eInside Events

Save the Date! 22nd Annual Celebrating College Teaching Conference, Oct. 22-23

The 22nd annual Celebrating College Teaching Conference takes place Oct. 22 and 23 at the Kent Student Center. The University Teaching Council’s annual conference focuses on the four pillars of a Kent State University undergraduate curriculum — knowledge, insight, responsibility and engagement.

Many favorite activities will be returning: the Provost’s Continental Breakfast at 8:30 a.m.; followed by refereed roundtables; invited roundtables, including the Emeriti Roundtable, presented by Norman Duffy; panel discussions, poster displays; the President’s Luncheon; and the Glenn W. Frank Lecture, by George Garrison. The conference culminates with a dessert reception at 2:30 p.m. to honor recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Awards, the Outstanding Teaching Awards and the wealth of teaching excellence at Kent State.

All conference events are free and open to all those who teach or support teaching at Kent State. Instructors are urged to plan their course syllabi so they may attend.

The University Teaching Council has a call for proposals out now for any Kent State faculty members or graduate teaching assistants who are interested in presenting at the conference. To learn more, visit www.kent.edu/utc or http://bit.ly/UTCCProposals. Deadline for submissions is July 1, 2015.

For more information about the conference, contact Kim Peer at 330-672-0231 or kpeer@kent.edu.

Photography Exhibit at Downtown Gallery Examines Autism, Parenthood

"Waiting for the Summer School Bus" is
one of the photos featured in Albert
Reischuck's exhibit at the Kent State
University School of Art’s Downtown
Gallery.

(Photo credit: Albert Reischuck)

From May 26 to July 4, the Kent State University School of Art’s Downtown Gallery, located at 141 E. Main St. in Kent, will feature “Reframing the Real Good-looking Boy,” with photographs by Albert Reischuck, a Kent State faculty member in art history. The exhibit, subtitled “Images on Raising an Autistic Child,” is free and open to the public.

The collection consists of photographs of Reischuck’s son, Alec, including ones that Reischuck may have been hesitant to share in the past.

“I usually edit out the pictures that clearly reveal his autism before posting anything for friends and family to see on social media,” Reischuck explains. “The ‘reframing’ refers to my attempts to include many sides of Alec that I had previously chosen to edit from the visual narratives of our lives and his.”

Gallery hours are Monday to Wednesday, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

For more information, contact Anderson Turner, director of galleries, at haturner@kent.edu or 330-672-1369.

Kent State Tuscarawas Announces Performing Arts Center’s Summer Series

Motown stars The Four Tops kick off the Kent State
University at Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center’s
Summer Series on June 13.

Three outstanding concerts are headlining the Kent State University at Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center’s Summer Series. Motown stars The Four Tops kick off the series on June 13, followed by Larry Gatlin on July 18 and Michael Stanley & the Resonators on Aug. 29. All three concerts begin at 7:30 p.m.

The Four Tops’ first Motown hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964, made them stars and their 1960s track record on the label is indispensable to any retrospective of the decade. Their songs, soulful and bittersweet, were across-the-board successes. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” a no. 1 R&B and Pop smash in 1965, is one of Motown’s longest-running chart toppers; it was quickly followed by a longtime favorite, “It’s The Same Old Song” (no. 2 R&B/no. 5 pop). Their commercial peak was highlighted by a romantic trilogy: The no. 1 “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” (no. 2 R&B/no. 6 pop) and “Bernadette” (no. 3 R&B/no. 4 pop). Other tops hits from the decade included “Ask The Lonely,” “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over),” “Something About You,” “You Keep Running Away,” “7-Rooms Of Gloom” and their covers of “Walk Away Renee” and “If I Were A Carpenter.”

Country legend Larry Gatlin is performing a solo show, Will the Real Larry Gatlin Please Sit Down! He will perform his hits with an acoustic guitar and share memorable stories from his life and career.

Country legend Larry Gatlin will perform
a solo show on July 18 as part of the
Kent State University at Tuscarawas
Performing Arts Center’s Summer Series.

Gatlin rose to fame as Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. The close family harmonies of Larry, Rudy and Steve Gatlin gave the trio a signature sound that led to country classics like “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You).” The brothers won a Grammy Award for their 1976 breakthrough hit, “Broken Lady,” and reached no. 1 with “I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love” two years later. Along with five career nominations for the ACM Vocal Group, the Gatlin Brothers picked up three 1979 trophies – Single of the Year (“All The Gold In California”), Album of the Year (Straight Ahead) and Male Vocalist of the Year for Larry. To date, the brothers have 36 Top 40 Hits to their credit.

Michael Stanley, of the rock band Michael Stanley & the Resonators, has had a music career spanning more than 40 years. He played with the bands Silk, Michael Stanley Band, the Ghost Poets and Michael Stanley & the Resonators. His hits include “He Can’t Love You” and “In the Heartland,” which made the Top 40 Billboard. After the Michael Stanley Band broke up in 1986, Stanley began performing with his latest band, the Resonators. Their setlist includes old favorites and clever covers interspersed with fresh originals. Stanley’s most recent albums include Shadowland, The Hang, The Ride and The Job.

In addition to his music career, Stanley is the afternoon-drive disc jockey for Cleveland radio station WNCX. He was the co-host of "PM Magazine" on Cleveland television’s WJW from 1987 to 1990.

The range of ticket prices for the shows are: The Four Tops $33 to $50; Will the Real Larry Gatlin Please Sit Down! $27 to $42; and Michael Stanley and the Resonators $29 to $36. Tickets for all three shows are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center Box Office, online at www.kent.edu/tusc/pac or by calling 330-308-6400. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free parking is available for all shows. The Summer Series and the 2015-16 season are sponsored by Michael Taylor Insurance and Financial, the local Allstate Agency.

Porthouse Theatre’s 2015 Season Will Offer Sizzling Summer of Broadway Hits

47th season will feature productions of A Little Night Music, Violet and Hairspray

Porthouse Theatre's production of A Little Night Music
opens June 12 and runs through June 27.

Porthouse Theatre, Kent State University’s outdoor, summer theatre located on the grounds of Blossom Music Center, will celebrate its 47th season with productions of A Little Night Music, Violet and Hairspray.

Directed by Sean Morrissey, A Little Night Music opens June 12 and runs through June 27. A preview performance will take place on June 11. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, A Little Night Music explores the romantic web that entangles actress Desiree Armfeldt as she moves through 1900 Swedish society. Performances are June 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. and June 14 and 21 at 2 p.m.

Porthouse Theatre’s producing artistic director and Kent State Professor Terri Kent* will return to the Porthouse stage as Desiree, accompanied by Kent State Associate Professor Fabio Polanco* as Fredrik and Kent State student Jim Weaver as Count Carl-Magnus. Scenic design is by Ben Needham, costume design by Associate Professor S.Q. Campbell, lighting design by T.C. Kouyeas Jr. (M.F.A. ’06), technical direction by Associate Professor Steve Pauna and sound design by Brian Chismar (B.A. ’13). The production stage manager is Kristen Boehnlein*.

Porthouse Theatre's production of Violet opens July 10
and runs through July 25.

Directed by Steven C. Anderson, Violet opens July 10 and runs through July 25. A preview performance will take place on July 9. A musical of transformation, Violet chronicles a young disfigured woman’s journey of self-discovery as she seeks the healing touch of an evangelical preacher in the 1960s Deep South. Music is by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics and book are by Brian Crawley. Performances are July 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. and July 12 and 19 at 2 p.m.

Assistant professor Amy Fritsche performs as Violet. Scenic design is by Terry Martin; costume design by Susan Williams (M.F.A. ’15); lighting design by Cynthia R. Stillings, acting associate dean and professor at Kent State’s College of the Arts; technical direction by Kent State graduate student Ryan T. Patterson and sound design by Nathan Rosmarin (B.F.A. ’15). The production stage manager is Joshua Brown (BFA ’14).

Directed by Kent, Hairspray opens July 31 and runs through Aug. 16. A preview performance will take place on July 30. This family-friendly musical will have audiences dancing in their seats. Hairspray follows plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad as she fights for her dream to dance on the Corny Collins Show and ends up revolutionizing 1960s Baltimore. The book is by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music is by Marc Shaiman and lyrics are by Scott Wittman. Performances are July 30 and 31 and Aug. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. and Aug. 2, 9, 15 and 16 at 2 p.m.

Porthouse Theatre's production of Hairspray opens
July 31 and runs through Aug. 16.

Professor Emeritus Chuck Richie* performs as Edna Turnblad, accompanied by Rohn Thomas* as Wilbur Turnblad and Colleen Longshaw* (M.F.A. ’15) as Motormouth Maybelle. Scenic design is by Nolan O’Dell (B.F.A. ’98), costume design by Sarah Russell (M.F.A. ’09), lighting design by Kouyeas Jr., technical direction by Patterson and sound design by Brian Chismar (B.F.A. ’13). John R. Crawford, professor and dean of the College of the Arts, is the choreographer; and production stage manager is Kristen Boehnlein*.

Subscriptions are on sale now by phone at 330-672-3884. Single and group tickets are available. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Porthouse Box Office, located in the Roe Green Center lobby of Kent State’s Center for the Performing Arts, 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent Campus, online at www.porthousetheatre.com or by phone at 330-672-3884.

Subscriptions for the gold center section range in price from $79 to $93. Subscriptions for the reserved left and right center sections range in price from $72-$84 for adults, $69-$84 for seniors, $57-$66 for college students and $51-$60 for children 18 and under.

Single tickets range in price from $32-$40 for adults, $30-$35 for seniors, $26-$33 for college students and $24-$30 for children 18 and under. Special rates for groups of 20 or more also are available.

For more information about Kent State’s Porthouse Theatre, visit www.kent.edu/porthouse.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States