FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2007
1st Annual Indiana Performing Arts Festival
A Weeklong Celebration of Music, Dance, Drama and More!
INDIANAPOLIS – The “1st Annual Indiana Performing Arts Festival” launches Monday, May 7 at the Indiana State Museum with a weeklong celebration of sounds, storytelling and dramatic style. Routines will range from classic to kooky, with performances spanning Celtic music and Latin dance to caricatures and comical puppetry. Visitors are invited to applaud community groups, professionals and school ensembles from across the state as they share their talents in the Governor Frank O’Bannon Great Hall and the Dean and Barbara White Auditorium daily through Sunday, May 13.
The festival kicks off Monday with unique arrangements by internationally known performers Judy Cook and Jolivette Anderson. An acclaimed actress and storyteller, Cook presents her personal interpretation of Civil War history in “Tenting Tonight: Songs and Stories from the Civil War.” Anderson then takes the stage as “The Poet Warrior” in her one-woman theatrical presentation exploring the invisibility of women in literature and the objectification of black women in popular culture.
Indiana State Museum in-house performers take over Tuesday with a hearty sampling of their regular fare. A favorite among school groups, “Reptile Theater” gets audiences involved when Ficklesteen Frog enlists the help of Squamata the Snake to determine the definition of a reptile. Later, “The Hoosier Hour” features old standards by composers such as Cole Porter and Hoagy Carmichael and tests the audience’s musical knowledge with a round of “Name That Tune.”
All week long, Soapbox Theater characters such as author James Whitcomb Riley and pioneering businesswoman Madam C. J. Walker can be found throughout the museum, giving first-person accounts of history. A professional development workshop Tuesday evening is designed for teachers to learn how to use interactive period characters like these in their lesson plans. “Using Interpretive Characters in the Classroom” is led by JoAnn Fox, an Indiana educator and interpreter who appears at the Indiana State Museum as the historical characters Frances Slocum and Susan Wallace.
On Wednesday, May 9, performances by elementary school ensembles and high school jazz bands place students in the spotlight. Kids can sing along with the acoustic sounds of Don and Alberta Lathan, who appear in period costume playing folk and Celtic music spanning three centuries. Audiences are also invited to guess the real story behind Indiana objects, legends and tunes during the museum’s version of “The Liar’s Bench.”
Thursday, May 10, brings dancers center stage with recitals by two exceptional community troupes. The Continental Dance Club will demonstrate swing, cha-cha, smooth and Latin dance moves and give visitors a chance to join in the fun. Then, with a mission to challenge and stimulate their students through the discipline of dance, the Kenyetta Dance Company will showcase aspiring Indianapolis-area dancers with improvisational movement and African, modern, jazz and hip-hop selections.
On Friday, May 11, the museum features community fun for all ages. Experience the excitement of live theater with Adzooks Puppets and “The Circus Show of Imagination.” Marvel as ordinary objects perform extraordinary feats with help from audience volunteers during improvised puppetry performances. Then, enjoy the tunes of Norwegian fiddler Julane Lund as she plays contemporary Norwegian and Norwegian-American music, combining it with elements of classical violin, jazz, ragtime and American fiddle music.
The museum will resonate with the sounds of strings and a dulcimer concert on Saturday, May 12. First, audiences will enjoy the energy and talent of the Key Strummers ukulele band from the Key Learning Community in Indianapolis. Then, a delightful afternoon of dulcimer music will feature students from the weeklong “Build a Dulcimer Workshop,” performing on instruments they have built themselves. The $45 workshop fee includes all materials and instruction by renowned folklorist and musician Francis Crismore.
The “1st Annual Indiana Performing Arts Festival” will come to a grand conclusion Sunday, May 13, with a special edition of “The Hoosier Hour” featuring performers from the entire week and a free performance by the Zionsville Concert Band. The band’s 2007 season starts at the Indiana State Museum with a tribute to notable immigrant composers and a mix of familiar tunes and other music.
These are just a few highlights in store for visitors to the Indiana State Museum during the festival. Performances take place Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 pm. and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m., with some programs after museum hours. For a complete schedule of events and times, call 317.232.1637 or visit us at indianamuseum.org.
All performances are free for members or are included with regular museum admission: $7 for adults, $6.50 for seniors, and $4 for children. Workshops charge an additional fee, and require advance reservations. Prescheduled groups of 20 or more may receive special discounted rates.
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Media contact: Emily Rawlinson, 317.232.8272