Cultural calendar January 13-20, 2005
THURSDAY, January 13
WALKABOUT
Bird Club: The Monticello Bird Club meets for a slideshow by Erwin Bohmfalk, featuring photos from the Gobi Desert, Siberian Mongolia, and more. 7:30pm. Meet in the Education Building at Ivy Creek Natural Area. Visitors welcome. 971-9271.
Grow Slow: This month's meeting of Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population features a discussion with Chris Williamson, a planner with the city of Oxnard, CA and an expert on growth caps. 7:30pm at the Westminster Presbyterian Church library. All members of the community are welcome. 974-6390 or stopgrowthasap.org.
WORDS
While They're Hot: New Dominion Bookshop may have lines out the door today, the first day that signed copies of John Grisham's new book, The Broker, are on sale. Call ahead; you can reserve a copy and may be able to avoid the lines. 404 East Main Street, 295-2552.
FAMILY
Tales for Tots: The 5 and under crowd can hear some favorite picture book stories at Barnes & Noble's preschool story time. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.
PERFORMANCE
Underpants: That's right, Live Arts offers up another off-Broadway Steve Martin smash, The Underpants, in which two men enter a woman's life when her panties unexpectedly fall to the floor as she watches the king parade through the local park. Tonight is preview night. Free tickets available a day early on a first-come, first-serve basis. Call for more information. 8pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177.
TUNES
Tsunami Benefit Concert: Corey Harris and the 5x5's w/ Darrel Rose, Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun, Devon Sproule, and Paul Curreri at Kokopelli's in Crozet: Show your support with some of this town's most talented artists, from the world music/blues stylings of Corey Harris and the 5x5's to the foksy pop of Devon Sproule. $10 donation, 7pm. See tunes feature.
The Blue Ridge Irish Music School (BRIMS) sponsors: Irish Set Dance workshop at the Prism: Learn the social dances of Ireland- square sets in sets of four couples to reels, jigs, and polkas. $5, 7-9pm. Limited to 20 people, pre-register by sending your name and phone number to or call Lori Madden at 434-263-6288.
Karaoke Night w/ DJ Wild Wes at Buffalo Wild Wings. Free, 9pm (W)
Danny Beirne (piano-man) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm. (W)
Karaoke Night at Damon's Sports Bar. Free, 9-12am. (W)
Chicken Head Blues Band at Durty Nelly's. $4, 9pm. (W)
Peter Markush (piano) at Gravity Lounge. Free, 12-1pm. (W)
Dean Fields (acoustic pop/rock) at Gravity Lounge. $5, 8pm.
The Funktastick 5 at Michael's Bistro. No cover, 10:30pm.
Thompson / D'earth and friends (freeform jazz) at Miller's. $4, 10pm. (W)
Adapt, Psychopus, and Knife the Glitter at Outback Lodge. $5, 10pm.
Satisfaction w/ Noel Sanger (18 and up dance party) at Rapture. $3/Ladies free, 10:30pm. (W)
Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm. (W)
Zach Broocke (folk flavored pop/rock) at Starr Hill- cocktail lounge. Free, 9pm.
Eye on art: The Charlottesville/Albemarle District of VSA Arts Virginia hosts an opening reception for its fifth annual Visual Art show at the Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center. 6-8pm. Charlottesville High School. 970-3264 or 296-3518.
Valley visuals: Feel like a drive through the Valley? The Williams School of Commerce at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., hosts a reception for featured artist Anne Sherwood Pundyk., 5-7pm, with an artist's talk at 5:30pm in Room 221. 540-458-8602.
WALKABOUT
Information Session: The Outdoor Adventure Social Club offers a photo show and social hour. 8-10pm. Free if you RSVP. 420 E. Main St. #3. outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE.
FAMILY
Poster Contest: Today is the last day for area high school students to submit a design for the 2005 Albemarle County Fair catalog cover and other promotions. The theme is "We've Got a Good Thing Growing." For more information, call 973-8010 or e-mail .
PERFORMANCE
Complete Works: Shenandoah Shakespeare presents a goofy, irreverent and fast-paced romp through all of the bard's plays in less than two hours. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) is London's longest-running comedy and has delighted audiences at theaters across the United States for years. First performance tonight. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $14-28. 540-885-5588.
TUNES
Monthly Drum Circle at Better Than Television (106 A3 Goodman St.): Bring whatever you want to bang on to the monthly Drum Circle at Better Than Television- dancing is free as well. Free, 8pm. 295-0872
Bruce Molsky at the Prism: Fiddler, banjo player and guitarist, Molsky returns for another one of his acclaimed Prism performances. $18/$15 advance, 8pm.
John & Mary with Louisa Wimberger at Gravity Lounge. $5, 8pm.
Vernon Fisher ("romantic side of jazz") at Keswick Hall. No cover, 6:30pm. (W)
Stable Roots (reggae) at Outback Lodge. $6, 10pm.
Open Mic Night (most anything goes- within limits) at Rapunzel's. No cover, 7:30pm.
SATURDAY, January 15
FAMILY
Feel the Beat: The Bernstein Beat. CHS orchestra teams up with Leonard's daughter to talk rhythm. See family feature.
Shadowy Tale: Douglas Wood's fable Old Turtle and the Broken Truth comes to life at Crozet Library as a shadow puppet play performed by the Williamson family. The performance offers inspiration, hope, and a healing vision of peace for ages 6 and up. 10:30am. Free. Call to register. In the old train station on Three Notchd Rd. 823-4050.
Spelunking: The Virginia Discovery Museum goes underground with its latest Back Gallery exhibit Under the Earth: A Cave Exploration. Starting today, young children can squeeze through tiny spaces to explore caves and critters from deep inside the earth. Now through May 22. Included in the price of admission. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025.
Toe Painting?: When Japanese artist Kazuo Shirgara paints, he drips the color onto a canvas and paints with his feet while hanging from a rope. Kids should not try this at home, but they can in the Imagination Studio at Amazement Square. 10am-noon. Included in the price of admission. 27 Ninth St., Lynchburg. 434-845-1888. www.amazementsquare.org.
Close Encounter: Maymont invites herpetologists ages 5 and up to slither into the secretive world of reptiles with an Animal Encounter that includes fun facts about turtles and lizards and a close-up glimpse of one of a live snake. 3pm. $4. 1700 Hampton St., Richmond. 804-358-7166, ext. 333.
Behind Closed Doors: Visitors ages 5 and up are invited to walk through the "Employees Only" door for a special peek at the inner workings of Maymont's new Nature Center. Children must be accompanied by a parent. Register the day of the program. 1pm. $5. 1700 Hampton St., Richmond. 804-358-7166, ext. 333.
Lumpy bed: The Old Michie Theatre presents The Princess and the Pea. Adapted from the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale, the story is set to the puppet stage with marionettes. Showtimes are 11:00 am, 2pm, and 4pm Saturdays through February 12. $5.00. 221 E. Water St. 977-3690.
WALKABOUT
Dirt Bike Frenzy: Bumps, jumps, rollers, and tabletops &endash; the Blue Ridge Mountain National indoor BMX competition brings it all to the Virginia Horse Center this weekend. The event will feature hundreds of racers from around the country competing on a course built in the Horse Center's Anderson Coliseum. Races begin at 11am on Saturday and 8am on Sunday. Visit horsecenter.org or call (540) 464-2950 for more information.
Telescope Training: Itching to use that new 'scope? Let the friendly, experienced members of the Charlottesville Astronomical Society help get you started with a variety of hints, tips and tricks. 5-8pm at McCormick Observatory. $30/individual, $35/family, or $20/seniors and students, includes a CAS membership. Visit cvilleastro.org or email club president Bill Phillips at for more information. See Walkabout feature.
Wintergreen Wine & Cheese: Enjoy a guided presentation of international cheeses paired with Wintergreen Wines. Reservations necessary. $15/person, reservations required. 6-8 pm at Wintergreen Winery. 361-2519 or wintergreenwinery.com for more information.
Democratic Breakfast: Talk terrorism with J. Anderson Thomson Jr., Assistant Director of the Center for the Study of Mind and Human Interaction at the UVa School of Medicine, at the next Democratic breakfast meeting. 9:30am at the Jefferson Area Board for Aging, 674 Hillsdale Drive. No fee. The general public is welcome. Contact George Loper at 971-8082 or for more information.
Men's Pathwork Workshop: Spend your holiday weekend learning to heal the relationships in your life at the Sevenoaks Pathwork Center. This three-day workshop for men runs from 10am Saturday until 2pm Monday. Call (540) 948-6544 or visit sevenoakspathwork.org for registration and more information.
WORDS
Killer Apes: J. Andrew Thomson Jr., UVA forensic psychiatrist who penned the controversial September 30, 2004 Hook cover story, "Why they kill," discusses the Iraq War in terms of Darwinian psychology at this month's Albemarle/Charlottesville Democratic breakfast, free and open to the public at 9:30 this morning. JABA, 674 Hillsdale Drive, 971-8082.
PERFORMANCE
Complete Works: See Friday, January 14. Today's show is at 2pm.
Flamenco lessons: Take a free trial class in flamenco dance at ACAC Albemarle Square, 4-5pm. Wear comfortable shoes or boots with a low heel. A full six-week session with instructor Kristi O'Brien runs from Jan. 22-Feb. 26, 4-5pm Saturdays. ACAC Albemarle Square, U.S. 29 N. $55 members; $65 nonmembers for the six-week session. 296-7536.
TUNES
Mastahmyndz Ent. and Audiostate Present: Hiphop Nation featuring Dizastah, Tha Kartel, The Beetnix, Supreme Council, and Heaven on Earth at Rapture: The final show on a national tour featuring young hip-hop, R&B, and dancehall groups, including Charlottesville's own Beetnix. $5, 10pm.
The Scottsville Community Music Series at Victory Hall in Scottsville: Singer songwriter Alli Collis headlines this edition of the monthly listening room series, where local acoustic musicians can open the show by signing up. $4, 7pm. Call 434-979-SONG.
Victor Cabas (blues) at Basic Necessities. No cover, 6:30pm. (W)
Populist Dancing at Club Rio. $10, 9pm. (W).
Greg Howard, John D'earth, Matt Wyatt, and Jamal Millner at Gravity Lounge. $5, 8pm.
Vernon Fisher ("romantic side of jazz") at Keswick Hall. No cover, 6:30pm. (W)
2RedShoes (rock) at Kokopelli's in Crozet. $5, 8pm.
Travis Elliott (phenomenal rock/pop) at Orbit. No cover, 10:30pm.
Rocket Queen at Outback Lodge. $6, 10pm.
Liz Carroll and John Doyle (fiddle and guitar) at the Prism. $22/$20 advance, 8pm.
Tigerlily (heavenly harmonies from all female group) at Rapunzel's. $5, 8pm.
King Day Celebration: Celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the residents of southern Albemarle. This year's observance will include remarks from Dr. Dianne Swann-Wright, Director of African-American Programs at Monticello, music from local gospel choir Voices of Unity, and a Youth Litany based on the words of Dr. King. 3pm at the New Green Mountain Baptist Church, near the intersection of Porters Road and Christian Lane in Esmont. A 2:30pm praise service will precede the main program. For more information, call 286-3838.
Hootennany: Think you're a real Virginian? Come out to the Blue Ridge Barn Dance and prove it. Live music; no partner necessary. 6:30pm at the Greenwood Community Center. $6 admission. For more information call Jim Morrison at 434-295-6854
Winter Wonderland: Now that the winter weather is here (kind of), the Outdoor Adventure Social Club will hit the slopes for a day of skiing and snowboarding at Wintergreen. 11:00am departure. Fee plus membership. outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE.
Dirt Bike Frenzy: See Saturday, January 15. Races begin 8am. Visit horsecenter.org or call (540) 464-2950 for more information.
Morning Bird Walk: Shake off the cold with a morning ornithology lesson with Bill and Nancy Corwin at the Wintergreen Nature Foundation. 8am at the Lake Monocan building. No fee. Call 325-8169 for reservations and more information.
PERFORMANCE
Complete Works: See Friday, January 14. Today's show is at 2pm.
Post-modern Paramount: Philip Aaberg, Barbara Higbie, and Tracy Silverman perform at The Paramount Theater at 8 pm. $23-$29. Downtown Mall. 979-1333.
Dance workshops: Take dance lessons with champion professionals Jim and Jenell Maranto for beginning and intermediate dancers. Cha cha and rumba, 1-2pm; foxtrot and waltz, 2-3pm; "The Essentials," 3-4pm. UVA Alumni Hall, 211 Emmet St. $10-15. 980-8283.
Winter Solstice: Three eclectic artists on the postmodern Windham Hill record label &emdash; Philip Aaberg, Barbara Higbie and Tracy Silverman &emdash; team up for an elegant evening of music featuring elements of blues, jazz, Brazilian and pop. 8pm. Paramount Theater, Downtown Mall. $23-29. 977-1333.
FAMILY
Sure Enough: The Blue Ridge Barn Dance returns to the Greenwood Community Center with live music and lots of dancing. No partner necessary. Children welcome. 6:30pm. $6 for adults. Greenwood Rd. (Rt. 691) near Crozet. 295-6854.
TUNES
The Blue Ridge Barn Dance (live music, no partner necessary) at the Greenwood Community Center. $6 adults/reduced price kids, 6:30pm. Call 295-6854 for details.
Body for Karate (B4K) w/ Adam Smith at Gravity Lounge. $5, 7pm.
Irish Music Session at Shebeen. No cover, 3-6pm. (W)
American Dumpster at Station. No cover, 9:30pm.
Freedom for All: Learn about the lives of free and enslaved African-Americans at Ash Lawn-Highland as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. 1-4pm. Tour included in regular admission fee. 293-9539 or ashlawnhighland.org for details.
Water Lobby Day: Stand up for Virginia's waterway with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Travel with them to Richmond to lobby and meet with Senators and Delegates from all over the state. No cost, but a free lunch and transportation are provided. For details and registration, visit cbf.org/valobbyday or call Nina at (804) 780-1392.
Found Film Festival? More than just a movie, it's an A/V experience! The Lost Film Fest is a traveling multimedia spectacle that brings together live performance, video, and a message. Dinner at 6pm, performance at 8. $5. At Better Than Television, 106 A3 Goodman Street in Belmont. More info is available at lostfilmfest.com and 295-0872.
FAMILY
Going Inside: The Science Museum of Virginia is offering visitors the unique opportunity to crawl through the Colossal Colon. This journey is intended to help folks learn something of the ins and outs of colon diseases including Chrohn's disease, diverticulosis, ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids, cancerous and benign polyps, and various stages of colon caner. Today through January 23 only. Included in the price of admission. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.
TUNES
Open Mic Night w/ Charles Davis at Baja Bean. No cover, signup 8:30pm/9pm. (W)
Matthew Willner solo (nylon string guitar, bass, synths, loops, and devices) at Miller's. No cover, 9pm.
George Melvin (piano merriment) at South Street Brewery. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)
Travis Elliot (pop) and John Figura at the Virginian. No cover, 10pm. (W)
Civil War Round Table: Join fellow Civil War enthusiasts for an evening of period music and discussion at the UVa JAG School on North Grounds. Gilmore's Light Ensemble will perform, followed by a presentation entitled "War on the Rivers" by Richard McMurry. 7:30pm. Public welcome. 295-9463 or avenue.org/cwrt for more information.
WORDS
WEB LISTING ONLY: Poe at the Depot: An evening with the master of macabre: Join Kathy Coleman, storyteller extraordinaire, and PVCC Professor, Frank Lovelock, author of "Lenore: the last narrative of Edgar Allan Poe " for an evening of frightful fun! Kathy invites one and all to bring any "poe-try" or prose related to Mr. Poe to this special evening celebrating Mr. Poe's birthday. for teens and adults, no registration required 7-8:30pm. Crozet Library, 823-4050
FAMILY
Stressed: The Learning Center of Charlottesville hosts "Stress and the College-Bound Student." The discussion for parents of 8th-11th grade students promises help for teens trying to manage the challenging decisions in high school while planning the right college experience. 7-8pm. Free. Reservations appreciated. St. Anne's-Belfield upper campus on Ivy Rd. 977-6006.
PERFORMANCE
Bush Monologues: Two days before the presidential inauguration, the ever-timely Offstage Theater is at it again. Politics and pastries are all the rage for one night only at Gravity Lounge as some of this town's finest performers present The Bush Monologues: Performers on Politics. Offstage has invited them to perform prepared scenes, monologues, music and poetry on current affairs. 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 103 S. 1st St. $5. 977-5590. See performance feature.
TUNES
Karaoke Night (what you make of it) at Baja Bean. Free, 8pm. (W)
Glen Mack (rock) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10:30pm. (W)
The Red Hot Chilly Pickers (bluegrass) at Dr. Ho's. No cover, 7-9pm.
$2 Tuesdays w/ Big Circle at Outback Lodge. No cover, 10pm. (W)
Parenting: The art of "Transparenting" is discussed in a parenting education program offered by Children, Youth, and Family Services. This educational seminar focuses on how to be an effective parent during a time of transition and to lessen the negative effect of divorce or parental separation on children. 4-8pm. $50. Registration required. Albemarle County Office Building. 296-4118, ext. 235.
More Tales for Tots: The 5 and under crowd can hear some favorite picture book stories at Barnes & Noble's preschool story time. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.
Write On: Teens interested in writing are invited to a public reading by members of the Young Virginia Writers Club at Barnes & Noble. New members can find out about joining the club too. 7pm. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.
WALKABOUT
Intro to Iyengar: This yoga style is excellent for beginners because it teaches a variety of different poses and works with the body's natural alignment. This Outdoor Adventure Social Club class offers individualized attention and a highly trained teacher. 6:30pm at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Charlottesville. $7 plus membership fee. outdoorsocial.com or 760-HIKE.
TUNES
Cheesy Trivia w/ M&M Express at Buffolo Wild Wings. No cover, 8:30pm. (W)
Benny Dodd (rock covers) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm. (W)
Open Mic Night at Dew Drop Inn. No cover, 7:30pm. (W)
Country Dance Night (couples and line) at Fry Spring Beach Club. $7/$4 students, lessons 7-8pm, dancing 8-11pm. (W)
Jack Lawrence w/ Amy Ferebee at Gravity Lounge. $10, 7pm.
The Mike Rosensky Jeff Decker Quartet (jazz) at Miller's. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)
Nice Jenkens at Orbit. No cover, 10:30pm.
Simple Roots at Outback Lodge. $6, 10pm.
Open Jam at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 7pm. (W)
Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm. (W)
Blue Merle w/ Army of Me at Starr Hill. $5, 8pm.
Jim Davies (acoustic rock and blues) at the Virginian. No cover, 10pm. (W)
Karaoke Night at West Main. No Cover, 10pm. (W)
More Tales for Tots: See Wednesday, January 19.
WALKABOUT
Wine Dinner: Sample the bounty of Virginia's piedmont at the Boar's Head Inn's annual Virginia wines dinner. Five-course dinner paired with a selection of local vinos. 6pm in the Old Mill room. $80 per person, plus tax and gratuity. 972-2230 or boarsheadinn.com for further information.
Water Works: The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority has scheduled its final Community Water Supply Plan public meetings for Thursday, January 20. This week's meeting will be a discussion of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir expansion project. 6pm in the Monticello High School auditorium. Public comments are welcome. Contact Jeff Werner at 977-2033 or for details.
PERFORMANCE
Complete Works: See Friday, January 14. Tonight's show is at 7:30pm.
TUNES
Adapt at Outback Lodge. $5, 10pm.
Karaoke Night w/ DJ Wild Wes at Buffalo Wild Wings. Free, 9pm (W)
Danny Beirne (piano-man) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm. (W)
Karaoke Night at Damon's Sports Bar. Free, 9-12am. (W)
Chicken Head Blues Band at Durty Nelly's. $4, 9pm. (W)
Peter Markush (piano) at Gravity Lounge. Free, 12-1pm. (W)
Dana Robinson and Susan Robinson w/ Scuffletown at Gravity Lounge. $10, 8pm.
Thompson / D'earth and friends (freeform jazz) at Miller's. $4, 10pm. (W)
Worn in Red, and Horizon On Fire at Outback Lodge. $5, 10pm.
Hanneke Cassel and Dave Wiesler (fiddle and piano) at the Prism. $12/$10 advance, 8pm.
Satisfaction w/ Noel Sanger (18 and up dance party) at Rapture. $3/Ladies free, 10:30pm. (W)
Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm. (W)
ONGOING
FAMILY
If You Build It: Kids who are staying home from school because of snow will likely be out in it building a snowman. Those who do their building within the city limits can enter their creation in Charlottesville Parks and Recreation's snow sculpture contest. Held on the first weekday with significant snowfall. Call before noon to check contest date and to register. Prizes awarded. Free. 970-3260. www.charlottesville.org.
Write On: WHTJ's annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest is now on. Authors and artists from kindergarten through third grade are encouraged to get creative with words and pictures and submit their stories for the prize. All contest participants, their friends, and families are invited to a celebration on Saturday, March 19 at the Jefferson Theater on the Downtown Mall, and every participant receives a certificate signed by Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton. Winners will read their stories aloud. Entry deadline is February 28. Entry forms and guidelines can be downloaded at www.ideastation.org or call 295-7671.
Healing Hearts: Hospice of the Piedmont offers "Journeys through the Seasons," a free bereavement camp for children and teens (8-14) who are affected by the serious illness or death of a loved one. The winter overnight camp takes place Friday, January 28 at 6:30pm through Saturday, January 29 at 9:30am at ACAC's Adventure Central. Activities include art therapy, games, dinner, a movie, and a closing ceremony. Participation is free. For more information and an application call 817-6900 or 800-975-5501.
WALKABOUT
Ninja Yoga: Toward a revolution of consciousness. Free yoga classes. Bring a mat. Thursdays, 9-10:15am. Mondays, 6:30pm, followed by a writing workshop at 7:30pm. Meditation, an indirect non-action, meets Wednesdays 8-9am for instructions, discussions, short sittings. Meets Thursdays 8-9am for a silent "bare bones" hour-long sitting (followed by yoga). Free and open to the public at "Better than Television," a new community center at 106 A3 Goodman St. 295-0872.
Water Watchers: StreamWatch needs for volunteers interested in stream ecology and willing to collect aquatic organisms for the purpose of evaluating stream health. See streamwatch.org for info, then call 923-8642.
Green Gatherings: Explore the spiritual side of nature with NatureSpirit. Explore the spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions and learn how to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. Meets the first Sunday of the month at Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church at 6:30pm. , call 243-6421, or naturespirit.info.
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? Or what about "Cinema Chat," a series of intermediate Italian conversation classes inspired by Italian films. ($55 for five-week chat series or $15 single class drop-in; Thursday 7L30-9pm). All classes held in the Verity blue Tower Lounge at the Main Street Market 406A W. Main St. Contact or 825-4390.
Monticello in Winter: See Jefferson's homestead up close and personal on a cold weather tour of the property's architectural highlights. Now through the end of February. Usual admission fee applies. 984-9822 or monticello.org for a complete schedule.
Alliance Dinner Meeting: Interfaith Gay Straight Alliance of Central Virginia, a faith-based group working for full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgenders and their families, meets the first Thursday of each month. 7pm. St. Paul's Memorial Episcopal Church, 1700 University Ave. Brown bag supper at 6pm. 220-0970.
Bead Business: Studio Baboo presents weekly classes in bead stringing and jewelry making. Call the shop for specifics. 106 Fifth St. Downtown Mall. 244-2905.
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.
Mindfulness Meditation: Tuesdays 12:15-12:45pm. UVA Hospital Chapel. Meditation practice with guidance. Free. No experience necessary. 924-1190.
Winter Recreation Registration: It's that time of year again. Charlottesville Parks and Recreation will be offering adult classes in a variety of dance, martial arts, sports, arts, and craft topics during the January-April semester. To register, visit the Recreation Office at City Hall from 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday. For class information or to get a brochure, call the office or go to charlottesville.org/recreation.
ART
Hwang and Imi Hwangbo," on view at Second Street Gallery through January 29. 115 Second Street SE. 977-7284.
During January, the McGuffey Art Center presents blown glass artwork by Charles Hall in the Main Gallery (see Art feature), as well as its "New Member Show" in the upstairs and downstairs hall galleries. 201 Second St. NW. 295-7973.
On January 15, the University of Virginia Art Museum opens "Corapeake," an exhibition documenting the community of Corapeake, N.C. by photographer and filmmaker Kendall Messick. The show runs through February 27. On January 17, the museum welcomes "After Collage," a show exploring mixed-element work by contemporary artists, including John Baldessari, Katherine Porter, and Frank Stella, which will be on view through August 27. 155 Rugby Road. 924-3592.
The Main Street Market Galleria displays "New Botanical Prints" by John Grant through the end of January. 416 W. Main Street, 244-7800.
R. Nicholas Kuszyk shows 65 new paintings at Industry during January. 112 Second St. NE. 293-3338.
The Charlottesville Community Design Center presents "Creating Local and Distant Landscapes," an exhibition of work by UVA Landscape Architecture alumni and local practitioners. 101 East Main St. 984-2232.
CODG's January offering is "Untangle Us," a show of multi-media work by William Ian Lorson. 112 E. Main St., under the Jefferson Theater. 242-4212.
On January 14, the Charlottesville/Albemarle District of VSA Arts Virginia opens its Fifth Annual Visual Art show, featuring work by over 70 adult and youth disabled artists. The exhibition continues through March 6. Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center. Charlottesville High School. 970-3264 or 296-3518.
Café Cubano features the work of Cary Oliva during January. 112 W. Main St. in York Place. 971-8743.
Piedmont Virginia Community College opens its exhibition of 2-D and 3-D works on paper by 15 Virginia artists on January 19. The show runs through February 16. V. Earl Dickinson Building. 961-5203.
The 5th Floor Gallery at Keller Williams is currently showing the glass and metal sculpture of Bill Hess, landscape photography by Mary Withers, and oil cityscapes by Edward Thomas. 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.
Angelo displays "Generous Nature," works in watercolor, oil, pencil, and collage by J. Scott Robinson. 220 East Main St. 971-9256.
The Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Aboriginal Art presents two exhibitions in December: "Shades of Black: Photographs by Wayne Quilliam" and "Black & White & Red Ochre." Both shows run through January 29. 400 Worrell Dr., Peter Jefferson Place (off Route 250 East at Pantops). 244-0234..
For its January show, The Gallery @ 5th & Water offers "The Jacob's Ladder Series," an exhibition of watercolors by Lee Alter. 107 5th St. 979-9825.
New Dominion Bookshop's mezzanine gallery features artwork by Nina Ozbey during January. 404 East Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 295-2552.
Sage Moon Gallery presents "La Petite Lune," a show of work by gallery artists, including Ruth Hembree, Jim Batten, Coy Roy, Margaret Woodson, and Nea and Brandon Birch, through January 31. 420 East Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 977-9997.
In January, La Galeria features "Red, Row, and Views," watercolor and acrylic paintings by Doris DeSha. Also on view: work y Anne Hopper, Nga Bui Katz, Mary Porter, and Al Rossi. 1919 Commonwealth Dr. (next to Rococo's). 293-7003.
New work by members of the Central Virginia Watercolor Guild, featuring watercolors, oils, pastels, and mixed media are on display at the Albemarle County Courthouse. 501 E. Jefferson Court Sq. 296-8484.
View Anne Warren Holland's exhibition, "Small Works: Landscapes and Figures in Oil," at Art Upstairs during January. 316 E. Main St., above The Hardware Store, on the Downtown Mall. 923-3900.
For the month of January, Bozart Gallery features "Out to Lunch," recent 2- and 3-dimensional work by James Parker. Also on display: a booklet of poems by the artist's daughter, Claire Parker. 211 W. Main St. 296-3919.
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
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts displays "Selections: 20th Century Latin American Art in the VMFA Collection" through March 13. 200 N. Broad St., Richmond. 804-340-1400.
Washington and Lee University's Ernest Williams II School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics opens an exhibition of work by Anne Sherwood Pundyk on January 14. Lexington. 540-458-8954.
Madison's Sevenoaks Pathwork Center displays the pastel and oil paintings of Janice Dunn Rosenberg through February 22. 403 Pathwork Way, Madison. 434-295-8315.
Noon Whistle Pottery and Art Gallery presents an exhibition of three local landscape artists, Will Brown, Mark Collins, and Carol Weiss. Main Street, Stanardsville. 434-985-6500.
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 West Beverley St. 540-851-0864.
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.
Other
The Arts Center in Orange is collecting donated artwork from community members for its "Treasures from the Attic" fundraising sale, which ends January 31. 129 East Main St., Orange. 540-672-7311.
The Artisans Center of Virginia invites entries for a national competition/juried exhibition, "Sacred Icons: A Collective Vision of Symbolic & Ritual Objects." All media are accepted, but work must have been completed in the past two years. The entry fee is $20, and the submission deadline is February 19, 2005. For more information, call 540-946-3294 or write .
Kennedy Promotions invites artists working in all media to enter its competition to appear in the book Best of Virginia Artists and Artisans. Deadline: May 25, 2005. For more information and to download an entry form, visit www.bestofartists.com.
FEATURES/FEATURES/FEATURES
ART
Glassy-eyed: Hall's liquid vision
By LAURA PARSONS
I'd like to take a moment to thank the universe for beer.
Huh? Isn't this an art column?
Yes, but it was the temptation of a nice cold one 18 years ago that first lured Charles Hall into the literally hot world of glass artistry. Hall, whose latest work is on view at the McGuffey Art Center, was studying metal crafting when he spied a keg being rolled into a nearby glasswork studio. He followed his thirst and discovered his life's passion, one liquid leading to immersion in another.
All of Hall's pieces, ranging from elongated vases to mushroom-like lamps to tentacled wall sconces, express the artist's fascination with glass in its fluid state. The gently undulating cavities of his bowls and vases appear as if a heavy object fell into their once-liquid centers and the resulting splashes suddenly solidified in mid-air.
To accentuate the sense of movement in his work, Hall uses swirling jewel-toned glass, sometimes mixing in metals, a process which leads to surfaces that simultaneously reflect and refract light.
In "Red Yellow Blue Bowl, a cobalt blue base supports a bowl whose ruby red exterior pulses with subtle veins and sculptural lightning bolts of cobalt that radiate jaggedly across its surface. But just beyond a thin blue rim, a cadmium yellow interior whirls with traces of green and muted orange. Hall's skill shines in the technical mastery required to fuse the semi-opaque outer red and inner yellow surfaces into one fragile piece.
For his "Anemones" series, Hall takes advantage of the almost-not-there quality of clear glass, floating and dripping bulb-tipped stretches of rainbow-streaked glass across blown transparent shells. The multicolored mouth of the two-foot-tall "Large Anemone Vase" drops graceful, rounded tendrils down the clear walls of the piece. Stepping back, it appears as if the colored glass hangs suspended in space with no visible means of support.
Further defying gravity, Hall's new "art sconces" each feature a freeform light shade that flows around and out from a central cast knob, while five tuber-tipped tentacles shoot forth, twisting and waving from the upper right of the sconce. The second arm of "Amber-Aqua-Amethyst" highlights Hall's ability to push glass to its liquid limit (he likes to call it "negotiating to reach a mutual agreement"): its serpentine length bends and reaches outward, extending into the room, like a transparent sea snake hovering above the McGuffey gallery.
In the case of Charles Hall, the love of amber liquid has led to liquid gold.
Charles Hall's recent glasswork is on display at the McGuffey Art Center through the end of January. 201 Second St. NW. 295-7973.
FAMILY
Kiddie concert: Bernstein's daughter revives a legend
By LINDA KOBERT
From the works of Dmitri Shostakovich to those of Aaron Copland, from melody and mode to the Latin American spirit, a generation of television viewers in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s came to appreciate classical music through CBS's weekend broadcast of the Young People's Concert. These instructive and entertaining live performances were led by the legendary Leonard Bernstein (with the New York Philharmonic) who considered them to be among his favorite professional pursuits.
In an attempt to preserve her father's legacy, in 1999 Bernstein's daughter Jamie collaborated with conductor, pianist, and Bernstein protégé Michael Barrett, to develop a new version of the Young People's Concert that features Bernstein's own work.
"The Bernstein Beat: What Makes Music Dance?" joins the celebrated composer and conductor's enthusiasm and love of music with a lively exploration of rhythm and beat. The program has been performed with professional symphonies around the world in prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall.
This weekend, however, the young musicians of the CHS String Ensemble are honored to accompany Jamie Bernstein's narration with selections from Fancy Free, Candide, On the Town, and other Bernstein favorites for two benefit performances of The Bernstein Beat. CHS orchestra teacher Laura Mulligan directs the ensemble, which includes professional musicians and university music professors rounding out the brass, woodwind, and percussion sections.
Musty music theory comes to life in this unique performance that pulls the audience right into the score. Picture nine young volunteers from the audience portraying hamburgers and hot dogs to represent different rhythmic sequences. Imagine the song "America" from West Side Story and the volunteers singing the three-syllable word "ham-bur-ger, ham-bur-ger, ham-bur-ger" instead of the lyrics "I like to be in America" to illustrate the strong three-beat rhythm. And, when music from the dance scene from the same musical is played, Bernstein holds up a giant sign and everyone in the audience gets to scream out the word on it: "MAMBO!"
The Bernstein Beat promises to be one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences for both performers and participants…like playing (or watching a famous performer) at Carnegie Hall, only lots more fun. Makes me glad I live in Charlottesville.
The Bernstein Beat will be performed at the Martin Luther King Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, January 15 at 2pm and again at 7pm. Tickets are $7 for children 5-12, $12 for adults and are available at Plan 9, Greenberrys, The Markets at Tiger Fuel, and from CHS Orchestra members. Proceeds benefit the orchestra. Tickets purchased from students benefit that student's travel account. 1400 Melbourne Ave. 245-2726.
PERFORMANCE
Inaugural ball: Laughing in the next four years
By ROBERT ARMENGOL
Charlottesville's offbeat Offstage Theatre has never shied away from creating poignant commentary on contemporary society. Last fall it produced an original play by local writer Joel Jones called The Election, in which a fictitious water magnate tries to sweep up the reins of Roswell, N.M.
That play was a parody of Hollywood's old Westerns, written in iambic pentameter and flush with modern overtones. The audience decided the outcome.
That should give you an idea of the kind of creativity we might be in for with the latest from this roving company: a medley of skits, many of them original. Together, they have appropriately been named after the country's most famous wordsmith, our President.
In The Bush Monologues, local artists, playwrights, activists and filmmakers bring together a wide range of material for a two-hour show lampooning and reflecting on American politics in the era of G.W.'s often secretive and famously "forward-leaning" administration.
The production is hosted by the Gravity Lounge, the elegant bar, bookstore, and Internet cafe just off the Downtown Mall, for one night only this week– and, conveniently, two days before the presidential inauguration. Arranging the dozen-or-so monologues, about half of which are actually songs, was the brainchild of Offstage producing director Bree Luck.
Luck invited artists to perform what they would on the topic as a way of bringing some closure to America's highly polarizing presidential election, which left half the country ecstatic and the other half with a serious case of the doldrums.
The goal, according to Offstage artist Chris Patrick, was to represent views from "both sides of the aisle," but as he put it, "this is Charlottesville, and these are performers." So be warned: these skits tend toward the left, but perhaps for that very reason may be more coherent and intelligent than, ahem, the average actual Bush monologue.
Here's a smattering of what's in store: A local improv troupe, the Improfessionals, will perform two 10-minute sketches. Playwright Liz Whittemore offers "'Twas the Night Before the Inauguration." And Amdie Mengistu (who played Belize last year in Live Arts' Angels in America) will render a satirical monologue written by UVA director Clinton Johnston: "I love George W. Bush, by Lacey Chambers, Age 8."
That's not to say conservatives shouldn't feel welcome in the audience. In the end, the hope is to keep us all– not just the talking heads– thinking and talking about important issues between now and 2008.
"This is not Crossfire," Patrick says. "This hits you on a different level. Sarcasm, irony, satire are all elements present in the print media, but sometimes the greatest potential for using them comes in theater and dance and song."
Politics and pastries are all the rage for one night only– Tuesday, January 18– at Gravity Lounge as some of this town's finest performers present The Bush Monologues: Performers on Politics. Offstage has invited them to perform prepared scenes, monologues, music, and poetry on current affairs. 7pm. Gravity Lounge, 103 S. First St. $5. 977-5590.
TUNES
One world: Rocking for relief in Crozet
BY MARK GRABOWSKI
Sometimes I think that segment on the Tonight Show where Jay interviews Americans about foreign or domestic issues is a bogus one. Not knowing America's first president? Unable to name the secretary-general of the U.N.? No clue on the name of Britain's prime minister?
This ignorance of the world outside our borders and betwixt our coasts could not be real– or so I thought until I ran into some people who, 10 days after the event, were only just learning of the Indian-Ocean-centered earthquake and tsunami.
Wake up, people! There's a wild and wooly world out there, and it needs your help. Even if most of us don't actually travel to afflicted areas to aid survivors, we can help in small ways, and the Tsunami Relief Benefit concert at Kokopelli's in Crozet is a great way to start.
Devon Sproule is, in spite of her young age, part of Charlotteville's old guard– long-time residents can remember the then-teenaged artist performing around town more than five years ago, releasing her first album, Long Sleeve Story, in 2001, and touring nationally in support of it. But it was on her mid-2003 release, Upstate Songs, that Sproule grew up, showing her maturity through the genre of country-folk. Sproule's duets with beau Paul Curreri, released last year, show her further development, finding her voice, and revealing herself to be an accomplished young woman of great ability.
I've always had a soft spot for the aforementioned Paul Curreri, he of lightning fast fingers, vocals that drip with honeyed sincerity, and the ability to twist a phrase to a state of utter transcendence.
Mixing humor with spirited performances on his new release, The Spirit of the Staircase, Curreri keeps getting better, both in his performances and songwriting. His range seems ever increasing– the album is his first to depart from the solo acoustic vein, and by adding spare drums, banjo, and sometimes keys, his avenues of artistic expression seem to have expanded 10-fold.
The amazingly versatile blues and world music group Corey Harris and the 5x5's have long been a Charlottesville favorite, for good reason. Ever since releasing his first album, Between Midnight and Day, in 1995, Harris has been casting his net ever wider, pulling in more musical elements to add to his repertoire. There is something otherworldly in his voice and performances, spirited and spiritual, at the same time.
Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun are the new kids in town, but they are quickly making their presence known. He, of accomplished finger-style guitar, she of virtuostic fiddle, perform together with an intimacy than can come only from knowing each other deeply.
Thursday night, 7pm, where are you going to be? Helping out your fellow man, that's where.
Tsunami Benefit Concert: Corey Harris and the 5x5's w/ Darrell Rose, Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun, Devon Sproule, and Paul Curreri perform at Kokopelli's in Crozet, January 13. $10 donation, 7pm.
Star struck: The sky's the limit
By TIM SPRINKLE
Don't tell my English teacher, but the subject that I probably remember most vividly from elementary school is, of all things, astronomy. Those pictures of Saturn's rings and the glowing blue galaxies still stick with me, as I'm sure they do for many, a visual reminder of how huge, how unfathomably large, the universe is. And it's filled with all sorts of amazing things, too, like comets, neutron stars, and a whole host of phenomena that we're just beginning to understand.
This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. After all, humans have been interested in the heavens for thousands of years. But it wasn't until the development of the telescope in the 17th century that the "modern" age of astronomy really got started. A deceptively simple instrument, today's optical telescopes can be made small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, or so powerful as to require their own building. But that doesn't make them easy to operate, especially for novice astronomers.
Fortunately, the Charlottesville Astronomical Society (CAS) is here to help. The club is offering an introductory telescope workshop this weekend for new 'scope owners and anyone else interested in learning more about astronomy. After a brief classroom session on the nuts-and-bolts of the hobby (like how to set up and align a telescope), participants will assemble around the lenses for a guided tour of the mid-winter sky.
"Many people are drawn to astronomy by the sheer beauty of the night sky, " says CAS President Bill Phillips, "but learning to use and understand the equipment can be a hurdle. Our main purpose is to teach people how to physically set up their telescope and then show them where and how to look for certain things."
From there, the sky is, quite literally, the limit.
"I learned astronomy as most people do, by setting up a telescope in my backyard," Phillips explains, "but I soon realized that to really get into it I needed to be around people who had more experience than I did, and the club provides that. Many of our members have great skills and are happy to share them, but it's also great just having a source of buddies to go out on these trips with that multiplies the fun. We don't always see what we went out to see, but we always have a great time."
The Charlottesville Astronomical Society meets monthly for observation sessions, field trips, and guest speakers. This weekend's class will be from 5-8pm at the McCormick Observatory. The workshop fee ($30 for individuals, $35 for families, $20 for seniors and students) includes a year's membership in CAS. In addition to the programming, the club also has a variety of equipment available for members to try before they buy. For more information, visit the Society's web site at cvilleastro.org, or contact Bill Phillips at or 872-0686.
WORDS
Meet Mr. Bush: Tell-all journalist keeps talking
Maybe you remember A Hope in the Unseen– the book based on a Wall Street Journal article that won a 1995 Pulitzer Prize– which told of Cedric Jennings, a different sort of kid in southeast Washington, D.C.'s Ballou Senior High, whose determination to get off the streets and into the world of intellect and power propels him into Brown University.
Or perhaps you recall The Price of Loyalty, the 2003 shocker based primarily on the papers and perceptions of Paul O'Neill, the treasury secretary who left Bush's White House and told all? O'Neill was the one who said that W.'s White House had targeted Saddam long before 9/11. His revelations helped readers peer into the early days of Bush's inner circle. The book caused a legal stir because Treasury's inspector general argued that O'Neill had no right to release government documents to a member of the press, but the court found no wrongdoing, since the documents had not been classified.
And maybe you read the pre-election New York Times Magazine article "Without a Doubt," which quoted a longtime Republican, Bruce Bartlett, about Bush's "weird, Messianic idea of what he thinks God has told him to do"– namely, to wage war on Islamic fundamentalists because "they're extremists, driven by a dark vision." Topping that, Bartlett told the author that Bush understands the enemy "because he's just like them."
You may not have read the originals, but you probably heard their repercussions. All these significant stories were the products of journalist Ron Suskind, a 1981 graduate of the University of Virginia who joined the Wall Street Journal staff in 1993, became their senior national affairs correspondent, and now writes independently for magazines including Esquire. Suskind maintains a website, www.ronsuskind.com, on which he is posting the primary documents that he used in writing The Price of Loyalty, plus others as they become available. Recently he posted a two-page October 2001 memo from a Treasury staff member reporting the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan's concern over the interactions of the Bush White House with the President's Social Security Commission, of which Moynihan was co-chair. According to the memo, the senator had "expressed a considerable amount of frustration" that "the White House and Commission Staff are controlling the agenda."
The beat goes on– and Ron Suskind is one of the louder drummers.
Ron Suskind speaks at UVA's Miller Center of Public Affairs on Wednesday, January 26, at 5:30pm. His talk is titled "Faith, Certainty, and the Presidency of George W. Bush."2201 Old Ivy Road, 924-7236.