Articles

Matthews and Obama: The Concert

As I write this, lines are forming at the downtown Barack Obama headquarters for free tickets to this Sunday’s Dave Matthews Band concert in Bloomington.

It’s nothing new to see performers stumping for candidates. My question, though, is whether or not…

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Ribbit redux

I was jazzed to take my kids to revisit Actors Theatre of Indiana’s “A Year with Frog and Toad” last weekend at The Children’s Museum, where a truncated version is being presented free with museum admission.

Unfortunately some rights issues kept…

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You-review-it Monday 3/31

This whirlwind of a weekend (if you count Thursday) included a “Showboat” revisit at Beef & Boards, a play I won’t be discussing here on Friday night, and a run to the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville…

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Tattoo artist inks reputation for detail

Away from the job, Monte Agee is like any other family man. But in his 12 years as a tattoo artist, he has inked everything
from pop-culture icons such as the Powerpuff Girls to Renaissance-style portraits of biblical figures and full-color scenes
straight out of the children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are.”

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Ralphie’s got a gun … & tap shoes

Playbill.com reports that “A Christmas Story,” the Jean Shepherd-based film that put Hoosier holidays on the pop-culture radar, is being developed as a stage musical. Already in my head, I’m hearing the song “Lick the Pole” sung to the “Little…

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Know your pros

Today I noticed in another publication that a fully-professional arts organization in town was referred to as a “community theater.”

I brought this up at lunch and an arts professional dining with me said something to the effect of “Yes, a…

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An IMA bridge too far?

IBJ reporter Jennifer Whitson has a scoop on developments at the in-the-works IMA  Art and Nature Park. I temporarily turn the blog over to her:

The proposed 1,200-foot walkway and bridge by artist Mary Miss slated to swoop down from IMA’s…

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Artwork in front/drop box in back

Yesterday I had my first encounter with the new Central Library’s conveyor-belted drive-up drop-off box. And in its own small way, it made me like the library even more — especially when I received a courtesy call saying that we…

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You-review-it Monday

For me, the weekend included lots of reading for upcoming book reviews, a visit with Dance Kaleidoscope (review to appear in next week’s IBJ) and screenings of the classic “Mildred Pierce” and the less-than-classic “Horton Hears a Who.”

So what did…

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Arts to the left, arts to the right

David Mamet has stirred lots of debate with his recent column in The Village Voice. The message can be boiled down to his line “I took the liberal view for many decades, but I believe I have changed my…

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On the passing of stage greats

When a great movie actor dies, there tends to be a rush to screen his films. But when a great stage actor dies, there’s not much you can do besides mourn the performances you missed.

Paul Scofield — by all accounts…

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Summer Nights, summer slights?

The Indianapolis Museum of Art’s Summer Nights film series is one of the most popular warm-weather attractions in the city — at least, one where those who want to attend often outnumber the room the IMA has to accommodate them.

This…

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Cows, racecars … and now pianos?

Ever since the Chicago cows appeared in 1999, city marketers and arts folks have been trying to find attention-getting gimmicks to boost awareness of their towns’ coolness. Many of these—including our very own artist-decorated race cars—have been reactive rather than…

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A book by its cover

On my long to-do list for this weekend is to dig into Barbara Shoup’s upcoming young adult novel “Everything You Want” (set for release in April from Flux books).

Shoup is an Indiana writer with a stack of acclaimed books to…

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The ‘SNL’ effect

Much is being made about the impact of “Saturday Night Live” on the presidential election. For the latest New York Times story, click here

According to the argument, the way “SNL” characterize the candidates is the way the public will…

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Clarian art project raising eyebrows

For today, I’m turning the blog over to IBJ reporter Jennifer Whitson. 

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Clarian Health Partners is calling on patients, doctors and amateur photographers to submit photographs to help it decorate three new buildings.

Clarian hired locally based Jacqueline Buckingham Anderson LLC to…

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‘Ann’ dances…and annoys

Yesterday, I found myself deliberately not making a left turn on Vermont from New Jersey Street.

My reason: I just didn’t want to see the Julian Opie “Ann Dancing” electronic sculpture.

Now, I’m a big fan of public art. I believe it…

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You-review-it Monday

For me, the weekend included stops at the new gallery at the Stutz Building, a visit to the art spaces at the Murphy Art Center in Fountain Square, and finally exposing my two youngest kids to the movie “Hoosiers” —…

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