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Today’s Email Announcements

See “Othello” at Barter Theatre Beginning March 1

The Barter Players ENCORE Company, will be performing William Shakespeare’s “Othello” thanks to a grant from Shakespeare in American Communities and the National Endowment for the Arts. “Othello” will appear at Barter’s Stage II beginning March 1.

The Barter Player’s ENCORE Company is Barter Theatre’s newest performance group, which is made up of Barter Players alumni. In the spring of 2015, the ENCORE Players performed “Hamlet” thanks to the same grant, which is allowing them to perform “Othello.” Katy Brown, artistic director of the ENCORE Players and director of “Othello,” said, “We had such an incredible response to ‘Hamlet’ last year and it’s made us doubly excited to share ‘Othello’ with everyone. We had more than one audience member tell us it was the most connected they had ever felt to Shakespeare— as though it were about them.”

Brown said, “Othello is such a surprising play- it’s never what you expect it to be. Just when you think you have it pinned down, it slips away again. It’s somehow as much about love as it is about betrayal or jealousy.” With this in mind, The Barter Player ENCORE Company has created an experience to make this play easier to understand and appreciate. This production brings the play from the page to the stage and offers workshops for student performances using role-playing activities. These workshops will be held before and after student performances. Evening performances will not feature workshops, and are not adapted specifically for students, allowing adults to enjoy this classic Shakespeare play as well.

“Othello” features Terrance Jackson as Othello. Other performers include: Kelly Strand, Natalie Riegel, Julie Schroll, Sean Michael Flattery and Sam McCalla. This production is directed by Katy Brown.

The National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest presents Shakespeare in American Communities. Barter Theatre is one of 40 professional theater companies selected to participate in bringing the finest productions of Shakespeare to middle and high school students in communities across the United States. This is the 13th year of this national program, the largest tour of Shakespeare in American history.

Barter would like to issue a special thank you to Shakespeare in American Communities. Because of their generous support, the Barter will be able to offer assistance for schools/students that can demonstrate need. This includes bus and ticket subsidies.

Live Stream Soil Health Seminar on March 8

The Certified Crop Adviser program will offer a seminar on soil health, Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 12:30-1:30 PM Eastern time.

Dr. Jerry Hatfield, with present “Why is Soil Health Important?” Jerry is the Laboratory Director and Supervisory Plant Physiologist, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment.

Information about the course: Soils with high quality are a reservoir of water and nutrients for optimum plant growth and larger yields.  Poor quality soils do not support optimum plant growth and are especially vulnerable to weather variations throughout the growing season.  Improving our soil health improves the efficiency of water and nutrient use resulting in enhanced profitability.  It begins with the soil microclimate that fosters and maintains soil biology.  Learn how improved soil health expands agricultural production.

The course may be watched live or streamed online within 30 days of the seminar date.

Cost is $25 for Members/Certified Professionals and $40 for Non-members.  Media may qualify for a waived registration by emailing sfisk@sciencesocieties.org.

For more information about the course, visit https://www.soils.org/education/online-courses.

App Symphony Orchestra to Reprise Feb. 14 Concert Feb. 26

The Appalachian Symphony Orchestra will reprise its Feb. 14 concert with a repeat performance Feb. 26 as part of the part of the Western Regional Honors Orchestra clinic hosted at Appalachian State University.

The 8 p.m. concert will be presented in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts on campus. Admission is free.

The concert will feature works by Edward Elgar, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Verdi and Giordano. Performing with the orchestra will be the winners of the Hayes School of Music’s annual concerto/aria competition.

ASU Kicks Off “Theatre in Our Schools” Month in March

The Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance is hosting a day of theatre workshops to celebrate the start of Theatre in Our Schools (TIOS) month in March. On Saturday, Feb. 27, from 12:30 to 9:30 p.m., high school students and teachers from across the region will gather in Chapell Wilson Hall for theatre workshop sessions that target a variety of interests and ability levels, taught by professionals with graduate level training in theatre.

The daylong celebration of the art form concludes in Valborg Theatre with an evening performance of Bruce Norris’ “Clybourne Park,” recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, Tony Award for Best Play, and England’s Olivier Award for Outstanding Play.

The all-inclusive cost is $10 per participant. For more information and to register, visit the Department of Theatre and Dance website at www.theatreanddance.appstate.edu. Teachers who have questions or want to bring groups of students should contact Gordon Hensley at 828-262-7521 or hensleyg@appstate.edu.

Theatre in Our Schools (TIOS) is a month-long national event reaching thousands of students, educators, actors, musicians, administrators and arts supporters to increase public awareness of the broad social impacts of youth theatre. TIOS month features performances, classroom activities, student playwriting and video contests, and regional conferences designed to spread the word about the powerful effects theatre has on youth development. The American Alliance for Theatre and Education and The Educational Theatre Association jointly promote TIOS.

The coordinator for Appalachian’s TIOS celebration is Professor Gordon Hensley, theatre education academic program director.  Hensley said, “This is our fourth year providing this program for high school students who are interested in theatre. I’m particularly excited about this year’s expanded program, which includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at our production process, four interactive workshops led by theatre professionals, and a performance of ‘Clybourne Park.’”

A B.S. graduate of Appalachian with an MFA in theatre education from Arizona State University, Hensley said, “Our TIOS day is like no other program I’ve seen before. It has the feel of a one-day theatre festival; high school students and their teachers love it.”

According to a January 2016 article in American Theatre, it is likely that an estimated 50 million people attend one of more than 37,000 school theatre performances annually. TIOS is an opportunity to inform them and millions more that the pleasure they get from seeing a show on stage is just one of many benefits that school theatre brings to all involved.

Broadway star Kelli O’Hara is national spokesperson for the TIOS campaign. Winner of a 2015 Tony Award for her work in “The King and I,” O’Hara will be actively promoting TIOS. She said, “Education is the most essential tool we can use in order to lead a full and passionate life. Fortunately, I was given a great arts education where my dream was supported and shaped by a drama teacher who taught me what it meant to love art, to embrace differences, to break down walls of insecurity, and to grow as an actress and as a person.”

Kevin Warner, chair of Appalachian’s Department of Theatre and Dance, said, “The theatre education and outreach components of our department serve an important role in providing teachers and students in the region with additional skills with which to both teach and experience the art of theatre.” A lifelong educator and the former program director for North Carolina’s A+ Schools Program, Warner said he believes that, “Theatre education reminds all of us of the power of the arts to transform individual lives and whole communities through the development of critical thinking and self-expression, and the thoughtful exploration of a multitude of issues through the merging of movement, literature, voice and design.”

One teacher attending Appalachian’s event is Allison Shaw, theatre arts instructor at Highland School of Technology in Gaston County, who said, “My first time attending TIOS at App State, I brought two students with me – one who had been doing theatre since she was born and another who had only taken a theatre arts class. They both had an exceptional time and it was a great experience for both of them to take classes led by college-level instructors.” Already registered for the upcoming event, Shaw said, “I cannot wait to bring more students to TIOS this year, and hope that this event inspires them and nurtures their passion for the incredible art of theatre.”

Hensley stresses that you do not have to be a “theatre person” to attend. Teachers may arrange for professional development or continuing education credits with prior approval from their local educational agencies. The event is nearing capacity, so participants are advised to register soon.

Underwriting for the event is provided by the Department of Theatre and Dance, along with support from the College of Fine and Applied Arts.

About Chappell Wilson Hall and Valborg Theatre

Chapell Wilson Hall and Valborg Theatre are located on campus on Howard Street in Boone.  The theatre entrance faces the back of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on King Street.  Parking for this event is available free of charge on the weekend in faculty/staff lots and in the College Street parking deck near Belk Library and Information Commons.

About the Department of Theatre and Dance

The Department of Theatre and Dance is housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts. Its mission is to provide liberal arts educational opportunities including B.A. degrees in dance studies and theatre arts. The department also values the opportunity to offer coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Vital to the support of this mission is a dynamic co-curricular production program that provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community and the region. The departmental philosophy is to support the university’s liberal arts environment through a balanced and integrated emphasis on teaching, creative activity, scholarship and service.

Weekly Events at Lost Province Brewing Co.

Monday February 15

Family Night-Buy any regularly priced pizza and receive one free kid’s meal.

Wednesday February 17

½ Off Beer and Wine Specials.

7pm-9pm Trivia Night: Beginning at 7pm, Lost Province will be hosting Trivia Night with John Fortenberry. Compete on your own or on a team! The competition gets started at 7pm so come a little early for a pizza and a pint and get your seat!

Thursday February 18

$3.00 Thursday-$3.00 pints on all Lost Province brewed beers (except high gravity).

College Night: Thursday nights are now College Night. We will be featuring local talent from area college students. Don’t miss out on great food and drink specials as well as up and coming talent.

7:00pm-10:00pm Live Music: Carly Witt. Sponsored by Split Rail Records, Carly Witt is a 19 year old singer/songwriter from Crozet, Virginia. Currently studying in the mountains of Boone, North Carolina at Appalachian State, she writes songs about her experiences, thoughts, and pretty much any idea that just comes to mind.

Friday February 19

Tapped at 5pm, we feature something fun and new every Friday. Get it while it lasts; there is only a limited amount!

7:30pm-Closing Live Music: The Djangovers. The Djangovers, formerly The Hot Club of Lenoir (HCOL), features some of the best musicians the area has to offer. Steeped in the Americana tradition mixed with Manouche Swing flavors and modern styles, the HCOL is a family friendly musical group of amazing talent.

Saturday February 20

7:30pm-Closing Live Music: Klee and Mike. The Klee & Mike Show is an acoustic duo featuring Klee Liles on guitar and vocals and Michael Robertson on percussion and vocals. Having played together for over 20 years, Klee and Michael have a built a huge repertoire of pop/rock songs ranging from well-known to obscure, from both artists you know and love and performers you may not know quite as well.

Sunday February 21

Lost Province Sunday: Residents of “The Lost Province” (Watauga, Ashe, Avery and Alleghany) receive 10% off food with verification of residency.