MoMoGR To Host Quarterly Meeting at DeVos Place During ArtPrize

On Monday, October 3rd, Mobile Monday Grand Rapids (MoMoGr) will host its next free quarterly meeting at DeVos Place. The event, taking place during ArtPrize, will focus on the use of mobile technology (software and devices) for crowds, mobs, and events like ArtPrize, the Arab Spring, and more.

Doors open at 5:30 PM for networking. Presentations start at 6:00 PM, followed by Q&A time and more networking. Make us a part of your ArtPrize tour; the DeVos Place will have over 60 artists' work on display.

Speakers:

Steve Bessonny, COO of Text Ripple, http://textripple.com (@textripple), from Auburn Hills. Text Ripple (launched 2007) specializes in mobile marketing via text message communication (SMS). Text Ripple works with all types of businesses, including SMBs, single-location, and franchises.

Eddie Tadlock (@Tadlockwouldgo), Assistant General Manager of SMG (DeVos Place, Van Andel Arena, DeVos Performance Hall). SMG is the world leader in venue management and marketing. Eddie has specialized in pursuing mobile apps and technologies to engage audiences before, during and after large events.

Andrea Robyns (@andrea_visitGR), Interactive Manager of ExperienceGR, (@experiencegr). Andrea was instrumental in creating the new Smartphone tour of Grand Rapids and assisted in the ArtPrize SCVNGR hunts from last year.

“I Believe I Become” ArtPrize Entry at DeVos Place

A team of artists and carpenters from Buist Electric and Rockford Construction installed a massive student mural at DeVos Place as part of this fall's ArtPrize competition. With support from several local businesses and two local artists, a team of student artists from Grand Rapids Public Schools has created a mural to showcase their interpretation of "I Believe I Become."

"The students created the concepts for six large panels that show what I Believe I Become means to them," said Georgia Taylor, local artist and creative director of the project. "We created initial studies digitally, then projected them onto the panels. Then the students sketched and painted their interpretations."

"I Believe I Become" is the rally cry for Believe 2 Become, a local education initiative now in its second year. The Believe 2 Become initiative serves students in the four neighborhood zones in the Grand Rapids area. About 15,000 children live in the four zones.

Underwriting for the "I Believe I Become" student ArtPrize project came from Buist Electric. "We were thrilled to be able to make this possible," said Steve Longstreet, President. "We recognize that students are our community's future. When they set goals, believe in themselves, and work hard to learn and achieve, we are all better for it."

Other supporters include Rockford Construction, which provided studio space and installation support; Standard Lumber, which provided the plywood panels for the art; Modern Hardware, which provided primer and paint; DeVos Place, which is hosting the mural; Grand Rapids Public Schools, which provided the use of a digital projector; and Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation, which served as fiduciary for the project.

Local artists Georgia Taylor and Marco Riolo are working with student artists from Grand Rapids Public Schools. Students on the creative team are Sophie Rodriguez, a junior at Creston High School, and 2011 Ottawa Hills graduate Maurica Stewart. Students on the production team are Robert Daylie, Zaylie Bebee, and Luiz Farfen. The mural will be on display at DeVos Place during ArtPrize.

Downtown Venues Kicking Off ArtPrize With Public Opening Receptions

Van Andel Arena is getting on board. Debuting its first ArtPrize exhibit as an official ArtPrize venue, Van Andel Arena will join DeVos Place in opening the competition with public receptions simultaneously just down the block from each other.

DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena will hold the artist receptions on Wednesday, September 21 from 6-9 pm. The receptions will include food and beverages (cash bar). DeVos Place will hold the reception in the Grand Gallery. This is a great starting point for the first "official" night as 63 different artists will have works represented in Grand Rapids' premiere convention center.

Van Andel Arena will host the artist reception at the same time in front of the Fifth Third Bank Vault (restaurant in the arena). The focus will be around the artists by our marquee. The restaurant will be open too. Food and beverages with a cash bar will be available also.

The public is encouraged to join us as we kick off the third annual ArtPrize in style! Not only will the public be able to mingle with more ArtPrize enthusiasts, they will also get to see some great art and learn more about the artists.

DRUMLINE LIVE High-Steps into DeVos Performance Hall

DRUMLINE LIVE, a show-stopping attraction created by the music team behind the 20th Century Fox's hit movie Drumline, brings show-style marching bands to the theatrical stage. An international tour based on the Historically Black College and University marching band tradition, this marching band extravaganza is coming to DeVos Performance Hall on Sunday, November 13th at 7pm.

Tickets go on sale Monday, September 19th at 10 am and are $29.50, $39.50 and $49.50. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000.

With riveting rhythms, bold beats and ear-grabbing energy, the staged show will be a synchronized musical showcase of the HBCU experience. Incorporating original compositions and soul-infused interpretations of top 40 hits, group performances will range from colorful, choreographed routines to heavy doses of drum riffs and cadences.

Having kicked off its third US tour in the 2011-2012 season following its extremely successful tours in 2008-2009 and 2010-2011, Drumline Live's energetic cast has honed its precision and energy with years of training in marching band programs across the southern United States. This versatile group of musicians and dancers brings an explosive energy and athleticism to an eclectic mix of sounds. Equally at home with the hottest contemporary hip hop, R&B, classic Motown tunes, and the rousing sounds of the great brass tradition, Drumline Live is thrilled to share the American Marching Band experience with a wider audience.

"We've taken the excitement of an HBCU football game halftime show, increased the intensity by a thousand watts, and created a musical journey that will touch every emotion." - Don P. Roberts, Creator and Director.

Jordan Eagles at DeVos Place as Part of ArtPrize 2011

Jordan Eagles (New York, NY), compliments of PATRAJDAS Contemporary, will be a featured artist on exhibit at the DeVos Place Convention Center as part of the ArtPrize 2011 exhibition/competition. Vote 44101 if you would like to vote for his entry. You can access PATRAJDAS Contemporary at http://www.patrajdas.com/.

For over a decade, Jordan Eagles has been using and preserving blood in his multi-dimensional works as a method to explore themes of regeneration and the metaphysical connections between body, spirit and nature. Eagles permanently preserves the blood on clear and white Plexiglas within layers of resin, suspending the organic medium's fluid forms under the resin's glass-like surface. His work is a dynamic wash of burgundy, crimson, ruby's - commingling with near blacks, and rust colors forming a rich, vibrant surface that glows with energy. Now mixing his medium with copper, Jordan creates an effect that is not unlike erupting molten lava - a sparkling geology of vibrant colors and seemingly prehistoric textures that range from fiery orange to deep crimson - revealing as much about life as about death.

Explosive energy, inner light, organic patterns and bodily orbs: Jordan's latest series continues to explore the physical and intangible connections between the body-spirit and the universe. These new works are built on pure white Plexiglas and marked with minimal organic forms. The curves and flows, created with blood, allow the sleek and smooth synthetic elements to exist in harmony with the organic - illuminating the finite details of the blood as well as its infinite cosmic energy.

Jordan's latest work, BARC 1-6, is a six-panel exploration of the connection between body and spirit; representing regeneration, rebirth, and the powerful life-force in us all. Each panel, composed of Blood, Acrylic, Resin, and Copper is essentially a reliquary - a tomb for that which was living (Blood), as well as referencing the Creation experience, manifest in the energy contained in each piece. Each panel is a metaphorical door/window(Acrylic) into an alternate dimension or metaphysical state. Copper, an excellent conductor, references the energy coursing through each living being. All is encapsulated by UV-resistant Resin, ensuring preservation.

Broadway Grand Rapids: 5 Tours on Sale September 18

Broadway Grand Rapids is pleased to announce that all shows on the 2011-2012 season will be on sale to the public on Sunday, September 18th at 9am. Shows going on sale include Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Million Dollar Quartet, RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles, Mary Poppins, The Addams Family, and CATS. Presale tickets are available Monday, September 12 at 9 am to members of the Broadway Grand Rapids eClub. To join eClub and receive exclusive presale offers to upcoming shows visit BroadwayGrandRapids.com/eclub. Shows already on sale to the public include Come Fly Away, Under the Streetlamp and Les Miserables. Visit http://www.broadwaygrandrapids.com/ for more information.

Tickets are available at the DeVos Performance Hall box office, all Ticketmaster locations, http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or via phone at 1-800-745-3000. Group discounts are available by calling 616-719-8050 or e-mail groups@bwaygr.org. All performances are at DeVos Performance Hall, located at 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

3-Show Mini Packs are now available and may be purchased through the Broadway Grand Rapids box office at 616-235-6285. Mini Pack ticket holders receive 10% off individual ticket prices and also are able to purchase tickets to all presentations prior to public on sales. This customized package includes any 3 presentations and event dates of your choosing. Three-Installment Payment Plans are available for as low as $25 a month.

On Sale Sunday, September 18th at 9 am

Irving Berlin's White Christmas

November 15-20, 2011

Irving Berlin's White Christmas tells the story of two showbiz buddies putting on a show in a magical Vermont inn and finding their perfect mates in the bargain. Full of dancing, laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written, Irving Berlin's White Christmas promises to be a merry and bright theatrical experience for the whole family!

Million Dollar Quartet

January 17-22, 2012

Million Dollar Quartet is the smash hit Broadway musical, inspired by the true story of the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. On December 4, 1956, these four young musicians were gathered by Sam Phillips, the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll" at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions of all time. Million Dollar Quartet brings that legendary night to life with an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal and celebrations featuring a score of rock hits including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "That's All Right," "Sixteen Tons," "Great Balls of Fire," "Walk the Line," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Who Do You Love?," "Matchbox," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Hound Dog" and more.

RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles

February 12, 2012

RAIN, the internationally-acclaimed Beatles concert, returns by popular demand! As "the next best thing to seeing The Beatles!" (Associated Press), RAIN performs the full range of The Beatles' discovery live onstage, including the most complex and challenging songs that The Beatles themselves recorded in the studio but never performed for an audience. Together longer than The Beatles, RAIN has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that's as infectious as it is transporting. From the early hits to later classics (I Want To Hold Your Hand, Hard Day's Night, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Let It Be, Come Together, Hey Jude and more), this adoring tribute will take you back to a time when all you needed was love, and a little help from your friends!

Disney & Cameron Mackintosh present Mary Poppins

February 21-26, 2012

Mary Poppins is bringing its own brand of Broadway magic to theatres across the country, which has Variety raving, "This is the rare touring production that over-delivers on every level!" Featuring the irresistible story and unforgettable songs from one of the most popular Disney films of all time, plus brand-new breathtaking dance numbers and spectacular stage-craft, Mary Poppins is everything you could ever want in a hit Broadway show! So get swept up in the fun of the high-flying musical the New York Post gives four out of four stars and calls "a perfect piece of musical theatre."

The Addams Family

May 22-26, 2012

The weird and wonderful family comes to devilishly delightful life in The Addams Family. This magnificently macabre new musical comedy is created by Jersey Boys authors Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. This is definitely not the same old song and dance. It's every parent's nightmare. Your little girl has suddenly become a young woman, and what's worse, has fallen deliriously in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. Yes, Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has a "normal" boyfriend, and for parents Gomez and Morticia, this shocking development will turn the Addams house downside up. It's a family portrait that's completely off the wall.

Cats

June 15-17, 2012
There's no better way to introduce your family to the wonders of live theatre than with the magic, the mystery, the memory of Cats. What began as a musical about cats after Andrew Lloyd Webber picked up a book of poems in an airport bookshop has become one of the longest running shows in Broadway's history. Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Cats features 20 of Andrew Lloyd Webber's timeless melodies, including the hit song, "Memory."

GOOD VS. EVIL: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert

Good vs. Evil: An evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert, live at Grand Rapid's DeVos Performance Hall on Sunday, February 19th at 7 pm. Join Anthony Bourdain, chef, author of Medium Raw and host of The Travel Channel's No Reservations and Eric Ripert, renowned chef of Le Bernardin, author, host of "Avec Eric" on PBS and regular guest on Bravo's Top Chef as they share stories and muse on the place of food in our personal, community and global life. It's an evening of storytelling and observation providing frank and provocative insight into what really goes on behind the kitchen doors.

Anthony Bourdain has been dubbed "the bad boy of cuisine" for his rock star look and blunt observations about the world of restaurants, chefs and cooking. Bourdain, the Chef-at-large at New York's famed bistro Les Halles, is the author of the bestselling novels, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, and most recently Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook. His show on The Travel Channel, No Reservations, has been nominated for an Emmy and recently concluded filming its seventh season.

Eric Ripert's Le Bernardin continues to receive universal critical acclaim for its food and service and the Zagat Guide has recognized the restaurant as the "Best Food" in New York City for the last seven consecutive years. Ripert has also served as guest judge (and "fan favorite") on Bravo's Top Chef for the past four seasons. This past fall, Ripert published his fourth book entitled, Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert in addition to his previous titles: On the Line and A Return to Cooking and the Le Bernardin Cookbook.

Tickets go on sale to the public on September 16 at 10 am and range from $32.50 - $125 for VIP packages and are available online at ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster locations.

A limited number of VIP tickets will be available, which includes premiere seating within the first six rows, access to an exclusive meet and greet session with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, a VIP tour laminate and a limited edition poster. Grand Rapid's acclaimed Bar Divani is pleased to be the Official Restaurant Sponsor of the evening, and will be providing an innovative selection of appetizers for VIP Reception attendees.

Copies of Bourdain's new book, Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, and Ripert's Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert along with other titles from their back catalogs will be available for purchase on site from Schuler Books and Music, the official bookseller for the event.