Riiiiiiiiiiiiiing… school’s in session, kids! For 36 kids ranging from ages 7 to 14, school has been in session for the past two weeks as they toiled from 9:00-4:00 each day to prepare the show “School House Rock Jr. LIVE!” All of this hard work is a part of the Alys Stephens Center’s first session of summer drama camp.

The kids started off the two-week camp with auditions. From monologues to songs, the kids showed off their talent to Quinton Cockrell, the show’s director. The cast list was announced on day two and the kids immediatley began rehearsals. Since that day, the schedule has included warm-ups, theater games, blocking (or giving stage direction), and REHEARSING. The kids have been living, breathing, and singing “School House Rock” day and night. At carpool, we often hear “Conjunction Junction” blasting from the parent’s car as they drive away.

The kids have done a terrifc job but the two weeks have not been without stress. Memorizing lines, songs, stage direction, and remembering the daily corrections can be very tiring. Regardless, the kids have done so with joy and enthusiasm day in and day out.

And all their hard work will definitely pay off in the end. The camp culminates with an evening performance of “School House Rock” for friends and relatives. For many of the kids, this will be their first time on stage. I know the parents will be very proud of the strides their kids have made in terms of speaking ability, acting, and confidence. As the Alys Stephens Center intern, I couldn’t be prouder of these students’ accomplishments. They have certainly rocked the school house… all while learning, making friends, and having fun!

Check out pictures from dress rehearsal!

ASC summer intern Fernanda Lima is a sophomore majoring in Business and Dance at The University of Alabama. Fernanda is a graduate of Vestavia Hills High School.

So, how savvy were you?  Here are the answers to our season announcement quizz.

1. Loretta Lynn (Coal Miner’s Daughter)

2. Bela Fleck (it’s a holiday show!)

3. Bruce Hornsby

4. Los Lobos

5. Shawn Colvin

6. David Sedaris

7. Buddy Guy

8. Three Dog Night

9. The Wailers

How many did you answer correctly?

To see the rest of the super hot ASC roster, visit www.AlysStephens.org. Season packages are on sale now!

Some of my most memorable nights at the Alys Stephens Center have not been seated watching a big name performer.  Many have been spent outside in our courtyard listening to a local performer and socialing with friends, both old and new.  That’s why I’m so excited about our new series called AFTER WORK & OUTDOORS.  This series gives us a chance to showcase Birmingham’s great talent.

And, we encourage you to blog in your opinions and comments on these local musicians.  Let’s get a dialogue going – this is your performing arts center after all.

After Work & Outdoors
at the Alys Stephens Center

The perfect way to end your day or start your night!

Every Thursday April 30 – May 21

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Rain or Shine

FREE, No Ticket Required

Experience a different sound every week with live music by Birmingham’s best up-and-coming bands and musicians.

april 30 – chill to the poetry & spoken word of asc artist-in-residence Sharrif Simmons, while enjoying manhattan drink specials and food for sale from Salt: Fine Catering.

may 7 –  get the party started with latin beats and dance lessons from DJ Carlos & Latinsoul Productions. plus, killer margarita specials and food for sale from Saturday Gourmet!

may 14 – grab a cocktail from the martini bar, food from Little Savannah, and groove to local favorites
The Martini Shakers.

may 21 –  enjoy southern mint juleps, food from Jim N Nicks Bar-B-Que, and original newgrass from
The Jason Bailey Band.

▪  Beverages from Good People Brewing Company, Johnnygreenseeds Wines, and Morgan Creek Winery

▪  Great local food for sale from Salt:Fine Catering, Little Savannah, Saturday Gourmet, Whole Foods, and Jim N’ Nicks Bar-B-Que

▪  Ticket Giveaways

▪  Eco-friendly vendors and recycling and composting of event materials

▪  Carpooling is encouraged

Become an ASC Junior Patron and enjoy the JP Lounge complete with complimentary beer & wine and delicious food.

Special thanks to the Emerging Arts Leaders Association, Slow Food – Birmingham, Jones Valley Urban Farm, 100.5 FM, the Southern Environmental Center, ASC’s Junior Patron Board, Alabama State Council on the Arts, Whole Foods, Birmingham Weekly, Good People Brewing, and the new Live 100.5.

One of the things about my job I like best is working side-by-side with so many talented people. One of our greatest talents is actor, playwright, and resident oddball Jerry Sims. Jerry not only serves as our House Events Manager, he also writes and directs many of our ASC Kids’ Club productions. His shows have included “Alice’s Tea Party,” “Christmas Comes to Mugwumpville,” and this season’s upcoming masterpiece, “A Dickens Vest Pocket Christmas Carol.”

In this blog, Jerry weighs in on the legendary Smothers Brothers comedy duo and the influence they’ve had on generations…

—

As a teenager I eagerly awaited The Smothers Brothers show each week. I come from a family of disparate political views and outlooks towards life. The Smothers Brothers provided common ground for all of us. They were funny. Yes, they taught me that it was all right to question the norm and look at politics and life in general from something more than a singular, polarized point of view. But in doing so, they were funny. Their rooted influence includes such great American humorists as Mark Twain and Will Rogers. Their legacy of influence may be found in contemporary entertainers such as John Stewart and Lewis Black. Everyone may not have agreed on every message their rants and rages contained, but if you had a sense of humor at all, you had to agree that they were funny.They gave us the likes of musicians such as Richie Havens, Buffalo Springfield and Mason Williams (who wrote CLASSICAL GAS as well as Tommy’s signature song, THE YO-YO MAN).

Any contemporary comedian of note graced their show, and a few lesser known comedians provided a somewhat obscure format for laughter. Who can forget “Pat What’s His Name” and his perennial candidacy for president, or the “Share a Little Tea with Goldie Lady?”

Comedy is complex. A simple breakdown is that one either laughs at or with performers.

With the Smothers Brothers, you did both.

Mom was right.

Jazz guitarist and vocalist John Pizzerelli performs first, then the Smothers Brothers take the stage on Sunday, November 23rd. 

You can experience the next original production written by Jerry Sims: “A Dickens Vest Pocket Christmas Carol” on December 7th. Kids will love this show! Tickets are just $7.

I’m fascinated by Martial Arts and Asian culture, so when I found out the Alys Stephens Center would present Jungua: Descendants of the Dragon this season, I knew I had to see it! The family-friendly show will feature some amazing sights – from Kung Fu moves and weaponry, to acrobatics and contortion. Jungua is similar in style to what you find in a Cirque du Soleil performance, but this show highlights thousands of years of Chinese tradition and culture.

Below is a promotional video for Jungua and below that is an interview with the show’s creator, Mark Edwards McGuire.  You can catch Jungua: Descendants of the Dragon at the ASC on Saturday, November 1 @ 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 2 @ 3 p.m.

Q: How did JUNGUA come about?

MM: It began with (producer) Yan Yan Zhao’s idea to do a Shaolin kungfu show. I really like what the monks do, but it was too narrow of a focus for me. My inspiration was to combine the masculinity of kungfu with the feminine grace and beauty of female contortionists and acrobats. It opened up a world of possibilities.

Q: What is the concept behind the show?

MM: To create a microcosm of traditional Chinese culture and presents it to in a way that is exciting and accessible to western audiences. I wanted to create a great evening of entertainment based on authentic Chinese culture, but without cultural barriers.

Q: What do you mean by “cultural barriers?”

MM: Western audiences have no frame of reference for “Chinese style” acting, storytelling, music and dance. The style has been ingrained in Chinese audiences from birth, and they can appreciate it on a level which we never could. For us, it’s like watching a foreign film without subtitles. It quickly becomes tedious when you don’t understand the “language”.

Q: How do you get around that?

MM: You translate. It is kind of like the artists are “speaking” their native Chinese, but it is being translated for the audience. I see myself as the translator. I want the audience to feel disoriented at first, as if they are in a strange land. Then, as the evening progresses, my job is to help them to gain more and more understanding about that place and its inhabitants. So the cultural aspect is paramount, but at the same time the show has to be dynamic, interesting, and highly entertaining.

Q: Does the show have a storyline?

MM: There is no narrative. We want each member of the audience to think and feel for themselves, to take away their own personal impressions, emotions and discoveries. Our approach is to enlighten and entertain without explanations. Some scenes which are short vignettes, while some are more poetic and still others are like living paintings. I took a lot of inspiration from Chinese history, art, myths, religions, and philosophies, but everything is open to interpretation by the audience. From a creative perspective, the underlying inspiration was the Asian concept of “Yin and Yang” - the opposing forces which create balance in the universe. I wanted to take the audience into a world where beauty and danger live side by side, and you’re never sure which one you will get.

Q: How would you sum up JUNGUA?

MM: More than anything, JUNGUA is a celebration of life and human potential. We can live vicariously through these amazing artists whether they are creating great joy and beauty, or looking fear in the eye and redefining the boundaries of human limitations. Then we can each leave the theater with a smile on our face feeling enlightened, energized and somehow optimistic. For me, that’s what great entertainment is all about.”

I spoke with singer/songwriter Charles Tortorici yesterday to find out what he has in store for kids at the “Rhythms of the Earth” Festival this Sunday at the ASC.

ASC: What can parents and kids expect from your performance at “Rhythms of the Earth?”

Charles: I will perform a variety of original songs and poems that deal with the environment, creativity, and the arts in general. It will be interactive in that I will get the audience to make various percussive rhythms with their voice, along with echoing various words or phrases from the songs/poems. I will also have an interactive piece that celebrates the many rhythms of voice, through words, syllables, and nonsensical syllables.

ASC: What can kids learn from experiencing live performances?

Charles: Children (and adults too) can learn how a writer (be it poet, songwriter, storyteller) uses the rhythm found in words and phrases to create moving, dynamic works of literary art. They will experience the importance of breath to the feel of rhythm in words, as well as see how a songwriter pulls from a variety of topics for creative expression. Encouragement and empowerment to find their own creative voice run throughout the live performance.

ASC: What project are you working on now?

Charles: I’ve been working with a 12-year-old ASFA student Walker Yancey on songs, both his and mine, and sharing writing ideas. It is a mutual creative learning experience. I’m also preparing new material (songs and poems) to perform at schools, festivals, and libraries this coming school year.

Come see Charles perform, along with performances from Nathifa Dance Company, John Scalici and the Get Rhythm performing ensemble, and Celtic band Hooley. Children can engage in hands-on projects, play musical instruments, and learn to make yummy culinary dishes using organic foods. Children also can learn about native Alabama wildlife and flora through brief kid-friendly lectures, demonstrations and other fun activities. Festival participants include Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, Alabama Wildlife Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Theatre, Vulcan Park and Museum, Stevan Grebel Center for Dance and Jones Valley Urban Farm.

Festival sponsors are the Alabama State Council on the Arts, Jane Stephens Comer, National Endowment for the Arts, Southern Arts Federation, Vulcan Materials Company Foundation, The Birmingham News, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Viva Health.