WMUK Culture

Starting Saturday Oct 2, Face Off Theatre Company will accept video submissions of 1-2 minute monologues from new and experienced actors in a friendly competition determined by audience votes. 

Crista Miller is the Director of Music and Cathedral Organist at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston, TX. Bringing with her a program of jewels for organ by Pachelbel, Mulet, Franck, Brahms, Bach and more, she is the first visiting artist to appear on the Sacred Music at the Cathedral series since it was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. She previews the concert with Cara Lieurance, saying that these pieces had special meaning to her during months of isolation.

Lera Auerbach's 2002 Lonely Suite (Ballet for a Lonely Violinist) will offer special resonance for us after a year of isolation due to COVID-19. It's at the heart of a recital at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, Sep 22 by Megan Crawford, a member of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra and visiting instructor at Western Michigan University. In a conversation with Cara Lieurance, Crawford talks about the pieces that inspired her, how caring for her family makes her musical choices more personal, and how she re-oriented her teaching to learn and teach music of Black composers with her students.

Following the world premiere of a newly-commissioned play, WMU Theatre will continue its season with a classic Sondheim musical staged in an outdoor amphitheater. Director Anthony J. Hamilton and Isaiah Le, a WMU senior who plays the Narrator/Mysterious Man, gave Cara Lieurance an inside look at the themes of Into The Woods: Be careful what you wish for; "nice" is different than "good;" and no one is alone.

Members of Michigan-based Third Coast Swing including bassist Tom Knific will join Baltimore-based Ultrafaux's founder and lead guitarist Michael Joseph Harris and Ann Arbor-based jazz fiddler Grant Flick on the stage at Bell's Eccentric Cafe at 8 pm on Sunday Sep 26. Cara Lieurance talked to Knific for a preview of the show inspired by Django Reinhardt/Stephane Grapelli-style music.