Big Read T-shirt Art Competition is Now Open!

All area K-12 Students are encouraged to take part in our Third Big Read T-shirt design contest!

Winning students, received a hardcover copy of Twain’s collected works, and four tickets to see Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! on Saturday April 21, 2012 at 7:30 in the Young Auditorium.

Click here to download the Big Read T-Shirt Contest Poster.

Click here to download the registration form and directions.

Big Read T-shirt contest 2012 Twain POSTER

Big Read Finale

Stayed tuned to ArtsEnews for special summer updates about the Young Auditorium, and the Big Read notification for 2012!

Big Read Finale

Big Read Mural Project with children’s book illustrator Joel Schoon Tanis
Through visits and e-interaction, Michigan artist Joel Schoon Tanis will led students in hands-on exploration that will demonstrate the nature of translating words into larger than life visual representations. With Joel’s guidance, students will delve into specific works by Edgar Allan Poe to create visual art that captures the mood and emotions of the author’s work. Joel will work with students from four different area schools, including Lake Geneva’s Star School, to create four mural panels representing their impressions of a story by Poe. Joel will lead the group from early conceptualization to a final large scale artwork. Through his work with the students, he will use theme, mood and ideas to integrate the panels into a complete mural. The final mural will be unveiled at The Big Read Finale in Lake Geneva, WI on Friday, April 29, 2011 at Horticultural Hall.

Big Read Sponsors

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with The Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Additional Sponsorship Support provided by American Family Insurance and Associated Bank. Media sponsors are the Janesville Gazette and the Jefferson County Daily Union.

For more information please contact Young Auditorium at 262-472-4444 or check us out on the web at www.uww.edu/youngauditorium.

Big Read T-Shirt Design Winners

Joel Schoon Tanis with area students.

Big Read Mural Project with children’s book illustrator Joel Schoon Tanis
Through visits and e-interaction, Michigan artist Joel Schoon Tanis has led students in hands-on exploration that explored the nature of translating words into larger than life visual representations. With Joel’s guidance, students will delve into specific works by Edgar Allan Poe to create visual art that captures the mood and emotions of the author’s work. Joel will work with students from four different area schools, including Lake Geneva’s Star School, to create four mural panels representing their impressions of a story by Poe. Joel will lead the group from early conceptualization to a final large scale artwork. Through his work with the students, he will use theme, mood and ideas to integrate the panels into a complete mural. The final mural will be unveiled at The Big Read Finale in Lake Geneva, WI on Friday, April 29, 2011 at Horticultural Hall.

The Big Read concludes with a special downtown Arts Alive gallery walk and Big Read Mural Unveiling at Lake Geneva’s Horticultural Hall on Friday April 29. Children’s book illustrator Joel School Tanis worked with students for four area schools to create a culminating artistic response to Edgar Allan Poe’s writing. Joining Joel will be the students and teachers who worked on the mural including classes from Star Center School in Lake Geneva, Madison Elementary in Janesville, St. John the Baptist in Jefferson and Whitewater Middle School. Posters of the mural will be available for signing by Joel and the student artists.

Twenty area libraries throughout Rock, Walworth and Jefferson County as well as schools, the UW-Whitewater’s Young Auditorium, the Irvin L. Young Library in Whitewater and the Arrowhead Library System have partnered together for a month long series of events to promote the benefits of life-long reading. Activities will revolve around The Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Events throughout the three county area will offer free activities from art workshops, author talks, music, dance, and numerous book club discussions.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with The Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Additional Sponsorship Support provided by American Family Insurance and Associated Bank. Media sponsors are the Janesville Gazette and the Jefferson County Daily Union.

Big Read Finale and Arts Alive Gallery Walk.
Horticultural Hall and downtown Lake Geneva, WI. Friday April, 29, 2011. 5pm-9pm.

Poe Unmasked! 5 PM- 6PM. Horticultural Hall. 330 Broad Street, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. Free. What is it about Edgar Allan Poe’s writings that still scares and fascinates us over 150 years since his death? In this discussion, we will explore the dark nooks and crannies of several of Poe’s works in order to try to understand their mysterious undercurrents, paying special attention to Poe’s uncanny ability to anticipate the fears and anxieties that would haunt Americans for generations to come. In addition, we will discuss the Poe that most of us don’t know–the trickster, the philosopher, and the student of medicine, law and psychology. Led by Robert M. Kachur, a professor of English at McDaniel College, where he teaches eighteenth-and nineteenth-century British literature, horror fiction, and seminars on Poe. A lecturer on Edgar Allan Poe for the Maryland Humanities Council, he is the author of publications on Poe’s short stories.

Fine Art Friday Art Walk in downtown Lake Geneva galleries and studios. 5:00 – 8:00 pm – (Participating Galleries: Sign of the Unicorn, Everart, J Marc Graphics, Gallery Matisse, Refined Rustic, Geneva Lake Art Association Gallery, C. Berger Gallery, Aislinge Gallery.) Pelajia Productions will be performing dramatic readings of Poe’s work at the galleries.

Lake Geneva Orchestra. Horticultural Hall. 6:30 – 7:15. Music provided by ensembles from the Lake Geneva Orchestra at Horticultural Hall.

Opening of the Geneva Lake Art Association Student Art Show. 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Featuring art work from Badger, Big Foot, and Williams Bay high school art students and students from the Geneva Lake Art Association Art School. Held at the Art Association Gallery, 647 Main St (High School student art awards presented at 7:00 pm) refreshments and music www.genevalakeart.org

Big Read Mural Unveiling with Joel Schoon Tanis. Horticultural Hall. 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM. Free. Noted children’s book illustrator Joel Tanis will unveil the 2011 Big Read Mural. Joel worked with students for four area schools to create a culminating artistic response to Edgar Allan Poe’s writing. Joining Joel will be the students and teachers who worked on the mural including classes from Star Center School in Lak, Madison Elementary in Janesville, St. John the Baptist in Jefferson and Whitewater Middle School. Posters of the mural will be available for signing by Joel and the student artists. 330 Broad Street, Lake Geneva, WI 53147.

Geneva Lake Arts Alliance holds Poe Film Fest

The hour-long discussion is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, April 29, at DDHS, 150 Cummings St. The media is invited to attend.

What is it about Edgar Allan Poe’s writings that still scares and fascinates us over 150 years since his death? In this discussion, Kachur will explore the dark nooks and crannies of several of Poe’s works in order to try to understand their mysterious undercurrents, paying special attention to Poe’s uncanny ability to anticipate the fears and anxieties that would haunt Americans for generations to come.

In addition, Kachur will discuss the Poe that most of us don’t know — the trickster, the philosopher, and the student of medicine, law and psychology.

Kachur is a professor of English at McDaniel College, where he teaches 18th Century and 19th Century British literature, horror fiction, and gives seminars on Poe.

Kachur is a lecturer on Edgar Allan Poe for the Maryland Humanities Council and is the author of publications on Poe’s short stories.

His speaking engagement at DDHS is part of The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture.

The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with The Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Additional sponsorship support is provided by American Family Insurance and Associated Bank. Media sponsors are The Janesville Gazette and the Jefferson County Daily Union.

Kachur will also lead two free public discussions about Poe on:

• Thursday April 28, at 5:30 p.m. at UW-Rock County, Commons Meeting Room in Hyatt Smith Hall, 2909 Kellogg Ave., Janesville.

• Friday April 29, 5 p.m. at Horticultural Hall, 330 Broad St., Lake Geneva.

The second Annual Big Read mural design competition was awarded to Anatoly Parker, an eighth grade student enrolled at Whitewater Middle School. The winning design will be printed on the official Big Read t-shirt that will be given away at Big Read events throughout the month of April. The judges were impressed with Anatoly’s strikingly complex mosaic of Poe images that wove into a frame around a central portrait of the author. The use of
A student of Stacy Johnson’s, Anatoly was inspired by Poe’s most famous pieces of literature especially The Raven, and the Fall of the House of Usher.
Judges were also impressed with the second and third place qualifiers. Second place went to Maria Guadalupe Matla a student of Mrs. Kyle at Whitewater Middle School. Maria’s artwork, infused Edgar Allan Poe’s name into the form of a Raven. Ashley Hansen, a seventh grade student in Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Karedes at Walworth Middle School was inspired by Poe’s poem Annabel Lee to depict a forlorn seaside landscape entitled, “Chilling Wind.” Two students received honorable mentions. Jaclyn Walter a student of Mr. Preus at Phoenix Middle School. Jacylyn’s work incorporated a digitized picture of Poe with Wisconsin and Green Bay Packer imagery. Dana Sorenson a seventh grade student in Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Karedes class at Walworth Middle School utilized quotes from The Raven and The Fall of the House of Usher into a striking scene.
Each of the prize winners will receive tickets to the performance of Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Terror, a copy of The Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe and an official Big Read T-shirt. The prize winners will on display at Studio 84 in downtown Whitewater in April. Studio 84 is located at 121 W. Center Street in Whitewater.

Kane, who bills himself as a “New York actor,” is a mysterious figure with a murky past, and of dubious origins. Said one undisclosed source, “How many people do you know whose passport smells of brimstone and sulfur?” His demise has been reported more times than that of the Democratic Party, giving rise to rumors that he has risen from the dead.

This intrepid reporter has learned that Kane (a.k.a. “the mad Uncle”) has left a trail of horror and havoc across these United States. Reports include murders of annoying neighbors, the burning alive of politicians (can you imagine!), and — I hesitate to tell you, but he has been seen consorting with a large black bird.

It has also been reported that in his technical rider to the theater, Kane requested not a hotel room, but access to a mausoleum, preferably near several freshly dug graves. The mirrors have been removed from his dressing room.

In the guise of entertainment, Kane has traveled across the country menacing innocent citizens with what he purports are tales of old-fashioned family values – if your values happen to be revenge, madness and despair. And Young Auditorium Director Ken Kohberger has the gall to present this lunatic on Wednesday April 6, 2011 – shouldn’t we run him out of town?

This reporter wants to know why such a menace has gone unchecked. Who will protect us from being murdered in our beds? And hasn’t anyone thought of the children?!! Where is the outrage? Reached at an “undisclosed location,” Vice President Joe Biden had no comment. There was also no comment from Attorney General Michael Mukasey and from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff as to why the Patriot Act does not protect us from such performances. (Why can’t we have a nice Lawrence Welk concert? Oh, that’s right – he’s
dead . . . Was Kane responsible for that too?)

The only way to save our community is for all citizens to converge on Young Auditorium, fill the theater and keep a close eye on this strange being. “Seats for the show are moving fast,” says Kohberger. “Which is odd, since they’re bolted to the floor?”

Be warned, Kane may try and entertain you. He may trick you into laughing and entice you into a thrilling evening of theatre. Oh, the horror! It’s possible you may even think you are having a phenomenal time — and you know what that means.
Lodge your protest by buying a ticket for this madness on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 7:30 pm call 262-472-2222 or purchase on-line at www.uww.edu/youngauditorium

Kane, who bills himself as a “New York actor,” is a mysterious figure with a murky past, and of dubious origins. Said one undisclosed source, “How many people do you know whose passport smells of brimstone and sulfur?” His demise has been reported more times than that of the Democratic Party, giving rise to rumors that he has risen from the dead.

This intrepid reporter has learned that Kane (a.k.a. “the mad Uncle”) has left a trail of horror and havoc across these United States. Reports include murders of annoying neighbors, the burning alive of politicians (can you imagine!), and — I hesitate to tell you, but he has been seen consorting with a large black bird.

It has also been reported that in his technical rider to the theater, Kane requested not a hotel room, but access to a mausoleum, preferably near several freshly dug graves. The mirrors have been removed from his dressing room.

In the guise of entertainment, Kane has traveled across the country menacing innocent citizens with what he purports are tales of old-fashioned family values – if your values happen to be revenge, madness and despair. And Young Auditorium Director Ken Kohberger has the gall to present this lunatic on Wednesday April 6, 2011 – shouldn’t we run him out of town?

This reporter wants to know why such a menace has gone unchecked. Who will protect us from being murdered in our beds? And hasn’t anyone thought of the children?!! Where is the outrage? Reached at an “undisclosed location,” Vice President Joe Biden had no comment. There was also no comment from Attorney General Michael Mukasey and from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff as to why the Patriot Act does not protect us from such performances. (Why can’t we have a nice Lawrence Welk concert? Oh, that’s right – he’s
dead . . . Was Kane responsible for that too?)

The only way to save our community is for all citizens to converge on Young Auditorium, fill the theater and keep a close eye on this strange being. “Seats for the show are moving fast,” says Kohberger. “Which is odd, since they’re bolted to the floor?”

Be warned, Kane may try and entertain you. He may trick you into laughing and entice you into a thrilling evening of theatre. Oh, the horror! It’s possible you may even think you are having a phenomenal time — and you know what that means.
Lodge your protest by buying a ticket for this madness on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 7:30 pm call 262-472-2222 or purchase on-line at www.uww.edu/youngauditorium

Kane, who bills himself as a “New York actor,” is a mysterious figure with a murky past, and of dubious origins. Said one undisclosed source, “How many people do you know whose passport smells of brimstone and sulfur?” His demise has been reported more times than that of the Democratic Party, giving rise to rumors that he has risen from the dead.

This intrepid reporter has learned that Kane (a.k.a. “the mad Uncle”) has left a trail of horror and havoc across these United States. Reports include murders of annoying neighbors, the burning alive of politicians (can you imagine!), and — I hesitate to tell you, but he has been seen consorting with a large black bird.

It has also been reported that in his technical rider to the theater, Kane requested not a hotel room, but access to a mausoleum, preferably near several freshly dug graves. The mirrors have been removed from his dressing room.

In the guise of entertainment, Kane has traveled across the country menacing innocent citizens with what he purports are tales of old-fashioned family values – if your values happen to be revenge, madness and despair. And Young Auditorium Director Ken Kohberger has the gall to present this lunatic on Wednesday April 6, 2011 – shouldn’t we run him out of town?

This reporter wants to know why such a menace has gone unchecked. Who will protect us from being murdered in our beds? And hasn’t anyone thought of the children?!! Where is the outrage? Reached at an “undisclosed location,” Vice President Joe Biden had no comment. There was also no comment from Attorney General Michael Mukasey and from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff as to why the Patriot Act does not protect us from such performances. (Why can’t we have a nice Lawrence Welk concert? Oh, that’s right – he’s
dead . . . Was Kane responsible for that too?)

The only way to save our community is for all citizens to converge on Young Auditorium, fill the theater and keep a close eye on this strange being. “Seats for the show are moving fast,” says Kohberger. “Which is odd, since they’re bolted to the floor?”

Be warned, Kane may try and entertain you. He may trick you into laughing and entice you into a thrilling evening of theatre. Oh, the horror! It’s possible you may even think you are having a phenomenal time — and you know what that means.
Lodge your protest by buying a ticket for this madness on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 7:30 pm call 262-472-2222 or purchase on-line at www.uww.edu/youngauditorium

Mark your calendars for a special treat. On Tuesday, April 5, 2011, Kirsch’s Restaurant at the French Country Inn will be opening especially for the Walworth County Art Council. This restaurant, listed as one of Walworth County’s best, will provide us with a gourmet three-course lunch. Located on the south shore of Lake Como, the setting overlooking the lake should be in full spring glory. We will all enjoy a pear salad with mixed greens, chevre, and carmelized pecans. That day you will be able to choose between an entrée of Great Lake’s Whitefish with herbs, citrus and saffron rice or Wilson Farm’s Pork Tenderloin with “porchetta”, apples and spice. The meal ends with warm apple pie alamode with coffee or tea. Cost will be $24 per person. A cash bar will be available.

We are also in for a special treat with our program, which is a part of the “Big Read”, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and coordinated by the Young Auditorium at UW-Whitewater. The great tales and poems of Edgar Allan Poe are the focus of this year’s Big Read. In keeping with this them, our speaker will be Erika Janik, a freelance writer and editor from Madison, WI. She is the author of “A Short History of Wisconsin”, “Odd Wisconsin: Amusing, Perplexing and Unlikely Stories from Wisconsin’s Past” to name a few.

We will gather at 11:30 with lunch served at noon. Following lunch we will enjoy Erika multi-media presentation and end with a book signing.

Kirsch’s Restaurant is located on the north side of highway 50, approximately 3 miles west of the city of Lake Geneva. Take Red Chimney Road north to the lake (watch for the Kirsch’s Sign).

Reservations should be sent before March 28th along with a check of $24 per person made payable to WCAC, to:
WCAC
P.O. Box 446,
Delavan, WI 53115-0446.