Weekender: Enjoy Piano Solo, Ongoing Exhibitions, Save the Date for Shakespeare

Take a Moment to Honor Veterans, Buy Tickets for Upcoming Concerts, Theatre

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Stage setting of a colorful forest
William Shakespeare’s comedy “As You Like It” gets a contemporary gender-fluid update by the UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance next week. (Austin Yang/UC Davis)
Yellow ribbon being tied around tree for Veteran's Day celebration
Raul Razo and Morgan Liu, both university staff members, work on putting up yellow ribbons during the tying of the yellow ribbons on the trees on the Quad for Veterans' Day celebrations this week. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)

 

Shinae Kim, solo piano, performs noon concert Thursday

Shinkoskey noon concert, 12:05 p.m. to 1 p.m., Pitzer Center, UC Davis

Woman with long dark hair and dark clothing sitting at piano
Kim Shinae (courtesy photo)

Spend a leisurely lunch hour listening to piano. Shinae Kim (pianist), D.M.A., performs frequently across the United States and internationally. She began studying piano in South Korea, where she gave her first performance at age seven. Following her debut with the Seoul Symphony Orchestra at age 11, she moved to the United States to study at the Idyllwild Arts Academy. She went on to receive a bachelor of music degree from The Boston Conservatory, where she was a student of Michael Lewin under full scholarship after having won the Churchill Scholarship and the Alfred Lee Scholarship Competitions.

Verge Art Auction reception is Thursday, Nov. 9

The Verge Art Auction,Nov. 18, reception and art preview, 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 9, Sacramento

Verge Center for the Arts will have their art auction this month — a fundraising event that provides art lovers and local collectors an opportunity to acquire original works of fine art, while supporting a non-profit organization and community of artists. The Art Auction will commence with an opening reception showcasing biddable artworks on Thursday, November 9 from 5-8pm. Attendees at the event will have the first look at items available in the auction, and can enjoy light bites and beverages as they plan their bidding strategies. Then the big event will happen Saturday, November 18 from 5-8pm where there will be silent and live auction items ready to go home with the highest bidder, plus catered snacks by Pavi’s Creations, crafted cocktails by New Alchemy Distilling, beer & wine, live music and an all-around incredible evening! You do not want to miss this — snag your tickets today!

Interested in sponsoring? Check out all the perks and registehere.

Auction: Saturday, Nov. 18, 5-8 p.m.

TICKETS

Ongoing exhibitions at UC Davis

The Gorman Museum of Native American Art newly reopened in its bigger, better space in September. The opening exhibition “Contemporary California Native Art” includes about 40 works by 20 artists, all members of California tribes. There are more than 2,000 works in the total collection.

The museum is open noon to 5 p.m. on weekends and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and admission is free.

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The Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis features in its fall season internationally acclaimed sculptor Deborah Butterfield, pioneering Chicano activist artist Malaquias Montoya, and abstract painter Ayanah Moor. Visit the museum website for more details and additional programs.

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Design Museum

Newly acquired garments and textiles from around the globe are featured in the exhibition “Cultural Crossroads: Recent Acquisitions from the Jo Ann C. Stabb Collection,” open at the UC Davis Design Museum.

Read a story about all of these exhibitions

Silkroad Ensemble and Coco Live to Film come to Mondavi Center

Silkroad is Thursday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., tickets $25

Coco is Friday at 7:30 p.m. See below

Ensemble on stage in colorful costumes.
Silkroad’s newest initiative, American Railroad, illuminates the impact of African American, Chinese, Irish and Native American communities on the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad and America’s Westward Expansion.(Courtesy photo).

Silkroad’s newest initiative, American Railroad, illuminates the impact of African American, Chinese, Irish and Native American communities on the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad and America’s Westward Expansion.

The railroad was to North America what the Silk Road was to China, the Far East and Europe. These cultural intersections reveal a common thread despite their varied origins and remind us of the intricately rich American story.

The tour program includes three new commissions by jazz artist Cécile McLorin Salvant, native musician and visual artist Suzanne Kite, and Silkroad artist and renowned pipa player Wu Man, as well as re-envisioned arrangements by Rhiannon Giddens and fellow Silkroad artists Haruka Fujii and Maeve Gilchrist.

Founded by Yo-Yo Ma, and now under the leadership of Rhiannon Giddens, the 20-plus member Silkroad Ensemble works to inspire collaboration in innovative ways that add more equity and justice into the world through the power of the arts.

Details and tickets are available on the Mondavi website.

Coco Live-to-Film; tickets limited

Your family won’t forget Coco Live-to-Film Concert, a unique screening of the heartwarming film with composer Michael Giacchino’s musical score performed by 20-member Orquesta Folclórico Nacional de México.

A Disney and Pixar classic about a young boy discovering his family’s history and the power of music, Coco also features the Oscar-winning song “Remember Me” by songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina. More information on the Mondavi website.

UC Davis presents gender-bending ‘As You Like It’ 

Wright Hall Main Theatre, UC Davis campus, Nov. 16, 17, 18, 30 and Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. 

By Michael G. French

William Shakespeare’s comedy “As You Like It” gets a contemporary gender-fluid update by the UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance. Directed by alumna Josy Miller (Ph.D., performance studies, ’15), the classic opens the department’s 2023-2024 season on Nov. 16 in the Main Theatre, Wright Hall. 

Man playing guitar in UC Davis arboretum
Composer Colin Minigan (Austin Wang/UC Davis)

In the play, ambitious Duke Frederick deposed and banished his brother, the rightful Duke Senior. At an online gaming contest, Rosalind, daughter of the Duke Senior, becomes enamored of the gamer Orlando. But before they can pursue their mutual attraction, Rosalind finds herself banished by her vengeful uncle. Disguising herself as a young man, Rosalind flees to the Forest of Arden for refuge along with her cousin Celia and the court’s fool Touchstone. Once there, the trio find themselves entangled in a series of rustic romances and misadventures.

Colin Minigan, a doctoral student in music composition at UC Davis, wrote an original score for the production. The creative team also includes scenic design by Ian Wallace and costume design by Joanne Martin, who both teach in the theatre and dance program.

A pastoral comedy, this production artfully and humorously explores themes of love, gender fluidity, sexuality and injustice.

About tickets

Adult tickets are $15, faculty/staff tickets are $12, and student/senior tickets are $5. Tickets may be purchased at the UC Davis Ticket Office, located on the north side of Aggie Stadium, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, by phone 530-752-2471 during the same hours, or online.

“At core, ‘As You Like It’ is about joy as a radical act of resilience and resistance in the midst of an unjust world,” said Miller. “A story that bravely explores the intersections of love, desire, gender, sexuality and identity, every character experiences a transformation in relationship to these intersections. Whether that is realizing belonging, embracing the fullness and complexity of their identity, or finally recognizing who it is they truly love.”

At UC Davis, Miller directed the world premiere of “{LOVE/logic}” in 2019 and her own original production of “The Dogs of War” in 2014. Miller was artistic director at Hapgood Theatre Company in Antioch, California, where she directed more than a dozen productions. She also directed at Atmos Theatre Company in San Francisco and the Eugene O’Neill Foundation Theater in Danville, California. Since 2016, Miller has worked as an arts programs specialist for the California Arts Council.

Colin Minigan, a doctoral student in music composition at UC Davis, wrote an original score for the production. The creative team also includes scenic design by Ian Wallace and costume design by Joanne Martin, who both teach in the theatre and dance program. Assistant Professor Ethan Hollinger designed light and media for the production. 

“As You Like It” runs Nov. 16, 17, 18, 30 and Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. 

Adult tickets are $15, faculty/staff tickets are $12, and student/senior tickets are $5. Tickets may be purchased at the UC Davis Ticket Office, located on the north side of Aggie Stadium, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, by phone 530-752-2471 during the same hours, or online.

The Department of Theatre and Dance’s 2023-2024 season includes “The Laramie Project” and a workshop of an original hip-hop theatrical musical performance work in winter 2024; an “Outside the Lines” dance concert and a production of “Our Town” will be featured in the spring. 

The Department of Theatre and Dance is part of the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis. For information about other department productions, visit theatredance.ucdavis.edu.

Woodland Opera House presents School of Rock the Musical

Woodland Opera House, 340 Second Street, Woodland, Nov. 17-Dec. 10, 2023,  Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Student actors in costume jumping into air in front of a brick wall
The Woodland Opera House begins its production of School of Rock the Musical on Nov. 17. (Courtesy photo)

Based on the hit 2003 movie starring Jack Black, School of Rock the Musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who earns extra cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious school. There he turns a class of straight-A pupils into a guitar-shredding rock band. But can he get them to the Battle of the Bands without their parents and the school finding out? With its live kids’ rock band, energetic score, and inspiring story of students discovering their own musical talents while learning important life lessons about confidence, self-expression, and teamwork, this production is the perfect one to share with family and friends during the holiday season.

Content Advisory: School of Rock the Musical touches upon some adult themes, such as parental pressure, dissatisfaction with one’s career, and challenging societal norms. These themes are presented in a lighthearted and comedic manner but may require some contextual explanation for younger viewers. On occasion mild profanity and slang is used, and the show prominently features energetic, amplified rock music with elements of rebellion, individuality, and nonconformity. Please take this into consideration when determining if it is appropriate for your child.

SCHOOL OF ROCK is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Really Useful Group. www.concordtheatricals.com

  • Based on the Paramount movie by Mike White
  • Book by Julian Fellowes
  • Lyrics by Glenn Slater
  • New Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Performances times: Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:00 p.m. All seating is reserved, with ticket prices: $30 Adults, $28 Seniors (62+), and $15 Children under 17. Balcony pricing: $18 Adults and $9 Children.

Purchase tickets online at www.WoodlandOperaHouse.Org and at the Box Office (530) 666-9617.

 

Media Resources

  • Arts Blog Editor: Karen Nikos-Rose, 530-219-5472, kmnikos@ucdavis.edu
  • Subscribe to the Arts Blog Newsletter by emailing kmnikos@ucdavis.edu

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