2008 Commencement Exhibition @ MICA

From Friday, May 16 through Monday, May 19 come explore the campus-wide 2008 Commencement Exhibition at MICA. Over 400 emerging artists showcase their works in displays at all campus permanent galleries, hallways, classrooms, and open spaces. Experimental Annimation screenings take place Friday, May 16 followed by Senior Video screenings on Saturday, May 17. Both programs take place at 7:00 PM in the Brown Center's Falvey Hall at 301 Mount Royal Avenue.

For a special preview of the 2008 Commencement Exhibition, participate in Artwalk, a 3K stroll through the MICA campus at 5:00 PM on Thursday, May 15. It's a chance to purchase artwork before the exhibit and meet the artists. Cost: $25 per person. To register call 410-225-2622 or go online here. 

For more information on the 2008 Commencement Exhibition, visit www.mica.edu.

WYPR Mount Vernon Minute

Featured this week on the WYPR Mount Vernon Minute, airing Friday morning following the 10 AM NPR News Headlines:

• See the Commencement 2008 Exhibition at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Friday, May 16, through Monday, May 19. 
• Call 410-685-3750 ext. 321, for a reservation to attend Monday Night Football at the Maryland Historical Society. Hear bestselling author, Mark Bowden, discuss this book The Best Game Ever: Giants vs. Colts 1958. Monday, May 19, beer & pretzels at 6:30 PM, program at 7:00 PM. Free admission.

An die Musik Live!

Named by City Paper as Best of Baltimore 2007. This week at An die Musik Live!:

• Morris/Fell/Ward - Joe Morris (guitar), Simon H. Fell (double bass), and Alex Ward (Clarinet). Thursday, May 15, 8:00 PM.
• Marilyn Crispell - improv pianist in solo performance. Friday, May 16, 8:00 PM & 9:30 PM.
• Warren Wolfe CD Release Party - A celebration of the release of Warren Wolfe's CD, Raw. Saturday, May 17, 8:00 PM & 9:30 PM.

For a complete list of concerts, see the An die Musik Live! Calendar.

This Spring at Theatre Project

Theatre Project offers a diverse array of original and experimental theater, music, and dance. Productions this spring include:

• Variations on Power - Run of the Mill Theatre Company explores the meaning of power in a variety of new plays. Thursday, May 1, through Sunday, May 18.

For more information, visit www.TheatreProject.org.

June First Thursday Concert in Mount Vernon

Langhorne Slim and the War Eagles headline the June First Thursday Concert in Mount Vernon. A folk-rocker based in Brooklyn, Langhorne Slim brings his national tour to Baltimore, June 5. Recent appearances include the David Letterman Show and NPR's Weekend Edition. Opening the evening will be Baltimore's rock and jam band, 3fifths.  As always the music starts at 5:30 PM.

For more First Thursday information, go online to the WTMD First Thursday.

Turn On the Radio in Station North

URBANTraces is a neighborhood radio art project in the Station North Arts District that employs numerous low-power transmitters broadcasting at 87.7 FM. The transmitters (see map at right) are located at various sites including people's homes, shops, and art spaces. Using an FM radio you can walk through the neighborhood and hear neighbors telling stories, and other forms created by people who live, work, and traverse Station North Arts District and Greenmount West. URBANtraces is on the air 24/7 through August 2008.  

Maps at the Walters

The theme is "Maps" this spring in four exhibitions at the Walters Art Museum:

• Maps: Finding Our Place in the World - the most ambitious American exhibition devoted to maps in over 50 years. Opening Sunday, March 16. Read Baltimore Sun Review.
• Mapping the Cosmos - images of the universe taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Running Saturday, February 2 through Sunday, July 27.
• Maps on Purpose - Baltimore's community organization, Arts on Purpose, uses a selection of maps on display at the Walters to inspire mapping projects of Baltimore neighborhoods. Opening Saturday, March 1. 

For information on other Baltimore "Mapping" exhibitions this spring, visit Baltimore Festival of Maps.

Beyond the Compass, Beyond the Square

Ten MICA students showcase their concepts for mapping in historic Mount Vernon Place in the outdoor exhibition Beyond the Compass, Beyond the Square. The work includes "The Monument to Collective Effort" featured in the Baltimore Sun (read article). On display through Tuesday, May 20.  

A Musical @ Spotlighters Theatre

A New Brain, with music and lyrics by William Finn. opens Friday, April 25, at Spotlighters Theatre. When a frustrated, neurotic composer is faced with the possibility of a terminal illness, he finds comfort in the healing power of music. Playing weekends through Sunday, May 18. Performances Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM. Special Thursday program on May 15, 8:00 PM. For more information, visit www.Spotlighers.org.  

Now Playing at CENTERSTAGE

Through Sunday, June 1, CENTERSTAGE hosts the world premiere of Melanie Marnich’s These Shining Lives. It’s the roaring 1920’s and the women of Radium Dial Company have found steady work in comfortable conditions at extraordinary pay. All is right in the world…or is it? A dramatic play by a bright new voice in American Theater. Read preview published in Washington Post.

For tickets and more information on all events, visit www.centerstage.org.

Spring Concert Series at the Basilica

The Basilica of the Assumption and An die Musik Live! present a series of Spring Sunday Concerts. Sit in the beautifully restored cathedral and listen to music by Handel, Vivaldi, and some of the great composers of Baroque music.

• An Evening of Antonio Vivaldi - a performance by the Vivaldi Project of the truly dramatic 18th Century ensemble music - Sunday, June 1, 7:00 PM. 

Tickets: $20 General Public; $15 Seniors (60+); and $10 Students.Click here, for more information on the Spring Concerts at the Basilica. Please call An die Musik Live! at 410-385-2638 for tickets.

Playthings at the Metro Gallery

Playthings, a group exhibit by young local artists, opens a month-long run Thursday, May 8, at the Metro Gallery. Showcasing a variety of media, the works included in Playthings illustrate the importance of play within current art, especially the spirit and whimsy of toys. Metro Gallery, 1700 North Charles Street. For more information, please visit, www.themetrogallery.net.  

Seabiscuit Returns to Baltimore

The famed equestrian artist Frank Voss painted some of the greatest horses of the 20th-century...including Seabiscuit (pictured right) and Man o' War. But he was just one of the Voss family artists. Opening Friday, April 11, at the Maryland Historical Society you can see the full scope of their artistry in The Voss Family: Artists of American Sporting Life. This exhibition, organized by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame of Saratoga Springs, New York, features 85 works of art: oil paintings, watercolors, pastels, prints, and sculptures. The Voss Exhibition is presented by Brown Advisory with a media sponsorship by ABC2, WMAR-TV/DT. 

Maps and Maritime Exhibits at the Maryland Historical Society

The Maryland Historical Society presents Borders and Boundaries: The Mason-Dixon Line through Sunday, June 29. The exhibit, which is part of the Baltimore Festival of Maps, features the original 1768 map of the "boundary between the provinces of Pennsylvania and Maryland' developed by the astronomer Charles Mason and the surveyor, Jeremiah Dixon. 

Also open at the home of Maryland History, a new permanent exhibition: Maryland's Maritime Heritage: From Fells Point to the World, 1760-1850. Baltimore's history is entwined with seafaring men and ships. As one of America's earliest commercial ports and a base for the growth of the United States Navy, Baltimore plays a major role in the development of the United States. Come see this story on display at the Maryland Historical Society.

Maps and More at the Pratt

Mapping Maryland & the World, a new exhibit opening Saturday, March 15, at the Enoch Pratt Free Library. The public is offered rare opportunities to view significant maps from the library's extensive collection of 17th, 18th, and 19th century maps. "Mapping Maryland" runs through Sunday, June 8, and is part of the Baltimore Festival of Maps.

Other upcoming events at the Pratt Library include:

• Latitude Zero - 1968 Japanese Sci-Fi film directed by Ishiro Honda (Godzilla). Saturday, May 17, 2:00 PM.
• Writers Live! Mike Farrell - you saw him on M*A*S*H now see him in person reading from his new book, Just Call Me Mike. Sunday, May 25, 3:00 PM.

 For information on other events, visit www.PrattLibrary.org.

CENTERSTAGE Announces 2008-09 Season

In 2008-09, CENTERSTAGE offers classics, a new comedy, a journey of self discovery, and a critically acclaimed musical. The productions include:

• The Matchmaker - Thorton Wilder. A saucy widow makes a living fixing up lonely hearts, but can she work the same magic for herself. September 10 through October 5, 2008.
• Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe? - Edward Albee. A black comedy about manners (and lack thereof). October 22 through November 16, 2008.
• Caroline or Change - Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori. The struggles and aspirations of a Southern Jewish Family's African-American maid during the 1960's. December 10, 2008, through January 11, 2009.
• Fabulation, or the Re-education of Undine - Lynn Nottage. Upwardly mobile Undine learns to accept herself and her weaknesses when she moves back to her family in the projects. January 28, through March 8, 2009.
• 'Tis Pity She's a Whore - John Ford. Star crossed lovers are brother and sister. March 11. through April 5, 2009.
• The Understudy - Theresa Rebeck. A tart-but-tender comedy that takes an incisive look at one of the theaters most underrated roles. April 22, through May 31.   

For more information on CENTERSTAGE 2008-09, read Baltimore Sun article or visit www.CENTERSTAGE.org.

Coming Soon to the Lyric Opera House

Opera plus comedy, music, theater, and more can be found at Baltimore's historic Lyric Opera House. Coming soon:

• Madama Butterfly - the Baltimore Opera Company's production of Giacomo Puccini's tragic opera. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. May 14, 16, 17 & 18.  
• Wanda Sykes - Emmy Award winning stand-up comic - live at the Lyric. Thursday, May 15, 8:00 PM. 

For tickets and a complete schedule, visit www.LyricOperaHouse.com.

Walking Tours of Mount Vernon

The spring is a great time to put on your walking shoes and tour Baltimore's Mount Vernon. Options include:

• Mount Vernon Cultural Walk - Park Rangers guide you on a walk from the Inner Harbor up Charles Street to Mount Vernon. This free tour leaves from the Inner Harbor Visitors Center at noon on weekends in April and daily starting in May.
• Guided Walking Tours of Mount Vernon Place - Saturdays at 10 AM. Meet at the lobby of the Peabody Court Hotel. Reservations must be made in advance by calling Ed at 410-385-0424. $10 per person.
• Mount Vernon Literary Walking Tour - the Maryland Humanities Council offers a self-guided tour of the Mount Vernon haunts of famous writers like Edgar Allan Poe, H. L. Mencken, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and more. Downnload a map from MDHC.org. and take a walk.  

Spotlight UB: Spring Performing Arts Series

Drama, speakers, music, and improv comedy all featured at the  Spotlight UB Performing Arts Series. Come to the acoustically-designed Performance Arts Theater on the fifth floor of the University of Baltimore's Student Center to see:

• BSO Chamber Music Series - world premiere, Portrait of Peace for French Horn, Piano and Percussion. Wednesday, May 21, 8:00 PM.

For more information, go online to visit Spotlight UB Performing Arts Series.

Buy Tickets Now for Stoop Storytelling at CENTERSTAGE June 9

The final installment of this season's Stoop Storytelling Series takes place Monday, June 9. To honor the summer, Stoop presents: Campfire Tales: Stories of Panty Raids Bug Juice and Wet Hot American Summers. As usual, Stoop Storytelling takes place at CENTERSTAGE. Cocktails and live music by Caleb Stine and the Brakeman at 7 PM, Storytelling at 8 PM. Advanced tickets strongly recommended, seats for this program are moving fast. Call 410-332-0033 or go to stoopstorytelling.com.

The "Stoop" offers old-fashioned storytelling for 21st century audiences. Each performance seven storytellers are given 7 minutes each to tell true, personal stories on a shared theme. No notes, no scripts, no actors - just true stories, artfully told.

Outdoor Entertainment at Monumental Life

As part of its 150th Anniversary, Monumental Life Insurance presents a sumer series of outdoor concerts. Entertainment on the Terrace celebrates the history and diversity of Baltimore. The free events take place on the scenic terrace overlooking North Charles Street. Come join us on the following:

• Sunday, June 22: "Oldies Block Party" and Buddy Dean Reunion (4:00 - 8:00 PM).
• Sunday, August 18: Chorus of the Cheapeake (2:00 - 4:00 PM).
• Thursday, September 11: Iam Sims Quartet (5:30 - 7:00 PM)

Farmer's and Flea Markets Return!

On the first Saturday of every month from May to November, come check-out the vendors offering antiques, paintings, clothing and other items for sale at the Station North Arts District Flea Market. In its second year of operation, the market opens at 9:00 AM at a new location at the Corner of North Avenue and Howard Street. The next flea market will be Saturday, June 6.

The place to be on Sunday mornings - from May 4 through the December 21 -  is the Baltimore Farmer's Market. Underneath the Jones Falls Expressway at the corner of Holliday and Saratoga you'll find fresh produce, fruit, herbs, flowers and more. The market opens at 8:00 AM. 

Mount Vernon Ghost Walk Returns!

They're back...the Ghosts of Mount Vernon. The Mount Vernon Ghost Walk returns every Friday starting March 7. The fun starts at 7:00 PM at the Owl Bar of the Belvedere Hotel. Admire architecture while guides regale you with the history and haunted lore of Mount Vernon...home to many of Baltimore's legendary citizens. For ticket information and more, contact Baltimore Ghost Tours at  www.BaltimoreGhostTours.com.

Palladio at the Peabody Library

The 16th century Italian architect, Andrea Palladio is considered by many as the most influential person in the history of western architecture. The George Peabody Library traces his architectural development and illustrates his lasting legacy on building design, particularly in Baltimore, in the exhibition, Harmony to the Eyes: Charting Palladio's Architecture from Rome to Baltimore. This celebration of Palladio's 500th birthday showcases beautiful first editions of rare architectural treatises, hand-colored maps, and original prints. Read Baltimore Sun Review. Open through Tuesday, June 17.

Tour the Basilica - America's Oldest Cathedral

The City Paper calls it Best of Baltimore 2007, the restored Basilica of the Assumption - America's first Cathedral. Free tours are available daily to see the light-filled Cathedral designed by Benjamin H. Latrobe, architect of the United States Capitol Building. 

• Monday - Friday: 9AM, 11AM, & 1PM
• Saturday: Call 410-727-3565 Monday-Friday for Saturday tour availability.
• Sunday: 12 Noon

For more information on Basilica Tours, including maps, directions and frequently asked questions, click here.  

Smooth Live Jazz at the Tremont Park

Set aside Friday and Saturday evenings to hear Smooth Live Jazz at the Celebrities Lounge of the Tremont Park Hotel. Performances run from 6-9 PM on Fridays and 7-10 PM on Saturdays. Admission is free with door prizes and drink specials. Great music, great food, great fun in an intimate setting. Tremont Park Hotel, 8 East Pleasant Street, call 410-576-1200 for more information.