; 1 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT i
Grants Deliver Gifts of Passion, Art
There are so many talented and
creative people throughout
Winston-Salem who only need a
little support to share their artistic
gifts with the community. Writers,
.musicians, theatre performers,
?craftsmen and artists of all kinds
find this support from the various
grants given by The Arts Council
of Winston-Salem and Forsyth
County. Performers such as Robin
Voiers share their passion for the
arts to entertain and educate
young people.
Through an Arts-in-Education
award granted by The Arts
Council, Voiers provides 10 live
theater performances to K-12
graders. All the plays are based on
the works of noted authors such as
Emily Dickinson, Mrs. F. Scott
Fitzgerald, and Truman Capote.
Her work within the Winston
Salem/Forsyth County School sys
tem breaths life into classroom
discussions of these renowned
authors.
Voiers' current performance of
"A Christmas Memory," by
Truman Capote can be seen by
everyone at the Reynolda House
Museum of American Art, begin
ning Dec. 19. Largely autobio
graphical, "A Christmas Memory"
is about a Southern writer's
poignant remembrances of
Christmas with his beloved cousin,
Sook. The play is a wonderful
work that the whole family can
enjoy.
Voiers is one of the many
artists who are assisted financially
by grants from The Arts Council.
Applications are now being accept
ed for the Project Assistance
Grant, the Regional Artist Project
.Grant, and Arts-ln-Education
Grant.
Project Assistance Grants seek
to assist not-for-profit cultural
organizations in providing high
quality cultural programs and
services to the citizens of Forsyth
County and to assist in the devel
opment of emerging organizations.
Applications are due by March 2,
1998.
The Regional Artist Project
Grant program is designed to rec
ognize and provide financial sup
port for committed artists and is
intended to support a specific pro
ject pivotal to the advancement of
the artist's career. Applications are
due by March 2, 1998.
The Arts-ln-Education Grant
program is jointly designed,
administered and supported by the
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County
school system and seeks to assist
not-for-profit cultural organiza
tions and individuals in providing
arts education programs in the
public schools. Applications are
due by Feb. 2, 1998.
Applications are available at
The Arts Council, 305 W. Fourth
St. Contact grants director Jeffrey
Swaim at 722-2585 for more infor
mation.
For more information about
Robin Voiers' performance of "A
Christmas Memory," contact the
Reynolda House at 725-5325.
Arts Reach
Oforia Lindfy
Robin Votert' pmrformanem of "A Chrietmat Memory," by Truman
Capote, tan be mm at Reynolda.. House beginning Dot. 19.
Pamela Murill, ? ma ted, and her staff are responsible for the 'Arise After Five' series.
?
'Arise After Five' program to feature
live gospel jazz and poetic scripture
By AURELIA HILL
Special to THE CHRONICLE
GREENSBORO - Pamela
Murrill, the originator and pro
ducer of "Arise After Five," was
able to see the vision that God
shared with her become reality
Saturday, Dec. 6.
That vision was to provide
adult Christian entertainment to
the community as well as showcase
local writing and instrumental tal
ent.
The premier of "Arise After
Five" was the first of a series of
live gospel jazz and poetic scrip
ture reading soirees that will take
place at the Carolina Theater, in
the Renaissance Room, every first
Thursday of the month starting
Jan. 1. The program will continue
throughout the year, from 7 p.m.
until 10 p.m.
Murrill has worked in various
church roles, which she feels have
help prepare her.
They include public relations,
marketing, advertising, committee
member and coordinator of fel
lowship activities. Murill thanks
God for "allowing her to be a part
of His vision for fellowship."
The premier included poetic
scripture readings by Denise
Garner and Helen Hughes, a
gospel jazz selection by Nigel
Smith, musical producer, and
opening and closing prayer by
evangelist Kymira Callaway.
The poetic scripture reading by
Garner was written with the help
of Murrill and God. As Garner
read, nods of agreement could be
seen and "amen" could be heard
from the crowd.
Hughes' original work
"When I ... It Was You" left par
ticipantsfeeling as if the spirit of
God was in the room. With lines
like, "When I thought that life was
n't worth continuing on, it was you
Lord who restored me, and helped
me be strong," brought tears to the
eyes of some.
The.live gospel jazz was spiritu
ally uplifting. Smith's prayer to
"help the community
v grow musically as well as spiri
tually, through "Arise After Five"
is ofT to a great start. ,
Not only does "Arise After
Five" provide the perfect atmos
phere for Christian fellowship and
an elegant evening, 10 percent of
the tickets sold will be donated fd a
different local organization each
month. ?
Anyone interested in showcas
ing his or her spiritual talent c^n
give Pamela Murrill a call for poet
ic scripture consideration at 27!?
4716, or Nigel Smith for musical
consideration at 668-4901.
*
The 'Star' comes to Winston-Salem
The award winning children's
play "The Star That Hangs Closest
to the Earth," by C. Maria Macon,
carries the theme "Difference is
not inferior." The play serves as the
backdrop to the playwright's
exploration of her own views while
wrestling with the black/white
issues of today. It is also the tool
she uses to help teach youth to
?have healthy views about race rela
tions.
The play introduces Jes, a king
ly giraffe, and Ayo, a zebra with no
Stripes. The two find themselves
the talk of the jungle as their ani
mal friends are divided over their
pending romance. With the
involvement of several different
animals and a sankofa bird, there
is only one place to go for advice,
and so goes the story of "The Star
That Hangs Closest to the Earth."
The children who become
transformed into the characters of
this delightful play are primarily
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County
School students who answered the
"call to audition" in October. The
transformation takes place during
g 10-weekend period of. theatrical
workshops in preparation for
opening night ? Dec. 27, at 8 p.m.
at the K.R Williams Auditorium
on the campus of Winston-Salem
State University.
The 10 weekends of workshops
provide a theatre curriculum that
brings in professional artists in the
field of storytelling, drumming,
voice, music, costume design, stage
managing, choreography and
directing to give the youths a full
theater experience and bring to life
the 13 animal characters, the story
teller and, of course, the star.
The play's presenters are nine
North Carolina artists who call
themselves Star Productions. At
the helm of Star Productions is C.
Maria Macon (board president
and CEO) a Charlotte playwright
and one of the nine artists who
tour with the production.
"The play uses the African
Griot storytelling method of
employing animals to express the
feelings of humans" says Macon.
"We are blessed to have storyteller
E.J. Stewart, who adds her own
ityle and flavor to our efforts."
[Stewart is on the North Carolina
\rts Council's rouster of touring
ind resident artists. She is also
xaining a Forsyth County school
eacher, Ann Jenkins, who has
aspirations of becoming a story
teller.)
"We are in hopes that this is the
beginning of a national festival of
children's theater for the youth in
all of North Carolina," said Rosly
Meaders, who serves as the stage
manager for the performance and
1 ?
as executive director for Star
Productions.
The artists will stage a dress
rehearsal and press party for the
young performers Dec. 13 from
2:30-to 4 p.m. The play will run for
two performances: Dec. 27 at 8
p.m. and Dec. 28 at 3 p.m.
I THE ARTISTIC STUDIO
Janice Prlce-Hlnton
Artletlc Director
Offering Class** In Baltot, Tap and Jazz Dane*
^ ?y Also AvallaMs: Acting, Vole* and Musleal Thaatar
REGISTER NOW FOR
AFRICAN AEROBICS^
HIP HOP DANCE
For Mora Information Call l i
Y (910) 723-7473 1,
, 1416 8. Main Straot i
I = Wlntton-fitnii Nfi 87187 Jk
?^gfe'Tis the Season
at the
Sawtooth Center for Visual Art
Winter Craft & Art Classes
Begin January 12,1998.
I Can't Draw, Yes I Can ? Camera Techniques
Cartooning for Teens ? Stained Glass
Jewelry ? Sculpture ? Basketry
Birdcarving ? Black & White Photography ? i
? Surface Design Workshops ? and Many More
All Kinds of Youth Classes & Workshops
Call 723-7395 for a free catalog
or register today.
The Sawtooth Center is a funded member of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Arts Council,and
receives major support from the Li la Wallace /Readers' Digest Community Arts Education Initiative Fund.
^ ??
SwJoSSHOT4TSi^
Tfcto/'lPtwWfWt SrionSSm NC 27101
I ? I Hi J
?A
H H H^h^H^I .^I^E^Hi:"
[uE&EEa
^wtk ?i^l^//X
?MMi
^ttGiartBaUoort
^i^tednesday, Dec 314997
T___| jouSRaL MSSk
BUY YOUR BUTTONS TODAY AND HAVE A GREAT NEW YEARS
~ ]'