NASAA guidebook shows ways to engage adolescents in the arts

From NASAA (National Assembly of State Arts Agencies) Notes:

Meaningful engagement in arts education can have a life-changing impact on teens. An initiative and guidebook from the National Guild for Community Arts Education, Engaging Adolescents: Building Youth Participation in the Arts outlines a holistic approach that integrates arts learning with principles of youth development. It is designed to help staff and faculty develop new programs and services for teens or to rethink and strengthen programs they already offer.

UW's "A... My Name is Alice" is "a boodle of laughs"

The University of Wyoming's 2011 Snowy Range Summer Theatre season closes with "A ... My Name Is Alice," a bright and lively musical revue that presents a funny, bawdy and insightful kaleidoscope of contemporary women.

Directed by Leigh Selting, "A ... My Name Is Alice" runs at 7:30 nightly July 12-16 inside the Fine Arts Center studio theatre. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens (60 and older) and $5 for students. For tickets, call (307) 766-6666 or go online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts .

Called "a boodle of laughs" (The New York Post) and "delightful" and "so sophisticated" (The New York Times), "A ... My Name Is Alice" is filled with life's ups, downs and in-betweens from a modern woman's perspective.

The five-woman cast takes on multiple roles to explore the many facets of contemporary women's lives through scenes, monologues and songs. They explore the horrors of parent/teacher conferences, the delights of a male strip club and the tragedy of losing a parent. The music ranges from 1960s doo-wop and wistful pop ballads to soul-filled rhythm and blues.

Originally produced by the Women's Project at the American Place Theatre in New York, "A...My Name Is Alice" played a long duration at the Village Gate Off Broadway and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical Revue.

The revue was created by veteran directors Joan Micklin Silver and Julianne Boyd and involved a variety of comedy writers, lyricists and composers who contributed to the songs and sketches.

Photo: Amber McNew, Rebecca Diamond, Caryn Flanagan, Francesca Mintowt-Czyz and Jackie Darnell rehearse a scene from the University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance production  "A ... My Name Is Alice," showing nightly at 7:30 July 12-16 inside the Fine Arts Center studio theatre. (UW Photo)   

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

Rock Springs hosts "International Day" July 9

Daily hard-hat tours of renovation work at National Museum of Wildlife Art

Another good reason to visit Jackson this summer:

Beauty is being restored to the rugged National Museum of Wildlife Art façade one carefully placed piece of Oakley Quartzite (shown in photo) at a time as the museum’s construction projects continue on schedule. More than 37,000 square feet of the multicolored stone, mined in Idaho, will eventually sheathe the building’s façade as part of summer improvements that include a new roof and initial work on the new sculpture trail in addition to the upfit to the exterior walls, with capital improvements to the building scheduled for completion by October 31, 2011.

The museum remains open on its regular schedule during construction, and visitors can check the work-in-progress on the new sculpture trail via free “hard hat tours” daily at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The three-quarter-mile-long outdoor art venue designed by renowned landscape architect Walter Hood will showcase nearly 30 permanent and temporary artworks and is slated to open September 2012. A special installment of the tours will be led July 1 at 10 a.m. by museum Director of Security and Facility Service Joe Bishop, who will share museum history, fun facts and hard-to-believe stories from his more than 20 years on staff.

In addition to the capital improvements and new sculpture trail, work has been underway on a new underpass to allow easy biker and hiker access to the museum from the Jackson-to-Grand Teton National Park North Highway 89 pathway. A panel including the museum’s Curator of Art Adam Harris recently selected artwork featuring playful ravens by Wisconsin sculptor Don Rambadt for the new underpass’s retaining walls.

Read this intriguing article about trailblazing landscape architect Walter Hood in Fast Company magazine.

Eat, shop and watch a cool movie tonight in downtown Rawlins

Rawlins DDA/Main Street has been working extremely hard the past few years on its downtown. Tonight, Rawwlins DDA/Main Street and the Carbon County School District #1 Rec Board present Downtown Moonlight Movies, a outdoor movie series showing four films June through September. Tonight’s show at Depot Park, 4^th and Front streets, is the animated feature “Despicable Me.”

This year's movie line-up is:
Despicable Me - June 24th
Back to the Future - July 8th
Jailhouse Rock - July 29th
Happy Gilmore - September 23rd

Movies will begin at dark, about 9:30 p.m. Come down early at 9 p.m. for the costume contest. Dress to the theme of the movie to win Main Street Money, gift certificates good at over 15 downtown businesses. 

Vendors selling food, drink, glow-in-the-dark items and popcorn will be present. 

July 8th's movie showing is in conjunction with SummerFest, Rawlins Jam and Outlaw Show N' Shine. For more information on this great weekend in Rawlins, visit www.rawlinsfest.com. 

September 23rd is in conjunction with state golf and will begin at 7 p.m.

40 years after -- Cheyenne's Class of 1971 celebrates through art

Hynds Building art space, downtown Cheyenne

Class reunions usually consist of picnics and boozy receptions recalling the good ol' (or not so good ol') days. Here's a unique event centered around 40th reunion activities for grads of Cheyenne high schools. Class of '71 grads B.J. Buckley (poet) and Alan O'Hashi (filmmaker) sent me this info:

Gallery 71, sponsored by the Cheyenne High Schools Class of 1971, is hosting an art show and sale in association with the Deselms Gallery and LightsOn! Downtown. It will take place June 21-Aug. 7 at Deselms Fine Art, 300 E. 17^th St., and the Hynds Building, 1608 Capitol Ave., Cheyenne.

The class seeks works from artists who are associated or were associated with the Laramie County School District No. 1 as students or faculty. 

There's a nominal $10 fee per artist. We'll accept up to five entries per artists, however, the number of pieces shown will be dictated by the number of artists who participate. You'll get a chance to determine which of your works will be hung.

Works of art may be of any media. If any of your work sell, there's a 60-40 split with the Deselms Gallery.

Participating artists also may take part in the Friday July 22 Quick Draw event. Artists will set up at the Hynds Building and be provided a painting surface. Open house-goers will get a chance to observe artists in action as they create works of art on the spot. More details will follow. Each quick draw entry will be auctioned off. The proceeds will be spit 50-50 with the artists and LightsOn! Downtown Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

How to enter? Download the entry form by opening the "Art Show" tab at http://www.wyocomedia.com/

If you have questions, please email alan@ciff1.com or call 307-509-0182

"Figurative Art as Story, Metaphor, Presence" at UW

The University of Wyoming Art Museum's 2011 Summer Teaching Institute, "Figurative Art as Story, Metaphor, Presence," will be offered July 25-29 at the museum. All K-12 teachers and community educators are welcome.

Participants will use museum exhibitions, the Ann Simpson Artmobile exhibit, "Go Figure!" and resources from the American Heritage Centerand Coe Library to explore how figurative art can inspire educational lessons by communicating ideas and stories.

Visiting artists Ricki Klages (painting), Susan Moldenhauer (photography), Chris Amend (painting, drawing) and Matt Daly (cartooning and writing) will be available to inspire new thinking and introduce techniques.

Studio time is included every afternoon to explore new materials. This five-day workshop demonstrates how educators at all artistic levels can incorporate original art into lessons and build school and community partnerships for art education. Three credits of Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) certification or UW Continuing Education credit are available to participants.

The cost is $150 for individuals, $125 for a first partner and $100 for any additional partners who register together. Daily lunch and snacks are included. For more information or to obtain a registration form, contact Wendy Bredehoft at (307) 766-3496 or wbredeho@uwyo.edu .

For additional information about the UW Art Museum call (307) 766-6622 or visit the museum's webpage atwww.uwyo.edu/artmuseum or blog at www.uwartmuseum.blogspot.com .

Located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 Willett Drive in Laramie, the museum is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Photo: Jennie Tamao's etching, "Party Hat" is among works in the Ann Simpson Artmobile exhibit, "Go Figure!" that will be featured in the 2011 Summer Teaching Institute. (Jennie Tamao)

Call for nominations: Wyoming Library Association

The Wyoming Library Association’s Awards and Grants Committee is accepting nominations for outstanding librarians, libraries, and supporters of our libraries!

WLA awards are a great opportunity to recognize individuals and institutions that have made a difference in the community, successfully completed a project, consistently provided outstanding service, or have done something remarkable in a Wyoming library deserving of an award.

Details:

• Nominations are due July 15, 2011.

• Nominating is easy, just fill out this form and press submit.

• A complete list of awards and requirements can be found online.

• Winners will be publicly announced during the annual meeting in Cheyenne.

• Questions? Please contact Laura Jackson, chair of the awards committee at luglean@uwyo.edu

Teton County Library screens Jen Tennican's new film during "Sunday at the Coach"

On Friday, June 3, the Teton County Public Library in Jackson presents "Sunday at the Coach" from 6-7 p.m. 

Ever experienced "church," high risk music or the Christine Chapel? Enjoy an evening of true stories told live by the Stagecoach Band and Sunday night regulars, who have been playing, dancing and toe-tapping at this colorful saloon for 42 years. Watch a sneak preview of local filmmaker Jen Tennican's The Coach: An American Crossroads. Fun finger food and beverages provided. Audience members are encouraged to bring Coach memorabilia and stories to share. Location: Ordway Auditorium. Free. Adult Humanities Coordinator, Oona Doherty, 733-2164 ext. 135, odoherty@tclib.org.

Jen's film, Highway 22 Revisited, just won the Wyoming Short Film Competition:

Documentary filmmaker Jennifer Tennican uses an iconic western watering hole, the Stagecoach Bar, as a lens to view seventy years of history and societal change in Wilson, Wyoming. The problem is the only thing people want to talk about is the night that Bob Dylan supposedly played at the bar. Repeatedly sidetracked by this story, she goes in search of the truth - did he or didn't he? Is the story real or an urban legend? Join her on her quest to resolve the mystery. 

First summer melodrama volunteer sign-up and orientation May 2 at the Atlas Theatre

From the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players web site:

The Cheyenne Little Theatre Players Melodrama Committee invites you to this season's first volunteer sign-up night and orientation. It will be on Monday, May 2, 7 p.m., at the Atlas Theatre. 

This session is for front-of-house volunteers: box office ticket sellers, house managers, wait staff, bartenders, concessions staff and raffle ticket sellers. There will be signup sheets at the meeting for the melodrama's 19 performance days: July 14-17 (one show); July 21-30 (two shows during CFD); July 31 and Aug. 4-7 (one show). Come on out and sign up early for your favorite job on your favorite night. 

New volunteers are always welcome. Committee members will be there to conduct a short orientation and tour of the historic theatre. 

Reminder: Bartenders must have TIPS training, and it is also recommended for waitstaff. The next session is on Tuesday, May 3, 5 p.m., at the American Legion. We will have info on upcoming TIPS training sessions at Monday's meeting.

Melodrama auditions for "Dirty Deeds at the Depot" will be the week of May 23. Check out the CLTP web site at http://www.cheyennelittletheatre.org for more info.

See you on Monday. Feel free to bring your volunteer-minded friends and family members!

Ozy Theater makes promises it can't keep for April 30 improv show at the Atlas in Cheyenne

Found this announcement on Facebook. Since the event is coming us soon, and it involves comedy and raises funds for the local community theatre, we're sharing it. Please come out to the Atlas and give these poor souls some appreciation:

Hello Ozy-maniacs!

Your friends at Ozymandian Theater are back with a ONE NIGHT ONLY improv show that is promised to change your entire life! By simply attending our improv show you will become a brand new person.

Here is a small list of just a few of the positive side effects you will benefit from by just coming to the show:

**Become better looking!

Earn the respect of your peers!

Have a very healthy bank account!

Be able to run faster than a train!

Understand the mysteries of the universe! (like Charlie Sheen and Unicorns)

Speak Russian!

Have a new appreciation for ballet!

Levitation!

Be able to explain why people are so excited about Motley Crue!

Suddenly be well versed in the language of love!

And Much Much More!**

**(Our lawyers have advised us to let you know that none of these side-effects will happen by attending our show. you would probably have to be bitten by a radioactive spider and attend LCCC to make these happen)

Become the incredible person you were born to become! Come to our show! Here are the details:

Ozymandian Theater's Spring Improv Show Of Doom and/or Destruction. April 30th @ The Historic Atlas Theatre (211 w 16th st). Show Starts @ 7:30 (doors open @ 7:00). Tickets cost $8 for adults and $5 for students. As always our show is rated PG-13!! For more info please visit www.ozytheater.com/

Ozymandian Theatre is excited to announce that we will be welcoming the East High Improv Group on stage with us during the show! This is the second year we will have performed with them and it is going to be awesome to see the "new talent" here in <

Bring your friends!! The proceeds benefit The Cheyenne Little Theatre!

UW Mulloy Lecture: "Late Capitalism, Gen X & Global Impact of the End of the American Dream"

From a UW press release:

Sherry B. Ortner, distinguished professor of anthropology at UCLA, will present the University of Wyoming's 15th annual Mulloy Lecture at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 28, in Room 306 of the Classroom Building.

Ortner's presentation, "Late Capitalism, ‘Generation X,' and the Global Impact of the End of the American Dream," will focus on how the American independent film scene emerged as a recognizable cultural movement in the late 1980s. Ortner argues that "the end of the American Dream," an idea associated with so-called Generation X also had a global impact, which she explores through the lens of recent independent films made by and/or about immigrants to the United States. A reception in the Anthropology Building follows Ortner's presentation.

Ortner received her A.B. from Bryn Mawr College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.  Before going to UCLA in 2004, Ortner taught at Sarah Lawrence College, the University of Michigan, the University of California at Berkeley and Columbia University.

The annual Mulloy Lecture is sponsored by the UW Department of Anthropology in memory of the university's first professional anthropologist, William Mulloy. Starting in 1948 he fostered at UW what is usually called the "four field approach," integrating archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology and linguistic anthropology into a unified program.

For more information call Keith Kanbe at (307) 766-5136.

April 25 celebration in Cheyenne includes recognition of Arbor Day poster contest winner

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING

Wyoming’s 123^rd State Arbor Day

Monday April 25, 2011   1:30 PM

State Supreme Court Building North Lawn

(24^th and Capitol)

30 Minute Ceremony to Include:

History of Wyoming Arbor Day

Official State Arbor Day Proclamation

Governor Matt Mead

Tree City USA Recognition

2011 State Arbor Day Award

·         Mike McNutt, Campbell County Parks and Recreation

Recognition of State Arbor Day Poster Contest Winner

·         5^th Grade Student Fiachra Rottinhaus, Lander, WY

Planting of special State Arbor Day Tree

·         White Fir

Distribution of seedling fir and maple trees

Call for entries: Wyoming Plein Air Competition

From the 2011 Arts & Cultural Events page of the Town of Cokeville's web site:

Please join us for the Western Wyoming Plein Air Competition, July 18-22 in scenic Cokeville, Wyoming. Cokeville is located in Southwestern Wyoming.  This ranching valley is filled with varied subject matter -– cowboys, cattle, horses, rivers, streams, waterfalls, sage, cottonwood trees and rocky mountains. 

Artists may paint anywhere in Western Wyoming with at least one painting within 20 miles of Cokeville.  Artists may turn in up to four completed, framed and ready-to-be-hung works for the competition and show.  All work must be done en plein air without the assistance of photography and must be started and completed on July 18th - July 22nd. The ‘Paint Out’ will be followed by a Reception and an Award Ceremony for the artists and their guests on Friday, August 13th. The Western Wyoming Plein Competition will culminate in a show and sale held in conjunction with the Minerva Teichert Invitational Art Show.

To enter

Entry Fees: $10 for each surface pre-registered on or before July 15th, 2011, $15 entry fee for each surface registered at the competition. Pre-registration by mail: All pre-paid, pre-registration forms are due before July 15th, 2011.

Location

The Wyoming Plein Air competition will take place in Cokeville. Local lodging includes the HideOut Motel (307) 279.3281 or the (307) 279.5201.

Contacts

To request a registration form, please call 307.459.4195 or email charlesdayton@allwest.net.

VDAY Jackson 2011 presents three benefit performances of "The Vagina Monologues"

VDAY JACKSON 2011 presents a benefit production of The Vagina Monologues

Sponsored by Riot Act Theatre Company and Off Square Theatre Company

April 12,13,14 at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre in the Center for the Arts. VDAY Jackson will present a three-night benefit for VDAY International and valley non-profits working to support victims of domestic violence. This year's event includes three performances of Eve Ensler's award winning play, The Vagina Monologues, featuring an all-new cast. Tickets are available in advance at Valley Books and online at www.riotactinc.org for $12, and at the door the evening of the performance for $15.

As a special bonus this year after each evening's performance, the women of Jackson will be welcome to take the stage and share their story, through music, prose, original monologues or a simple shout out.

This is the third event presented by the woman of Teton Valley and we are so grateful to our communities for their support. We hope the community we join us again this year as we raise awareness about our endeavors to end violence against women and girls and money to support victims of domestic violence.

Jill Callaway, Jackson Community Theater, 307-690-8573, 307-733-7925, jill.callaway@gmail.com

No Frills Theatre Company of Sheridan College presents "Sylvia" April 14-16 at the WYO Theater

The No Frills Theatre Company of Sheridan College is proud to present their spring production of A.R. Gurney's mad cap comedy "Sylvia" featuring some of Sheridan's favorite artists Jack Vernon, Gillian Malone, Dimitra Dugal and Ken Stellingwerf under the direction of Lillian and Gene Sager.

Shows are at the WYO Theater in downtown Sheridan at 7:30 p.m. on April 14, 15 and 16 with a 2 p.m. matinee on April 16. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors and students. FMI: http://www.wyotheater.com/rentals/r-college.html

Sylvia is a romantic comedy, revolving around Greg who brings home a dog found in Central Park or who found him - bearing only the name "Sylvia" on her name tag. To Kate, his wife, Sylvia becomes a rival for affection. Kate obviously doesn't understand the relationship between man and dog. The marriage is put into serious jeopardy until, after a series of hilarious and touching complications...Well doggone it we don't want to spoil the ending...you'll just have come and find out what happens for yourself!  

Wyoming PBS and UW hold free screenings April 20 of new film about the Civil Rights struggle

I Cantori and Contemporary Singers perform in concert April 10 at Casper College

Two of Casper College's most popular vocal groups, I Cantori and the Casper College Contemporary Singers, will be in concert on Sunday, April 10.

I Cantori, the Casper College opera band under the direction of Jean Tichenor, "is an organization of solo singers who sing semi-popular music and opera with a classical vocal style. Piano, synthesizer, percussion, guitar, and electric bass guitar accompany them," she said. Tichenor, creator of I Cantori, arranges most of the music sung by the group.

During the concert, the group will perform "Prayer in the Night," "Hallelujah," "Beyond the Sea," and others.

According to Tichenor, the number of singers in the ensemble varies from year to year. There are eight singers this year: Ashlee Belveal, BOCES student from Casper, who played the lead in the recent Kelly Walsh High School production of "Kiss Me Kate;" Danielle Hockett, sophomore voice performance and music education major from Newcastle, Wyo.; Amanda Marquez, voice performance and music education major from Casper; Alison Zickl, freshman voice performance major from Littleton, Colo.; George Taylor, general studies major from Wheatland, Wyo.; and Cavin Kent, freshman music education major, Dane Poitra, sophomore music education major, and Rion Scheer, freshman voice performance major, all from Gillette, Wyo.

The I Cantori band includes Robert Benson, sophomore percussion performance major from Gillette, Wyo., and Douglas Graham, sophomore guitar performance major and Zach Walker, sophomore guitar performance major, both from Casper.

The Casper College Contemporary Singers, under the direction of Patrick Patton, will also perform a variety of songs during the concert.

The concert, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 2 p.m. in Durham Recital Hall, located in the Aley Fine Arts Center on the Casper College campus.

Noted religion author and editor selected as keynote speaker for Casper conference

Religion writer Phyllis Tickle is the keynote speaker at Episcopal Church Women's Spring Conference in Casper, April 29-May 1. Tickle, a highly sought-after lecturer, will be making her first appearance in Wyoming at the annual conference themed “Walking with Jesus.” The Episcopal Church Women's event will be held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church.

Tickle, founding editor of the Religion Department of Publishers Weekly, is recognized as an authority on religion in America. In addition to her popular lectures and numerous essays, articles and interviews, Tickle is the author of more than two dozen books on religion and spirituality, most recently "The Great Emergence," "How Christianity is Changing and Why" and "The Words of Jesus, A Gospel of the Sayings of Our Lord."

Registration for the full conference is $100 and open to all. (A special rate of $75 is available for those who wish to participate on Saturday only.) The event is drawing participants from throughout the Rocky Mountain region because Tickle's travel schedule is very limited.

The ECW conference will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Casper, 701 South Wolcott. A block of rooms has been set aside for conference attendees at the Quality Inn (307-215-9951 or 866-974-9802) at 821 North Poplar. Mention “ECW” to get the special diocesan rate.

FMI: Call Pamela RW Kandt, ECW Communications, at 307-377-7763 or email PamelaKandt@gmail.