Arts Alive San Antonio

Let’s start with literary news, for a change!

The Book Reading Marathon is an interesting experiment organized by Jim LaVilla-Havelin, a prominent leader and teacher in the literary community in San Antonio, who enlisted to help of the Peace Center at the Northwest Vista College to make his idea a reality. Together they are enlisting readers for the chain reading of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel “Slaughterhouse-Five.

“I have always loved the book. And I knew, because I keep track of these things, that Nov. 11, 2022 would have been Kurt Vonnegut’s 100th birthday. And Nov. 11 also happens to be Veterans Day. ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ is a veterans’ book. It’s a book about Vonnegut’s own experience as a German prisoner in Dresden during World War II, where he lived through the bombing of the city by Allied forces. The confluence of Veterans Days and his 100^th birthday seemed pretty wonderful.”

The book is a powerful anti-war narrative that became a cult classic when it was published and still impacts us today.

So, LaVilla-Havelin thought it would be a great idea to enlist readers to read – marathon style – the entire novel in one day. And people have responded. Several locations are involved, including the Bihl Haus Arts, Gemini Ink, St. Mary’s University and, of course, the Peace Center. Forty readers are needed, to read five pages each. To volunteer email Julie Moore-Felux at jmoore-felux@alamo.edu by Oct.15. The public will be able to watch via Zoom, and that info will soon be available, said Prof. Moore-Felux.

As always, Gemini Ink has a number of things lined up. This Saturday, Oct. 8, poet Rod Carlos Rodriguez who was the founder and leader of the former Sun Poet’s Society, will lead a workshop titled Literary Movements with Rod Carlos Rodriguez, which will start at Gemini Ink before moving to the Southwest School of Art’s gardens “to do some movement and writing.” It seems this program includes learning, physical activity and writing. A pretty good package! (Oct. 8, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, in-person; cost $60 -$90; in case of inclement weather an indoor venue will be arranged; Gemini Ink, 1111 Navarro St., 78205; 210-734-9673; www.geminiink.org)

Next Wednesday, you may choose to be “In the Company of Spirits & Dreams” during an evening of poetry with the talented Sheila Black & Friends. (Oct. 13, 6-8 p.m.; Poetic Republic Café, 2330 S. Presa St., 78210; 210-900-2772)

We are going to toot our own horn here. Readers of ARTS ALIVE SAN ANTONIO will remember the Life in the Time of COVID-19 poetry series we published during the worst of the pandemic. In 2022, that treasury of great poetry became the book YELLOW FLAG POEMS, which was published this past April. And when we say “great poetry” we are not exaggerating. Here are some names of poets in the book: Naomi Shihab Nye, Sheila Black, Octavio Quintanilla, Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, Carol Reposa, Emmy Perez, Mobi Warren, Lisha Garcia, Alexandra van de Kamp, Natalia Trevino, and many more. You can order it through ARTS ALIVE SAN ANTONIO (click on small icon above the logo) or stop by the Bihl Haus Arts this Sunday afternoon, where there will be a poetry reading and books will be available. (2803 Fredericksburg Rd.; 3-5 p.m.)

An event that is both scholarly talk and music & dance is taking place this weekend in two parts – a scholarly symposium at Trinity University and the dance part at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. The latter consists of two dance performances. On Friday you can see the Gabriela Mendoza-Garcia Ballet Folklorico of Laredo, where pure folklore is integrated with more contemporary styles to tell story of Hispanics in America. On Saturday, the terrific Guadalupe Dance Company will present “Celebrando Tradiciones” a medley of Mexican folkloric dance, accompanied by the Mariachi Azteca. (Both performances start at 8 p.m.; tickets are $15-$30. Tables for four for the Saturday show are $150; Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St., 78207; 210-271-3151, www.guadalupeculturalarts.org; to read more about the compounded event, see our story from Oct. 4 on this site.)

Another hybrid event, GoLive! Arab Music and Dance Conference is also taking place this weekend. It will include workshops with “world-renowned dance instructors and musicians,” panel discussions, and three dance concerts. The latter can be experienced live or viewed virtually. Panel discussions will be streamed live on the Karavan Studio Facebook Page. Topics include Improvisation in Arab Dance and Live Arab Music and Dance in the United States. (Performances: Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m.; music by Georges Lammam Ensemble & San Antonio’s Fat Sauce Band; UTSA Buena Vista Theater downtown/ Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m.; music by Maestro Michael Ibrahim and musicians of the National Arab Orchestra; same place as above. Tickets $25 through theater box office/ Sunday, Oct.9 at 1 p.m.: Sunday Dance Jam at the Doubletree by Hilton, Salon de Gala; at 6 p.m. Music by the Ghafour Brothers Band, same place.; for info 210-232-3035 or KaravanStudio@gmail.com)

 Artpace’s Chalk It Up Festival takes place Oct. 8, on Houston Street downtown. You can watch various teams create original designs on the pavement, competing against each other. A few established artists will also participate in drawing chalk murals. Live music and food trucks will make everyone happier; buckets of chalk will be provided. (Oct. 8, Houston St. between N. Flores and N. Presa., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; free and open to the public)

It’s still Hispanic Heritage Month and the San Antonio International Airport is honoring the occasion by featuring the artwork of two Mexican-born artists: Luz Serreli and TT Zarzar. Their paintings focus “on reflecting about the past and finding ways to connect despite the chaos of the times we live in.” Serelli created “Flowers for Janet Sobel” to thank the founders of abstract expressionism who gave birth to a new genre that artists still use to communicate ideas and emotions. Sobel was a Ukrainian-born American abstract expressionist painter. TT Zarzar deals with the fast-paced life of today in her exhibit called “On Pause.” (The exhibits will be on display along Terminal A’s Security Checkpoint lines in the baggage claim area through the end of the year.) Clearly, the airport is getting to be an interesting place. Pay attention to the art next time you grab your bags.

The NcNay Art Museum has three new exhibits to see and explore, but we’ll tell you more in a future article. One thing we can say now, they are definitely worth a trip to the charming museum.

Last week we told you about the changes at the Blue Star Contemporary which will, from now on, be known as the Contemporay at Blue Star.  The arts center will also have a new website and logo. To celebrate, they are throwing a party this Friday, Oct.7, and you are invited! Not so welcome news: parking is no longer free at the Blue Star complex during special events. It’s valet parking now, so you’ll have to search around for a place to park. (Oct. 7, 6 – 8 p.m.; Blue Star Complex)

On the music front, there’s always so much going on. To begin with, The Santonio Philharmonic, our old/new/brave symphonic orchestra is continuing the new season with the second classical concert, which will be conducted by Garrett Keast, and feature San Antonio-born violinist, Nancy Zhou as a soloist. They will perform Florence Price’s “Dances in the Canebrakes,” German composer Max Buch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. Florence Price was the first Black woman to be recognized for her compositions. (Oct. 7 & 8 at 7:30 p.m.; First Baptist Church of San Antonio, 515 McCullough; tickets $30-$65 at www.saphil.org)

The Symphony of the Hills just opened its season Thursday in Kerrville. The concert celebrated “the spirit of Rome” (Italy) “and all the history and accomplishments of its citizens and guests,” said conductor and artistic director Eugene Dowdy. The program included Mendelssohn’s Symphony No.4, Italian, and the delightful “Pines of Rome” by Respighi. UTSA violin professor, Nicole Cherry, performed “Porgy & Bess.” Their next concert is scheduled for Dec. 1 (To see upcoming programs go to www.symphonyofthehills.org)

Yet another symphonic orchestra, The South Texas Symphonic Orchestra, is also presenting its first concert of the season, “A Texas Tribute” this Sunday. The chosen music and narration will “connect the audience to Texas history,” starting with the Texas Revolution and Independence, through the Oil Boom, with touches of cowboy folklore, humor, and more. Narration by Bob and Kelli Phillips. (Oct. 9 at 3 p.m.; Lila Cockrell Theater in downtown San Antonio; tickets through Ticketmaster; www.stxso.com)

An interesting new event – at least new to us – will take place Sunday at the historic Espada Dam. This free, public event, described as “an exploration of sound and ceremony” invites participants to preview new musical works by composer Pamela Martinez, who will create audio field recordings with artist Mark Menjivar. Sure, sounds intriguing! To participate in “DAM! A Song of Water” you’ll have to get there by 10:30 a.m. It’s an outdoor event which will last until 1 p.m. (Registration and parking are at Acequia Park, 8500 Mission Pkwy, 78223; free but you should RSVP through Eventbrite. You can email for more information: www.teletextile@gmail.com)

If you want to see a superstar of pop/blues/rock music, you are in luck. The singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bonnie Raitt, will be in San Antonio, Friday, Oct. 7, at the Majestic Theater. At 72, she can still wow an audience. Raitt received ten GRAMMY Awards, plus a lifetime GRAMMY AWARD. (Oct. 7 at 8 p.m.; Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., tickets are $59.50 – $130; 210-226-3333; www.majesticempire.com)

“The Color Purple” is still at the Woodlawn Theater, the last production before the company relocates to the Wonderland of the Americas Mall. The musical is based on the eponymous novel by Alice Walker which earned her a Pulitzer Prize. In 1985, Steven Spielberg made a film based on the novel.The score includes jazz, ragtime, gospel, blues and African music. (Fridays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Syndays at 3 p.m., through Oct. 23; 1920 Fredericksburg Rd.; 210-267-8388, www.woodlawntheatre.org)

Teatro Farolito was founded some years ago by the talented Jose Ruben de Leon and a couple of actor friends but we have not heard much from it, or about it, lately. De Leon revived it, however, in order to present “Y No Se Lo Trago La Tierra” or “The Earth Did Not Devour Him,” a stage adaptation of the  1971 novel by Tomas Rivera which consists of short narratives and vignettes. The story is told from a child’s perspective as he and his migrant parents travel to find work. De Leon also directs the new production. (Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.; Thiry Auditorium, Our Lady of the Lake University, 411 SW 24^th St.; free admission.)