Cory McDaniel and Vicki Windle open "Music & Poetry Series" July 18 in Casper

ARTCORE opens its summer "Music & Poetry Series" on Monday, July 18, at downtown Casper's Metro Coffee with singer/songwriter Cory McDaniel and writer Vicki Windle. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Get your tickets at http://www.artcorewy.com/tickets.php

Good reviews for "The Magdalene" as it opens Off Broadway

Lindsie Van Winkle (left) plays The Magdalene and Shad Olsen is Yeshua in "The Magdalene"

The Casper Star-Tribune today wrapped up its five-part series by Margaret Matray called "Making It," which follows Casper College theatre professor Jim Olm in his quest to produce his show "The Magdalene" Off Broadway. Wyomingarts hates to ruin the suspense, but the show did open and has received favorable reviews. Its continued run into September depends on ticket sales, so if you're heading to Broadway to see blockbusters such as "Spider Man" and "Book of Mormon," take the four-block walk to the Theatre of St. Clements at West 46th Street and see "The Magdalene." 

The CST series dug deep into the amount of dedication and work it takes to put on a play. Very instructional for any aspiring playwright or actor or director. 

Casper Star-Tribune's "Making It" series follows Jim Olm's road to the Off Broadway stage

Anyone interested in a career in musical theatre should read the "Making It" series by Margaret Matray in the Casper Star-Tribune. The series follows Casper College theatre professor Jim Olm in his quest to produce his show "The Magdalene" Off Broadway. Olm has invested many years and a lot of money in the pursuit of his dream.

Jim Olm

The musical is inspired by the Gnostic Gospels, discovered in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945. It follows the story of Mary Magdelene as told in the Gospels of Mary and Thomas which were not included in the Christian Bible. "The Magdelene" is scheduled to run at the Theatre of St. Clement's in New York through Sept. 4. Olm co-wrote the script with J.C. Hanley. The play is directed by Casper College professor Rich Burk with Tony Award-winner Richard Maltby Jr. as creative consultant.

Olm's saga from the germ of an idea to the Off Broadway stage continues through Thursday in the CST.  

Helen Schmill announces publication of three books

Helen Schmill

Casper writer Helen Schmill announces publication of three books through Xlibris:

"A Morning with God," an illustrated children's book
"Paradise Lost 2011," described as "a reading play for churches and schools"
"A Grandmother's Old Testament Hymns," a living autobiography

Order copies of Helen's books through amazon.com, xlibris.com or through http://www.wix.com/helenschmill/books#!contact

NIC Fest features performances by Urban Island

Denver's Urban Island

NIC Fest at the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper starts at 5 this evening. The annual event features booths and demos by more than 60 visual artists and three days of musical entertainment.

The corner of Beech and 2nd street on the NIC Fest grounds will feature a whole new “unique, completely original” sound this year when the Urban Island, a steel drum band from Denver, performs on Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26.

Rick Henson, founder of Rocky Mountain Steel Bands, formed this ensemble when he recognized that steel pan drums are universally regarded as intriguing, fascinating, and beautiful instruments – yet they are confined to traditional "tropical" tunes. Urban Island utilizes the versatility of these melodious drums in performing favorite pop classics, light modern rock, and dance-able Caribbean folk tunes.

Performances are set for 12:30, 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday; and 10:50 a.m., 12:10 and 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Casper College board of trustees names theatre for Tom Empey

On Wednesday, Casper College trustee Bill Hambrick spoke in favor of renaming the college’s Black Box Theatre for former theater director Tom Empey. Empey is a former board chair of the Wyoming Arts Council.

The Casper College board names buildings after people who have given “distinguished service” or substantial monetary gifts, according to a new policy approved by the board last year. 

Empey created the college’s theater department and taught for 31 years at the college. The board unanimously approved the naming. 

“The theater is not just recognized in this area — it’s recognized regionally, and Tom is responsible for so much of that,” Hambrick said.

Read the Casper Star-Tribune article here: Casper College's black box theatre named in honor of Tom Empey

Ann Chambers Noble signs copies of "Hurry McMurry" June 17 at the BBHC in Cody

Ann Chambers Noble and Neil McMurry

From a BBHC press release:

According to biographer Ann Chambers Noble, “If there was a difference of opinion, his [McMurry’s] answer would be to have coffee the next morning, and they [the folks at odds] would sit, resolve it, and have a handshake at the end of breakfast. He would always stick to what they agreed on.”

Now, Noble shares more about this energetic businessman’s acumen and philanthropy in her latest book Hurry McMurry: W.N. “Neil” McMurry, Wyoming Entrepreneur. In a short presentation at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s McCracken Library gallery on Friday, June 17, 11:30 a.m. – noon, Noble discusses her book about McMurry, one of Wyoming’s most well-known philanthropists and businessmen from Casper. The program is free to the public; visitors simply need to let admissions staff know they’re in the Center for the program.

McMurry grew up in Casper during the Great Depression and went on to develop a series of successful businesses in Wyoming, including a construction company, Rissler & McMurry, that built most of the state highways. Noble says that in writing the book, she found it interesting that everyone—whether McMurry worked for them or they worked for him—had the same opinion about McMurry’s character. “All talked about what an incredible work ethic he had and how honest he always was.”

With gifts to Casper College, to various children’s programs, and to many education-focused entities, McMurry’s philanthropic interests have made many important initiatives possible within Wyoming. Nevertheless, he remains very humble—a trait that Noble says almost prevented the book from being written as her subject was reluctant to garner so much attention

Noble’s book will be available for purchase in the Center’s Museum Store, and the family will be on hand for a book-signing beginning at 1:30 p.m. Read more about McMurry at www.hurrymcmurry.com, and stay abreast of Historical Center activities on its Web site at www.bbhc.org.

Committed to connecting people with the Spirit of the American West, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center weaves the varied threads of the western experience—history and myth, art and Native culture, firearms technology and Yellowstone natural history—into the rich panorama that is the American West. The Center, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is now operating its summer schedule, open daily 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. For general information, visit www.bbhc.org, or call 307.587.4771.

For W.N. “Hurry” McMurry, solving problems is best done over breakfast.

Functional meets fanciful at "Upcycling 101" in Casper

Wyomingarts had a chance to meet with Casper artist and performer Betsy Bower on Sunday. Betsy's mom, writer Cindy Bower, arranged the meeting as she was wrapping up the annual Wyoming Writers, Inc., conference at Ramada Riverside.

Everyone in Casper was out and about this weekend, no doubt because it was the first good weather of the spring. Betsy had participated Saturday in "Upcycling 101" at the Winter Methodist Church and the adjacent James Reeb Memorial Community Playground in north Casper. When she wasn't demonstrating how to upcycle old wine bottles into drinking glasses using a portable forge, she was peddling her blendercycle. Here's a description of the contraption from an article by Tom Morton in Sunday's Casper Star-Tribune:

Bower had on display a creation that wasn’t particularly useful, definitely not beautiful, but certainly fun. 

She enhanced a child’s bicycle by mounting a blender on a wooden platform on the rear bumper and running a vertical axle from the blender to the top of the rear tire, which would drive the axle to power the blender. Sort of margaritas on the go. 

Forget the margaritas. Betsy spent at least part of the day pedaling smoothies into an eco-friendly froth. Anne MacKinnon's Little Hands organization had several work stations for children and adults at the event. The organization, funded by the Wyoming Arts Council, the Natrona County Recreation Joint Powers Board and AmeriCorps, operates free programs for children 6 and under who, with their parents, learn art. 

She, a few children and a couple of others involved with Little Hands played and created art by smearing thinset mortar — used in laying tile — on a sheet of plastic covering a worn metal patio table. They chose stones, discarded jewelry, lids and other items from a box, then placed them at random in the thinset to create a tabletop.

You can call it upcycling or recycling or reusing. Or just creativity.

Poets meet paleontologists this weekend in Casper

Dee the Mammoth fossil

"Dee and the Mammoth" book

Paleontologists and geologists are in Casper through Sunday for the 17th Annual Tate Conference. It will feature topics ranging from “Asian Elephant Behavior” to “Ice Age Discovery in Snowmass Village.”


Friday presentations include discussions on “Climate Change at the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary,” The Largest Mounted Mammoth in North America, Dee the Mammoth,” “Cats of the Camelot Local Fauna,” and others. Saturday presentations will include talks on ambush predators, the Dire wolf of Rancho La Brea, Pleistocene bear communities, the giant short-faced bear, and Porcupine Cave. The day will end with Keynote speaker Steven R. Holen, curator of archeology for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Holen will speak on the exciting discovery and current excavation project the museum is engaged in at Snowmass Village, Colo., “Ice Age Discovery in Snowmass Village: A Mid-to Early Wisconsin Fossil Locality High in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.” The excavation is the largest-ever excavation the museum has ever been involved in. As of May 24, 2011, museum crews had found more than 100 bones which included two mastodon skulls; two mastodon pelvises; three mammoth tusks; mastodon vertebrae, ribs, wrist and ankle bones, and large bones including the upper arm and forearm; a sloth forearm; bison wrist bone; and deer pelvis. Registration is $40 each for the first and third field trips June 2 and 5, and $150 for the Friday through Saturday portion of the conference, June 3 and 4. To register stop by the Tate Geological Museum on the Casper College campus, or call the museum at 268-2447, 800-442-2963, ext. 2447, email dschaff@caspercollege.edu, or visit www.caspercollege.edu/tate.

Meanwhile, poets and writers are gathering June 3-5 in Casper for sessions like these:

• "The Ghost That Got Into My House" (after the James Thurber story) by Lucia St. Clair Robson
• "Appropriate Appropriating" by poet Chris Fishbach
• Pete McCarthy's sessions on online marketing and social media
• The ever-popular open mic sessions on Friday and Saturday nights
• A closing talk by Tom Empey, actor, director and recently-retired chair of the Casper College theatre department

FMI: http://www.wyowriters.org/Resources/WWINC_ConferenceBrochure2011.pdf

If you are a writer and geologist, you would have a tough time choosing events.

The big question is: Is Casper big enough to accommodate both poets and paleontolgists this weekend?

Tune into this blog Monday to find out.

Wyoming Writers, Inc., conference just a week away!

Here are all the links you need for information about the annual conference of Wyoming Writers, Inc., in Casper June 3-5:

2011 Wyoming Writers, Inc. Conference

June 3-5 in Casper, Wyoming

Ramada Plaza Riverside.

Presenters:

Author Lucia St. Clair Robson

Poet Chris Fischbach

Peter McCarthy, Vice President of Marketing

at Random House.

Editor Katie Dublinski, Graywolf Press

Agent Peter Steinberg, The Steinberg Agency

Go to the WWInc web site for conference brochure

Amazing Arthur on stage June 25 at NIC Fest

Self-proclaimed “professional showoff” and “comedy superhero” Arthur Fratelli – who’s also known as The Amazing Arthur – will be one of the featured Family Area performers for NIC Fest 2011. On Saturday, June 25, Arthur will be showing off his talents at the Natrona County Public Library at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. He will take to the NIC Fest Family Area Stage on Sunday, June 25, at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. As a professional family entertainer, Fratelli travels the country performing a unique blend of magic, juggling, yoyo tricks and comedy.  Fratelli has more than 12 years of full-time stage experience, and is constantly refining his act. He is also a former elementary school teacher and a past student in the prestigious Second City comedy school in Chicago. For more information about The Amazing Arthur, visit www.theamazingarthur.com.

Opening reception for Jamie Burmeister's "Shooting Gallery" May 20 at the NIC

Jamie Burmeister, "Funky Junk"

The Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper invites you to the opening reception to "Shooting Gallery," an exhibition by Jamie Burmeister, on Friday, May 20. The museum members' preview begins at 5 p.m. and includes a lecture by the artist. The free public opening begins at 6 p.m.

Through experiments with sculpture, installation, mechanics, electronics, everyday materials, the Internet, interactivity, and sound and video, Jamie Burmeister has put together a diverse body of work that revolves around his conscious experience of the world. Many of his artworks have elements of humor, absurdity and the mundane. Many of the pieces are also interactive, creating situations where the viewer becomes a part of the piece. The experience of the work is unique depending upon how the viewers choose to interact with it.

The exhibit will be on display May 20-Aug. 7.

UW Happy Jacks on concert tour through 5/21/11

UW Happy Jacks, a cappella group

5.16.11, 7:00 p.m., Newcastle HS Auditorium, free

5.17.11, 7:00 p.m., Rapid City Central HS Theatre, Rapid City, S.D., free

5.18.11, 6:30 p.m., Tongue River HS Auditorium, free

5.19.11, 3:00 p.m., Campbell Co. Senior Ctr., Gillette, free
5.20.11, 7:00 p.m., Big Horn HS Auditorium, free

5.21.11, 7:30 p.m., Kelly Walsh HS Auditorium, Casper, ticked by ArtCore

"Architecture Speaks in Black & White" at Corridor Gallery May 20-22

From a press release:

The Corridor Gallery in downtown Casper proudly presents “Architecture Speaks In Black & White”, a photographic exhibit by Casper resident and artist, Michael Flicek. Michael has been shown in numerous galleries nationwide and is an award-winning photographer with a vast resume´. “Architecture Speaks In Black & White” will be Michael Flicek’s second solo show to Casper.

Michael is partial to black and white photography working in the digital realm. Capturing the image on locations is only the beginning of his process. Once Michael composes a photograph, he’s on to the next step of immersion within his “digital darkroom.” Michael then manipulates the image to fit his vision of a final work of art. Once satisfied, he creates immaculate digital prints in limited edition on archival quality glossy baryta finished paper. Due to the high quality print and stock used, Michael’s photographs take on a traditional look.

“Architecture Speaks In Black & White” will only be featured for 3 days at the Corridor gallery. The press and public are invited to attend the free opening reception on Friday, May 20th at 7 p.m. The public and press are invited to attend an artist’s talk with Michael on Saturday, May 21 at 2 p.m. Michael’s work will show only through Sunday, May 22. We hope to see you there!

Event Details

Event: “Architecture Speaks In Black & White” by Michael Flicek

Specifics: Located at The Corridor Gallery: 120 E. 2nd St. Casper, WY 82601

Tickets Cost/Avail: Free Admission

Opening Reception: Friday, May 20th at 7:00pm

Artist’s Talk: Saturday, May 21st at 2:00pm

Open Showing: Saturday, May 21st 10:00am to 5:00pm

Sunday, May 22nd noon to 4pm

Information: For more information, please contact The Corridor Gallery at (307) 333-7035, Reed at (307) 259-8001 or visit www.thecorridorgallery.com

Michael Flicek: mflicek@michaelflicekgallery.com, 307-259-3963

Sign up May 16 for sizzlin' summer classes in theatre, local foods, archaeology and history

From a Casper College press release:

The “Sizzlin’ Summer Sign-Up” for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Casper College will be held on Monday, May 16 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The summer offerings include classes, day trips, lectures, overnight trips, and even dinner and a movie, according to Vicki Pollock, lifelong learning specialist.

“We have tried to come up with a wide variety of topics to appeal to as many folks as we can this summer,” said Pollock. “’Acting Up: A Hands-On Introduction to Theatre’ will culminate in a reader’s theatre production, while students in ‘Starry Starry Night: An Introduction to Astronomy’ will learn about the phases of the moon, how to navigate the night sky, and about objects in our solar system,” Pollock noted.

For those feeling a bit more adventurous, there are classes involving travel including “History and Tradition on the Wind River Reservation,” “Made in Wyoming: A Visit to Nanny Kid Farms,” and “Written in Stone: Old Rocks, Old Art, Old Tales.”

Lectures will include a look at the Battle of Little Bighorn and on Khe Sanh, South Vietnam: “The Battle for Khe Sanh,” and “Khe Sanh Revisited.”

“We are also offering some favorites of our OLLI’s including ‘Old Books, Fresh Eggs,’ where we will travel to the Mad Dog and the Pilgrim Bookstore on Highway 789, and ‘Olives to Olive Oil,’ with George Vlastos teaching on the benefits of olive oil, as well as cooking delicious Greek dishes,” said Pollock.

A highlight of the summer session will be the “Dinner and a Movie: State Fair.” “We thought it would be fun this summer to bring back memories of a summer night at the fair,” Pollock said. “The night will include a pie-baking contest, barbecue dinner, fresh cotton candy we will be making during the evening, and a screening of the 1945 movie ‘State Fair’ starring Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain, with wonderful music by Rodgers and Hammerstein.”

The Sizzlin’ Summer Sign-Up will feature “yummy snacks and beverages.” OLLI members are asked to bring their membership cards to the event. Those who are not currently members of OLLI can join during the event and register for classes.

For more information contact Pollock at 268-2097 or Karen Arnold, administrative assistant at 268-3401.

Ensemble entertainment with George & Kristi Armijo May 15 at Casper College

“Ensemble Entertainment with the Armijos” on Sunday, May 15, 4 p.m., in Durham Hall, Aley Fine Arts Center, Casper College in Casper.

George and Kristi Armijo are active members of Casper’s musical community. Both sing with the Casper Civic Chorale and are members of the Casper Recorder Consort. George is a freelance trumpet player in the Casper area and has performed with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Beach Civic Symphony, Augusta, GA Symphony Orchestra, Armed Forces School of Music Bands, Casper Municipal Band and Casper College organizations. Both Armijos are graduates of the University of Wyoming in Music Education. George has done graduate work in music at the University of Northern Colorado, University of Wyoming and George Washington University. Kristi has a MA in Curriculum and Development from National Louis University .For more info and tickets, go to http://www.artcorewy.com/event.php?id=218

Harmony, Hops & Hope May 7 in Casper benefits Cancer Action Network

Saturday, May 7th, 4-8pm

The Yellowstone Garage, 355 W. Yellowstone, Casper, Wyoming

While raising funds for a great cause, "Harmony, Hops and Hope" also promises to be a fun community event, with homegrown Wyoming music and beer tasting, highlighting the craftsmanship of Wyoming breweries.

Bands include: Chad Lore, John Kirlin and the Highplains Drifters, and the Dang Ol' Boys!

The entire event will covered live, on-air by Casper's Pure Rock Station, 100.5 FM, KTED's own Rood Dogg.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), along with 307 Magazine, Wyoming's premium magazine, would like to personally invite you to attend the First Annual Fundraising Event, Harmony, Hops and Hope!

Order tickets online here. You will not recieve a hard-copy ticket. Simply bring a photo ID to "Harmony, Hops and Hope" and your name will be on a list to get in!

Proceeds from this event will go to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the nonprofit, nonpartisan, advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. ACS CAN is committed to making the fight against cancer a national priority.

Because we use your donations to support our citizen-based advocacy and lobbying efforts to end cancer, contributions to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. are not tax deductible.

Early bird registration deadline May 9 for Wyoming Writers, Inc., conference in Casper

2011 Wyoming Writers, Inc. Conference

June 3-5 in Casper, Wyoming

Ramada Plaza Riverside.

Presenters:

Author Lucia St. Clair Robson

Poet Chris Fischbach

Peter McCarthy, Vice President of Marketing

at Random House.

Editor Katie Dublinski, Graywolf Press

Agent Peter Steinberg, The Steinberg Agency

Register here. Early bird registration deadline is May 9!

Ensembles and soloists take the stage May 5 at Casper College

A concert consisting of small ensembles and soloists will take place on Thursday, May 5 beginning at 7 p.m. in Durham Recital Hall at Casper College in Casper.

The concert will feature the Casper College Brass Ensemble under the direction of Douglas Bull, brass instructor, and the Casper College Flute Ensemble under the direction of Delores Thornton, adjunct flute instructor.

In addition to the ensembles, the concert will feature brass duets, flute duets, a flute solo, a scene from an opera, and others to be announced at the concert.

Durham Recital Hall is located in the Aley Fine Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

Follow Casper College events on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/caspercollegeadmissions 

Students screen their films tonight at Casper College

Students will present a variety of short films during the Fourth Annual Casper College Student Film Festival on Tuesday, May 3 (tonight!) beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Durham Recital Hall located in the Aley Fine Arts Center in Casper.

The festival features the works of the college’s two video production classes offered last fall and this spring. Films will include mockumentaries, advertisements, movie trailers, musical pieces, and commentaries. The 90-minute program will conclude with the showing of two short narrative movies developed by the student teams.

“The Casper College students were in charge of every aspect of the production process, from the writing of the script to the filming of the scenes to the long hours spent editing the materials,” said Pete Van Houten, Casper College communication and media instructor. “Some of the early work is a little rough, though you can really see some growth in their abilities with the addition of each new assignment,” he added.

The student filmmakers include Greg Bullinger, Brian Castillo, Blake Trimmer, Jason Reinhardt, Calvin Grinder, Karen Hatlestad, Kellan Hawley, Nikki Stevenson, Stephen Christensen, Justin Pehrson, Scott Long, Austin Martinez, Cody Box, Danielle Brown and Trevor Wroble.

The film festival is free and open to the public. Food and refreshments will be served.