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This year the Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Maryland, College Park, has designed part of its fall programming around the thematic arc of war and how artists respond to war.
The fall theme is a collaboration between the Center and the University's College of Arts and Humanities.
"We were looking at the spring, where there are a couple of significant anniversaries – there's the 40th anniversary of Woodstock and the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots so there's an interesting theme of a flashback to the late ‘60s, early ‘70s.
"So we were sort of thinking about a transition of politics and activism so we have this theme throughout the season in a lot of different ways that pops up as artist as activist and performance as politics. It just so happened that our College of Arts and Humanities contacted us and said we have this idea for our semester. It's kind of proven to be an energizing thing for the campus."
On Oct. 30, the Kronos Quartet, who is in its second year of residency at the Center, will perform "Black Angels" by George Crumb, which is a 1970 work inspired by the Vietnam War. The program will also include a work co-commissioned by the Center from Serbian composer Aleksandra Vrebalov titled "…hold me, neighbor, in this storm…"
On Nov. 2, the Kronos Quartet plans to perform "Alternative Radio: Another World is Possible." The program will be hosted by radio broadcaster and writer David Barsamian and includes political activist and author Diane Wilson. The program will be presented as two one-hour live radio shows.
Dorfman will discuss his work, "underground," which will be performed on Nov. 6 and 7. "Underground" is a piece inspired by 1960s radical political group Weather Underground. One question the dialogue hopes to pose is, "When can activism become terrorism or vice versa?"
Some of Mark's recent works include "Not About Iraq" and "action conversations."
On Dec. 1, the Center will host another creative dialogue titled "Laughing it Off," featuring 500 Clown, to discuss political humor and satire, particularly during an election year. Joining in the discussion will be politically-charged storyteller and author Mike Daisey and moderator Kelly Crusap, an author and humorist.
On Dec. 11 through Dec. 14, 500 Clown will debut its Center-commissioned piece, "500 Clown and the Elephant Deal." The clown-music-theater production will feature the gap between civilian and military life and was inspired by Bertolt Brecht's "The Elepant Calf, "Mann ist Mann," and the Fratellini Clowns.
However, the Center's fall line-up includes numerous other performances outside of the war thematic arc.
The season opens on Sept. 12 with world-renowned opera singer Jessye Norman. She will present an evening of music featuring the sounds of Duke Ellington.
Other fall musical selections include violinist Simon Shaheen, whose sound is a blend of Arabian, jazz, classical and Latin American music, along with jazz artists the Wayne Shorter Quartet with Imani Winds and jazz vocalist Gretchen Parlato alongside jazz singer, bassist, and composer Esperanza Spalding.
Fall theater offerings include puppeteer and political satirist Paul Zaloom's "From the Jolly and Insane Mind of Zaloom" and artist, writer, poet Rha Goddess' "Low: Part I of the Meditations Trilogy."
For Veterans Day, the Center plans to feature an adapted performance of "The Iliad" by the Aquila Theatre Company. The company's rendition will be set in World War II Normandy in June 1944. Tickets for the Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 performances are discounted to all active and retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Center also plans to offer a number of smaller, free performances in its Take Five series. This fall features performances from puppeteers the Chinese Theatre Works, poet Sistah Joy, dancer Shane O'Hara, vocalist Felicia Carter, and visual and performance artist Jose Torres Tama.
For ticket information, directions, and a full line-up of the 2008-09 season, visit www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.
Here are some of the events coming to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park
Jessye Norman: The Duke and the Diva, Sept. 12
Squonk Opera: Astro-rama, Sept. 24 through Sept. 26
Peter Brook's "The Grand Inquisitor, Oct. 1 through Oct. 3
Puppeteer Paul Zaloom, Oct. 8 through Oct. 10
Department of Theatre's production of "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," Oct. 16 through Oct. 26
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Nov. 9
School of Music and Maryland Opera Studio's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream, Nov. 20 through Nov. 21
Complete schedule:
claricesmithcenter.umd.edu
