Go wild in December

Okay, there's almost too much going on for any one person to get to, so let's split up and cover all this territory, because it's all fabulous.

For starters, this weekend is your last chance for two stage treats:

Willy Wonka, an extravaganza made possible in part by assistant stage manager Lisa Watson and property master Stacy Bartell, is at the Civic Theatre downtown. Call the box office (269-343-1313) or check their website.

Familiar Faces and Peculiar Places, four one-act plays by different authors, features one directed by Adam Carter. Shows are at 11 p.m. at the Whole Art Studio, 246 N. Kalamazoo Mall. Tickets are only $5, which includes coffee and doughnuts.

For your visual arts and Christmas shopping enjoyment:

"More Small Work," the Blue Water Gallery's holiday show, opens Friday, December 12, with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. and continues through January 7. Note, though, that the gallery will be closed from December 28 to January 4. It's located at 8860 N. 32nd Street.

And, of course, there's music:

Friday, December 12, Dave Marlatt, as part of Marlatt and Woodworth, plays traditional Irish music at the London Grill Singapore in downtown Kalamazoo from 8 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, December 13, 'round 9 p.m., Jordan Lunardini plays blues at the Stagecoach Barn, behind the Blackhawk Grill at that intersection of M-89, M-43, and C Avenue.

Insider's tip: On Sunday, December 14, at the First Presbyterian Church of Richland, veteran New York Metropolitan Opera basso Kenneth Young will sing a selection from Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Trumpeter Mike McMinn will accompany him, and that's also the day that the church choir presents its special annual festival of Christmas music and the spoken word. That's all during the regular church service at 9:45 a.m.

And Monday, December 15, the Gull Lake High School Choir sings for the season at the High School cafeteria at 7 p.m.

That should keep us all busy and happy all weekend. More to follow!

Please note, Performing Arts Foundation folk, that at Thursday's meeting, our longtime regular meeting day was changed. Notwithstanding what's printed in the Footlights newsletter that you're about to receive, the new meeting time for PAF will be 6:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month, starting in January. So our next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 13, at 6:30 p.m. at the Richland Area Community Center. But we'll surely see you all before then!

Pre-Thanksgiving Blues

Nah, not that kind. The fun kind. Come on out. Everyone will be in town Wednesday night, and most of them will, no doubt, be found at the Stagecoach Barn (behind the Blackhawk Grill at M-89/M-43 and C Avenue), having a lovely beverage and enjoying some good blues with our own Jordan Lunardini. The festivities get under way about 8 p.m. See you there!

Jordan plays there again on Saturday, December 13.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

October is hopping!

It's all in full swing! Get out your calendar and write these dates down so you don't miss anything. Lots of community and arts events, including some great chances to see Gull Lake alumni in action. Go!

Friday and Saturday, Oct. 5 and 6: Gull Lake's own Jordan Lunardini and the Bad Beat play fantastic blues and rock at the Stagecoach Barn at the Blackhawk, M-89 and C Avenue in Richland, 9 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 7: Kellogg Biological Station Share the Harvest Open House, 1 - 5 p.m. Bring the family to visit the Kellogg Manor House, the Bird Sanctuary, the Dairy Center, and the Farming Systems Center. Admission and all the fun activities are free, but visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank.

Sunday, Oct. 7: Flosstradamus plays on a bill with other top Chicago alternative musicians at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, 1 - 6 p.m. Flosstradamus has been playing dates all over the country and returns to home base in Chicago for this very prestigious AND cool event celebrating the MCA's 40th anniversary.

Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 8 and 9: Gull Lake Area Rotary Club Spaghetti Dinner at the new Gull Lake High School, 5 - 7:30 p.m., $10 adults, $5 kids. More info in previous post.

Thursday, Oct. 11: Please note time change! Performing Arts Foundation meeting, usually held on the second Thursday of the month, will not meet on Oct. 11. We'll meet this month on October 18 instead! See below.

Friday, Oct. 12 through Oct. 27: Shakespeare's MacBeth at the Parish Theatre at the Civic in Kalamazoo, with at least two PAC alumni that I know of: Stacy Bartell serving as tech director, and James Perra as Lennox.

Saturday, Oct. 13: Jordan Lunardini and the Bad Beat play blues at Billy's Lounge, 1437 Wealthy SE in Grand Rapids, 9 p.m., $5. (It's a bar, so we assume you need to be 21 or over.)

Sunday, Oct. 14: Rich Ridenour, piano, and Barry Ross, violin, play Mozart, Billy Joel, hillbilly fiddle, and everything in between in the first Village Green Arts concert of the season at First Presbyterian Church in Richland, 3 p.m., freewill donation.

Thursday, Oct. 18: New date, this month only: Performing Arts Foundation meeting, 6:30, Richland Area Community Center. All are invited.

Friday, Oct. 26: Give yourself a Halloween scare at the Murder Mystery specialty dinner, 6:30 p.m. at the W.K. Kellogg Manor House at Kellogg Biological Station. Cost is $60 per person plus tax and gratuity. The Theatre Arts Production Company will perform the Murder Mystery. Reservations required. Call the KBS Conference Center, (269) 671-2400 or e-mail conference@kbs.msu.edu for info or reservations.

Wednesday, Oct. 31: Fractal plays at Kraftbrau in Kalamazoo for a Halloween show with Bones Brothers and Ceiling Star, 9 p.m, $5.

Looking ahead: Call now for tickets for a cooking class--"Quick and Easy Holiday Foods"--with Deanna House on Thursday, November 1, 6:30 p.m. at the Richland Area Community Center. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Call Faye at 629-9430 for tickets.

Find a date between Nov. 15 and Dec. 15 and put the Whole Art Theatre's production of Bat Boy on your calendar. GL alumnus Adam Carter is the choreographer and alumna Lisa Watson is assistant stage manager for this musical ripped from the tabloid headlines.