Events Archives - News and Events

‘School of Rock’ Ready to Roll at Festival Playhouse

Posted on July 15, 2024July 15, 2024

School of Rock characters headmistress Rosalie Mullins and teacher Dewey Finn — All photos by Klose2UPhotography

“School of Rock: The Musical” follows actor David B. Friedman, portraying Dewey Finn, a failed rock star who decides to earn money by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. At the school, he turns a class of bright and well-accomplished students into a rock band, attempting to get them into a battle of the bands without headmistress Rosalie Mullins, played by Broadway actress Hannah Elless, or their parents finding out.

Dewey Finn interacts with a student in School of Rock — Kalamazoo College’s Festival Playhouse offers Farmers Alley Theatre a bigger venue between stage space and audience capacity along with a unique stage ground plan

Are you ready to rock? We are! Farmers Alley Theatre is back on campus for School of Rock: The Musical, its second show of the summer at Kalamazoo College’s Festival Playhouse.

Based on the film starring Jack Black, the musical follows actor David B. Friedman, portraying Dewey Finn, a failed rock star who decides to earn money by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. At the school, he turns a class of bright and well-accomplished students into a rock band, attempting to get them into a battle of the bands without headmistress Rosalie Mullins, played by Broadway actress Hannah Elless, or their parents finding out.

Performing School of Rock at K offers Farmers Alley Theatre a bigger venue between stage space and audience capacity along with a unique stage ground plan that Director Richard Roland loves.

“The thrust stage with all of its different angles and levels allows for some very creative staging, which I am very interested in, particularly for a piece that was conceived and originally produced for a proscenium stage,” Roland said. “Because we don’t have the automation and extravagant technical capabilities of a Broadway theatre, I have to rely on my imagination and the imagination and creativity of my team and actors to affect the transitions from scene to scene. It’s a challenge for sure, but one definitely worth meeting head on. It’s very satisfying to me when I figure out how a multi-location show works on a stage not built to accommodate giant turntables, hydraulics and massive drops. That being said, scenic designer Dan Guyette has provided rolling wagons and slip stages to facilitate transitions on the set which is a much-needed help in a show of this size.”

Actors rehears at Festival Playhouse — Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17–Saturday, July 20, and Thursday, July 25–Saturday, July 27, with matinees at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 21, and Sunday, July 28

Dewey Finn leads students in School of Rock — Teacher Dewey Finn—desperately stealing the identity of his roommate as a substitute teacher just to make ends meet—teaches his students some unconventional yet valuable life lessons by making them realize they live under too many rules.

Actors rehearse School of Rock — Broadway actress Hannah Elless portrays headmistress Rosalie Mullins in “School of Rock.”

School of Rock boasts a cast of 30 including 16 amazingly talented kids—four of whom play their own drums, bass, guitar and keyboard—although the biggest draw might be the story as it works in concert with the music. Roland said the plot embraces an age-old storyline of the mentor who brings people to a new awareness of themselves, so audiences will recognize its similarities to musicals such as The Sound of Music and The Music Man.

“As one of the actors in the show put it the other day, the movie is a Jack Black vehicle and focuses, literally and figuratively, on him,” Roland said. “Everyone around him is mostly peripheral. The musical goes a bit further by enlarging the world around Dewey, making the kids as much of the center of the show as he is. What musicals do is let you into the characters’ minds through song, digging a little deeper into their psyches, revealing hopes and fears.”

The character Finn—desperately stealing the identity of his roommate as a substitute teacher just to make ends meet—teaches his students some unconventional yet valuable life lessons by making them realize they live under too many rules, constraints and over-scheduled expectations.

“In breaking down those conventions, the students find gifts within themselves they were previously unaware of,” Roland said. “They grow in talent and confidence. Even Dewey, the initially self-serving freeloader, has an awakening in that he realizes he has much to give when it comes to music. It’s a very heartwarming story with a great score by Andrew Lloyd Webber who, as some may remember, started out with the classic rock ‘n’ roll musical Jesus Christ Superstar. He goes back to his rock roots with School of Rock and leaves you singing along.”

Actors playing in a band — Four of the kid actors play their own drums, bass, guitar and keyboard in “School of Rock.”

School of Rock performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17–Saturday, July 20, and Thursday, July 25–Saturday, July 27, with matinees at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 21, and Sunday, July 28. Tickets for the July 17 preview performance are $25. Tickets for the other shows start at $45 with $10 in-person rush tickets offered for all performances starting one hour prior to curtain. The July 21 show includes American Sign Language interpretation. Tickets are available online at farmersalleytheatre.com or by calling the box office at 269.343.2727. The show contains some adult language, rock-associated themes and tweenage rebellion. It is recommended for ages 10 and up.

“I’m just very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the Farmers Alley team, all the new designers and, of course, the cast of extremely talented actors of Kalamazoo, Chicago and New York,” Roland said. “It’s a joy to watch them create moments in rehearsals: funny, touching, fierce, hopeful. I’m thrilled that this is the first Andrew Lloyd Webber musical I get to direct.”

‘Spelling Bee’ Musical Spells Opportunity with a K

Posted on June 12, 2024June 13, 2024

Starting Wednesday, opportunity will be spelled with a K for a local theatre company and several students at Kalamazoo College. That’s because K’s Festival Playhouse and Farmers Alley Theatre are joining forces for nine performances of The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse, 129 Thompson St.

The partnership is uniting K students with professional Actors’ Equity Association performers and stage workers who will present what Megan J. Herbst ’25 describes as a laugh-out-loud, super witty and heart-touching comedy about six socially outcast tweens.

“The characters are trying to figure out their own personalities, they’re all competitive and they all love to spell,” said Herbst, who is working in a paid position as an associate assistant stage manager for the show. “There are a few additional supporting characters, but it’s a story of kids coming together and creating bonds between them. It’s easy to connect with so many elements of each character’s story. Even though they’re weird, you will find a soft spot for every one of them. We’ve had test audiences and every person who’s come to see it so far has loved it.”

Herbst is a theatre and psychology double major and religion minor, who pursued acting from sixth grade through high school. When she arrived at K, she wanted to try something new within the theatre world. Since then, Herbst has served as a stage manager, assistant stage manager, scenic designer, fight captain, assistant costumer designer, performer and more for 11 shows with Festival Playhouse. Some of her favorites include Othello; Next to Normal; On the Exhale, a senior integrated project by Brooklyn Moore ‘24; and Be More Chill.

Herbst said her work—and that of several other K students—with Spelling Bee started nearly immediately after Be More Chill, the last Festival Playhouse production of the 2023–24 academic season, ended. That meant a rigorous schedule that included end-of-term academic work and preparing for finals in addition to the challenges of working on a musical, but every experience in working alongside Farmers Alley representatives has been valuable.

“So many college students have summer jobs and I’m grateful that mine is something I’m passionate about,” Herbst said. “It’s a privilege to get to work on my craft because sometimes these opportunities can be far and few in between. I get to do what I love every day, so I’m fortunate that this is not only a paid opportunity, but an opportunity that exists at all.

Six cast members from The 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee dressed as tweens for the show — “The characters are trying to figure out their own personalities, they’re all competitive and they all love to spell,” said Megan J. Herbst ’25, who is one of the students working on “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Photo by Klose2UPhotography.

Actress rehearses for "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." — “Spelling Bee” is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12–Saturday, June 15; 2 p.m. Sunday, June 16; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20–Saturday, June 22; and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 23. Tickets are available online. Photo by Klose2UPhotography.

Actors rehearse at the Festival Playhouse — The partnership between the Festival Playhouse and Farmers Alley Theatre is uniting K students with professional Actors’ Equity Association performers and stage workers who will present what Herbst describes as a laugh-out-loud, super witty and heart-touching comedy. Photo by Klose2uPhotography.

Cast members rehearse at the Festival Playhouse — With “Spelling Bee,” Farmers Alley Theatre Executive Director Robert Weiner is directing a company production for the first time since “Avenue Q” in 2019. Photo by Klose2UPhotography.

Actors rehearse for "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." — Weiner says an equity theatre experience is valuable for students to learn from as it follows a set of guidelines from the union that students need to be aware of if they ever work for a professional theatre. Photo by Klose2UPhotography.

“What people don’t understand about stage management is that there is somebody verbally making everything happen,” she added. “There’s somebody saying, ‘Lights down, go. Fog machine, go.’ Everything is controlled by multiple people. But what’s important about our job is that people don’t notice us. Stage management and all of the backstage crew are responsible for making things run as smoothly as possible, so the audience has a truly immersive and magical experience. If you see a truly great show and don’t catch any issues, then it’s either because we did our job well or caught any mistakes before you could. There’s as much talent offstage of any show as there is on stage.”

Robert Weiner, a founder and executive director of Farmers Alley, says an equity theatre experience is valuable for students to learn from as it follows a set of guidelines from the union that students need to be aware of if they ever work for a professional theatre.

“We hire talented artists from all over the country, even directors and actors who have worked on Broadway,” Weiner said. “To have the ability to watch and learn from these established veterans of the theatre scene is invaluable, not to mention the talented artists we hire locally.”

With Spelling Bee, Weiner is directing a company production for the first time since Avenue Q in 2019.

“Because of audience participation—we invite four members of the audience for each show to ‘compete’ alongside our spellers in the bee—every show has a new feeling where anything could happen,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate during the rehearsal process to have some K students volunteer their time to be guest spellers and they’ve had fun participating. Also, this is the best sounding group of singers I’ve ever heard in a production of Spelling Bee. There are a couple of numbers like Pandemonium or The I Love You Song that are very challenging, and these performers absolutely crush it every single time. The show is like a warm hug that will have you leaving the theatre in a good mood. I really hope K students take advantage of our student and rush tickets. It’s a guaranteed fun evening!”

Weiner previously directed Farmers Alley productions such as [title of show], The Toxic Avenger, Fully Committed, All in the Timing and A Grand Night for Singing. However, he is eager for the experience of bringing productions like Spelling Bee—and School of Rock later this summer—to a larger venue.

“We are so grateful to be performing at the Festival Playhouse all summer with Spelling Bee and School of Rock,” Weiner said. “The main draw was the added stage space and audience capacity. School of Rock features 30 performers, including 15 students aged 11–16, and our small, intimate space downtown just wouldn’t be viable for a show of that magnitude. There are lots of challenges producing a show not in our space, including set building and load-in off site and all the intricacies of this unique space to adjust to. Thankfully, Professor of Theatre Lanny Potts and the entire K staff have been so welcoming and the whole process has been a win-win.

“One thing I’ve noticed about K students is how kind and accepting they are,” he added. “Theatre attracts individuals of all kinds. We want to make Farmers Alley Theatre a space for all, and from my purview, it looks like K does the same. They’re smart, hard-working and willing to adapt and problem solve while keeping a positive attitude.”

If Herbst and Weiner have piqued your interest, performances of Spelling Bee are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12–Saturday, June 15; 2 p.m. Sunday, June 16; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20–Saturday, June 22; and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 23. The performance Sunday, June 16, includes American Sign Language interpretation. Tickets are available online.

“Why should you see it? This show is flat-out fun,” Weiner said. “There are catchy songs with clever lyrics, quirky characters, lots of laughs and a fair amount of heart. Plus, it’s only 90 minutes long. It really is a perfect little evening of summer entertainment.”

Ensembles Plan Spring Music Concerts

Posted on May 29, 2024May 29, 2024

Three Kalamazoo College music ensembles are concluding their 2023–24 academic years with spring concerts in the coming days, starting tonight, May 29.

International Percussion

Tonight’s International Percussion performance, beginning at 7, will take place outside, in front of the Light Fine Arts building. There will be chairs and grass to sit on. Bring a blanket if you would like to sit on the lawn.

Carolyn Koebel is the director of both groups within International Percussion, the West African ensemble and the Japanese Taiko ensemble, which are a combination of K students and community members who learn drumming techniques and then play together as a group.

The free concert will feature marimba player Julia Holt ’24, performing two selections written by composer Keiko Abe, who collaborated with Yamaha Corp. to develop the modern five-octave concert marimba. The Taiko ensemble will present two selections dealing with the giving of gifts to the Taiko community from special sources with music shared by Sensei Esther Vandecar.

Taiko drums ensembles — Taiko drummers will be among one of two groups performing in the International Percussion ensemble at 7 tonight, May 29. Three ensembles have planned their spring concerts for this week.

College Singers

The Kalamazoo College Singers, under the direction of Associate Professor of Music Chris Ludwa, will present “Be Like Water.” The free concert—slated for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30, in the lobby at Light Fine Arts—will present songs from a variety of sources and styles from the Renaissance, folk and popular music, each one centered on a theme of water. The concert is designed to uplift, inspire and transcend the current climate around politics, economics and war, offering a bit of hope.

Academy Street Winds

With nearly 50 years of teaching and conducting experience from elementary school through higher education, Academy Street Winds Director Tom Evans will lead the group for the last time in a concert titled, “It’s Time to Say Goodbye.”

All the music selected on this program has special meaning for him, which he will share at the concert. The compositions being performed are Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich, Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst, As Summer Was Just Beginning by Larry Daehn, Canzona by Peter Mennin, Stormbreak for percussion octet and band by Jim Casella, and English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughn Williams. The free performance is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Dalton Theatre at Light Fine Arts.

For more information on any of these ensembles and their performances, contact Susan Lawrence in the Department of Music at 269.337.7070 or Susan.Lawrence@kzoo.edu.

Holocaust Survivor to K Audience: Beware of Hate, Prejudice

Posted on May 17, 2024May 22, 2024

Irene Miller talked to students, faculty and staff about her memoir, “Into No Man’s Land,” and her life experiences with the Holocaust at Kalamazoo College thanks in part to the Jewish studies program and the student group Hillel.

Irene Miller poses for photos with students — Miller was interviewed and recorded for Steven Spielberg’s Visual History Foundation and participated in “Shoah Ambassadors,” a 2021 PBS movie. The December 2016 PBS documentary “Irene: Child of the Holocaust” discussed her experiences with near-starvation in Siberia.

Holocaust survivor Irene Miller embraces a Kalamazoo College student — Miller took the time to stay after her presentation and meet with all of the attendees who wanted to talk with her.

Holocaust survivor Irene Miller visited Kalamazoo College students, faculty and staff Thursday at the Hicks Student Center to talk about some of the grim details behind one of the darkest periods of history.

“I am one of the 10% of Jewish children who survived the Holocaust,” she said. “Most of the survivors are gone now. Among the six million Jews who were killed were a million and a half children. Though I can tell you only about my survival journey, those of us fortunate enough to be left alive became the voices of those who didn’t live to tell their story.”

Miller discussed her memoir, Into No Man’s Land, which was published in 2010 after she came to grips with a need to tell her family’s story. Born in Warsaw, Miller—with her sister and parents—attempted to escape to the Soviet Union after the German invasion of Poland in World War II.

Miller remembers her family’s apartment building being repeatedly hit with bombs night after night as the Nazis entered her city.

Holocaust survivor Irene Miller opens a book for a K student — Miller provided students with a discount on signed copies of her memoir, “Into No Man’s Land,” during her visit at K.

Holocaust survivor Irene Miller greets a K student — Born in Warsaw, Miller’s sister and parents attempted to escape to the Soviet Union after the German invasion of Poland in World War II.

Irene Miller meets Alex Nam '25 — Miller’s family was deported to a Siberian labor camp during World War II, suffering severe hunger and hardships on a daily basis.

“I was too high up to see the faces of the Nazi soldiers,” she said. “They were filling the width of the street, but strangely, I could see the reflection of shiny boots pounding the pavement. You know how long ago that happened, and to you young people, that happened before your parents were born and probably before most of your grandparents were born. Yet there are still some sounds, smells and aromas to which I have emotions. One is the sound of low-flying planes. Another is a rhythmic pounding on a hard surface. I hear it and I tighten up.”

Miller’s father crossed the border from Poland into Russia while securing their legal entry through an immigrant camp near Bialystok. Her mother was captured by Germans but managed to escape and then reunite with her family. The family later was deported to a Siberian labor camp, suffering severe hunger and hardships every day.

“In Siberia, in wintertime, there are only about three hours of daylight,” she said. “Temperatures would drop to 50 below and lower. If a bird for some reason couldn’t fly away on time, it would freeze to a tree like a lump of ice. We didn’t have clothing for that kind of climate. If you were outside with any part of your skin exposed, it didn’t take more than a minute or two to get frost bite.”

In 1942, after the Soviet Union’s recognition of the Polish government in exile, the Millers were released and sent to Uzbekistan, only to find no work and no food. Miller’s parents put her and her sister in an orphanage for Jewish children for a better chance of their survival. After the war, Miller returned to Poland and stayed in a Krakow orphanage until age 17, eventually immigrating to Israel and then the United States.

Holocaust survivor Irene Miller poses for a photo with students — Miller’s parents put her and her sister in an orphanage for Jewish children for a better chance of their survival. After the war, Miller returned to Poland and stayed in a Krakow orphanage until age 17, eventually immigrating to Israel and then the United States.

Irene Miller talking in her presentation about the groups she's spoken to in the past — Miller has been a speaker at large events across the U.S. and Canada with appearances before professional conferences, military groups, NASA Space Center, labor unions, churches, schools and more.

Holocaust survivor Irene Miller talks with a student — Miller was interviewed and recorded for Steven Spielberg’s Visual History Foundation and participated in *“Shoah Ambassadors”*, a November 2021 PBS movie. The PBS documentary “*Irene: Child of the Holocaust”* premiered in December 2016 discussed her experiences with near-starvation in Siberia.

Miller now is a retired health care executive who has worked as a hospital administrator, planner and developer at Group Health Plan of Southeastern Michigan. She also was the director of mental health for Livingston County, Michigan, the director of the psychiatric division at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital, and the director of treatment centers for drug-addicted and dual-diagnosed women and their children at the Detroit Medical Center. Separately, she served in Washington, D.C., on an advisory committee for issues related to drug addiction in women and children and was a teacher in Israel.

Currently, Miller is a docent and speaker for the Detroit Institute of Arts, a courts mediator, and she serves on the Board of Directors of the American Jewish Committee. She has been a speaker at large events across the U.S. and Canada with appearances before professional conferences, military groups, NASA Space Center, labor unions, churches, schools and more.

Miller was interviewed and recorded for Steven Spielberg’s Visual History Foundation and participated in Shoah Ambassadors, a November 2021 PBS movie. The December 2016 PBS documentary Irene: Child of the Holocaust discussed her experiences with near-starvation in Siberia. Yet despite her experiences and reflections, Miller’s biggest cautionary message for students about the Holocaust isn’t necessarily the importance of remembering it. Instead, she implores her audiences to watch for signs that something as devastating to humanity could happen again.

“My most important mission in life is to show what hate and prejudice did and what hate and prejudice can do again with a democracy falling from within unless we learn from it,” she said.

Learn more about Miller at her website.

Irene Miller talks with four students at Kalamazoo College — Miller served in Washington, D.C., on an advisory committee for issues related to drug addiction in women and children and was a teacher in Israel.

Holocaust survivor Irene Miller talks with a Kalamazoo College student — “My most important mission in life is to show what hate and prejudice did and what hate and prejudice can do again with a democracy falling from within unless we learn from it,” Miller told her audience at K.

Alum’s Musical ‘Be More Chill’ Opens Thursday at Festival Playhouse

Posted on May 15, 2024May 15, 2024

A Broadway musical written by a Kalamazoo College alumnus who is influencing the entertainment industry will run Thursday, May 16–Sunday, May 19, at K’s Festival Playhouse.

Be More Chill, which features music and lyrics by Joe Iconis and a book by Joe Tracz ’04, will spotlight Max Wright ’26 as Jeremy Heere. Jeremy is an average teenager until he discovers the Squip, a supercomputer that promises to bring him everything he desires including a date with Christine Canigula, played by Brooklyn Moore ’24, along with an invitation to the party of the year and a chance to enjoy life in his suburban New Jersey high school.

The musical concludes the academic year for the Playhouse’s 60^th season, which has been themed “Systems as Old as Time.” It also has featured plays such as Playhouse Creatures and The Dutchman, which explore the harmful systems that hold back the oppressed while highlighting the ways that joy, laughter and solidarity can exist and thrive despite those systems.

Caleb Allen ’25 is serving Be More Chill as its dramaturg by assisting Director Quincy Thomas, a K assistant professor of theatre arts, in teaching the actors about the play’s characters and settings. Allen said the musical references some pop culture from the 1980s—including retro drinks such as Ecto Cooler, games such as Pac-Man and actors such as Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci—but it has themes that are relatable for all audiences.

“It’s very much a play about finding yourself in high school,” he said. “There’s obviously a lot of fun with it, but there’s also a deep, sad story that probably resonates with a lot of people. Even the characters who are portrayed as cool in the play definitely have their own issues and everyone deals with negative self-talk.”

Another K alumnus, Grinnell College Professor of Theatre and Design Justin Thomas ’01, will serve as a Be More Chill scenic designer.

Tracz is well known for being a writer and co-executive producer on the Disney+ series adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He previously created the Netflix series Dash & Lily and served as its showrunner. He also worked on the Netflix version of A Series of Unfortunate Events as a writer and producer, and next will work as a co-showrunner for Season 2 of the live action version of One Piece on Netflix. His other theatre credits include The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, for which he was a Drama Desk award nominee for outstanding book.

Tracz “feels almost like a mythological figure to me,” Allen said. “Just being from the same school is exciting. I definitely have friends from outside of K, who are surprised to know that he went here, and he’s worked on a lot since then. It’s inspiring to see he came from roots like this to go into what he’s doing now.”

Be More Chill is presented through an arrangement with Concord Theatricals. Shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday–Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse, 129 Thompson St. Tickets are available online or by calling the Festival Playhouse at 269.337.7333. K students, faculty and staff are admitted free with a College ID. Adult tickets are $25, seniors are $20 and children younger than 12 are $5. Thursday’s performance will include a sign language interpreter. Please note that the play contains language and situations that may be triggering, including adult themes and the use of haze, flashing images and strobe lights.

Be More Chill photo shows Max Wright as Jeremy Heere and Zachary Ufkes '24 as the mask-wearing supercomputer, the Squip. — Max Wright ’26 portrays Jeremy Heere and Zachary Ufkes ’24 is a supercomputer called the Squip in “Be More Chill,” running Thursday-Sunday at Kalamazoo College’s Festival Playhouse. Photos by Andy Krieger of Inspired Media.

Be More Chill actors — Tickets to “Be More Chill” are available online or by calling the Festival Playhouse at 269.337.7333. Photos by by Andy Krieger of Inspired Media.

Experience the Music of ‘Carmen’ with Philharmonia

Posted on May 14, 2024May 14, 2024

The Kalamazoo Philharmonia will wrap up its 2023–2024 season with a semi-staged opera performance of Carmen this weekend in collaboration with the West Michigan Opera Project.

Under the direction of Andrew Koehler, the Kalamazoo Philharmonia will perform Carmen on Friday in Grand Rapids and on Sunday in Kalamazoo.

Carmen is one of the most popular and frequently performed operas in the classical canon. Composer Georges Bizet died at just 36 years of age, only a few months after the premiere of his magnus opus, while early audiences in Paris were still scandalized by the way the topic and music broke conventions.

According to the Philharmonia’s season brochure, “The verité grittiness of the story, full of soldiers, thieves, cigarette factory laborers; the disastrous (if compulsively watchable) choices of the male protagonist, Don José; the seductive qualities of Carmen, precisely because of her complete disregard for societal niceties; and, of course, the picaresque, effortlessly melodic music of Bizet: all of these combine to create one of the most arresting dramas ever created, one whose influence was felt in almost every opera that followed.”

Andrew Koehler will conduct the Philharmonia in a performance of "Carmen." — Professor of Music Andrew Koehler will direct the Kalamazoo Philharmonia this weekend in a semi-staged opera performance of “Carmen” in collaboration with the West Michigan Opera Project.

Friday’s free performance will start at 7 p.m. at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids.

On Sunday, May 19, the Philharmonia will play at 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 212 S. Park Street in downtown Kalamazoo. Tickets will be sold at the door and will cost $7 for general admission, $3 for students and free for Kalamazoo College students. Credit cards will be accepted.

Founded in 1990 by Barry Ross as the Kalamazoo College and Community Orchestra, the Kalamazoo Philharmonia brings together students, faculty, amateur and professional musicians of all ages to perform great music.

For more information on this concert, contact Susan Lawrence in the Department of Music at 269.337.7070 or Susan.Lawrence@kzoo.edu.  

Jazz Band Seeks Packed House for Retiring Director

Posted on May 9, 2024May 9, 2024

Music Professor Tom Evans says he has dreamed of seeing a standing-room only crowd for a Kalamazoo College Jazz Band performance since he arrived at K in 1995.

He’s never truly had that experience. But if there’s ever a time for a packed house, it’s this Friday, May 10, during Evans’ last concert as the Jazz Band’s director. The free and open-to-the-public performance—aptly themed That’s All, Folks—will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Dalton Theatre at Light Fine Arts.

The concert will leave its audience Feeling Good, which conveniently is the final tune on the docket. Other selections on the program have special significance as they were among the first songs Evans played in his high school jazz band. They include Fever, Soulful Strut, Kickin’ It, Blues for Percy, Intro to Art, Out of the Doghouse, Hard Right and Puente Ariba. Attendees are encouraged to bring their dancing shoes to swing and sway in the aisles should the music inspire them to do so.

“Finding the right words to express my gratitude to all my students and colleagues, from 1976 to the present, is difficult,” Evans said. “Quite simply, my career has afforded me some of the best experiences of my life. As such, I am sincerely grateful to all who have supported me along the way. And I am especially grateful for those with whom I’ve had the pleasure of making music. While my years of teaching and conducting were meaningful and momentous, I also hope that they were meaningful and momentous for those who shared my journey. How lucky I am to have had something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

For more information on this concert and music events, contact Susan Lawrence in the Department of Music at 269.337.7070 or Susan.Lawrence@kzoo.edu.  

Kalamazoo College Jazz Band Director Tom Evans at Dalton Theatre — Friday, May 10, will be the final Kalamazoo College Jazz Band performance for its director, Music Professor Tom Evans.

College Singers Return to Northern Michigan

Posted on May 1, 2024May 23, 2024

Kalamazoo College Singers, under the direction of Associate Professor of Music Chris Ludwa, will present their spring concert tour this month with concerts in Grayling, Traverse City, Bellaire and Charlevoix, and a cabaret at Short’s Brewery.

The public performances are at:

7 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at Church in the Hills, Bellaire
8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at Short’s Brewery, Bellaire
10 a.m. Sunday, May 5, at First Congregational Church, Charlevoix

As a part of the tour, the College Singers will also perform at the Shawono Center in Grayling, a secure treatment facility serving adjudicated male juveniles ages 12-21, thanks in part to a grant from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. This special performance will aim to bring an enriching arts experience to an underserved population while providing valuable experiential learning for the students.

The program is titled “Be Like Water” and will present songs from a variety of sources and styles from the Renaissance, folk and popular music, each one centered on a theme of water. The concert is designed to uplift, inspire and transcend the current climate around politics, economics and war, offering a bit of hope.

Some pieces include piano, while others are a cappella, and audiences will also enjoy music by smaller ensembles and soloists. Singers come from as far away as Texas and as close as Traverse City, reflecting the College’s diverse population and vibrant study abroad emphasis.

No tickets are needed for the public performances, but a free-will offering will be taken to help defray the tour bus expense for the ensemble. More specific questions can be directed to Ludwa at cludwa@kzoo.edu.

Kalamazoo College Singers outside of Light Fine Arts — The Kalamazoo College Singers will begin their spring concert tour this month with concerts in Grayling, Traverse City, Bellaire and Charlevoix and a cabaret at Short’s Brewery.

Day of Gracious Giving is Wednesday, May 8

Posted on April 30, 2024April 30, 2024

Kalamazoo College is holding its Day of Gracious Giving on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. The annual giving day is the biggest fundraising day of the year for the College, and the entire K community is invited to come together to provide vital support for the student experience.

Last year’s Day of Gracious Giving raised over $486,000 from 1,472 donors, not including the anonymous matching pool. Contributions of all sizes support scholarships and financial aid, faculty resources and K’s highest priorities.

This year’s theme is going back, way back to commemorate the 50 years of the Day of Gracious Living—the inspiration for the Day of Gracious Giving. The Day of Gracious Living falls on a date chosen by student representatives, a surprise that’s revealed when the campus-wide email goes out and the chapel bells begin to ring, signaling to all students: classes are canceled, gather up your friends and get your sunscreen and beach blankets ready.

“We believe that the Day of Gracious Giving encompasses the traditional spirit of Day of Gracious Living—one of joy, appreciation and gratitude—especially on its 50^th anniversary!” said Laurel Palmer, director of the Kalamazoo College Fund.

Palmer encourages everyone in the K community to be a part of the Day of Gracious Giving—get groovy and gracious by being a part of the largest alumni and friend giving day of the year. This day is about participation, and your engagement makes a difference! So keep a look out on K’s social media and in your emails on May 8 to check out what’s sure to be a groovy scene.

Want to advocate for the day? Share your K testimonial via social media to encourage participation, leverage a match or a challenge to inspire other donors, or make a charitable contribution.

“Making a gift—of any size—on the Day of Gracious Giving helps to ensure that students are able to participate in the experiences that make a K education distinctive and transformative,” Palmer said.

If you would like to give to the Day of Gracious Giving, please visit www.kzoo.edu/dayofgraciousgiving. Your contribution makes it possible for Kalamazoo College to provide brighter opportunities for K students—preparing them to shine a brighter light into the world as alumni.

Link to Advocate and share your K testimonial:

This year’s theme is going back, way back to commemorate the 50 years of the Day of Gracious Living—the inspiration for the Day of Gracious Giving.

Five students in a basement with wood paneling and a coffee table — The President’s Student Ambassadors stepped back in time to film this year’s Day of Gracious Giving video. Watch for it on Wednesday, May 8.

Kitchen Lecture Speaker to Audiences: ‘Question Everything’

Posted on April 26, 2024April 26, 2024

The University of Notre Dame’s math department chair will visit Kalamazoo College at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, to deliver the annual Kitchen Lecture.

Professor David Galvin will deliver a talk titled “Question Everything: Paradoxes, Surprises and Counterintuitive Truths” in the Hornets Suite, 1600 W. Michigan Ave. He will discuss mathematics as an exact science that contains oddities and paradoxes that have serious implications and consequences in the real world. By the end of the discussion, attendees should expect to see that it’s a wise strategy to take nothing for granted and question everything.

Galvin has been teaching at Notre Dame since 2013 since serving the University of Illinois, the Newton Institute and the University of Washington as a visiting professor. He also completed postdoctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania after obtaining a Ph.D. in math from Rutgers University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cambridge University.

The George Kitchen Memorial Lectureship was established at K in 1999 to honor the life of George Kitchen, a mathematician who had been an inspiration to students and fellow mathematics educators throughout his teaching career at Portage Northern High School. Kitchen believed that a love for mathematics and its applications could be cultivated in every student.

The lectureship is supported through gifts from his students, friends and colleagues. It provides high school students and educators with an opportunity to hear mathematicians speak about their work at a level intended for high school students. The public is welcome to attend.

More information on this event is available by contacting Physics, Math and Computer Science Office Coordinator Kristen Eldred at 269.337.7100 or keldred@kzoo.edu.