Fall 2008 Archived News

Graduating seniors’ works featured in University Art Gallery

“Autobibliography,” an oil on linen by UW-La Crosse graduating senior Matt Duckett, is one of the works featured in the “Senior Exhibition” in the University Gallery Nov. 21-Dec. 10

Seniors graduating from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in December will show their artwork in the University Art Gallery before they pick up their diplomas. The semi-annual “Senior Exhibition” will feature a variety of artwork Nov. 21-Dec. 10 in the University Art Gallery on the first floor of the Center for the Arts. The exhibit opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, in the gallery. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

Among the artists exhibiting are: Carrie Crase, Libby Hansen, Aala Daous, Stacy Johnson, Matt Duckett, Kylie Parry, Lanore Hahn, Megan Rhodes and Nancy Maring. During the exhibit, the adjacent Study Gallery will feature “Art 160, Books.” Regular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and during events in Toland Theatre. The gallery will be closed Nov. 27-30 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

If you go—
What: “Senior Exhibition”
Who: Graduating senior art majors
When: Nov. 21-Dec. 10
Where: University Art Gallery, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts
Admission: Free.

Department of Theatre Arts to Perform "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

The University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts will perform William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5-6 and 11-13. Sunday matinee performances are at 2 o’clock Dec. 7 and 14. All performances are in Toland Theatre in the Center for the Arts on the corner of 16th and Vine streets in La Crosse.

Two pairs of star-crossed lovers, a feuding pair of supernatural spirits and a love potion gone wrong all come together in this Shakespeare classic. The production includes the theatrical vision of director Walter Elder and scenic design by senior theater major Tim Barbiaux. Costume designer Joe Anderson and student sound designer Justin Schmitz further add to the performance.

Tickets for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” go on sale at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, at the Box Office in the lobby of the Center for the Arts. Admission is $4 for UW-L students, $10 for other students and senior citizens, and $12 for others. For reservations or more information, call the box office at 608.785.8522.

If you go—
Who: University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts
What: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5-6 and 11-13; 2 p.m. Dec. 7 and 14
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine Streets
Admission: $4 for UW-L students, $10 for other students and senior citizens, and $12 for others.

16th Annual 'Festival of Carols' features holiday favorites

Carols and holiday songs abound as four UW-La Crosse choirs will present their 16th annual Festival of Carols. Performance are set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12 and 13, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. The concert will feature the UW-L Women’s Chorus, Männerchor, Chamber Choir and Concert Choir in Yuletide choral arrangements and audience carols.

Selections range from the plainchant “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” through J.S. Bach’s motet “Lobet den Herrn alle Heiden” to Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.” Highlights include settings by Chamber Choir conductor Terence Kelly with “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and Concert Choir conductor Gary Walth with “Come, Thou Long Foretold Messiah.” Paul Rusterholz conducts the Women’s Chorus and Walth also conducts Männerchor. UW-L’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble will also make a guest appearance. Catherine Walth will be narrator for the events.

Suggested ticket donations for the concerts are $6 for students, $8 for senior citizens and $10 for others. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling the Music Department Listening Lab at 608.785.8415. Ticket proceeds go to scholarship funding for UW-L choral students.

If you go—
Who: UW-L Women’s Chorus, Männerchor, Chamber Choir and Concert Choir
What: 16th annual Festival of Carols
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12 and 13
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $6 for students, $8 for senior citizens and $10 for others

Dr. Darci Thoune presents “Embedded Voice Response: Exploring New Frontiers in Response Theory”

Dr. Darci Thoune (English) will present “Embedded Voice Response: Exploring New Frontiers in Response Theory” on Friday, December 5th at 2:30 pm. in Room 207, Wimberly Hall. Her presentation is brought to you by the UW–L English Department’s 2008–2009 William J. and Yvonne Hyde Colloquium Series.

*Everyone is welcome to attend.*

If you go—
Who: Dr. Darci Thoune
What: Dr. Darci Thoune presentation
When: 2:30 p.m. Friday Dec. 5
Where: Wimberly Hall, Room 207
Admission: Free

Irish group brings Christmas show to UW-La Crosse

A legendary Irish group will share the sounds of the season at UW-La Crosse. Teada’s “Irish Christmas in America — The Show” takes the stage at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.

Teada will give an inspirational presentation of seasonal Irish culture traditions. Produced by Oisín Mac Diarmada of the legendary Irish group, Teada, the show also features a photographic slide show with a narrative providing historical context. The group uses Irish harp and uilleann pipes to augment Irish dance. The performers mingle ancient traditions with contemporary artistry.

Tickets are $4 for UW-L students, $15 for UW-L employees and $20 for others. Tickets and more information are available at Cartwright Information Counter, 608.785.8877. The event is sponsored by the Campus Activities Board and La Crosse Irishfest.

If you go—
What: Teada’s “Irish Christmas in America — The Show”
When: 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7
Where: Valhalla, UW-L Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.
Admission: $4 for UW-L students, $15 for UW-L employees and $20 for others.

Swinging Yuletide planned for UW-La Crosse Annual concert features jazz holiday favorites

An upbeat performance of big band and vocal jazz holiday favorites is once again planned at UW-La Crosse. The Great River Big Band will join the UW-L instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles, along with the La Crosse Jazz Combo, for a Swinging Yuletide. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Seating for the event is cabaret style. An annual visit by Santa Claus is expected during the concert.

Tickets are a suggested donation of $5 for students and $10 for others; or, reserved tickets for $20. Seating is limited; getting tickets early is recommend since the concert typically sells out. For tickets or more information, contact the UW-L Music Listening Lab in 145 Center for the Arts or at 608.785.8415.

If you go—
What: Swinging Yuletide
Who: Great River Big Band, UW-L instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles, and the La Crosse Jazz Combo
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6
Where: Valhalla, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $20 reserved; general admission is $5 for students and $10 for others.

Irish hiking tour set for spring
UW-L Professor Emeritus Jim Gallagher to lead annual trip in June

The history, archaeology and nature of Ireland are among the highlights of an eight-day walking tour this spring. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Professor Emeritus Jim Gallagher leads a hiking tour in the south coast of Ireland from June 10-18, 2009. The tour will feature hikes along coastal cliffs, offshore islands and to shorebird nesting sanctuaries. Highlights of the tour include the Clare Island, the rugged Sheep’s Head Peninsula and the mountains of Gougane Bara. The area where the group will be heading is scenic, rugged and great for hiking and bird watching, says Gallagher who has led tours to Ireland since 1996.

The trip will include Irish walking guide Maeve Kelly and other local experts on Irish culture and natural history. Gallagher says one of the appeals of the tour is the small group size, which is limited to 12 travelers. “Most of the people on these tours love walking and nature,” explains Gallagher. “They are interested in things like history, archaeology, birds and being out doors in stunning scenery away from the usual tourist places.”
For a detailed tour itinerary and registration information visit: www.uwlax.edu/conted/tours/, or call the UW-La Crosse Office of Continuing Education and Extension at 608.785.6506.

Presentations set in La Crosse
Jim Gallagher will give two free public programs on “Hiking in Ireland.” Presentations are set for 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24, in the auditorium of the La Crosse Main Branch Public Library, 800 Main St., and at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 25, in the meeting room of the North Community Library, 1552 Kane St. Gallagher will show slides of last year’s trip and talk about the upcoming 2009 trip.

The UW-L Continuing Education and Extension Office is the sponsor of both the tour and upcoming talks.

Korean Percussion & Women's Samulnori Ensembles Concert

The Korean Percussion & Women's Samulnori Ensembles will present a concert at the Annett Recital Hall for the Fine Arts on Tuesday, November 25th beginning at 7:30 p.m.

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 Ritterling of the UW-L Music Department at 608.785.8417 or email kim.sooj@uwlax.edu.

If you go—
Who: Korean Percussion & Women's Samulnori Ensembles Concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 25th, 2008
Where: Annett Recital Hall, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts
Admission: Free

UW-L Choral Union to perform Nov. 23

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Choral Union, will present the “Gloria” by Francis Poulenc and the ninth of the “Chandos Anthems” by George Frederic Handel. The concert begins at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, at English Lutheran Church in La Crosse, 1509 King St.

George Frederic Handel wrote music for the Duke of Chandos. Each of the “Chandos Anthems” is a medium length cantata for choir, solo voices and small orchestra. The Choral Union will sing “O Praise the Lord with one Consent” – Chandos “Anthem #9.” Soloists for the anthem are alto Jane Powell, tenor Jason Bernhagen, baritone Hans Laping and soprano Sarah Severson.

Francis Poulenc’s the “Gloria” combines a depth of mystical emotion with joy. One critic describes the “Gloria” as a “vast and joyous dance, a swirl of light and color before the throne of heaven, as the angels announce the birth.” Vocal soloists for the work include sopranos Nancy Matchett, Andrea Van Gelder and Marilyn Lee. The Choral Union, a student and community voice choir, is conducted by UW-L faculty member Paul Rusterholz.

General admission is $5 for students and $10 for others. Tickets may be purchased in advance from Choral Union members. For more information, call the UW-L Music Department at 608.785.8409.

If you go—
Who: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Choral Union
What: “Gloria” by Francis Poulenc and “O Praise the Lord” by G.F. Handel
When: 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23
Where: English Lutheran Church, 1509 King St., La Crosse
Admission: $5 for students and $10 for others.

High School theatre festival coming to La Crosse

High school students from throughout the state will come to La Crosse for the Wisconsin High School Theatre Festival. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse theatre arts department will host the festival Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21 and 22. Events take place from 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m. in Toland Theatre in the Center for the Arts and Valhalla in Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Showcase performances will be held at Viterbo University at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 20 and 21.

The Wisconsin High School Theatre Festival is a three-day experience for high school students and teachers. Traditionally held on a UW campus, the festival consists of educational theatre workshops, one-act play competition and evening showcase performances. The festival provides students and teachers an opportunity to learn from trained theatre professionals and educators, to take the stage and to watch their peers perform.

Tickets to attend day sessions are available in block times, which admit a ticket holder to all performances within a specific time slot. Block passes are $5 and available for purchase at the registration table in the main lobby of the Center for the Arts. Evening showcase tickets are $7 and available Thursday and Friday at the registration table in the UW-L Center for the Arts, or 45 minutes before the 8 p.m. shows in the lobby of the Viterbo University Fine Arts Center.

For more information, contact UW-L theatre arts faculty member Beth Cherne at 608.785.8521.

If you go—
What: Wisconsin High School Theatre Festival
When: Nov. 20-22
Where: UW-La Crosse and Viterbo University
Admission: Daytime block passes are $5; Evening showcase tickets are $7.

TV telethon to support Coulee Region Humane Society
It’s the 10th year UW-L students will help raise funds

Dogs, cats and other animals at the Coulee Region Humane Society will benefit from an upcoming live TV telethon produced by UW-La Crosse communication studies students. The 10th annual Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon will air from 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, on KQEG-TV Channel 23 and Charter Cable Channel 5. Rick Wilson, KQEG TV-23, and Jake Wilson, UW-L communication studies major, will host the show. Guests during the three-hour event will include owners of pets adopted from the society, pet therapy specialists, dog trainers and society advocates. The phone number to pledge during the telecast is 608.785.8379.

Along with money, donations of towels, sheets, soap, bleach, office and animal supplies or other items that could be used at the humane society are sought. Donations for the society’s general fund may be dropped off at the studio, 205 Wing Technology Center, during the telethon, or arrangements may be made by calling Pat Turner at 608.785.8369. Checks should be made payable to the Coulee Region Humane Society. Monetary donations or goods can also be dropped off at Coulee Region Human Society, 911 Critter Court, Onalaska.

The telethon originated in 1999 when UW-L student Kristen Lloyd decided to produce a live TV telethon instead of writing a traditional research paper. The student-produced telethon is sponsored by UW-L’s communication studies department and campus TV station WMCM, in conjunction with Charter Communications and KQEG-TV23. Last year’s telethon raised over $5,000 in money and supplies.

To participate —
What: Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon
When: 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22
Where: Airs on KQEG-TV Channel 23 and Charter Cable Channel 5. Drop off donations during the telethon at 205 Wing Technology Center at UW-La Crosse or call 608.785.8379.

Art Gallery Offerings: Student Photography and New York artist Gabe Brown

“Genev” by UW-L student Katie Arendt is one of the images featured in the UW-L Study Gallery exhibit running through Nov. 15.

Advanced photography students are showing their work in conjunction with a University Art Gallery exhibition featuring the artwork of New York artist Gabe Brown. Photos by 21 students are featured in the Study Gallery, located adjacent to the main gallery. The photographic images selected give an overview of the diverse talent among the current students, says art department faculty member Ben Stern.

The main exhibit, “Dreaming But Not Sleeping: Paintings and Works on Paper,” features oil paintings and other paper works by Brown who lives and paints in the Hudson River Valley of New York.

Both exhibits run in the University Art Gallery, on the first floor of the Center for the Arts, through Nov. 15. Regular gallery hours are noon-8 p.m. Mondays Thursdays, noon-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and during events in Toland Theatre. Exhibits are free.

For more information, call the gallery at 608.785.8230.

If you go—
What: “Dreaming But Not Sleeping: Paintings and Works on Paper” and UW-L student photography
Who: The artwork of New York artist Gabe Brown and UW-L photography students
When: Through Nov. 15
Where: University Art Gallery, UW-L Center for the Arts
Admission: Free.

This untitled image by UW-L student Sam Reinke is one of the images featured in the UW-L Study Gallery exhibit running through Nov. 15.

Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center Fall Reception

This past summer’s archaeological digs throughout the La Crosse area will be the focus of a presentation during the annual Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center’s fall reception. The event begins with a social hour at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, in Port O’ Call, at the UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. Awards will be presented at 7, followed by a lecture at 7:30.

The lecture highlight digs at Sand Lake in Onalaska as well as the center’s other summer excavations. The digs were directed by MVAC Executive Director Joseph Tiffany and MVAC Archaeologist Wendy Holtz-Leith. They will detail digs from phase II of excavations at the Lower Sand Lake site prompted by future development and road improvements. Among the finds were fragments of worked copper, obsidian flakes, the stem of a catlinite tobacco pipe, and early Mississippian pottery. Additional findings from other investigations will be highlighted.

Tickets are $10 per person. Make reservations with MVAC, 1725 State St., La Crosse WI 54601 or 608.785.8463 by Friday, Nov. 7.

If you go—
What: Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center Fall Reception
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13
Where: Port O’ Call, UW-La Crosse Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: $10. Make reservations with MVAC at 608.785.8463 by Friday, Nov. 7

Variety of Events to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

Music, films, lectures and discussions are planned at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to celebrate Hispanic Heritage.

The events include:

• Sunday, Sept. 28, 3 p.m. Annett Recital Hall, Center for the Arts —Piano Recital by Alexander Dossin, associate professor of piano performance and piano literature at School of Music and Dance, The University of Oregon. Dossin, the winner of first prize at the 2003 Martha Argerich International Piano Competition in Buenos Aires, Argentina, will perform a selection of Latin American pieces.

• Monday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m. 102 Wimberly Hall — Film: “El Violín” (The Violin), 2006. A drama about government crackdown on Indigenous Community through the experience of elderly violinist. Spanish with English Subtitles. Discussion follows.

• Friday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m. Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition — Performance: Sones de México. Formed in 1994 to encourage the Mexican ‘son’ folk musical tradition, this Chicago group has received nominations for Latin Grammy best folk album in 2007 and best Mexican Album in 2008. Tickets are $2 for UW-L students, $5 for UW-L employees and $8 for others. Get tickets at the Cartwright Information Counter, 608.785.8898.

•Monday, Oct. 6, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Port O’ Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition — Lecture: “Tourism, Development, and Mbya Guaraní Communities in Argentina” by Penny Seymoure, Carthage College department of psychology and neuroscience program. In Argentina, the Mbya Guaraní people live near the Iguazú Falls which are being rapidly developed for tourist use. Tourism has brought income to some Mbya communities, but there have been changes in culture and physical and psychological health. The talk examines concerns about how governmental policy makers have developed tourism on Mbya lands, and suggests goals that stakeholders should achieve in their plans for sustainable development.

• Tuesday, Oct. 7, 4-5:30 p.m. Port O’ Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition — Faculty & Staff Roundtable: “The National Debate on Immigration.” Panelists include Elizabeth Kruck and Nancy Hall, the La Crosse Chapter of the League of Women Voters; Constance Vanderhyden, UW-L Office of Multicultural Student Services and Coordinator of Academic Success Institute; and Donald Socha, UW-L modern languages department. Panel moderated by Víctor M. Macías-González, UW-L history department.

• Monday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m. 102 Wimberly Hall — Film: “Morirse está en Hebreo” (My Mexican shivah), 2007. Comedy about disclosures friends and family make while mourning (“sitting shivah”) for prominent Mexican Jewish theatre director, as two angels observe to determine his fate. Spanish and Yiddish with English Subtitles. Discussion follows.

•Monday, Oct. 20, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Port O’ Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition — Lecture: “The Galápagos Islands: Fishing, Tourism, and Human Rights” by Jeffery L. Roberg, Carthage College political science department. Explores the environmental, political, and economic consequences of over-fishing and tourism on the ecosystem and people of the Galápagos Islands.

• Tuesday, Oct. 21, 4-5:30 p.m. Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition — Faculty & Staff Roundtable: “State of Latina/o Faculty, Staff, and Students in the Academy.” Panelists include: Barbara Stewart, UW-L Associate Dean of Campus Climate and Diversity; Margarita Olivas, UW-L communication studies department; and Víctor M. Macías-González, UW-L history department.

• Monday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m. 102 Wimberly Hall — Film: “La misma luna” (Under the same moon), 2007. A drama about a child’s quest to reach the U.S. where his mother is an undocumented worker.    Spanish and English with English Subtitles. Discussion follows.

• Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 3-4, Port O’ Call, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition — Exhibit: “Day of the Dead Exhibit,” dedicated in memory of U.S. Hispanics.

• Monday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m. 102 Wimberly Hall — Film: “A Massacre Foretold,” 2007. A documentary about the massacre of 50 indigenous women and children in a church in Acteal, Guerrero, Mexico, accused of supporting an anti-government uprising. Spanish and English with English Subtitles. Discussion follows.

Daniel Voiku (English) to Present “What I Learned at the Bodleian.”

As part of the UW-L English Department's 2008-2009 William J. and Yvonne Hyde Colloquium Series, Daniel Voiku will present “What I Learned at the Bodleian.”

All are welcome to attend.

If you go—
What: English Department Presentation “What I Learned at the Bodleian.”
When: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Friday November 7
Where: Room 207 Wimberly Hall
Admission:Free

Screaming Eagles Annual Review Concert

The UW-La Crosse Screaming Eagles Marching Band will hold its annual Marching Band Review Concert Sunday, Nov. 9. The band will play music from the 2008 season. The concert begins at 1:30 p.m. in the Mitchell Hall Field House. Admission is free and donations will be accepted.

The concert will feature music from the band’s halftime shows, including songs by the rock group The Who and Cuban-Latin artist Santana. The UW-L Pom Pon squad and Color guard will also be featured. This will be the band’s 17th performance this fall.

Other performances included all home football games, numerous community and on-campus events, and an exhibition at Greendale High School near Milwaukee. Special community performances by the band included Oktoberfest and Gundersen Lutheran’s Breast Cancer Walk. The band also played for the return of World War II veterans who traveled to Washington D.C. as a part of Freedom Honor Flight. And, the band participated in the Apple Fest Parade in Gays Mills to celebrate the rebuilding of the community devastated by floods.

The 145-member Screaming Eagles Marching Band is directed by Tammy Fisher and student leaders Jennifer Pfeffer, Amanda Welter and Keith Heinzen.

If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Screaming Eagles Marching Band
What: Marching Band Review concert
When: 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9
Where: UW-L Mitchell Hall Field House
Admission: Free; donations accepted.

UW-L Jazz Ensembles to kick off concert season

The UW-La Crosse Jazz Ensemble I, Vocal Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble II will kick off its concert season with a performance at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. The evening’s program will include a variety of jazz styles ranging from swing to contemporary Big Band music and vocal jazz. Admission is free.

Jazz Ensemble I will feature tenor saxophonist Jim Piela on the Pat Metheny composition “The First Circle” arranged for big band by Bob Curnow. The piece uses complex harmonies and mixed meter to create an ethereal jazz work for the contemporary jazz orchestra. Next, is a piece Benny Carter penned “Jackson County Jubilee” for the Count Basie Orchestra in the 1960s. It is a classic Basie romp and features Dan Collins on piano and Matt Windett on trumpet. Also to be performed is a ballad, “I’ve Never Been In Love Before,” Lennie Neihaus arranged for the Stan Kenton band. The arrangement features the trombone section and Zak Kaszynski on muted trumpet. Finally, a piece Chris McQueen composed “Foe Destroyer” for the legendary North Texas University 1:00 O’clock jazz band will be performed. The Latin fusion based composition features guitarist Eric Streske along with saxophonist Matt Treat. Music Department Chair Greg Balfany is the director of Jazz Ensemble I.

UW-L’s eight-member Vocal Jazz Ensemble will open with Eddie Jefferson’s Be-Bop tune “Billie’s Bounce” and then a vocal jazz arrangement of guitarist Pat Metheny’s “Here To Stay.” The singers will also honor the late arranger Gene Puerling with a performance of his setting of “Where Is Love?” recorded in 1968 by Singers Unlimited. Also performed will be Vocal Jazz Director Gary Walth’s “Here For You” and his arrangement of Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.”

Jazz Ensemble II will perform Big Band arrangements of old favorites including the Quincy Jones composition “Witching Hour” and the Bob Mintzer arrangement of the Gershwin tune “But Not For Me.” Featured soloists with Jazz Ensemble II are Neil Ferris, guitar, Andy Voelkel, trombone, and Bob Tolson and Bryan Young, trumpet. Karyn Quinn directs Jazz Ensemble II.

If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Jazz Ensemble I, Vocal Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble II
What: Concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28
Where: Valhalla, UW-L Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition
Admission: Free

Theatre Arts Department to stage “The Diviners”
Play tells a story of self-discovery, personal strength

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse theatre arts department will open its season with a compelling story of self discovery and personal strength. “The Diviners,” by Jim Leonard, Jr., will be staged in Toland Theatre in the Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets. Performances are set Friday-Sunday, Oct. 10-12, and Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 16-19. Curtain time is 7:30 nightly, except for Sunday matinees at 2.

“The Diviners” chronicles residents of a small town in rural Indiana as it struggles to cope with physical and spiritual needs amidst hardships of the Great Depression. Buddy, a gentle yet misunderstood boy with the gift for divining, befriends a disenchanted preacher barely clinging to his faith. The two find a common bond and work together to uncover the hope and truth for which each has been searching. When the townspeople demand the preacher return to the way of life he no longer believes in, both the man and the boy are driven to a crisis of trust.

“The Diviners” was Jim Leonard, Jr.’s, first work for which he received the Student Playwriting Award at the 1980 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Tickets are $4 for UW-L students; $10 for other students, senior citizens and children; and $12 for others. Tickets go on sale Monday, Oct. 6. Box Office hours are 1-4:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and one hour before show times. For reservations, call the Box Office at 608.785.8522.

If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Department of Theatre Arts
What: “The Diviners”
When: Friday-Sunday, Oct. 10-12, and Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 16-19. Curtain time is 7:30 nightly, except for Sunday matinees at 2.
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts
Admission: $4 for UW-L students; $10 for other students, senior citizens and children; and $12 for others. Tickets go on sale Monday, Oct. 6. For reservations, call the Box Office at 608.785.8522.

Honor the Past, Capture the Present, Inform the Future: Stories from an Oral History Career

Anita Hecht, Director
Life History Services, LLC

Thursday, October 9, 2008
Ward Room, Cartwright Center

Anita Hecht, director of Life History Services. LLC, will appear Thursday, October 9th from 2:15 – 3:40 in the Ward Room, Cartwright Center to discuss her personal and professional life and career as an oral historian. Hecht’s family fled Nazi Germany and settled in Mexico City. Anita was raised in a bilingual family, educated in Mexico and the United States and pursued an early career in counseling. She turned to oral history, specializing in the therapeutic value of narrative and history, working especially with those who have been victims of or who have lived with trauma.

In addition to private, family projects and public workshops, Anita Hecht’s work has been accepted into the following archives: The Spielberg Foundation in Los Angeles, the Judah Magnes Museum in Berkeley, the Yale University Archives in New Haven and the Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco. Highlights of her many projects include the interviews Hecht conducted in Mexico City among the German refugee community for the Shoah project on the Holocaust.

Hecht’s presentation will be offered as a discussion rather than a formal lecture. She will cover topics on her personal and family history, her work with Life History Services as an oral historian, and on the process and value of conduction oral histories. For additional background, go to www.lifehistoryservices.com

If you go—
Who: Anita Hecht
What: Presentation "Honor the Past, Capture the Present, Inform the Future: Stories from an Oral History Career".
When: 2:15p.m.-3:40p.m., October 9
Where: Ward Room, Cartwright Center
Admission: Free

Dr. Liz Cannon Presentation

Dr. Liz Canon (UW-L English Dept) will give a presentation, “Indo-European Elements in Anglo-Saxon Literature.”

*All are welcome to attend.*

If you go—
Who: Dr. Liz Canon
What: Presentation "Indo-European Elements in Anglo-Saxon Literature".
When: 2:30p.m.-3:30p.m., October 3
Where: Room 207 Wimberly Hall
Admission: Free

Auditions set for the UW-La Crosse Choral Union

Area singers are welcome to join the UW-La Crosse Choral Union this fall when it sings “Gloria” by Francis Poulenc and “Chandos Anthem #9” by George Frederic Handel. The concert will be Sunday afternoon, Nov. 23, at English Lutheran Church in La Crosse.

The UW-L Choral Union includes 90 UW-L students, faculty, staff and adult singers from the greater La Crosse area. The ensemble rehearses from 7-9:15 p.m. Mondays in 58 UW-L Center for the Arts.

To schedule an audition, contact director Paul Rusterholz at 608.784.4497 or rusterho.paul@uwlax.edu. Auditions, held in 134 Center for the Arts, will be scheduled between Aug. 27 and Sept. 5.

If you go—
Who: UW-La Crosse Choral Union
What: Auditions
When: Between Aug. 27 and Sept. 5.
Where: 134 Center for the Arts
Schedule an audition with: Director Paul Rusterholz at 608.784.4497 or rusterho.paul@uwlax.edu

State Educators Convene for Annual Kick-off to the Academic Year

Major focus:
Educators from around the state will gather in La Crosse Aug. 1-3. They all serve as graduate faculty and work directly with more than 420 students in the the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Master of Education-Professional Development (ME-PD) Learning Community program. They will meet to celebrate teaching and discuss strategies for the upcoming year’s statewide classes.

Community benefit:
More teachers are able to advance their careers at their convenience and with a cutting-edge program. The program — in its 11th year — provides hundreds of working teaching professionals an opportunity to gain a Master of Education-Professional Development degree through UW-La Crosse.

Time/Place:
Aug. 1-3, Radisson Hotel, La Crosse. WI

Background:
The 32 graduate faculty members attending the “August Retreat” serve in teams of two as facilitators of 16 Learning Communities located throughout Wisconsin. Each brings together 20-40 graduate students who enroll together, work through a spiraled curriculum with each other and then graduate as a class. The theme of this year’s retreat is “Reflecting on the Past to Move Into the Future.”

For more information:
For more information contact Rhonda Rabbitt at 608.785.5409. Find out more about the ME-PD Learning Community program at www.uwlax.edu/mepd/lc/index.html.

50th Annual AAUW Art Fair on the Green

The 50th Annual AAUW Art Fair on the Green begins Saturday on the campus lawn, 16th and State streets. Admission: $3; free for children 12 and under.

Saturday, July 26, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 27, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

‘Cabaret’ to be performed at UW-La Crosse

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Theatre Arts Department will perform “Cabaret” as its SummerStage 2008 production. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. June 27-28 and July 2-3 and July 5, and 2 p.m. Sundays, June 29 and July 6. Performances are in Toland Theatre in the UW-L Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine Streets.

Kander and Ebb’s musical is set in a turbulent pre-war Berlin, where the dynamic and wicked Emcee runs the seedy Kit Kat Klub, while its star, Sally Bowles and American writer Cliff Bradshaw suffer a doomed romance. Their struggles are a mirror to the political chaos in the world outside the Klub, chaos that gave rise to the Nazi regime. The musical features such well-known songs as “Cabaret,” “Willkommen,” “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” and “The Money Song.”

UW-L’s production will be directed by Mary Leonard with musical direction by Gary Walth and choreography by Kathy Gorman. The trio previously collaborated on many UW-L’s productions, including “Evita,” “The Full Monty” and “Oklahoma!” The SummerStage cast includes UW-L students and other community actors and production team members.

Tickets go on sale at 1 p.m. Monday, June 23, at the box office located in the lobby of the Center for the Arts. Tickets are $9 for UW-L students; $14 for other students, senior citizens and children; and $16 for others. For reservations call the box office at 608-785-8522. Box Office hours are 1-4:30 p.m. weekdays and one hour before show times.

If you go—
Who: UW-L SummerStage What: “Cabaret”
When: 7:30 p.m. June 27-28 and July 2-3 and July 5, and 2 p.m. Sundays, June 29 and July 6.
Where: Toland Theatre, UW-L Center for the Arts, 16th and Vine streets
Admission: $9 for UW-L students; $14 for other students, senior citizens and children; and $16 for others. For reservations call the box office at 608.785.8522 beginning 1 p.m. Monday, June, 23.