Interlude - December 30
December 30, 2020
Beatles lore, local songwriter, New Year's tunes and more
Welcome back to Interlude, bringing you opportunities to experience truth and beauty in a new year that has to be better than the old one.
When rock came to the stadiums
If you’re a fan of the Fab Four, you’ve seen the film clips from Shea Stadium, but do you really know the story behind that groundbreaking 1965 concert? Dave Schwensen literally wrote the book on it, and he’ll be Zooming in from the rock ’n’ roll mecca of Cleveland on Jan. 7 for the next event in the Center’s Performing Arts Connect series.
The Beatles at Shea Stadium: The Beginning of Stadium Rock is the title of Schwensen’s 7 p.m. presentation, and he’ll even take a few questions, so get your ticket here.
Songwriter kicks off 2021 Live at the Center schedule
Our Live at the Center series is back with another round of free livestreamed performances by top local musicians, starting Jan. 7 with Indy-based Americana ensemble Jeff Kelly and the Graveyard Shift. Kelly has released two albums of his acoustic-based tunes and performs throughout the Midwest. Register here for updates and viewing options.
Live at the Center sponsored by Allied Solutions continues through the spring, with six more dates already announced and several more in the works. See the full schedule here.
She keeps the education rolling
The Center offers so many education and enrichment opportunities for all ages – children’s concerts, summer camps, lectures, workshops, music and comedy lessons, yada yada – it’s hard to keep them all straight. But someone has to, and that person is Julia Shildmyer-Heighway, our tireless Director of Education & Community Engagement.
She’s an IU theater grad, an avid runner and swimmer (who has the time?) and the subject of our latest Serving You video profile, sponsored by The National Bank of Indianapolis. Why not meet Julia right now?
Get in the acting spirit
Always wanted to be an actor, but too shy to try? Get a risk-free taste of theater life at the next gathering of the Palladium Players, regular folks like you who have fun discussing and reading scenes from classic stage plays.
The next online session Jan. 11 explores British playwright Noel Coward’s 1941 comedy Blithe Spirit, in which a widower and his new wife are hassled by the conniving ghost of his first wife. Learn more about the characters and register for a role here.
Answer: Listening to timeless music
“What Are You Doin’ New Year’s Eve?” is a question asked by many great singers, most notably Ella Fitzgerald. And just like that Times Square crowd singing along with “Auld Lang Syne” and Frank Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York,” it’s one of many tunes we associate with the final night of the year.
New Year’s Eve celebrations might look a bit different this year, but the musical traditions endure. Our friends at the Great American Songbook Foundation have assembled a wonderful Spotify playlist full of classic New Year’s Eve songs to keep the music playing in your home until the ball drops at midnight, with selections from Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Michael Bublé and other fabulous artists.
Click here to enjoy New Year’s Eve “Songbook Style” – and have a safe and happy New Year!
This week in performing arts history
December 27: On this date in 1981, native Hoosier, IU alumnus, composer, musician and actor Hoagy Carmichael died at age 82. His catalog of timeless tunes includes “Georgia on My Mind,” “Stardust,” “Lazy River,” “Skylark” and “Heart and Soul.” In October 2016 at the Palladium, he was inducted posthumously into the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame, with his son, pianist Randy Carmichael, accepting on his behalf.
December 28: On this date in 1947, the now infamous introduction “Say, kids, what time is it? It's Howdy Doody time!” first aired on NBC. Howdy Doody was the first nationally televised American children's TV program and became a prototype for all children’s shows that followed, winning a Peabody Award in 1949.
December 28: On this date in 1929, blues guitarist Matt “Guitar” Murphy was born in Sunflower, Mississippi. From the 1940s on, he accompanied Howlin’ Wolf, Memphis Slim and other leading artists, later being tapped to join the all-star Blues Brothers Band. The Official Blues Brothers Revue performed at the Palladium in August 2016.
December 30: On this date in 1731, a newspaper published the first known account of a music concert in colonial America. The concert took place in Peter Pelham’s great room in Boston at 6 p.m. and cost five shillings a piece at the door.
December 31: On this date in 1904, New York City’s Times Square (then known as Longacre Square) hosted its first New Year’s Eve celebration.
