Cultural Calendar, April 28-May 5, 2005
THURSDAY, April 28
FAMILY
Driving Parents Crazy: Albemarle driver education instructor Richard Wharam talks to parents about teaching their teens to drive. This class describes the latest driving techniques and helps parents organize the instruction. A recently published driving manual will be distributed. 7-9pm. Free. Registration required. Western Albemarle High School. 975-9451.
Party On: Venable Elementary School turns 80 this month, and the whole community is invited to come to the party. Open house starts at 6pm with displays of the school's history and student artwork. At 7pm, a public forum explores the school's historic role in racial segregation and integration of Charlottesville's school system. Free. 406 14th St. NW. 245-2418.
Youth in Service: Area agencies celebrate the thousands of hours of volunteer service contributed by the young people of our community each year in a public reception at the new Albemarle County Office Building. The event also launches a new Youth Service Toolkit that outlines best practices in youth services. 4-5:30pm. Free. 1600 Fifth St. Ext. 872-4545.
Tales for Tots: The 5 and under crowd can think spring with stories of the glories of the season at Barnes & Noble's preschool story time. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.
PERFORMANCE
She Stoops to Conquer: Playwright Oliver Goldsmith, an 18th century one-hit wonder, penned this comedy, and now Shenandoah Shakespeare brings it back to life, lampooning the quirks and customs of old England. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $14-28. 540-851-1733.
Raisin: Lorraine Hansberry's 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun relives a few weeks in the life of a black family living in Chicago on the eve of the civil rights movement. Racial tensions spark when they decide to buy a house in an all-white neighborhood. This was the first Broadway drama written by an African American. 8pm. Live Arts DownStage, 123 E. Water St. Tickets for tonight's preview are free, if available; other shows $10-17. 977-4177.
WALKABOUT
Birthday Bash: Ash Lawn-Highland celebrates what would have been James Monroe's 247th birthday with costumed re-enactors, special tours, and free admission for local residents. 1-4pm. Route 53. 293-9539.
Madison House Party: Celebrate the 35th anniversary of one of the largest student-run community service organizations in the country at Westover Estate. Tickets are $35 and are available through Madison House and Yves Delorme on the Downtown Mall. 977-7051.
WORDS
1492 and After: Spanish professor Ricardo Padron's talk, "America is a State of Mind," discusses the events of 1492 and their aftermath, in celebration of the opening of a new exhibition in the Harrison Small Library's first-floor gallery, "South America's Gran Columbia: From Native Empires to Independent Nations." Padron's talk begins at 5pm in the library's auditorium. McCormick Road. 924-6040.
Nukes in Our Future?: Jon Wolfsthal– an expert on weapons of mass destruction– speaks on the worst nuclear challenges facing the U.S. today and what we should do about it. 5pm. 311 Cabell Hall. 982-2016.
Poets Come to Town: Greg Donovan, writer-in-residence at VCU and editor-in-chief of the poetry journal Blackbird; Laurie Kutchin, whose The Night Path won a Pulitzer nomination; and David Wojahn, author of six poetry volumes read from their work at 8pm at the UVA Bookstore. Atop the Central Grounds parking garage. 924-6675.
Genetic Beat Goes On: Walter H. Sokel, UVA emeritus professor of German, explores the intersection of Nazi eugenics theories and experiments and the daring philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in his talk, "The Birth of Eugenics and of Justice from the Spirit of Tragedy." 5pm. Jefferson Hall, UVA. 924-6693 or .
The Little Guys Count: Four visiting experts on globalization join UVA's John Echeverria-Gent to discuss "Inequality and Difference in Developing Societies: How Do Recent Trends Affect Americans?" 7:30pm. 125 Minor Hall. .
TUNES
Sparky's Flaw CD Release Party, Josh Mayo & Modern Epic, and Graywater Stills at Starr Hill: Youthful pop/rockers Sparky's Flaw celebrate the release of their new EP, One Small Step– hokey unabashed pop for the unwashed masses. $7/$5, 8pm. See Tunes feature.
EMT at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar: If there's ever been anything justifiably described as a "hoot," it's Stratton Salidis' Emergency Music Theatre. Spontaneous lyrics inspired by audience title suggestions- you call out a topic, Salidis runs with it. No cover, 9:30pm.
Red Wizard (noise rock) with The Freedom Haters at Atomic Burrito. No cover, 10:30pm.
Karaoke Night with DJ Wild Wes at Buffalo Wild Wings. Free, 9pm
Dance Music with 5 Star D.J. Express at City Limits. No cover, 9pm.
Danny Beirne (piano-man) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm.
Karaoke Night with Dave Heatherton of Lite Rock Z95.1 and Yellow Cab Karaoke at Damon's Sports Bar. Free, 9pm-1am.
Chicken Head Blues Band at Dürty Nelly's. $5, 9pm.
Lu Bolen on piano at Fellini's No. 9. No cover, 6:30-9:30pm.
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers at Gravity Lounge. $10, 8pm.
Thompson / D'earth and friends (freeform jazz) at Miller's. $4, 10pm.
Lost Wages at Outback Lodge. $5, 10pm.
Satisfaction with Noel Sanger (18 and up dance party) at Rapture. $3/Ladies free, 10:30pm.
Reggae Night featuring Stable Roots at Satellite Ballroom. $3, 9pm. 18+.
FRIDAY, April 29
ART
See the Other: The Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Aboriginal Art officially opens its current exhibition, "Seeing the Other: The Human Image by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Artists," with a reception today. 5:30-7:30pm. 400 Worrell Drive, Peter Jefferson Place (off Route 250 East at Pantops). 244-0234.
Sharpen Your Pencil: "Drawing in Sixteenth-Century Italy" is the subject of Mary Vaccaro's talk today at 6pm. UVA's Campbell Hall, Room 153.
WORDS
Face Your Demons: UVA faculty member Rachel Saury discusses working against war from within through consideration of James Hillman's book, The Terrible Love of War. She leads a book talk at the Quest Bookshop tonight at 7pm. 619 W. Main St., 295-3377. See Words feature.
FAMILY
Behind the Garden Gate: Old Michie Theatre has become Misselthwaite Manor, the 1910 English country home where orphaned Mary Lennox and her sickly young cousin Colin Craven transform and are transformed by The Secret Garden. Performances of this magical production will delight children of all ages. 7pm. $7.50. 221 E. Water St. 977-3690. oldmichie.com.
WALKABOUT
Meadowcreek Plant Sale: Tomato plants, herbs, cucumbers, peppers, oh my! Baked goods will also be available. 9am-6pm at 2000 Michie Drive. 970-1285.
Timely Topic for Our Town: "The Role of Leadership in Navigating the Sea of NCLB Accountability" is the subject of a discussion among Virginia Secretary of Education Belle Whellan, Thomas Jackson Jr., president of the Virginia Board of Education, and Jo Lynne DeMary, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction, part of a "women education leaders conference." Noon-2pm. Omni Hotel Ballroom. 924-7846 or .
PERFORMANCE
Raisin: See Thursday, April 28.
Measure for Measure: Shakespeare explores the arrogance of power in a play that hovers tantalizingly between comedy and tragedy. Isabella, a nun in training and the play's heroine, must decide whether to ransom her brother from death by giving her body to the hypocritical bureaucrat who put him in jail. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. Other shows $14-28. 540-851-1733.
PERFORMANCE AND TUNES
UVA African Drumming and Dance Ensemble with Ahmed Gbeku at Old Cabell Hall: Special guest Ahmed Gbeku of Ghana joins the UVA African Drumming and Dance Ensemble for a spring performance integrating intricate rhythms and sociopolitical meaning. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. $5-10. 924-3984. See Performance feature.
TUNES
John Brown's Body CD release party with special guests Dub is a Weapon at Starr Hill Music Hall: Help JBB celebrate release of their new CD Pressure Points. $10 adv/ $12 door. Buy tickets online at starrhill.com and get $3 off the CD at the show.
Clare Fader and the Vaudevillains at Gravity Lounge: A cabaret act for the modern age, Fader and her troupe create a mélange of pop/world/jazz and more to create a sound that is strikingly original and worth a listen. $5, 8pm.
Loveseat at Atomic Burrito. Free, 10:30pm.
Pete and Lindsey Osborne (folk singer/songwriters) at Basic Necessities. No cover, 6:30pm.
Michael Mulvaney and the Mammie Band at Dew Drop Inn. $3, 9pm.
Evan Mook on Piano with friends on bass and drums at Fellini's No. 9. No cover, 10pm.
Red Beet at Gravity Lounge. $5, 10:30pm.
Vernon Fisher ("romantic side of jazz") at Keswick Hall. No cover, 6:30pm.
Beauty and the Beast Inside Us, and other ideas put to music by Bob Rannigan at Live Arts fourth floor. $8, 7-8:30pm.
Special Ed & the Shortbus at Outback Lodge. $6, 10pm.
The Rockfish Valley Community Center's Drama Company at Rapunzel's. $5, 8pm.
Dance Party at Satellite Ballroom. $10/$5 with student ID, 11pm.
Breakdown at Station. No cover, 10pm.
SATURDAY, April 30
ART
Kids Workshops: A workshop in "recycled art for kids ages 5-12" is offered by Mimi Tawes, who will stress environmental awareness as the children create unique pieces of art out of materials that might otherwise have been discarded. 10-11:30am. $15. A stained glass mosaics class for kids ages 7-14 happens 1:30-4:30pm. $35. Teens through adults have to wait to get in the act– a stained glass workshop for them is scheduled for Saturday, May 7. Students will have the option of working in the Tiffany or the lead technique. $60 plus materials. 10-11:30am. McGuffey Art Center. 977-7858.
WORDS
Lots of Books to Be Signed: Oakley's Gently Used Books hosts Booksignings in York Place today. Four authors will be present to meet their readers and sign copies of their books. Meet William A. James Jr., author of The Skin Syndrome Among Afro-Americans (featured in Words, March 24); Tee Morris, author of Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword; June Oakley, author of The Charlottesville Cookbook; and Tony Ruggiero, author of Team of Darkness. All these authors have other titles to their names as well; all of their books will be available for signing and sale. 112 W. Main St. 977-3313.
WALKABOUT
Discussing Daylilies: Pose questions to members of the Charlottesville Daylily Club and buy some of their award-winning plants at the Farmer's Market. 7am-noon. 591-4595.
Monacan Insights: Learn about life and trade in 18th-century Virginia with the Southeastern Native American Confederacy as they recreate the Indian Nations who encountered the first European colonists. There will be craft demonstrations, traditional foods, weapons demonstrations, historical interpreters, and much more. 10am-5pm at Natural Bridge. $10 admission ($5 for children under 12) includes access to the Monacan Indian Village and other Natural Bridge area attractions. 540-458-3746 or monacannation.com.
May Day Traditions: Celebrate the centuries-old festival of May Day at Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery with historical wine tastings (think Mead, Cyser, Melomels and Pyments), medieval food samples, and music. 11am-5pm. Fee. 361-1266.
Montpelier Wine Festival: Sample Virginia wines and stroll around the grounds at James Madison's Montpelier. There will also be music, specialty foods, kids' activities, kite contests, craft vendors, and more. 11am-6pm. 540-672-2728.
A Little Bit Louder Now: Party like it's 1978 at Wintergreen's Animal House Ball. Enjoy dinner, dancing, festive costumes, and a silent and live auction to benefit the "Almost Home" pet adoption center. 5pm-12:30am. Fee. 361-2440.
Safe Ride: Cruise home from Foxfield safely, thanks to the Chandler Law Group's annual "safe ride home" program. Just mention the program at the main gate, and a taxi will take you anywhere within a 10-mile radius free of charge. 971-7273.
Mountain Morning: Join a Wintergreen Nature Foundation naturalist for an interpretive hike through the mountains of Wintergreen. Moderate difficulty. $3 members, $6 non-members. 10am. 325-7451.
Capture Those Memories: Join Kevin Blackburn as he gives pointers in how to take perfect vacation pictures. From framing a beautiful orchid to storing pictures on CDs and memory cards, he'll cover it all. Fee. All day. Info and register: Wintergreen Nature Foundation 325-7473.
Mushroom Munch: Enjoy a five-course dinner with plenty of morels and wine pairings, prepared by Chef Melissa Close and wild mushrooms expert Dr. Jeff Long. $98/person, all-inclusive. Reservations required. 7pm. Reservations: 540-832-7848.
Adoptathon 2005: Festivities at the SPCA this weekend are free and any member of the public in the market for a new pet needs to get on out to the new pens at 3355 Berkmar Drive. 9am-9pm. 973-5959 or visit caspca.org. See Walkabout feature.
Spring Fling: St. Anne's-Belfield School hosts its annual Spring Fling, with activities and a plant sale. 11am-3pm at the Upper School campus on Ivy Road, across from Foods of all Nations. 244-3601.
Mountain Ride: Put your mountain biking skills to the test with the Outdoor Adventure Social Club on this intermediate-level ride in the Virginia hills. Noon departure. $5, plus membership fee. Details: 760-HIKE or outdoorsocial.com.
WALKABOUT AND FAMILY
Autism Discussion: Learn about recent advances in the biology of autism at this conference for parents and professionals, held all day at the Omni Hotel. Scholarships available for parents. Details: Kathy Young, 977-4198.
FAMILY
Off to the Races: Scottsville Library celebrates TV Turnoff Week with fun and games for the whole family. Weather permitting, they'll have sack races, target shooting, and a jumprope contest. 11am. Free. 330 Bird St. 286-3541.
Behind the Garden Gate: See Friday, April 29.
FAMILY AND PERFORMANCE
Song and Dance Routine: More than 250 dancers perform a review of ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, Broadway theater, and more in the Wilson School of Dance Spring Performance '05 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center. 1:30pm. Free. CHS, Melbourne Road. 973-5678.
PERFORMANCE
She Stoops to Conquer: See Thursday, April 28.
Raisin: See Thursday, April 28.
Twelfth Night: This Shakespeare classic creates comedy at every elevation, from low slapstick to high irony, offering a feast of language and a stage full of memorable characters such as the lovesick Viola and ale-sick Toby Belch. 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $14-28. 540-851-1733.
Cinderella on Strings: The Old Michie Theatre presents a traditional marionette rendition of the Cinderella fairy tale, based on the classic French version by Charles Perrault, and adapted for the puppet stage with hand-carved marionettes from the Czech Republic, sound effects and a flying coach. 11am, 2pm and 4pm. Old Michie Theatre, 221 E. Water St. $5. 977-3690 or oldmichie.com.
Flamenco Voice Workshop: Experience El Soniquete with flamenco singer Fausto Pototo and guitarist Humberto Sales. Learn and practice flamenco palos whether your Spanish is rusty or not, or even if you're not too familiar with flamenco. Musical therapy to loosen the body and mind. 1pm. 114 Old Preston Ave., behind the Omni Hotel downtown. $50. Register at 806-7871 or .
Baile da Primavera: The Brazilian Association of Charlottesville hosts its Baile da Primavera– a spring dance. Shake that booty and enjoy live vocals from Humberto O. Sales and Madeline H. Sales. 10pm-2am. Mamma Mia Italian Restaurant, 946 Grady Ave. $5-10. 760-1091.
TUNES
Lanaux Hailey and the Southside Jazz with Crash Everest, Races to April, Worn in Red, and Single Spies at Station: A local show by this Lynchburg band in support of their new EP. They promise a "crazy evening of loud rockin' from four of the region's up-and-coming bands. 10pm, $4, 18+.
Paul Curreri at Gravity Lounge: Curreri's thinking man's country blues returns to the Gravity Lounge. $5, 8:30pm.
John Jorgenson Quintet at the Satellite Ballroom: The return of Jorgenson and his Quintet brings an evening of Gypsy Jazz (see Django Reinhardt). $18/$15 advance, 9pm.
Laurie Strother "the blues lady" at Rapunzel's: Blues from the great juke joint era of the 1920's and 1930's is Strother's cup of tea. Check her out after a long break. $5, 8pm.
The 40 Boys (local punk duo) with Our Stable Violent Star (Richmond punks) at Atomic Burrito. Free, 10:30pm.
Victor Cabas (blues) at Basic Necessities. No cover, 6:30pm.
Populist Dancing at Club Rio. $10, 9pm.
The Pones at Fellini's No. 9. No cover, 10pm
Vernon Fisher ("romantic side of jazz") at Keswick Hall. No cover, 6:30pm.
Kevin McCarthy's band and Jamal Milner at Miller's. $3, 10:30pm.
Guano Boys (reggae-blues) at Outback Lodge. $6, 10pm.
Smokin Trout (Celtic and Old Time trio) at Odell's Music Pub, Main St., Gordonsville. $5, 8pm. 540-832-5300.
Southside at Orbit. No cover, 10:30pm.
John Jorgenson Quintet at Satellite Ballroom. $18/$15 advance, 8pm, all ages.
Soft Control at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. No cover, 9:30pm.
SUNDAY, May 1
PERFORMANCE
Measure for Measure: See Friday, April 29. Today's performance is a 2pm matinee.
Fauré in Concert: Sort of. The Piedmont Virginia Community College Chorus will render two works by French composer Gabriel Fauré, Cantique de Jean Racine and Requiem. 3pm. V. Earl Dickinson Building. Free.
Spring Breeze: The UVA Wind Ensemble presents its spring concert directed by William Pease, with special guest Patrick Sheridan on tuba performing Flight of the Bumblebee and other works. 3:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. $5-10. 924-3984.
Mass Appeal: The Western Albemarle High School Music Department presents its 28th spring concert featuring the String Orchestra under the direction of Mary Wirth, the Mixed Choir and WAHS Women under the direction of Michele Brigham, and the Warrior Jazz Band and Symphonic Band under the direction of Steve Layman. 3pm. Auditorium. 823-8700 x. 3109.
FAMILY
TJ for Children: Weekend tours for children and families start today at Monticello. See Family feature.
Spring Fling: Free Union Country School celebrates the season with a Spring Fair. Activities for the whole family include pony rides, live music, games, face painting, and lots of fun. 11am-3pm. Free Union Road. (Rt. 601). 978-1700.
Carrying a Torch: Charlottesville and Albemarle police and other public safety folks team up to raise money for Special Olympics. Festivities take place at Barracks Road Shopping Center and include a silent auction, pony rides, car safety seat display, dunk tank (here's the chance to get the chief all wet), paint the cruiser, K-9 display, and lots more. 10am-2pm. 296-5807, ext. 3925.
Behind the Garden Gate: See Friday, April 29. Today's performance is at 3pm.
WALKABOUT
Kites Aloft: Fly a kite for peace with folks from 10,000 Kites, a worldwide organization that spreads a message of friendship with kite flying days all over the country. 3pm at Chris Green Lake Park. 961-6278 or charlottesvillepeace.org.
Life After Madison: Montpelier christens its new Freedman's Farm Trail, linking a nearby Confederate encampment to the newly restored Gilmore cabin and farm. The 90-minute tour explains camp life in the mid-19th century and the transition from slavery to freedom in Orange County. 2pm, then held regularly year-round. Included in regular admission fee, but reservations are required. 672-2728.
May Day Traditions: See Saturday, April 30. 11am-5pm. Fee. 361-1266.
Montpelier Wine Festival: See Saturday, April 30. 11am-6pm. 540-672-2728.
TUNES
Karaoke with Tammy at City Limits. No cover, 7-11pm.
King Golden Banshee (traditional Irish tunes) at Fellini's No. 9. No cover, 6pm.
Dave's True Story with Frances Frischkorn at Gravity Lounge. $5, 7pm.
Irish Music Session at Shebeen. No cover, 3-6pm.
UVA Wind Ensemble Spring Concert at Old Cabell Hall. $10/$5 students, 3:30pm. 924-3984.
MONDAY, May 2
ART
Oldies but Goodies: Cinema & Draft night the Satellite Ballroom gets going tonight with a showing of Sunset Boulevard (1950, 110 minutes, with William Holden and Gloria Swanson). 8pm $3. 806-6529 .
County Creations: In addition to portraits, landscapes, and sculptures, Monticello High School's (MHS) annual student art show features the unveiling of a tiled mural adorning four columns, each 11 feet high and 4 feet in diameter, in the school's main lobby. "The Monticello Mural" is the brainchild of art teacher Beryl Solla who taught students how to tile and grout as well as design and sketch images on the columns to depict all aspects of school life.
WORDS
Native Son's Take on Education: UVA educational historian Jennings Wagoner speaks as part of the Faculty Author Series. Wagoner focuses on Thomas Jefferson– his dreams for a democracy based on a public education system, his accomplishments, and his legacy– as detailed in Wagoner's own book, Jefferson and Education. 5pm. Pavilion VII, UVA Lawn. 243-9710.
Attention, Crozet Booklovers: Join the new monthly book discussion group forming up at the library and meeting every first Monday of the month at 7pm. This month's title: Eudora Welty's The Optimist's Daughter. Get ready for next month by reading Khaled Hosseini's Kite Runner. 7pm. 5791Three Notch'd Road, 823-4050.
Whadja Learn in College?: Hear the fruits of a four-year college labor as soon-to-graduate majors in creative writing read their poetry at UVA Bookstore at 8pm. Atop the Central Grounds parking garage. 924-6675.
Poetry from Almost-Pros: The crème de la crème of aspiring young writers come to the University of Virginia to receive a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Today and tomorrow, poets soon to receive the prestigious UVA MFA will read their work in the Harrison Small Auditorium at 8pm. McCormick Road. 924-6675.
WALKABOUT
Birding Before Work: Join the Monticello Bird Club for a guided trek around the Ivy Creek Natural Area, finding and identifying spring birds. The early morning walks happen 7-8am all this week. Free and open to the public. 973-7772.
No Parkway, Yes Transit: Rally with other walking- and biking-minded Charlottesvillians in front of City Hall to encourage the city to shift funds from new roads to better pubic transit. 6:30-7:30pm on the Downtown Mall. 882-1069.
TUNES
Open Mic Night with Charles Davis at Baja Bean. No cover, signup 8:30pm/9pm.
The Rusticators at the Biltmore. No cover, 10pm.
Pool Tournament at City Limits. Free, 7:00p.m.
Open Mic night with Bennie Dodd at City Limits. No cover, 9pm.
Sharp Five (jazz quintet) at Michael's Bistro. No cover, 10pm.
George Melvin (piano merriment) at South Street Brewery. No cover, 7pm.
Travis Elliot (pop) and John Figura at the Virginian. No cover, 10pm.
The University of Virginia Concert Band presents its Outdoor Spring Concert at McIntire Amphitheatre. Free, 6:30pm.
TUESDAY, May 3
WORDS
Gifts and Food from and for Palestine: The group called Holy Land Treasures hosts a sale today from 11am to 4pm, offering middle eastern embroidered goods, extra-virgin olive oil, and other products from Palestine. A Mediterranean lunch and occasional informal presentations also grace the day. Westminster Presbyterian Church, Rugby Road. 971-1688.
More Nukes: Judith Johnsrud, former chair of the Sierra Club National Energy Committee, visits the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church this evening to present current information on "Nuclear Reactors and Radioactive Wastes: Public Concerns. She is a guest of the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice. At 6pm beans and rice dinner will be served before her 7pm talk, adults $5, children $2. All are welcome. 717 Rugby Road. 296-2494.
Dreaming the Old-Fashioned Way: The ancients had their ways of finding messages of wisdom in their dreams– even asking questions and getting answers the next morning. As part of his ongoing series of dream workshops, Len Worley discusses "Dreaming: How Ancients Invoked Dreams for Healing and Guidance." 7-9pm. $10, reservations required. 211 W. Main St., on the Downtown Mall above Bozart Gallery. 293-3271. visionaryquest.org.
Consummation of Work: To give all a fair share of time, UVA's Creative Writing MFA degree candidates in poetry read over two nights this year. Tonight is the second night. Hear the work of poets destined for fame– or at least publication– in the Harrison Small Auditorium tonight at 8pm. 924-6675.
WALKABOUT
Acupuncture and You: How does acupuncture care help you, your symptoms, your issues? Presented by Ron Greathead, 1110 Rose Hill Drive, Suite 100, Reservations requested. 962-2770. First Tuesday of every month. Free. 7-8pm.
Planning Ahead: Lambert Barrett-Johnson and Associates present this informative and insightful series of financial planning lectures geared to those over 50. This week's topic: estate planning. 6-7:30pm in Room C at the Senior Center. Free. Open to the public. 974-7756.
TUNES
Travis Elliott at Atomic Burrito. No cover, 10:30pm.
Karaoke Night (what you make of it) at Baja Bean. Free, 8pm.
Karaoke with Tammy at City Limits. No cover, 7-11pm.
Glen Mack (rock) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10:30pm.
Joseph Mills at Fat Daddy's. $5 18-20/ No cover 21+, 9-11pm
Matthew Willner solo at Jabberwocky. No cover, 10pm.
Adrianne and Alli Collis at Gravity Lounge. $8, 8pm.
$2 Tuesdays with Big Circle at Outback Lodge. No cover, 10pm.
Bela Fleck Acoustic Trio at the Paramount. $26, 7pm.
The Dollyrots, Amped, No Gods No Monsters, The Forty Boys at Satellite Ballroom. $3, 9pm, 18+.
WEDNESDAY, May 4
WORDS
Environmental Concerns: Join the Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club to discuss future water supplies and the environmental impact of the North Pointe community, that swath of dirt being turned into a massive development on U.S. 29 North. Newcomers welcome, refreshments provided. 7:30pm. St. Mark's Lutheran Church, corner of Ivy and Alderman Roads, 973-0373.
WALKABOUT
County Government Day: Albemarle County hosts its annual Open House and Vehicle/Equipment Tour today, welcoming citizens of all ages to stop by and check out the operation. Free. 10:30am-1pm at the Albemarle County Office Building, McIntire Road. Free hotdogs and popcorn. 296-5841.
Wild and Wonderful: Spend the day exploring the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area in West Virginia with the Wintergreen Natural Foundation. This difficult hike departs at 7am. Bring plenty of water and a bag lunch. $20 fee ($15 for Foundation members). 325-7451.
Space: Come and learn about it at McCormick Observatory, courtesy of the Charlottesville Astronomical Society. Rob Capon describes the process of grinding and polishing your own telescope mirror at this month's meeting. 7pm. Free, and the public is welcome. McCormick Road. 975-4231.
Next Step: James Yates, leads a series of workshops on "Finding a Career Path With Heart." Meets for 12 weeks on Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30pm at the Senior Center. Free, but please register at the front desk. 977-6918.
PERFORMANCE
Raisin: See Thursday, April 28. Tonight's show is pay-what-you-will.
Twelfth Night: See Saturday, April 30. Today's performance is a school matinee at 10:30am.
FAMILY
Show and Tell: Albemarle County brings their toys out to play– fire trucks, police cars, motorcycles, crime scene van, rescue squad vehicles, construction equipment, and more– at their annual open house. Information and activity booths will be set up on the lawn and in the upper parking lot of the County Office Building. Refreshments too! 10:30am-1pm. Free. McIntire Road. 296-5841.
Oh, Baby: Informed Birth Options offers "Birth Matters!" a free childbirth class and video series. Expectant parents, doulas, childbirth educators, physicians, grandparents, and the just plain interested can join an educational journey through the process of pregnancy and childbirth. Tonight's videos are Birth Day and The Elk and the Epidural followed by a discussion led by midwife Julia Weissman. 6:30-8:30pm. Free. Weeville, 218 W. Water St. 978-4779. InformedBirthOptions.org.
More Tales for Tots: The 5 and under crowd can hear favorite picture book stories at Barnes & Noble's preschool story time. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.
TUNES
Mark Rock and Friends with Cooter Graw at Gravity Lounge: Mark Rock, superhuman rock cello maniac and co-frontman of the acoustic sillypop band the Marzaks, joins forces with Cooter Graw, an old-time string band featuring Evan Esch of Red Hot Chilly Pickers on fiddle. 8pm. $5. 977-5590.
Sarah White & the Pearls at Atomic Burrito. No cover, 10:30pm.
Salsa night at Berkmar: Beginning and intermediate lessons offered from 8 to 9:15 p.m. Free, 8-10pm. 652 Rio Road W. 975-4611.
Cheesy Trivia with M&M Express at Buffalo Wild Wings. No cover, 8:30pm.
Karaoke with Paul Seale at City Limits. No cover, 7-11pm.
Benny Dodd (rock covers) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm.
Open Mic Night at Dew Drop Inn. No cover, 7:30pm.
Josh Mayo at Fat Daddy's. $5 18-20. No cover 21+, 9-11pm.
George Melvin (multi-keyboard merriment) at Fellini's No. 9. No cover, 6:30-9:30pm.
Country Dance Night (couples and line) at Fry Spring Beach Club. $7/$4 students, lessons 7-8pm, dancing 8-11pm.
Peter Markush (piano) at Gravity Lounge. Free, 12:30pm.
The Mike Rosensky Jeff Decker Quartet (jazz) at Miller's. No cover, 9:30pm.
Stable Roots (reggae) at Outback Lodge. $5, 10pm.
Open Jam at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 7pm.
Jimmy O at the South River Grill in Waynesboro. No cover, 7:30pm.
Chris Jameson (acoustic rock and blues) at the Virginian. No cover, 10pm.
Karaoke Night at West Main. No cover, 10pm.
THURSDAY, May 5
FAMILY
Viva la Fiesta!: Kids 5 and up can celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Gordon Avenue Library with Mexican games, music, crafts, and snacks. 4pm. Free. Registration required. 1500 Gordon Ave. 296-5544.
More Tales for Tots: See Wednesday, May 4.
PERFORMANCE
Raisin: See Thursday, April 28. Tonight's show is at 7:30pm.
Twelfth Night: See Saturday, April 30. Today's show is at 7:30pm. There's a lecture at 6pm and you can chat with the cast after the performance.
WORDS
Wine, Cheese, and Votes: The League of Women Voters of Fluvanna County invites all to an open house. Get to know your neighbors and the issues. John Maple Room, Lake Monticello Fire & Rescue Building, 10 Slice Road (on Route 600, near the Lake Center Shopping Center). 6pm. 589-6221.
Ad Moguls Turn Novelist Pair: Who doesn't know the slogan "Virginia Is for Lovers"? Well, these are the guys who created it. Brothers Stephen and David Martin have now turned their creative synergy into a new novel, The Color of Demons, which starts from a vaguely likely premise– two powerhouse women, one black and one white, run against each other for U.S. president– and then spins out into fantastic possibilities. They will meet and greet and sign their hot-off-the-press book at Barnes & Noble this evening at 7pm. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-0461.
Lattehouse: The Live Arts Teen Ensemble presents Lattehouse VII: Consumed, an exploration of mass consumption, poverty, inequity and environmental degradation– the classic themes of youth angst wrapped in a conspicuous display of talent. Runs for 12 performances through May. Opening night. 7:30pm. Live Arts UpStage, 123 E. Water St. $7. 977-4177.
Seussical the Musical: The Waynesboro Players present this tapestry of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters, like the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, the Whos and the Grinch, that will tickle your funny bone and touch your heart. 8pm Louis Spilman Auditorium, Waynesboro High School, 1200 W. Main St., Waynesboro. $6-10. Info: waynesboroplayers.org or 540-949-7464.
WALKABOUT
Golf for a Cure: Raise money for the Alzheimer's Association at the 7th annual Bill Howard Golf Tournament at Birdwood Golf Course. $800 for a team of four includes everything: range balls, cart, greens fees, and dinner for the team with live music from the House Rockers. 8am-6pm. 817-1240.
Spanish Conversation Group: La Tertulia, a Spanish conversation group, meets the first Thursday of each month in the Jefferson Room at the Central Library to brush up on studies. All levels welcome. 7pm. 979-7151 or .
Honey Handlers: Learn all about the world of beekeeping at the monthly meeting of the Central Virginia Beekeepers. 7pm. Free, and open to the public. Meets in the Education Building at the Ivy Creek Natural Area. 973-7772.
Cozumel, Virginia: The Farm Shop at Kluge Estate Winery celebrates Cinco de Mayo by injecting a bit of South of the Border flair and flavor to their drinks and foods. 984-4855.
French Conversation Luncheons: Allez the first Thursday of every month to L'etoile restaurant on W. Main St., across from the train station. 11:30am. Info: Andrée Nesbit 971-1118 or .
TUNES
Karaoke Night with DJ Wild Wes at Buffalo Wild Wings. Free, 9pm
Dance Music with 5 Star D.J. Express at City Limits. No cover, 9pm.
Danny Beirne (piano-man) at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm.
Chicken Head Blues Band at Dürty Nelly's. $5, 9pm.
Karaoke with Mike Beene and Rick Haggard at Fat Daddy's. $5 ages 18-20. No cover 21+, 9-11pm
Cinco De Mayo Party with Las Gitanas at Fellini's No. 9. No cover, 10pm.
TRUMYSTIC (dub & reggae) at Garden of Sheba. 8pm.
The Mosquitos at Gravity Lounge. $8, 7pm.
Thompson / D'earth and friends (freeform jazz) at Miller's. $4, 10pm.
William Walter & Co. at Orbit. No cover, 10:30pm.
Satisfaction with Noel Sanger (18 and up dance party) at Rapture. $3/Ladies free, 10:30pm.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Bio Ritmo at Satellite Ballroom. $8, 9pm (salsa lessons 8-9pm), 18+.
Vertical Horizon with Small Town Workers at Starr Hill. $18/$15, 8pm.
ONGOING AND UPCOMING
WORDS
Join, Read, Opine!: The Crozet Library has a new Monday Evening Book Group whose members meet to discuss a book the first Monday of each month. Get ready for the June 7 discussion by reading Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. 823-4050.
Song of Himself: An exhibition of UVA's remarkable collection of Walt Whitman's papers, publications, and memorabilia, including photos of the poet himself, continues in UVA's Harrison Small first-floor gallery until June 30. 924-6040.
South American Transformation: Artifacts from before, during, and after the first contacts of Europe with South America form the student-initiated exhibit at UVA's Harrison Small Library titled "South America's Gran Columbia: From Native Empires to Independent Nations," on view until August 16. 924-6040.
PERFORMANCE
Improv Night: Whole World Theatre has expanded from Atlanta to Charlottesville. Catch one of the most successful improv theaters of the southeast every Thursday night. 8-10pm at the Garden of Sheba. $8. Live reggae following show. 609 E. Market St. 466-9574 or wholeworldtheatre.com.
Practice Swing: The Charlottesville Swing Dance Society hosts weekly practice sessions for beginners and intermediates Thursdays. Singles and couples welcome. DJ takes requests. 7:30-9pm. Auditorium of the Albemarle County Office Building, 401 McIntire Road. Free. 980-2744.
Country Dance: 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.
FAMILY
River Ramble: Call now for your tickets to join one of the James River Rambler railroad excursions happening on May 14 and 21 and June 4. This popular train ride wanders through the rolling hills and deep forests of Buckingham County from Dillwyn along the historic Buckingham Branch rail line. Choose from a 90-minute or 3.5-hour tour. Sponsored by the Old Dominion Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Call between 10am-4pm Saturdays, 1-4pm Sundays: 800-451-6318. odcnrhs.org.
Spelunking: The Virginia Discovery Museum goes underground with its latest Back Gallery exhibit Under the Earth: A Cave Exploration. 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.
WALKABOUT
Personal Development: Focus Women's Resource Center serves a diverse community of women, helping them achieve purposeful living by providing access to education, training, counseling, and leadership development. 293-2222 ext. 23.
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.
Come Clean: Drug addiction can leave an individual feeling helpless and out of control, especially family members and friends of an addict. Narconon Arrowhead can help. Narconon offers free counseling, assessments and referrals to rehabilitation centers nationwide. Info: 1-800-468-6933 or stopaddiction.com.
Nature Spirit: Spending too much time indoors under florescent lighting? Discover the spiritual side of Nature with NatureSpirit. Explore different earth-centered traditions of spirituality, meet friends, and find meaningful new ways to connect with Nature in your busy life. Meets the first Sunday of every month at Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church. 6:30pm.
Ninja Yoga: Towards a revolution of consciousness! Free and open to the public, suitable for all levels of expertise. Mondays 9-10am, Thursdays 9-10:30am; meditation study group Wednesdays 8am, and silent meditation Thursdays 8am, all available at Better Than Television 106 Goodman st.A3, near Spudnuts. Ninja Yoga also available at Jefferson Madison Regional Library Mondays 1pm and Fridays 5pm, as well as at the Yoga Community Space 117 E. Market St. Tuesdays 1pm. Info: 295-0872.
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. Info: 295-1395.
Woman Spirit: Become part of a community of women who rise up in the spring, create the green growth of summer, harvest autumn, and rest in winter. Explore your Spirit in magical power places in Nature with soulful, like-minded women, led by experienced healers & vision quest guides. A spring group is now forming, April-September. $225. Contact Denise Horton, PhD at 296-2930 for more information.
ART LIST
Ending April 30: at the McGuffey Art Center, "Visual Textures x 3," by Carol Grant, Janet Grahame, and Vee Osvalds, in the main gallery. On view in the first floor hall gallery, photographer Fleming Lunsford's "Analogies," Polaroid emulsion lifts of natural forms and collage artist Suzanne Chitwood's "Pages from Picture Books." Upstairs enjoy the annual High School Art Show." Beginning May 3, McGuffey devotes its entire space to the annual juried show by The Virginia Watercolor Society, which will hang through May 29. 201 Second St. NW. 295-7973.
The University of Virginia Art Museum presents the much-anticipated "Masterpieces of European Drawing," an exhibition of 62 works on loan from the Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie. The only presentation of this collection in the U.S., the show features pieces by Courbet, Delacroix, Rubens, and Rembrandt, among others, and runs through June 5. Also on view: "Aspects of Influence: Lincoln Perry Mines the Collection," an exhibition about artistic influence curated by painter Lincoln Perry (but not featuring his paintings), which runs through May 22. The museum also presents "After Collage," a show of mixed-element work by contemporary artists, including John Baldessari, Katherine Porter, and Frank Stella, which continues through August 27. 155 Rugby Road. 924-3592.
Watercolor artist Edith Arbaugh presents a 10-painting, Lawn-celebrating exhibition, entitled "Jefferson Legacy Series," in UVA's Rotunda Dome Room through May 19. University Ave. 924-1019.
Beginning May 1, the Main Street Market Galleria shows Bill Weaver's paintings of Charlottesville. They'll remain on view through May 31. 416 W. Main St., 244-7800.
Monty Montgomery's "Views" are at the Mudhouse for two more days (213 W. Main St. 984-6833), and Alan Cleveland's hardwood sculptures are also on view through Saturday at Transient Crafters (118 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 972-9500).
New Dominion Bookshop features Meg West's latest exhibition, "Paintings Out of My Head: Discovered Landscapes," on its mezzanine until Saturday, when the bookshop will host "Sea & Sky," watercolors by Janet Anderson, through May. 404 W. Main St. 295-2552.
Go quick! All these shows end Saturday, April 30: The Charlottesville Community Design Center's exhibition, "What Architects Do." 101 E. Main St. 984-2232. CODG's "Recent Works," mixed-media and paintings by Carolyn Capps. 112 E. Main St., under the Jefferson Theater. 242-4212 The Renaissance School's "Steve Ingham: portraits and new works." 406 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 984-1952. The C&O Gallery's show of paintings by Eugenia Rausse. 511 E. Water St. (next to the C&O Restaurant). 971-7044.
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church presents "Palestinian Embroidery Heritage," a collection of textiles organized by Charlottesville's Holy Land Treasures Group, through May 8. 717 Rugby Road. 977-5411.
Nature Visionary Art displays the work of Kristen Myers through June 1. 110 Fourth St. NE. 296-8482. See Art feature.
The 5th Floor Gallery at Keller Williams offers explorations of realism by painter Tom Tartaglino, paintings of Italy by Doris deSha, and photography by Candace Schoner. Ten percent of proceeds from artwork sold goes to Habitat for Humanity. Suite 500, Citizens Commonwealth Building (UVA Credit Union), 300 Preston Ave. 220-2200.
Angelo displays recent works in oils by Stanley Woodward until May 2, when "Glimpses," landscape monotypes and etchings by Tim Michel, takes over and runs through June. 220 E. Main St. 971-9256.
The Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Aboriginal Art officially opens its current exhibition, "Seeing the Other: The Human Image by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Artists," with a reception on April 29. 5:30-7:30pm. The show remains on view through August 13. 400 Worrell Drive, Peter Jefferson Place (off Route 250 East at Pantops). 244-0234.
More last-minute opportunities– through April 30: The Gallery @ 5th & Water offers "Nature's Textures" through April 30. 107 Fifth St. 979-9825. Sage Moon Gallery presents an exhibition of photography by Bonny Bronson. 420 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 977-9997. Industry features "Eggplant," drawings and paintings by Jim Callahan. 112 Second St. NE. 293-3338, and the Central Virginia Watercolor Guild presents over 50 watercolors by Central Virginia artists in the basement and on the first floor of the Albemarle County Courthouse. 501 E. Jefferson Court Square. 296-8484.
Blue Ridge Beads & Glass displays new paintings and art glass by Jerry O'Dell. 1724 Allied St. 293-2876.
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.
Wrapping up on Saturday night: Katherine B. March's "Our Beautiful Shenandoah Valley" at Art Upstairs. 316 E. Main St., above The Hardware Store, on the Downtown Mall. 923-3900. Terrence Pratt's "Portraits of Dancers" at the Laughing Lion Gallery, 103 E. Water St. (above Londons). 984-4000. BozArt Gallery's show of landscape paintings of Anne DeLatour Hopper. 211 W. Main St. 296-3919, and "New Paintings" by UVA art professor Dean Dass at Les Yeux du Monde. 115 S. First St. 973-5566.
Radar
The Artisans' Center of Virginia presents Sharon Zarambo's "Mixed Media & Fiber" exhibition through May 31. 601 Shenandoah Drive. (Exit 94 off I-64), Waynesboro. 540-946-3294.
On April 30, the Scottsville Council for the Arts presents its "Scottsville Photography Show" at Victory Hall Theatre. The exhibition of local images will remain on view through May 15. 401 Valley St., Scottsville. 434-286-3179.
The Arts Center in Orange features "Around the World in 40 Days," an exhibition of paintings from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Poland, and Russia, through June 4. 149 E. Main St., Orange. 540-672-7311.
Through May 1, Barboursville's Nichols Gallery features "Three Views," landscape paintings by Ron Boehmer, Lindsay Nolting, and Priscilla Whitlock. 540-832-3565.
Until June, Washington and Lee University presents an exhibition of work by Anne Sherwood Pundyk. Lexington. 540-458-8954.
Madison's Sevenoaks Pathwork Center features "Rebellion Held in Compassion," an exhibition of pastel paintings by Cynthia Haney, which is on display through July 13. 403 Pathwork Way, Madison. 434-295-8315.
The Barn Swallow features pottery by Janice Arone and Mary Ann Burke, plus other handcrafted artwork. Route 682 off 250W. 434-979-4884.
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 Virginia Poverty Law Center invites entries for its 2005 juried photography exhibition, "Through Different Eyes: The Faces of Poverty in Virginia." Submissions for consideration will be accepted through June 30. The kick-off for the touring public display of finalists and an awards ceremony are scheduled for October 14. Find contest rules and the entry form at pvlc.org. 700 E. Franklin St., Suite 14T1, Richmond. 804-782-9430.
Habitat for Humanity and the Charlottesville Community Design Center ask participants to design a 72-home community of mixed-use, mixed-income units. For details and specific guidelines, contact Katie Swenson, 984-2232 or .
The University of Virginia Art Museum announces "Summer Arts @ the Ix," its creative programs for 4th-12th grade students. First session: July 18-22. Second Session: July 25-29. Students' art will be displayed August 16-24. Tuition: $220 for members; $255 for nonmembers. A limited number of full scholarships are available for students with financial needs. For more information, contact Lili Grabbi at 434-243-6830 or .
ART FEATURE
Meaning elusive: Myers' empty images
BY LAURA PARSONS
What makes a piece of art "good"? Forget about the standard criteria– skilled composition, developed technique, mastery of materials, etc., etc. At the end of the day, what really makes artwork work is its ability to hook you, to make you keep looking, to provoke an emotional response.
Unsuccessful art might initially attract the eye, but it quickly loses appeal– kind of like fast food, where the first bite tastes delish, but the last resembles cardboard. Minus the power to connect at gut-level, a piece of art is simply a serving of empty visual calories. And, unfortunately, Kristen Myers' mixed-media works, currently on view at Nature Visionary Art, don't make much of a meal.
To be fair, Myers does express a unified vision in terms of motif and technique. On poster-size paper, she creates backgrounds depicting oversized playing cards, lined notebook paper, and chalkboards. At their center, Myers places solo iconic figures, often dolls or cats (yes, cats!) dressed in lacy layers.
An air of nostalgia hangs around these images, thanks to layered paint washes and smudged lines. Myers even occasionally chars her backgrounds. As a result, the works seem as if they may have lain forgotten in a leaky roofed attic or perhaps been discovered in an old trunk abandoned at the dump.
Myers' best gimmick is creating lace transfers with chalky paint, which she uses for her Christening-dress-like costumes. But the rest of her technique is puzzlingly uneven. In the same image, she may delineate a doll's pouty face using fine pen-and-ink lines while below she roughs in the hands with crude brushstrokes. And all of her figures are flatter than flat, lacking context and dimension.
So what do they mean? I have no idea. With their grade-school backgrounds, Myers' figures, particularly the dressed-up cats, remind me of what 11-year-old girls like to draw. Maybe that's her point. Maybe not.
Myers' works are semi-intriguing at first glance, but they fail to engage the viewer on a deeper level. I imagine Myers in her studio saying, "Well, this will look arty and disturbing," without taking the time to invest her work with any real passion or point.
Why does she place an acid-green be-frilled baby-doll against a blackboard in "Ruth"? Who knows? And what do I feel when I look at the gowned cat at the center of the four of spades in "Clio"? Absolutely nothing.
Moving on.
Kristen Myers' mixed-media artwork is on view at Nature Visionary Art through May. 110 Fourth St. NE. 296-8482.
PERFORMANCE
Expansive: Drum performance widens world
BY ROBERT ARMENGOL
If you've heard a symphony orchestra or jazz ensemble play at Old Cabell Hall, you might have a certain impression of the place. Acoustically beautiful, yes, but stuffy and even a bit self-important.
Maybe it's the colonnades lining the main corridor, the velvety carpet and polished wood stage, or the Greek facade in front. Whatever. The place is, typical for UVA, very Jeffersonian. And so it doesn't exactly question our sense of cultural supremacy.
But all places and their meanings– even bastions of high society– can be subverted. Once a year the African Drumming and Dance Ensemble tries to do that, decorating the lobby and music hall in colorful cloth, crossing the boundary between stage and audience, and encouraging the crowd to get up off those bolted seats and boogie.
Ensemble director Michelle Kisluik says the group's spring performance this weekend seeks to challenge Western stereotypes of Africa and Africans as "backward" and promote music and dance as a vehicle for community celebration.
The theme of this year's show is "inseparability"– on many levels. "I think that just as music and dance are inseparable from each other, so the moment of performance is inseparable from its meaning," Kisluik says. In a similar way, her student-performers engage in a variety of roles, sharing the work of singing, dancing, and drumming.
This year they're joined by guest artist Ahmed Gbeku, an ethnic Ewe from Ghana and a master of his country's rhythmic expressions. Gbeku has been visiting and working with students in the ensemble to produce some new sounds and movements inspired by Ghanan traditions.
Kisluik describes one such tradition as polyrhythmic. A set of five or six drums keep the beat while a lead drum overlays a harmony that "speaks to the dancers and tells them what to do," she says. The result is an ongoing musical dialogue, a conversation weaving together multiple layers of improvisation.
The complicated fact that this music and dance are removed from one place and transfused in another (Cabell Hall no less) doesn't escape Kisluik. Her own research is on expressive culture in the everyday life of rain forest communities in Central Africa, far removed from any stage. She says she wants students and spectators alike to think about what it means to represent such artistic forms in a world apart from the one that created it.
One student says participating in the ensemble reshaped her view of the world altogether.
"This is the first time I'd ever truly expanded my musical horizons," writes Lamika Young. "From that point on, everything expanded: my mind, my experiences, my friendships… The idea that 'African culture' is a monolith resonates in our society, and this just does not sit right with me anymore."
Special guest Ahmed Gbeku of Ghana joins the UVA African Drumming and Dance Ensemble for a spring performance integrating intricate rhythms and sociopolitical meaning Friday, April 29. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. $5-10. 924-3984.
FAMILY
Hands-on: Kids, please do touch!
BY LINDA KOBERT
There's no doubt that Thomas Jefferson's Monticello offers the perfect showplace to take out-of-town visitors. Tours led by highly informed and engaging interpreters offer new insights into the life and times of Charlottesville's most illustrious resident even if you've been there and done that three times already this year.
When my kids found out our Aunt Susan would be coming for the weekend, however, they wanted to run and hide. Let's face it: for young guests, the typical trip through this venerated house on the hill can be, well, boring.
Starting this weekend, however, interpreters will offer a kid's-eye-view of the big house on the Little Mountain with Tours for Children and their Families. Once available only during the summer, the popular program expands this year to include weekends in the spring and fall as well.
In a 35-minute tour designed especially for kids ages 6-11, interpreters speak directly to the children and even (gasp!) allow them to touch things.
In the entrance hall, for example, young visitors will be introduced to some of the trophies brought back to Monticello by Lewis and Clark after their great journey to the west. When they see the shield made from the hump of a buffalo that hangs on the wall, kids can also feel the fur from a bit of buffalo hide. As they view the two-foot-long jaw bone of an American mastodon, they can hold a mold of a six-inch tooth that came from the giant beast.
Kids are welcome to sit on the floor as interpreters tell tales of Mr. Jefferson's family. They may hear of grandson Benjamin who taught Dolley Madison his unique way of eating English muffins during one of Mr. and Mrs. Madison's frequent visits. Or they may hear about Cornelia, a granddaughter, who with her siblings was home-schooled by her mother Martha and learned to write with a quill pen. Perhaps young visitors will also have the chance to practice their penmanship with a goose feather.
The specially trained guides are free to let their focus wander to whatever the children find fascinating as they stroll through TJ's personal space. In the parlor, kids may enjoy taking a peek at the pianoforte and sympathize with Mr. Jefferson's daughters who were made to practice for three hours each day. Or they may be mesmerized by the President's "polygraph" machine that allowed him to create copies of all his correspondence.
Aunt Susan's visit this spring won't be quite so bad now that these special tours are back giving kids the chance to really get in touch with American history.
Monticello's Tours for Children and their Families are offered at 1 and 3pm on weekends only from May 1-June 12. From June 15-August 15, the special tours occur six times daily 10am-3pm before returning to weekends only August 20-September 25. Families should request this special tour at the admission desk. Included in the price of general admission. $14; $6 children. Monticello is on Thomas Jefferson Parkway, Rt. 53. 984-9822.
WORDS
Go there: Seek the warrior within
BY SUSAN TYLER HITCHCOCK
One essential principle of antiwar activities is to recognize the violence inside yourself, says Rachel Saury, who teaches in UVA's Slavic department and runs the Center for Instructional Technologies.
"We each have a moral obligation to try to comprehend war," she says. Saury has spent much of her life seeking to understand not only international and regional conflict but also the hurt inflicted individually, whether in a political atrocity or a personal one.
"We cannot truly work for peace if we don't fully embrace the seeds of violence which rest in our own psyches," she says, referring to the teaching of the Dalai Lama.
Saury also echoes the writing of neo-Jungian psychologist and author James Hillman, whose many books have kept alive Jung's notion that deep within every human psyche are archetypes, fundamental images packed with meaning, from which spring many of our fears and dreams. Hillman proposes in his book A Terrible Love of War that the violence of war, human against human, is an undeniable, indwelling archetype affecting everyone.
Some people, he believes, are so propelled by that archetype that they love war. Hillman offers as an example General George S. Patton, who was said to have loved war more than he loved himself.
Given that, Saury asks what we can do to make this world a better place. Give up, since it's too overwhelming to undo it? Accept that that's the way things are and just go tend our gardens? Meditate on Mars and Venus? Sink into despair– or rise to action?
"We can never prevent war or speak sensibly of peace and disarmament," Hillman replies, "unless we enter this love of war."
Our culture certainly offers us opportunities aplenty. Films drip with the sweat and blood of conflict, from Troy to Hotel Rwanda and even Mel Gibson's Passion. These films can make us delve deeper or look away, depending on how we approach them.
Better, though, Rachel Saury believes, to turn from the silver screen inward and go, as she calls it, "deep into the darkest places" of our own history and feelings to know the violence of humankind.
It's a challenge– and one that many pacifists would resist, believing that they have transcended to a realm of light above the fray of worldly clatter. Impossible, say the Dalai Lama and James Hillman and, citing them, Rachel Saury. War is us, and we must admit it to get beyond it.
Sponsored by the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice, Rachel Saury presents a book discussion on James Hillman's book, A Terrible Love of War, at Quest Bookshop, 619 W. Main St., on Friday, April 29, at 7pm. 244-0374.
WALKABOUT
Aloha animals: Ever see a dog do the hula?
BY TIM SPRINKLE
According to estimates by the Humane Society of the United States, six to eight million cats and dogs end up in the nation's animal shelters each year.
Fortunately, about half of those animals are ultimately placed in new homes, but not without some serious effort on the part of shelter staff. Bringing pets and potential adopters together is, in fact, one of the toughest parts of their job.
Enter Pet Adoptathon 2005, an event designed to do just that. This weekend, the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA, the Fluvanna SPCA, Animal Connections, and the Louisa Humane Society, along with animal organizations the world over, will participate in events dedicated to finding homes for every shelter pet. Although the "adopta-stravaganza" has been held nationally for the last several years, this is the first time for Charlottesville.
Reflecting the Adoptathon's Hawaiian theme, every animal in attendance will be groomed, prepped, and decked out in Aloha finery. Pet-loving folks can also enjoy Hawaiian-themed games and prizes, food, raffles, pet story readings, a bake sale, dog training and agility demonstrations, and plenty more. Several members of the UVA football team will also be on hand to sign autographs, as will former Boston Red Sox coach Mike Cubbage.
Patrice Batcheller with the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA explains the Pet Adoptathon as "a partnership event to adopt as many animals as possible," but readily admits that it will also be "a really fun party.
"We've invited other shelters in the area to join forces," she says, "and our goal is to bring the whole community in and rally the troops to adopt an animal.
"It's going to be a huge weekend for us," Batcheller says. "We're happy!"
The Charlottesville SPCA's Adoptathon 2005 happens Saturday, April 30, 9am-9pm at the new SPCA building, 3355 Berkmar Drive. The festivities are free and the public is welcome, whether they're in the market for a new pet or not. For more information about the SPCA and the Aloha Pet Adoptathon, call 973-5959 or visit caspca.org.
TUNES
Barely legal: Time is on their side
BY MARK GRABOWSKI
Boys Reveal their Little White Lies (p. 43)
Look Amazing Everyday! (p. 89)
Be a Star Between the Sheets! (p. 23)
Now that you're in the right Seventeen/Teen People/YM mood, welcome to the Hook's first ever Teen Music Issue, an unintended byproduct of the fact that the average age of the previewed and reviewed bands in this article probably runs about 17.
Body For Karate seemed to have called a high school assembly in the Tea Bazaar Saturday night, April 23 [See Music Review, page 40], and Sparky's Flaw is releasing their new EP at Starr Hill Thursday, April 28. Most of you should prepare yourself to feel old!
Sparky's Flaw is a six-piece acoustic guitar-driven group– though calling them an acoustic act is downplaying their sound by several decibels. Subtle electric backs up the acoustic here, and drummer Johnny Stubblefield is not afraid to slam the crash whenever possible. Formed in 2001 (by my calculations, this would make the older members of the group at most 15), the group recorded their first album in 2002.
Titled Live From the Recording Studio, the outing sold over 1000 copies. The One Small Step EP is four well-written pop songs, speaking of time spent listening to The Barenaked Ladies for lyrics and mid-to-late '90s pop groups like Ben Folds Five for music (the time before Emo made the buzz bands go from writing songs of bold-face pop to mopey yearnings).
Recorded at Crystalphonic with Kevin McNoldy, who has worked with Bella Morte, Dave Matthews, and Seven Mary Three (remember them? good times!), One Small Step begins with "Indie Rocker," a song as ready for modern rock radio as any I've ever heard coming from this town.
"Everybody wants to be an indie rocker" begins singer Will Anderson, a snare hit from the start of the song. "I just want to let you know I'm here to stay, so if you ever want to be anything to anybody, I suggest you pick one face and give yourself a name," he continues, his youthful and flexible boys riding from tray tables in locked position to reaching for the overhead compartment without missing a beat.
Driven by pulsing bass à la Nirvana under a sea of acoustic rapid-fire strumming and electric flourishes, the verse/bridge/verse/bridge/chorus standard rock number is instantly catchy, lyrically memorable, and reeks youth like a high school locker room.
The title track is a more generic rock/pop song, but "Moodswings and Melodies" is a shuffle-beat piano chord-led staccato rocker, another pop gem. The group's horn player has a field day on this track, but rather than taking the ostentatious Ska track, the group has chosen a more reserved place for their brass, choosing the pop/rock group Cake's path of background mood setting.
Sparky's Flaw– we all expect big things from you.
Sparky's Flaw CD Release Party, Josh Mayo & Modern Epic, and Graywater Stills at Starr Hill. $7/$5, 8pm.