Page Series event brings graphic novel to life

WINONA, Minn. — Science-fiction, radio play drama, and a graphic novel combine as Robot Planet brings “Intergalactic Nemesis” to the Saint Mary’s University Page stage Friday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m.

Using the sound effects of radio drama, super-sized projections of a graphic novel, a live keyboard player, and live actors playing various parts, the story unfolds. The premise is simple: a period adventure story (with no small share of laughs) featuring Pulitzer-winning reporter Molly Sloan, her intrepid assistant Timmy Mendez, and a mysterious librarian named Ben Wilcott face the most serious threat Earth has ever known: an impending invasion of sludge monsters from the planet Zygon.

Appropriate for all ages, this show will have gamers, science fiction fans, radio drama fans, and people just looking for an entertaining evening of adventure and fun on the edge of their seats, shouting for more.

Tickets for this Page Series production are $27 for adults, $24 for seniors and students and are available at the box office, 507-457-1715, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Chicago artist to display work at next Saint Mary’s exhibit

WINONA, Minn. — Chicago artist Cherith Lundin will display her work in “An excess of ground,” the next Saint Mary’s University art show.

Lundin’s work will be on display at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, located in the Toner Student Center. The exhibit is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. An opening reception is scheduled for 4:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, at the galleries.

Lundin is a visual artist whose work ranges in media from drawing and painting to photography and installation. Her work examines the architectural contours of every day life and extracts moments of fluidity within familiar spaces, where apparent dichotomies such as inside and outside, figure and ground, proximity and distance mingle.

Lundin grew up in Germany and received an M.F.A. from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and she has taught painting and drawing at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Minnesota Conservatory registration open house planned for Sept. 3

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will hold its winter 2014 registration open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, at the Valéncia Arts Center, located at 1164 West 10th St.

Here are five reasons to attend:

·      It’s a great opportunity to visit with facility, tour the studios and classrooms, and meet the talented instructors and staff.
·      The dance attire boutique will be open, and staff will assist with fittings and take orders for all of the dance classes.
·      It’s where you can learn more about programming including some great new classes.
·      Members of the Friends of MCA will be on hand to tell you more about hands-on volunteer opportunities.
·      You will be able to visit with members of the Winona and MCA community and meet new people who love the arts as much as you.

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts offers programming in dance, music, visual art, and theatre, year-round. Classes, lessons, workshops and camps are offered for youth ages 3 and older through adults.

Class days, times and tuition vary. Financial need-based scholarships are available. For a brochure and a complete listing, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu, “like” them on Facebook, or call (507) 453-5500. Interested students may register online, by mail, or in person at MCA’s Valéncia Arts Center.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts to conduct 'Nutcracker’ auditions Aug. 30

MCA students Amanda Whalen and Keegan Eide in a former production.

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will hold auditions Saturday, Aug. 30, for its holiday production of The Nutcracker, to be performed at Saint Mary’s University Dec. 4-7. Auditions will begin at noon at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

The Nutcracker tells the timeless tale of Clara as she is taken into a magical world filled with dancing candy, daring sword fights, and beautiful fairies.

There are numerous opportunities to become involved in this production, from performing in the spotlight to assisting behind the scenes. Roles are available for actors, dancers and community members ages 5 and older (including adults) at all levels of experience.

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is a nonprofit arts organization, which offers programming in dance, music, visual art and theatre, year-round. Classes, lessons, workshops, and camps are offered for youth ages 3 and older through adults at the Valéncia Arts Center.

For more information, go to www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu, “like” them on Facebook, or call (507) 453-5500. Auditions are free and open to the public.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

MCA presents 2014 Summer Dance Intensive Showcase

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will present the Summer Dance Intensive showcase at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 26, at the Valéncia Arts Center Academy Theatre, 1164 West 10th St.

The showcase, which is free and open to the public, features works that the students participating in the Summer Dance Intensive have learned in their two-week dance camp.  A variety of dance forms will be presented, including classical and contemporary ballet, jazz, musical theatre dance, and modern dance. The works were choreographed by MCA guest artists Dustyn Martincich, Allan Kinzie, Jen TeBeest and Tammy Schmidt.

In addition to learning showcase pieces, students have been participating in comprehensive dance training including technique and theory classes throughout the two-week process. Class studies have included ballet, pointe, variations, pas de deux, repertory, jazz, hip hop, rhythm tap, modern, musical theatre dance, piyo, choreography and improvisation.

The students are from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa; range in age from 11 to 16; and were selected for the program by audition.

For more information about the Summer Dance Intensive showcase or future MCA program offerings, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu, “like” them on Facebook, or call (507) 453-5500.

Saint Mary’s string camp students to perform public concerts July 18-20

WINONA, Minn. — Through Saint Mary’s University’s String Camp — held on campus July 13-20 — students ages 12-18 will work on developing their skills and musicianship to master many important aspects of string playing in the contemporary era. Throughout this eight-day camp, participants will have the opportunity to work closely and intensively with Saint Mary’s faculty to improve their skills in solo, chamber music and orchestral playing.

The public is invited to three free and public concerts by these talented young musicians:

July 18 — 7:30 p.m., student solo recitals
July 19 — 7:30 p.m., student chamber music recital
July 20 — noon, string orchestra concert

All concerts will be held in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the Saint Mary’s Performance Center.

The string orchestra will perform Mozart’s “Divertimento in F major, K. 138”; Coreelli’s “Concerto Grosso in D Major, opus 6 no. 4”; “Company” by Philip Glass; and “Capriol Suite” by Warlock. The student solo recital will include works by Mendelssohn, Bach, Vaughan Williams and Beethoven. The chamber music concert will include string quartets by Haydn, Mozart and Ravel.

Conservatory for the Arts’ Tap Showcase is May 22

WINONA, Minn. — In honor of National Tap Dance Day, students from the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will present a Tap Showcase Thursday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Mary’s University’s Figliulo Recital Hall.

The showcase will highlight the talents of students who range in age from 8 to 20. They will be performing rhythm tap pieces they learned in workshops this month as well as a demonstration of Irish step dancing. The evening will also include a special tap history presentation featuring the “Shim Sham Shimmy,” a dance known as the national anthem of tap. The showcase is open to the public, and freewill donations will be accepted.

Students performing in the Winona showcase will include: Rory Briggs, Carter Briggs, Megan Costello, Hannah Graff, Nathan Graff, Viva Graff, Ariana Jacobs, Hannah Schwarze, Max Uribe, and Lucy Wilfarht. The showcase is choreographed by MCA tap instructor Christine Martin.

For more information about MCA’s National Tap Dance Day Showcase or other arts programming, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, email MCA@smumn.edu, or call (507) 453-5500.

Rosanne Cash to kick off 2014-15 Page Series lineup at Saint Mary’s

WINONA, Minn. — The 28th season of the Saint Mary’s University Page Series is once again filled with music, dance, theatre and family-friendly offerings from around the world!

You don’t have to travel far for world-class entertainment. Season subscriptions go on sale May 13. Individual tickets go on sale Aug. 19.

Purchase tickets to three or more events to receive a 10 percent discount for new subscribers; returning 2013-14 subscribers receive 25 percent off the total order. Subscribers also have exchange privileges and guaranteed seating choice.

To order after May 13, go online to www.pagetheatre.org or call the Saint Mary’s box office, (507) 457-1715, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The 2014-15 Page Series

• Wednesday, Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m.
Rosanne Cash
Singer, songwriter
Tickets: $30 for adults, $27 for seniors and students
Daughter of American icon Johnny Cash, Rosanne Cash has blazed a path of her own with thoughtful, heartfelt songs of love, loss, and country living. Her most recent recording The River & The Thread has been critically acclaimed by NPR as a masterpiece and “a timeless work of comfort and quiet joy.” The recording etches out a memorable musical journey through her past. “I feel this record ties past and present together through all those people and places in the South I knew and thought I had left behind,” said Cash. Cash has recorded 15 albums, including 1981’s Seven Year Ache and 1987’s King’s Record Shop – which both certified Gold. She has charted 21 Top 40 country singles, 11 of which climbed to No. 1. She has received 12 Grammy nominations, winning in 1985. Cash has also published four books, including her 2010 bestselling memoir, Composed, which The Chicago Tribune hailed as “one of the best accounts of an American life you will likely ever read.”  An intimate evening featuring Rosanne Cash and guitarist-husband John Leventhal will surely attract both loyal fans and those finding her for the first time.

• Friday, Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m.
Intergalactic Nemesis by Robot Planet
Live graphic novel
Tickets: $27 for adults, $24 for seniors and students
Drama, humor, science fiction, and audience participation will combine for an evening of theatre magic. Using the sound effects of radio drama, super-sized projections of a graphic novel, a live keyboard player, and live actors playing various parts, the premise is simple: a period adventure story (with no small share of laughs) featuring Pulitzer-winning reporter Molly Sloan, her intrepid assistant Timmy Mendez, and a mysterious librarian named Ben Wilcott. The three face the most serious threat Earth has ever known: an impending invasion of sludge monsters from the planet Zygon. Appropriate for all ages, this show will have gamers, science fiction fans, radio drama fans, and people just looking for an entertaining evening of adventure and fun on the edge of their seats, shouting for more.

• Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m.
Curious George by Theatreworks USA
A lot of monkeying around
Tickets: $14 for adults, $6 for seniors and students
in this delightful new musical, the inquisitive, lovable little monkey Curious George, star of books, movies and the award-winning PBS television show, works to help his friend win the world-famous Golden Meatball Contest in Rome. All–You-Can-Eat Meatball Day came just once a year. George had been waiting all month for that day, a day almost bigger than his birthday! On Meatball Day, George helped his friend Chef Pisghetti cook some delicious meatballs, and serve them to the hungry crowd. But this year, the crowd had vanished!

Theatreworks USA often visits the Page Theatre stage; last season they performed Teacher From the Black Lagoon. Some of their alumni include actor Henry Winkler, four-time Tony-winning director Jerry Zaks, two time-Tony Award winner Robert Lopez, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, John Glover and many more. Theatreworks USA's goal is to continue doing what it has successfully accomplished for more than 50 years: giving America’s children their first thrilling day at the theatre!

• Thursday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.
The Creole Choir of Cuba
Stories of Haitian ancestors
Tickets: $27 for adults, $24 for seniors and students
This vibrant 10-piece group — five men and five women who dance when they sing — are a cornucopia of remarkable voices. Multiple award winners, this Grammy-nominated choir sings the vital music learned at home from grandparents and parents, as well as the songs of some of the foremost groups of contemporary Haitian scene. The Creole Choir’s Cuban name Desandann means literally ‘descendants.’ With songs like Papa Danbala, Tandé, or Liman Casimir, they tell the stories of their Haitian ancestors who were brought to Cuba to work in the near slave conditions in the sugar and coffee plantations until the 1959 Revolution. Desandann sing in Creole, Cuba’s second language, spoken by almost a million people, a pragmatic fusion of African, French, and other languages. It’s the language of a people twice exiled: first to Haiti from Africa through the slave trade; then from Haiti to Cuba tricked into second slavery by their French masters after the Haitian Revolution of 1790. Other Haitians arrived in the 20th century fleeing political upheaval, poverty and oppression during the barbaric regime of Papa Doc Duvalier who held power from the 1950s to ’70s — marked by reigns of terror and the brutality of his private militia, the Tonton Macoutes. The Philadelphia Inquirer calls the choir’s performance “as much for the emotions and gut as it is for the ears and eyes.”

• Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, 6:30 p.m.
Janet’s Planet
Explore the universe
Tickets: $14 for adults, $6 for seniors and students
Explore the vast universe with PBS’s “Janet’s Planet.” By focusing on science, technology, engineering, art and math, “Janet’s Planet” travels at the “speed of thought” and is designed to fuel STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) potential in elementary school-age kids through the use of multimedia and theatre. Available on more than 140 public television stations nationwide, Janet Ivey of “Janet’s Planet” is excited to bring the wonders of the galaxy to the Page Theatre stage.

• Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Hector Del Curto Quintet
Argentinean Tango
Tickets: $27 for adults, $24 for seniors and students
The Argentinean Tango has been in the Del Curto family since the early 1900s. Hector Del Curto’s great grandfather was a bandoneonist and composer, and his grandfather, also a great bandoneon player, introduced Hector to the world of Tango and the bandoneon. By the age of 17, Hector Del Curto had won the title “Best Bandoneon Player Under 25” in Argentina, and was invited to join the orchestra of the legendary Osvaldo Pugliese, the “Last Giant of Tango.” Del Curto has captivated audiences around the world as a soloist and chamber musician, sharing the stage with world–renowned tango legends, as well as with symphony orchestras and ballet companies worldwide.

• Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, 6:30 p.m.
Monkey Mind Pirates by Z Puppets Rosenschnoz
Pirates and puppets
Tickets: $14 for adults, $6 for seniors and students
A family-friendly pirate show will come to town with the Z Puppets Rosenschnoz production of Monkey Mind Pirates. This is the world’s only puppet, rock, yoga opera for families in search of calm. Sail along with this epic tale of a sea captain discovering how to navigate the stormy seas of stress. When Captain Fitz sets out for the Legendary Waters of Calm, the unruly Monkey Mind Pirates hijack his ship with anxiety, depression and distraction. The chaos turns his ship upside down and drives the captain overboard, where he meets the Wise Sea Monkey. Find out how the captain learns to turn his “arrghs” into ‘oms,” regain peace and tame the Monkey Mind Pirates.

Based in Minneapolis, Z Puppets tours their family-friendly comedies across the country. Appearances have included the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, the National Puppetry Festival, the Walker Art Center and Boston’s Puppet Showplace Theatre. Z Puppets artists Shari Aronson and Chris Griffith have earned many awards, including support from the Jim Henson Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Puppeteers of America and the Minnesota State Arts Board. The Monkey Mind Pirates CD has won an award of excellence from Creative Child magazine.

• Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
TU Dance Company
Powerful contemporary dance
Tickets: $27 for adults, $24 for seniors and students
The Twin Cities-based TU Dance Company culminates a three-day residency with a full evening performance. Led by Alvin Ailey veterans Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands, TU Dance has quickly become a leading voice in the Minnesota dance scene. Founded in 2004, TU Dance has garnered audience and critical acclaim for its diverse repertory, versatile artists, and for performances that are engaging, dynamic and generous. Modern dance, classical ballet, African-based and urban vernacular movements are combined in inventive and unpredictable ways to provide opportunities for audiences, whoever they are, to experience the connective power of dance.

• Monday, March 16, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Cherish the Ladies
Celtic Music
Tickets: $27 for adults, $24 for seniors and students
This Celtic musical group, Cherish The Ladies, takes their name from the name of a traditional Irish jig. The group initially won recognition 25 years ago as the first and only all-women traditional Irish band. In a relatively short time, they established themselves as musicians, garnering many thousands of listeners and fans of their music. With their unique spectacular blend of virtuosi instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step dancing, this powerhouse group combines all the facets of Irish traditional culture and does so with humor and entertaining stories.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

* PLEASE NOTE: Online orders will incur additional fees.

Student price includes ages 4 and older. $10 student rush tickets may be available for some events 20 minutes before curtain.

Saint Mary’s jazz ‘final’ is May 4 on the campus plaza

WINONA, Minn. — All three Saint Mary’s University jazz groups will be featured in what has become an end-of-semester tradition known as the “jazz final.” The performance will take place on Sunday, May 4, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater, located on the Saint Mary’s plaza.

The concert will feature the Jazz Workshop Combo, Jazz Combo 1 and, for the first time ever, the entire SMU Jazz Ensemble. A wide variety of jazz favorites, from Count Basie’s big band to contemporary small group arrangements, will set the stage for an enjoyable afternoon in a casual, comfortable outdoor setting. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the performance will be moved inside to the Cardinal Club, located in the Toner Student Center.

The concert is free, and the public is invited to attend.

For more information, contact A. Eric Heukeshoven at (507) 457-7292 or eheukesh@smumn.edu.

SMU Chamber Orchestra concert is Sunday

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Chamber Orchestra will perform a concert titled “Mastery & Majesty” 3 p.m. Sunday, April 27, in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center.

The orchestra, under the direction of Dr. David Leung, will perform music by Philip Glass, Georg Philipp Telemann, Antonio Vivaldi and Joseph Haydn.

Special guests include Dr. Jason Sah, professor of Juan N. Corpus University, Bogota, Colombia, on viola; and Dr. Kyle Black, assistant professor of modern and classical languages at Saint Mary’s, with a sonnet recitation.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

SMU to host interdisciplinary undergraduate conference April 25-26

WINONA, Minn. — On Friday and Saturday, April 25-26, Saint Mary’s will host the second annual Undergraduates, Inc. Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Conference Program that will bring students from North Dakota State, Iowa State, Winona State and other regional universities to present their work in academic panels along with Saint Mary’s students. The conference rotates among the North Dakota State campus, Iowa State and Saint Mary’s.

The public is invited to attend a presentation by Dr. Dometa Brothers, assistant professor of English at Iowa State University, at 5 p.m. April 25 in the Common Room, located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. Dr. Brothers will speak about “Romantic Math and Science: How Literature Influenced Nineteenth Century Thought,” and her presentation is free and open to the public.

The event continues April 26, as students from several disciplines, including English, history, women’s and gender studies, and communication, make presentations from 9 to 11:45 a.m., followed by a lunch buffet with a keynote presentation by Dr. Hiromi Mizuno, associate professor of history at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Mizuno’s speech, “The Divine Emperor’s Children and Popular Science Culture in Wartime Japan,” will begin at noon in the Common Room. Afternoon student presentations resume from 1:45 to 3 p.m.

The cost of attending the Saturday conference is $30, and those who are interested in attending may contact Dr. Erin Mae Clark at eclark@smumn.edu or (507) 457-6643 or Dr. Tycho de Boer at tdeboer@smumn.edu or (507) 457-6995.

SMU to host special science events April 26

WINONA, Minn. — On Saturday, April 26, Saint Mary’s University will host the 81st Minnesota Academy of Science annual meeting and the 26th Winchell Undergraduate Research Symposium in conjunction with the NC3 District annual meeting of Beta Beta Beta, the National Biological Honor Society.

Students from colleges and universities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa will present their research in the fields of cellular and molecular biology, chemistry, earth science, ecology and environmental science, economics, engineering, math and computer science, physics, neuroscience, organismal and physiological sciences and social sciences. The keynote speaker will be Kevin Kenow, research wildlife biologist from the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, who will speak about Minnesota Loons. The cost of attending the entire conference (does not include lunch) is $10, and those who are interested in attending may contact Dr. Debra Martin at dmartin@smumn.edu.

Dance Repertory Company to present spring 40th anniversary concert April 25-26

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts’ Dance Repertory Company will present a special Spring Dance Concert this year in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the dance division. The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, and 3 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at the Page Theatre.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens and are available online at www.pagetheatre.org or by calling the SMU Box Office at (507) 457-1715 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For four decades, the Dance Repertory Company (DRC) has delighted the Winona community with quality dance productions featuring local dancers in classical and contemporary works. This year the DRC presents a production of restaged works from past shows as well as some new works, paying homage to history of the organization and its founder, Stefannié Valéncia Kierlin. The DRC is the pre-professional performance group of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. Company members participate in rehearsals, technique classes and stage performances.

The production will feature pieces from numerous genres of dance including hip hop, modern, jazz, tap, ballet, and pointe. Performed by the dancers who currently train at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, Saint Mary’s University, and Winona State University, the 40th anniversary celebration concert showcases their effervescent spirit, vibrant energy, and technical and artistic abilities that continue to inspire audiences year after year. In addition to the production, alumni events are scheduled throughout the weekend to commemorate the history of the organization.

For more information about The Dance Repertory Company and other arts programming at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu, or call (507) 453-5500.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

SMU choirs to perform spring concert April 12

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University choirs, under the direction of Patrick O’Shea, will present their spring concert Saturday, April 12.

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, Wabasha and Vila streets.

The repertoire will feature works by Daniel Pinkham, Herbert Howells and Harry Somers.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or online at www.pagetheatre.org.