Holiday season calendar update

Wow! You get behind for a week or so and suddenly the calendar fills up and overflows. There's no excuse for idleness these next few weeks. We have places to go, friends to see. Enjoy!

November 30 and December 1, 7, 8, 15, and 16, 8 p.m.: Batboy the Musical at the Epic Theatre Mainstage, 359 South Kalamazoo Mall. Don't miss our own Adam Carter in the title role; he also serves as choreographer. And Gull Lake alumna Lisa Watson is at the technical helm. Tickets $22 general admission, $18 seniors, and $14 students.

December 1, Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.: Holiday and craft sale, Richland Area Community Center. Stop in for great gifts, Jacobson's clothes, and tasty food.

December 1, Saturday: Gull Lake bands holiday concerts at Gull Lake High School: 6th grade band plays at 1 p.m.; 7th and 8th grade band plays at 3 p.m.; Gull Lake High School Band plays at 5 p.m. Hint: Band shirts make great gifts . . . see the Spirit Shop order form.

December 1, Saturday, 8 p.m.: Whiskey Before Breakfast Christmas Cavalcade at The Box Factory, St. Joseph. Tickets $8, seniors and students $6. Traditional Irish music.

December 1, Saturday, 8 p.m.: Jordan Lunardini plays blues at Louie's in Kalamazoo.

December 1, Saturday, 10 p.m.: Combat Corduroy plays at Rugger’s Up & Under, 711 W. Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo.

December 2 and 3, Sunday and Monday, 7 p.m.: Auditions for The Art of the One-Act for the Whole Art Late Night Series, playing in the Whole Art Studio January 11 - 19. Note, however, that the auditions will be held in the Epic Theatre, not the Studio. This set of four one-act plays includes The Nancy, written by Gull Lake's own Bethany Gibson Gauthier.

December 4, Tuesday, 2 p.m.: Dickens Tea at Kellogg Manor House, MSU Kellogg Biological Station. $22.00 for adults, $14.00 for children, including the tea, taxes and gratuity. Pre-paid reservations are requested. To reserve a table, please call (269) 671-2416 or e-mail manorhouse@kbs.msu.edu. Also check out the holiday walks, dinners, and brunches at the Manor House.

December 5, Wednesday, 2 p.m.: Nutcracker Tea at Kellogg Manor House, MSU Kellogg Biological Station. $22.00 for adults, $14.00 for children, including the tea, taxes and gratuity. Pre-paid reservations are requested. To reserve a table, please call (269) 671-2416 or e-mail manorhouse@kbs.msu.edu.

December 6, Thursday, 5:30 - 8 p.m.: Wassailing Night in Richland. Wander the village enjoying refreshments and entertainment.

December 7, Friday, 9:30 p.m.: Jordan Lunardini plays blues at Billy's in Grand Rapids.

December 8, Saturday, 5 - 11 p.m.: "I See Stars" Battle of the Bands, with Rising Vacancy and others, Richland Area Community Center, $8.

December 9 and 10, Sunday and Monday, 7 p.m.: Auditions for Shakespeare in Hollywood at the Civic Theatre, Kalamazoo, for performances February 8 – 23.

December 11, Tuesday, 2 p.m.: Poinsettia Tea at Kellogg Manor House, MSU Kellogg Biological Station. $22.00 for adults, $14.00 for children, including the tea, taxes and gratuity. Pre-paid reservations are requested. To reserve a table, please call (269) 671-2416 or e-mail manorhouse@kbs.msu.edu.

December 12, Wednesday, 2 p.m.: Gingerbread Tea at Kellogg Manor House, MSU Kellogg Biological Station. $22.00 for adults, $14.00 for children, including the tea, taxes and gratuity. Pre-paid reservations are requested. To reserve a table, please call (269) 671-2416 or e-mail manorhouse@kbs.msu.edu.

December 13, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.: GLCS Performing Arts Foundation meeting. Please note a change of venue: We're meeting this month only at the Hanavans' house. If you need directions, e-mail performingartsfoundation@gmail.com

December 14, Friday, 8 p.m.: Jordan Lunardini and the Bad Beat play blues at the State Theatre in Kalamazoo as part of a Wonderful’s Reunion Jam with Howard and the White Boys, Biscuit Miller, and all your favorite local blues players. $10; $8 with WRKR Club Card.

December 18, Tuesday, 2 p.m.: Holly and Ivy Tea at Kellogg Manor House, MSU Kellogg Biological Station. $22.00 for adults, $14.00 for children, including the tea, taxes and gratuity. Pre-paid reservations are requested. To reserve a table, please call (269) 671-2416 or e-mail manorhouse@kbs.msu.edu.

November so soon!

And once again we find ourselves launched into a month full of eventful happenings. No excuse for sitting at home for even one moment. By the way, we've all missed our fleeting chance to see Flosstradamus this month, unless we find ourselves in various east coast cities, Canada, or London or Paris. Congrats to the lads! We'll have to get over to Chicago to catch them when they return from this fantastic tour. But, meanwhile, we can recommend some fab events closer to home . . .

November 4, Sunday: All-Star Poetry & Fiction Reading, concert and party to benefit the NTAF Great Lakes Bone Marrow Transplant Fund in honor of Julie Moulds Rybicki. Featuring the poetry and fiction of some of our greatest local writers, including Conrad Hilberry, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Bill Olsen, Nancy Eimers, Jack Ridl, Jackie Bartley, Rodney Torreson, Diane Seuss, David Lee, Elizabeth Kerlikowske, Andy Mozina, Danna Ephland, Gail Martin, Greg Rappleye, Nina feirer, Dave Marlatt, Susan Ramsey, John Rybicki and Julie Moulds Rybicki--some of whom you'll recognize as not just local in a general way but actually from our Richland neighborhood. Music will be provided by Richlander Dave Marlatt and the Rambling Boys of Pleasure as well as American roots acoustic music by Solid Geometry. There will also be a silent auction of arts, crafts and signed books. Sunday at the Kraftbrau, 402 East Kalamazoo Avenue, 3 - 7:30 p.m., $5.

November 8, Thursday: Performing Arts Foundation meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Richland Area Community Center. All are invited!

November 9 and 10, Friday and Saturday: Crawlspace Eviction celebrates the most glorious sketches from their archives in Crawlspace Eviction's Greatest Hits. Don't miss the fun as our pal Adam Carter and the rest of the improv comedy gang reprise all of your faves. 8 p.m. at the Whole Art Studio 246, 246 N. Kalamazoo Mall, admission $7 for students, $10 for adults.

And, coming up . . .

December 1, Saturday: Holiday arts, crafts, and gifts sale at the Richland Area Community Center, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

December 1, Saturday: Whiskey Before Breakfast, traditional Irish band that includes fiddler/poet Dave Marlatt of Richland, plays a Christmas Cavalcade concert, 8 p.m. at the Box Factory for the Arts in St. Joseph, admission $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors; children 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult.

December 7, Friday: Jordan Lunardini and the Bad Beat, great blues from Jordan, Matt, et al., at Billy's, 1437 Wealthy in Grand Rapids, 9:30 p.m. It's a bar, so this show is only for the age-appropriate.