Photo by Maria Porter
The Jordan College of Fine Arts is looking forward to a busy and productive year, complete with a new theater, some rocking a capella CDs and some new dance performances.
On May 13, just after students washed their hands clean of final exams, Howard L. Schrott was brushing his hands clean of something else—namely, dirt—at the groundbreaking ceremonies. This particular groundbreaking ceremony was funded in part by Schrott’s $6.5 million gift to the school.
The new Howard L. Schrott Center for the Performing and Visual Arts boasts a 450-seat auditorium, which will fall neatly in between the 140-seat Eidson-Duckwall Recital Hall and the slightly larger 2,100-seat Clowes Hall. Expect to see the center—or the Howie— finished in about a year.
The Howie is far from being the main event of the arts program. Butler’s music-making, dancing-performing, theater-trollipping community is working on projects of their own.
For starters, the Lyric Theatre will perform two small operas this fall under the direction of John Schmid, chorus master of the Indianapolis Opera. The two productions, Giamoco Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” and Samuel Barber’s “A Hand of Bridge,” are both slated for later this year. Look for those Nov. 3 and 4.
The always reliable Butler Ballet has a few surprises up their sleeves this semester. The first is the Spirit and Place Festival in early November. It promises more of a modern feel in contrast to their more classic semi-annual performances.
Plus, word on the street is that dancers will be literally dancing on the street at City Market Nov. 4 and weaving among parishioners at the Circle Center Food Court Nov. 5. If you can’t wait that long, the annual student choreography showcase is Oct. 27 and 28.
This weekend, Butler Theatre, in co-production with Heartland Actors Repertory Theatre, will present “The Exonerated” in Lilly Hall Studio Theatre 168 at 8 p.m. In conjunction with the show, Sister Helen Prejean, author of “Dead Man Walking,” will be speaking in the Reilly Room Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
As for the ever-popular a capella groups, Out of the Dawg House and Freshly Brewed, expect albums to be forthcoming within the next few months.
Butler Jazz will be at the Indy Jazz Fest as a part of the Emerging Artists concert. It’s all happening on Sept. 17 at the Northside Opti Park near Broad Ripple. Go to indyjazzfest.net for tickets and times.
The Butler Chorale, University Choir, Butler Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble will be all performing together Sept. 11 as part of Butler’s annual showcase concert. It’s at 3 p.m. in Clowes Memorial Hall.
