photo by Chase Reynolds

Yola, a six-time Grammy-nominated English singer-songwriter, performed Friday night at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. The concert was a technicolor, powerhouse show. Her charismatic attitude and infectious voice had audience members roaring with enjoyment as they applauded Yola.

Throughout the show, Yola switched between multiple guitars, a tambourine and a music shaker. This, combined with soulful singing and attention grabbing raspiness had audience members brimming with joy as they cheered throughout the performance. It was clear Yola enjoyed performing as she danced along to her music

“The color changes were cool and the way they pulsed was cool,” said Gigi Upchurch, a senior elementary education major.  “Then I really liked when it was the yellow lights behind her, and then dark the rest of the stage so it made a frame around her.”

The lighting design of the show helped to emphasize the pace as well as engage the audience. For audience members, the flashing lights and booming music made the experience quite electric.

“In the program it said that she was genre bending, and that’s what it was.” said Lily Vowels, a senior geology major.

Yola performed covers of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John and “Day Dreaming” by Aretha Franklin with “a symphonic soul, mellifluous pop melody, disco groove, rootsy and ecstatic gospel twist.” Every song that was performed flowed into one another, which was executed by the quick transition of instruments and rhythms of the incoming song.

The continuous flow of the set list had audience members moving along and taking in the moment. The show ended with the entire audience up on their feet and dancing to the encore, cheering and celebrating Yola.

“I also hope at the end of the concert they feel absolutely elated and energized by the talent and the message and the sense of experiencing Yola here with the Boone community.” said Allison West, director of marketing and public relations for the Schaefer Center.

Yola received two standing ovations from the audience, mixed with newcomers and fans, which was filled with dancing, singing and excitement to end the night off.

NEWS

Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs
An Appalachian Summer Festival
Appalachian State University
PO Box 32045
Boone, NC  28608-2045

For more information contact: Allison West, Director of Marketing & Public Relations, 828-262-6084, ext. 107 or westal1@appstate.edu.

For event details, visit theschaefercenter.org.

BOONE, NC — The Schaefer Center Presents series, presented by Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts and Cultural Programs, welcomes award-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash to Boone on Saturday, April 9 at 7pm. The iconic Americana artist will close out the 2021-22 season with a concert spanning new songs (“Crawl into the Promised Land”), revered classics (“Seven Year Ache”) and all the memories in between. For tickets and more information, visit TheSchaeferCenter.org or contact the Box Office at 828.262.4046.

Cash, a prized member of country music royalty, has released 15 albums of extraordinary songs that have earned four Grammy Awards and 12 nominations, as well as 21 Top 40 hits, including 11 chart-topping singles. Her acclaimed 2018 release, She Remembers Everything, a poetic, lush, and soulful collection of songs, marked a return to more personal songwriting after a trio of albums that explored her southern roots and family heritage — including 2014’s triple Grammy-winning masterpiece, The River & the Thread, and 2009’s The List (a list of songs given to her by her famous father, Johnny). Her 2020 single, “Crawl into the Promised Land,” was penned as a scathing yet hopeful ode to the resilience of the human spirit amid all the emotions of that unprecedented year. She has most recently written lyrics for an upcoming stage musical inspired by the 1979 film Norma Rae with husband and composer John Leventhal and book-writer John Weidman.

Initially created to promote She Remembers Everything, Cash’s current tour was among the slew of live events shuttered in early 2020. It resumed late last year, albeit in an environment that both artists and audiences are still getting used to. Cash is reflective post-pandemic. Following a performance at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in New Jersey in November 2011, she acknowledged that while shows have not sold out, her “motto is we play for those who come, not for those who didn’t come.”

Adding to an already exemplary resume, Cash is the author of four books, including the best-selling memoir Composed, which the Chicago Tribune called “one of the best accounts of an American life you’ll likely ever read.” Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Oxford American, The Nation, and many more print and online publications. Bird on a Blade combines images by acclaimed artist Dan Rizzie with strands of lyrics from a variety of Cash’s songs.

Cash was awarded the SAG/AFTRA Lifetime Achievement Award for Sound Recordings in 2012 and received the 2014 Smithsonian Ingenuity Award in the Performing Arts. She was a Carnegie Hall Perspectives artist in the 2015–2016 season and also served as a 2015 artist-in-residence at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. That same year, she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2017–2018, she was a resident artistic director at SFJAZZ. Last year, Cash was awarded with the “Spirit of Americana” Free Speech Award by the Americana Music Association and received an honorary doctorate degree from the Berklee College of Music. She also became the 61^st Edward MacDowell Medal recipient, awarded since 1960 to an artist who has made an outstanding contribution to American culture. The first woman to win the medal in composition, working in Americana, rock, blues, folk, and pop, she joins a revered group of recipients who include Thornton Wilder (1960), Georgia O’Keeffe (1972), Toni Morrison (2016), and composers Aaron Copland (1961) and Stephen Sondheim (2013).

Buy Tickets
$40 Adults, $35 App State University Faculty/Staff, $25 Students.
Tickets are available to purchase at theschaefercenter.org, in person at the Schaefer Center box office (733 Rivers Street), or by calling 828-262-4046.

About “The Schaefer Center Presents”
“The Schaefer Center Presents” is a series offering campus and community audiences a diverse array of music, dance and theatre programming designed to enrich the cultural landscape of the Appalachian State University campus and surrounding area. By creating memorable performance experiences and related educational and outreach activities, the series promotes the power and excitement of the live performance experience; provides a “window on the world” through the artistry of nationally and internationally renowned artists; and showcases some of the finest artists of our nation and our region. Musical events range from symphony orchestra and chamber music performances to jazz, folk, traditional, international, and popular artists. Theatre productions run the gamut from serious drama to musical comedy. Dance performances offer an equally wide array of styles, from ballet to modern dance to international companies representing cultural traditions from around the world. For more information, visit http://theschaefercenter.org.

Thank You to Our Schaefer Center Presents Sponsors
Boone Tourism Development Authority, Allen Wealth Management, The Horton Hotel, Holiday Inn Express, Our State Magazine, High Country Radio, WDAV 89.9 FM, WFDD 88.5FM, WETS, WKSK The Farm, and WASU 90.5FM

CONTRA-TIEMPO Brings Joy to a Young Audience With JoyUS JustUS

CONTRA-TIEMPO, a highly acclaimed Los Angeles-based dance theatre group, has performed throughout the U.S. and the Americas. Artistic director, dancer, and choreographer Ana Maria Alvarez and her group have been compared to Alvin Ailey – high praise indeed. But Contra-Tiempo goes further. In the 2018 evening-length composition JoyUS JustUS, Alvarez (a.k.a. Mama Activist) and her dancers shout to the world that “joy is the ultimate expression of resistance.” I had the good fortune to view several excerpts of JoyUSJustUS featured in a recorded program for on-demand streaming for kids. The work was performed through the Schaefer Center‘s APPlause! K-12 Performing Arts Series on the campus of Appalachian State University.

Alvarez has an impressive CV, including grants, fellowships and artistic residences for her work. She was named a Doris Duke Artist in 2020 and awarded an inaugural Dance/USA Artist Fellowship, among other accolades. Alvarez holds an MFA in choreography from UCLA and a BA from Oberlin College. What I find so remarkable is her ability to collaborate and connect with fellow dancers, musicians, and storytellers. Through this collective, she reaches out to the wider community.

This sixty-minute program retells stories of community members through dance. People who have been mistakenly referred to through the lens of “deficit-base” narratives come alive as artists, activists, and teachers. The dances, spoken word, music, percussion, and costumes jolted me into submission – to watch, clap and enjoy. Oh, and yes, to dance.

There are three excerpts from the dances that tell stories. The first, “Joy,” began with a soloist on the beach. Dressed in blue and white, she invited us into her space with open arms she arrived free and ready to begin a new story. Her muscles were strong, her face was fierce, her feet were swift, and her body was fluid. The simple drumming and humming kept her in center stage. A small fishing boat passed in the background as her undulating figure captured my imagination. Children who have visited North Carolina’s beaches will identify with this scene.

The dances evoked joy; including the second excerpt where individuals were captured through 21st-century digital magic. Salsa, hip-hop, and free-forms melded into dances originating from neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The videos enlightened me that dance takes place wherever there is a bit of space, even a small living room. Bare feet, sneakers, dance shoes – they all work. But dance can reflect deep sadness, regret, fortitude, and strength. The third excerpt included a “Black Lives Matter” sign, stories of personal hardship, loss, and family.

The last section began with a rhythm lesson using claves. These beautiful, resonant sticks commonly used in Afro-Cuban music are a favorite among drummers. CONTRA-TIEMPO taught a basic four-beat rhythm to clap in call and-response with the final dance.

Finally, children were invited to a “Call to Action” through rhythmically spoken word. The Study Guide for this event is well crafted and adaptable for K-12 students; it is also a snapshot of meaningful curriculum design for the arts. What better way to share their work than by teaching a rising generation of community leaders? Bravo!

I left my computer happier and more determined to use my voice as a writer. We are fortunate to be a nation of immigrants, and as long as we welcome our new neighbors with open arms, we are better for it.

When you are able, catch a performance of CONTRA-TIEMPO’s JoyUS JustUS. In the full-length version the audience will see costumes by Charlese Antoinette, Emily Orling‘s altar quilts, lighting by Tuce Yasak, music by d. Sabela grimes and Las Cafeteras, and more dancers who collaborated with Alvarez.

This program presented by the Schaefer Center is available until March 23. The performance is free, but registration is required here.

The Many, Many Roles of Sarah Jones at ASU’s Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts

At Appalachian State University’s Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts and live-streamed, An Evening with Sarah Jones showcased the raw talent and poignant messages of Tony Award®-winning Sarah Jones‘ multi-character, one-woman shows – and what an evening it was! 

Sarah Jones is an American performer, writer, comedian, and activist identified as “a master of the genre” by The New York Times. Jones is known for her Broadway hit Bridge & Tunnel, originally produced by Oscar®-winner Meryl Streep, and her critically-acclaimed 2016 stage production of Sell/Buy/Date, which is currently being developed into a documentary and will mark Jones’ directorial debut. With multiple mainstage TED Talks that have garnered millions of views, performances for President and First Lady Obama, and historic performances worldwide as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Jones mirrors her onstage, multi-character technique in real-life by assuming just as many roles offstage as on. 

Originally slated to perform at An Appalachian Summer Festival in July of 2021, the actress’ rescheduled performance surely delighted the audience’s pent-up anticipation and demonstrated the premise of her national acclaim. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this was Jones’ first live show in two years, so she, too, felt the anticipation and expressed excitement to be back in the theater and welcome her characters to the stage! Introduced by Bonnie and Jamie Schaefer as a personal friend, Jones walked on stage and immediately thanked the audience for getting her out of her house amid the pandemic. 

To start the hourlong show, Jones explained that all her characters are inspired by real-life individuals, and varying from an elderly Jewish woman to an indigenous Native American man to an overly enthusiastic female college student, they make up quite the diverse bunch! As Jones inhabited each of the nine characters that made an appearance, new accessories and all, she expressed their assorted, distinct perspectives and offered to the audience different approaches to, advice on, and views of social justice issues. Her crafty comedy and local humor, which was wisely woven into her performance, added comedic relief that the audience grasped onto as they considered the delicate topics of prejudice, race, and ignorance. The performer invited the spectators to consider the hard questions circulating in our society today, such as “Is it possible to right all the wrongs of the past?” and “Who am I within the realm of activism?” 

Her characters made suggestions on how to improve human-to-human interaction both nationally and globally. Many of their messages struck deep as the audience applauded at the conclusion of each. The female Dominican American character presented the act of giving the benefit of the doubt, for when someone has an accent and therefore does not sound like you, “their heart beats same as yours.” The male indigenous Native American character suggested the way to heal America is to look at its origins, and through him, Jones acknowledged the native land on which Appalachian State University’s campus, including the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, is built. Her Raleigh, North Carolina-raised character, Ms. Lady, made an appearance – her first in ten years – to remind that much racism, particularly slavery, is of the immediate past and those affected as well as their descendant relatives still “carry it in their body,” they are still affected by it. An overall message of all the characters, including these three and Jones herself, was to approach the justice issues present today, and our connection to them, with love.

The stories told by Jones’ characters were meant to make the audience feel uncomfortable; this discomfort demonstrated her assertion that, “We are inextricably linked to everyone else.” No matter one’s race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, everyone can find one of Jones’ characters to relate to, and for those who seem more distant, we can listen and grow. Such was the theme of the evening: asking ourselves and others the hard questions, for if we do not, how will we evade repeating history?

The audience was actively engaged throughout the entire performance. Jones’ characters even included local observations by commenting on the incessant rain witnessed in Boone all week, referencing the town’s 97% White population, and, as the elderly female Jewish character, asking if there is a synagogue in town. To conclude the evening, Jones invited members of the audience to ask her questions to which she responded in character or as herself. The audience was so eager and bursting with questions that Jones ran out of time trying to answer them all. Her advice to the students in the audience aspiring to be professional performers was to embrace vulnerability and find those with which you feel supported: “Vulnerability is the new strength!”

With her stock of social commentary, witty comedy, and her captivating manner of inhabiting her characters’ personalities, voices, and gestures alike, Jones expertly explored the hard questions and guided the audience to think critically about our society and social justice. Her work beautifully displayed the power that theatre holds, especially when utilized to combine entertainment with activism.

The Schaefer Center for Performing Arts: An Evening with Sarah Jones
$25 Adult, $20 faculty/staff, $5 students, FREE for all App State students (ticket issued with proof of student I.D.) Livestream: $15 per household — Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts , 828-262-4046 , http://theschaefercenter.org — 7:00 PM