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Register for 2006 Showcase

Showcase 2006 is sponsored
in part by:

Michigan's Arts and Humanities
Touring Program is sponsored
in part by:

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- July 11, 2006
CONTACT: Scott Hirko, Public Relations Officer,
shirko [at] mihumanities.org, 517-372-0029 ext. 25

30 OF MICHIGAN’S BEST ARTISTS & STORYTELLERS LIVE IN MARSHALL SEPT. 16

(LANSING)-----The Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) announces it will host its 2006 Touring Arts & Humanities Showcase on September 16, 2006, at Marshall High School in Marshall. The 2006 Showcase will feature 30 of Michigan’s best arts and cultural presenters who will each give a 10-minute presentation on stage. Another 60 presenters will exhibit at the event. The event is produced to introduce to the public many of the presenters listed in the new 2006-2009 edition of Michigan’s Arts & Humanities Touring Directory. It provides a unique opportunity for event planners and the general public to interact with some of Michigan’s most talented actors, actresses, dancers, musicians, storytellers, tradition bearers, visual artists and others performing, demonstrating and talking about their work. The event is sponsored in part by the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) and the United Arts Council for Calhoun County. A schedule of events and list of performers and exhibitors is listed below.

“Those who plan arts and cultural programs won’t want to miss this opportunity to see live performances of some of the state’s most talented artists and cultural presenters,” said Jan Fedewa, executive director of the MHC. “Event planners can also visit exhibits to learn about many of the other exceptional performers featured in the 2006-2009 Touring Directory, and learn how to apply for grants to support the performances.”

The Directory includes 248 arts and cultural presenters recommended by a panel of experts from the arts and humanities fields. In January, 55 arts and humanities professionals participated in reviewing and judging each of the more than 330 applications received. The Directory is a joint project of the MHC and MCACA. It is sponsored in part by LaSalle Bank.

The cost for the 2006 Showcase is $35 per person and includes performances, exhibits, lunch, and one copy of the new Directory (additional copies will be made available at Showcase for $5 each to cover handling costs). Registration is available at the Council’s website (link here)

WHEN: September 16, 2006. 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Marshall High School Auditorium, Marshall, MI
COST: $35/person (including performances, exhibits, lunch, and directory)
WEBSITE: michiganhumanities.org/touring
CONTACT: 517-372-7770, contact@mihumanities.org

Michigan’s Arts & Humanities Touring Program, funded by MCACA, provides grants to nonprofit organizations to host live programs and performers – musicians, storytellers, theater companies, speakers and dancers, and visual arts programs – from the 2006-2009 Arts & Humanities Touring Directory. The MHC administers Michigan’s Arts and Humanities Touring Program in partnership with MCACA. Touring programs are hosted and sponsored by community schools, libraries, museums, festivals, art councils, and other nonprofit organizations. The grants provide up to 35 percent of fees and travel expenses of the presenters. The 2006-2009 Arts & Humanities Touring Directory will be available from the MHC website, www.michiganhumanities.org, beginning August 1. A print version will also be made available for $5 per copy to cover handling fees.

In the 2005-2006 fiscal year, the MHC awarded more than $72,000 in grants for 403 touring program presentations across the state of Michigan, reaching more than 100,000 Michiganians. Examples of the variety of programs funded by Michigan’s Arts & Humanities Touring Program through the last round of grants awarded from the 2003-2006 Directory include: the Peter Sparling Dance company residence, rehearsals, workshops, and performances at the Boll Family YMCA in Detroit from April 26 through May 6; historical interpretations of Mary Todd Lincoln and Harriet Tubman, Native American dancing by Reg Pettibone and troubadour Neil Woodward at the Eaton Rapids Dam Festival from June 24-29; the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra performing at the Sherman Lake YMCA in Richland on July 12; a variety of musicians performing at a summer concert series, “There’s Music in the Air 2006” at the Village Green gazebo in Troy each Sunday from July 16 through August 13.

Presenters, City of Residence, Type of Presentation:

• Mr. B: Mark Lincoln Braun, Ann Arbor, Music - Jazz
• Blue Water Ramblers, Grand Rapids, Music - Ethnic/Folk
• Boogie Woogie Babies!, Grand Rapids, Theater - Musical Theater
• Tim Bogar, Full-Tilt Storytelling, Lansing, Storyteller
• CEYX, Freeland, Music - Band
• Pamela Chappell, South Haven, Music - Ethnic/Folk
• Detroit Women, Galesburg, Music - Popular
• Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Southfield, Dance - Modern
• Vikki Gasko with Danny & the Victory Team, Troy, Theater - Puppet
• HARPBEAT!, Ypsilanti, Music - Ethnic/Folk
• KINSFOLK, Grand Rapids, Music - Band
• Rhonda Larson, Grand Junction,, Music - Popular
• The London Trio, Laingsburg, Music - Chamber
• Magical Rain Theaterworks, Kalamazoo, Theater - General
• Leslie McCurdy/“The Spirit of Harriet Tubman”, Flatrock, Theater - General
• Adam Mellema, Kentwood, Storyteller
• The Merling Trio, Kalamazoo, Music - Chamber
• Michigan Opera Theatre, Detroit, Theater - Opera
• Not for Women Only! A Musical Revue, Grand Rapids, Theater - Musical Theater
• Richard Paul Puppeteer/Ventriloquist, Macomb, Theater - Puppet
• People Dancing, Ann Arbor, Dance - Modern
• The Royal Garden Trio, Ann Arbor, Music - Jazz
• Barbara Schutzgruber, Ann Arbor, Storyteller
• Judy Sima, West Bloomfield, Storyteller
• Song of the Lakes, Traverse City, Music - Ethnic/Folk
• Sopranos Three!, Royal Oak, Music - Solo/Recital
• Universal Xpression, Galesburg, Music - Ethnic/Folk
• Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, Kalamazoo, Dance – Modern
• Lare Williams & New Direction Bluegrass Band, Byron Center, Music - Ethnic/Folk
• LaRon Williams, Ann Arbor, Storyteller

Exhibitors at the 2006 Showcase:

• The Amazing Clark: Puppeteer/Magician (Eugene Clark)
• Carl Behrend: Legends of the Great Lakes
• Jim Bizer
• Blue Water Ramblers
• Jean Stow Bolley
• The Boychoir of Ann Arbor
• Brainstormers!
• Bringing a Combat Infantryman’s WWII Experience to Life (William Craft)
• Anne & Rob Burns as A Reasonable Facsimile
• CabaretAMARI
• CEYX
• Kelly Church: Black Ash Basketry Demonstrations/Classes
• Cirque Amongus
• Compañeros de Flamenco
• CutTime Players
• Tonya Dallas, “Touchdown”
• Detroit Dance Collective
• Detroit Women
• Drummunity! Rhythmic Fun for Everyone
• Rich Eddy’s Rockin’ Oldies Band
• Eisenhower Dance Ensemble
• Fish Sandwich Cookery (Carolyn Smith)
• Mandy G and the Saxophone Family
• Vikki Gasko with Danny & the Victory Team
• Gemini
• Happendance Professional Dance Company
• Harpers Ferry: Mother Tongue
• Dan Hazlett
• Jerry Jacoby: Kid Motivator
• Carol Johnson: Music with a Message
• Kevin Kammeraad
• KINSFOLK
• Jeremy Kittel
• Mady Kouyate, Kora Player
• Jan Krist
• Like Water Drum & Dance
• Magical Rain Theaterworks
• Tiana Marquez, Singer & Storyteller
• Leslie McCurdy/The Spirit of Harriet Tubman
• Chris Measzros: The Man of 1,000 Voices
• Adam Mellema
• Ron Moore, Music & Comedy
• The Merling Trio
• Puppeteer/Ventriloquist Richard Paul
• People Dancing
• Picks & Sticks String Band
• Thomas Plunkard Magician
• Bob Reay
• The Royal Garden Trio
• Gordon Russ Productions
• Saline Fiddlers
• Sangeeta’s Dance & Music of India
• “Scheer Genius Assembly Shows”
• Jenifer Strauss
• Universal Xpression
• Marcey Walsh: Highly Contagious Education
• Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers
• Carri Wilson
• Catherine Wilson, Pianist
• Tom Woodruff’s Great Lakes Illustration Workshops

The Michigan Humanities Council, founded in 1974, is the state’s independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For additional information on the Michigan Humanities Council, please visit: www.michiganhumanities.org or call 517-372-7770.

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