A&E roundup: Grammy-winning Hoosiers, an Indy native as Obama, more

Emptying the notebook on A&E matters:

—Former Wabash College philosophy major an Indianapolis native Parker Sawyers is getting good bus for his performance as Barack Obama in "Southside with You," a film about the Commander in Chief's first date with the First Lady. "Parker Sawyers crafts an immaculately considered portrait of a man of stature in the making," wrote Hollywood Reporter critic Tom McCarthy. Whether or not "Southside with You" finds wide release, you can expect to see more of Sawyers soon. The actor currently has seven films shooting, in pre-production, or in post-production

—The Indiana Arts Commission has announced Dance Kaleidoscope and its artistic director David Hochoy as recipients of this year's Governor's Arts Awards.  Hochoy has led the company since 1991. The awards, designed this year by Nashville-based artist Daren Redman, will be presented April 9. DK's next show opens Feb. 25 at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.

—Eric Wickens has been named "Official Voice of the National Anthem" for Indy Fuel.

—Marin Mazzie has cancelled her May performance at the Cabaret at the Columbia Club. She's got a good excuse, though. She'll be taking over one of the title leads in Broadway's "The King and I."

—Indiana University-connected Grammy winners this year include Laura Sisk who engineered Taylor Swift's Album of the Year-winner "1989," Lindsey Lang, a soprano with the Kansas city Chorale, which won Best Choral Performance, and fellow soprano Angela Brown, who let her voice to "Ask Your Mama," which won Best Engineered Album and Producer of the Year in the classical category. You can hear Brown with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra at the Palladium March 12.