Past Events

Fall 2007 Past Events

UW-L's Found-Object Heron

Erin Woida and Nichol Schoen One of 35 Herons of La Crosse presented to the city in awareness and celebration of the Arts, the Found Object Heron was sponsored by the UW-L Foundation.

Members of the UW-L Art Student Association - Carly Dilworth, Beth Crook, Patty Bindley, Erin Woida and Nichol Schoen and Meagan Rhodes from the School of Education - created this heron, inspired by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi.  He is known for his trencadis structures throughout Spain. Trencadis is a type of mosaic made from broken tiles. Gaudi used this technique to cover irregular, curved surfaces with tiles.  He is most famous for projects in Barcelona's Park Guell. 

The "found objects" were mostly broken ceramic plates purchased from Goodwill that the students spray painted.  Their spray technique involved different layers of harmonious colors. First the plates were painted whole and then broken with a hammer. The pieces were next mortared to the heron. Finally they grouted their mosaic pieces using white unsanded grout. They did not want to cover the entire heron in a mosaic; as a result, they completed the heron using vivid acrylic paint.

The heron can be found at the corner of 16th & State Streets, adjacent to Morris Hall, from April to October 2008.

Student Senior Artwork Exhibit Opening Reception

Art students graduating in May will show a wide variety of artwork in the Spring 2008 Senior Exhibition.

Seventeen graduating seniors will show paintings, sculpture, ceramics, photographs, metal work, prints and video. The exhibition opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 18, in the University Art Gallery in the Center for the Arts. The show runs through May 9; admission is free.

Student artists exhibiting work include: Rachel Abraham, Hassan Albanjabi, Christine R. Benzschawel, Wesley DeVries, Carly Dilworth, Chris Hansen, Ingrid A. Hudak, Joseph L. Keenan, Maggie Lach, Lindsey Martin, Meghan MacCoun, Jessica Mootz, Heather Neff, Ian Roberts, Nichol Schoen, Becki Viner and Billy Zakrzewski.

Regular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and during Toland Theatre events. The gallery also opens for appointments by calling the art department at 785.8230.

If you go-
 What: Spring 2008 Senior Exhibition
When: April 18-May 9. Opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 18. Regular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Where: University Art Gallery, Center for the Arts
Who: John Ready at ready.john@uwlax.edu
Admission: Free

Comedian Set to Entertain at UW-La Crosse

A young comedian with fans across the country will bring his show UW-La Crosse. Tommy Johnagin will entertain at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in the Cellar in Cartwright Center. Admission is free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series.

Johnagin is an autobiographical comedian with a gift for finding something funny in almost any situation. He began his comedy career at 18. By the age of 21, he had dropped out of college to pursue a comedy career full-time. Since, he has appeared on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham.” Find out more about Johnagin at www.tommyjcomedy.com.

For more information about the show, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608.785.8898, or visit www.uwlax.edu/cab.

If you go—
 Who: Tommy Johnagin
What: Comedy
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8
Where: Cellar, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center
Admission: Free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series

Symphony Orchestra Sets Masterworks Concert - Commissioned Piece to Debut

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Symphony Orchestra will debut a commissioned piece at its upcoming final concert of the academic year. The orchestra presents “Masterworks Concert Series IV” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

The concert will feature three pieces. One is the debut of “From the River to the Skies” by Daniel Maske. The work was commissioned by the orchestra and the winner of the Composer in Residence Competition sponsored by UW-L and the Wisconsin Alliance of Composers. The title refers to the La Crosse area, specifically the bald eagles that live along the Mississippi River. Maske holds bachelor’s and master’s in music theory and composition from UW-Milwaukee and doctorate in music composition from UW-Madison.

Beethoven’s “Concerto for Violin, Violoncello and Piano Op. 56 in C Major” will feature UW-L faculty, soloists David Phipps, Derek Clark and Mary Tollefson. Ensembles and arias from the first act of Mozart’s “Cosi fan Tutte” will highlight voice students from the music department. The orchestra is conducted by Enaldo A. Oliveira.

Suggested ticket donations are $2 for UW-L students, $4 for other students and $8 for others. Get tickets by calling in the music department listening lab, 145 Center for the Arts, or at 608-785-8415.

If you go—
 Who: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Symphony Orchestra
What: “Masterworks Concert Series IV”
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.
Admission: $2 for UW-L students, $4 for other students and $8 for others.

UW-L Concert Choir Sets Spring Concert

The UW-La Crosse Concert Choir will give its final concert of the school year at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, in Annett Recital Hall in the UW-L Center for the Arts. Along with the Concert Choir, the concert will feature UW-L’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble and guest high school choir, the Robed Choir from G-E-T High School conducted by UW-L graduate Ryan Stuempges. The concert is free and open to the public.

During the program, the Concert Choir will perform a diverse program featuring choral works from Serbia, Mexico, Kenya, Great Britain and the United States. The Vocal Jazz Ensemble will perform an a cappella set featuring arrangements by Sharon Broadley and a setting of Toto’s hit “Africa.”

Music department faculty members performing with the Concert Choir include Tammy Fisher on xylophone, and Christopher Frye on piano. Student instrumentalists will include pianists Carolyn Temanson, Ceera Machotka and Christine Walth; clarinetist Kate Haskin; violinist Nick Bailey; trumpet player Carlton Fowler; and percussionists Brooke Moerkerke and Sarah Horstmann. Pianist and UW-L graduate Alethia Kenworthy will also be featured.

The concert will conclude with all three choirs performing conductor Gary Walth’s arrangement of the spiritual “Wade In The Water.” Graduating seniors of the Concert Choir will be recognized during the concert as well.

If you go—
 Who: UW-La Crosse Concert Choir, along with UW-L’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble and the Robed Choir from G-E-T High School
What: Spring Concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 6
Where: Annett Recital Hall, UW-L Center for the Arts
Admission: Free.

UW-La Crosse Theatre to Perform ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’

The UW-La Crosse theatre arts department will bring to life the legendary story of Holocaust victim Anne Frank. “The Diary of Anne Frank,” newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. April 25-26 and May 1-3. Sunday matinee performances run at two o’clock April 27 and May 4. Performances are in the Toland Theatre in the Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine Streets.

Kesselman’s adaptation of the 1955 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett brings to life personal accounts of the Holocaust through the words of a young girl. The performance includes vivid depictions of the lives of the Annex residents through inspirational scenes and heart-breaking moments.

The play is directed by UW-L faculty member Walter Elder and features a cast of students portraying historical characters. Tickets are $3 for UW-L students; $8 for other students, senior citizens and children; and $10 for others. Tickets go on sale at 1 p.m. Monday, April 21, in the Center for the Arts Box Office or at 608-785-8522. Box office hours are 1-4:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and one hour before show times.

If you go—
 What: “The Diary of Anne Frank”
Who: UW-La Crosse Theater Arts Department
When: 7:30 p.m. April 25-26 and May 1-3. Sunday matinee performances run at two o’clock April 27 and May 4.
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-L Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine Streets.
Admission: $3 for UW-L students; $8 for other students, senior citizens and children; and $10 for others. Call the Box Office at 608-785-8522 beginning April 21.

State Music Festival Set for UW-La Crosse

Thousands of middle and high school students will head to UW-La Crosse Saturday, May 3, for an opportunity to perform in a Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Music Festival, one of the largest student events of its kind in the nation.

More than 32,000 student musicians will take part in WSMA State Music Festivals held on 11 university campuses throughout the state. UW-La Crosse hosts a WSMA State Festival from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 3. The event is free and open to the public.

“This is an exciting day for the performers, their parents and teachers,” says Tammy Fisher, Director of Bands and Percussion Studies at UW-La Crosse and WSMA State Festival Manager. “It is also an important day for our campus because the WSMA State Music Festival is one of the largest events the UW-La Crosse music department hosts.”

To participate in the WSMA State Music Festivals, students must first earn a “starred first” rating in Class A (the most difficult music) at a WSMA District Music Festival, hosted by schools for students in grades 6-12. Students can select from a variety of instrumental and vocal solo and ensemble categories for their performances. Over 225 district festivals were held in Wisconsin during the past six months, involving more participants than any other student activity in the state.

“We are extremely proud to support educational development of students throughout Wisconsin with programs like WSMA State Solo & Ensemble Festivals,” says Robert Kase, WSMA executive director. “The dedication and effort that the students demonstrate is truly inspiring.”

Wisconsin universities hosting WSMA State Music Festivals April 26 include UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater, UW-Platteville and UW-Milwaukee. St. Norbert College in DePere is scheduled to host the WSMA State Music Jazz Festival on May 2. Festivals will be held May 3 at Cardinal Stritch University, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Parkside and UW-Stevens Point.

Learn more about WSMA State Music Festivals and other programs by visiting www.wsmamusic.org. WSMA State Music Festival information will be posted as available. Schedules and results will be searchable by school, student and event number.

If you go—
 What: Wisconsin School Music Association State Music Festival
Who: Area middle and high school students
When: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 3
Where: Headquartered in the UW-L Center for the Arts
Admission: Free.

UW-L Choral Union Sets Concert with La Crosse Chamber Chorale

The UW-La Crosse Choral Union and the La Crosse Chamber Chorale will join forces to perform a rarely performed oratorio for large chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra. Under the leadership of Paul Rusterholz, the ensembles will present the religious cantata “Stabat Mater” by Antonin Dvorak at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at the Viterbo Fine Arts Center, 929 Jackson St., La Crosse.

Written by the Czech composer Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904), the “Stabat Mater” is a beautiful and deeply moving work, says Rusterholz. The text is a medieval devotional poem about the sorrows of the Virgin Mary as she stands at the foot of the cross. Over the centuries, there have been numerous musical settings of these words by many great composers. Dvorak’s music is particularly poignant because it represents his response to the death of three of his own children: one in 1875, and two in 1877.

Rusterholz chose to combine the singers of the Chamber Chorale and the Choral Union because of the dramatic nature of the music, and to facilitate a good balance between the voices and the orchestra. UW-L music department faculty member Enaldo Oliveira will be concertmaster of the orchestra, which includes community musicians and UW-L music faculty.

Vocal soloists for the “Stabat Mater” include sopranos Marilyn Lee, Kate Haskin and Linda Zoerb; altos Jane Powell and Kaye Lehrman; tenors Jerry Benser and Terence Kelly; and basses Jeff Kroes, Hans Laping, Patrick O’ Shea and Mark Mattison.

This is the third concert in the La Crosse Chamber Chorale’s season, so Chamber Chorale season ticket holders already have their tickets. Additional tickets are $8 for students and $12 for others by calling the La Crosse Chamber Chorale at 608-780-6107. Tickets will also be available at the door. The concert is sponsored by the Morris Family Foundation.

If you go—
 Who: UW-La Crosse Choral Union and the La Crosse Chamber Chorale
What: “Stabat Mater” by Antonin Dvorak
When: 3 p.m. Sunday, May 4
Where: Viterbo Fine Arts Center, 929 Jackson St., La Crosse
Admission: $8 for students; $12 for others.

UW-L Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble To Perform

The UW-La Crosse Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble will hold their final concerts of the school year Sunday, May 4. The Symphonic Band concert will begin at 2 p.m., followed by the Wind Ensemble at 4 p.m. The concerts will be held in Annett Recital Hall in the UW-L Center for the Arts.

Music department faculty member Tammy Fisher directs both ensembles. The Symphonic Band concert will also feature student conductor Sarah Becker. Admission is free; donations will be accepted at the door.

If you go—

What: Spring Concerts
Who: UW-La Crosse Symphonic Band
When: 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4.
Who: UW-La Crosse Wind Ensemble
When: 4 p.m. Sunday, May 4.
Where: Annett Recital Hall, UW-L Center for the Arts
Admission: Free; donations will be accepted at the door.

Pop Star Colbie Caillat to Perform at UW-La Crosse

Pop musician Colbie Caillat will perform her first hit song “Bubbly” and more at an upcoming UW-La Crosse concert. Caillat performs at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 1, in the Recreational Eagle Center.

With an acoustic guitar in hand, Caillat’s performances reflect the same gentle and spirited style of her musical influences John Mayer, Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill. The 21-year old California native says her inspiration comes from many different places: her family, friends and reflections on her own life.

Caillat’s popularity has grown mainly by word of mouth. After her first hit song, “Bubbly,” she released another song, “Realize,” off her album “Coco.” Her music can be heard on major radio stations around the country.

Tickets are $15 for UW-L students and $25 for others. Tickets are available at the Cartwright Center Information Counter or at 608-785-8898. Get more information at www.uwlax.edu/cab.

If you go-
 Who: Colbie Caillat
What: Concert
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 1
Where: Recreational Eagle Center, UW-La Crosse
Admission: $15 for UW-L students and $25 for others. Tickets available at the Cartwright Center Info Counter or at 608-785-8898.

Korean Percussion & Women's Samulnori Ensembles Concert

Korean Percussion EnsembleDate: Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Location: Annett Recital Hall, Center for the Arts

In spite of their short history, the Korean Percussion and Women's Samulnori Ensembles at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse have performed on numerous occasions on campus, in local public schools, at state level conferences, as well as at national level professional conferences. The percussion instruments used in these ensembles are authentic instruments from South Korea. Along with the exposure to Korean music culture, one of the groups' main goals is to ignite the desire to learn music and perform music well without previous musical training. This goal is affirmed by the fact that the majority of the ensemble members do not have a performance or musical background.

For more information, contact Soojin Kim Ritterling at kim.sooj@uwlax.edu.

Music Scholarship Gala

Music Sholarship GalaJoin us on April 18th & 19th at the La Crosse Center Ballroom for the UW-La Crosse Music Scholarship Gala. Complimentary Hors d’oeuvres will be served starting 6:30pm. The Concert begins at 7:30pm and features the Concert Choir, Jazz Ensemble I, Korean Percussion Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Women’s Chorus.

Recipients of the 2008-2009 Department of Music Scholarships will be announced at the Gala. The announced scholarship are raised directly from your donations by attending this event. The suggested donation for the Gala is $20. Seating is limited and advanced purchase is recommended. You may call 608-785-8415 for reservations.

For more information, see the Scholarship Gala website.

This event is sponsored by the UW-L Department of Music, the College of Liberal Studies, the UW-L Foundation, the Mid-West Family Broadcasting Group and WXOW 19.

Ceramics Sale in Port O' Call

Stop by to check out some of the great pottery being made by UW-La Crosse students. Pieces available for sale range from cups, bowls and vases to intricate necklaces and other art.

Tuesday, April 22
Ceramics sale, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Port O' Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

Wednesday, April 23
Ceramics sale, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Port O' Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

April LGBTQQA Month Queer Cinema Events

Thursday, April 10
7 p.m., My Girlfriend Did It, a film and discussion about lesbian and bisexual women in abusive same-sex relationships. Port O' Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Free popcorn. This event is sponsored by the Violence Prevention Office and the Pride Center.

Thursday, April 24
7 p.m., Straight Acting: a story about queers and sports. A documentary film that examines gay men who play contact sports through one man's journey out of the closet and onto the rugby pitch, the rodeo circuit and the hockey rink. Port O' Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. This event is sponsored by the Pride Center.

Friday, April 18
7 p.m., Seventh Annual Drag in the City - Maui Style. Learn the history of Pride Events and Drag. Valhalla Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Tickets available at the Cartwright Center Information Counter. $5 students; $10 others. All tips will go to the La Crosse Pride: Live, Love, Be - Be Proud of Your Colors.

Annual Spring Art and Music Show is April 16 and 17

An annual spring art and music show will be held Wednesday and Thursday, April 16 and 17, at 11 a.m. in the lobby of the Recreational Eagle Center. A children's art show will be on display in the lobby from Tuesday, April 15, through Thursday, April 17.

‘Battle of the Bands’ Winner Takes the Stage at UW-La Crosse

They beat out other bands in a musical showdown at UW-La Crosse in February. Now, the winner of “Battle of the Bands” takes the stage.

The central Wisconsin group “The Ska’tTsmen” performs at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, in the Cellar in Cartwright Center. The band plays with a ska-punk-rock feel, giving a concert of fast-pace, sing-along type music. Admission is free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series.

For more information about the show, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898 or visit www.uwlax.edu/cab.

If you go—
 Who: The Ska’tTsmen, winner of “Battle of the Bands”
What: Concert
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17
Where: Cellar, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center
Admission: Free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series

Powwow is Set For April 12-13 at UW-La Crosse

The 33rd annual Three Rivers Inter-Tribal Powwow will be held in the UW-La Crosse Mitchell Hall Gymnasium Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13. The traditional powwow will feature Grand Entries at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.

Vendors from several states will be on site to sell crafts, jewelry, food, books and music. Dancers from throughout the region are expected to travel to La Crosse for the traditional music of the Native American drummers. The host drum will feature the Wisconsin Dells Singers. Head male dancer will be Daniel Prescott and head woman dancer will be Cheryl Funmaker.

Admission to the powwow is free, but those attending are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food item to stock the UW-L student food pantry.

If you go—
 What: 33rd annual Three Rivers Inter-Tribal Powwow
When: Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13 — Grand Entries at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.
Where: UW-La Crosse Mitchell Hall Gymnasium
Admission: Free, those attending are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food item.

Student Work Featured in University Art Gallery Exhibit

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students will showcase a wide variety of artwork in the 2008 All-Students Juried Exhibition.

The annual exhibition features art and creative endeavors by students from the entire campus. This year, judges worked with 133 entries from 55 student artists. They selected 24 works from 18 artists. Included are paintings, sculpture, metalwork, ceramics, prints, drawings, photographs and mixed media pieces. The judges also selected 11 works for further recognition, awarding various cash awards through funding from the UW-L Foundation and other donors.

Those student artists included in the exhibition are: Devon Browning, Whitewater; Amber Burns, Waupaca; Mao Cheng, La Crosse; Carly Dilworth, Greendale; Matt Duckett, La Crosse; Rochelle Dupont, Middleton; Libby Hansen, Norwalk; Nels Johnson, La Crosse; Joseph L. Keenan, La Crosse; Maggie Lach, Waukesha; Vong Lao, Schofield; Lindsey Martin, Prairie du Chien; Zachary Morin, Appleton; Ron Reimer, Ettrick; Vanessa Smith, Rochester, Minn.; Mai Ia Vue, Holmen; Arika Wussow, Reedsburg; Billy Zakrzewski, Cornell.

The exhibit opens with a reception to honor students and highlight those receiving awards from 5-7 p.m. Friday, March 28, in the University Art Gallery, located on the first floor of the UW-L Center for the Arts. The show runs through Saturday, April 12.

Admission is free. Regular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and during Toland Theatre events. The gallery also opens for appointments by calling the UW-L art department 608-785-8230.

Judges for this year’s exhibition were Rachel Bruya-Walker, adjunct professor of design at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and Lecturer at UW-Madison, and Kristopher Douglas, chief curator of the Rochester (Minn.) Art Center. The exhibition is supported by the UW-La Crosse Foundation and the UW-L Student Association. Awards are funded by UW-L Foundation endowments, RuthAnn Knapp, and the La Crosse Society of Arts and Craft.

More Artwork in Study Gallery, Hallway

Throughout the exhibit, work by non-traditional students and life-long learners will be featured in the adjacent Studio Gallery and nearby hallways. The works include: metals and jewelry by RuthAnn Knapp, Jo Ann Planavsky, Eileen Muller, Jane Murphy and Sailaja Hari, and ceramics and drawings by Stella Vognar.

In addition to its undergraduate program, the UW-L art department supports life-long learning experiences of community members wishing to continue their work in studios outside requirements of a degree program.

If you go—
 What: 2008 All-Students Juried Exhibition
When: March 28-April 12
Where: University Art Gallery, UW-L Center for the Arts
Admission: Free.

UW-L Students Receive Awards for Artwork

Juried exhibition continues through April 12.

Ten University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students have received 12 awards in the annual All-Students Juried Exhibition.

The annual exhibition features a wide variety of art and creative endeavors by students from the entire campus. This year, judges worked with 133 entries from 55 student artists. They selected 24 works from 18 artists. The works selected for award recognition include:

  • All Student Art Show — Nels Johnson, La Crosse, “Overpopulation," Intaglio print
  • Behind-the-Brewery Gallery Art Award — Devon Browning, Whitewater, “Kelly and Kelly in Shade,” oil on linen
  • Richard Koehler Art Award — Mai Ia Vue, Holmen, “Hmong in Modern America Series,” photographs
  • James Quillin Art Award — Mia Ia Vue, Holmen, “Metamorphosis,” digital image
  • Catherine Crail Art Award — Lindsey Martin, Prairie du Chien, “Missouri Ice Box,” oil on corrugated tin
  • Milton and Margaret Kosbab Art Award — Zachary Morin, Appleton, “Untitled,” digital photograph
  • Carol Hutchins Winther Art Award — Nels Johnson, La Crosse, “Overpopulation,” Intaglio print
  • Marion Biehn Art Award — Matt Ducket, La Crosse, “BRT ANSEO,” oil on linen
  • La Crosse Soc. of Arts and Crafts Award — Joseph Keenan, La Crosse,  “SOME BODYS HOME,” cast aluminum
  • RuthAnn Knapp Award for Jewelry/Metals — Carly Dilworth, Greendale, "Topographic Sunrise,” copper and brass brooch
  • Louise Drumm Art Award —Libby Hansen, “Bound,” Intaglio print
  • Ray Sherin Art Award — Vong Lao, Schofield, “What’s in the Bag?” charcoal, graphite and conte on paper

Students were recognized at an opening reception March 28. The exhibit runs through Saturday, April 12, in the University Art Gallery, located on the first floor of the UW-L Center for the Arts. Admission is free. Regular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and during Toland Theatre events. The gallery also opens for appointments by calling the UW-L art department 608-785-8230.

Awards are funded by UW-L Foundation endowments, RuthAnn Knapp, and the La Crosse Society of Arts and Craft. The exhibition is supported by the UW-La Crosse Foundation and UW-L Student Association.

UW-L Vocal Jazz Clinic

This year's Vocal Jazz festival includes high school vocal jazz ensembles from G-E-T, Prairie du Chien, Jefferson, and Sparta.  Guest singer Colleen Raye will be the featured artist, along with her son, Reed Grimm, senior UWL percussion major.  The UWL Vocal Jazz ensemble will also perform at the evening concert.

Date: Friday, April 4
Time: 2:30 - 9:30 pm
Location: Annett Recital Hall, CFA
Price of Admission: 2:30 - 6:00 pm event is free, 7:30 pm concert is $5.00 general admission for all ages

Sponsored by: UW-L Jazz Studies
Contact Person: Janette K. Hanson
E-mail: jhanson@spartan.org
Ticket Location: Music Department Office, CFA

One-Woman at UW-L Show Tells the Stories of First Ladies

If you go-
What: "Lady Bird, Pat & Betty: Tea for Three"
Who: Emmy Award-winning actress Elaine Bromka
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 4
Where: Toland Theatre, Center for the Arts.
Admission: $4 for UW-L students, $10 for other students and senior citizens, and $12 for others. Tickets may be purchased at the UW-L Theatre Box Office beginning one hour prior to the performance.

Three former First Ladies will share their secrets in the one-woman show, "Lady Bird, Pat & Betty: Tea for Three," on campus.

Starring the Emmy Award-winning Elaine Bromka, the play offers a refreshingly witty and intimate portrait of Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon and Betty Ford at threshold moments in their lives.

The 80-minute performance hits the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 4, in Toland Theatre, Center for the Arts. Seating is general admission. Tickets are $4 for UW-L students, $10 for other students and senior citizens, and $12 for others. Tickets may be purchased at the UW-L Theatre Box Office beginning one hour prior to the performance.

Bromka spent months poring over videotapes of the women and zeroing in on their stories. "These were women of intelligence and grit who suddenly found themselves in a fishbowl," Bromka says. "Pat Nixon called it the 'hardest unpaid job in the world.' I realized I wanted to tell the story from their point of view and explode myths.

"Pat was called 'Plastic Pat' in the press, for example, because she was always smiling," continues Bromka. "Look more closely at her eyes, though. There's nothing plastic about her. You see the eyes of a private, watchful survivor."

'Monkey King' Brings Traditional Stories to Life

If you go-
What: "Amazing Adventures of the Marvelous Monkey King"
When: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday,
April 5
Where: Frederick Theatre, Morris Hall.
Admission: $3 per person; available at the door one hour before each performance.

UW-L's Theatre Arts Department will perform the children's show, "Amazing Adventures of the Marvelous Monkey King."

Performances are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, April 5, in Frederick Theatre in Morris Hall. Tickets are $3 per person and available at the door one hour before each performance.

The play, by award-winning playwright Elizabeth Wong, brings to life traditional  stories of the mischievous Chinese superhero, Monkey King. The monkey struggles with getting kicked out of school, battling a one-horned ogre, and somersaulting into the future where he jives to hip-hop music. The impish character manages to triumph over his opponents through dancing and heroics, while he learns about leadership, responsibility and forgiveness.

The performance is directed by Theatre Arts Associate Professor Beth Cherne and features a cast of UW-L students playing a range of outlandish roles. This 50-minute production is best suited for children ages 3 to 9. Refer questions about the play to the Theatre Arts Department at 608-785-6701.

The 43rd International Banquet

The International Student Organization and the International Education Office are hosting the 43rd Annual International Banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 5, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. This year, international students are featuring food from nine countries, as well as performance, fashion and art shows.

Foreign students started the International Banquet 43 years ago. Kenshi Setoguchi, the ISO president and a junior at UW-L, says that over the last several years, the banquet became a tradition and a representation of UW-L as a "truly international university." Today, there are more than 300 students from abroad at UW-L, and, according to the International Education Office, UW-L is gaining popularity world wide. "The banquet," Setoguchi says, "is not just a food-dance party. I think it's a celebration of diversity and openness of our community."

Purchase tickets at the Cartwright Center Information Desk. Students with ID: $9, others $12. For more information, e-mail kulgina.yevg@students.uwlax.edu.

Jazz Combos in Cellar Thursday Night

If You Go-
 What: UW-L Jazz Combo and Gordon Scholarship Jazz Combo
When: 8-10 p.m., Thursday, April 3
Where: The Cellar, Cartwright Center

This Thursday's Cellar event will feature two talented jazz groups from UW-L's music department. The Gordon Scholarship Jazz Combo and the UW-L Jazz Combo will be performing from 8-10 p.m. Thursday, April 3.

While these two groups are credited courses for the musicians, the combos often play for campus and community events.  Coached by Greg Balfany and Karyn Quinn, respectively, the jazz combos play tunes reminiscent of Art Blakey and the Miles Davis Quintet. The Gordon Scholarship Jazz Combo will also be featuring a few original compositions. 

The Cellar show will kick off with the UW-L Jazz Combo and will be followed by the Gordon Scholarship Jazz Combo from 9-10 p.m.  

UW-L Symphony Orchestra Sets Masterworks Concert

World-renowned Oboist Alex Klein to Perform

A Grammy award-winning oboist will be featured in the upcoming University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Symphony Orchestra’s masterworks concert. Alex Klein, who received the 2002 Grammy Award for “Best Instrumental Soloist with Orchestra,” will perform with the orchestra at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 30, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Suggested donations for tickets are $2 for UW-L students, $4 for other students, and $8 for others.

The concert includes “Slavonic Dance Op. 46 No. 4” and “Slavonic Dance Op. 72 No. 8” by Antonín Dvorak, “Pavana” by Benjamin Gutiérrez, and “Prelude” by Jean Sibelius. Klein will be the featured soloist in “Introduction, Theme and Variations” by Johann Nepomuk Hummel and “Concertino in G minor” by Bernhard Molique. Enaldo Oliveira is conductor of the UW-L Symphony Orchestra. The concert’s guest conductor is Alex Vaver.

Klein, the orchestra’s 2007-08 Artist in Residence of the Year, will also hold a masterclass at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 29, in Annett Recital Hall. Students from high schools and colleges in the tri-state are being selected to perform to Klein during the class. The class is free and open to the public.

Klein, a native of Brazil, studied with the late Professor of Oboe James Caldwell at the Oberlin Conservatory. Klein earned a bachelor of music in 1987 and an artist’s diploma in 1989. He was principal oboe of the Chicago Symphony from 1995 to 2004. He is currently a professor of oboe at Oberlin.

Tickets for both masterclass and concert are available by calling the UW-L music department at 608-785-8415 or by stopping by 145 Center for the Arts during regular business hours.

If you go—
 What: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Symphony Orchestra Masterworks Concert
When: 3 p.m. Sunday, March 30
Where: Valhalla, UW-L Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

Shelter Dance Repertory Theater Sets UW-La Crosse Performance

UW-La Crosse students will john dancers from across the country for a performance by the Shelter Repertory Dance Theatre.The group performs “Holding Patterns” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 27 and 28, in Toland Theatre in the UW-L Center for the Arts.

The performance features new works by choreographer and UW-L alumnus Kim Nofsinger. His work reflects ways to understand complexity of interweaving hopes, desires, hurts and losses.

Tickets will be available one hour before each performance. Tickets are $3 for UW-L students, $8 for senior citizens and other students, and $10 for others. Seating is general admission. For more information, contact the theatre arts department at 608-785-6701.

If you go—
 Who: Shelter Repertory Dance Theatre
What: “Holding Patterns”
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 27 and 28
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-L Center for the Arts
Admission: $3 for UW-L students, $8 for senior citizens and other students, and $10 for others

Fiction Reading, Discussion & Book Signing with Shauna Singh Baldwin

Shauna Singh BaldwinOn Wednesday, March 26th at 5pm in Port O' Call, Shauna Singh Baldwin, award-winning novelist and short-story writer will read from her latest short story collection, We Are Not in Pakistan. 

We Are Not in Pakistan - Book CoverBorn in Canada to Indian parents, Ms. Baldwin grew up in New Delhi, and has made Milwaukee her home for the past twenty years. Her fiction has topped best seller lists in Canada, India, and elsewhere, and has earned glowing reviews in the New York Times and the Washington Post as well as high praise abroad. Her first novel, What the Body Remembers, won the 2000 Commonweath Prize for Best Book in the Canadian-Caribbean region; it has since been translated into fourteen languages. Her collection, English Lessons and Other Stories, won the 1996 Friends of American Writers prize; and her second novel, The Tiger Claw, was short-listed for the 2004 Giller Prize and shared the short list for India's 2006 Hutch Crossword Award with works by V.S. Naipaul and Salman Rushdie.

You may also visit the author's website at: www.shaunasinghbaldwin.com

If you go-
 Who: Shauna Singh Baldwin, award-winning novelist
What: Book reading, discussion and signing
When: 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 26
Where: Port 'O Call, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center
Admission: Free

Sponsored by the UW-L English Department. Contact: Matthew Cashion (cashion.matt@uwlax.edu).

UW-L Lecture to Look at Stereotypes of Asians

JD PalmerMany living in the United States call Asian Americans the “model minority.” Others think they are masters of martial arts and unaccustomed to America culture.

Colgate University Assistant Professor John D. Palmer will discuss the impact those stereotypes — and others — have on Asian Americans. Palmer speaks on “Karate Shops, Geishas, Nerds and the Asian Invasion: Reflections of a Corean Adopted American” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, in the UW-La Crosse Graff Main Hall Auditorium. Admission is free.

Palmer will address the stereotypes depicted in the mainstream media and examine how they have come to portray Asians. Using a humorous approach, he hopes to shed light on the experiences of Asian Americans while illustrating how these stereotypes have a negative impact on their identity.

For more information, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898 or visit www.uwlax.edu/cab.

If you go-
 Who: John D. Palmer
What: Lecture: “Karate Shops, Geishas, Nerds and the Asian Invasion: Reflections of a Corean Adopted American”
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 26
Where: Graff Main Hall Auditorium, UW-La Crosse
Admission: Free

Comedian Set to Perform at UW-La Crosse

One of the most popular comedians on college campuses across the nation will perform at UW-La Crosse. Dan Ahdoot will entertain at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27, in the Cellar in Cartwright Center. Admission is free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series.

Ahdoot attended Johns Hopkins University and graduated with honors as a pre-med student. However, he quickly decided to take a different path and gave up medicine for comedy. He has been hailed as one of the hottest young comics on the scene and was a finalist on the second season of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” His act is based on his experiences as a first-generation American and observations about his upbringing in New York City. Ahdoot regularly writes for popular comedy shows on MTV and Comedy Central. Find out more about him at: www.standupdan.com.

For more information about the show, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898, or visit www.uwlax.edu/cab.

If you go-
 Who: Dan Ahdoot
What: Comedy
When: 7 p.m. Thursday March 27
Where: Cellar, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center
Admission: Free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series

UW-La Crosse Chancellor Featured in Thursday Entertainment Series

UW-La Crosse’s chancellor promises to “Rock the House” on campus. Chancellor Joe Gow will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in the Cellar in Cartwright Center. Admission is free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series.

In his first year on campus, Chancellor Gow has made a very popular name for himself-both administratively and musically. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, he has served in leadership positions at colleges across the Midwest. One of his greatest passions is music. At his inauguration in October, Gow performed Frank Sinatra’s “Luck Be a Lady” with the UW-L Jazz Ensemble.

For more information about the concert, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898, or visit www.uwlax.edu/cab.

If you go-
 Who: UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow
What: Concert
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13
Where: Cellar, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center
Admission: Free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series.

UW-L Concert Choir Sets Winter Concert

The UW-La Crosse Concert Choir will highlight music from the western part of the United States during an upcoming Winter Concert. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in Annett Recital Hall in the UW-L Center for the Arts. The concert is free and open to the public; seating is limited.

The 55-member choir will feature works with roots in the western part of the U.S. “Four Pastorales,” a piece for choir and clarinet written by Colorado composer Cecil Effinger, features settings for the poetry of Thomas Hornsby Ferril, a long-time writer for the Denver Post and a celebrated Colorado poet. Kate Haskin, a senior music education major from Holmen and member of the choir, will be the clarinetist for the piece.

Utah composer and arranger Mack Wilberg’s setting of the American folksong “Cindy” will also be performed. Along with the choir, the work features accompanist Alethia Kenworthy and guest artist Tammy Fisher on the xylophone. Fisher is UW-L’s conductor of the Screaming Eagles Marching Band and interim conductor of the UW-L Wind Ensemble.

Also, the choir will perform works from Kenya, Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, along with featuring the ensemble’s men and women on separate pieces. And, the choir will perform two compositions by conductor Gary Kent Walth, in his 15th year as the university’s director of choral music studies. His compositions are titled “My God is a Rock” and “Set me as a Seal.”

If you go—
What: UW-La Crosse Concert Choir Winter Concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11
Where: Annett Recital Hall, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts.
Admission: Free

Oklahoma! Coming to UW-La Crosse Stage

The classic musical “Oklahoma!” will be performed at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

The theatre arts department will perform the musical Feb. 29-March 2 and March 6-9. Curtain time is 7:30 nightly except for two o’clock Sunday matinees in Toland Theatre in the UW-L Center for the Arts.

The turn-of-the-century musical follows the romance of a young cowboy, Curly McLain, and farm girl, Laurey Williams. A love triangle ensues when Laurey’s farmhand, Jud, also seeks her affections. Their story is comically offset by a whirlwind romance between Laurey’s friend, Ado Annie, and cowboy, Will Parker. The production include dancing and many memorable songs, including “Oklahoma!” “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin,’” and “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” by the famous classic musical team, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.

UW-L’s production of “Oklahoma!” is directed by Mary Leonard with musical direction by Gary Kent Walth and choreography by Kathy Gorman. Leonard, Walth, and Gorman have previously collaborated on UW-L’s productions of “Evita” and “The Full Monty.”

Tickets go on sale at 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, in the box office located in the lobby of the Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets. Tickets are $4 for UW-L students, $10 for senior citizens and other students and $12 for others. For reservations, call the box office at 608-785-8522. Gunfire will be used during this performance.

If you go—
What: “Oklahoma!” by Rodgers and Hammerstein
Who: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts
When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29-March 1 and March 6-8; 2 p.m. Sundays March 2 and 9
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets
Admission: $4 for UW-L students, $10 for senior citizens and other students and $12 for others. For reservations, call the box office at 608-785-8522 beginning Monday, Feb. 25.

A World View of Art Exhibited On Campus

South African printmaking, student's social artwork featured.

"Apartheid" Artist statement

Having been awarded an undergrad research grant to study the art form of printmaking in South Africa, I traveled to several universities and community art centers observing printmaking techniques that I could incorporate into my own body of work.

Having been oppressed for so long under apartheid, many of the Blacks have not yet escaped the bonds of poverty, and, therefore, must accomplish their art making using inexpensive and, oftentimes, found materials.

Their style is simple but very direct and results in very powerful images relating to their daily lives and those of their ancestors. As a result, I have tried to make my prints simple, direct, and, hopefully, filled with as much passion as theirs.

- Nels Johnson, artist

 Apartheid artwork

Artwork from halfway around the world will be displayed at UW-L during the first week of March.

UW-L art majors Nels Johnson and Maggie Lach traveled to South Africa last summer as part of an undergraduate research grant to study printmaking.

While there, the two visited various studios and arranged for prints from the Artists Proof Studio in Johannesburg to be sent to La Crosse.

The exhibit runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, March 7, in 334 Center for the Arts. The show will also feature prints by UW-L students.

During the exhibit, Johnson and Lach will give demonstrations of their research and explain their newly-founded printing techniques. Also, printmaking classmates will demonstrate their printmaking skills.

The exhibit and demonstrations are free and open to the public. Prints from both continents will be available for purchase. Proceeds will be returned to Johannesburg to help develop programs to teach printmaking techniques to underprivileged artists to help them develop their skills.

Social Art on Exhibit Too

If you go—
What: Art exhibit from Johannesburg
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, March 7
Where: 334 Center for the Arts
Admission: Free.
Also: Social Art Exhibition featuring UW-L student work, Monday-Friday, March 3-7, hallways adjacent to the University Art Gallery

Along with artwork direct from Africa, a week-long exhibit will feature worldwide social issues.

UW-L art students have organized an art display reflecting many of the world's current social issues. The "Social Art Exhibition" can be seen in the hallways adjacent to the University Art Gallery on the first floor of the Center for the Arts. Various mediums will be featured in displaying the artists' social concerns.

The works can be viewed Monday-Friday, March 3-7, during regular building hours.

Acoustic Duo Brings Mellow Vibe to UW-La Crosse

The acoustic duo “Everyday Jones” will take the stage at UW-La Crosse. The duo, who hails from Seattle, will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6, in the Cellar in Cartwright Center. Admission is free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series.

Everyday Jones combines the classically-trained voice of Alissa Jandt with the guitar skills of Jason Green. They began performing together two years ago in clubs, coffeehouses and bars. Although the two are quite young as a duo, they have both been fine-tuning their skills as musicians for many years. They acknowledge several artists as inspirations for their musical journey: the Beatles, The Corrs, Sarah McLachlan and Elliott Smith, to name a few.

For more information about the concert, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898.

If you go-
 Who: Everyday Jones
What: Concert
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6
Where: Cellar, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center
Admission: Free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series

Poet Brings Unique Style to UW-L

Isis
Isis

A New Jersey-born poet will share her work on campus. Isis performs at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Isis' poetry explores universal themes of empowerment, reclamation, love, abuse and the mistakes everyone makes. She has been performing professionally for five years. Her work weaves together teaching, living, healing and loving.

If you go- Who: Isis
What: Poetry performance
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $3 for UW-L students, $6 for UW-L employees and $8 for others. Tickets available at the Cartwright Center Info Counter or at 785.8898.
More information: www.uwlax.edu/cab.

Encore Performance on Privilege Planned

An encore presentation of Awareness through Performance's "Privilege Unplugged II," is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, in Graff Main Hall Auditorium.

It examines and dissects the concept of privilege through upbeat and serious scenes, encouraging audiences to acknowledge the dignity and worth of all people. Through creative and artistic messages, ATP strives to provide audiences with tools for further discussion and to take action to educate others about the topics. The free performances are open to the public. For more information, contact the Research and Resource Center for Campus Climate at 608-785-5094.

See the event flyer here.

UW-L Students Selected to Perform at Honors Recital

If you go-
What: UW-L Music Department Honors Recital
Who: Eleven students
When: 2 p.m. Saturday, March 1
Where: Annett Recital Hall, Center for the Arts
Admission: Free 

Eleven students studying music have been selected to perform in the Music Department's annual Honors Recital.

The students will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 1, in Annett Recital Hall, Center for the Arts. The performance is free and open to the public.

The Music Department's faculty selected students for the recital based on their outstanding performances at auditions held earlier this year. Those selected include:

•  Shaylae Szotkowski, soprano, Conrath
•  Erik Meinertz, baritone, Onalaska
•  Patrick Lindsley, bass, Wausau
•  Erin Cook, trombone, Fort Atkinson
•  Kate Haskin, clarinet and voice, Holmen
•  Jennifer Pfeffer, clarinet, Wauwatosa
•  Sarah Becker, clarinet, Alma
•  Katie Liban, soprano, Greenfield
•  Jillian Kuhl, soprano, Hazel Green
•  Nick Bailey, tenor, West Bend
•  Eric Streske, guitar, Genoa City

UW-La Crosse Exhibit to Feature Faculty Work

Garden DrawingUniversity of Wisconsin-La Crosse faculty will exhibit a variety of artwork during an upcoming show in the University Art Gallery. The Exhibition will feature work done in a variety of media representing the creative research completed by members of the department. Included will be ceramics, drawings, metalwork, paintings, prints, sculpture, and photography and digital imagery. Faculty exhibiting include: Cam Choy, Joel Elgin, William Fiorini, Roger Grant, Brad Nichols, John Ready, Tim Speaker, Ben Stern, Karen Terpstra and Jennifer Williams Terpstra.

The exhibit opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8, in the University Art Gallery, located on the first floor of the UW-L Center for the Arts. Admission is free. The exhibit runs through Saturday, March 1. During the exhibit, the adjacent Study Gallery will feature the work of UW-L Professor Emeritus Erv Erickson. Erickson, a former chair of the department, served as the printmaker in the department. He will exhibit his recent research into digitally-produced images.

RustyRegular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and during Toland Theatre events. Admission is free. The gallery also opens for appointments by calling the UW-L art department 608-785-8230.

If you go—
What: UW-L Faculty Art Exhibition
When: Friday, Feb. 8-Saturday, March 1. The exhibit opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8. Regular gallery hours: noon-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Where: University Art Gallery, first floor of the UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts
Admission: Admission is free.

Acoustic Musician To Serenade UW-L Audience

A Minneapolis-based singer songwriter will give a concert at UW-La Crosse. Chris Koza performs at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in the Cellar in Cartwright Center. Admission is free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series.

Koza has released three albums since his debut in 2004. His music has been compared to that of Wilco, Paul Simon, Beck and Ryan Adams. At the end of 2006, he released “Patterns” for which he received local acclaim, including Minnesota Music Awards for Best Pop Recording and Best Male Vocalist. Find out more about him at: www.chriskoza.com.

For more information about the concert, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898.

If you go—
Who: Minneapolis Musician Chris Koza
What: Concert
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28
Where: Cellar, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center Admission: Free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series

Brown Bag Lunch at the University Art Gallery

EVENT: Brown Bag Lunch: UW-L Department of Art, Faculty Exhibition
EVENT DATE/TIME: Wednesday, February 27, 2008, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
LOCATION: University Gallery, Center for the Arts, UW-L (333 N. 16th St.)

The University Gallery presents a Brown Bag Lunch/Open Forum, in conjunction with the current exhibition of art by UW-L Department of Art Faculty. This event will take place in University Gallery, Center for the Arts, Wednesday, February 27, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Faculty will be present to discuss their work and answer questions. Conversation will begin at noon, promptly. Bring your own lunch and drink.

And for your information:

GALLERY HOURS:

  • Monday - Thursday - Noon - 8 p.m.
  • Friday and Saturday - Noon - 5 p.m.
  • Sunday - Closed

Also open by appointment and for Toland Theater events
UW-L Center for the Arts: 333 North 16th Street
For additional information call UW-L Department of Art: 608-785-8230

UW-L Big Band Cabaret Celebrates its 21st Year

The 17-piece University of Wisconsin-La Crosse “Tuxedo Dance Orchestra” will recreate the sights and sounds of the fabulous swing era.

The orchestra, directed by Karyn Quinn, will play the sounds of Glenn Miller, Les Brown, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and more at the 21st annual Big Band Cabaret. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Joining the Tuxedo Big Band will be the UW-La Crosse “Swing Orchestra” and featured guest artists, Greg Balfany on clarinet, Chris Frye on piano, Tim Henke and Joe Gow on vocals, and Tom Brown on trumpet. Among the selections to be performed are “Ain’t That A Kick In the Head,” “Let’s Dance,” “Unforgettable,” “Sentimental Journey” and Frank Sinatra’s “For Once In My Life.”

Admission is $10 for students, $14 for seniors and $15 for others. The concert features Cabaret style seating at tables; beverage service will be available. A dance floor will be available. For ticket reservations, call the music department at 608-785-8415 during regular business hours. Tickets will also be available at the door.

If you go—
 What:  The 21st annual Big Band Cabaret
Who: The 17-piece UW-La Crosse Tuxedo Dance Orchestra
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $10 for students, $14 for seniors and $15 for others.

The 2nd Annual UNAFF Traveling Film Festival in La Crosse

The United Nations Association Film Festival– Traveling Film Festival La Crosse will feature fifteen documentary films dealing with issues that celebrate international efforts to fight for justice and dignity for all people around the world.

The event will take place in the Main Hall Auditorium on February 17 and 18, 2008 from 1:00 P.M– 9:00 P.M. Admission is free. See www.unaff.org.

Film StripDetailed Schedule:

Sunday

Time

Movie

Length

1:00

The United Nations: Working For Us All

15

1:25

The Blood of Yingzhou District

39

2:15

Blowing Up Paradise

60

3:20

Lima's Streets

15

3:45

The Peacekeepers

83

5:20

True Whispers

60

6:30

Rights on the Line: Vigilantes at the Border

25

7:00

The Tsunami Generation 

52

8:00

Lessons in Fear

52

 

 

 

Monday

Time

Movie

Length

1:00

The United Nations: Working For Us All

15

1:20

Pilgrimage

52

2:20

The Man Who Saved a Million Brains 

26

2:50

Epitaph

13

3:10

Independent Intervention

75

4:30

America's Brutal Prisons

48

5:15

Baghdad ER

62

6:20

Bystander

32

7:00

In the Tall Grass

52

8:00

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars

80

For information about each title, see the full descriptions.

See the event flyer.

Harlem Gospel Choir to Sing at UW-La Crosse

The Harlem Gospel Choir will perform at UW-La Crosse. The group takes the stage at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

The choir, formed to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was initially organized by Allen Bailey in 1986. Since, the group has been traveling the globe sharing its joy and faith. The choir has performed with Diana Ross, the Gorillaz, Whoopi Goldberg and Harry Belafonte. Find more about them at: www.harlemgospelchoir.com.

Admission is $5 for students, $10 for UW-L faculty and staff, and $12 for others. For tickets or more information about the performance, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608.785.8898.

If you go—
Who: Harlem Gospel Choir
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $5 for students, $10 for UW-L employees and $12 for others

Midwestern Band to Perform at UW-L

If you go-
Who: Ha Ha Tonka
What: Missouri-based band
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8
Where: Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $2 for students, $4 for UW-L faculty and staff and $6 for others.

The Missouri-based band, Ha Ha Tonka, will perform at UW-L. The band takes the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

Ha Ha TonkaHa Ha Tonka, which gets its name from a state park in the Ozarks, combines four-part harmonies with rock music to form a style that showcases the different genres found in their home state. Their album, "Buckle in the Bible Belt," was released in 2006. It led to the signing of a record deal with Bloodshot Records in May 2007. Find more about them at: www.hahatonkamusic.com.

Admission is $2 for students, $4 for UW-L faculty and staff and $6 for others. For tickets or more information about the performance, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898.

Summer Camp Fair - Camp Chi

Date: Thursday, February 7, 2008
Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: Valhalla, Cartwright Ctr

Camp Chi, the Premier Midwest Resident Summer Camp, will have a booth at the annual camp fair on February 7.  We are looking to hire several students from U-W LaCrosse to help run our arts department this summer.  We are looking for artists with a wide variety of backgrounds (arts & crafts, wood work, ceramics, textiles, painting, photography...)  We look forward to seeing you there!

Sponsor: Camp Chi
Contact Person: Dave
E-mail: DTeplinsky@gojcc.org
Phone: 847-763-3570

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part-time job, summer camp fair set at UW-La Crosse

La Crosse area college students and others looking for part-time or camp work this summer can take part in a one-stop fair to land a job. The Part-Time Job and Summer Camp Fair for College Students runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. The fair is free and open to all.

The fair aims to connect college students looking for part-time, seasonal, or summer camp employment with employers. A mix of both on and off campus employers and representatives from summer camps from throughout the United States are expected to attend. For more information about the fair, contact Gloria J. Wiener, UW-L Career Services Office, at wiener.glor@uwlax.edu or 608-785-8362.

Pop-Rock Band to Perform at UW-La Crosse

Ryan C.The Sharp and Harkins Band will take the stage at UW-La Crosse. The pop-rock band from Stoughton, Wis., performs at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, in the Cellar in Cartwright Center. Admission is free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series.

When Andy Sharp and Ryan Harkins started playing together, they combined their musical talents and genres to create the sound called the The Sharp and Harkins Band. With musical influences like Jack Johnson, The White Stripes and Dispatch, their style spans many music genres. Their first acoustic record, “Outside Sessions,” (2005) was recorded in Sharp’s basement. Since, the band has recorded its debut full-band album, “Alive Again,” which has earned it recognition at a local level. Find more out about The Sharp and Harkins band at: www.sharpandharkins.com.

For more information about the concert, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898.

If you go—
Who: The Sharp and Harkins Band
What: Concert
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7
Where: Cellar, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center
Admission: Free as part of the Cellar Thursday Series

Improv Group to Take Stage at UW-La Crosse

Mission Improvable will perform at UW-La Crosse. The touring improv group will take the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Admission is free.

Mission Improvable has been spreading its style of improv comedy to audiences around the world since it began touring in 1999. The original group was founded in Massachusetts, but moved to Chicago to study at the ImprovOlympic training center and the Second City Conservatory. Since, the group has expanded from six to 15 members and has performed as far away as Singapore.

For more information about the show, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 608-785-8898.

If you go─
Who: Mission Improvable
What: Improvisational comedy
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: Free

Jazz Festival Set At UW-La Crosse for Jan. 26 - Trumpeter Brian Lynch featured in evening concert

Brian LynchA jazz trumpeter with degrees from distinguished jazz schools will preform at UW-La Crosse’s Jazz Festival’s featured concert Saturday, Jan. 26.

Trumpet artist Brian Lynch joins the UW-L Jazz Ensemble I and the tri-state’s top high school groups at 7 p.m. in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students.

In addition to the evening concert, jazz-goers can get their fix when middle school and high school big bands and combos perform from 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. in the Center for The Arts and Frederick Theatre in Morris Hall. The ensembles will perform for a panel of adjudicators and have an on-stage critique following their performance. Performances are open to the public.

Lynch is as comfortable negotiating the complexities of clave with Afro-Caribbean pioneer Eddie Palmieri as he is swinging through advanced harmony with bebop maestro Phil Woods. A honored graduate of two of the jazz world’s most distinguished academies — Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and the Horace Silver Quintet — Lynch has been a valued collaborator with jazz artists such as Benny Golson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Charles McPherson; Latin music icons such as Hector LaVoe and Yerba Buena; and pop luminaries such as Prince.
As a bandleader and recording artist, Lynch has released a series of critically-acclaimed CDs featuring his distinctive composing and arranging. He has toured the world with various ensembles reflecting the wide sweep of his music.

Brian LynchLynch currently holds faculty positions at New York University and the North Netherlands Conservatory, as well as conducting clinics and workshops worldwide. His talents have been recognized by top placings in the Downbeat Critics and Readers Polls; highly rated reviews for his work in Downbeat, Jazziz and Jazz Times; a 2006 Grammy award for the recording “Simpatico”; and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Chamber Music America, and Meet The Composer.

If you go—
Who: Jazz Trumpet great Brian Lynch, the UW-L Jazz Ensemble I and the tri-state’s top high school groups
What: Concert
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $15 for adults; $10 for students

Awareness Through Performance

Sunday, January 27
Awareness Through Performance (ATP) Privilege Unplugged II
7:00 p.m., Graff Main Hall Auditorium

Monday, January 28
Awareness Through Performance (ATP) Privilege Unplugged II
7:00 p.m, Graff Main Hall Auditorium

Awareness Through Performance Schedule

For more information on Awareness through Performance, see the Campus Climate website.

Theatre Arts Department to Compete At Regional Festival

World Goes RoundUW-L's theatre arts department has been selected to perform scenes from its winter 2007 production of "And the World Goes 'Round" at the regional competition of the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival this January in Milwaukee at the Weasler Theater (capacity: 492) on the Marquette campus. The performance is currently scheduled for 8:30-11:30 PM on Wednesday, January 9, 2008.  The entire festival runs from the 8th through the 13th and is being co-hosted by Marquette and Cardinal Stritch University. UW-L's production was the only one selected in Wisconsin.

The KC/ACTF is a national organization that promotes high quality in university and college theatre. The organization holds regional and national festivals in which university theatres across the country present productions, compete for acting scholarships, and present students' design and technical projects.

"We're just thrilled," says Walter Elder, theatre arts, who directed the production. "It's quite an honor to be invited."

The production is a musical revue of John Kander and Fred Ebb show tunes, with musical direction by Terry Kelly, music arts; and choreography by Kathy Gorman, exercise and sport science. "New York, New York," sung by alumna Jana Schreier, and "Mr. Cellophane," sung by junior Nick Bailey, will be performed.

Theatre arts faculty attend the regional festival every year with selected students to audition in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition and compete in design competitions.

In past years, UW-L students or alums have gone on to compete at higher levels within KC/ACTF to earn national honors in design. UW-L's 2003 production of "Metamorphoses" was chosen as a showcase performance at the regional festival.

"The festival is a great way for students to be seen and evaluated by regional theatre professionals and to see what other schools are doing," says theatre arts department chair Beth Cherne. "It's a terrific learning experience."