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Heather Powers is a Associate Director of Digital Content in University Marketing and Communications (UMC) at Michigan Technological University. Powers is responsible for all content aspects of UMC's recruitment and reputation web properties and proactively improves and maintains quality, benchmarks, and tests to innovate key sites and pages to meet integrated marketing, brand awareness and reputation, and recruitment goals.

Theatre Auditions Next Week

VPA_AuditionsMichigan Tech Theatre Company will hold auditions next week for two show to be performed in the Fall Semester.

Auditions for both plays will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31 and Thursday Sept. 1, in the McArdle Theatre, second floor of the Walker Building. Call backs will be held as needed.

Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson:

Both Science and fiction, “Silent Sky” blends the discovery of how to measure the universe with the essence of the discover’s life story. Set against the turmoil of the cry for social justice at the beginning of the 20th century, the chronicle of Henrietta Leavitt counterpoints the power of a passion for work with the desire for love and family. Five parts – four women and one man.

Six Performances, October 13-15 and 20-22. Rehearsals will take place Sunday through Friday evenings. All actors will not be required at all rehearsals. No preparation is required for auditions which will include games and reading from the script.

The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui” by Bertolt Brecht.

This dark comedy, set in ’30s Chicago, tells the story of a strongman’s rise to the head of the Cauliflower Turst that has many parallels around the world today.

Written as a parable about Hitler’s rise to power, the story applies to any situation in which a charismatic leader exploits the economic fears of the little guy to seize more and more power.

There’s jazz, gun-molls, shady backroom deals and lots of dark laughs.

There are parts for three or more women (up to six possible) and 19 or more men (up to 30 possible … one singing part—baritone preferred). There are also two gender-irrelevant roles.

No monologues required for audition, just come ready to read and dressed for movement. No previous experience required. There will be three performances Nov. 10-12.

Read more at Tech Today, by Visual and Performing Arts

Rozsa Calendars for 2016-17 Season Now Available

The Rozsa Calendars are here. Once again this year there are both full-size wall calendars and the handy pocket/desk calendars that fit neatly in purses, pockets and of course by your phone on your desk.

Pick up one of each or even both at the Rozsa Center or any of the more than 120 local businesses who display and distribute them each year.

Featured this year are eight Rozsa Presenting Series events, more than 27 Visual and Performing Arts events including music, theater and visual arts events and the ever-popular 41 North Film festival.

Season Ticket Packages went on sale Monday with the best discounts available on all the season has to offer. From BreakSk8, to two nights of Russian National Ballet, to Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk to “West Side Story,” so many great shows at the Rozsa and all available to you at 20 to 40 percent off single ticket prices if you buy early.

Season tickets are available for a limited time only, so find out more today. Not interested in a Season Ticket Package? Single ticket sales begin Sept. 1.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Michigan Tech Ticketing Services at the Central Ticket Office 7- 2073, or go online.

To make it easier for Michigan Tech faculty and staff to get your copies of the calendars, you can request a calendar be delivered directly to your campus mailbox. Click on this link and fill out the google form. We will gladly send a calendar to you via campus mail.

Read more at Tech Today, by Bethany Jones

Jared Anderson Appointed Chair of VPA

Jared Anderson has accepted the position of chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts for the period July 2016 to June 2019. He came to Michigan Tech in 2010, after teaching at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. His expertise is music, specifically choral conducting, as well as piano and music theory. Anderson’s resume shows significant experience as a conductor and as a performer with, among other groups, the Dale Warland Singers in St. Paul, Minnesota. This range of experience has served Anderson well in strengthening and developing the various vocal ensembles at Michigan Tech since 2010.

Anderson has served as interim department chair since December 2013, and was recommended for the chair after a departmental search was conducted last spring. Dean of the College of Sciences and Arts Bruce Seely expressed his pleasure at the recommendation of the search committee. “Jared is the type of person who struck me—and others—as a possible future department chair almost from the time he arrived on campus.”

Seely added that Anderson brought not only a strong interest in music, but an equally strong desire to connect music with the other areas of emphasis within the department—art, theatre and sound. At other universities, such a collection of artistic interests are not often located in such close proximity, but Michigan Tech seeks to take advantage of this unique opportunity for co-existence.

 

Read more at Tech Today, by College of Science and Arts

Rozsa 2016-2017 Season Ticket Packages on sale August 1

What happens when you combine breakdancing with roller skates, circus with bicycle mechanics, culture-clash with dancing and singing and three ballets in two nights? You get the Rozsa Visual and Performing Arts 2016/17 season.

The Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts is the home of visual and performing arts at Michigan Tech. The Rozsa Visual and Performing Arts 2016/17 season is nearly here with season ticket packages going on sale August 1, offering the best discounts available.

From BreakSk8, to two nights of Russian National Ballet, to Cirque Mechanics’ Pedal Punk, to “West Side Story,” there are so many great shows at the Rozsa available at 20 to 40 percent off single ticket prices if you buy early.

Season tickets are available for a limited time only. For more details visit http://www.rozsa.mtu.edu or contact Bethany Jones for more information.

Jazz Lab Band Takes Third at Jazz Fest

The Michigan Tech Jazz Lab Band did well in the Eau Claire Jazz Festival held April 22-23 at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The Jazz Lab Band took third place in the College Big Band category. With a score of 86.5, the Jazz Lab Band finished just behind second-place University of Wisconsin-Madison Jazz Ensemble (87.750). UW-Madison’s Jazz Orchestra won the College Big Band Category with a score of 92.

Two Michigan Tech ensembles opened the festival on the morning of April 22. MOMENTUM, an ensemble of horns, vocal and rhythm section opened the day at 8 a.m. followed by JAZTEC, a seven-piece combo that specializes in contemporary jazz, funk and original styles.

Under the direction of Mike Irish (VPA) director of Jazz Studies, the Jazz Lab Band is a big band comprised of up to 20 musicians from throughout the country and features a broad repertoire of music ranging from the Big Band Era to contemporary jazz and original compositions.

Irish says the accomplishments of the Tech students are even more impressive when you consider none are music majors.
“It is always gratifying to do well against all of the music schools, since we are the only ‘non-music-program’ school competing.”

Guatemalan Kite Flying at McLain State Park

Students in Lisa Gordillo’s (VPA), Outdoor Sculpture class will fly kites inspired by the Guatemalan “barrilete.”

The event will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at McLain State Park.

This is a free event and open to the public. All are welcome to join us to celebrate.

After the event, kites will be on display in the Rozsa Lobby through the end of June.

Read more at Tech Today, by Lisa Gordillo

Sneak Peak 2016-2017 Rozsa VPA Season

We have come to the close of another arts season at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made it a success.
So much was new this year from the World Without Ice climate change meditation/film/sound installation exhibit in McArdle Theatre to the cutting-edge new Project Learning Lab experimental art space in the Rozsa gallery b. From the beautiful collaboration of the Minnesota Ballet’s Nutcracker with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, with new discount Family Ticket Packages that brought so many more families out to enjoy a night at the theater, to the wildly interactive adventure “Intergalactic Nemesis: Target Earth” live-action graphic novel. It was a vibrant, thoughtful and above all, enjoyable season.
We are now in the process of gearing up for the 2016-2017 Rozsa Visual and Performing Arts season and here is a taste of what we have in store.

More details and so many more events are coming soon. Hope to see you here next season.

Read more at Tech Today, by Bethany Jones