The Knight Arts program is now seeking grant opportunities in Akron that can create transformational and sustainable change through artistic excellence and collective cultural experiences. If you’re interested in learning more about working with Knight in the arts, please contact Akron Program Director Jennifer Thomas.
By Garrick R. Black II, Youth Excellence Performing Arts Workshop On April 6, 2013, the day was filled with anticipation and excitement as we heard from each character of Youth Excellence Performing Arts Workshop’s (YEPAW) encore presentation of The Wiz at the Akron Civic Theatre. Under the direction of Mr. Myron Lewis, and in conjunction [...]
What goes around comes around. When that statement applies to Ballet Theatre of Ohio and its upcoming performance of artistic director Christine Meneer’s “Cinderella” at the Akron Civic Theatre, a Knight Arts grantee, that’s a good thing. BTO has four major ballets that it rotates over four years, according to Meneer – “Coppelia,” “Sleeping Beauty,” [...]
In a recent crossword puzzle, a clue was “lively art,” and the answer was “Op Art.” Here’s another clue – whose art helped inspire the term Op Art? The answer is Julian Stanczak. Some 20 or so of his works are on display at the Akron Art Museum, a Knight Arts grantee, in an exhibition [...]
Much-lauded actor John Lithgow has some strong theatrical roots in the Akron area, and he’s coming back to town to talk to his former friends and neighbors about “The Power of Storytelling.” His father, Arthur, a theatrical producer and director, directed a Shakespeare festival at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, where the present Ohio Shakespeare [...]
Want to see a 2,500-year old tradition? Me too. As luck would have it, The Golden Dragon Acrobats are bringing a new show, “Cirque Ziva,” to the Akron Civic Theatre, a Knight Arts grantee. In ancient times, the art that we know as Chinese acrobatics apparently was called things like “miscellaneous arts” and “varied skills [...]
“Charley’s Aunt” is a dude. That’s not letting the cat out of the bag, for knowing that ahead of time neither spoils the fun of the play as performed by Weathervane Playhouse, a Knight Arts grantee, nor surprises you, for you’ll have it figured out way in advance of seeing him/her. The play is set [...]
When Akron Symphony Orchestra (a Knight Arts grantee), approached GroundWorks DanceTheater (also a Knight Arts grantee), things started clicking. ASO wanted to perform Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” while adding a visual element to its aural connection through dance. Maestro Christopher Wilkins met up with David Shimotakahara, artistic director of GroundWorks, and asked him [...]
A cool musical invasion is headed our way when the Canadian Brass comes to E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall to perform a concert for Tuesday Musical, a Knight Arts grantee. Recognized as “the world’s most famous brass group,” Canadian Brass will be the vibrant and final performance for Tuesday Musical’s 125th-anniversary season. This talented group [...]
This isn’t a complaint about the five women photographers (Karen Ciamente, Pamela Z. Daum, Sandra Holata, Christine Morrow and Diane Seskes) who have a wonderful exhibit going for them at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church art gallery. Their stuff is fine, but more on that later. What I wish is that galleries and artists could work [...]
GroundWorks DanceTheater, a Knight Arts grantee, always brings something new and intense not only when in performance but to contemporary dance itself. If you’ve ever attended a dance concert and after a while you say something like “That’s great, but can they do something different?” because of limited dance vocabulary and vision, you’ll know what [...]
