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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us February 9, 2006 American poet Naomi Shihab Nye to read at Ashland High School Patrons of the literary arts are invited to the inauguration of the Ashland High School Chautauqua Poets and Writers Series with American poet, essayist and children’s author Naomi Shihab Nye in a reading at The Mountain Avenue Theater on Thursday evening Feb. 16. Nye is recognized as one of the nation’s foremost poets. She is the author of more than 20 volumes of poetry, translations, essays, and children’s literature. She is the recipient of many national and international awards and was featured in both Bill Moyer’s PBS poetry series: “The Language of Life with Bill Moyers” and “The United States of Poetry.” She has also appeared on “Now” with Bill Moyers. Nye will also work with student writers in an afternoon workshop on campus. Tickets are on sale at Ashland High School, Paddington Station, Treehouse Books and Bookwagon. Tickets may also be purchased in Talent at Talent House Music and Books and in Medford at A Rug for All Reasons. Pre-sale tickets are offered at $25 with $15 of the ticket price eligible as a tax-deductible donation. All proceeds go to the cost of this event and to securing future authors to continue the series and promote workshops with Ashland students. General admission tickets will go on sale on January 15. Limited seating is available. Nye was born 1952 to a Palestinian father and American mother. She grew up in St. Louis, Jerusalem and San Antonio, where she now lives downtown a block from the river in a hundred-year-old house momentarily without toilets or sinks or baths with her photographer husband, Michael Nye, and their 16-year-old son. Her most recent books are “19 Varieties of Gazelle” (2002) and “Mint Snowball” (2001). Books of poems include: “Fuel and Red Suitcase” (BOA Editions, Ltd.) and “Words Under the Words: Selected Poems” (Far Corner Books). “Never in a Hurry,” (essays, University of South Carolina Press). Eight books for young readers from Simon & Schuster: “Sitti’s Secrets” illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, a School Library Journal Best Book for 1994; “Benito’s Dream Bottle” illustrated by Yu Cha Pak; “Lullaby Raft” illustrated by Vivienne Flesher. Poetry anthologies include: “This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World;” “The Tree Is Older Than You Are,” a bilingual collection from Mexico; “I Feel a Little Jumpy Around You” (co-edited with Paul Janeczko); “The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems & Paintings from the Middle East;” What Have You Lost? Salting the Ocean: 100 Poems by Young Poets” and “Come With Me: Poems for a Journey.” She has also written a novel for teens “Habibi.” Nye was featured on two PBS poetry specials: “The Language of Life with Bill Moyers” and “The United States of Poetry.” Her work has been presented many times on National Public Radio, including on Prairie Home Companion and The Writer’s almanac, and she is a regular columnist for Organica. She graduated from Trinity University in 1974 with a B.A degree but. Nye has worked 28 years as a visiting writer in schools at all levels. University teaching experience includes: The University of California at Berkeley (Holloway Lectureship, 1982), The University of Texas at San Antonio (1984), Our Lady of the Lake University Continuing Education Writer’s Program (many seasons), The University of Hawaii (1991), The University of Alaska (1993), The Texas Center for Writers (now the Michener Center for Writers) at The University of Texas at Austin (1995 and 2001), and numerous school districts and independent contracts around the country. She traveled abroad on three Arts America tours sponsored by the United States Information Agency. In 2001 she received a presidential appointment to the National Council of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For information, contact Kathi Bowen-Jones at 482-8771 ext. 197 or e-mail at [email protected]. ‘The Vagina Monologues’ returns to SOU As part of a global movement to end violence against women and girls, a record number of students and community members come together to stage this February’s benefit production of Eve Ensler’s acclaimed play The Vagina Monologues. The performances will be at SOU’s Britt Ballroom on Feb. 10 at 7:30 and Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The Vagina Monologues is a performance piece that began as a one-woman show, and has grown into a global movement, with productions staged in more than 800 venues worldwide. The V-Day movement generates attention for the fight to end violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation, and sexual slavery. V-Day benefits raise awareness and financial support for organizations dedicated to ending violence both locally and globally. The monologues showcase wisdom and humor gleaned from interviews with women about their vaginas - a metaphor for intimacy. The stories range from outrageously funny to tragic, celebrating women’s lives, exposing violence in our culture, and reinforcing our capacity to overcome that violence. The creative force behind The Vagina Monologues is a commitment to transforming pain into art, and using that art to educate and empower. Each year, V-Day organizers donate 90 percent of all proceeds to local non-profit organizations. Beneficiaries of SOU’s production include the Dunn House shelter, Sexual Assault Victims Services (SAVS), and SOU’s campus sexual assault prevention program. Ten percent of the proceeds from all V-Day productions are donated to international women’s rights campaigns. In 2005, SOU’s V-Day event generated nearly $5,000 for these local and international organizations. The goal in 2006 is to exceed $7,000. Tickets to The Vagina Monologues cost $10 general admission, $8 students and seniors. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance. During this time, the Women's Resource Center will host a Silent Auction showcasing local women-owned businesses and women artists. For ticket purchases and more information, or to donate to the V-Day campaign, contact the SOU Women's Resource Center at 552-6216, or e-mail [email protected]. SOU also presents a readers’ theater performance in Spanish, “Los Monólogos de la Vagina,” at the SOU Rogue River Room on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, suggested donation $2-10. Doors open at 6:30pm. V-Day, a non-profit corporation, distributes funds to grassroots, national, and international organizations and programs that work to stop violence against women and girls. In its first year of incorporation (2001), V-Day was named one of Worth Magazine’s ‘100 Best Charities’. In eight years, the V-Day movement has raised over $30 million. The V in V-Day stands for Vagina, Valentine, and Victory. Mukombe Marimba kids turn out debut CD Seven years ago, a group of Walker Elementary fifth graders built a set of marimbas using scrap lumber and PVC pipe, funded partly by an Impact Grant from the Ashland Schools Foundation. Last weekend, a group of marimba players (a performance ensemble culled from what is now known as Ashland School District’s Mukombe Marimba Club) recorded their first professional-quality CD of marimba music for all the world to enjoy. For those who aren’t familiar with the marimba, it is a percussion instrument similar to a xylophone, but with wooden keys. The marimbas currently used by the Mukombe Marimba Club are made by Oregon woodworkers, but the tradition hails from far-away Africa — Zimbabwe, to be exact — and the marimba music has a special history connected with Zimbabwe’s independence. Zimbabwean music has grown in popularity ever since it was brought to the Pacific Northwest by a Zimbabwean musician and scholar, Dumisani A. Maraire, with immigrants who came to Seattle in the 1960s, and Ashland schools have welcomed this form of music with open arms. The rhythms are infectious, the outcome nearly always joyful. It is not uncommon to have people dancing in the aisles when the Mukombe Marimba Club puts on one of its many annual concerts. "The music is high energy and is very accessible," says Jan Christensen, artistic director of the club’s players, who range from 3rd-graders to 8th-graders at present. "Kids who struggle with academics and self-esteem are especially affected by the pride they gain when playing," adds Christensen, who was there when the marimbas were first played at Walker School so many years ago, and at present teaches all of the marimba sections for the club. Marimba music has been part of Walker Elementary School’s music program for years, but only two years ago the Mukombe Marimba Club was formed with its mission to carry this music districtwide and into the community. The first non-sports club to be funded by Ashland’s Youth Activities Levy, the Mukombe Marimba Club was instantly one of the largest clubs in the district. The club’s busy board of nine members has been scrambling to access enough instruments and schedule enough courses to keep the club’s current enrollment of 93 members playing at weekly practices. "The Youth Activities Levy (YAL) really came through for us at a crucial time when we needed to add marimbas and drums for the new wave of interested players," says Club Chair Jana Carole. “YAL funds also helped us to purchase a small trailer to transport the marimbas when our performance groups need to move their instruments to play somewhere else!" And perform they have: Several concerts so far this season, a half-dozen shows in Ashland’s downtown plaza last summer (in the heat of the noon-day sun), even an invitation to open the second act of the ASF’s Daedalus Benefit in August of 2005, the group’s largest audience to date. "It was so cool getting a standing ovation from a crowd that huge — I felt like Mick Jaggar!" says marimba club 8th-grader Rafferty Swink, one of the middle-school musicians who played the Daedalus show that night. Now the club’s middle school performance ensemble known as Tsokoshata (a Zimbabwean word that translates to mean "Bad Monkey") is recording a CD to reach a wider audience, and to assist the Club’s newer players in learning a form of traditional music that is taught almost entirely by an oral tradition. "I never thought I’d get the chance to play on a real CD," says Tsokoshata 7th grader Olivia Bacon, "it will be nerve-wracking because it will be published … forever!" The group (made up of 6th-, 7th- and 8th-graders) recorded the CD in the AMS World Music room this in January, with help from recording engineer Bob DiChiro, as directed by Jan Christensen, who just returned from a trip to Zimbabwe. Once completed, the CDs will be available at all Mukombe Marimba concerts, and eventually at local retail stores. The next Tsokoshata Ensemble concert will be at the Ashland Middle School Commons on Thursday, Feb. 16th at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults; $3 for children/students, and are available in advance at Paddington Station or AMS, or at the door. The public is welcome. Beatles at barnraising It Takes a Village to Raise a Barn is raising money to restore the century-old barn on the Willow Wind campus through a series of fundraising events. The first event is a “Dance to Beatles Tunes” on Saturday. Families are invited to come and dance to the music of the Beatles performed by Ashland's Nowhere Men from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Ashland Middle School Commons. Opening for the Nowhere Men, a young group, Wild Honey Pie, will show how the Beatles' music appeals today's teens as well. The evening will also feature a dance contest, a hula-hoop contest and a fun raffle. Pizza and other refreshments will be available. This event is sponsored by Northwest Nature Shop, Ashland Food Co-Op, Peoples Bank of Commerce, Stokes-Built Ashland Remodeling and Hersey Health Care. The property is owned by the Ashland School District, and houses the Willow Wind Community Learning Center and the Klamath Bird Observatory. The goal is to create a multi-functional space in the old barn so that more area residents can visit the Willow Wind property and participate in environmental education activities or cultural events. The renovated barn will provide an appealing gathering space, complete with a stage, sound system and flexible seating for an audience of up to 200. The Willow Wind Community has raised more than $75,00 of the proposed $500,000 needed to refurbish the barn, there is already a great deal of support (through grants, pledges and donations) and the group believes it is now poised to bring in the Rogue Valley Community at large into efforts to fund this campaign. Cost is $5 for ages 12-17, and $10 for adults. ‘HeartFest 2006’ Lithia Artisan’s Market announces their 1st Annual “HeartFest 2006— a Valentines Celebration” on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Briscoe ArtWing, corner of N. Main and Laurel streets. Artists and local musicians will offer jewelry, clothing, fine art, pottery, woodworking, metalsmithing and glass-art. Artisans will be available to discuss their work and local musicians will perform throughout the weekend. HeartFest 2006. Call 535-3733. Baroque concert Jefferson Baroque Orchestra baroque flutist Luna Bitzer will offer a recital of 18th-century chamber music for baroque flute on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 44 N. Second St. Bitzer will be joined by Jim Rich, baroque flute, oboe & bassoon; Michelle Pauly, baroque violin; Sue Flynn, baroque cello; Steven Berman, viola da gamba; and, JBO Music Director Margret Gries, harpsichord. They will perform works by Telemann, Hotteterre, Heinichen and J.C. Bach. Tickets are $8, $5 for students, and are available at the door or by calling 592-2681. ‘The Magic of Music’ The workshop “The Magic of Music” will be offered Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Hidden Springs Wellness Center, 1651 Siskiyou Blvd., in Ashland Shopping Center, behind Ashland Daily Tidings office. In this two-hour workshop, participants will listen to a short piece of classical music that can open a portal – or doorway – into their inner world. While there, they can generate images and explore feelings that can be both healing and transformational. The cost is $10, and group size is limited to 10. Reservations are required. Call 482-2825. Auditions at OCT Oregon Cabaret Theatre, First and Hargadine, Ashland, will hold auditions for its 2006 season productions in Ashland beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. Actors must be available for daytime rehearsals. There are no roles for children or teens. Auditioners will be asked to present two contrasting songs (32 bars each) and a brief contemporary monologue, total time 5 minutes. Shows being cast are: •“tick, tick ...Boom!” — “RENT” composer Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical show about holding on to his dream. Rehearsals begin March 22. Runs April 12 to June 4. Casting: 1 female, 2 males; age 30; very strong actor-singers with good pop/rock sound. •”Five Guys Named Moe” — High-energy revue of great Louis Jordan 40’s-50’s jazz-pop tunes. Rehearsals begin May 24. Runs June 14 to Nov. 5. Casting: 6 males, very strong singers with very good dance skills; actors of color particularly sought •”Cindy Rella” — Classic story presented in the wild and wacky English Panto style with original music. Rehearsals begin Oct. 25. Runs Nov.15 to Dec. 31. Casting: 3 females and two males, all must be excellent singers. To schedule an audition appointment, call 488-8349 or write [email protected]. Dance into the New Year The DanceSpace provides dance training for teens and adults, and offers a myriad of movement classes by an outstanding staff of teachers. All classes are held weekly, some more than once per week. Discounted rates are often available for monthly commitment; though ‘drop-in’ attendance is welcome, and necessary for individuals wanting to explore new styles of dance. Suzee Grilley teaches Modern Dance and a new upside-down Skills Class for dancers, non-dancers and yogis to learn to navigate between the worlds of upside-down and upside-up. Grilley, a former member of the Nikolais Dance Theatre, draws from the immediacy and performance power of Nikolais technique, the off-center axis style of Bella Lewitzky and the movement vocabulary of Capoeira. Liz Finnegan’s intermediate modern dance class combines elements from modern, ballet, and jazz to strengthen technique, and encourage a love of moving and performance. Robin Stiehm, co-director of Dancing People Company, teaches advanced modern dance, focusing on alignment and stretching as a pathway to powerful and fluid movement. Peggy Paver, of Dancing People Company, offers a low flying single point trapeze class. Students of all levels are welcome. Marie Bouman teaches dance improvisation. People from all levels of dance experience are welcome to deepen their friendship with their body while exploring Dance Improvisation as a performance art and for fun and exercise. She also teaches Pilates mat classes focusing especially on the therapeutic benefits. Barefoot Dance events include “SpiritDance” on the first and third Saturday nights of the month with DJ Kenny B, and “You Dance You” with DJ Dragon on second & fourth Friday nights. “Ecstatic Dance” with Diane Horbacewicz generally meets the first three Sunday mornings of each month. For information call 488-0791 or e-mail [email protected]. Around town ‘I Love You (the party)’ The Mobius will roll out its inaugural “I Love You (the party)” party where people can experience an exotic fashion show put on by OhBehave, LIVE Studio Photography by Mark Arinsberg, music by DJ Ion, food, wine and beer by Creekside Pizza, chocolate by Dagoba, fresh flowers by Ashland Flowers and an environment created by Leora. The event is for ages 21 and olde will start at 9 p.m. Friday. The cost is $10 at the door. The Mobius is located at 281 Fourth St., between A and B streets. Aquarian Love Fest The eighth annual Aquarian Love Fest Valentine's dance party will be at The Mobius, 281 Fourth St., Saturday, with a potluck dinner at 7 p.m. and dancing starting at 8 p.m. The event features Blane Lyon and the Real, roots rock reggae band Immortal Souls and the bellydance troupe Aiwa She Raqa. Lyon's music is described as funk, soul and conscious groove. Lyon is a singer, songwriter, composer, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, dancer and producer. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lyon can be found bumping dance clubs with his booty-shaking electronica, grooving with his original band, The Real, or warming hearts with his rootsy acoustic soul. Lyon weaves together many genres producing musical hybrids with compelling lyrical themes. Sharing the stage is Immortal Souls, from Ashland. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for teens 13-17and free for kids under 13. Call 488-8894 for information. AGA grant to support AHS art students The Ashland Gallery Association presented a check for $500 Feb. 1 to Ashland High School’s art program. "We’re proud, as a non-profit association, to support art education programs in any way possible," said David Bjurstrom, AGA vice president. March will bring the student art exhibits in AGA member galleries, and at the A Taste of Ashland preview party April 28, students will be invited to demonstrate their art alongside the artist members of the organization. The grant is part of an annual program by the AGA to support Ashland High Arts Advocates (AHAA) and was established in the name of Marta Traister, in memory of her longtime support of arts education. Proceeds from the annual A Taste of Ashland event held the last weekend in April help make the grant possible. Although this year’s donation has yet to be earmarked, typically, the funds are used to purchase equipment or supplies to enhance the art program at AHS. Last year’s grant funds were used by AHAA to purchase a Jet Mini Lathe which students Scott Sell and Cole Bryan demonstrated under the direction of their teacher John Weston at the recent AHS Winter Arts Festival. For information call Joy Light of the Ashland Gallery Association at 482-2090. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Generic Viagra Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Sportsbook Absinthe Supply Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations African Safari Hammocks Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino King of Spirits ink cartridges Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. 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