By TOM BENSEN
Missoula’s Martin Luther King Day activities begin at 5:00 p.m. today with a Rally at Caras Park; at 5:40 p.m.: March across Higgins Street Bridge; at 6:00 p.m.: Community Celebration at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (202 Brooks St.); at 7:30 p.m.: Community Dinner in lower level of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. For more information, contact Jesse here
The Missoula Cultural Council is seeking nominations for the 17th Annual Missoula Arts and Culture Awards program. Individuals and businesses may be nominated in five separate categories: Cultural Achievement, Individual Artist, Arts Educator, Business Support for the Arts, and Cultural Vision. To make a nomination in one of the above categories, complete the one-page form found on the MCC website by Friday, February 12. The awardees will be honored at the MCC’s annual luncheon scheduled for Tuesday, March 29, at 11:30 am at Missoula’s Doubletree Hotel.
The Missoula Art Museum presents 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;The 44th Benefit Art Auction Exhibition through February 3; MAM’s 44th Benefit Art Auction is Saturday, February 6, beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the University Center Ballroom.
The Drowsy Chaperone makes its Missoula debut at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts stage this weekend. The Missoula Community Theatre picked this Tony-Award-winning “musical within a comedy” for its fresh, fast-paced whimsical air! With no intermission, The Drowsy Chaperone promises to be a fast and furious evening of hilarious shenanigans. This parody of musical theatre contains risqué, adult humor which may be best appreciated by older teens and adults. January 21-31. Tickets are available at here.
The Montana World Affairs Council presents the Global Gauntlet Team Trivia Fundraiser, on Saturday, January 23 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Missoula. The evening will start at 5:00 p.m. and include a social hour, dinner, live auction and lively team trivia competition with Emcee Mayor John Engen.
The Montana Museum of Art & Culture presents Glorious Vista: Art of the American West from the MMAC Permanent Collection through February 20 in the Paxson and Meloy Galleries from now through February 20. From the Pueblos of New Mexico to Glacier National Park, this exhibition explores the landscapes and people of the Rocky Mountain West during the 19th and 20th centuries, including works by Edgar Paxson, Joseph Henry Sharp, Charles M. Russell, Ace Powell, Julius Seyler, Nancy McLaughlin, and George Catlin.
The Missoula Community Theatre is holding an open audition for actors, age 18 and older, to play the roles in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). There are 3-4 roles to be cast in this comedy, and the audition will take place Sunday, January 24, on the third floor of the MCT Center for the Performing Arts from 12:30-3:00 p.m. Please use the Main Street double door entrance.
The performance dates for this non-musical are March 10-13 and 16-20, 2016. All performances will take place at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, call 728-7529.
Registration now open for January-March 2016 Art Workshops with local artist Nancy Seiler. New this winter is Nature Journaling Series. Learn to draw and paint different natural history topics and be ready to go outside this spring with your nature journal to record what you see with more confidence. All workshops are located at 330 Brooks St. in Missoula (one block east of Caffé Dolce). Classes are limited to 10. To sign up, please email here or call 370-1254.
Zootown Arts Community Center will celebrate small things with its 4th Annual {mini} Show Benefit at Missoula’s newly renovated historic Wilma Theater on March 26. This gala event will bring together Missoula’s creative community to celebrate all things mini, from mini dessert auction, a mini silent and live art auction, and more! The Mini Show art opening will occur in the ZACC gallery on March 11th. This is an annual fundraiser for the Zootown Arts Community Center. You are invited to submit your miniature creation for this Mini Art Show, which will be auctioned the night of the event, through silent auction (for most works) and a live auction for selected pieces. All work must be 12x12x12 or smaller. To submit or for more information, visit here.
Radius Gallery spotlights the artworks by photographer Lucy Capehart, kinetic assemblage artist Stephen Glueckert, and ceramic sculptor Randi O’Brien. This work will be on display through February 20, with an artists reception on January 22 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Call 541-7070.
Fact and Fiction presents Korby Lenker with a reading and signing of Medium Hero, Sunday, January 24 at 3:00 p.m. at F&F Downtown
The University of Montana School of Music’s “Celebrate Piano Series” presents Tanya Gabrielian on January 24, at 3:00 p.m. in the UM Music Recital Hall. Ticjets are available here or by calling the UMArts Box Office at 243-4581.
CoMotion Dance Project, based in the College of Visual & Performing Arts at the University of Montana, presents Fire Speaks the Land: An Active Audiences Performance Monday, January 25, 9:45-10:35 a.m., and again from 1:00-1:50 p.m., and Tuesday, January 26, 9:45-10:35 a.m. at the Montana Theatre, PAR/TV Center, UM Campus. Sponsored by SPARK! Arts Ignite Learning, Missoula County Public Schools, CoMotion Dance Project, and The University of Montana.
University of Montana Productions will host soulful singer-songwriter Allen Stone in concert at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 23, at UM’s Dennison Theatre. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and cost $20 for UM students and $25 for the general public, plus ticketing fees. Tickets can be purchased online here, by calling 243-4051 or 888-MONTANA (888-666-8262) during regular business hours. Opening for the show is is First Night Spotlight winner and Hellgate High School senior Leila Parsons.
The Art Associates of Missoula monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 20, at 10:00 a.m. in the Education Center of the Missoula Art Museum, 335 N. Pattee St, Missoula. Kiln-fired Fused Glass Artist Katie Patten will be sharing her artistry and inspiration. All Art Associates meetings are free and open to the public. For more information please call Susie at 544-0891.
The Montana Repertory Theatre presents Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, with a gala opening January 22, followed by Missoula performances January 23, 28,29,30, February 4 and 6 before heading out on tour of Montana and other cities in the Midwest and Northeast. For more, visit here.
The Missoula Children’s Theatre celebrates 2016 with its original, world-premiere of The Snow Queen. This winter performing arts class runs January 18-February 21 and is open to Grades K-12. Give the gift of wonder this Holiday season with a registration to The Snow Queen! Register here.
The Missoula Community Theatre ushers in 2016 with The Drowsy Chaperone, a Tony Award-winning spoof of musical comedies (January 21-31). Next up is The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged), a zany, non-musical production that will appeal to anyone who loves a good laugh (March 10-20). Rounding out the season is Mary Poppins, the Broadway musical (April 28-May 15). Visit here for more.
For more information about arts events in the Missoula area, visit our website