Hallelujah!

If you missed the CUP Oratorio Chorus' "farewell performance" of Handel's Messiah last weekend, well too bad for you. The soprano soloist was especially fine. But you have one more chance to hear this Christmas staple when the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers join the Walla Walla Symphony, conductor Yaakov Bergman, and the WWU I Cantori for what will be one of the best performances of Messiah in our area this season.

And be sure to support the Mastersingers at their Barnes & Noble Book Fair tomorrow. We'll be at the Columbia Center Barnes & Noble all day, performing carols and music from our upcoming concert. Noon will be a GREAT time to show up.

And Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre is offering one last chance to audition for Camelot on December 14. I'm refraining from any RenFaire-esque comments. I just won't do it.

Looking for family-friendly things to do this weekend? You have your pick of multiple showings of The Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast and A Little Princess. Go crazy. It's the thing to do during the holidays.

Break a Leg

The Tri-Cities has dinner theatre - did you know? This time around it's dessert theatre, but in my opinion that's even better. Broken Leg Entertainment opened their 4th production at the Kennewick Red Lion this weekend: Neil Simon's California Suite. The great ensemble cast not only nails the comedy, but Katrina Carlson and Steve Montgomery are amazing in the scenes that dig deeper. Go see this show so Broken Leg can keep going - can't wait to see what they will do next!

Shows are this weekend and next: July 9, 14, 15 and 16 at 7:30pm, July 10 and 17 at 2pm. Tickets are $25 and include a great dessert buffet and coffee - there is also a cash bar.

Out with the Old, In with the New

The 2010-11 arts season is drawing to a close, and the new season is starting already. If you haven't heard about RLOC's upcoming auditions for "The Wedding Singer" then you haven't been listening. Auditions are Sunday June 19 or Tuesday June 21 at 7pm at the Battelle Auditorium.

Also, Justin and I just got back from the Chorus America Conference in San Francisco, and we are ready to go full steam ahead on the new Mastersingers season. In addition to all the great informational sessions on running an arts organization, we got to hear some amazing choirs, including Chanticleer and the San Francisco Girls Chorus - just incredible!

Also, don't forget to see Neil Simon's "They're Playing Our Song" at Richland Players this weekend!

Tri-City Performing Arts Center Presentation May 18

As many of you may know, recent WA state legislation has allowed for the formation of regional Public Facility Districts (PFDs) that can combine the resources of individual city PFDs to build larger-scale projects for our communities. A Tri-City regional PFD has been created and is now weighing four potential building projects: the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center, expansion of the Toyota Center/Three Rivers Convention Center campus, an Aquatics Center, and a Performing Arts Center (PAC).

For the past few months, individuals representing the multitude of arts groups here in the Tri-Cities have been meeting and working together to create a unified stance on our support of a PAC. Several task forces and committees have been hard at work reviewing former endeavors related to this project and have outlined a powerful new proposal.

On Wednesday night May 18 starting at 5:45 PM at the Three Rivers Convention Center, the regional PFD committee will be hearing public proposals from two of the four projects: an Aquatics Center and a PAC. Although the meeting starts at 5:45 PM, the PAC presentation is second on the agenda and will begin closer to 6:30 PM.
We are planning a performance element that will take place during this presentation. To the best of your ability, please reserve this evening and plan to join us with your voice. More details to follow.

It is important for us as representatives/advocates of the performing arts community here in the Tri-Cities to make a strong, positive public statement at this meeting. The regional PFD needs to know how many of us there truly are who are excited about this project and ready to do whatever is necessary to make it happen. Furthermore, we intend to communicate the significant benefit it would provide not only to our local arts groups, but also to the economic development, tourism industry, and ongoing growth of the Tri-Cities.

Please join us next Wednesday night May 18 as we unveil the official kickoff of the campaign to build a proper home for the arts here in our area. Following the meeting, a recital will be given by Renee Heitmann and John Cooper, guest vocal soloists on the May 21 Sea Symphony concert.

Please feel free to contact us directly if you have any questions, and be sure to share this information with your social circles of influence!

MCM presents "Cantos de la Vida" guest artist residency

This weekend Mid-Columbia Mastersingers presents concerts and a guest artist residency with composer Paul Basler and poet/painter Gabriel Navar.

Thu April 14
8:00 am: Spanish radio interview with Gabriel Navar - KZHR 92.5 FM
Noon: Basler/Navar presentation at Columbia Center Rotary, Kennewick
1:30: Presentation for CBC Diversity & Outreach at Columbia Basin College

Fri April 15
5:30-7:30am: Navar/Basler on KVEW Good Morning Northwest
Schoolday workshops with students at Ochoa Middle School
Noon: Paul Basler French horn presentation/masterclass at CBC for Jazz Unlimited festival
6:30 pm: Pre-concert lecture
7:00 pm: "Cantos de la Vida" concert and post-concert Q&A, St. Joseph's Church, Kennewick

Sat April 16
6:30 pm: Pre-concert lecture
7:00 pm: "Cantos de la Vida" concert and post-concert Q&A, Sunnyside High School, Sunnyside

Sun April 17
10:15 am: Paul Basler plays at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Richland
1:30 pm: Pre-concert lecture
2:00 pm: "Cantos de la Vida" concert and post-concert Q&A, Christ the King Church, Richland

It's not easy being queen

Tonight Richland Players open "Mary Stuart," Schiller's classical drama - let's support real theatre here in the Tri-Cities! It will run the next three weekends - don't miss it!

Also playing this weekend, Camerata Musica presents the Berlin-based Vogler Quartet with Beethoven and Dvorak pieces and Shostakovich's piano quintet. And of course the Mid-Columbia Symphony will perform Saturday night, with Copland's Outdoor Overture and performances by the winners of the Young Artist competition.

Going sailing...

Richland Light Opera opened Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Gondoliers" this past weekend, and the show continues this coming weekend, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm. Beautiful costumes, great singing, the best pit orchestra in the Tri-Cities - it's a fun show!

And Mid-Columbia Mastersingers are starting rehearsals for Vaughan Williams' "A Sea Symphony" tonight, 6:30pm at Central United Protestant Church in Richland. It's not too late to join them - just email director Justin Raffa at Justin@MidColumbiaMastersingers.org.

Beatles Mania

From Chuck Eaton:

"Run, don't walk to see “The Beatles: A Story of Love”, which opened at Chiawana High School tonight, and will play at 7 p.m., Feb. 24-26, with a matinee at 2 p.m. Feb. 26.

Debi Eng's gift of love to her students is, in my experience, unprecedented and exhilarating. It is further proof, if any is needed, that we are in the midst of a Renaissance of the Arts in the Tri-Cities, and it is alive and well in the not-yet-out-of-school generation.

-Chuck"

Who'd have thought

that some of the best entertainment in the Tri-Cities can be found at the high schools? Last week Hanford High closed "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," with sold-out houses every night - it was an amazing show. And this weekend Chiawana High School opens "Beatles: A Story of Love" and Richland High School opens "Anything Goes." These are not your average high school shows, but are productions that rival any other local shows in quality and talent. Don't miss them!

Best Mastersingers Concert Yet!

This weekend the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers are doing a concert with Barry Bergstrom on saxophone and John Green (all the way from Portland) on organ. It's going to be our best performance yet - the music is beautiful, people will LIKE it, and the singing and playing are great. We have some great folk song settings, including one by Tri-Cities composer (and my voice teacher) Reginald Unterseher. The central piece of the concert is James Whitbourn's "Son of God Mass," which is contemporary, but not in an atonal or weird sort of way. It's lovely, and Barry's saxophone is awesome! We're in Pendleton, Oregon, on Friday night, at St. Joe's in Kennewick on Saturday (7pm) and Hanford High School in Richland on Sunday (3pm).

Almost, Maine

It's not too late to see the current Richland Players production, "Almost, Maine." Charmingly directed by Joyce Bean, the show is a series of vignettes about love. It's funny, touching and sad, and I have no doubt that just about everyone in the Tri-Cities would like this show. The talented cast includes many newcomers to the Players stage, and you will find at least one relationship that seems to have come right out of your own life. The show will be this Friday and Saturday night at 8pm at the Richland Players Theatre.