Showbiz for February

from the February 2010 issue of KC Stage

Fringe Accepting Applications
2010 will be the sixth year of the KC Fringe Festival. Applications to the KC Fringe Festival, to be held Jul 25-Aug 1, are available at www.kcfringe.org. Take advantage of their Early-Bird Discount and deduct $50 from the entry fee by applying before Feb 15. The first 50 applications will be automatically accepted. Remaining applications will go on a wait list (in order received) and will fill any additional openings as they occur. The final deadline for applications is April 1.

Governor’s Arts Awards
The Kansas Arts Commission is pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 Governor’s Arts Awards: Susan Craig of Lawrence (Arts Advocate); Elliot Pujol of Manhattan (Artist); Kevin Willmott of Lawrence (Artist); Doug Talley of Shawnee Mission (Arts Education); Emporia Arts Council in Emporia (Arts Organization) and the City of Hays (Arts Community). Photographer Jim Richardson, a Kansas native and resident, will be honored with this year’s Distinguished Arts Award. Honorees will be recognized at a reception and awards ceremony from 6-8pm on Mar 11 at Washburn University’s Memorial Union Washburn Room. For more information about the program and recipient biographies, visit http://arts.ks.gov/gaa/index.shtml .

Opera Guild Awards
The Lyric Opera Guild coordinated the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions for the Midwest region on Jan 2. The following singers received awards: Julie Davis, soprano, Bob Baughman Award; Edward Mout, tenor, Norman Rousseau Award; and Erika Wuerzner, soprano, Lyric Opera Guild Award. They each received a $1,500 scholarship and will represent the Midwest region at the next phase of Council auditions in St. Louis as equal winners. Congratulations, too, to Evelyn Rossow, who was awarded a $500 Illy Ingraham Encouragement Award.

Inge Festival Honors Playwright
The up-and-coming playwright and performer Katori Hall has been selected winner of the 2010 William Inge Theatre Festival's Otis Guernsey New Voices in the American Theatre Award. Hall will receive the award, an honorarium, and a concert reading of one of her new plays at the Inge Festival on Apr 22, at 7:30pm. Tickets to the Inge Festival will be available on line starting Mar 1 at www.ingecenter.org or by calling (800) 842-6063 ext. 5835.

Actor Training Studio Workshop
The Actor Training Studio has announced a workshop for actors ages 12 to 15. The weekend workshop intensive “The Truth!” is a six hour workshop held Feb 13-14 from 2-5pm. This workshop will focus on foundations of acting techniques, using exercises and sides from scripts, we will explore how to be more truthful on stage. It is located at 75th and Belinder inside the Cherokee Christian Church. Contact the Actor Training Studio at (816) 674-5601 or andy@actortrainingstudio.com. The cost will be $120 per student with family discounts available. Class will be strictly limited to 8 students.

Benevon Orientation
The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is hosting a free Benevon Orientation Feb 11 from 10am-12pm at the Kauffman Foundation. This special Benevon Introductory Session is specifically designed for local arts organizations and features Terry Axelrod, founder and CEO who has worked in the fund development field for over 30 years. To learn more about Benevon go to www.benevon.com. For questions regarding this session contact Kelly Ellison, Director of Development at (816) 994-9232 or ellison@artskc.org.

Kansas Arts Advocacy Day
This year's Kansas Arts Advocacy's Day, Arts Day at the Capitol, will be held Mar 11 from 11am-2pm, hosted by Kansas Citizens for the Arts in partnership with the Kansas Arts Commission. The meeting will begin at the Dillon House, 404 SW 9th Street, directly across from the Capitol. For more information, contact Ann Evans at annarts@sunflower.com or (785) 841-5653.

Kansas Arts Commission Grants
The Kansas Arts Commission has awarded 298 organizations, communities and artists throughout the state with grants and awards totaling $1,650,536 during fiscal year 2010. A complete listing of individuals and organizations that received funding can be downloaded at http://arts.ks.gov/news_releases/2010/kac_grants_county.pdf.

ArtsKC Fund
The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City launched its 2010 ArtsKC Fund Campaign on February 1. The ArtsKC Fund is a united arts fund in the Kansas City metropolitan area that raises new money to support the wide range of arts in the community. In only three years, the ArtsKC Fund has granted out $1.3 million to the arts in metropolitan Kansas City. The goal for the 2010 campaign is $470,000 which is a 6% increase from last year's campaign total. Companies interested in participating in the 2010 ArtsKC Fund Workplace Giving Campaign can join now through May by contacting the Arts Council office at (816) 221-1777 or Albers@ArtsKC.org. Individuals can make a tax-deductible investment in the ArtsKC Fund by going to the web site at www.ArtsKC.org.

Arts Ripple Effect
The Fine Arts Fund of Cincinnati has created a well-researched report that reveals key findings on how a stronger rationale for supporting the arts can be framed. You can download the report at www.fineartsfund.org/arts_ripple_effect.