ArtsKC Awards Luncheon featured performers

The ArtsKC Awards has become one of Kansas City's most popular events. Selling out to crowds of over 500 business, civic, and arts leaders, the event features some of the metro area's finest visual and performing arts talent. This year for the 8th annual ArtsKC Awards Luncheon on January 28, 2011 from 11: 00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. we are proud to announce the following four performers:

Voler Thieves of Flight, an edgy and experimental collaboration of aerial dance and acrobatics, comprised of various performing artists from the Kansas City area. Performances are an exciting display of skill, athleticism, coordination, and flexibility.

Kansas City Ballet, a 25-member professional ballet company, performs three mixed repertory seasons per year as well as the ever-popular Nutcracker. The ballet reaches over 15,000 Kansas City students and adults each year through its community education programs, and provides dance training through the Kansas City Ballet School.

Luna Breeze, a cirque hoop dancer, integrates modern and contemporary dance forms, creating non-conventional hoop dance choreography that focuses on the magic of illusion and the interaction between the hoop and her body.

Paul Mesner Puppets, a theatrical puppet company, presents classic stories recast in contemporary terms. Audiences across the United States have delighted in the precise craftsmanship, dynamic presentation and joyful blending of humor and education in all of their productions.

more at ArtsKC

UMKC Conservatory dean Peter Witte interview by Kimberly Winter Stern

Kansas City is more than ready for its close-up and Peter Witte is an integral part of that snapshot.


more at 435 South

Benefit for magician Eric Price

​Eric Z. Price was shot in the head outside of Waldo Pizza on November 30. Amazingly, he survived and continues to recover.

more at The Pitch

Theatre League, Broadway Across America collaboration

Call it karma or coincidence, but the Broadway theater scene in Kansas City is getting a double dose of "reclamation." The touring company of the hit Broadway show "Shrek the Musical" will appear at the Music Hall beginning Jan. 12. It’s about "a swamp-dwelling ogre who goes on a life-changing adventure to reclaim the deed to his land." Meanwhile, KC-based theatrical presenter Theater League is about to reclaim its deed to a major corner of the local theatrical landscape.

more at Sun Publications

Kansas Citizens for the Arts hosts advocacy workshop

The Kansas Citizens for the Arts invites arts organizations leaders — staff and board members — arts audiences, arts educators — and everyone who cares about the arts in Kansas — to attend its free arts advocacy workshop on Wednesday, January 12, 2011, 6:00 pm, Leawood Branch Library, 4700 Town Center Drive. A light meal and drinks will be provided. This workshop, led by KCA Executive Coordinator Sarah Carkhuff Fizell, will help you become an expert in developing a message for local arts advocacy. To RSVP, send an email to directorartsjoco@sbcglobal.net or call 913-894-2720.

KCK native Ericka Coulter nominated for Grammy

Ericka J. Coulter, an executive songwriter for El Debarge, was recently nominated for the Grammy for at the single "Second Chance."

more at the Kansas City Kansan

Film Clips by Larry Levenson

This article appeared in the December 2010 issue of KC Stage

• Scott Arthur Allen, a Springfield acting coach, recently directed a television pilot named Morning Light. The shoot took place in Christian County in Missouri. For information, go to www.ceativeactorsworkshop.com. Mr. Allen spent three decades in Los Angeles before re-locating to Springfield.
• Cameron Haines of KC held auditions for a new movie, Embrace, at the Westport Coffeehouse. He was looking for talent ages 8-11 and over 30 years old.
• Last month, I reported that Kelly Duane and Nick Houy were working on a documentary about mining in southeast Kansas and Big Brutus. They are presently looking for old film footage, home movies, stills, or video tape you might have showing this area of Kansas and Big Brutus. If you have any archival footage, contact them at info@bigbrutusfilmproject.com, or at 316 247-1124. They are also looking for beauty shots of West Mineral, Kan., and Big Brutus in Fall foliage.
• A good-sized campaign for Banfield Clinics was shot in KC.
• Attaboy Media has been shooting a movie in Lee’s Summit. Casey Lohman is the local casting person for the project titled Three Blind Saints, and Brad Wilson is producer. Crew was brought in from California; however some KC talent is being used.
• Wright/Laird Casting and Third Eye Productions of KC worked together to create commercials for Colgate and Build-A-Bear.
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Garmin were companies who had commercials produced in the KC area.
• Roger Rapoport shot footage on the Mississippi River around St. Louis and Hannibal for his film Waterwalk. 

Are you a filmmaker in the KC area and want to submit news about your production to KC Stage? E-mail Larry at llevenson@kcstage.com before Dec 10.

KC Symphony, Michael Stern extend contract

After six seasons preparing the Kansas City Symphony for a great leap forward in 2011, Michael Stern has signed on for another five years at the helm.

more at kansascity.com