Sweet Charity
Opens October 21

Sweet Charity opens this month in the Schneider Theater and tickets are now on sale. Jon Cranney directs, Anita Ruth returns as musical director and conductor of BCT’s live orchestra, and Tracy Doheny Erickson choreographs in the style of Bob Fosse.

This dance-driven tale invites the audience to mid-1960s New York City and offers an amusing and bittersweet portrayal of dance club hostess Charity Hope Valentine, the girl who loses sight of who she is in a desperate search for love. Sweet Charity is a Neil Simon comedy in every sense of the word and a vehicle for composer Cy Coleman and lyricist Dorothy Fields to capture the rhythms, sounds and fun of New York.

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A Voice from the Pit
Reflections by BCT Orchestra Woodwind Musician
Tim Wells

My first musical aspiration came while watching The Lawrence Welk Show with my grandmother. As a child, I dreamed that I would someday have the opportunity to play the flute for his ensemble. Having so many elderly Norwegians around me all of the time, I assumed Mr. Welk would live long enough for me to give the signature flute responses to the closing "Good night (bah-dee-la-dup), sleep tight (bah-dee-la-dup) and pleasant dreams to you ..."

A musical theater pit orchestra is often a lot like the large dance band Lawrence Welk led on his television program. Depending on the production, it can also resemble a chamber orchestra or rock combo. As musicians, we need to know a wide variety of styles including symphonic, swing, and more avant-garde music, often within the same production.

Read more about BCT orchestrations

Instructor-Student Art Show
Call for Artists

All BTAC teaching artists and adult students who have participated in a class during 2011 are invited to submit a piece for exhibition in this year’s Instructor-Student Art Show, held in the Atrium Gallery from November 17, 2011 to January 13, 2012. There is no fee to enter and each exhibitor is welcome to display one piece of his or her choice.

More Info

35th Annual Members’ Juried Art Exhibition
Call for Artists

October 7 is the entry deadline for BTAC’s 35th Annual Members’ Juried Art Exhibition. This year’s judge is Lyndel King, Director and Chief Curator of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota. Cash awards include a $300 Grand Prize Award. Entry forms are available HERE.

This exhibition will take place from October 27 to December 2, 2011 in the Inez Greenberg Gallery.

Register Now for Fall Break
Clay and Theater Workshops

October brings a two-day break for many schoolchildren in Bloomington and surrounding districts. It’s a great time for intensive arts experiences, and we’re delighted to announce new clay and theater workshops tailored to the fall break schedule.

BTAC’s long-time children’s clay instructor, Judy Vaillancourt-Yerhot, will teach a two-day Kid’s Clay Studio Workshop from 9:30 a.m. – noon on Thursday, October 20 and Friday, October 21. Children aged 8-12 will learn about hand-building and the pottery wheel as they work on projects inspired by Halloween, Thanksgiving, or their own imagination. The workshop tuition is $40 per child for BTAC members and $45 for non-members.*

Read about theater workshops and registration

The Atelier Exhibition
Upcoming Events

Come and observe artists from The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art as they demonstrate painting in the classical realist style live in the Inez Greenberg Gallery in conjunction with their exhibition, On the Training of Painters: The Atelier’s Past and Present. You’ll find an artist painting a still life each Saturday morning from 10:00 a.m. to noon through October 1. Please also join us for:

Product Presentation by Wet Paint – The Atelier and the Contemporary Artist
Saturday, October 1, 10:00 a.m. – noon, Inez Greenberg Gallery
Traditional apprentice artists learned about materials by making them from scratch. They would grind their own colors and make brushes by hand, learning what each material was used for in the process. In the contemporary world, nearly everything that we need as artists is manufactured for us. Wet Paint Floor Manager Greg Graham will give an overview of painting materials available for the contemporary artist and offer guidance in matching materials to one’s expressive needs.

Lecture by Dr. Gabriel Weisberg – Mentoring Tradition: The Art Studio and its Continuing Contemporary Importance
Saturday, October 8, 10:00 a.m. – noon, Bloomington City Council Chambers
University of Minnesota Professor of Art History, Dr. Gabriel Weisberg, will explore the history and ongoing importance of artistic mentorship in today’s art world.

On The Training of Painters: The Atelier’s Past and Present runs through October 14 and is sponsored by Wet Paint.

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View BTAC's Calendar of Events