By TOM BENSEN
The Wilma Theatre in Downtown Missoula opens tonight after months of renovation with a sold out show by My Morning Jacket. For a full line-up of events, visit here.
The Montana Museum of Art & Culture presents The Intimate Diebenkorn: Drawings 1949 – 1992
now through December 12 in the
Paxson and Meloy Galleries. The exhibition features 52 pieces, many of which have never been publicly viewed, and includes pencil and ink drawings on paper, collages of torn paper and watercolors.
Zootown Arts Community Center presents Family Friendly Workshops in preparation for the Festival of the Dead throughout October. Visit the website for more information.
Fact and Fiction presents Christopher Kelly signing Italy Invades, 5:00 p.m. on October 9; and Seth Kantner reading and signing Swallowed by the Great Land, 1:30 p.m. October 10. Both events are at F&F Downtown.
The Missoula Art Museum presents Kathryn Schmidt: Seen In Broad Daylight through October 24; Terrain: Plateau Native Art & Poetry through February 27, 2016; John Buck: Free for All through March 12; Good Wood: Carved And Cut From MAM’s Permanent Collection through March 12 (pictured here); A Few of My Favorite Things, an exhibition selected by MAM’s Senior Exhibition Curator Emeritus Stephen Glueckert, through December 23.
The Missoula Community Theatre invites students to Go West! This fall afterschool performing arts class is designed especially for the K-5 grades, October 13-November 7. Go West combines music, history and drama about the Gold Rush days. To learn more about the schedule, times and registration, visit here or call 728-7529.
The University of Montana Department of Music presents the fourth annual UM Choral Gala Performance, October 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dennison Theatre; Jazz Series I: Benny Green, Piano, 7:30 p.m., Music Recital Hall on October 7; faculty artist Rob Tapper, trombone, October 9 at 7:30 in the UM Music Recital Hall; Fern Glass Boyd and Thodore Buchholz, cello, 3:00 p.m. October 11 in the UM Music Recital Hall.
The Gallery of Visual Arts at the University of Montana presents Variations from an Unlimited Sequence by Jodi Lightner throughout October. The Gallery of Visual Arts is located on the first floor of the UM Social Science Building.
The Radius1 Anniversary Show, features the Radius Gallery 12: Courtney Blazon, LeAnn Boyd, Lucy Capehart, Susan R. Carlson, Pamela Caughey, Ric Gendron, Michael Haykin, Karen Kemp, Louise Lamontagne, Bobbie McKibbin, Megan Moore and Barb Schwarz Karst. The exhibit runs through October. Ask about an art consultation at your home or business, or about commissions. We work with clients, businesses, designers, architects, and artists to create an astounding impression. call 541-7070.
The UM Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Program and UM Student Advocacy Resource Council will present SLUT-The Play, a one-act play written by playwright and activist Katie Cappiello and developed at The Arts Effect NYC, and innovative theatre arts school for teens in New York City. The Missoula production is directed by UM graduate Hillary Sea Bard, and is cast entirely with teen actors from local Missoula high schools. SLUT – The Play will play at The Crystal Theater, located at 515 S. Higgins, Missoula, MT 59801. Performances are October 9, 10,16, and 17 at 7:30 p.m., and a matinee performance on October 18 at 2:00 p.m. Admission is Free for all performances. Reservations can be made online here. The Playbill can be previewed online here.
Living Art of Montana presents “Faces of Living Art: a 22-Year Mask Retrospective”, an exhibit of masks created by Living Art workshop participants from 1993 through 2015 displayed at the Downtown Dance Collective throughout October and November.
UM Jazz Series is a new program beginning with a concert by Benny Green on Wednesday, October 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the UM Music Recital Hall. For more information, call 243-4851.
The University of Montnana presents The Writers’ Fall Opus, a fundraiser for UM’s Creative Writing program, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Governor’s Room at the Florence, 111 North Higgins. Call 243-5267.
On Saturday October 10 at 7:00 p.m. DalyJazz will host a Trombone Summit, the first ever in Missoula. Featured will be Nat Wickham (tbn), Dave Glenn (tbn), Rob Tapper (tbn). Joining them will be Brent Edstrom (piano), Josh Tower (bass) and Bob LedBetter (drums). To make reservations, contact here.
The Missoula International School celebrates its 20th anniversary at the Ranch Club on Friday, October 9 from 5:00 9:00 p.m. for the Fall Family Round Up and annual fundraiser. For more information, visit here.
The Jeannette Rankin Peace Center invites the community to help us celebrate our 29th annual Peace Party gathering, October 11 at 3:00 p.m. in Caras Park. We will focus on the theme, “Peace Like a River”, knowing that rivers flow gently past obstacles and create the world around it with persistence and grace – a perfect inspiration to peace in our own lives. Feel free to wear your favorite river wear and celebrate with us. For more information, call 543-3955 or email here.
From Buenos Aires, the Alejandro Zeigler Tango Quartet will be in Missoula October 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Downtown Dance Collective. For tickets and information, visit here.
With its deliciously dark humor, Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, will set an adult macabre musical tone for your Halloween. Presented by Missoula Community Theatre, performances are October 15-18 and 21-25 at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available here.
Come for the Evening – Stay for the Holidays! Women who love to sing – Five Valley Chorus welcomes you! Come sing your favorite Christmas songs and learn new ones in four part A Cappella harmony. Join the chorus members on the risers for our annual Holiday concert at the Southgate Mall. No Cost, No Pressure – just great music and new friends. First Baptist Church at the corner of Woody and Pine Streets, 308 West Pine, east door, starting Tuesday October 13 and continuing Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. through December 15. Visit here for more information.
Fall Aikido Intro for Beginning Adults starts Saturday, October 17 from 2:00-3:30 p.m., followed by four guided basics classes Monday and Wednesday, October 20, 22, 27, 29, 5:30-6:45 p.m. Visit Aikido Missoula for more information.
The Art Associates of Missoula monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 21, at 10:00 a.m. in the Education Center of the Missoula Art Museum. Brandon Reintjes, new Curator at MAM, will introduce himself with a tour of MAM exhibitions. All Art Associates meetings are free and open to the public. For more information please call Susie at 544-0891.
The Missoula Maze is back, at 1010 Clements Road though November 1.
For more information about arts events in the Missoula area, visit our website
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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.