By TOM BENSEN
The Missoula Public Library invites you to take part in The Big Read 2014 by reading Tim O’Brien’s book The Things They Carried. The Big Read is a project of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and bring the transformative power of literature into the lives of its citizens. There are events, workshops and discussions throughout October around this book.
Current exhibits at the Missoula Art Museum include The Art of Human Conflict Conflict through December 24; Pamela Caughey: Ubiquitous: Migration of Pathogens through December 2; Helen McAuslan: The Kent State Paintings, on loan from the Museum of the Rockies, through November 22; Crossing the River: Hmong Story Cloths through December 24; Kate Hunt: Recent Works through February 21, 2015;Elizabeth Dove: Corpus of the Unknowable through January 31, 2015; Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts: Selected Works through March 21, 2015 (pictured here).
The Montana Museum of Art & Culture presents Amanda Browder: End of the Infinite in the Meloy Gallery (pictured here), and Vanessa German: Bitter Root in the Paxson Gallery. Both exhibits run throughJanuary 10, 2015.
Zootown Arts Community Center (ZACC) presents Freeand Family Friendly Festival of the Dead Workshops: now through November 1 – Big (Wearable) Heads; November 2 – Face Painting before the Missoula Festival of the Dead Parade. The parade on Higgins Avenue begins at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 2. For more information, visit the facebook page.
Also as part of the Festival of the Dead, on November 2, theMissoula Mandala gets constructed by members of our community. To learn more, or to donate to help make it happen, visit here.
Fact & Fiction presents Romance Writers Panel Discussion on the writing and publishing process, 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. on November 1 at F&F Downtown.
Shakespeare and Co. presents local author Jesse Bier reading and signing his latest novel Ocho Rios, 6:00 p.m. on November 7.
Wall Weeks at the University of Montana runs through November 10, at the Gallagher Business Building. A commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Join UM as it looks back through film, discusses and lectures about the past 25 years since the Berlin Wall fell. A temporary wall constructed on the Oval will be torn down November 7. Sponsored by the UM School of Journalism, UM School of Business Administration, the German Section of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures at UM and the German Information Center USA. Information: call 243-5001, or contact Liz.
The UM School of Music presents the Student Ensemble Series with the UM Symphony Orchestra, October 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dennison Theatre. Call 243-6880.
The Friendship Force of Missoula and Western Montana presents the Boo Bash at the Welcoma Club at 5:30 p.m. on October 29. Wear a costume and bring a decorated
pumpkin! Share your all things pumpkin recipes with us. Call Shawn (860-428-9301) with any questions you might
have about this meeting.
The UM Mansfield Library is presents “Fighting the Fires of Hate: America and the Nazi Book Burnings”exhibition, produced by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, with an opening reception and lecture on October 30. The reception begins at 5:00 p.m. and the lecture, called“The Threat of the Printed Word: Book Burning in Nazi Germany” by Peter Staudenmaier, Phd, Professor of History, Marquette University, begins at 6:00 p.m. in Gallagher Business Building Room 122.
Radius Gallery is inviting artists to submit works for its first annual Holiday Show, a juried fine arts exhibit to run throughout the holiday season. The show will be advertised as a holiday shopping opportunity-a place where discerning buyers can find original, high quality yet affordable works to collect or give as gifts. Prizes will be awarded in multiple categories. Visit the website for submission guidelines.
Living Art of Montana presents a holiday bottle glass etching workshop with Odette Grassi on November 8, from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. This Creativity for Lifeworkshop is open to anyone facing illness or loss including care providers and family members. All materials will be provided. No charge and art experience is not necessary.10:30 am-12:30 pm. Living Art of Montana, 725 W. Alder St #17 (Warehouse Mall). For more information, call 549-5329.
The Missoula Symphony Association presents “Red, White & True.” The Symphony Orchestra celebrates the grandeur and magnetism of the American West with a program that features selections of musical Americana and closes with the Bolero. November 8 at 7:30 p.m. and November 9 at 3:00 p.m. in the Dennison Theatre. Call 721-3194 for tickets and more information.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live is back at the Wilma Theatre October 30 at 8:00 p.m., October 31 at 8:00 and midnight, and November 1 at midnight. $25. Tickets available at Rockin’ Rudy’s or Ticketweb.com
Jekyll & Hyde The Musical opens on Halloween, and the Missoula Community Theatre invites you to this haunting, gothic musical. Patrons in costume on Friday night will be entered into a raffle, for chances to win spooky prizes and treats! Jekyll & Hyde The Musical runs October 31-November 2 and November 5-9 at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts. This show contains violence and adult situations and is not suitable for children. Get your tickets at the Box Office, at 728-PLAY (7529), or or at the MCT site.
University of Montana School of Theatre & Dance presents Dance Up Close, November 4-8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Masquer Theatre, PARTV Center on the UM campus. Matinee Performance November 8 at 2:00 p.m.
The Jeannette Rankin Peace Center presents a series of International Dinners available for sale. They are offered by fabulous cooks in our community and each one becomes a memorable evening with friends new and old. Kyrgyz Dinner on Friday, November 7; Soltanto Pizza! Parte III(Just Pizza-Part III) on Saturday, January 17; Un Tour de France with jazz and joy on Saturday, January 25; Turkish Adventure on Saturday, February 21; Authentic Indian Dinner on Saturday, March 28; Saluting the Gay Men’s Choir on Saturday, May 23. Call 543-3955 for more information or to get in on some of them before they are gone.
The Montana World Affairs Council presents Global Gauntlet 2014, a dinner, raffle, and Team Trivia Fundraiser, benefiting the Montana World Affairs Council’s Classroom and Community Programs. Also included is the presentation of the Montana Global Educator of the Year Award. Saturday, November 15 at the DoubleTree Hotel Ballroom beginning at 5:00 p.m. Call 728-3328.
Master silversmith and consummate teacher Haddon Hufford will share all about his ancient metalsmithing techniques at the Art Associates of Missoula monthly meeting, Wednesday, November 19, at 10:00 a.m. in the Education Center at the Missoula Art Museum, 335 N. Pattee St, Missoula. Art Associates meetings are free and open to the public. For more information please call Susie at 544-0891.
The UM School of Music presents Celebrate Piano Series III: Anderson & Roe, Wednesday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dennison Theatre. Reserved seating $35/$25/$15
The premiere piano duo of their generation, Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe have excited audiences around the globe, and will play their Missoula debut immediately following their European Tour Preview their stunning performances on youtube.com. For tickets, visit go to griztix, call 243-4581, or stop by the UM Arts Box Office.
The International Choral Festival and the UM School of Music will present their annual benefit performance of George Frederic Handel’s “Messiah” on Sunday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dennison Theatre on the UM campus. This free concert is a beloved community sing-a-long with a volunteer chorus, which has delighted local singers and audiences annually since 1995. The chorus will be conducted by Dr. David Edmonds, Director of Choral Activities at the University of Montana, and accompanied by an orchestra of professional area musicians. And, honorable Mayor John Engen will be there too to welcome everyone and to mark the official kick-off of the holiday season in Missoula with this concert.
Join the Chorus by signing-up online at either website. The concert is free to the public, but as a fundraiser, singers are required to raise or donate a minimum of $75 to join the chorus ($40 for students), and are encouraged to obtain sponsorships from friends and family that exceed these minimums. Exciting prizes such as overnights with deluxe lodging, float trips, gift certificates, etc. will be awarded to those singers who bring in the highest level of sponsorships. Proceeds will equally support Missoula’s 10th International Choral Festival scheduled for July 13-17, 2016, and the UM School of Music students traveling to Vienna.
The International Wildlife Film Festival is now accepting submissions for the 2015 festival, happening in Missoula, Montana April 18-25 at the historic Roxy Theater. Now in its 38th year, the week-long event will feature new and exciting films, special guests, workshops, seminars, field trips, technology sessions, product demos, parties and dynamic networking events. With 6,000 annual attendees, IWFF engages Missoula’s progressive community with dozens of screenings and events like the WildWalk Parade. A filmmakers’ festival, IWFF focuses on films and filmmakers, and celebrates emerging artists and the future of wildlife & environmental media. Our expanded programming welcomes all films about the natural world, from environmental and conservation films, to issue driven explorations of earth and its inhabitants.
For more information about arts events in the Missoula area, visit our website
*******
Tom Bensen has lived in Missoula since 1986, and has been the executive director of the Missoula Cultural Council since June 2004. He has directed First Night Missoula each New Year’s Eve since 1997. He is a member of Missoula’s choral ensemble Dolce Canto, and enjoys being outdoors, whether it is hiking, biking, skiing, walking the dogs, or mowing the lawn. His wife Susan works for Montana Public Radio, and their son Peter attends Hellgate High School.