This is the month for art lovers, and to help you seal the deal with your loved one, we have put together a list of "Top 10 Marriage Proposal Ideas" in this issue. Each one involves a beloved Abilene cultural attraction.
Also in this issue are highlights of the exciting events happening in February. These include the "The Magic of Bill Blagg LIVE!" Feb. 16 at the Historic Paramount Theatre and the musical "Hair" playing Feb. 25 at the Abilene Civic Center. Both shows are one performance only so don't miss them!
We're also in love with a new report out by the U.S. Commerce Department that says America's arts and cultural sector contributed $504 billion to the national economic output in 2011, or 3.2 percent of the gross domestic product. That's larger than major industries such as travel and tourism! It's further proof that the arts matter, and they play an important role in our economy.

Artfully Yours,

Judy Tedford Deaton brought a honed eye for beauty when she started as chief curator of The Grace Museum seven years ago. Her work experience includes commercial interior design, graphic design, university art history teaching, directing a university art gallery and art writing. Her current job involves curating, designing and implementing 12-15 art exhibitions and two history exhibits a year. Judy's latest exhibit, "Drawn In /Drawn Out," investigates contemporary concepts in drawing through the work of several artists. The Grace exhibition runs Feb. 8 through April 19 and is a collaborative exhibition with the Old Jail Art Center in Albany. The two museums will hold a joint progressive artist reception at both locations 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 with a bus available to those who RSVP early.

Abilene Christian University's Theatre Department presents Mark Twain's "Is He Dead?" this month at Fulks Theatre. The play is described as a sparkling slapstick comedy composed in 1898 in Vienna by Twain and left virtually undiscovered until its heavily acclaimed Broadway production in 2007.
To find success in 1840s Paris, a penniless painter fakes his demise and disguises himself as his identical twin sister. Variety called "Is He Dead?" an "elaborate madcap comedy that reaches especially high comic heights."

Busybodies, eccentrics at center of McMurry comedic play

Luigi Pirandello's "Right You Are If You Think You Are" is an existentialist comedy that explores the prismatic nature of perceived truth, the need for human beings to construct illusions for themselves, and the idea that what we call "illusion" and what we call "reality" are not significantly different constructs. These themes are illustrated dramatically by the fruitless (but amusing) efforts of a group of busybodies to get to the bottom of a mystery presented by the baffling behavior of a small, eccentric family.
The show is directed by David Ainsworth, a McMurry University associate professor of theater. The show is 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13-15 and Feb. 20-22 at the Ryan Little Theatre at McMurry. Tickets are $10 for the public and $5 for McMurry students and employees. The box office will open two weeks before the show starts. Hours are 3-6 p.m. weekdays and show days. http://www.mcm.edu/newsite/web/academics/sal/theatre/

A play written by award-winning Chicago playwright and Neo-Futurist Bilal Dardai called "Vox Pandora" receives its Texas debut at the Van Ellis Theatre at Hardin-Simmons University this month. The play takes a clever look into Pandora's box, picking up where Greek mythology left off. Vox begins with the spirit of Hope still cloistered in the box, free to leave, but choosing to stay. With the distance between humanity and Hope thus greater than the distance between humanity and all the evils Zeus could muster, Hope is little to mankind but a vague, pleasant feeling. When an idealist politician shows up, Hope finds herself challenged by reality and forced to define who she is to herself and who she is to the world. Directed by Victoria Spangler. Show times are Feb. 13-15 and Feb. 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 general admission; $5 for military/seniors/students; and free for HSU employees and students. http://www.hsutx.edu/academics/cofa/theatredepartment

Bill Blagg received his first magic set when he was 5 years old.
Today, he claims to have the most entertaining magic and illusion show on tour in the country. "The Magic of Bill Blagg LIVE!" will appear at the Historic Paramount Theatre at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16 as part of the Children's Performing Arts Series.
The 75-minute family friendly show combines high-end intelligent lighting, elite stage sets and never-before-seen illusions. Some of his mind-blowing illusions include Walking Thru Steel and the the world's only Hoverboard! Blagg combines his original illusions along with audience participation, comedy and his trademark, off-the-cuff personality. Tickets are $9 and going fast. Two-show season tickets are $18 for Blagg and the last CPAS show of the season, "The Wizard of Oz" on April 27. For $25, you can receive a ticket to both shows plus admission to the "The Wizard of Oz" after party at The Grace Museum and Cypress Street Restaurant. Order at www.abilenecac.org/cparts/index.html

Award-winning hitmaker, recording artist and pianist Jim Brickman is making his way back to Abilene to perform "The Love Tour" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Abilene Civic Center. Brickman's engaging stage presence seamlessly blends mood and music to touch the heart in a special way, letting fans' imaginations take them wherever they want to go. With dazzling solo piano and star-studded vocal collaborations, Brickman will wow audience members with his hits, including "Valentine," "If You Believe," "Love of My Life" and more.

For more info call: 800-869-1451 or go to www.celebrityattractions.com.

 

We want to hear from you! Please let us know what you would like to see included in this newsletter as well as any other ideas you have to strengthen Abilene's cultural arts community. Send your emails to Sidney Levesque at sidney@abilenecac.org 

or Executive Director Lynn Barnett 325.677.1161 / lynn@abilenecac.org