Speaking of the Arts

In the First Act of this week's show, Diana Moxon chats to gallery curator and director, Hannah Reeves, about the upcoming Masters Exhibit at the Sager Braudis Gallery and the difficulty of gaining respect as a female abstract expressionist painter in the New York avant garde art scene in the 1940's and 50's. And in Act Two, Columbia songbirds Audra Sergel, Rochara Knight and Meredith Musgrove Shaw drop by to talk about the upcoming Cabaret for a Cause evening on December 9th, and sing a couple of numbers from the show.

The history of the British in India in the mid-19th century is a shameful tale of colonial abuses, the theft of kingdoms, and mass murder. It's a true story that author Jocelyn Cullity revisits in her new work of meticulously researched historic fiction, 'The Envy of Paradise', a sequel to her book 'Amah and the Silk Winged Pigeons'. In Act One of this week's show, Diana talks to Jocelyn about this period of history and how you write about people who have been largely erased from the history books. In Act Two, Sager Braudis gallery director and curator, Hannah Reeves, stops in to talk about the 6th annual Masters Exhibit, which opens at Sager Braudis on December 6th, and what it must have been like working as a female abstract expressionist painter in the 1940's and 50's.

You find a room that has been closed up for over 30 years, in which time has stopped and the belongings of whomever lived there are the only clue you have as to who that person was and what their private life was like. This, is 'The Room Project', a new immersive art installation created by Greenhouse Theatre Project's Elizabeth Braaten-Palmieri and Duncan Bindbeutel. Listen in to find out a little more about Elizabeth's inspiration for 'The Room Project' and her love of antiques and history. In the show's Second Act, Diana talks art festivals with Melynda Lotven, one of the organizers of the annual Fall into Art festival, along with two of the artists in this year's festival, Jeffrey Ferguson and Sonya Nicholson.

In 1947, around the same time that fiber arts pioneer Anni Albers was inspiring a new generation of textile artists, a group of avid weavers in Columbia, MO formed the Columbia Weavers Guild. 72 years later, they are still going strong. In Act One of this week's show Diana talks to basket weaver Ann McGinity and fiber artist, Paula McFarling, about the Guild's history, its programs and their 30th annual holiday exhibition and sale. In Act Two of the show, Diana finds out more about the 5th annual Starting Gate New Play Festival with Talking Horse Productions' Artistic Director, Adam Brietzke, one of the festival's play directors, John Bolton, along with playwright, Kyle Beckedahl.

Contemporary classical musicians, The Tesla Quartet's newly released album, Joy and Desolation, features a work composed by University of Missouri's Carolina Heredia, and on this week's show Ross Snyder and Edwin Kaplan of the Tesla Quartet along with Carolina Heredia stop by the Speaking of the Arts studio. In the Second Act of the show, it's joy and desolation of a different kind, when director Joy Powell chats to Diana Moxon about the new production of 'The Wiz: the Super Soul Musical', which plays at the University of Missouri's Rhynsburger Theatre. And if you've ever wondered why Dorothy wears silver slippers in The Wiz, rather the red ones made famous by Judy Garland, all is revealed.

On this week's Speaking of the Arts, Diana Moxon and fine artisan miniatures creator Bradley Meinke shrink the world down to 1/12th scale and talk about the world of miniatures in recognition of National Dollhouse and Miniatures Month. And in the Second Act of the show Associate Professor of Voice from Stephens College, Pamela Ellsworth-Smith, along with performer and future alum, Julia Vuolo, chat to Diana about what The Great American Songbook offers to the contemporary performer and audience, and what audiences can expect from this weekend's production of songs from the era.

How do you take one of the most challenging and powerhouse songs on the contemporary stage and make it your own? Dreamgirls opens at Columbia Entertainment Company on October 24th and this week Diana Moxon chats with its director, David Hall, and actors Olivia Henderson and ShaMarea Houston, who'll be performing as Effie White in the show and singing the huge song made famous by Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson, 'And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going'.

In Act Two of this week's show, Diana talks to Columbia Art League Executive Director, Kelsey Hammond, and Central Bank of Boone County's Vice President of Marketing, Mary Wilkerson, about the 60th annual Boone County Art Show and how it all got started on a rainy Saturday morning back in 1960.

Climate Change Theatre Action events are taking place all over the world for the next few months, including at the University of Missouri's Studio 4 theatre from Wednesday 16th-Sunday 20th October. Show host, Diana Moxon, checks in with theatre department chair, Dr. Heather Carver, and playwright Andy Black, to find out more about how they hope their climate change theatre evening will spur people to action. In the show's Second Act, artists Tracy Eichhorn, Janet Flett and Vicki Eultgen stop by to talk about the second annual Boone Plein Air painting event, which takes place October 18th-20th, and the challenges of painting outdoors when the light is constantly changing.

This week on Speaking of the Arts Diana Moxon talks with actors Rochara Knight and Meg Phillips Crespy, along with director Blake Willoughby, about the Hollywood movie production code, the legacy of African-American actors in the 1930's, and their new production of the Lynn Nottage play 'By the Way, Meet Vera Stark', opening at Talking Horse Theatre on October 11th. In the second act of the show, painter Amy Meyer and ceramic artist Norleen Nosri, chat to Diana about their new art exhibits -- 'Transitions and Thresholds' and 'Of Service: Memories', now on display at the Columbia College Galleries -- and the influence each of their fathers had on their work.

This week show host Diana Moxon chats the acting life with professional actors Joshua Clifton Powell and Carl Herzog and Carl debuts his talking to kittens skill (adorable). In the second half of the show international soprano, gospel and jazz singer, Dr. Jolie Rocke Brown along with bass-baritone Marques Jerrell Ruff, and Odyssey Chamber Music Series Artistic Director, Dr. Ayako Tsuruta, come in talk about the evolution of the African American Spiritual, voice care and staying true to your dream.