metropolis | january 2007

Written by Nicci Page

Photo Credit: Plena Libre photo courtesy of Jefferson Center 

Jefferson Center will thrill Latin music fans Friday, January 19 at 8 pm with Plena Libre, “the heartbeat of Puerto Rico,” a show The Boston Globe touted as “a mad weave of polyrhythms that simply sizzle.”  The center will formally introduce Roanoke to Plena, the sizzling national dance music of Puerto Rico. Plena is part of the same musical family that includes meringue, cumbia, and what most Americans appreciate as salsa. The 13-piece band of Plena Libre has earned multiple Grammy nominations and an exhaustive world-touring schedule. And following the show, Jefferson presents the Fourth Annual Latin Dance Party with local musicians Los Gatos (see After 5: Music & Nite life, page 53, for more). With band members from Cuba, Chile, Puerto Rico, and the states, Los Gatos fuses traditional Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms with contemporary jazz to make some of the hottest new music around.  The event also serves as a party to celebrate the band’s much anticipated release of their self-titled CD.
http://www.plenalibre.com/ 
http://www.losgatos.cc/
http://www.jeffcenter.org/ | 866.345.2550

 

The movie made Hollywood history and had everyone talking about the life of musician Ray Charles. Now Broadway in Roanoke and the Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre with Jam Theatricals opens I Can’t Stop Loving You, January 30 at 7:30 pm. The smash-hit show is based on the music and life of Ray Charles and is formed around the legendary songs of one of America’s top talents. The script is a spectacular celebration of the music of Ray Charles—brought to life with a 12 piece orchestra and a wonderfully talented cast of 20 singers and dancers. The dynamic cast performs all of Charles’ greatest hits, including “Georgia,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “What’d I Say,” “America the Beautiful,” and many more. Like the film version, the rags-to-riches story depicts the ups and downs of Charles’ life and career, without trying to paint it in a rosy hue. Charles struggled with drugs, alcohol, and relationships throughout his career yet overcame his addictions to become one of the most influential musicians of his time.  Tickets for I Can’t Stop Loving You can be purchased at the Roanoke Civic Center Ticket Office on the East end of the Coliseum. View the website or call the Civic Center Ticket Office for buffet and ticket information.
http://www.tickets.com/ | 540.853.LIVE

The Square Society will celebrate its 10th Anniversary in style with a return to the 60s as they present the Black & White Bals MasquĂ©s on Saturday, January 20 from 8 pm until midnight. The event is based on an infamous party of the same name thrown in 1966 by author and eccentric Truman Capote (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, In Cold Blood).  The original party created an atmosphere of mystique and glamour for the 500+ famous guests as Capote orchestrated a red carpet evening of bottomless champagne bars, refined dĂ©cor, and romantic attire. The hand-picked crowd of New York “who’s who” winded the party into an outrageous media event and the ball has been legend ever since.  Whether or not the Squares intend to follow suit— with a menu of sausage and eggs alongside spaghetti and meatballs and other odd offerings— remains a mystery, but the real intrigue is in the attire. Dress code is strict: black and/or white cocktail attire, black tie optional, mask required.  Like a scene from an Agatha Christie novel, guests’ identities will be held secret until a midnight unmasking, allowing them to dance, flirt, and mingle in anonymity.  Care to join the intrigue?
http://www.squaresociety.org/ | 540.354.5545

Just as another holiday season comes to an end and the toys begin to lose their sheen, Salem provides sanctuary for kids and families afflicted with post-Christmas boredom. The Kid’s Winter Carnival at the Salem Civic Center is a free admission event where families can escape the winter time blues and frosty weather in exchange for cotton candy and carnival rides. The fairgrounds will host indoor  rides, food, and entertainment as well as a chance to enjoy a rather summertime event
.It’s a great way to pry Junior away from the Playstation 3, anyway. The festivities take place on January 26 from 5 to 9 pm; on January 27 from 9 am to 9 pm; and on January 28 from 12 noon to 7 pm.
http://www.salemciviccenter.com/ | 540.375.3004

What is contra dancing, you ask? Adherents will tell you it’s all in the experience, so the best way to find out is by attending the Sun Theater’s upcoming dance in Floyd on January 13 at 8 pm. Or, I can fumble through an explanation of this hard-to-explain but outrageously-fun-and-easy-to-do activity. Here goes: it’s sort of like square dancing, but
different. A contra dance starts with a “caller,” the person who leads each dance.  Working with a group of musicians, the caller guides new and experienced dancers through a series of moves which a dancer performs with his/her partner, then another, then another, and so on. Rooted in Scottish traditions, contra equals great music, great aerobics, and a great way to meet others. Folks of all ages and backgrounds attend, kids are welcome, and never fear, singles—you need not arrive with a partner. The Floyd dance costs $7, and runs from 8 to 11 pm; a beginner lesson is offered at 7:30. Casual dress is encouraged; soft and flexible shoes are a must. Dances take place every second Saturday from September through June at the Floyd’s Sun Theater; Blacksburg also hosts a second Saturdays event at the Gilbert Linkous Elementary School (the next one is January 20).  Don’t be shy—come out and see why contra is so addictive and, well, contagious. You won’t be sorry.
http://www.floydcontradance.org/
www.wintersuninc.net/thesun  | 540.745.7880 
www.twodogwaltz.com/contradance.html (Blacksburg)

Need a mid-winter pick-me-up? Feast your funny bone on Fully Committed, running on Mill Mountain Theatre’s Waldron Stage January 17 to February 4.  This sweet frappĂ© of a script is the work of Becky Mode, a former waitress and hat-check-girl-turned-playwright, and is a hilarious exposĂ© of the world with which Mode is all-too-familiar. Character Sam is an aspiring actor who pays the rent by scheduling reservations for a fancy Manhattan restaurant, a place where the term for “all booked up” is “fully committed.” The show has a ring of truth for anyone who’s ever experienced restaurant mayhem (from either side of the host stand), and we get to watch Sam’s struggle to remain calm and dutiful even as he’s assailed by shirkers, egotists, and general chaos.  Sam is played by a true Roanoke star, Trey Ellett—he’s a native who has acted since childhood and even stormed Broadway in RENT, playing Mark (one of the lead roles). Ellett’s Sam hits his lowest point when he is forced to mop up a disaster in the ladies room. But as he begins to realize the power that he wields over people who want to get in, he comes into his own and starts to feel better about the world… This sassy show is for adults and those over age 16.
http://www.millmountain.org/ | 540.342.5740

Call these community doctors what you like, but most who hear their cause call them heroes. Meet Project Access—a group of local doctors who donate their time and resources to folks with no health insurance. The non-profit was founded in May 2004 by the Roanoke Valley Academy of Medicine (RVAM), and was spearheaded by Dr. Frank Cotter and Dr. Mark Watts. It has since grown to include 457 medical providers—in nearly every medical discipline imaginable—providing both primary and specialty care. To date, Project Access has enrolled 1,165 patients and delivered nearly 4 million dollars of care without cost to patients.  To be eligible, one must be a resident of Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Salem, Botetourt, or Craig County, between the ages of 19 and 64, and currently without Medicare, Medicaid, or health insurance.  Candidates must also meet certain income caps and be working, in school, or in job training.  On February 2, join Project Access and RVAM for the President’s Ball, honoring Pediatrician Dr. Douglas Pierce, founder of CHIP, Child’s Health Investment Partnership—a program that compliments the services of Project Access by providing health care for disadvantaged youngsters.  The event will take place at Hotel Roanoke, and feature a sumptuous sit-down dinner, live entertainment by Big Ray and the Cool Cats, and more. For ticket info and times, or to donate, enroll in, or learn more about Project Access, speak to the friendly folks at the office.
540.344.4200

Radford University will soon play host to the Bulgarian State Academic Opera College of Visual and Performing Arts on January 25 from 8 to 10 pm, at Radford’s Bondurant Auditorium. This is the Bulgarian company’s fifth U.S. tour, offering area residents an opportunity to see a famous opera performed in the European tradition. Established in 1996 by Ivan Kyurkchiev, the Bulgarian State Academic Opera was established with the mission to follow the great traditions of Europe’s operatic history. It’s renowned throughout Europe, particularly for its rich repertoire and large-scale, open-air productions. The performance at RU will be the beautiful Turandot, a fairy-tale like story of princess Turandot in Peking’s Imperial Palace who requires suitors for her hand to answer three riddles. The story takes a twist, as the young man who successfully answers the riddles has a test of his own for Turandot. The work features one of the most popular and recognizable arias of all time, “Nessum Dorma,” and is certain to delight opera aficionados and those green to the scene as well.
http://www.radford.edu/ | 540.831.5265

Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s have come and gone
 think the only thing Old Man Winter has left to offer is bitter cold and high heating bills?  Wrong. Holiday Skate Dates with Sunny FM continue through January with “Saturday Night on Ice,” Saturday, January 6, from 5 until 9 pm, complete with glittering disco ball and pelvis-gyrating music.  The next Saturday, January 13, will be the final Skate Date of the season.   Public skating begins at 11 am and runs through 3 pm. Admission is only $5, with an additional $2 to rent skates—groups of 20 or more receive $.50 off each ticket, so call your friends or consider a Skate Date for a party honoring your January birthday-guy or gal.  Tickets are available at the Civic Center ticket office 30 minutes prior to the beginning of skating; kids and adults are welcome. Visit http://www.roanokeciviccenter.com/ for the whole, frosty scoop.
http://www.roanokeciviccenter.com/ | 540.853.2988

Don’t be left in the cold! Party In the Park has moved indoors with the Cabin Fever Series, EventZone’s answer to your winter blues. Shows will be held at the Roanoke Civic Center Exhibition Hall Friday, January 19, Friday, February 16, and Friday, March 23. You must be 21 or older to attend and doors open at 5:30 pm with music  from 6 to 10 pm. So get your tickets now for Friday, January 19 when the Chairmen of the Board will delight with such beach music hits as  “Dreamin’,”  and “What Goes Around Comes Around.“ Other warm weather bands in this winter series include Steve Bassett/Ammon Tharp & the Mystic Soul-Bubbas on February 16, and on March 23, it’s the Embers. With hits like “Drowning in a Sea of Love,” and “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You,”  the Embers started making music with a mix of rhythm and blues and heart and soul that came to be known as Beach Music. So trade the mittens in for jams and come celebrate the season with sounds of the surf.
http://www.pitp.org/   

Good news for those of you who find yourself down-and-out over the recent closings of market favorites Confeddy’s and Jeffrey’s (RIP, Jeffrey’s. We miss you. Really, sniffle, we do).  Keep an eye out for a new sushi bar taking over the Jeffrey’s space, and the Blues BBQ Company coming to the building that once housed Confeddy’s.   We City folk are also beside ourselves with excitement over the impending arrival of Nico’s, on Campbell, in the former location of Italiano’s.  Nico’s is brought to you by the folks who run Sal’s in Radford—some of the best Italian food in Southwest Virginia, and a 27-year old dining establishment that’s still going strong (check out City’s October 2006 issue for an article on Sal’s). And next door to the City offices, construction continues on 202 Market, brought to you by the same owners, and in the location, as the former Paradox Grille.  Owners have drafted some top culinary talent (Chef Chad Scott out of Atlanta is among them) and promise innovative American cuisine and live music at affordable prices. Then there’s the spacious new El Rodeo on 419—sure, the local chain seems to multiply like rabbits, but can we really ever have too many of those? (El Rodeos, not rabbits)—and Adobe Salad Works coming to the Market Building in February.  It’s hard to say good-bye to old friends, but at least there are some new kids in town.

Area writers and theater buffs should be interested to know that Hollins University has recently been approved to start offering a Masters of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)  in Playwriting. Building upon the success of its similarly constructed summer graduate programs, the school will introduce the new offering in June 2007. “The program will provide the tools and instruction necessary for the emerging dramatist to find his or her creative voice and assist in having that voice heard by an audience,” explains Program Director Todd Ristau. “It focuses on the collaborative nature of the theater, its rich history and traditions, and the value of innovative experiments in the creation of exciting new work for the stage.” Instructors will include permanent faculty as well as visiting professionals, writers, and scholars from other institutions. One of the program’s major strengths will be its collaborative relationship with Roanoke’s Mill Mountain Theatre (MMT). Students will be able to actively participate in MMT’s weekly open performance venue, No Shame Theatre, which originated with Ristau founding the group at University of Iowa in 1986.  “This ‘open mic’ for theatrical performance permits students to experiment outside the pressures of the classroom, gain legitimate experience in front of an audience, and interact with a wide range of local and professional theater artists in a cooperative rather than competitive environment,” he says.  Ristau is a distinguished graduate of the Iowa Playwright’s Workshop and the first graduate of that program since Tennessee Williams to be produced on London’s West End. He serves as Literary Associate for MMT, where he coordinates the Norfolk Southern Festival of New Works and produces all of their second stage programming. Sixty credits will be required to complete the M.F.A., the “terminal degree” in the field of playwriting. For more information, see below.
www.hollins.edu/grad/playwriting/index.html  | 540.362.6575

 

Posted: January 1st, 2007 under Performing Arts.
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~Nicci Ray is a freelance writer whose interests lie in arts, entertainment, fiction and fine cuisine. A Roanoke resident by birth, she has worked with such publications as The Roanoke Times & World News, Artbeat Magazine, Radford News Journal, Christiansburg Messenger, NRV News, and In the Loop Magazine of The Tampa Tribune. She holds a degree in Print Journalism from Radford University. Nicci can be contacted in care of City Magazine at 540.345.6300 or contact@citymagazineonline.com.