It's Raining Free Tickets: Congratulations To Latest SOB Contest Winner!

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It's Raining Free Tickets: Congratulations To Latest SOB Contest Winner!

Remember how much I told you I loved Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles?

Today, I'm thrilled to send a lucky Steve On Broadway reader to see the show. Congratulations to Eleah Burman from New York, New York, who has just won two free tickets to see Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre!

Eligible entries for this SOB Contest needed to subscribe to this blog, follow me on Twitter (and then retweet one of my contest messages) and follow me on Facebook.

Congratulations again, Eleah!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. By subscribing to Steve On Broadway, you'll automatically be entered in all future contests!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).


In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. However, in conjunction with SpotCo, two tickets for Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles will be given away to one lucky reader. http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

Hard To Imagine It's Been Thirty Years

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Hard To Imagine It's Been Thirty Years

It really is incredibly hard to believe it was 30 years ago today that John Lennon was murdered.

Millions of us were shocked to learn the tragic news in this highly surreal fashion. The evening of December 8, 1980, hit virtually everyone around the world so extraordinarily hard. Suddenly that evening, it didn't matter if you were a fan of The Beatles or Lennon. The idea that such a creative genius who espoused peace could be gunned down so violently broke our collective hearts.

Lennon's untimely death marked the end of an era, even as he had just attempted to begin a new one for himself.

The musical icon had just emerged from a self-imposed "exile" to help raise his young son Sean. On November 17, 1980, just three short weeks prior to his murder, he and his wife Yoko Ono released the incredibly hopeful "Double Fantasy," his first studio recording in five long years. 

While the recording would quickly climb to number one on the Billboard charts and go on to earn him a posthumous Grammy for 1981 Album of the Year, for those of us who purchased the recording, we were haunted by the back cover image showing Lennon and Ono outside the Dakota Apartments, just steps from where this man of profound peace met his violent end.

Rest in peace, John Lennon. Thirty years later, we're still trying to imagine the type of world you envisioned.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
 
 
In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

22nd International Community Christmas Celebration @ Utah Cultural Celebration Center (Wednesday, Dec. 12th)

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                                                                                                   What:
22^nd International Community Christmas Celebration 2012
Who:   
Latino Community Center and Utah Cultural Celebration Center
When:
Wednesday, December 12
5:00 – 6:15 PM:               Pre-show, toy distribution by police officers and others, and free pizza and sodas for children under 12
7:00 – 9:30 PM:               International Christmas program, featuring over 200 performers
9:30 PM:                          Free bicycle and other prize drawings for children under 12
Where:
Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 West 3100 South, West Valley City$10 admission; children under 12 are free
Why:   

• To provide toys for 600 needy kids
• To create a better relationship between law enforcement agencies and the minority community

• To provide the opportunity for more than 200 International performing artists to demonstrate their culture at a professional event.

At the beginning of the program Santa Claus, who is a Utah Highway Patrol Trooper, will arrive on his police motorcycle escorted by other officers from WVCPD and Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
7:00 PM speakers include WVCPD Chief Nielson, Senator Luz Robles, Ross Olsen, Executive Director of the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, Salt Lake County Mayor Elect, Ben Mc Adams, and Representatives from other law enforcement agencies and local and state authorities.

ADVOCACY: Update from Americans for the Arts

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Dear Utah:

As Congress and the White House consider various proposals to avoid the impending fiscal cliff scenario of more than $600 billion in federal spending cuts and tax increases for 2013, some have set their sights on limiting the deductions for charitable gifts and possibly even the status of nonprofit organizations as an answer.  In particular, we are deeply troubled by reports of proposals under consideration that would create an aggregate dollar limit or percentage cap for all itemized deductions as a potential short-term revenue solution during the lame duck session. 
Over the past 18 months, Americans for the Arts has intensified its outreach to Congress on the detrimental impact that these policies would have on thousands of nonprofit organizations across the country and, more importantly, the communities and individuals that they serve.  In addition to lobbying on this issue during our own Arts Advocacy Day conferences for the last few years, we are actively working with Independent Sector and its diverse network of nonprofit organizations, ranging from American Cancer Society and YMCA to Catholic Charities and The Nature Conservancy. Together, we have lobbied dozens of congressional offices, sent letters (including one today) to the president, and ran ads in major political newspapers, with another new ad coming out this month.
Because of the importance of this issue, a new Charitable Giving Coalition has also emerged, in which Americans for the Arts is a member.  Today, December 5th, hundreds of nonprofit groups will lobby together for “Protect Giving – DC Days.”  Americans for the Arts will be leading one of these delegations.  It doesn’t stop there.  We need our grassroots advocates to participate as well.
YOU can ensure that your voice of support for the arts and the nonprofit sector is heard by your congressional delegation as they consider these issues in this lame duck session. Take two minutes to send a customizable message to your members of Congress.
Help us continue this important work by becoming an official member of the Arts Action Fund. If you are not already a member, you can play your part by joining the Arts Action Fund today -- it's free and easy to join.

SUU Student Art Exhibit: Compendium: It’s Art _____ and Stripped: An Exploration & Interpretation of the Body @ SUU University (Dec. 6th 2012-Feb. 4th 2013)

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FOR CALENDAR EDITORS: Compendium: It’s Art _____ and Stripped: An Exploration & Interpretation of the Body
WHAT:              A diverse range of student created art is showcased this winter on the campus of Southern Utah University. Students of ART 3080: Museum and Gallery Practices are proud to present two conjoining art exhibits featuring student art. Stripped: An Exploration & Interpretation of the Body will be shown in South Hall on the first floor. Compendium: It’s Art ______ will be shown on the Third Floor of the Gerald R. Sherratt Library.
WHO:               Southern Utah University, College of Performing and Visual Arts                       WHEN:             December 6, 2012-February 4, 2013
TIME:               South Hall hours: Dec. 7-Jan. 6, Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm. Closed weekends,  Dec 21-25 & Jan. 1 & 21                        Library hours: Dec 7-14, Mon-Thu: 7AM-Midnight; Fri: 7am-7pm, Sat: 11am-7pm                        Sun: 2 pm-10 pm; Jan 7-Feb 4, Mon-Thu 7AM-Midnight; Fri: 7am-7pm; Sat: 11AM-7PM; Sun: 2PM-10PM. Closed Jan 21
WHERE:           South Hall and Gerald R. Sherratt Library, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT
PRICES:           Free and open to the public
INFO:               Phone: Arts Hotline: (435) 865-8800 or visit: www.suu.edu/arts


SUU STUDENT ART EXHIBITED IN SOUTH HALLAND GERALD R. SHERRATT LIBRARYCompendium: It’s Art _____and Stripped: An Exploration & Interpretation of the Body
Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: A diverse range of student created art is showcased this winter on the campus of Southern Utah University. Students of ART 3080: Museum and Gallery Practices are proud to present two conjoining art exhibits featuring student art. Stripped: An Exploration & Interpretation of the Body will be shown in South Hall on the first floor. Compendium: It’s Art ______ will be shown on the Third Floor of the Gerald R. Sherratt Library. Both exhibitions will be shown from December 7, 2012 to February 4, 2013. Both exhibitions are free and open to the public. South Hall hours are December 7th-January 6^th, Monday-Friday: 8am-5pm, closed weekends and December 21-25 and January 1 and 21. Library hours are December 7-14, 7AM-Midnight, Monday-Thursday, 7am-7pm Friday, 11am-7pm Saturday, 2 pm-10 pm Sunday; January 7-February 4, Monday-Thursday 7AM- Midnight; Friday: 7am-7pm; Saturday: 11AM-7PM; Sunday: 2PM-10PM. 
Closed January 21^st.Stripped is an exhibit focusing on representations of the human body.  From traditional, classical paintings and drawings, to explore even deeper down and stripping the body of its skin, Stripped is an exhibit of student work that explores the body and they interpret it in their own way.  Pieces from students in and out of the class are shown. As a forewarning, Stripped does exhibit undraped models.
Compendium: It’s Art _____ is a general collection of art in differing mediums.  The pieces shown are a mixture of 3D and 2D pieces collected from students in the class.  Various subjects are portrayed in this large-scale student portfolio.  Compendium is meant to showcase the talents of the disparate artists that are enrolled in this semester’s ART 3080.  
ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a graduate program in Arts Administration and a new Center for Shakespeare Studies. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean at (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.

JJ Abram's Super 8

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Hollywood has been incredibly disappointing for the last few years, or maybe I'm just getting old and jaded. Or both. JJ Abrams is one of the few bright spots left in Tinsel Town, and his latest effort, Super 8, brought me out to the movies again.
Take a father-son relationship story, fold in first love and a coming of age tale, and top off with an angry alien that just wants to go home and you have a quality summer outing. Abrams is a story-teller, and this semi-autobiographical yarn recalls the innocence of youth, the purity of love, the joy of friendship, and all that we risk losing once we grow up.
Set in the summer of 1979, Super 8 is the story of five friend making a zombie movie. Charles (the Abrams character played by Riley Griffiths) is the writer and director; Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) is his best friend special effects and make up guru; Carey (Ryan Lee), Martin (Gabriel Basso), and Preston (Zach Mills) round out the main gang. The introduction of Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) as the wife of the detective changes everything. When they sneak out to film a scene and unexpectedly witness a train crash, their lives will never be the same.

Best of all are the performances of the young actors. Ryan Lee was my favorite, probably because he reminded me of so many of my students from my teaching days. He's the kid with the energy to make the battery powered bunny look lazy. His infatuation with fireworks, guns, and cars is the very definition of boy-ness. Its just one example of Abrams' deft touch with his writer's pen.
Super 8 is part ET, part Stand By Me, part Goonies, and all fun. Bring the kids or leave them at home, either way you're sure to enjoy the show.

Justin Cronin's The Twelve

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I love post-apocalyptic literature, and I love vampires, as anyone who knows me well can attest. Combining the two, as Justin Cronin did in The Passage is a dream come true. Waiting fifteen months for the second installment proved difficult at times. As it turned out, The Twelve was well worth the wait.
The genius of The Passage was Cronin's willingness to play with the traditions of vampire literature. By identifying vampirism with an ancient virus from deep in the valleys of South America, Cronin broke from the tradition of Bram Stoker and and breathed new life into a genre of literature that had been consumed by the sparkly, vegetarian pretenders with whom teens today have been inundated. 
Cronin's viral vampires are shorn of any romantic notions; they are blood thirsty creatures bioengineered by the American military. Where in the first book we learned about a single community that survived the apocalypse, only glimpsing the rest of the country ever so briefly at the end, in this second volume, we learn the sometimes gruesome details of the lives of the other survivors. Exploring life in the new Republic of Texas and in a slave city run by vampire familiars, we are introduced to the rest of the story.
Five years later, and we meet up again with Peter, Alicia, Michael, Hollis, Sara, and the others who escaped from the California sanctuary that had held for nearly a century. And Amy, the Girl from No Where. Life has attained a new normal, with Peter and Alicia hunting the eleven remaining original virals (convicted felons, each worse than the next weaponized by the US military in an off the books operation in Denver). The others are scattered, each embracing new lives, some of their choosing, some not.
In The Twelve, Justin Cronin returns to the original apocalyptic moment, introducing new characters who will interact in different ways with the original characters from The Passage. Easily one of my favorite new characters is Bernard Kittridge, better known as Last Stand in Denver. A poignant portrait of a wounded warrior faced with surviving the apocalypse. The description of the man, his motivation, his intensity, and redemption are spot on.
Cronin's gift as a writer is creating characters the reader cares about deeply, but also characters who are real, they are people we know. He is able to capture the mundane, as well as the very best and very worst of humanity. One of his new characters, Danny Chayes is an autistic man (though Cronin never uses the word, the description is pretty text book) who is responsible for saving at least a dozen lives, and even the start of a new generation. It is the first time I have seen such a brilliant and positive portrayal of an autistic character in the fiction that I have read.
My only regret in reading The Twelve is that I did not go back and read The Passage again to refresh my memory on the details. Now, I wait, less than patiently, for the final installment and the confrontation with Zero.
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