Let's Hear It

In an interview with Cara Lieurance, Rob Weiner and Jeremy Koch, two of the founders of Farmers Alley Theatre, share their anticipation for the seven Signature Series productions, three Spotlight Series shows, and three Theatre For Young Audiences offerings in the 2019-2020 season. At season 12, says Weiner, their vision and model is reaching new stages of experience and growth, thanks to a growing reputation nationally and the good word of performers from New York and Los Angeles cast in Farmers Alley productions.

The Spotlight Series begins Oct 4 with a re-envisioned chamber setting of the Lerner & Loewe musical Camelot, followed in late November-December by It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. The ripped-from-the-headlines dramedy The Cake and Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers follow, in February and March. Farmers Alley Theatre will partner again with the Gilmore Keyboard Festival in spring to present an intimate look at Billie Holiday's life, in Lady Day At Emerson's Bar & Grille. Then in June, they'll present the first regional production of Bright Star, written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, followed by High Fidelity in July-Aug, adapted from the 2000 film.

Multi-instrumentalist Andrew Collins, a Canadian musician at the forefront of new acoustic trends and blends (from bluegrass to gypsy jazz to Celtic to Nick Drake), talks to Cara Lieurance about the Canadian folk scene and the album tour for Tongue and Groove, a double album of songs and instrumentals. Collins and fellow musicians Mike Mezzatesta and James McEleney will perform at The Riviera Theatre in Three Rivers on Saturday, Sep 21. 

Kids and their vivid imaginations are no mystery to Paul Bauer, who grew up with young nieces and nephews, watched his mother run a home daycare, and became a pre-school teacher himself before turning to music full-time. An instructor at Kalamazoo Kids in Tune and at the Crescendo Academy, he's also the drummer for the  local band The Mainstays. Bauer started another project, Small Sounds, a few years ago with his wife, Katrina Davidson. In the studio with Craig Freeman, Bauer and Davidson talk about how they write songs and engage children with their live shows. 

Drawing from a variety of music genres - pop, rock, electronic, and more - Small Sounds released its first album, Good Morning, Sun!, in 2016. In the studio, they play a stripped-down version of "Hey, Alligator!" from that release, and two newer songs, "My Pet Possum," and "Life on the Seven Seas."

The Missing Generation was formed in 2015 as a duo by guitarist/singer Chris Schleuder and drummer Gerren Young. As their ties to the Kalamazoo music scene deepened, they added like-minded musicians Abe Savas and Tim Sparling to their mix of rock styles and original songwriting. It also gave them the opportunity to trade instruments and add another lead singer.

In the Takeda Studio at WMUK, The Missing Generation plays three original songs - "Stutter," "Summer Love," and "In Case of Love" - and talks to host Craig Freeman about the strengths they play off of, how they balance their music in their daily lives, the wisdom of playing for open-mic nights, and their appreciation for a supportive music community. 

After Ours is a South Bend-based duo that packs an amazing amount of sound into its grooves. Eli Kahn plays a hybrid 7-string instrument on which he can play bass lines, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar with help from an impressive  effects rack. Arthur Schroeder is an in-demand drummer with a background in jazz, rock, and hip-hop. Their latest album, released in August, 2018, is called All The Time.

In a live performance in WMUK's Takeda studio, Kahn and Schroeder demonstrate their loop-based music and talk to host Craig Freeman about the versatility of the duo. They've played together for over 10 years, an experience that has given them both the same "loop mind" and an instinct for adapting their sound to any venue, from an underground club to a champagne bar bookstore.