Center for the Arts

Sing along with Feist

 

A nearly full Mainstage listened with rapt attention as Ms. Feist encouraged the audience to "rough it up" and sing along with her at last night's concert.  At one point she offered opener Hayden's merchandise to the audience that could mimic her soft note the loudest, singling out the center, left and right sections.  Through much of the concert, the audience's attention was as much on the exquisite projected imagery as the accompanying songs.

"Perhaps the main reason for the show’s success is the singer’s organic, visually engrossing approach to stage design," says The Buffalo News.  Read the rest of the review online, or download a PDF

Local Business Spotlight: Niagara Hobby & Craft

The businesses that advertise in the Center's playbill are often local, WNY-based small businesses that value arts supporters.  In an ongoing series, we would like to spotlight some of our partners by telling you a little more about them.  When you support our advertisers, tell them you saw them here.

Niagara Hobby & Craft
3366 Union Road at Walden Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14225
716-681-1666
www.niagarahobby.com

Immediately recognized by its fully restored big red 1949 caboose, Niagara Hobby & Craft is one of the most unique stores in Western New York.  It was founded by John Kavulich, Sr., in 1986 as an extension of his 1954 venture, Niagara Model & Train Distributors.  Both companies are now owned by John Kavulich, Jr., since his father's passing in 2003.

Home of the largest craft and hobby collection anywhere in the United States, Niagara Hobby offers everything from scale model trains and science kits to craft supplies and dollhouses.  With something for everyone, Niagara Hobby is the ideal place for families to continue traditions or to start new ones of their own.

Active within the community, Niagara Hobby awards two scholarships to promising entrepreneurs at Maryvale and Cleveland Hill high schools each year.  And, if you visit around Christmas, there is a good chance of spotting Santa on the back of the caboose!

Preview: The Song Remains the Same

By Jeffrey Levine

Although the 2007-2008 season at the Center for the Arts is quickly coming to a close, there is no need to be sad with an event-filled 2008-2009 season quickly approaching. As they say in the theatre, ‘The show must go on,’ but since we’re going to be talking about music, perhaps, ‘Play it again Sam’ would be more appropriate.

Having brought such world-class performances to Buffalo such as: Fosse, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and The Producers, the Center for the Arts is pleased to complement its ever-growing Broadway repertoire with the best part of Broadway; the songs.

Three Broadway Divas (Feb. 14, 2009) prove that if one of something is good, three must be quite a bit better. Audience members can expect to hear a tour de force blend of all their favorite Broadway standards.

A little more “Rhapsody In Blue” than “Oklahoma,” Michael Feinstein (Oct. 3, 2008) began playing piano by ear at the age of five. Moving on to weddings and local piano lounges, Feinstein worked as Ira Gershwin’s assistant for six years beginning in 1977 and recorded several then unpublished works. The four-time Grammy Award Nominee is regarded as one of the premiere interpreters of American popular song.

Citing influences ranging from Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand to classical/jazz soprano Eileen Farrell, Linda Eder (Nov. 14, 2008) has the very rare talent of taking classics and truly making them her own. Drawing from a diverse musical background that includes everything from an unprecedented run on Star Search to performing on Broadway, Eder captures the true nature of each song with great clarity and beauty. This fall will mark Eder’s fourth appearance at the Center for the Arts.

Although Buffalo certainly has an affinity for Beethoven, Brahms and Barber, the classic music heard at the Center for the Arts next season will be more of the rock variety.

Elvis may have left the building, but Scot Bruce and Mike Albert bring the 1950s and 1970s Elvis back to life respectively as part of Blue Suede Shoes: The Ultimate Elvis Bash (Feb. 21, 2009). Hailed by the media as well as old musicians who played with the King as impressionists of the highest caliber, the two have quite a catalogue to choose from as well as a few choice dance moves.

In the same tribute spirit, Classics Albums Live will present Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 release “Rumours.” Reproducing the entire 19-time platinum album note for note, and cut for cut, if you close your eyes you’ll think that Stevie Nicks is singing such hits as “Dreams” and “Gold Dust Woman.”

Named after Bartok, the famed Hungarian composer, Béla Fleck has always had large musical shoes to fill. Bringing together the flaming fingers of Jeff Coffin (sax), passionate pyrotechnics of Victor Wooten (bass) and the visionary stylings of Victor’s brother “Future Man” (percussion & Drumitar), Béla Fleck and the Flecktones (Dec. 10, 2008) are an eclectic mix of bluegrass, jazz and classical. Those who have seen the quartet at the Center know that this is one performance to put on the calendar well in advance.

Although the Center for the Arts will not pit Béla against Noam Pikelny in dueling banjos, they are proud to welcome the Punch Brothers (Nov. 17, 2008) to their 2008-2009 schedule. Founded by former Nickel Creek member and Béla Fleck collaborator Chris Thile, the Brothers have a straight-ahead bluegrass sound with hints of classical and folk music blended in like the harmonies of a finely tuned chord.

For those in search of even more fiddling, Natalie MacMaster’s (Mar. 11, 2009) fierce yet refined bow strokes mesmerize audiences while her rhythmic step dancing quickens quite a few pulses. The niece of famed fiddler Buddy MacMaster, Natalie has forged her own reputation for subtly pushing the boundaries of Celtic music into passionate sonorities of great intensity and expression.

Self-described as “A family. A musical group of brothers and sisters, a sound, a style of music, a way of life, a volcanic explosion of talent and energy, intense emotion, and feral passion,” Leahy (Dec. 11, 2008) are one of the great family bands of all time. The Canadian octet features guitar, bass, percussion, vocals, dancing and an armory of fiddlers performing Celtic music.

No winter would be complete without milk, cookies and the The Irish Tenors (Dec. 12, 2008). With a blend of classical training and romantic singing, the Tenors are able to seamlessly sing contemporary songs alongside traditional Irish melodies without missing a beat.

Ticket on sale dates for these and even more 2008-09 events will be announced soon. To keep up with the latest events, patrons are encouraged to join the Center’s email list at www.ubcfa.org.

Local Business Spotlight: Frey Electric Constriction Co.

The businesses that advertise in the Center's playbill are often local, WNY-based small businesses that value arts supporters.  In an ongoing series, we would like to spotlight some of our partners by telling you a little more about them.  When you support our advertisers, tell them you saw them here.

Frey Electric Construction Co.
100 Pearce Ave.
Tonawanda, NY 14150
716-8741710
www.frey-electric.com

Founded in 1945, Freye Electric Construction Co. has established a reputation for quality within the business and industrial sectors.  Working on large-scale projects ranging from Ralph Wilson Stadium and the Buffalo Zoo to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Seneca Niagara Casino, Frey Electric is able to offer the same attention to detail and commitment to quality within the residential sector.

Offering a variety of services for the home, Frey specializes in security and safety installations such as fire alarms, home generators, burglar alarms, and communications systems.  Additionally, Frey can help upgrade the quality of your home experience with home theater installations, spa/pool/jacuzzi wiring, and new lighting systems.

Frey's 250 employees are ready to assist you with the benefit of their experience and provide emergency and service support 24 hours a day.  Many of the key electricians have over 20 years of on-the-job knowledge, and all employees are required to take a specialized course in safety designed by Frey's full-time safety director.

Conscious of the environment's well-being as much as their clients', Frey offers a recycling program to reduce the amount of hazardous waste and is currently working on the Noble Bliss Wind Park to install windmill power.

Backstage Broadway

By Jeffrey Levine

The lights go on, the curtain comes up and the actors take the stage. But how was it all created?

The hallmark of any good production is the audiences’ lack of recognition that they have just seen a show. Rendering the audience unaware of all the mechanisms that went into staging the illusion, the production team simultaneously exists as both craftsmen and conjurers. It is the people behind the scenes, on the scaffolding, and up in the booth that are forced to solve technical problems while creating magic.

Far away from the glitz and glimmer of Broadway, however, are the realities of tech work. Starting before the actors take the stage and working after they are finished, it is the production team that is responsible for setting up all of the sound, lighting, and scenery that will be used in the show. But before the tech runs can even begin, all of the equipment has to be unloaded from the tractortrailers, about three to six trucks worth.

“On the first day, a crew of about 60 stage hands will unload the majority of the equipment,” said Bryan Sidorowicz, Director of Production for the Center for the Arts. “After load-in, the next few days up until ‘show day’ are very repetitive. Some tech [runs] last two days, others ten, but each day there’s a morning crew call to do technical notes, scenery fixes, lighting fixes, and sound fixes. Then there’s the afternoon and evening rehearsals. Sometimes it’s rehearsing scenes over and over again. Sometimes it’s doing run-throughs of the entire show. And sometimes it’s jumping from cue to cue to work out programming.”

Although hard work and long days are not unusual in the Broadway business, on or off the stage, what is incredible about the shows being put on at Backstage Broadway University of Buffalo is that they often have student volunteers working on the productions. Learning firsthand what it means to be in the business, UB students are able to supplement their academic classes by working side by side with their professional counterparts. “I think students from every discipline come to college with a pre-conceived idea of what they will be doing ‘in their field.’Working at the Center for the Arts provides the real world experience they don’t get in class,” Sidorowicz explained.

“I think it’s vital to show students who desire to work in this field what it really means to be in Technical Theater. I think it really opens an undergrad’s eyes, both positively and sometimes negatively, to what the business is all about. Working these techs also exposes students to current technologies in lighting, sound and automation that aren’t taught at UB. Techs, by their nature, expose the students to real problems that need real solutions. Solutions that then go on the road all over the country.”

Gaining real world experience, the knowledge UB students receive from their work at the Center for the Arts translates into new creative aspirations, and in some cases, a new gig.

“I was on tour with The Full Monty after Fosse, for about six months. Fosse was kind of a test run for me and the touring company, like a two-week interview,” UB alumni Rebecca Wolf said. “I am in Graduate School in Maryland right now getting an MFA in Lighting Design and I still keep in touch with some of the people I met on Fosse today. The facilities at UB are amazing and allow a really unique experience for undergrads there to interact with touring technicians, designers and performers. It’s quite rare, I’m discovering lately, and I hope the students there know how much they actually have at their fingertips.”

Working with local theatres such as Studio Arena and Shea’s in addition to Broadway, the techs who set up shop in the CFA seem to get as much out of the runs as their young protégés do.

“Everyone loves it. Everyone has been the “novice” at some point in their careers,” Sidorowicz said. “It’s amazing to see how much they embrace the students and work with them in every way they can. I can’t think of a better way to expose students to this field.”

Feist wins 5 Canadian Music Awards

Feist, performing at the Center for the Arts May 1, has won five Junos.  Full story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080407/music_nm/junos_dc;_ylt=AjWarnCJnYcceGbpP

Local Business Spotlight: Cold Stone Creamery

The businesses that advertise in the Center's playbill are often local, WNY-based small businesses that value arts supporters.  In an ongoing series, we would like to spotlight some of our partners by telling you a little more about them.  When you support our advertisers, tell them you saw them here.

Cold Stone Creamery
Three Locations in Western New York. Visit www.coldstonecreamery.com to find the one nearest you.

With 20 freshly made flavors, over 50 toppings, and an endless amount of combinations, Cold Stone Creamery fulfills their mission statement of making people happy with each dish they serve.
Cold Stone Creamery uses only the best ingredients, and their 'ice cream artists' are eager to help you design your own personal treat.  To help ensure that everyone is able to enjoy Cold Stone, it is certified Kosher and a separate stone is used for people with nut allergies.  Although the ice cream contains milk, the sorbets are not only lactose but also gluten free.

Since opening in Buffalo in 2005, Cold Stone Creamery has helped to serve the community through their work with SABAH, Center for the Arts, Children's Hospital and the Make a Wish Foundation among others.  Cold Stone Creamery has opened two more stores since their arrival, with a fourth planned in the near future.

Center for the Arts Receives Five Telly Awards

The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo announces that it has been selected to receive five Telly Awards in recognition of the television productions: Music is Art LIVE @ The Center; Bullseye; and The Mystical Arts of Tibet.

Thomas Burrows, Executive Director of the Center for the Arts states, "In less than three years, the television productions initiated by the Center for the Arts have already achieved national recognition.  This is a testament to the fine work performed by the professional staff involved in this enterprise, and we are grateful for their special talents."

The television productions and related Telly Awards are as follows:
Music is Art LIVE @ the Center -- Three Telly Awards for entertainment, editing, and lighting
Music is Art LIVE @ The Center celebrates Western New York's best contemporary musicians and visual artists in a series of weekly live performances in the Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo. Each episode highlights the intimate original musical performances, visual arts demonstrations and the stories behind the artist's work. To date Music is Art LIVE @ The Center has presented 41 free shows with 10,000 total attendees.  The program has reached one million households. The programs have featured 81 Musical Artists representing over 25 music genres, and 125 Visual Artists are featured representing over 25 different mediums.  The Center has received a total of seven Telly Awards for this program to date.

The Mystical Arts of Tibet -- Telly Award for cultural programming
Actor Richard Gere and other Tibetan experts share their insights on the ritual ceremonies and culture of Tibet, as seen during a visit by the Dalai Lama to the University at Buffalo in 2006.  In celebration of the historic visit, a group of Buddhist monks in residence at the Center for the Arts create a traditional sand mandala and perform sacred music and dance, sharing their unique cultural heritage.

Bullseye -- Telly Award for sports documentary Produced from August 2007 - March 2008, Bullseye features UB Bulls football, basketball and other team sports. The Center for the Arts is dedicated to the cultural enrichment of the University at Buffalo and its surrounding communities through the presentation of public arts and cultural events of the highest quality. Celebrating the creative process through innovative programming, the Center crosses socio-economic, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries.  The Center nurtures excellence and innovation in the arts through education, presentation, community service, and research in the visual and performing arts, while broadening the base of understanding, appreciation, and support for the arts through meaningful community partnerships.

Local Business Spotlight: Dick Stein Advertising

The businesses that advertise in the Center's playbill are often local, WNY-based small businesses that value arts supporters.  In an ongoing series, we would like to spotlight some of our partners by telling you a little more about them.  When you support our advertisers, tell them you saw them here.

Dick Stein Advertising, Inc.
Dick Stein – 835-2202
72 Capen Blvd. Buffalo 14226
www.dicksteinadvertising.com

Founded 30 years ago upon the idea that “promotions create results,” Dick Stein Advertising, Inc. has helped a variety of companies in the Western New York area to develop commercial awareness, create interest, and add to revenue.

Working with different elements of the commercial, service, manufacturing, and non-profit sectors, Dick Stein Advertising works with and evaluates the individual goals of each organization it advises. Regardless of whether these goals are event specific or long term, DSA highlights potential challenges and proposes ways to overcome them, all while offering the benefit of their many business contacts.

Using a wide array of products and apparel such as caps, jackets, watches, clocks, mugs, and glasses, Dick Stein ensures that the name and message of a company is able to reach the consumer. Offering custom printing, art consultation, logo design, and custom made tradeshow booths, Dick Stein Advertising is willing to work with any organization to meet their goals, be they big or small.

Music is Art LIVE @ the Center-Season 6 Premieres Tuesday April 1st 8:30p Thinkbright-TV

Music is Art Live @ The Center

Television Series Airs Tuesday Nights from 8:30p-9p and Sundays 1a-2a on WNED's Thinkbright-TV beginning April 1st

We are pleased to announce that we will premiere season six (shot this past fall) of the Music is Art LIVE @ The Center television series beginning on Tuesday April 1^st from 8:30p-9p on WNED operated Thinkbright-TV (www.thinkbright.org), which is available locally and state-wide.  Music is Art LIVE @ The Center celebrates Western New York's best contemporary musicians and visual artists in a series of weekly live performances in the Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo. Each episode highlights the intimate original musical performances, visual arts demonstrations and the stories behind the artist's work.

All previous MIA LIVE seasons are also in rotation regularly on Thinkbright-TV on Sundays from 1a-2a. The program is also distributed to 7,400 UB students through UB Campus Cable, and to all 64 SUNY campuses and over a half-million cable TV subscribers through the New York Network, a state-wide educational program service based in Albany. Music is Art LIVE @ the Center is also the recipient of 7 Telly awards for entertainment programming, lighting design and editing and is the premier national award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs.

More information on the series can be found on www.ubcfa.org and at www.myspace.com/mialiveatthecenter

BROADCAST SCHEDULE ON THINKBRIGHT-TV:

Episode 601 Tuesday, April 1^st  8:30p

Features musical artists Marc Scibilia and GAEA; visual artists Daniel V. Calleri and Becky Koenig

Episode 602 Tuesday, April 8^th  8:30p

Features musical artists Tina Marie Williams and LeeRon Zydeco & The Hot Tamales; visual artists Kevin Kline and Chary L. Robbins 

Episode 603 Tuesday, April 22^nd 8:30p

Features musical artists JoAnn Vacarro and Goodbye Houston; visual artists Diane Bond and David Huebsch

Episode 604 Tuesday, April 29^th 8:30p

Features musical artists Andy Mac and David Kane’s Them Jazzbeards; visual artists Val Dunne and Carolyn McNamara

Episode 605 Tuesday, May 5^th  8:30p

Features musical artists Amungus; visual artists Jason Lee Klinger and Vorcan

Episode 606 Tuesday, May 20^th  8:30p

Features musical artists Geno McManus and Alison Pipitone Band; visual artists Rosemarie Cardoso and Jennifer Seth-Cimini

Selected Music is Art LIVE @ The Center Highlights:

· Presented 41 free, entertaining shows with 10000 attending patrons to this drug & alcohol-free event

· Produced 41 episodes of original award winning cultural programming

· 1,000,000 Western New York households will have seen the television programs

· 7,400 UB Campus residents are exposed to the show 14 times per week

· 81 Musical Artists are featured representing over 25 music genres

· 125 Visual Artists are featured representing over 25 different mediums

· 55 staff and crew members per semester make this production possible

· Provided 82 students educational opportunities by way of our professional internship program

· Recipient of seven Telly Awards for Lighting Design, Editing and Entertainment programming