Interlude - May 19
May 19, 2020
Palladium Players deadline, Songbook history, video bedtime stories and more
Welcome back to Interlude, visiting your inbox twice a week to share news from the Center along with the best in online arts, entertainment and education options, selected by our staff just for you.
Usher Spotlight: La Tonya Jordan
It’s Tuesday and time for another Usher Spotlight, where we recognize the dedicated members of The National Bank of Indianapolis Usher Corps. More than 300 volunteers devote thousands of hours each year to serve the community through the Center and the Great American Songbook Foundation.
This week’s spotlight falls upon La Tonya Jordan, a lover of visual arts as well as live performance. Learn more about La Tonya here, and look for another Usher Spotlight next Tuesday!
Deadline Thursday to join Palladium Players
As previously announced, the Center is staging a videoconference table reading of scenes from the classic Shakespeare comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, May 26, and you can join in the fun even if you’ve never acted before!
Thursday is the deadline to sign up for one of the seven characters and participate in the reading. Learn more and register here.
On this day in Songbook history …
What do composer Meredith Willson and singer Nat King Cole have in common? Both are Songbook Hall of Fame members (or soon to be, in Willson's case)!
Did you know yesterday was Willson's birthday? For his 56th birthday, the original Broadway cast of The Music Man showered the show’s creator with handwritten notes. See the scrapbook page from the Great American Songbook Foundation's Meredith Willson Digital Collection here.
In 2014, Natalie Cole accepted the Songbook Hall of Fame Legend Award on behalf of her father. Today, the Songbook Foundation carries on the Cole legacy with the Natalie Cole arrangements. Her donated collection weighs nearly 2,800 pounds and features arrangements for popular tunes like “We're the Best of Friends,” “Your Lonely Heart” and “What You Won't Do for Love.”
Join the Songbook Foundation tonight at 7 p.m. on its Facebook page as the weekly Songbook Trivia Tuesday segment celebrates Nat King Cole. Here's a sneak peek at one of the questions: In 1991, Natalie Cole pioneered the first “virtual duet” when she sang along with her father's signature 1951 recording of what song?
Video bedtime stories for youngsters
Virginia Repertory Theatre, whose touring production of Treasure Island had been scheduled for two Old Town Companies Family Series performances in March at the Tarkington, has launched an exciting new video initiative that brings fairy tales to life for children ages 4-8: Virginia Rep’s Bedtime Stories.
New stories narrated by actors will premiere each Saturday evening on Facebook. After the initial posting, the videos will be available on the company’s website. The first story, Shlomo's Tiny House, premiered Saturday, and you can enjoy it here.
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