Purdue Arts and Entertainmnet

September 11, 1998 BCC Cultural Art Series to open with acclaimed play WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue University Black Cultural Center will begin its 1998 Cultural Art Series on Wednesday, Sept. 30, with the critically acclaimed play "The Inside -- Afrikan Centered Theatre." "This play is a piercing take on race, academia, art and sexuality. It's a deeply engaging exploration of personal identity," BCC Director Renee Thomas said. "The Inside" is about Emma, a black college student who reaches a crisis at a party given by and populated with her white peers. The free performance begins at 7 p.m. in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. The next event in the Cultural Arts Series will be a day of workshops by Dorothy Washington, BCC librarian, on "Researching the Black Experience in Cyberspace." She will conduct four one-hour workshops in the BCC Library beginning at 9 a.m., noon, 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. The event is free, but registration is required. Maulana Karenga, the creator of the African-American cultural holiday Kawanzaa and the Nguzo Saba, will deliver a lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in Room 206, Stewart Center. As part of his talk entitled "Embracing the Good and Pursuing the Possible," the activist-scholar will discuss the principles and practice of the Nguzo Saba, which include unity, self-determination, collective work/responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. He is the author of 12 books and numerous scholarly articles. Illustrator Javako Steptoe will give a free slide show and lecture at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, in the Black Cultural Center multipurpose room. Steptoe's grouping of illustrations entitled "In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall" celebrates fatherhood with illustrations rich in texture and emotional impact. Steptoe's use of a multimedia technique to illustrate the works of dozens of poets has earned multiple awards. The BCC Coffee House will feature an evening of theater and dance when the Jahari Dance Troupe and the New Directional Players perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, in Fowler Hall. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for the public. The Purdue Student Union Board is co-sponsor of the event. Saturday, Oct. 24, the Purdue Black Alumni Organization joins with the Black Cultural Center to co-sponsor the BCC Homecoming Tailgate Party. The fun begins in the BCC parking lot three hours before kickoff time for the football game against the University of Illinois. The cost is $5 for students, $7 for the public. The Black Voices of Inspiration will hold its fall campus concert at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in the Purdue Memorial Union Ballrooms. The free concert is co-sponsored by the Student Union Board. George Curry, editor and chief of Emerge Magazine, will present a lecture on "What African Americans Must Do to Help Ourselves" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Fowler Hall. Curry is a regular panelist on "Lead Story," a news analysis program that airs each Sunday on the BET television network. The free talk is co-sponsored by the Historically Black Institution Visitation Program. On Saturday, Nov. 14, the Black Cultural Center sponsors the DuSable Museum Tour and African Dinner in Chicago. Participants will visit the nation's oldest nonprofit institution devoted to the collection, preservation, interpretation and dissemination of African and African-American history and culture. After the guided museum tour, Ethiopian cuisine will be served at an African restaurant. Tickets are $20 and include transportation, entrance to the museum and dinner. The registration deadline is Nov. 10. For more information, call (765) 494-3094. A showing of "The Color of Fear" is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, in the BCC multipurpose room. Lee Mun Wah's film portrays the pain and anguish that racism has caused in the lives of eight North American men of Asian, European, Latino and African descent. The screening is free and open to the public. The four BCC performing arts ensembles -- the Jahari Dance Troupe, the Black Voices of Inspiration Choir, the New Directional Players and the Haraka Writers -- will present the BCC Cultural Arts Festival at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, in Loeb Playhouse. Admission is $3 for students, $5 for the public. A chance to attend a final study session is available Thursday, Dec. 10, at the BCC. The study session at 6 p.m. will be followed by a study break featuring cards, dominos, games, music and fun. CONTACT: Renee Thomas, BCC director (765) 494-3091; e-mail, rathomas@hfs.purdue.edu Symphony returns with all-Russian program WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of music director Raymond Leppard, returns to Purdue University with an all-Russian program at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4 in Purdue University's Elliott Hall of Music. Featuring guest pianist Horacio Guttierez, the concert kicks off the Purdue Convocations Lively Arts Package and is presented with support from Tenax Corp. and Insight Communications. Pianist Horacio Gutierrez, a native of Cuba who became an American citizen in 1967, appears regularly in recital and as soloist at Lincoln Center, Avery Fisher Hall, and Carnegie Hall. He is the recipient of an Emmy Award for his fourth appearance with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, as well as the 1982 Avery Fisher Prize. In addition, he was nominated for a 1992 Grammy Award for his recording of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3 with Lorin Maazel and the Pittsburgh Symphony. The ISO's matinee performance features Rimsky-Korsakov's Suite from Snow Maiden and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Opus 13, Winter Dreams . Gutierrez will join the symphony for Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 3 in D minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 30. Purdue Convocations also will host an "Alternative Rach-Fest" before the concert from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on the Purdue Mall , in front of Hovde Hall on campus. Refreshments from C. Ray's Bar & Grill, Arni's Restaurants and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream will be sold as well as popcorn from the Purdue Alumni Association and cider from the Purdue Orchards. All proceeds will benefit the Convocations Voice Network, a student organization that provides ushering and promotional services for all Convocations presentations. The Purdue "All-American" Marching Band also will perform. "The purpose of the event is to provide a fun and festive way for our patrons to interact with each other and our staff, to learn more about the Convos 1998-99 season, and to celebrate another great year of performing arts programming at Purdue," said Convocations director Lorna Myers. ISO music director Raymond Leppard, who recently announced that he will be stepping down from that position at the end of the ISO's 2000-2001 season, will discuss the program and take questions in an "Informance" before the concert at 2 p.m. in Room 15, Elliott Hall. The "Alternative Rach-Fest" event and the Informance are free and open to the public. Before Sept. 21, tickets for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concert are $21, $18 and $11 for the public, $12 and $10 for Purdue students; after Sept. 21, tickets are $23, $20 and $13 for the public, $14 and $12 for Purdue students at campus box offices. Charge by phone at (765) 494-3933 or 1-800-914-SHOW. CONTACT: Sue Stevens, Convocations publicist, (765) 494-9712; e-mail, snstevens@convos.purdue.edu Compiled by J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; e-mail, mike_willis@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page