West Michigan's Arts & Entertainment Guide
Gallery-goers this month have an opportunity to once again engage with one of Grand Rapids’ most contemporary, vital and forward-looking art collectives as the DAAC takes over The Fed Galleries at KCAD.
Absolutely Fabulous: Kinky Boots is ‘Changing Lives’
Written by Allison Parker | Tuesday, 02 June 2015 13:22 |Kinky Boots seems to have it all. It’s got Broadway dazzle with a modern edge, joyous drag queens and outrageous footwear — it also champions a message of hope and acceptance.
The production, a six-time Tony Award-winner, centers on protagonist Charlie Price as he inherits a floundering shoe factory after his father’s death. The cause seems hopeless until Charlie runs into drag queen Lola and her glamorous backup troupe, the Angels. The queens introduce Charlie to the niche market of drag boots and create a fabulous new line.
Origin of the Arts: How the Festival of the Arts was born in 1970
Written by Ben Mepham | Tuesday, 02 June 2015 11:55 |
But how did it all begin? We take a look back. Also: a run-down of other summer art events.
Costume Storytelling at Opera Grand Rapids
Written by Allison Parker | Wednesday, 06 May 2015 10:56 |Strangers to opera might say it’s about singing, but anyone who has actually watched one will tell you it’s about so much more. The piercingly high notes and booming bass tones take audiences on a journey — both to a specific time and place and to the particular emotions of individuals.
May in Holland, Mich. is best known for the Tulip Time Festival. While the beautiful spectacle of colors is a must-see, the Holland Museum is also thriving. The permanent galleries celebrate the Dutch heritage that’s contributed to the community’s sense of identity. At the same time, the museum continues to document and celebrate the city’s diverse growth over the years — while keeping things fresh with temporary exhibits that link to Holland through striking photography.
Changing disability perceptions through art: DisArt Festival debuts in Grand Rapids
Written by Kerri VanderHoff | Wednesday, 01 April 2015 15:00 |Artists have a way of presenting a physical form from concepts that are abstract and theoretical. Paint, pencil, clay and other materials take on new meaning when guided by a creative mind. It provides a bridge for us all to use a tangible object to help connect and share deeper ideas about a subject. Now add a layer to that and consider the conversation around art that involves disability.
A Less Ghostly Phantom: Phantom of the Opera comes to Michigan
Written by Allison Parker | Friday, 27 March 2015 18:22 |From its thunderous opening chords to its plummeting chandelier, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera doesn’t run short on spectacle. Dazzling stage effects, sensuous costumes and an imposing score have made this the longest-running Broadway musical.
Free for All returns to Grand Rapids museums this April
Written by REVUE Staff | Tuesday, 24 March 2015 13:53 |Imagine being able to just waltz into any major Grand Rapids museum, skip the front desk and wander directly into the exhibits without being stopped by security.
That is exactly what you can do on April 26, 2015.
Grand Rapids Ballet's MOVEMEDIA’s Got the Moves
Written by Allison Parker | Monday, 02 March 2015 00:00 |If you aren’t proud of West Michigan’s performing arts, Grand Rapids Ballet’s MOVEMEDIA is a darn good reason why you should be. A tradition now four years in the running, MOVEMEDIA has earned the company a standout name in the dance community and attracted choreography submissions from five different continents.
Installation Art: Immersion in Sensory Experiences
Written by Kerri VanderHoff | Thursday, 26 February 2015 00:00 |An Impressionist exhibition draws high attendance; it’s a well-known movement in art history and the general public has become very familiar with it.
Though one must remember, even the now widely popular Impressionists faced a mixed reception when first emerging in the late 19th century. Their boundary-pushing work was described as “unfinished” by conservative critics of the time.
