Cultural calendar, October 14-21, 2004
THURSDAY, October 14
FAMILY
Screamin' on the Tracks: Creepy crawlies have invaded the Science Museum's Fleetwood Garner Pavilion behind the Ethyl IMAX®Dome & Planetarium. Fearless visitors can freak out in the Screamin' labyrinth and the haunted locomotive. Family friendly frights are 6-7:30pm. Frights for teens and older are 7:30-10pm. $7. Enter through the gates at the rear of the parking lot on the west side of the Science Museum. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.
WALKABOUT
Cinema Chat: Parla italiano? Ecco Italy and Verity blue announce "Cinema Chat," a series of intermediate Italian conversation classes inspired by Italian films. $55 for a five-week chat series or $15 single class drop-in. Thursday evenings 7:30-9pm in the Verity blue Tower Lounge at the Main Street Market (406A W. Main St.). or 825-4390.
Sunset Hike: Head into the mountains with the Outdoor Adventure Social Club and enjoy a summit view of the new moon and late summer constellations on this easy hike. 5:30pm. $5, plus membership fee. outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE for details or registration.
Virginia Birds: Larry Lynch presents "Virginia Potpourri: Birds and Places" at the October meeting of the Monticello Bird Club. Enjoy a slideshow and discussion of rare local bird species. 7:30pm. No fee. Education Building at Ivy Creek Natural Area. 971-9271.
PERFORMANCE
subUrbia: Three young men with no direction in life spend a night getting wasted in a 7-Eleven parking lot as they contemplate the decay of the American dream in this Eric Bogosian play that's also been made into a movie. 7:30pm. Live Arts UpStage, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177x100.
Les Liaisons Dangereuses: French title, English play– this adaptation of the 1782 Choderlos de Laclos novel was made famous by Hollywood as Dangerous Liaisons. Shenandoah Shakespeare breathes new life into this "wickedly perverse" exploration of aristocratic decadence and deceit. Tonight's performance is signed and admission is pay-what-you-will. 7:30pm. $10-28. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. 540-885-5588.
The Election: Offstage Theatre presents The Election, a new interactive play by Joel Jones. Learn how the West was won, and brush up for that other upcoming election. 8pm. Plan 9's Outer Space on the UVA Corner. See Performance feature.
Angels II: In this much-awaited return of Angels in America, Live Arts resolves what it calls "the greatest theatrical cliffhanger of our times." Part one ended with an angel crashing through Prior's bedroom ceiling. Now all heaven breaks loose in Perestroika, part two of Tony Kushner's masterful critique of the not-so-distant Reagan era. 7:30pm. Live Arts Downstage, 123 E. Water St., 977-4177x100.
Second City Comedy: Laugh your socks off with one of the country's most renowned comedy troupes. Second City alumni include the likes of John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray, and Shelly Long. Tonight's show features sketches, songs, and improv acts. 7:30pm. V. Main stage of the V. Earl Dickinson Building at PVCC. 500 College Drive. $10-17. 961-5376.
Private Lives: Two divorcees can't seem to get away from each other in this classic Noel Coward comedy presented by the UVA drama department and directed by MFA candidate J. Murphy Mason. Straddle that fine line between love and hate. 8pm. Culbreth Theatre. $7-12. 924-3376.
WORDS
After the Commission, What? Philip Zellikow, director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs, served as executive director of the government's commission on 9/11. In the second of two talks, he discusses the findings of the commission and their implications for our future. 11am. 2201 Old Ivy Road. 924-0921.
TUNES
Japancakes at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar: Athens, Georgia, sends us the instrumental band Japancakes, reportedly creating "the soundtrack to the road trip of your life." (Alternative Press) Don't you love rock journalism? No cover, 9pm.
American Dumpster at Atomic Burrito. No cover, 9pm. Karaoke Night with DJ Wild Wes at Buffalo Wild Wings. Free, 9pm.
Danny Beirne (piano-man) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm.
Chicken Head Blues Band at Dürty Nelly's. $4, 9pm.
Peter Markush (piano) at Gravity Lounge. Free, 12-1pm.
The Weepies at Gravity Lounge. $8, 8pm.
Young Artist Night: The Wave at Kokopelli's Café in Crozet. $3, 7-9pm.
Thompson / D'earth and friends (freeform jazz) at Miller's. $4, 10pm.
Sumthin at Orbit. No cover, 10:30pm.
Navel (hard rock) at Outback Lodge. $3, 10pm.
Satisfaction with Noel Sanger (dance party) at Rapture. $3/Ladies free, 10:30pm.
Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm.
The Smashcasters at Tokyo Rose. $5, 10pm.
FRIDAY, October 15
ART
Meet the Artists: Les Yeux du Monde presents an exhibition of new paintings by Herb Jackson. Also on view: Sanford Wintersberger's "Watch Them Watch." Both shows run through November 13. Meet and nosh with them today 5:30-7:30pm. 115 S. First St. 973-5566.
PERFORMANCE
subUrbia: See Thursday, October 7. Tonight's show is at 8pm.
Angels II: See Thursday, October 7. Tonight the show is at 8pm.
The Election: See Thursday, October 14.
Merchant of Venice: Money, love, justice, mercy, and a pound of flesh– this Shakespearean comedy has it all. Shenandoah Shakespeare's players will entertain and disturb, and leave you guessing who is hero and who is villain. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-28. 540-885-5588.
Private Lives: See Thursday, October 14.
Merchant of Venice: Money, love, justice, mercy, and a pound of flesh– this Shakespearean comedy has it all. Shenandoah Shakespeare's players will entertain and disturb, and leave you guessing who is hero and who is villain. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-28. 540-885-5588.
Private Lives: See Thursday, October 14.
They're Playing Our Song: Local talent team up in Neil Simon's romantic comedy, the latest production from Four County Players, opening tonight. A big hit when it premiered 25 years ago, the show is based (loosely) on the lives of the same musical duo, Marvin Hamlich and Carole Bayer Sager, who together composed the score. Runs weekends through October. Barboursville Community Center, Route 678. $10-14. 540-832-5355.
Jazz Nurse: Betsy Baud and the Jazz Nurse Prescription mix Cajun roots with international influences and storytelling in a concert to benefit the Virginia Nurses Association. 7:30pm. Main stage of the V. Earl Dickinson Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College. $18-20. 961-5376 or jazznurse.com.
WALKABOUT
Don't Forget: Local Alzheimer's associations host the 13th annual Memory Walk at "The Park" at UVA Law School. Come out to walk or call to support members of the more than 60 teams who've signed up so far. 9am-noon. 979-4663 or http://cwbmemorywalk.kintera.org.
Education Discussion: A panel of prominent children's law attorneys discuss new strategies designed to improve educational opportunities and help young people do better in school. 3-5pm. Free and open to the public. Info: Legal Aid Justice Center, 977-0553, ext. 101.
Floral Meditations: Join renowned floral designer Hardie Newton at the Gentle Gardener for an autumn "Meditation on the Harvest" workshop. Participants bring a "harvest" of nests, twigs, dried flowers, and fruits from their own gardens to use in floral displays. 2-5pm. $50, or bring a friend and save $5 each. gentlegardener.com or 1-877-GENTLEG.
Martha's Market: Shop more than 30 unique boutiques from across the country at this annual marketplace event to benefit Martha Jefferson Hospital's breast health programs. Today and Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-4pm. $5. Free parking. Omni Hotel, west end of the Downtown Mall. marthajefferson.org or 982-7009. See Walkabout feature.
Information Session: The Outdoor Adventure Social Club offers a photo show and social hour for potential members. 8-10pm. Free if you RSVP. 420 E. Main St. #3. outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE.
Bike Fest: The Shenandoah Fall Foliage bicycle festival brings cyclists form all over the country to see the change of seasons in Augusta and Rockingham counties. Watch the spectacle, or participate yourself. For details and a schedule of events, visit shenandoahbike.org or call 540-885-2668.
Battle On The Ice: The UVA hockey team takes to the ice against the Maryland Terrapins. 10pm. Admission fee. At the downtown Ice Park. Visit student.virginia.edu/~hockey for details and a complete season schedule.
WORDS
America Goes Latin: Myths of Latin American explorers and heroes contribute character to our nation today. Yale professor Rolena Adorno explores those roots in a lecture on "Hispanism in the United States" in Harrison Auditorium of UVA's new Small Special Collections Library. 2pm. .
TUNES
azz Nurse Prescription at PVCC: Benefiting the Scholarship for Virginia Nurses, "The Jazz Nurse" brings her blend of Louisiana jazz to town, featuring flute, sax, piano, and even more instruments. $20/$18 seniors and students, 7:30pm.
Tye River Band with Double Trouble and Junior Moment at the Nelson Center in Lovingston: A five-piece group from the area, the Tye River Band lights up the stage with Double Trouble and local folkie sensations Junior Moment at this month's meeting of the Blue Rose Acoustic Guild. $5 suggested donation. 8-10pm.
Jay Pun at Garden of Sheba: Brilliant guitarist Pun sings songs in the bluesy mode to help your digestion. Free, 8pm.
Jan Smith with Ali Collis at Gravity Lounge: Join Charlottesville's #1 bluegrass/pop songstress for another evening of crisp tunes that perfectly match the weather. $5, 8pm.
Tim O'Brien at the Prism: One of the most respected bluegrass instrumentalists, vocalists, bandleaders and songwriters drops by the Prism for another of his always well-received shows. $25/$20 advance, 8pm.
Free Bridge Quintet & Abdoulaye Diabate open rehearsal at Old Cabell Hall: UVA's five-day festival featuring African popular music and dance kicks off today and continues through Tuesday, featuring some giants of contemporary African popular music, including Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited (from Zimbabwe), Abdoulaye Diabate and the Super Manden (from Mali), and Kanda Bongo Man (from Congo), and also performances from the Free Bridge Quintet and Corey Harris. Performances, workshops, classes, discussions, and open rehearsals dot the five-day period. Free, 2:30pm.
Vernon Fisher ("romantic side of jazz") at Keswick Hall. No cover, 6:30pm.
Fountainhead (jam) at Jabberwocky. No cover, 10pm.
Foster's Branch at Kokopelli's Café in Crozet. Special seafood night! Call for reservations. $5, 8pm.
The Crooked Jades (Americana/folk) at Miller's. $3, 10pm.
Rule of Thump (jam) at Orbit. No cover, 10:30pm.
Groove Nation (dance party) at Rapture. No cover, 10pm.
Southern Culture on the Skids at Starr Hill. $14/$12 advance, 9pm.
Thomas Mapfumo Workshop: Music & Politics in Southern Africa at UVA: Old Cabell Hall. Free, 12pm.
Afropop Festival: Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited at UVA: Old Cabell Hall. $10/$5 students/free to UVA students, 8pm.
SATURDAY, October 16
FAMILY
Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum: Jack climbs the Beanstalk and finds more trouble than he bargained for when this classic tale comes to the Old Michie Theatre as a puppet play. 11am, 2, and 4pm. $5. 221 E. Water St. 977-3690.
Tell Me a Story: Little literati ages 5 and up can enjoy some favorite stories during story time at Barnes & Noble. 11:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.
Brush Strokes: Young artists ages 6-12 can compare European and Aboriginal perspectives as they create landscape paintings at a special children's program the Kluge-Ruhe Collection. 1:30-3pm. Free. Reservations required. 400 Worrell Drive. Peter Jefferson Place. 244-0234. virginia.edu/kluge-ruhe.
Apple of my Eye: Flippin-Seaman Orchards host their Fall Apple Harvest Festival with children's entertainment including pony rides, clowns, face painting, games, a corn maze, and a patch with pumpkins and gourds to pick. Blue grass will be playing, and the apple butter will be cooking the old fashioned way: in a copper kettle over an open fire. 10am-5pm. Rt. 250 west to Rt. 151 to right on Rt. 56 for about six miles; the packing shed is on the left. 277-5824.
Fall Favorite: Graves Mountain Lodge in Madison hosts their annual Apple Harvest Festival with pick-your-own fun, a petting farm, lunch with the Lodge's famous Brunswick stew, hayrides, and pony rides or trail rides on horseback for older kids. Kids can climb the hay mountain (hay bales piled sky high) and wander the hay maze. Nearly 100 craft vendors will be on hand selling their wares, and bluegrass music and cloggers will entertain. At the packing shed folks can select pre-picked apples, pumpkins, gourds, cider, Indian corn, and the farm's own brand of preserves and condiments. 10am-4:30pm. Rt. 670 in Syria. 540-923-4231.
Science Rocks: The Science Museum of Virginia celebrates National Earth Science Week with lots of special hands-on fun. Visitors can make a worm farm, create a soil profile to eat, make a roach broach to take home, visit the Chinese Mantids (they're bugs) in Lab 2, explore the Red Planet at the exhibit MarsQuest, and see a triple-feature in the planetarium. 1-4pm. Included in the price of exhibits admission. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.
Screamin' on the Tracks: See Thursday, October 14.
WORDS
New Arguments for Abortion: Planned Parenthood leader Alexander Sanger argues for new approaches in the fight for reproductive freedom, as articulated in his book, Beyond Choice. He speaks at New Dominion Bookshop today at 11am. 404 E, Main St. 295-2552. See Words feature.
WALKABOUT AND FAMILY
Dig In: Ash Lawn-Highland celebrates Virginia Archaeology Month with a workshop dig on the estate. Participant can learn the basics of the trade as they excavate, sceen, and wash artifacts. House tour and exhibit are included. Tools are supplied. 9am-1pm or 1-5pm. $15 for adults, $12 for children ages 6-11. Call for reservations. 1000 James Monroe Parkway. 293-9539. ashlawnhighland.org.
WALKABOUT
Plantation Community Weekend: Experience in the sights and sounds of life at 19th-century Monticello. The plantation come alive as costumed artisans interpret the skills and crafts practiced by enslaved African-Americans and free workers at Thomas Jefferson's plantation. 10am-5pm. Included in price of general admission. 984-9822 or monticello.org.
River Clean-Up: Help clean up the river with the Rivanna Conservation Society and the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District. Volunteers needed in canoes, on shore, at storm drains, in shuttles, and as trash transports. For more information and to sign up, contact RCS at or 984-5678.
Basic Beadin': Learn the basics of bead stringing with Studio Baboo instructor Terri Gable. Create necklaces and bracelets using various types of stringing material and techniques, and leave with a finished product. 10am-2pm. $25 includes all materials. Then, from 2-4pm, return to learn how to make earrings to match the necklace. $25 with everything. Register in person at 106 Fifth St. SE on the Downtown Mall or call 244-2905.
Martha's Market: The sale continues today. See Walkabout feature.
Run for the Lungs: FORCE, a UVA student organization that's Fighting, Overcoming, and Responding to Cancer Everywhere hosts its second annual 5K Run for the Lungs at the Newcomb Hall Plaza. All proceeds benefit the lung cancer team at the UVA Cancer Center. 10am. $15. Registration at New Balance and Shoos on Elliewood. student.virginia.edu/~force or 960-9062.
Battle on the Ice: Round two of UVA hockey versus Maryland. 4pm. Admission fee. At the downtown Ice Park. Visit student.virginia.edu/~hockey for details and a complete season schedule.
Bike Fest: The Shenandoah Fall Foliage bike festival rolls on. For details and a schedule of events, see shenandoahbike.org or 540-885-2668.
Sierra Club Day: Join the Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club for a day of "green" activities at Chris Greene Lake. Hike and clean the lakeside trail at 9am, plant trees on the beach at 10:30am, and enjoy a potluck picnic at 12:30pm. No fee. 973-0373.
Climb On: The Outdoor Adventure Social Club heads out to West Virginia for some intermediate rock climbing during the legendary fall Bridge Days festival. Climb real rocks and watch folks bungee off the towering New River Gorge bridge. 8am departure. $28 fee, plus membership. Outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE.
West Virginia Adventure: Go white water rafting on the massive Upper Gauley river with the Outdoor Adventure Social Club, and enjoy the Bridge Days festivities mentioned above while you're at it. 10am departure. $146 fee, plus membership. Outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE.
Apple Tasting: We "taste" wines, why not apples? There are literally thousands of apple varieties beyond what we find at the supermarket. Join Tom Buford, "Professor Apple," to explore the essence of the apple. He'll provide numerous apple varieties to taste and lead discussion on the history and culture of each. 9:30am. $10, reservations required. Meets at the Tufton Farm nursery. 984-9822 or monticello.org.
Way To Go, John-Boy: Celebrate 12 years of the Walton's Mountain Museum with activities and demonstrations for the whole family. 10am-4pm. Fee. While you're there, enjoy art, jewelry, furniture, and much more at the Walton's Mountain Country Store and fair. 10am-5pm. Rt. 5 off U.S. 29 in Nelson County, 24 miles south of Charlottesville. Free. 263-4566.Rt. 5 off U.S. 29 in Nelson County, 24 miles south of Charlottesville. 831-2000.
Fall Foliage Celebration: Drink in the incredible scenery at Oakencroft Vineyard as you sample wine, tasty snacks, and fall soups. 11am-5pm. 296-4188 or oakencroft.com for details.
Live the Farm Life: Experience the sights and sounds of modern farm life on the annual Albemarle County Farm Tour. First Colony Winery, C-stock Farm, and Hidden Hill Arabians at the historic Greenfields Farm are featured tour sites. 10am-1pm. Free. Tours take place rain or shine. 984-4199 or albemarle.org for details.
Fall Foliage Open House: Enjoy the changing colors of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery while sampling wines and other light fare. 11am-5pm. 361-1266 for details.
Tip A Glass: Autumn Hill Vineyard celebrates its 18th Annual Barrel Tasting with cellar tours, tastings of 2004 wines, homemade soups, breads, and snack foods. Noon-5pm. $6 fee. 301 River Drive, in Stanardsville. 985-6100 or autumnhillwine.com for details.
Charlottesville Stamp Fair: An opportunity for stamp collectors to purchase a broad selection of United States and foreign stamps. 10am-5pm. Holiday Inn at 1901 Emmet Street. Free. 703-273-5908.
Martial Arts Workshop: The Kyu-Na Jitsu School offers a free skills demonstration. Learn about self-defense, throws, ground fighting, and grappling, and even see some board-breaking chops. 2211 Jefferson Park Ave, behind Dürty Nelly's. 2pm. .
Astronomy Convention: The Charlottesville Astronomy Society hosts the 28th annual Virginia Association of Astronomy Societies convention at St. Anne's-Belfield School, Upper Campus. Hear from a number of leading scientists and enjoy a night of observations at UVA's Fan Mountain Observatory. or 975-4231 for registrations. Details at cvilleastro.org.
PERFORMANCE
subUrbia: See Thursday, October 14. Tonight's performance is at 8pm and is the final show of the run.
Flamenco Workshop: Learn to dance flamenco to the sound of live guitar with Kristi O'Brien. Current session runs through October 23. 4-5pm. ACAC, Albemarle Square. $10-12 drop-in. 296-7536.
Les Liaisons Dangereuses: See Thursday, October 14. Today's show at 2pm will not be signed.
They're Playing Our Song: See Friday, October 15.
Angels II: See Thursday, October 14. Tonight's 8pm show is the final performance of the run.
The Election: See Thursday, October 14, and Performance feature.
Modern Dance: Doug Hamby, University of Maryland dance professor, visits Charlottesville to offer a master class on a Cunningham-based technique. Class ends with a choreography. 1:30pm. Music Resource Center, 105 Ridge St. $10. Pre-registration suggested. 961-5376.
Underpants Workshop: That's right. Explore the background and context of The Underpants, an upcoming play from Live Arts. Receive audition tips and techniques, read from the script and get to know the characters. 1:30-3:30pm. Rehearsal A, Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. $10-15. 977-4177x100.
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Titania, Oberon, and that rascally Puck are at it again in this Shenandoah Shakespeare production of one of the bard's most loved and most hilarious comedies. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-28. 540-885-5588.
Private Lives: See Thursday, October 14.
TUNES
The Dawning: Bella Morte with No Gods No Monsters at Outback Lodge: Another evening of darkness will rock your world! Relying heavily on synths, Bella Morte plays black pop, supported by up-and-coming rockers and sound songwriters No Gods, No Monsters. $6, 10pm.
Danny Schmidt with Keith Morris at Rapunzel's: Straight out of Texas comes relocated Charlottesville resident Schmidt, whose finger picking and soulful voice were favorites here for years. $5, 7:30pm.
Victor Cabas (blues) at Basic Necessities. No cover, 6:30pm.
Breaking Laces with Bicycle Thieves & Will Dailey at Starr Hill. $5, 9pm.
Populist Dancing at Club Rio. $10, 9pm.
Bill Mallonee at Gravity Lounge. $7, 2:30pm.
Sticknight with Greg Howard at Gravity Lounge. $8/$5 student, 8pm.
Howie Campbell (singer/songwriter) at the Grounds Café. Free, 7-9pm.
Eli Cook & Red House Blues Band at Kokopelli's Café in Crozet. $5, 8pm.
The Pones (folk) at Miller's. $3, 10:30pm.
The Second Annual Mt. Cove Blues Festival: The King Bees and Eli Cook & the Red House Blues Band at Mt Cove Vineyards in Lovingston. $10, 12-6pm.
Fallout Countdown and Finger Painters at Tokyo Rose. $5, 10pm.
Afropop Festival: IASOM Conference: Plenary Session at UVA: Old Cabell Hall. Free, 1:15pm.
Afropop Festival: Free Bridge Jazz Quintet Concert: Afro Bop with Abdoulaye Diabate & the Super Manden at Old Cabell Hall. $10/$5 students, 8pm.
SUNDAY, October 17
PERFORMANCE
The Election: See Thursday, October 14. Today's show is a matinee at 2pm.
Flight/Rope Audition: Live Arts is looking for talented and acrobatic dancers to try out for the world premier of an aerial ballet to open in March. Choreographed by Rob Petres and developed by the Ground Zero Dance Co. 7pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177x100.
A Chaste Maid in Cheapside: Greedy Brits plot their way to wealth and marriage in this latest installment of Shenandoah Shakespeare's Bring 'Em Back Alive series. Scripts in hand, actors from around the region come together to perform this lesser-known Renaissance play by Thomas Middleton. Enjoy refreshments with the cast at intermission. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. Pay-what-you-will. 540-885-5588.
PVCC Recital: Faculty with Piedmont Virginia Community College join guest artists for an afternoon recital featuring works by Bernstein, Coltrane, Hindemith and Puccini. 3pm. Main stage of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. Free. 961-5376.
They're Playing Our Song: See Friday, October 15. Today's show is a matinee at 2:30pm.
The Most Lamentable Comedy of Sir John Falstaff: Shenandoah Shakespeare presents the premier run of an original adaptation of that most gluttonous of Shakespeare's characters, culled from choice scenes in Henry IV and a bit of Henry V. 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-28. 540-885-5588.
FAMILY
Open Door Policy: The barn doors are open today at Ivy Creek Natural Area where visitors can discover a wide array of natural history artifacts. Guide Hugh Gildea discusses how local Native Americans made use of forest and animal resources. 1-3pm. Free. Earlysville Road. 973-7772.
Fall Favorite: See Saturday, October 16.
WALKABOUT
Martha's Market: The sale continues today, 11am-4pm. See Walkabout feature.
Harvest Fest at Graves' Mountain: Continues today. 10am-4:30pm. No fee. At Graves' Mountain Lodge, Route 670 in Syria. 540-923-4231 or gravesmountain.com.
Walton's Museum Celebration: Another day of fun in Nelson. 10am-4pm. Fee. Rt. 5 off U.S. 29 in Nelson County, 24 miles south of Charlottesville. 263-4566.
Long Day Hike: Head out to Shenandoah with the Outdoor Adventure Social Club while the leaves are at their peak. This long hike is suggested for experienced hikers only. 9am. $5 fee, plus membership. Outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE
Plantation Community Weekend: Monticello's 19th century experience continues today. 10am-5pm. Included in price of general admission. 984-9822 or monticello.org.
Bike Fest: The Shenandoah Fall Foliage bike festival rolls on. For details and a schedule of events, visit shenandoahbike.org or call 540-885-2668.
Tip A Glass: See Saturday, October 16.
TUNES
Hooktown Blues at Live Arts Theater: Local acoustic blues takes center stage in Hooktown Blues, including performances by Corey Harris, Nickeltown, Paul Curreri, Bill Adams, Orginary Madness, and Swang & Ralph Rush. A free CD is included in the ticket price. $10, 7:30pm.
Benefit for Al Weed: An afternoon with John McCutcheon at Gravity Lounge. $50, 2:30pm.
John Dee Graham and Danny Schmidt at Gravity Lounge. $12/$8 advance, 7:30pm.
American Dumpster at Kokopelli's in Crozet. No cover, 7:30pm.
B.C. (clever cello-pop) at Miller's. No cover, 10:30pm.
Tom Prasafo-Rao and Cary Cooper "Dreamcicle" at Kokopelli's Café in Crozet. $10, 7-9:30pm.
Irish Music Session at Shebeen. No cover, 3-6pm.
Abdoulaye Diabate & The Super Manden Concert with Corey Harris at UVA Ampitheater. Free, 2pm.
MONDAY, October 18
TUNES
Inner Space at Southern Culture: One of the best jam bands in town, Inner Space mix solid instrumentation with a deep reliance on the pop groove. No cover, 9:30pm.
Open Mic Night with Charles Davis at Baja Bean. No cover, signup 8:30pm/9pm.
n. Lannon and Brian McTear (Bitter Bitter Weeks) at Gravity Lounge. $5, 8pm.
Matthew Willner at Miller's. No cover, 9pm.
George Melvin (piano merriment) at South Street Brewery. No cover, 9:30pm.
An evening with the Dark Star Orchestra at Starr Hill. $20, 8pm.
Travis Elliott (pop) and John Figura at the Virginian. No cover, 10pm.
Abdoulaye Diabate & The Super Manden Workshop: Modernizing African music at Old Cabell Hall. Free, 7pm.
TUESDAY, October 19
FAMILY
Nature Time: As the seasons change and we don our sweaters, nature lovers ages 3-5 can are invited to the Virginia Museum of Natural History where the focus is on clouds, rain, snow, and the changes weather brings. 10:30am. $4. Registration required. 104 Emmet St. 982-4605.
Early Literacy: Central Library hosts a workshop with children's services coordinator Nancy Cook who explores what parents of preschoolers can do to help their children be ready to read. 6:30-7:30pm. Free. Registration requested. 201 E. Market St. 979-7151, ext. 3.
Maternal Meeting: Stay at home moms get together at the Church of the Incarnation for the monthly meeting of the MOMS Club of Charlottesville. Meet other moms, discuss upcoming events, get involved. 10:00am. Free. For more information, contact Kristina Parker at 244-0847.
WORDS
Mapping Inner Worlds: Peter Turchi, multifaceted writer and director of creative writing at Warren Wilson College, shares his new book, Maps of the Imagination: The Writer as Cartographer, at New Dominion Bookshop. Using poems and novels, films and cartoons, Turchi draws interesting parallels between maps and our world-views, using cartography as a metaphor for knowing. 5:30pm. 404 E. Main St. 295-2552.
Still Talk Pretty: Humorist and NPR personality David Sedaris visits to promote his new book, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. Sponsored by WVTF and Radio IQ. $35 tickets available in advance at ticketmaster.com or 846-8100. If not sold out, tickets available at the door. 8pm. Charlottesville Performing Arts Center. 800- 856-8900.
WALKABOUT
Horticulture Meeting: Join the Charlottesville Horticulture Club to hear master gardener Al Minutolo talking about caring for and storing dahlias and other tender bulbs. 7pm. Free. Senior Center on Pepsi Place. 293-6871 or .
PERFORMANCE
More Belly Dance: Studio 206 Belmont offers one-hour belly dance lessons every Tuesday with instructor Amalia Habibi. 7:15pm. 501 Monticello Road (above Mas tapas bar). $9-12. 296-6250.
TUNES
Jubeus at Miller's: Five-piece Richmond up-and-comers rock in a decidedly refreshing fashion. No cover, 10pm. See Tunes feature.
Karaoke Night (what you make of it) at Baja Bean. Free, 8pm.
Glen Mack (rock) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10:30pm.
Tommy Emmanuel at Gravity Lounge. $25/$20, 8pm.
$2 Tuesdays with Big Circle at Outback Lodge. No cover, 10pm. (W)
An evening with the Dark Star Orchestra at Starr Hill. $20, 8pm.
Afropop Festival: Kanda Bongo Man at Old Cabell Hall. $10 general/$5 students/Free for UVA students, 8pm.
American Dumpster at West Main. No cover, 10pm. (W)
WEDNESDAY, October 20
FAMILY
Teen-Time Nutrition: Teens can take time out to get the low down on healthy eating with the City's Recreation and Leisure Services. (Parents can come too.) 5-6:15pm. Free. Reservations required. 970-3264. charlottesville.org/recreation.
Spill the Beans: …and use them to make an intricate bean mosaic at Gordon Avenue Library. Ages 5 and up. 4pm. Free. Registration required. 1500 Gordon Ave. 296-5544.
Tales for Tots: The 5 and under crowd can hear some of the storyteller's favorite picture books at Barnes & Noble's preschool story time. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.
Nature Time: See Tuesday, October 19.
WORDS
Future Shock: UVA neurologist Davis Parker speaks on the "Politics of Scientific Innovation" during this week's Medical Center Hour at 11am. Jordan Conference Center Auditorium, UVA. 982-3280.
Calling All Literati (and More): Novelist Michael Parker comes north from Greensboro to read from his new book, Virginia Lovers, at UVA Bookstore. The Washington Post calls Parker's earlier work "languid and mysterious." 8pm. Atop the Central Grounds Parking Garage. 924-6675.
More Best Little Stories: C. Brian Kelley, locally known for his series of books telling the "best little stories" about this and that, now presents tales of the Commonwealth and shares some of his newly published Best Little Stories of Virginia at Barnes & Noble. Hosted by Charlottesville chapter of the Virginia Writers Club and open to the public. 7pm. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-4061.
PERFORMANCE
Midsummer Night's Dream: See Saturday, October 16.
The Most Lamentable Comedy: See Sunday, October 17. Today's show is a 10:30am school matinee.
WALKABOUT
Country Dancing: Kick up your heels at this weekly couples and line dancing extravaganza. Dance lessons 7-8pm; dancing 8-11pm. $7. Fry's Spring Beach Club, 2512 JPA. 977-0491.
Parla italiano? If you don't, Christina Ball of Ecco Italy offers "Italian for Beginners" lessons on Wednesday mornings (9:30-11am; $15 drop-in fee). If you do, why not drop by for the Tavola italiana (Wednesdays 11:30am-12:30pm) for a free chat hour in italiano? All classes held in the Verity blue Tower Lounge at the Main Street Market 406A W. Main St.Contact or 825-4390.
Salsa, Salsa, Salsa! The Outdoor Adventure Social Club is about more than sweat and dirt! Join them for this ongoing series of salsa dance lessons at Berkmar Ballroom. 7:45pm. $8 fee, plus membership. Outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE for details.
Media and Democracy: Feeling polarized this election season? Come listen to renowned New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss how the media is choosing to inform the public in the first of two lectures sponsored by the Center on Religion and Democracy and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. 3:30-5pm in the Dome Room of the Rotunda. No fee. Tomorrow at 2pm, eminent scholars Karlyn Kohrs Campbell, Todd Gitlin, and John Searle discuss the evolving nature of freedom of speech in America, and how politicians, the media, and special interest groups make use of that freedom to influence the public. Visit religionanddemocracy.lib.virginia.edu or call Marilyn Roselius at 924-0998 for details.
TUNES
The Hamiltons at Rapture: Ezra is the only true Hamilton in the group, but no matter, their soul-rock-pop is unlike anything else you are likely to hear anywhere. No cover, 10pm.
Cheesy Trivia with M&M Express at Buffalo Wild Wings. No cover, 8:30pm.
Benny Dodd (rock covers) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm.
Open Mic Night at Dew Drop Inn. No cover, 7:30pm.
Country Dance Night (couples and line) at Fry Spring Beach Club. $7/$4 students, lessons 7-8pm, dancing 8-11pm.
Bitch (solo, formerly with Animal) and Garrin Benfield at Gravity Lounge. $15/$10 advance, 8pm.
The Mike Rosensky Jeff Decker Quartet (jazz) at Miller's. No cover, 9:30pm.
Travis Elliott (acoustic pop-rock) at Orbit. No cover, 10pm.
Jamal Millner and Friends at Outback Lodge. Free, 10pm.
Open Jam at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 7pm.
Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm.
Jim Davies (acoustic rock and blues) at the Virginian. No cover, 10pm.
Karaoke Night at West Main. No Cover, 10pm.
THURSDAY, October 21
PERFORMANCE
The Election: See Thursday, October 14, and Performance feature.
Merchant of Venice: See Friday, October 15. Tonight, attend a free pre-show lecture and hang around after the show to chat with the cast.)
FAMILY
Dare to Scare: Little goblins ages 5 and up can hear spine-tingling tales and sing silly songs of ghosts and witches, then make a monster mask to take home. 4pm. Free. Registration required. Albemarle Square. 973-7893.
WALKABOUT
Feds Confab: The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Chapter 135 meets to hear from Tom Frederick, Executive Director of Rivanna Water and Sewer. 11:30am. Golden Corral restaurant, on Route 29. 293-3170.
WORDS
Poetic Double-Header: Poets Jeffrey Levine and Charlotte Matthews read from their work. Levine, winner of a number of awards, is editor-in-chief of Tupelo Press. Matthews teaches at PVCC. 7pm Jessup Library, PVCC. 961-5203.
TUNES
American Dumpster at Atomic Burrito. No cover, 9pm.
Karaoke Night with DJ Wild Wes at Buffalo Wild Wings. Free, 9pm
Danny Beirne (piano-man) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm.
Chicken Head Blues Band at Dürty Nelly's. $4, 9pm.
Peter Markush (piano) at Gravity Lounge. Free, 12-1pm.
Steve Poltz at Gravity Lounge. $15/$10 advance, 8pm.
Thompson / D'earth and friends (freeform jazz) at Miller's. $4, 10pm.
Eli Cook solo (acoustic blues) at the Mossy Creek Café in Nellysford. No cover, 7pm.
Max Collins at Orbit. No cover, 10:30pm.
Satisfaction with Noel Sanger (dance party) at Rapture. $3/Ladies free, 10:30pm.
Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm.
Ambient Electricity with Michael Jackson at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. No cover, 9pm.
Upcoming and Ongoing
ART AND WORDS
Look then Write: Starting September 27, area writers are invited to visit the University of Virginia Art Museum to take part in the Writer's Eye competition, an annual competition among poets and prose writers, young and old, who are challenged to turn their responses to art works in the UVA Museum into creative writing. Docents are giving tours of the museum designed to inspire Writer's Eye competitors from now through November 12. Entries due November 19. UVA Art Museum, Rugby Road, 924-7458.
PERFORMANCE
Swing Swap: The Charlottesville Swing Dance Society hosts an evening of swing most Thursdays in the auditorium of the Albemarle County Office Building. Not classes, but just a chance to enjoy East Coast swing first hour, west coast during the second. Couples and singles welcome. 7-9pm. 401 McIntire Road. Free. 980-2744.
Modern Dance: Classes with the Miki Liszt dance company. Safety release technique: 7pm Tuesdays. Dynamic alignment: 10:30am Wednesdays. Horton technique: 5:30pm Fridays. Studio 20, McGuffey Art Center, 201 N.W. 2nd St. 295-7973.
Sunday Salsa: The Charlottesville Salsa Club sponsors a weekly opportunity to learn and practice Salsa and other dances, in a smoke-free nightclub atmosphere. A basic lesson (usually salsa) gets the evening started at 8. DJ'd music is 80 percent salsa mixed with other Latin styles. Complimentary water and sodas. The Outback Lodge, 917 Preston Ave. 8pm-12am. $5 (members $3). 979-7211. Bioritmo provides live music September 19. $8.
Country Dance Night: Couples and line dancing at Fry's Spring Beach Club. Dance lesson Wednesday 7-8pm, dancing 8-11pm. $7, students $4. (students $2 every fourth Wednesday). 2512 Jefferson Park Ave. 977-0491.
Exotic Dance: Get kinky at the Berkmar Ballroom with exotic and modern dance for those at any skill level. Every Thursday night, belly dance for beginners and intermediates, 6-7pm. Fitness pole dance for beginners, 7-8pm. Sexy pole dancing for beginners, 8-9pm; for intermediates, 9-10pm. 652 Rio Road W. 10-lesson series, $125. 975-4611.
Script It: Offstage Theatre seeks scripts for two upcoming series, Barhoppers and Bedroom Plays, set (duh) in bars and bedrooms. Pieces should run 10 to 20 minutes and require minimal props, costumes, etc. Comedies, dramas, monologues, musicals all eligible. Offstage pays $50 per chosen script. Deadlines: mid-December for Barhoppers; mid-February for Bedroom Plays. Send inquiries to and submissions to , or send mail to Chris Patrick, 210 Little Graves St., Charlottesville 22902.
FAMILY
Biology 101: Visitors to the Danville Science Center get a lesson in life at the exhibit Head to Toe now through January 9. Read x-rays, examine samples of real livers and lungs, see a real human brain, check out your fingerprints, experience the effects of alcohol ingestion, and more. Open Monday-Saturday 9:30am-5pm, Sunday 1-5pm. $3 for kids ages 4-12, adults $4. 677 Craghead St., Danville. 434-791-5160. dsc.smv.org.
Bug's Life: Little buggers are invited to buzz their way through the tricks and traps of carnivorous plants at the Virginia Discovery Museum's new Back Gallery exhibit "A World of Bug-Eating Plants." Visitors can learn how these rare meat-eating plants catch their dinner, how they grow, and where they can be found as they slip, crawl, and slide through their fascinating world. Included in the price of admission. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025.
Get Out the Vote: Underage voters have the chance to stand up and be counted at the Virginia Discovery Museum. Through December 5, kids can participate in an interactive exhibit about making decisions and the importance of voting. Free. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025.
Earthly Power: Visitors to the Science Museum of Virginia can sit back and relax as mountains explode, the ground trembles, and funnel clouds roll by on the larger-than-life IMAX film Forces of Nature now through March 18. Call or check the website for times and tickets. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.
Martian Invasion: Mars rovers Opportunity and Spirit discover the importance of exploring the Red Planet in a new multimedia planetarium show Mars Mania at the Science Museum of Virginia through January 9. Included with exhibit admission. Call for show times and other information. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.
MOPS: Mothers of Preschoolers meets the first and third Thursday of each month at Zion United Methodist Church, Troy. Noon-2pm. Free. Call 434-589-1665 for information and directions.
WALKABOUT
Trash Amnesty: Get rid of your bulky waste during Albemarle County's fall amnesty days. Furniture and mattresses can go October 16, large appliances on October 23, and tires on October 30. No charge for County residents to deliver the specified items to the Ivy Materials Utilization Center each day. Contact the County's General Services Division at 296-5816 for more information.
Parkway Nature Walks: Monticello is offering guided walking tours of the Thomas Jefferson Parkway, the linear park along the Route 53 entrance to Jefferson's estate, every Sunday morning now through the end of November. 9:30am. No fee. Meet at Kemper Park at the base of the Parkway, a quarter-mile east of the intersection of Route 53 and Route 20. 984-9822.
Early Music Meeting: The Shenandoah Recorder Society meets on the third Sunday of every month to discuss the recorder and early music in general. Open to all. For more information, call 295-1395.
Downtown Tours: The Albemarle-Charlottesville Historical Society offers walking tours of historic downtown Charlottesville every Saturday at 10am. Tours leave from the McIntire Building across from Lee Park and cover over 250 years of community history in one hour. $3 suggested donation. 296-1492.
Mindfulness Meditation: Tuesdays 12:15-12:45pm. UVA Hospital Chapel. Meditation practice with guidance. Free. No experience necessary. 924-1190.
Downtown Tours: The Albemarle-Charlottesville Historical Society offers walking tours of historic downtown Charlottesville every Saturday at 10am. Tours leave from the McIntire Building across from Lee Park and cover over 250 years of community history in one hour. $3 suggested donation. 296-1492.
Glass-Blowing Workshop: Try your hand at glass blowing with a one-day class at Sunspot Studios in Staunton. You'll get to watch a master in action, and then jump in to create a paperweight of your own. 9am and 12:30pm sessions (the later class delves into more advanced techniques) through September. $85 fee for the paperweight workshop ($150 for the advanced class). 202 S. Lewis St. in Staunton near the old train station. 540-885-0678 or for info and reservations.
Streamwatch Water Monitoring: Join John Murphy of the Rivanna Conservation Society for a trip to assess watershed health at several sites along the Rivanna River. Contact the RCS for info and to find other certified monitors in your area. 589-7576 or .
NAACP Meeting: The local chapter of the NAACP meets on the second Monday of each month. 7pm. Tonsler Park Community Center; Cherry Avenue near Fifth Street. 293-4044.
ART LIST
The Second Street Gallery presents "DC Now," an multi-media exhibition showcasing work by nine contemporary Washington, DC-based artists: Ken Ashton, Joanne Bauer, Jason Falchook, David Jung, Linn Meyers, Maggie Michael, Jose Ruiz, Dan Steinhilber, and Ian Whitmore. Through October 30. Corner of Second and Water streets. 977-7284.
The University of Virginia Art Museum presents "The Museum: Conditions and Spaces," "The Odyssey: Watercolors by Karen Shea," "Paradise Lost: Photographs by Sally Mann," and "Emmit Gowin Photographs," round out the Museum's offerings, all up through October 17. 155 Rugby Road. 924-3952.
Piedmont Virginia Community College presents abstract paintings by Alan O'Neal and James Brewer through October 27. V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Drive. 977-2001. See Art feature.
The McGuffey Art Center offers three shows in October: "A Year at Sea," mixed-media sculpture by NiNi Baeckstrom; new abstract paintings and architectural diagrams by Caroline Cobb; and "It's a Big Wide Wonderful World We Live In– Life in the 21st Century in a Nutshell," mixed-media pieces by Andy Faith. 201 Second St. NW. 295-7973.
Isabel Mclean presents her show "Detritus: A Mixed Media Memoir" at the Renaissance School through October 31. 406 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 984-1952.
During October, Sidetracks (formerly Spencer's 206) features "Of Leaves and Stellar Phenomena," an exhibition of paintings of Christopher Mason. 218 Water St. 361-0083.
Photographer Aaron Farrington displays his images at the Gallery at Starr Hill during October. 705 Main St. 434-409-0745.
Venture into Belmont to view New Art Across the Bridge/Round 2, in October featuring the work of Lily Grabbi, Will May, Timothy Shearer, Justin Lincoln, THE FACE MUSCLES, "and more." 209 Monticello Road (across the street from Spudnuts). 984-5669.
During October, Main Street Market galleria presents works in pastel and watercolor by Nancy Galloway. The show runs through the end of the month. 416 W. Main St. 244-7800.
The 5th Floor Gallery at Keller Williams is currently showing the work of painter Joan Soderland, stained-glass artist Shelby Bowen, painter Kathleen Karlsen, and photographer Robert Dooley. Ten percent of proceeds from artwork sold is donated to Habitat for Humanity. Suite 500, Citizens Commonwealth Building (UVA Credit Union), 300 Preston Ave. 220-2200.
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church presents "Fusion II," a group show by Doris deShea, Nancy Frye, Anne Warren Holland, and Joan Griffin, who collectively call themselves the "Four Sisters." Opening reception, October 10 at noon. 717 Rugby Road. 293-8179.
Angelo is hosting "Interpretations," acrylic paintings by Talia Lanyi, through October 30. 220 E. Main St. 971-9256.
Opening October 15, Les Yeux du Monde presents an exhibition of new paintings by Herb Jackson. Also on view: Sanford Wintersberger's "Watch Them Watch." Both shows run through November 13. Opening reception, October 15, 5:30-7:30pm. 115 S. First St. 973-5566.
The Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Aboriginal Art features "Twice Born: Marsupials in Aboriginal Art," through November 6. Also on view through November 27: "Indigenous: Selected Works from the Kluge Ruhe Collection."400 Worrell Drive, Peter Jefferson Place. 244-0234.
Nature Visionary Art presents "Temptation, Inspiration, Revelation," artwork by C.M. and Grace Kelly Laster, through October. 110 Fourth St. 296-8482.
During October, The Gallery @ 5th & Water displays an exhibit of paintings by North Carolina mother and daughter Sallie and Anne Meade. 107 Fifth St. 979-9825.
CODG presents "Dreams of Another Place," an exhibition of work by Jonathan Blake, through the end of October. 112 E. Main St., under the Jefferson Theater. 242-4212.
For the month of October, the C&O Gallery displays "Drawings and Paintings," artwork by David Reynaud. Next door to the C&O Restaurant. 511 E. Water St. 971-7044.
Visit Sage Moon Gallery to see watercolors by Mike Neymeyer during October. 420 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 977-9997.
New works by members of the Central Virginia Watercolor Guild– watercolors, oils, pastels, and mixed media– are on display at the Albemarle County Courthouse. 501 E. Jefferson Court Sq. 296-8484.
The Laughing Lion Gallery presents "Wedding Portraits," drawings and paintings by Terrence Pratt, during October. 103 E. Water St. in the Commerce Building (above Londons). 984-4000.
Orange County art teacher Lee Nixon shows work at the Albemarle County Office Building during the month of October. 401 McIntire Road.
During October, the Mudhouse shows artwork by Abby Kasonik. 213 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 984-6833.
View Mercedes Lopez's watercolor exhibition, "Classic Elements," at Art Upstairs during October. 316 E. Main St., above The Hardware Store, on the Downtown Mall. 923-3900.
Transient Crafters offers "One Subject, Different Images: Exploring Photographic Alternatives," photography by Ben Greenberg, through October. 118 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 972-9500.
During October, Bozart Gallery offers painter Matalie Griffin Rivard Deane's exhibition "Organic within Inorganic." 211 W. Main St. 296-3919.
Oakencroft Winery presents "Places Need Keepers," oil and pastel paintings by Barbara Wallace, October 15-24. 1486 Oakencroft Lane (three miles W. of Charlottesville on Garth Road). 296-4188.
L'étoile Restaurant displays paintings by local artists Barry Gordon, Malcolm Hughes, and Christian Peri. 817 W. Main St. (across from the Amtrak Station). 979-7957.
Radar
At the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts "Selections: 20th Century Latin American Art in the VMFA Collection" hangs through March 13. 200 N. Broad St., Richmond. 804-340-1400.
Richmond's Plant Zero Project Space presents "ON MESSAGE: Art for Our Time," featuring work by 19 regional and national artists. Curated by photographer Alyssa Salomon, the exhibition attempts to get out the vote through its critiques of government policies and actions. Through November 7. 0 E. Fourth St., Richmond. 804-321-8899.
Ombra's Café in Crozet presents Georgia Barbour's "Photographs of Vietnam" through October. 973-8642.
Until October 31, Lindsay Michie Eades' exhibit of oil paintings, "People and Places," will be on view at Jarman's Gap restaurant. 5790 Three Notch'd Road, Crozet. 823-4626.
The Artisans Center of Virginia welcomes an invitational exhibition of contemporary craft artisans working in a variety of media, through November 4. Also on view: "As the Wood Turns," turned wood vessels by Bruce and Janet Hoover, through November 6. 601 Shenandoah Village Drive (exit 94 off I-64), Waynesboro. 540-946-3294.
The Nichols Gallery Annex presents "Images of the South," paintings by over 20 Mid-Atlantic artists, including Ron Boehmer, Gray Dodson, Philip Koch, Frederick Nichols, and Chica Tenney. Through November 28. Barboursville, near the intersection of Rts. 20 and 33. 540-832-3565.
During October, The Arts Center in Orange presents its "2004 Showcase of Regional Artists," featuring multi-media work by 50 area artists. 129 E. Main St., Orange. 540-672-7311.
Sevenoaks Pathwork Center displays "Three Artists from One Virginia Family," featuring the work of Peg Redd, Page Coplan, and Paul Charlton, through early December. 403 Pathwork Way, Madison. 434-295-2486.
Dave Moore's paintings are at Caffe Bocce during October. 330 Valley St., Scottsville. 434-286-4422.
Sweet Briar College offers paintings by Nancy Witt in its Babcock Gallery, and "Out of the Darkness," photography by Carrie Cann, in the Babcock Fine Art Center Lobby through October 17. In the Benedict Art Gallery, photographs by Brad Hamilton are on display through October 24. Sweet Briar. 434-381-6248.
The Barn Swallow features pottery by Janice Arone and Mary Ann Burke, plus other handcrafted artwork. Route 682 off 250W. 434-979-4884.
Staunton's Painted Thunder Studios welcomes the work of equine artist Jennet Inglis. 19 W. Beverley St. 540-851-0864.
Sun's Traces Gallery displays quilting by Patricia Hoke, nature photography by Evelyn Eades, as well as turned wood pieces by Dick Wexelblat and clay works by Paula Brown-Steedly. Barboursville. 540-832-7044.
The Ed Jaffe Gallery features paintings and marble sculptures by Ed Jaffe, plus abstract photographs by Marc Jaffe. 108 W. Main St., Orange. 540-672-2400.
Staunton's Middlebrook Gallery offers contemporary art and fine crafts, including sculpture by Ken Smith. 5 Middlebrook Ave. 540-885-9955.
FEATURES/FEATURES/FEATURES
ART
Harmonic divergence: PVCC's North and South
BY LAURA PARSONS
To get an idea of how sharply James Brewer and Alan O'Neal differ in their approaches to abstract painting, one need only look at their artist statements– not so much for the words but for their shape. Brewer rambles through a two-page typewritten treatise, discussing theory and artistic influences. In contrast, O'Neal presents a short paragraph in crisp, angular font, urging viewers to jump into the work itself.
Nevertheless, the painters claim parallel objectives. Brewer concludes, "The goal is visual harmony," while O'Neal says his focus is "bringing observer and observed together in the moment."
But that's where any similarity ends. Brewer's seven oil paintings of varying sizes– on display in the South Gallery of Piedmont Virginia Community College's V. Earl Dickinson Building– percolate with a profusion of elements and colors. The artist takes a let's-see-what-will-happen approach to palette, line, and shape. Sometimes this exuberance leads to muddied layers, other times to brilliant dynamism, as in "Pepper, Salt, and Oil," where Brewer's spontaneous brushstrokes and off-kilter geometry call to mind Paul Klee. Everywhere the artist's presence is conspicuous.
The opposite is true in PVCC's North Gallery, where O'Neal all but erases himself in order to generate visual experience. Created specifically for the space, three parallel sets of three elongated panels face three shorter and broader canvases. All are split horizontally into two equal blocks of acrylic color. No hint of brushwork or technique interferes with the immediate impact of these borderless jolts of vibrancy.
In "Intervals I," each panel zings with almost complementary hues– red over grass green, purple over yellow, and orange over azure blue. But the three panels also relate to each other, as the warmer tones move from top to bottom to top, and the cooler colors shift from bottom to top to bottom. Adding complexity, the upper red of the first panel forms an intermediary between the subsequent purple and orange, just as the lower green mediates the following yellow and blue.
"Intervals II" creates a parallel yet different conversation between black, gold, and silver (perhaps an homage to O'Neal's wife, Loes van Riel's, current palette), while "Intervals III" returns to bright colors, as if ushering the viewer back into daylight after time in a darkened tunnel.
On the opposite wall, O'Neal's single-panel paintings intercede between the three-panel sets. For instance, "Interval I" juxtaposes the azure blue of "Intervals I" with the spring green found in "Intervals III."
O'Neal's work reveals how deeply compelling minimalism can be. Whereas Brewer allows viewers to eavesdrop on his personal reflections, O'Neal steps aside as he quietly sets a conversation in motion.
James Brewer's and Alan O'Neal's abstract paintings are on view through October 27 in the South and North Galleries, respectively, at PVCC. 501 College Drive. 977-2001.
FAMILY
All aboard: Keelboat, nickel set to launch
BY LINDA KOBERT
When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set off on their great adventure westward 200 years ago, they headed up the Missouri River in a keelboat. The expedition commissioned the construction of this large riverboat by a Pittsburgh shipbuilder. According to legend, this craftsman was rather fond of the bottle, so his construction job ran behind schedule.
By the time the boat showed up in St. Louis, it was August, and the Missouri River was too low for the keelboat to properly navigate the shallow waters. Loaded with supplies, the boat had to be pulled upriver by oxen.
Here in Charlottesville, young volunteers have been working for 2-l/2 years to build a replica of a keelboat at the new Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center in Darden Towe Park, and progress is right on schedule. The boat will be launched into the Rivanna River during a public ceremony on Saturday, October 23, coinciding with the newly redesigned nickel featuring Lewis and Clark on a keelboat.
Like the expedition, however, after being deposited into the river, the Discovery Virginia, as the Center's ship has been named, will need to be pulled up-river a hundred feet or so to its mooring place. This time, it will be "a few strong young men" who will be shouldering the burden of this 10-ton, 55-foot, solid oak replica. Once it's anchored in a quiet cove away from the current, visitors can climb aboard for a Corps of Discovery experience.
"They say it needs only two feet of water to float," says Alexandria Searls, coordinator for the LCEC. "This will be an experiment."
Kids from first grade on up have spent Saturdays and summer camps pounding nails, sawing timbers, drilling holes, and chiseling with hand tools to create this boat. Plans for the craft and a guiding hand came from master historic boat builder Butch Bouvier who will be on hand for the ceremonies and during the week before as the cabin is added and the boat prepared for the water.
Representative Virgil Goode will officially christen the boat during the launch ceremony. A representative from the U.S. Mint will be on hand distributing the new nickel to children (adults who want one will have to exchange an old nickel).
A team of oxen pulling an authentic replica of a covered wagon will offer demonstrations. Uncle Henry's Favorites, a period musical ensemble, will entertain, and cider from vintage apples (courtesy of Monticello) will be served at a riverside reception.
This celebration promises to be just the beginning of big plans for adding yet another major site to the area's historical tourism roster. Teaming up with the folks at the Virginia Discovery Museum and the Virginia Museum of Natural History, LCEC will offer programs that give locals a reason to get out more, too.
The Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center is open for tours of the boat-in-process Saturdays 10am-4pm. Saturday, October 16, is a keelboat workday, 9am-1pm. The launch celebration is Saturday, October 23, 1:30-4pm. Admission is free. The Center is located past the soccer fields at Darden Towe Park, Rt. 20 north. 979-2425. lewisandclarkeast.com.
PERFORMANCE
Topical: Offstage tells election tale
BY ROBERT ARMENGOL
Many pundits claim this year's presidential election has been one of the dirtiest in recent memory. But it doesn't come close to the wacky gun-slinging romp through the Wild West that Offstage Theatre is presenting this month.
The Election, an original "interactive" play by Joel Jones, is set on July 4, 1891, in Roswell, New Mexico, where the mayor has just been shot, the Rio Hondo has run dry, and an obnoxious colonel is trying to seize power.
There's dirty politics, there's a shootout, and there's a visit from two drug-toting women from the future who crash-land their spaceship in the desert in search of a research site. Amid the hullabaloo– all of it improbably accomplished in iambic pentameter with exclamations like "Tarnation!"– a vote is arranged to fill the vacancy.
Who gets to decide the outcome? The audience, of course. Offstage producer Bree Luck (currently starring as Harper in Live Arts' production of Angels in America, Part II) says Jones wrote two different endings to accommodate the whim of the crowd. If this ain't interaction, I don't know what is.
Jones's third full-length play, The Election is nothing if not a commentary on our times. The colonel and his clever cronies have most of the guns and all the water (read oil); his reluctant opponent is a nice guy who comes across as, well, kind of a wimp.
But no one in the play comes across clean as a whistle, and some resemblances to real people really are entirely coincidental. (Luck is quick to emphasize that Thirsty Weed, the town drunk, is not meant to poke fun at local Democrat Al Weed, who is challenging incumbent Virgil Goode this year for a seat in Congress.)
Offstage also produced Jones's first two plays, the rock 'n' roll hit Shrug Like You Mean It, and the Victorian-era comedy A Fortune in Antarctica. They too were written in verse, a quirky technique that helps lend an Elizabethan feel to a modern and offbeat drama.
"It's really amazing what verse does to an audience," Luck says. "They listen and react differently. I think the verse takes the audience out of their usual way of responding and encourages them to interact. And it's just fun to hear words like 'duh' in iambic pentameter."
Learn how the West was won, and brush up for that other upcoming election. The Election premieres Thursday, October 14 and runs for seven more shows: October 15-17 and 21-24. All shows at 8pm except Sunday, October 17, at 2pm. Plan 9's Outer Space on the Corner. $8. 979-9999.
WALKABOUT
Shop on: Martha's Market helps with holidays
BY TIM SPRINKLE
Despite TJ's near-total monopoly on central Virginia cultural references, the third President of the United States was far from the only family member to leave a mark, at least in name, on this corner of the Commonwealth. From nursing homes to office parks to Martha Jefferson Hospital (named for Jefferson's eldest daughter), the clan has remained an important and visible part of our state heritage.
Martha's Market, the marketplace sale that benefits the Women's Committee of Martha Jefferson Hospital, is another testament to the impact of Virginia's former First Lady (Martha was the official hostess in the Governor's mansion after the death of her mother– also named Martha).
The annual event brings together more than 34 different "boutique-style" vendors for three days of browsing, munching, and buying that has become Charlottesville's de facto kick-off to the holiday shopping season. What's more, 15 percent of every purchase goes to the hospital's breast health program, so you don't need to feel guilty about the indulgence.
"You're shopping, but you're also supporting a good cause, and that feels pretty good," explains Winifred Wegmann, chair of the Women's Health Committee. "But we also want to appeal to a broad spectrum of people, so we try to include vendors selling a wide variety of products at every price point."
This year, expect to find vendors from all over the country offering "jewelry, clothing, gifts, antiques, garden and home accessories, and pet paraphernalia." And since they all come to Martha's Market from outside the Charlottesville-Albemarle area, you're sure to find all sorts of unique, interesting treasures that haven't been making the rounds at other local craft fairs.
"People always seem to enjoy finding things they wouldn't normally be able to find in Charlottesville," Wegmann says, "and we like to think that the market offers something different for the community."
The Women's Health Committee works year-round to help support the non-profit Martha Jefferson Hospital and its breast health programs. The committee funds outreach events, offers free breast screening days, sponsors education seminars, donates equipment, and generally makes sure the hospital can continue to serve the women of central Virginia regardless of income level. Martha's Market, the group's only fundraiser, has raised nearly $1.5 million in the past decade.
Martha's Market is open 10am-6pm Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16, and 11am-4pm on Sunday, at the Omni downtown. $5 adults (children 10 and under free). Lunch available. Free parking at the Omni until the lot is full. 982-7009 or marthajefferson.org.
WORDS
Honoring granny: New voice joins abortion debate
BY SUSAN TYLER HITCHCOCK Few topics evoke such visceral responses in the political arena as abortion. A year and a half ago, when the nation observed the 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade, droves of young people– adolescents who had not themselves even reached reproductive maturity and who had never known a time in which abortion was illegal– marched through the streets of Washington, D.C., to protest the decades-old decision. Their fervor and their numbers, probably more than the occasional abortion clinic attack, indicate the clash of public opinion today.
Through all those 30-plus years since Roe v. Wade, according to the Gallup Poll, society's divisions over abortion have followed the same pattern: just over 20 percent believe abortion should be legal, just over 20 percent believe it should be illegal, and just over 50 percent seek some middle ground– an attitude that reproductive rights advocate Alexander Sanger would call the "mostly pro-choice" position.
Perhaps Sanger's name rings a bell. He's the grandson of Margaret Sanger, the early 20th-century pioneer of women's reproductive freedom and birth control. He's continuing her battle.
"My grandmother was arrested when she opened America's first birth control clinic in Brownsville, Brooklyn, in 1916," he says. "At that time, birth control was illegal, and reproductive rights did not exist. Two generations later, we're still fighting."
The younger Sanger recognizes that to a large extent, it's a war of ideas. He begins his book, Beyond Choice: Reproductive Freedom in the 21st Century, by frankly admitting that public support for abortion rights has been sliding. Pro-choice arguments must advance to a new level, he argues, since they they've currently failed "to persuade a majority of the American people of the rightness of our position."
Sanger challenges those who hold the pro-choice position to develop a more articulate and comprehensive argument. The 21st century presents a morass of moral dilemmas regarding reproductive decisions. We have medical and laboratory capabilities that far surpass the reach of our ethical principles. Not just surgical and chemical abortion, but also fertility therapies and genetic engineering present moral challenges that must be addressed rationally, compassionately, and universally.
A persuasive ethic will encompass all those issues, and will do so with an eye on benefits to American and world society, not just to the individual.
"It is time for re-thinking," argues Sanger. Leave behind the concepts of "control" and "planning," and think instead, he says, about "freedom." It's a value for which we are willing to fight on other world fronts– why not this one?
Alexander Sanger speaks on his book, Beyond Choice, at New Dominion Bookshop Saturday, October 16, at 11am. 404 E. Main St. 295-2552.
TUNES
Flashes of majesty : Give the boys time to grow
BY MARK GRABOWSKI
I enjoy bands that go out on a limb with their sound, and Richmond's Jubeus definitely put themselves out there, swaying in the breeze.
Barely four years old, the group seems to be still feeling for a direction to take them away from the norm, but indications on their debut album point to promising things ahead.
Although some of the tracks off their latest album, 2003's Two Tone Circles, sound like harmony-laced acoustic versions of songs by some contemporary big-name groups (I think the kids are still listening to Creed, Staind, and that other tripe…), others are breaths of fresh air in the current stagnant pool of modern rock radio.
The band's five members got together in 2000 at Longwood University. The group uses its three-part harmony to the fullest, creating a set of originals with a decided edge over their competition.
Two Tone Circles begins with "Sunshine Lady," a song (at least instrumentally) in the spirit of the Dave Matthews Band. Beginning with an acoustic chord slide reminiscent of "What Would You Say" the rest of the group soon enter, creating an all-encompassing sonic world.
Vocalist Jason Masi begins, "I'm gonna push it through the door now / into the morning…" in a voice rather like Creed's Scott Scapp ("big," "booming," "boisterous" would be the "b" adjectives for it). The song is sort of pop, mostly rock– though crowd-pleasing rock– rather than hard or complicated.
You can almost see the festival crowd up and dancing for Jubeus when the group gets to the song's chorus and Masi belts out, "Running on a good vibe, holding on my sunshine lady…" with rapid-fire pronunciation precision. Though harmony is present on this track, it's a little too far in the background to really make any impact on the listener apart from a subconscious one.
"Ocean," the next track, is a slower number, where slightly haunting organ backs the group while they unleash their three-part harmonies on the chorus, though it's in the style of the first song. "Canoe" is where things start getting freaky, as Hawaiian drums and a great pop melody prove that the group has something bubbling beneath their same-old skin.
"Green Island Paradise" is another number on which the group gets loose from the shackles of conformity; the song's catchy driving bass line provides the pedestal on which the rest of the performers place their subtle acoustic riffs and clean electric lines. Harmony radiates from the song, as the group shows what they can do when not confined by rock radio dictates to dispense toughness at all costs.
Jubeus could be in for a wild ride if they figure a few things out. But as they are now, the group's songs are exactly what you need running in the background as you blow off some steam.