Art book, concerts, auditions and more as 2021 winds up

Unlike this time last year, so much art has been, is and will be happening. Buy a book by a local artist, audition for a play, or learn how Indiana University students have been cheering up Afghan refugees.

Book of drawings for sale locally

To escape the tedium of board meetings, Beverly Zisla Welber said, her father, Harold Zisla, would draw. Now a book full of his drawings is for sale for $20 at Morgenstern’s Bookstore at 849 S. Auto Mall Road and The Book Corner at 100 N. Walnut St., on the square.

“The Mathematician Who Said a Dirty Word: Algorithm” is one of Zisla's sketch's titles in "Provocative Lines: Drawings by Harold Zisla.” Readers will find 70 drawings that his family discovered shortly after he died, in 2016. The public had never seen them, even though he had exhibited his works countless times, including at Indiana University South Bend, where he taught for 23 years (and had also chaired the fine arts department).

Previous: Book review: 'Provocative Lines' combines abstract expressionist portraits with family's essays

Welber enjoys learning about her father from his past art students.

"It is amazing to me that 32 years after he retired from IU South Bend, and nearly six years since his death, I still hear from students." One such student, Linda Kay, sent Welber some images of Kay's artwork that Zisla had helped her with during college in the late 1970s.

"He sat down across from (Linda Kay) at a classroom table and added quick drawings to the two she had done at the top of the sheet." He then asked Kay what to do next and transformed a tiny question mark into an ear.

Earlier: Art professor's works installed on IU campuses preserve his legacy

Welber said that although outsiders usually saw her father as serious, the family knew his "spontaneous and outrageously funny" side, on display in the book.

Jacobs School groups entertain at Camp Atterbury

Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music ensembles — the Jazz Ensemble, IU Crimson Drumline and the Singing Hoosiers — recently made a short trip to entertain Afghan refugees being housed at the Camp Atterbury military base near Edinburgh, and they've been invited back for a New Year’s Eve performance at 2 p.m. (midnight Kabul time). At the time of this writing, IU's Alain Barker, director of entrepreneurship and career development, was trying to make arrangements for this second engagement to happen.

Camp Atterbury is a military and civilian training base under the umbrella of the Indiana National Guard, and the refugees not only cheered but waited afterward for photo ops.

Brown County Playhouse Players Auditions

Auditions for two productions are coming next month for the Brown County Playhouse Players. On Jan. 10 and 11, actors may try out for A.R. Gurney's two-person play “Love Letters," which will run as a script-in-hand production Feb. 4, and for “Arsenic and Old Lace,” to be a radio play Feb. 18 and 19 in a matinee and an evening show.

"'Love Letters' has been done since the '80s by every major star out there," said Johnny Elmore, who is directing both plays. "It’s 50 years of love letters between a husband and wife."

But whose husband and wife?

Two highly born, longtime friends, Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, begin writing to one another as children, in the form of thank you notes and vacation postcards. Romance happens, but Andy attends Yale and then law school; Melissa flunks out of other elite institutions. Melissa marries someone else while remaining in contact with Andy, who also marries and becomes a senator. Melissa drinks and alienates her family as Andy's success expands.

One final letter provides some answers.

"I’m very open to casting choices," Elmore said. "We will see who comes in to read for the parts. I do think this is a great play for very experienced actors, but as far as I’m concerned age may not be a factor here."

He's considering older actors. Rehearsals will be few, maybe six, since the actors carry their scripts onstage. The set will be minimalistic, with pools of light for each actor. I've performed in a show at the playhouse recently, and the lighting was beautifully designed.

Brown County Playhouse Players is the volunteer group that performs at the Brown County Playhouse. The playhouse also offers professional productions, such as the recent "2020: Covid the Musical."

A bonus for attendees is the playhouse's art gallery, behind the last row of seats. Local artists display their works, and signed photos of performers, some famous, who have worked in the theater line the corridor walls. Situated near the front door, it's easy to access even if you just want to pop in for a few minutes to see it.

To audition

WHAT: Brown County Playhouse Players' auditions for two plays.

WHERE: Brown County Playhouse, Nashville, 70 S. Van Buren St., 812-988-6555.

WHEN: 5-7 p.m. Jan. 10 and 11. Bring a prepared monologue or read from sides.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Art book, concerts, auditions and more as 2021 winds up