Articulations

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Clean Start for the Arts: Postscript

On Thursday, April 15, City Council did indeed adopt the new guidelines for the Cultural Arts Funding Program. The FY 2004-2005 process will be treated as a "pilot year" with ongoing evaluation and review. Anyone interested in applying for a cultural contract may obtain copies of the guidelines and application forms in the Cultural Arts Division offices, eighth floor of One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Rd. Copies will also be handed out at the funding program workshops that Cultural Arts Program Manager Vincent Kitch is conducting all week. The first three were held Monday through Wednesday, but you might still catch the last two: Thursday, April 22, noon-2pm, at the Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd.; and Friday, April 23, 10am-noon, in the third-floor training room of One Texas Center. Anyone who has problems attending a workshop or coming to the office is encouraged to contact cultural arts staff at 974-9310.

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Schumann Schoot-Out

Want to give pianist Michelle Schumann a big send-off to the 27th annual Eckhardt-Gramatté competition in Canada, where she'll be one of only eight pianists competing? Hie thee to the Austin Lyric Opera Armstrong Community Music School, 901 Barton Springs Rd., Thursday, April 22, 5:30pm. You'll be able not only to wish Michelle well, but to hear one of the programs she'll be playing next week at Brandon University in Canada (pieces by Berg, Sessions, and Crumb, plus a newly commissioned piece and contemporary works by Canadian composers). Admission is free. Call 963-9473 for more information.

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Happy Bard-Day!

Worried that it's almost April 23 and you don't have a Shakespeare's birthday gift for the Bardophile in your life? Well, of course, you can treat him or her to the Austin Shakespeare Festival production of Romeo and Juliet, now showing at Austin Playhouse. Or how about a CD of Shakespeare's Palpable Hits? This collection from the Austin band Dog Legs & Feet features new songs inspired by Shakespeare's plays – you might recognize "Sweet, Sweet Viola," which had some airplay on KUT – along with songs from the plays – say, "Who Is Silvia?" from The Two Gentlemen of Verona or "A Lover and His Lass" from As You Like It – newly scored by local theatre folk such as Jon Watson and Madge Darlington for shows in Austin and for Shakespeare at Winedale. The CD is available for $12.99 – Zounds! Such a bargain! – and may be found at Waterloo Records. For more information, visit www.zitasound.com/releases.html.

Speaking of Winedale, you and your sweet William lover might want to plan now for the Spring Festival of Play there next week. James Ayres' Shakespeare at Winedale spring class will present As You Like It Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, 7pm, in the Winedale Theatre Barn. Plus, on May Day, you can enjoy scenes from Shakespeare performed by Austin elementary and junior high school students from noon to 2pm, after which will be Eeyore's Birthday Party, with games, a maypole dance, cakewalk, costume contest, music performed by former Shakespeare at Winedale students, and birthday cake in honor of A.A. Milne's doleful donkey. For information, call 979/278-3530.