Triad Arts Weekend

Mipso and the Piedmont Land Jam

Today on the show we're going to find out once and for all just how low we can go. No, not THAT kind of low. There'll be no profanity, no cruelty, no foul humor, just a whole lot of fun with America's #1 selling cello bass duo: Low & Lower. They've got a world premiere coming up by renowned composer Lawrence Dillon, so I guess we'll call this segment Low & Lower & Larry. Then, from the enormous double bass, we get even bigger with Theatre Gigante—the theatre of big ideas. They're here with their own brand of Shakespeare, movement, dance and sound. My Dear Othello puts the “D” in deconstruction, and what exactly that means, well, Theatre Gigante's leaving that on up to you. Sweet Honey in the Rock is celebrating four decades of great music-making. They're fierce at 40, and headed to the Triad! Mary Dalton has the skinny on the gritty new British prison film "Starred Up". And after reaching for the stars we head down into the canyon…Steep Canyon Rangers are lighting up the Blue Ridge Music Center.

Today it's all about banjo, bass, Bluegrass, brothers, the Blue Ridge, and books. That's right, and we'll kick things off with the music. The Kruger Brothers are gearing up for a world premiere for banjo, bass, guitar and string quartet. It's called Lucid Dreamer and if you think that's a thought-provoking title, wait till you hear Jens and Joel share their thoughts on music and music-making. Then it's the New York Times bestseller and PEN/Faulkner Award Finalist, Serena.  Beauty and violence, passion and rage, cruelty and love, it's a tough balancing act, but award-winning author Ron Rash gets it just right, and he's here to share with Bethany Chafin. Then Bethany is back with the Triad Story Exchange and Story Slams emcee Joel Richards. There's a Grand Slam event coming up in Greensboro, so polish up your delivery and get set for great story-telling. And author Terry Kay has a great story for us. It's the inspiration behind his award-winning book, and Emmy Award-winning movie To Dance With the White Dog. It's the centerpiece at this year's Blue Ridge Read in Alleghany County.

Poetry, music, literature, and theatre on the program today, beginning with This Miraculous Turning, a new book of poems by Joe Mills. And to all of the poetry naysayers out there groaning in the distance I say: you're not gonna like it, you're gonna LOVE it! And speaking of love, it's a love story of a…different kind between Steinway artist Barbara Lister-Sink, the instrument that captured her heart decades ago, and why—I mean, aren't all pianos the same? Then Bethany Chafin'll cover books and blogs with established writers Chris Laney and Steve Cushman. They're giving back big time with The Write Motivation—creative writing classes for everyone. And spit out your gum, sit up straight, and get ready to say “you're welcome”, ‘cause Mrs. Mannerly is comin' to town courtesy of Paper Lantern Theatre Company.

Today on the show we'll be your one-stop culture shop. We have award-winning filmmakers, multi-media artists, choreographers, dancers, curators, students and audience members all making art together in real time. And that, ladies and gentlemen is just segment one on TAW. Then we're off to the great outdoors and a popular 19^th century tradition that's being embraced today in High Point en plein air. That's the French expression for "in the open air" and specifically outdoor painting. High Point's Piedmont Plein Air Paintout is coming to town and we'll check it out with an artist's keen eye. Then, the keen ears of W-S Symphony conductor Robert Moody will guide us through the orchestra's season opener. We'll wrap things up on the red carpet walk to Aycock Auditorium. That's where Greensboro Opera Conductor David Holley and internationally renowned Dixie Diva mezzo soprano Victoria Livengood will be struttin' their stuff at GO—as in Greensboro Opera—to the Movies. It's an entire evening of opera hits used in the movies and you're invited.

Today on the show once again the Piedmont is alive with the sound of music, not with songs they have sung for a thousand years, necessarily, but we will dip into the past beginning with the centuries old brass band tradition. It's alive and well right here in the Triad these days with the newly formed North Carolina Brass Band. They've got a new CD out, they're pumped and anything but Brassed Off! How about world class jazz? We've got you covered with the best in the business: Ellis and Jason Marsalis are comin' to town and bassist Steve Haines is walkin' it like he's talkin' it. We'll venture Into the Woods with Twin City Stage as they kick off their 80^th—that's right 80^th—season. And then we're back with more great traditional music and the history of one of the earliest radio stations to bring it to us: WPAQ 740 AM, Mt. Airy, North Carolina, and a man by the name of Ralph Epperson. Filmmaker Jordan Nance chronicles the story of a young man's dreams to leave the tobacco fields behind and start his own radio station, and Mt. Airy Museum of Regional History's Matt Edwards is here to share.

When was the last time you saw a film that worth paying top dollar for at the box office? Well, Eddie Garcia brings it on home with Land Ho! Two 70-something ex-brothers-in-law set sail for Iceland to get their grooves back, and all hilarity breaks out. It screens in the Triad this weekend and UNCSA alumna co-writer/director Martha Stephens chats it up with us. Then it's time to revel in the blues with one of the best: Lightnin' Charlie is here to light it up with an encyclopedic knowledge of American music and the instrumental and vocal chops to walk it like he talks it. Tis the season of the Harvest Moon, and this year's Harvest Moon Festival of art, food, and music on the Reynolda House lawn kicks off next week. The entertainment this year comes courtesy of musical guest Caleb Caudle. He's here to “paint another layer on your heart.” 

Does gratuitous violence in movies bring you down? Well, take heart, ‘cause film scholar, educator and reviewer Dale Pollock feels your pain and then some. WFDD summer intern Mekaela Nance breathes some life into Live in Studio A with the band Life Size, and you're going to like what you hear. We'll burn a few carbon credits with the New Zealand-based Johnny Possum Band. Their U.S. tour brings them to the Triad this weekend, and banjoist, singer, songwriter Sean Whitaker shares their original sound and collaborative spirit. From New Zealand we'll take you down to the New River and some of the best Blues you're liable to hear, live in beautiful Grassy Creek, North Carolina. The New River Blues Festival is back! And Bethany Chafin's back, this time with author Karen Abbott and her new book, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War.

Did you know that the largest annual book festival in the entire state of North Carolina is free, open to the public…and in downtown Winston-Salem? Yep, Bookmarks is gearing up for its 10th annual Festival of Books and Authors with a veritable Who's Who list of best-selling authors in every category and for all ages. Bookmarks executive Director Ginger Hendricks will fill us in on all things books. And did you know that for years now Cirque du Soleil has turned to the Triad for the lion's share of its design and production talent? Oh, it's true. The University of NC School of the Arts and Cirque are like this. Why, they've even got a little tag team thing going on next month that you can see for yourself, live in the comfortable confines of DeMile Theatre on the UNCSA campus. It's called Cirkus Theatre Project and wait'll you hear what these all-student run productions have in store this year. Outta the Bag is an hour of free lunchtime entertainment in Winston Square Park every Tuesday at noon. Program Director Lynn Byrd'll set the scene for us. And for a sample of what's to come at Bookmarks 2014, author Meg Medina and our own Bethany Chafin tackle the subject of teen bullying in Meg's award-winning novel.