Adventures in Artslandia With Susannah Mars

Discussion: What it Means to be an Artist in the New Year?

Susannah is at the Hotel Deluxe for tea and a chat about what it means to be an artist in the new year. Guests include: Doug Detrick, Samson Syharath, Dmae Roberts, and Veronica Nunez. Thank you  Hotel Deluxe and David, our waiter extraordinaire! Included is an embarrassment of art event riches to mine, exciting, passion filled events. Take a leap and see the work of a company that you haven’t seen before.

Here are some of the companies and show sites referenced in the podcast:
 

LatinX

Portland Actors Conservatory

Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble

Theatre Diaspora

Milagro

OMSI

Chat with Tom Hewitt on Play Tour: Finding Neverland

Susannah chats with Tony Award nominee and currently starring in the National Tour ofFinding Neverland, opening tomorrow at the Keller Auditorium, Tom Hewitt.

Psychology & Playwrights: Discussion with 2016 Winner of the Oregon Play Prize

Susannah sits down with the 2016 winner of the Oregon Play Prize, Steve Rathje.

Meet Newly Appointed Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Associate Conductor Norman Huynh

Norman Huynh is the newly appointed Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Associate Conductor for the Oregon Symphony. In this position he is responsible for conducting family, youth education and specials concerts, as well as assisting for the masterworks series.

Throughout his career, Norman has conducted the Baltimore Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Macon Symphony and Peabody Symphony Orchestra. Most recently he was a conducting fellow at the 2016 Aspen Music Festival and School under the tutelage of Robert Spano.

Norman studied orchestral conducting at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University working with Gustav Meier, Markand Thakar, Edward Polochick and Marin Alsop.  Previous teachers include John Ratledge, Demondrae Thurman and Adrian Gnam. 

Chats with Hershey Felder on Irving Berlin & Neil Goldberg Creator of Cirque Dreams Holiday

Susannah chats with celebrated performer and pianist Hershey Felder brings the remarkable story of beloved composer Irving Berlin to The Armory with his highly acclaimed solo-show, Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin.

Neil Goldberg

In CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE, Broadway director Neil Goldberg re-imagines the holiday season with more than 300 costumes, 20 acts and 30 performers from 12 countries showcasing an endless variety of imaginative, heart-pounding and gravity- defying feats you have to see to believe. Experience gingerbread men flipping mid air, toy soldiers marching on thin wires along with snowmen, icemen and penguins, balancing, jumping and spinning in disbelief.  The show celebrates the most wonderful time of the year with singers, choreography and exciting production numbers.  Performers and costumed ornament characters twirl, bounce and soar through the air to original music and seasonal favorites brought to life within a stage setting of gigantic gifts, colossal candy canes and 30-foot towering trees & soldiers creating a larger than life wonderland of amazement.

Artistic Director of The Twilight Theater Company Discusses the Growing Need for Accessible Theater in PDX

Meet Dorinda Toner, Artistic Director at The Twilight Theater Company.

Twilight Theater Company is a not-for-profit organization that endeavors to meet a growing need for accessible, innovative theatre in the North Portland community, both for artists and audiences.

We also spoke about HART Theatre; find out about them here:
hart-theatre.org

Do you have an Adventure in Artslandia for Susannah you’d like to chat about?

Email Susannah at smars@artslandia.com and tell her your adventure!

Inquiry into African Diaspora & Healing: Okaidja Afroso Talks About His Artistic Process in Music

Okaidja Afroso was born into a family of singers and songwriters. At 19, he was accepted as a professional dancer for the prestigious Ghana Dance Ensemble. Okaidja’s first album, The Traditionalist, is his raw and emotional interpretation of the folkloric songs he grew up singing. His second album, Obutu Apla, ventures away from the strictly traditional and it was heavily influenced by Okaidja’s inquiry into the African Diaspora. WhoOkaidja's influences? Lokua Kanza from Congo, and Richard Bona from Cameroon.

Supportland: Sustaining the Arts in Portland

Great conversation and tea time at The Hotel Deluxe! Now is the time to support art organizations, listen here and find out why. Join Susannah with Bob Hicks, Jose Gonzalez, Damaso Rodriguez, Beth Harper, Chantal DeGroat, and Darrell Grant.

A Tribute to Liberace in PDX

David Saffert and Jillian Snow Harris bring Liberace and Liza Minnelli to life this holiday season at Coho. Listen to how their show came to fruition, in addition to a story about David's flying piano!