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Brothers trash stage in ‘True West’

By Brent Williamson · Thursday, Jan. 22,2009 9:56 p.m.

A couple of real-life brothers shocked audiences by trashing the stage in their performance of “True West” at the John Waldron Arts Center.Brett and Gabe Gloden played Austin and Lee, two brothers who are fighting over a potential movie deal for one of their screenplays. Austin is a 30-year-old writer who lives with his wife and kids and has a more traditional life, while Lee is a 40-year-old hobo who wanders the desert making a living gambling and stealing.

Comedian Tom Mabe performs Monday evening at Bear's Place. This year marked the 26th year of the Comedy Caravan at Bear's Place, making it the longest running comedy series in America.

Bear’s Place celebrates 26th anniversary with famous prankster

By Tyler James Perry · Wednesday, Jan. 21,2009 9:46 p.m.

Nationally-known comedian Tom Mabe came to Bear’s Place Monday Night to help celebrate the 26th anniversary of Comedy Caravan by doing his signature stand-up routine.One of his albums, “Revenge on the Telemarketers,” was released on Virgin Records and featured pranks he played on telemarketers who called him. The idea was to waste the telemarketer’s time because he said they were wasting his. His new television show on Country Music Television is called “Mabe in America” and features a combination of Mabe’s pranks and comedy routines.

People read banners during the opening reception for "Rock, Rhythm & Soul: The Black Roots of Popular Music" Thursday in the City Hall Showers Building. The traveling exhibit features banners highlighting key points in African American music, and was put together by the IU Archives of African American Music and Culture.

Exhibit explores black roots of pop music

By Ashlee Green · Wednesday, Jan. 21,2009 9:44 p.m.

An exhibit featuring African-American culture as the roots for much of America’s popular music will take place in Bloomington City Hall Atrium through Jan. 26, with a schedule of events including gallery talks and musical performances. The Archives of African-American Music and Culture created “Rock, Rhythm & Soul: The Black Roots of Popular Music,” a traveling exhibit promoting and informing people of the history and roots of black popular music.

Read ‘The Reader’

By Erica Rogers · Wednesday, Jan. 21,2009 9:41 p.m.

Books. The idea of reading them makes some people cringe, but it doesn’t always have to be a negative experience. Although I love watching movies, and I currently have a list five feet long of television programs with which I am keeping up, books have an element that movies and TV will never have.The most recent novel I have read is “The Reader” by Bernhard Schlink.

IU arts programs’ reputations are recession-proof

By Yan Zhuang · Tuesday, Jan. 20,2009 8:27 p.m.

Major Broadway production shutdowns and drastic decreases in symphony ticket prices are just two examples of the immediate effects the struggling economy is having on most arts organizations.But for at least one more year, IU’s theater and music programs have remained financially stable.

Wandering Turtle Art Gallery and Gifts relocates

By Bailey Loosemore · Tuesday, Jan. 20,2009 7:56 p.m.

On Tuesday, Wandering Turtle Art Gallery and Gifts moved to a new location in the heart of Bloomington’s downtown art district. The gallery, formerly located on North College Avenue, opened up shop in the Historic Wicks Building on Gallery Row.Jamie Sweany, IU alumna and owner of the Wandering Turtle, opened the gallery in 2003. The gallery features paintings, ceramics, photography, sculptures, jewelry, handmade paper, note cards and artist’s prints, Sweany said. Exhibitors of the gallery include artists and craftspeople from around the world, as well as 100 local and regional artists, Sweany said.

Senior Shyra Collins writes on the "Yes We Can" art project Tuesday afternoon in the main lobby of the Herman B. Wells library.

Traveling art project visits library

By Amanda Bridgman · Tuesday, Jan. 20,2009 7:53 p.m.

Every chair was quickly occupied at the Herman B Wells Library on Tuesday, causing people to sit together side-by-side on the floor as they applauded, cried and watched history. Diane Dallis, head of undergraduate library services, said she was happy to coordinate an event for students to stop by between classes.

IU African American Choral Ensemble Director and professor Keith McCutchen leads the African American Choral Ensemble during a celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monday evening at the Buskirk Chumley Theater. The event, titled "The Dream Unfolding..." also included speeches by local leaders including Bloomington mayor Mark Kruzan and Bishop Woodie White.

Choral Ensemble pleases audience at MLK celebration

By Amanda Lowry · Tuesday, Jan. 20,2009 7:49 p.m.

About 20 speakers and performance groups were on stage Monday evening at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration, but one of the audience’s favorites was the IU African-American Choral Ensemble.The ensemble, a group under the umbrella of the African-American Arts Institute and composed of about 35 members, sang three songs: two a cappella African-American spirituals and one South African gospel song.

Predicting Michelle’s inaugural ball look

By Amanda Cochara · Tuesday, Jan. 20,2009 12:29 a.m.

Inauguration day is finally here. A new era is about to start, but I am not talking about President-elect Barack Obama.Although in his speech today he will likely be full of political statements, the inauguration will also be a night of fashion statements. Michelle Obama is the person on my mind.A lot of us are wondering what the first lady will wear to the inaugural ball. What designer? What cut? What color?I have some suggestions.

Michelle Shocked performs Saturday evening at the Buskirk Chumley Theater. Shoked's stage featured a painting of Audrey Hepburn in the background. and in between songs called the painter to talk to him about it, but got his voice mail the first time.

Michelle Shocked earns standing ovation worth three encores

By Alexandra Brown · Tuesday, Jan. 20,2009 12:28 a.m.

Screaming, screeching, jumping and singing. Add some blues influences and rock and roll and you have the recipe for a stellar performance that could only be pulled off by a true original. Singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked performed live Saturday night at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Audiences welcomed her with open arms and open ears as she told stories through both spoken word and song.

Keyboardist David Morrin and singer Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson play Saturday evening at The Cinemat. Morrin and Robinson performed a set full of dirges and lamentation.

Musician wings it at packed Cinemat show last Saturday

By Yahya Chaudhry · Tuesday, Jan. 20,2009 12:24 a.m.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson’s tortured lyrics and gentle guitar strumming left audience members somber when he headlined with openers Sam Lowry & the Circumstance and Red Bird on Saturday night at The Cinemat.

Adelaide Windsome of Philadelphia performs "Ballad of the Platypus (Balladypus)" Friday, January 16 at Boxcar Books. Windsome uses animal puppets to illustrate sexual stereotypes.

Tranny Roadshow makes local stop, sparks dialogue

By Risha Kohli · Tuesday, Jan. 20,2009 12:21 a.m.

Six transgender performers spent last week traveling and performing individual pieces throughout the Midwest as part of the Tranny Roadshow, and Friday night they made a stop in Bloomington.Organizer Jamez Terry said he hoped the performances would help people understand the diversity of the transgender community.

Dancers perform while the orchestra plays during "The Community of Dance" dress rehearsals Thursday evening at Ruth N. Halls Theatre. The performance features performances by various groups from the Jacob's School and the Theatre department, as well as works from faculty in various departments from IU.

‘Community of Dance’ features modern movement, specifies no lead dancers

Thursday, Jan. 15,2009 11:16 p.m.

A production six months in the making, “The Community of Dance,” will be slightly different than the typical IU dance performance Friday and Saturday by combining influences from body science, culture, drama and music.The Department of Kinesiology, Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, Department of Theatre and Drama and the Jacobs School of Music are joining forces to put on the IU modern dance program’s annual concert.

3 IU music school students win Met Opera competition

By Maggie Conner · Thursday, Jan. 15,2009 11:13 p.m.

IU Jacobs School of Music students Kiri Deonarine, Ljubomir Puskaric and Jung Nan Yoon were named winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Indiana District competition Jan. 10 at IU’s Musical Arts Center.

‘Twisted’ comic Tom Mabe headlining at Bear’s Place

By Tyler James Perry · Thursday, Jan. 15,2009 11:12 p.m.

A man who got his start by harassing telemarketers will be coming to entertain the people of Bloomington. Louisville, Ky. native Tom Mabe will be the main act Monday night while Bear’s Place celebrates 26 years in Bloomington.

Michelle Shocked show combines music, painting

By Alex Brown · Thursday, Jan. 15,2009 11:10 p.m.

Senses will be bombarded this Saturday in hopes of leaving the audience shocked - Michelle Shocked that is.Singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked will perform with painter David Willardson as he paints live on stage, a performance art called HeART, at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.

Music school offers live video, free podcasts

By Amy Burke · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2009 9:52 p.m.

Some people may say that nothing is free; however, the Jacobs School of Music Department of Recording Arts begs to differ.In the fall of 2006, the music school made online podcasts available, and in the fall of 2007 they began streaming live video of select performances, which they archive for audiences to view after the live performance. People around the world can watch and listen to select music school performances for free from the comfort of their own homes, and the music school recently announced the release of new selections.

Brothers play stage brothers in dark comedy ‘True West’

By Brent Williamson · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2009 9:49 p.m.

Expect to see 30 stolen toasters and two drunken men flailing a golf club in “True West,” the Bloomington Playwrights Project’s upcoming production, Friday at the John Waldron Arts Center Rose Firebay Theater. The BPP and Gunstar Productions have teamed up to put on the play by Sam Shepard, which explores themes of identity and the tenuous nature of personal reality.This dark comedy revolves around the brothers’ sibling rivalry and eventual role reversal.

Tranny roadshow to stop in Bloomington

By Risha Kohli · Wednesday, Jan. 14,2009 9:47 p.m.

The Tranny Roadshow starts its tour this week with a stop in Bloomington on Friday. The performance group consists of six transgender performers bringing a range of talent, including Dallas-Marie Spitzer, an acoustic folk-rock musician; Kit Yan, a slam poet; and Adelaide Windsome, a puppeteer who infuses politically charged viewpoints into her puppets.The Tranny Roadshow began in 2005 when organizer Jamez Terry and his co-organizer, who uses the stage name Kelly Shortandqueer, created the performance group. Now, Terry wants to show audiences the diversity of the transgender community.

Spider-man and Obama appear together in comic

Tuesday, Jan. 13,2009 10:49 p.m.

WASHINGTON – Spider-Man has a new sidekick: the president-elect.Barack Obama collected Spider-Man comics as a child, so Marvel Comics wanted to give him a “shout-out back” by featuring him in a bonus story, said Joe Quesada, Marvel’s editor-in-chief.

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