Photo by Lauren Mow
Weekend Worthy is a weekly roundup of visual & performing arts highlights in Southwest Michigan written by Jeremy D. Bonfiglio in conjunction with the weekly entertainment podcast, Breaking Character, which he co-hosts with Paul Mow. Read on for details about events happening the weekend of Aug. 1-4, 2019.
“Clybourne Park” at The GhostLight
The GhostLight Theatre continues its inaugural summer run this weekend with Bruce Norris’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Clybourne Park” opening at 8 p.m. Thursday at the black box space at 101 Hinkley St., in the Benton Harbor Arts District.
Photo by Lauren Mow
This razor-sharp satire takes a jab at race and real estate in the fictional Chicago neighborhood of Clybourne Park. The play begins in 1959 as a black family moves into a white enclave, while Act Two takes us back to the same house in 2009 as gentrification sets in and the roles are reversed.
The cast includes William Klein, Carol L. Sizer, Timothy Aranyos Jr., Steve Prouty, Martel Burton, Kendra Ann, and Beth Taylor. Paige Smillie directs with Lauren Mow as assistant director, set design by Larry Underwood, and costume design by Julie Smiy and Barbara Klein.
In addition to Thursday’s opening, the show will be staged at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, and 8 p.m. Aug. 8-10 and 2 p.m. Aug. 11.
Tickets are $28, $22 for seniors and $12 for students. For more details, call 269-252-5222 or visit ghostlightbh.com.
Image courtesy of Emma Neuser
‘Subliminal’ at ARS Gallery
Image courtesy of Emma Neuser
Emma Neuser, who has been a familiar face at ARS Gallery this summer as one of two interns, will host the opening of her first solo show, “Subliminal,” from 6-8 p.m. Friday at ARS, 147 5th St., Benton Harbor.
Neuser is a self-taught oil painter who has earned local and national recognition from the Scholastic Art Awards to the Kalamazoo Institute of Art Regional Art Show. She has taught art at ARS Gallery, and at Moreau Primary School in Kyarusozi, Uganda. Following the completion of her internship at ARS this fall, Neuser plans to further her artistic experience in Los Angeles before beginning her studies in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Fine Arts program.
Admission is free and will include small bites, wine, and a chance to meet the artist. The exhibition will be on view in the gallery through Sept. 5. You can see more of her work at emmaneuser.com
For more details, call ARS at 269-277-5090 or visit arsartsandculture.org.
The Gibson Brothers at The Livery
Image courtesy of The Gibson Brothers
Leigh and Eric Gibson, collectively known as the bluegrass duo The Gibson Brothers, perform at 9 p.m. Friday at The Livery, 190 5th St., Benton Harbor.
Despite being named back-to-back Entertainers of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2012 and 2013, The Gibson Brothers don’t limit themselves to quick-pickin’ traditionalism. Instead, they are known for their brother-banter, harmonies and a sampling of other favorite American musical styles including gospel, classic country, folk, and singer-songwriter traditions.
Their latest album, the Dan Auerbach–produced “Mockingbird” goes even further with a blend of classic ’70s-infused rock, soul and timeless country. The 11 tracks on their 14th album largely draw on their experiences being raised on the family farm in Northern New York. Of course, the duo continues to flex genres, this time with their take on R.E.M.’s 1993 weeper “Everybody Hurts.”
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more details, call 269-925-8760 or visit liverybrew.com.
To hear more about these events, including interviews with the artists, click the “play” button below to listen to the Breaking Character podcast. You can listen to past episodes at www.BreakingCharacterPodcast.com or subscribe to Breaking Character on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, or your favorite podcast app and find current news and updates on our Facebook page.
- Weekend Worthy: ‘Inhaling the Universe’ exhibit at Krasl; SMSO’s ‘Shaken Not Stirred’; and ‘Mark Twain in Person’ at Acorn - August 8, 2019
- Weekend Worthy: ‘Clybourne Park’; ARS Gallery exhibit; and The Gibson Brothers - July 31, 2019
- Weekend Worthy: ‘West Side Story’; Brian Vander Ark; ‘Broadway Bucket List’ - July 24, 2019