KANSAS CITY, MO In observance of the uniquely Mexican holiday DÌa de los Muertos (ìDay of the Deadî) Mattie Rhodes Center is hosting multiple events and festivities this fall. DÌa de los Muertos encourages the living to honor and commemorate the dead by elaborately decorating grave sites, preparing special foods, and constructing commemorative altars in their homes designed to entice the spirits of the deceased to come back for a visit.

An installation exhibit of 23 ofrendas (altars) created by artists and community members to celebrate the lives of deceased loved ones will open on Oct. 7 for First Fridays with an evening reception at the Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery in the Westside neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. A second reception will be held for First Fridays on Nov. 4, and the exhibit will be on display through Nov. 12. The featured artist of the show, Hector Casanova (www.hectorcasanova.net), created a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork used as the event design on the DÌa de los Muertos posters.

The altars are one-of-a-kind creations decorated with flowers, religious amulets, candles, sugar sculptures, photographs, and belongings of the departed. The exhibit also features two-dimensional works by area artists inspired by this colorful Mexican cultural tradition.

ìWhat has struck me as Iíve been a part of Day of the Dead over the years is how this celebration brings together so many different people from different walks of life, since death is universal. Everyone shares in the same grief, regardless of language or culture or other differences. This shared experience helps tie us together and helps us to remember and celebrate those we have lost,î explains President/CEO John Fierro.

The agency will also hold its daylong DÌa de los Muertos Street Festival on October 8th. The festival, which takes place on 17th Street between Belleview and Madison Streets, will feature live entertainment, carnival games, a moonwalk, costume parade, delicious food, handmade art and gifts, face painting, art activities for children, and a jalapeÒo eating contest. Kansas Cityís longest running Day of the Dead festival will be hosted by emcees Manny Martinez and Viviana Medellin from Taste of Tejano KKFI and will showcase folkloric, capoeira, breakdancing, and other dance groups as well as local bands and a fashion show.

ìThis yearís DÌa de los Muertos exhibit and festival are going to be the best ever! We have some new things added to our list of events like a group car display consisting of altars in trunks put together by an all-woman car club, ëStilettos on Pedals,íî says Cultural Arts Director Jenny Mendez.

ìWe are really excited about this addition to our festival along with our featured local band that will end the night for us: Making Movies. They are making a special stop here in Kansas City to perform in the middle of their multiple city tour. Itís going to be great; you donít want to miss it!î

Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery will also offer a series of DÌa de los Muertos workshops on Saturdays, Oct. 15 and Nov. 12. Classes include ìDead Printz,î ìMini Altars,î and ìCollection of Calacas.î There is also a special new ìHowl at the MoonÖBecome Your Other Selfî workshop with artist and educator Dr. Richard Bay where participants make their own masks; the weekend of October 21-23, there is a session for adults on Friday evening and one on Saturday afternoon for children. Registrations and payments for workshop can be made by phone: (816) 221-2349.

The DÌa de los Muertos Art Exhibit will run Oct. 7 ñ Nov. 12 at the Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery (919 W. 17th Street; gallery hours: Tuesday ñ Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. -4 p.m.) with First Friday evening receptions on Oct. 7 and Nov. 4. The DÌa de los Muertos Street Festival will be held 1 ñ 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8 on 17th Street in front of the Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery.

Children, families, and all community members are invited to attend. Interested participants can register for the art workshops or schedule tour groups by calling (816) 221-2349. The festivities are funded by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, Missouri Arts Council, Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, Francis Family Foundation, UMB, and others.

Founded in 1894, Mattie Rhodes Center bridges cultures and communities through arts, mental health and social services by providing culturally competent, bilingual services in a respectful and compassionate environment. The agency is a Midwest leader on Latino issues and cultural competency. For more information, please visit www.mattierhodes.org or call 816-471-2536.

What  is so funny about cancer? It’s heart breaking, it takes lives and even the will to live from so many people. Can a comedic actor (Seth Rogen) who's been in movies about being a 40-year-old virgin, a burn-out pot smoker and making a porno flick have any chance to tackle such a serious subject?  

He does if he is paired with the right cast and writer.  Luckily  Rogen  plays wonderfully off his co-star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who has experience in dramatic roles such as “Inception” and “The Lookout.” And, he is backed a talented writer, Will Reiser, with “50/50” being his first major film screenplay.   

We are introduced to our cancer patient Adam (played by Levitt), as young, pleasant man who runs, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink and recycles. He has a good life with a pretty girlfriend, Rachael (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) and has a  good job. In public radio.  

After experiencing back pain, he goes to the doctor. His doctor bluntly explains to him that he has a tumor on his back. Everything becomes a blur for Adam for the next 30 seconds; I’ve been told this is quite normal for people who hear this sort of news.  

What does a 27-year-old do when he finds that he has a 50/50 chance of survival?  First he breaks the news to his girlfriend who tells him she will support him. Next he breaks the news to his best friend, Kyle (played by Rogen), who tells him that he can beat this thing.  Then it’s on to his over-protective mother, Diane (played by Angelica Huston)  who only wants to smother with constant check-in phone calls.  

To help adjust to his new disease, Adam attends therapy with a young doctor (actually, she is a soon-to-be doctor), Katie (played by Anna Kendrick).  Here Adam slowly starts going through the five stages of grief (starting with denial and ending with acceptance).

With such serious subject matter the movie picks up in the humor department when veteran actor Phillip Baker Hall arrives as a fellow cancer patient. Hall provides plenty of comedic f-bombs to remind us that we can laugh at serious subject matter.

But what else would a 27-year-old do when he finds that he has a 50/50 chance of survival? He resorts to medicinal marijuana.  And lots of it.  He also focuses solely on himself and his problems like any young man would.  As the audience, we move from empathizing with him because he is in a terrible situation to realizing that even though he has cancer, it doesn't make him immune to being a jerk. He focuses so much of his time on what he is going through, he forgets about those around him are also afflicted by this disease.

Should you see this movie?  Yes, with Rogen and Levitt it was a pleasure to see them work off each other like they were old high school buddies facing an adult situation together.  Going from the “let’s get a six pack and chase women around” mentality to the “let’s act like adults and face this together” was great to see.  

The stand out character would have to be Adam’s dad, Richard (played by Serge Houde).  He didn’t say much because his character has Alzheimer's.  But it was a smart idea to place his character in this story to remind Adam and the audience that even though that he is going through tough times there are always people who have it just as bad, if not worse.

A Movie Review By Joseph Hagen

Moneyball follows the true story of underdog Billy Beane, the General Manager of the 2002 Oakland Athletics, as he battles the evil juggernaut of baseball financial overlords (New York Yankees) to change the face to professional baseball forever.

Filled with heart, Moneyball is more than just a good baseball film … it’s really just an overall GOOD film. With a fantastic script by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, great casting, strong character development, solid acting, beautiful cinematography and perfect pacing make Moneyball a wonderfully constructed film.

The part of Beane, a good-looking former ballplayer, was tailor made for Brad Pitt. His natural charisma meshes perfectly with the material. Not a usual fan of Pitt’s work, I was taken with this performance and can think of no other role in which he is more likable, funny and interesting.

Jonah Hill brings restraint to his usual shtick through his performance as the green assistant manager Peter Brand. Hill is charming, fun and acts as a much needed foil to Pitt.

Most baseball films, despite their best efforts, portray baseball as a cheesy, dramatic and overly sentimental game. Fortunately, Moneyball does not fall into this well. The film takes it’s time and gives enough depth to its characters that by the time the sporting climax happens, you genuinely care and root for the characters. No cheese. No slow-motion blur. No rock music build-up… it’s just straight-up good storytelling.

It is evident that the actors in this film playing ballplayers have actually picked up a bat and ball at some point in their lives. This is Moneyball’s other strength. There are no awkward Brendan Fraser/Matt LeBlanc swings here. One scene shows longtime All-Star David Justice, played by Stephen Bishop, hitting in a batting cage. Bishop’s swing is smooth and convincing, something typically not taken into consideration when casting a baseball film.

Moneyball is a really fun movie to watch. Heavy on the baseball references, it nonetheless has enough heart to keep both fans and non-fans entertained from beginning to end with the timeless theme of David vs. Goliath. Tons of heart and a top of the line script make Moneyball one of the best films I have seen this year.

Memorable quote:
“It's hard not to be romantic about Baseball.” - Billy Beane

Friday, Sept. 23 - Sunday, Sept. 25

Join us in the ArtsKC/Bank of America Tent, located at

the intersection of Broadway and Nichols Road, and  

decorate a fabric square for our ArtsKC Community Art Quilts!  Fair-goers are invited to decorate a square with fabric markers in ANY design they wish!  Squares will

then be assembled by our generous volunteer quilting  

quilds and donated to reStart, a metro area agency that provides shelter and supportive services to homeless

men, women, youth and families.

Be sure to check-in on Facebook & Foursquare to let us know you are decorating your community square! 

Kauffman Center Presents offers three dynamic performers with distinct styles all their own. Laurie Anderson, one of America's most renowned - and daring - creative pioneers, presents Transitory Life: A Retrospective of Song and Stories on October 9th. Famed comedienne Lily Tomlin is certain to give an unforgettable performance with her one woman show on November 20th.  On December 8th, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples will show Kauffman Center audiences why she has been named by Rolling Stone as one of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."

Tickets for performance artist Laurie Anderson, comedienne Lily Tomlin and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples are NOW on sale! Call 816-994-7222 or visit our Box Office from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Sunday.

SEPTEMBER 25 -OCTOBER 16, 2011
Kansas City International Artists Residency Program at the Artists Coalition

ALICIA CANDIANI
MALLIN GALLERY
September 1 – 22, 2011

Alicia is also the founder and current director of Proyecto’ace, an international art center focused on printmaking and its interfaces with photography, design and digital media.  Kansas City Art Institute’s (KCAI) Chair of Printmaking, Miguel Rivera, has recently returned from visiting Alicia’s residency, with aid from the Lighton International Artists Exchange Program (LIAEP) a project of KCAC.  Miguel’s experience with Alicia led him to embark on a journey in order to bring Alicia and her talents here to Kansas City artists and art enthusiasts.  With the assistance of KCAI and KCAC, Miguel’s vision has been achieved, and Alicia will be arriving here in the United States on October 1, 2011.

During her stay here in Kansas City, Alicia will be working with KCAI’s junior class, where she will impart her vast knowledge of printmaking on the undergraduate students.  She will also be working on her own art at the KCAI facilities, where she will produce a series of work that will then be on display at the galleries in KCAC October 14 – November 18, 2011.

The International Artists Residency Program is a new program of KCAC which offers dedicated individuals a supportive environment in which to further their creative development.  The program provides a resource of time and space for artists to create their best work. For more information please visit our site at: www.kansascityartistscoalition.org.

Come on down to the Plaza THIS weekend and join us at the Musical Theater Heritage booth! We'll be located on Broadway between 47th & JC Nichols Road.  We'll have free giveaways, and information about our upcoming 2012 Season!

MTH is partnering with Experience ArtsKC this year, which provides a venue for local arts organizations to showcase their offerings and is designed to educate the public about Kansas City's diverse arts community.

When you get there, grab a "Passport to the Arts" from the ArtsKC/Bank of America booth at the intersection of Broadway and Nichols Road. Travel from booth to booth to "discover the arts", and once you have collected all your stamps, return your passport to the ArtsKC/Bank of America booth to be entered to win a wide variety of prizes, from theatre tickets to DVDs and gift certificates!

The Studios Inc Exhibition Space is pleased to present Concentrations, an exhibition by Marcie Miller Gross, on view from 9.9.11 to 10.21.11, with an opening reception, Friday, 9.9.11, 6 - 9 PM.

Concentrations is an exhibition of drawings and sculpture that examine elemental, abstract form. Through an accumulative means of building with industrial felt, this work explores the visceral, visual relationship of physicality and weight, of balanced measure and subtle form.  These solids are poetic and repetitious, animal and mineral, dark and absorbing. 
 
Miller Gross has exhibited her work extensively including: Dolphin Gallery, CranbrookArt Museum, Byron Cohen Gallery of Contemporary Art, SalinaArtCenter, and a solo exhibition at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Collections include: American Institute of Architects/Kansas City, Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Missouri Bank, Helix Architecture and Design and many others.  Her work has been reviewed in Art in America, Sculpture, Art Papers, I. D Magazine, Review, and Kansas City Star, and received many awards including the Charlotte Street Foundation Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts, and Arts KCFund Inspiration Grant.  She received her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art and has held academic appointments at the Kansas City Art Institute and Universityof Kansas.

Concentrations
Marcie Miller Gross
9.9.11 - 10.21.11

Opening Reception
9.9.11 from 6 - 9 PM

Gallery Talk
Saturday 9.10.11 12:00 PM
 
Gallery Hours
Tues - Friday 10 - 4 PM
Saturday      12 – 4 PM

Location:
1708 Campbell Street
Kansas City, MO 64108

 
Wednesday, September 21st  

Hand Print Press National Print Exhibition at

The UMKC Gallery of Art 

 &

August: Osage County at

The Kansas City Repertory Theatre 

  ____________________________ 

The Scoop 

                   5:15PM Pre-Event: The UMKC Gallery of Art 

                              -  5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110

           7:00 PM Main Event: The Kansas City Repertory Theatre 

                  - In the Spencer Theatre  

                  - 4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO 64110          

                  - Free Parking available in lots to the East of the UMKC   

                     Performing Arts Center as well as in the covered garage West  

                     of the theatre at 50th & Oak. Although signs indicate a faculty  

                     permit is required, this is NOT SO during Rep performances.