Tickets available at the door. Event held in Room 262 of the Arts Center.
Lake Superior State University's Theatre Company will inaugurate its Black Box Theatre season with three unique performances.
The Hairy Man, performed by Alani M’echel Weathers, is a popular African-American folktale — or jumptale — that was often told by the late Jackie Torrence.
Running for the Storm Cellar is performed by Kadie Brinks, Gabrielle Castillo, Tevor Lanuzza, and Wayne Thompson. It is adapted from the first part of Julie William’s book, Escaping Tornado Season.
Performances conclude with LSSU's newly created Fill in the Blank Improv Company. The group formed last spring to provide regular entertaining improvisational comedy, original sketches, and other media. Fill in the Blank also lends another dimension to the fine and performing arts program at LSSU. It features students Matthew Bell, Laura Benedict, Eric Carns, Stephen Dishman, Emma Ringer, Tory Rowley, Cliff Schaut, Kyle Stockdale, and Ashley Traynor.
Now in its ninth season, LSSU's Black Box Theatre presents non-dramatic literature, storytelling, performance art, and installation work using non-traditional approaches and techniques.
Whispers of the North: The Gordon Lightfoot Tribute
Sunday, November 15, 2009
7:00PM
Ticket Price: $15 General Admission, $7.50 Students & Children
An evening of “up north” folk music is planned by Mackinaw City guitarist Mike Fornes and his band of four backing musicians for a salute to Canadian balladeer Gordon Lightfoot.
“Gordon Lightfoot's a legend, and he has real significance as a writer of North American folk music,'' said Whispers' keyboardist George Krawczyk, director of music ministry at St. Mary-St. Charles Catholic Church in Cheboygan. “A lot he has to say in songs resonates with us. I've never met a more gracious group of guys.”
Fornes said his band tries to recreate its stage show as accurately as possible to Lightfoot's own, and that lead guitarist Todd Golnick, a detective/lieutenant with the Cadillac Police, and Cheboygan trial attorney Joe Kwiatkowski spent quality time with Lightfoot's guitarist Terry Clements and drummer Barry Keane.
“We're trying to keep his music living on,'' Fornes said of Lightfoot, now 70. “He seemed to really appreciate that we're so committed to accurately performing his music. He gave us his blessing.”
Fornes promises that his audience will hear the best known tunes from Lightfoot’s catalogue, and other songs typical of a Lightfoot concert. The play-list includes such standards as “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” “Sundown,” “Carefree Highway” and “Rainy Day People.” Plus, of course, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
“I think you have to play those big songs,” he added, “especially the shipwreck song. It happened less than 100 miles from here and anybody who has ever heard that song identified it with storms they have seen on the lakes and what happened to those guys that horrible night. Yes, we’ll certainly play it, but there will be some surprises too - some great music Gord wrote that I think people will really enjoy.”
Harper
November 19, 2009
Ticket Price: $15 General Admission, $5 Students
Part harmonica wizard and part rhythmic explorer, Harper is a fiery artist who blurs the lines between rock, blues, soul and world music. His latest Blind Pig release, "Day By Day", displays his trademark virtuoso harp performances, distinctive instrumentation, deeply soulful grooves and instantly memorable songs and provides another prime example of why his unique roots music style occupies a category of its own. Harper has been described as "a singer with the deep soul of Motown, a harmonica player who can graft Sonny Boy II and Little Walter with John Popper, a songwriter who tells his own compelling stories in an unhurried, J.J. Cale-like manner, and a musical visionary who is unafraid to mix the didgeridoo, an important part of his Australian indigenous culture, with infectious modern percussive rhythms". His skill lies in the fact that he is able to tap into the kindred spirits running through his traditional and modern influences, borrowing from western and world music to develop a highly original take on the roots genre. He also takes the harmonica beyond its assigned place. Harper’s innovative use of electronic enhancement and feedback breaks the traditional boundaries of the harmonica, giving his music its distinctive harmonics and effects.
A Michigan-native, Daniels never forgets his roots. The rowdy rendition of “Detroit Train” with guest artist Alto Reed; saxophonist
with Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band, is a fun, energetic, rock and roll tribute to the city that bares its name. On Live and Unplugged, “The Lifelong Tiger Fan Blues” was a lament to the team with the second worst season in baseball history. On Grandfather’s Hat, Jeff had the rare opportunity to rewrite the lyrics (“The Lifelong Tiger Fan Blues, Revisited”) as an ode to the almost-
World-Series-Champion team, reinforcing again his love of all things Michigan. Fans of Jeff’s popular original stage play and independent feature film Escanaba in da Moonlight have eagerly awaited the musical
tribute to the subject, and he delivers, with “The Ballad of the Buckless Yooper.” Teaming up with the energetic foursome Steppin’
In It, he spins the folk tale of Ruben Soady, the only man in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula never to bag a buck.
“Daniels’ regular-guy attitude and homespun delivery
always hit the mark. He’s a pretty fair singer, sounding
something like Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) or a
younger Tom Paxton. And he certainly knows how to write
an entertaining song. He’s also a darned good guitarist,
whether he was flashing some fancy fingerpicking or
slashing through some slide guitar blues.” --Times Union, Albany, NY
For more information on Jeff Daniels, visit his website.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased conveniently on the web using the link at the top of this page; or by calling (906) 635-2602; or at the Norris Center ticket office between 9:00am and 4:00pm Monday through Friday. On the day of events, the Arts Center box office will also be open Noon-4:00pm, and will re-open 1 hour before the beginning of the event. Please buy tickets in advance and avoid the long lines at the door.
Harper
Jeff Daniels
