are available free for display at schools, libraries and other community locations. Among the offerings is Ella Sings the Songbook, a portrait of the unrivaled "First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald, assembled for her centennial celebration in 2017. Remembering Ella is appropriate anytime, but especially during February’s Black History Month observance.
For information on the traveling music history exhibits, contact the Songbook Foundation at (317) 844-2251 or info@TheSongbook.org
More information on the Center’s education and experiential programs is available at TheCenterPresents.org/Learn.
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