With a definite departure from only classical or bluegrass music, these guys are not your grandparents’ string players. Heck, they’re not even your parents’ string players. The duo Black Violin whips up a high-energy hybrid of classical, hip-hop, rock and other musical genres that reaches out and grabs the listener by the ears. Head-bobbing is […]
Theater
Posted inMusic
Baskets of Laughs
Comedian Louie Anderson is still a stand-up at heart
In the world of comedy it takes a lot to stay relevant, especially if your career spans over three decades. But Louie Anderson has figured out a way to stay on the radar, transcending generations of fans with his work on the stage, screen, and in print. He’s a respected comedian, Emmy Award-winning actor, and […]
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GUNG HO FOR SHOWS
Survivorman Les Stroud, Son Volt & Ween
Book these shows now so you don’t miss out. SURVIVORMAN LES STROUD April 8 MUSICAL STORYTELLING — What do you do when you’re sitting in sub zero temps, alone in the woods, escaping bears? Why, you learn harmonica of course! Known for his “Survivorman” documentary series, which was the only internationally broadcast series entirely written, […]
Posted inCulture
Road Trip: Oregon Shakespeare
The longtime bastion of The Bard’s works is just a short
3.5-hour drive from Bend
I have to admit it: It took me a full 16 years of being an Oregonian to finally experience the many delights that a trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival can bring. Discussions about what constitutes a “local” aside, whether you’ve been in Oregon only six months or 60 years, I’m here to make sure […]
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Bend Meets Bohemia
Opera favorite La Bohème touring Oregon
A tale of young artists, pursuing their creative dreams, consumed by love, loss, heartache, jealousy – and oh yes, typically lacking the rent money. How contemporary! The seeds of an upcoming TV “dramedy,” perhaps? Not quite. We open on roommates Rodolfo and Marcello, one a poet, the other a painter. It’s Christmas Eve in 19th […]
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GUNG HO FOR SHOWS:
Puccini’s La Boheme, Semi-Toned & Steve Miller Band
Book these shows now so you don’t miss out. Puccini’s La Boheme March 10-11 Whether you’re a seasoned opera buff or not, La Boheme is one of the oldest and most quintessential works in the genre. And you’re in luck, because it comes to Redmond this March! Brought to you through a collaboration from OperaBend, […]
Posted inCulture
Combating Violence Against Women with Art
“The Vagina Monologues” comes back to Bend, times two
In 1994, playwright Eve Ensler broke new ground with the play, “The Vagina Monologues.” What started out as a piece of art aimed at addressing women’s sexuality and the social stigma surrounding rape and abuse spawned the non-profit organization V-Day—an activist movement that works to end violence against women and girls by raising funds and […]
Posted inCulture
Acca-scuse me?
Bend A Cappella Festival Embraces Diversity
A cappella. Let’s face it— it tends to evoke squeaky-clean images of the television show “Glee,” featuring high school kids with tucked-in collared shirts, coiffed hair and toothy grins. Not so. Picture this instead: Bold beatboxing, genres from R&B to electronica and entrancing upbeat performances where it’s hard to distinguish the voice from a traditional […]
Posted inCulture
Fight Club
Shaolin Warriors: They Know Kung-Fu
In an increasingly modern world where flying robots deliver mail and everyone carries a tiny miraculous pocket computer, it can be easy to forget that there are still sacred mountains in the heart of China where people dedicate their lives to principled meditation and martial arts. The closest many of us have ever been to […]
Posted inCulture
Get Woke: Broadway That Bites Back
If you had told me at one point that a rock musical focused on teenage sexuality and angst would be one of my favorite Broadway musicals of the last 25 years, I would have called you a crazy person. Yet, somehow, “Spring Awakening” is a beautiful blast of empathy that makes the heart swell, the […]