Athens DIY Homebrew Competition!

Celebrate Ohio Brew Week!

July 15, 2009, 5 - 10 p.m.

Homebrew Keg Competition, Hosted by Eric Hedin, Athens Do It Yourself Shop. $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Arts West, 132 W. State St. Click here for tickets.

So much to do

So keep your chins up! I don't know who I am going to attend all of the million of events that are happening this weekend but I am fairly certain we will be host one of the only alcohol-free events this Saturday, so now that I've got your attention:

Aquabear continues their regular series of shows at ARTS/West this Saturday, July 18 with We March, Coshocton, and Colonies.

We March
www.myspace.com/wemarch
A great mix of dirty 80’s hardcore, crazed acid punk, and a slightly bluesy underpinning that doesn’t feel forced in any way. – by John Geek, MAXIMUMROCKNROLL

Coshocton
oculusauris.com/coshocton
Drummer Nate Scheible and Guitarist Todd Jacops used to play in the Athens, Ohio based band Small Object A. This is their new project. They will be performing an improvised instrumental set of rock and roll goodness.

Colonies
www.myspace.com/coloniesohio
Brian Koscho (Casual Future) and possibly a few others will be performing a set of rumbling loops with diatribes from famous historical figures.
_____

POTLUCK STARTS AT 8pm, MUSIC AT 9pm (sharp)

Pay $3 at the door or help support Good Works by bringing some non- perishable, non-expired food and get in FREE!

Food will go to support Good Works' Summer Discovery Club for kids and a SUMMER LUNCH for children and adults. Last summer, they served around 1700 nutritious meals and are hoping to once again provide this and a warm atmosphere each day to people who are struggling.

Meals will be served following their Kids Discovery Club every day (M-F) at The Plains UM Church between 11:30 am - 1:00 pm for 8 weeks.

All ages, no alcohol.

July 4th ARTS CELEBRATION & COMMUNITY PICNIC

July 4th ARTS CELEBRATION & COMMUNITY PICNIC

10 am - 5 pm in Bicentennial Park (on East Park Drive behind the Athens city pool)

Here is the list of artists that are participating -
Amanda Buchanan - glass
Beth Graham - jewelry
Don & Lori Hibbard - wood
Dave & Janet Gustafson - glass
Laurie Vancouver - pottery
Rene Olson - pottery
Carolyn Khurshid - soaps/lotions (demonstrating)
Teresa Bailey - wood
Louise Goebel - fiber arts (demonstrating)
Carmen Schultz - pottery
Jennifer Krisch - jewelry
Mike West - wood
Rick Crooks - metal
Jerry Swank - leather (demonstrating)
Susan Abramovitz - pottery
Kelly Lawrence - ceramic sculpture
Megan Almeida-Featheringham - fiber arts (demonstrating)
Judy Well - jewelry

Artist/craftspeople are selling their work and/or demonstrating and there will be a silent art auction which includes many pieces of art and much more. Part of the proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association in the name of Marianna Mitchell, one of our members who recently passed away.

Miscellaneous vendors:
Ben Molina - balloon animals & hats
Kate Enger - juggler
Jeanette Ammon - massage
Patty Crooks - face painter
Humble Play: Appalachian New Play Festival - baked goods

Kid's activities:
make-n-take arts & crafts
games

Food vendors:
Kiser's BBQ Shack
Ali Baba's
Larry's Dog House Ice Cream truck is expected to stop by

Music performances:
Leah Nairn 10:30 - 11:30
Bruce & Gay Dalzell 11:30 - 12:30
Boys of the Hock 12:30 - 1:30
Casts of ABC Players' production of "Quilters" 1:30 - 2 & OVST's production of "Oliver" 2 - 2:30
Amethystone 2:30 - 3:30
Charlie & Celia Lewis 3:30 - 4:30
Musicians will be selling their CDs and OVST will have a drawing for tickets to "Oliver".

Sponsors:
ALPACA (Athens Local Professional Artist & Craftsman Association)
Athens Community Arts, Parks & Recreation
Charlie & Celia Lewis (www.charlieandcelia.com)
AMAC (Athens Municipal Arts Commission)

We are hoping to bring back the tradition of the community picnic in Athens on the 4th of July with this event. There will be tables and chairs for eating but also plenty of room for throwing a blanket on the ground under the trees for a picnic. The food vendors will have plenty of food and beverage choices but, if you prefer, you can bring your own grill to prepare your own meal. Please, no smoking, no alcohol and no glass containers.

Arts in Crisis

Arts Funding Crisis in Ohio

Take Action!

As the economy in Ohio worsens, Governor Ted Strickland abandoned his long aversion to gambling and endorsed a slot machine at racetrack provision which he estimates will bring in more than $900 million during the next biennium, beginning July 1. In addition, he has proposed $2.4 billion in cuts to Ohio departments, agencies and commissions. The Ohio Arts Council, which had an appropriation of $25 million at the beginning of the current biennium and, because of the Governor's cuts during this biennium, which actually received and spent $21 million will suffer further cuts if the Governor's proposals are approved by the Conference Committee on HB 1 (the budget) and pass the House and Senate.

The Governor proposes that the Ohio Arts Council have $13,188,578 to spend in the next biennium (July 1, 2009-June 30, 2011). This would take us back to near the level of 1985 spending. We are in an historic economic collapse, certainly worse in Ohio than in the Country as a whole. There are those few in the Legislature who advocate (we are told because no one has publicly said this) that the Ohio Arts Council be eliminated. In what should be the last week before the approval of the budget, it is imperative that we reinforce to every member of the Legislature and the Governor our message of the importance of the arts in so many aspects of our citizen's lives, but especially EDUCATION and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

We must also tell them that we understand the nature of our economy and the tough economic decisions that they have on their plates. But, what we propose, for very little monies, out of a $55 billion budget, is to help them with partial solutions to their most vexing problems. We are now at the final act of our budget play, we have the power to see that this play has a happier ending than presently appears. I quote again the old Anglican hymn "Let us march with vigor on!"

Please take action today and ask four friends to join you in making contact with their legislators.

William P. Blair

Legislative Counsel

Ohio Citizens for the Arts

Dead Line Approching Humble Play 2009 playwright app

Humble Play will be presented September 28 – October 3, 2009
APPLICATION INFORMATION: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dff4vs3w_23g84m8phh
Playwright applications must be postmarked June 29, 2009.

The Corporation for the Performing arts in partnership with ARTS/West is pleased to invite submissions from adventurous playwrights to participate in our 4th Annual Humble Play: Appalachian New Play Festival.

Acknowledging gifted writers with new plays that speak to a regional audience, ARTS/West will open its doors for these new works.

PARTICIPATION: We are seeking plays that will highlight the work and the playwrights, actors and directors of Appalachia generally and Southeastern Ohio specifically.

A script committee will review each play submitted. Be concise and clear in your application; the committee is interested in your evaluation of the work you are submitting, which is where you impress.

APPLICATIONS: Applications will be accepted no later than June 29, 2009. All applications must be postmarked on or before June 29, 2009.

THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS

There is a $20.00 application fee for each submission. Checks and money orders should be made out to “The Corporation for the Performing Arts.” The application fee is required to cover the costs of having copies made of each project for the reading committees. The application fee will be waived if the playwright makes copies of their submissions (a minimum of 7 copies of each project is needed).

You may not submit more than two projects and each project must be submitted as a separate application with its fee.

ACCEPTANCE: All applicants will receive notification of the result of this application. Notification will be emailed in mid-August. At this time, successful applicants will receive further instructions. Accepted plays will be presented to the public during the week of September 28 – October 3, 2009, in the form of a staged reading in the ARTS/West performance space. The committee will choose the best pairing of local theater company with each play. Your play cannot have had a fully staged production before.

What do you think?

Please help us out- take this survey!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DN4HuUAPBrKa4bLP95tc1A_3d_3d
Thank you!

Not quite June but what the heck

Your Lost Flamingo Company, Ohio University's only
student-theater group, presents....

Reefer Madness: The Musical

by Dan Studney & Kevin Murphy

4 OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE THE SHOW!!!:
Friday, May 29 @ 7PM
Saturday, May 30 @ 7PM
Friday, June 5 @ 7PM
Saturday, June 6 @ 2PM
$5.00 at the door

ARTS/West (132 W. State St.)
Athens, OH

Inspired by the original 1936 film of the same name, this raucous musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana, leading them on a hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. You won't be able to resist the spoofy fun of REEFER MADNESS. The addictive and clever musical numbers range from big Broadway-style showstoppers to swing tunes like "Down at the Ol' Five and Dime" and the Vegas-style "Listen to Jesus, Jimmy," featuring J.C. Himself leading a chorus of showgirl angels. This dynamic show will go straight to your head! REEFER MADNESS is a highly stylized and satirical political commentary. It contains adult humor, religious parody, and drug use, as well as suggested violence and sexual explicitness.

STARRING:
Dedrick Bonner
Billy Giacci
Sara Golden
Bobby Withers
Grace Deer
Drew O'Bryan
Sierra Nagay
Nicole Serrat
Sarah Springer
Laura Ornella
Heather Keith
Natalie Chapman
Anecia Johnson
Caeleb Reisinger
Cameron Skalski
Stephen Moen
Allison Shipp
Danny Cox
Curt Sova

Directed by Nick Smrdel


Asst. Director: Katie Gucik
Music Director: Zach Ruppel
Producer: Jess Craine
Stage Manager: Leah Lyon
Choreographer: Chelsea Goettge
Costumes: Sam Little
Publicity: Laura McMullen
Set Design: Drew Lupson
Lights: Adam Pugh
Makeup: Caroline Nesbit
Asst. Choreographer: Sarah Springer
Asst. Stage Manager: Nathan Parsons
Asst. Producer: Justin James Garman