WT opera, dance among this week's arts and entertainment

Mozart’s ‘Così fan tutte’ to close WT Opera’s season April 25-28

CANYON — Two sets of lovers find their relationships tested by lies, disguises and more than a bit of good old fashioned sexism in West Texas A&M University Opera’s spring performance.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” will be staged at 7:30 p.m. April 25, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. April 27 and 2:30 p.m. April 28 in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus. Tickets are $15 or free for WT students, faculty and staff with a Buff Gold Card.

The title translates to “Woman are like that,” and the story finds two young men, Ferrando (Julian Ayala and Joshua Moreno, in alternating performances) and Guglielmo (Kyler Hilton and Eduardo Guaderrama), being convinced by their friend Don Alfonso (Oscar Hample and Kelton Harbison) that their faithful fiancées are, indeed, fickle. The men feign being called away to war, then return to town in disguise to attempt to seduce the other’s lover.

“‘Così’ is one of Mozart’s most brilliant compositions; the music in this show is just incredible,” said Sarah Beckham-Turner, WT Opera director and assistant professor of voice in WT’s School of Music. “Written in 1790, Mozart and his librettist Lorenzo da Ponte created a hilarious show that is, well, degrading to women. As a woman who is directing ‘Così,’ I think it is important to shape the piece to highlight the strengths of women and not degrade them.”

“There are a few lines that are, like, oh. OK,” said Abigail Hite, a senior music education major from Nashville, who plays Dorabella. “I explain the plot to people, and they look a little scared until I tell them it’s a comedy and really hilarious. It’s like a sitcom. Everyone knows it’s dumb, and that’s where the comedy comes in.”

Beckham-Turner has shifted the action to 1967, in the middle of the Summer of Love, and characters reflect the long-haired and tie-dyed aesthetic of the time. “I chose to set this piece in 1967 because it was such an incredible year of change in our society, and it aligns with the Vietnam War,” Beckham-Turner said.

Cast members for the April 25 show and April 27 matinee are Brooklynn King, a sophomore music performance major from Pearland, as Fiordiligi; McKenna Cooper, a senior music therapy major from Midlothian, as Dorabella; Erin Hinds, a senior music performance major rom Amarillo, as Despina; Ayala, a senior music technology major from Fort Worth; Hilton, a sophomore music education major from Amarillo; and Hample, a senior musical theatre major from Wasilla, Alaska.

Cast members for the April 27 evening performance and April 28 matinee are Hite; Taylor Lindley, a graduate student in music performance from Pampa, as Fiordiligi; Sarah Estes, a sophomore music major from Turpin, Oklahoma, as Despina; Moreno, a junior music education major from Canyon; Guaderrama, a graduate student in conducting from Friona; and Harbison, a sophomore music education major from Canyon.

WT Dance’s ‘Portraits of Dance’ set for April 25-28 performances

CANYON — West Texas A&M University Dance's “Portraits of Dance” is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 25, 26 and 27 and 2:30 p.m. April 28 in the Happy State Bank Studio Theatre inside the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex on WT’s Canyon campus.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and non-WT students, and free for WT students, faculty and staff with a Buff Gold Card.

Twenty-five dancers will perform seven works in a variety of genres choreographed by guest artists Kathryn Sydell Pilkington and Jeannie Hill, as well as WT faculty members Crystal D. Bertrand, Staci Clay Hall, Sandra Miller and Edward R. Truitt.

“After rehearsing diligently on these individual dance pieces, ‘Portrait of Dance’ is a wonderful opportunity for our dancers, choreographers and designers to share their work,” said Crystal Bertrand, WT Dance program coordinator. “This concert displays a wide range of dance genres, each unique to the choreographer.”

“Hypnagogia: The State Between” was set by Pilkington, who is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Company E, during her appearance on campus as part of WT’s Distinguished Lecture Series. Hill is a faculty member at University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. “It’s so exciting to work with all of the different choreographers for this show, especially the guest artists,” said Jamison Uselding, a senior dance major from Amarillo. “It’s great to see the differences between their rehearsal processes and the differences in their movement styles. ‘The State Between’ is different from anything I’ve ever done here, so I’m especially excited for it.”

AC theatre presents musical 'The Hello Girls,' inspired by America’s first women soldiers, April 26-May 5

A patriotic musical about America’s first female soldiers – "The Hello Girls" – the unsung bilingual women who operated telephones and helped turn the tide of World War I – will cap Amarillo College’s Theatre Arts Program season.

"The Hello Girls" will enjoy a six-day run over a couple of weeks at the Experimental Theatre on the Washington Street Campus. Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. April 26-27 and May 2-4, and the run will be capped with a matinee beginning at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 5.

"The Hello Girls," written by Cara Reichel and Peter Mills, debuted in 2018 in New York City. The show, which sheds light on the little-known history of the first women to serve in the U.S. Army, also doubles as a lesson in feminism. It was in 1918 when the U.S. Army Signal Corps sent 223 bilingual telephone operators to France to help improve communications. They swore Army oaths, wore uniforms, held rank, and were subject to military justice, yet when they returned home the government denied their soldier status. They fought for decades for recognition, and in 1977 when they finally received it, only a handful remained alive.

“When I came across this musical, which is relatively new, it was a piece of American history that I had never heard about, an important story that I thought we should all know about, and that’s why I selected it,” Monty Downs, instructor of theatre and the show’s director, said. “We like to stretch our students, those on the stage and those behind the scenes, not only their abilities but their knowledge, and this is a great opportunity to do just that.”

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students (college or high school), senior citizens, and AC employees. They can be purchased at the door or online. For groups of 10 or more, tickets are $6 if purchased at least 24 hours in advance.

Harrington String Quartet’s ‘Delectable’ concert to wrap season April 26

CANYON — Three eras of music will come to life in Harrington String Quartet’s season-ending “Delectable” concert, at 7:30 p.m. April 26 in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus.

“Our audience should delight in these three works, each of which represents a different era of musical aesthetics,” said Rositza Jekova-Goza, violin.

The quartet will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Quartet No. 21 in D Major, “Violet”: Samuel Barber’s famous “Adagio for Strings”; and Anton Arensky’s romantic Piano Quintet, featuring Bulgarian Ludmil Angelov, who previously performed a Franz Schmidt composition with the quartet.

Single tickets are $20 or free for WT students, faculty and staff with a Buff Gold Card. Tickets will be available at showtix4u.com, in the School of Music office or at the door. For information, call 806-651-2840.

The quartet includes, in addition to Jekova-Goza, Evgeny Zvonnikov, violin; Vesselin Todorov, viola; and Emmanuel Lopez, cello. Each are lecturers in WT’s School of Music , as well; Lopez also is a Periman Distinguished Artist.

Mario Lopez to appear for meet & greet at Hodgetown on May 5

The Amarillo Sod Poodles announced that Mario Lopez will make an appearance at Hodgetown for a special meet and greet on Sunday, May 5. The former "Saved by the Bell" and "Access Hollywood" star is scheduled to have an on-field pre-game interview with Sod Poodles broadcaster Stefan Caray along with throwing out the first pitch.

Lopez is also scheduled to be available for photo opportunities with fans on the concourse outside of the team store for a portion of the game.

Throughout the game, Casa Mexico Tequila will be hosting tastings on the concourse for fans 21 years old & up. Fans will also be able to enter a chance to win a signed Mario Lopez baseball and a guaranteed one-on-one meet and greet but must be present to win. Mario and Casa Mexico Tequila will also give away commemorative t-shirts to mark the special occasion featuring Mario Lopez and the Sod Poodles brand to the first 500 fans 21 & up upon entry at Hodgetown. Fans are encouraged to come to the ballpark when gates open at 12 p.m. to have the best chance to see the celebrity and take part in the pre-game festivities.­­

To celebrate the Cinco de Mayo at Hodgetown, the Sod Poodles will have four local food trucks serving a variety of festive eats and other themed activities.

The Amarillo Sod Poodles will be hosting their Oil Pan Cup Rivals, the Midland RockHounds (Double-A, Oakland) for the final game of the six-game series and first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Gates open at noon.

For the most up-to-date news on the Sod Poodles 2024 season along with detailed information on promotions, groups & hospitality, or other Hodgetown events, follow the team on social media @sodpoodles on Facebook, X, and Instagram. For questions and more information, call 806-803-7762 or email info@SodPoodles.com

AMoA hosting exhibit by Brooklyn-based artist

A Swoon exhibition will be on display at the Amarillo Museum of Art, April 13 through Aug. 11. A reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres followed by an artist talk at 7 p.m. by Caledonia Curry. Admission is free for AMoA members or $10 for non-members. Tickets will be available at the door.

Caledonia Curry, whose work appears under the name Swoon, is a Brooklyn-based artist and is widely known as the first woman to gain large-scale recognition in the male-dominated world of street art. Curry took to the streets of New York while attending the Pratt Institute of Art in 1999, pasting her paper portraits to the sides of buildings with the goal of making art and the public space of the city more accessible.

In a moment when contemporary art often holds a conflicted relationship to beauty, Curry's work carries with it an earnestness, treating the beautiful as sublime even as she explores the darker sides of her subjects. Her work has become known for marrying the whimsical to the grounded, often weaving in slivers of fairy-tales, scraps of myth, and a recurring motif of the sacred feminine. Tendrils of her own family history — and a legacy of her parents’ struggles with addiction and substance abuse — recur throughout her work.

The Amarillo Museum of Art is located at 2200 South Van Buren on the Washington Street campus of Amarillo College. Museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. For additional information, visit www.amoa.org, email amoa@actx.edu, or call 806-371-5050 or 806-371-5392 (weekends).

Diamond and Gold Concert - A Tribute to Neil Diamond to perform in June

Diamond and Gold Concert - A Tribute to Neil Diamond, honoring the music of the great Neil Diamond and featuring Amarillo's own Dean Yates, will perform June 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo.

Ticket sales benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Amarillo and cost $25 each, including fees. Tickets are available online at https://www.panhandletickets.com/, at the Amarillo Civic Center Box Office, by phone (806) 378-3096 and participating area United Supermarkets.

Band members include Yates - Guitar/Vocals, Dr. Dan Hanson - Keyboards, Mary Lyn Halley - Acoustic Guitar/Vocals, Marshall Pjesky - Guitar, Miranda Pjesky - Bass Guitar, Dr. Jim Rennier - Drums and Cathleen Tyson-Day - Vocals.

Yates has been a consummate performer in the Amarillo area for many years. Upon graduation from college, he passed the audition and was selected to perform as a lead guitarist for Dennis Yost of Classics IV fame. Yates traveled across the country performing the million-selling hits Spooky, Stormy, Everyday with You Girl, and Traces of Love at concerts, club dates and even at the White House. He has also performed in plays for theater and improv shows as part of the acting troupe, Merely Players. Currently, Yates can be seen in the Amarillo area as a solo artist, and as a founding member of the band, Insufficient Funds.

Throughout the years, Yates has developed a passion for the songs of Neil Diamond. He is looking forward to showcasing that passion in the band’s musical tribute to benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Amarillo.For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/diamondandgoldconcert .

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Amarillo programs help alleviate some financial burdens for families with sick children. Their belief is when families are together, they cope better. No family should have to deal with their child’s medical crisis alone. You can find out more at https://www.rmhcofamarillo.org .

Lyle Lovett, Michael Martin Murphey to headline Rangeland Fire Relief Benefit April 21

Michael Martin Murphey’s Murphey Western Insititute is presenting a fundraising concert with iconic Texas artists Lyle Lovett and Michael Martin Murphey to help those ranching communities in that recovery.

The Rangeland Fire Relief Benefit Dinner and Concert is set for Sunday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Starlight Ranch Moon Palace, located at 1415 Sunrise Dr. For tickets, visit https://bit.ly/rangelandbenefit or through http://www.michaelmartinmurphey.com/tour.

“Our mission at Murphey Western Insititute is to preserve and perpetuate the culture and resources of the American West which have influenced the regenerative management of grasslands with grazing animals around the world,” says Murphey, a longtime ranching advocate and genre-busting musical hitmaker. “I want to help people who have lost everything in the worst fire in Texas history.

For more about Starlight Ranch and its ongoing concert season, visit https://www.bigtexan.com/starlight-ranch-event-center/ .

Cinergy hosts night of comedy April 27 in Amarillo

On Saturday, April 27, for one night only, Cinergy Cinemas & Entertainment will presents a night of uproarious comedy with its Live Comedy Showcase - “Cinergy is Funny” - featuring Jon "Polar Bear" Gonzalez, one of the most hilarious entertainers in the region.

The showcase promises non-stop laughter, an unforgettable performance, and a guaranteed good time for the Amarillo community. The event will be held at Cinergy Dine-In Cinemas, Amarillo, located at 9201 Cinergy Square. Doors open at 7:15 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $25 along with a two-item food or beverage minimum per person, and are now available at www.cinergy.com/live-comedy-amarillo. You must be 17 or older to attend. Arriving early is recommended as the show is general admission and seating is limited. For more information, visit Cinergy at www.cinergy.com .

Gonzalez, a stand up comedian, podcaster, and entertainer, lives in the heart of Texas. After getting involved in the local comedy scene, he quickly found success through the release of multiple comedy skits which went viral receiving millions of views on Facebook and shortly after, TikTok. Since then, he has toured all over the country performing his live standup show.

The night will be hosted by Texas’s own husband-and-wife duo T.K. Matteson - comedian and producer known for his roles in High Class Poverty Comedy Tour, A Sense of Humor, and Being Ron Jeremy - and Kara Kimbrough, AKA “Kara with a K”, a former contestant on “America’s Got Talent”.

Amarillo Venom hosts home games, as well as concerts in May, June

Reyna Entertainment presents The Ice Man Paul Wall himself, coming to the Amarillo Venom game on May 18 at the Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan.

Paul Wall will perform a live concert immediately after the game vs. the Mississippi Raiders, and Tommy Ontheradio will be on deck spinning heat. Tickets went on sale at noon Monday for this CBS, Hulu televised game on panhandletickets.com. A VIP meet and greet will be held before the concert, including backstage access, premium seat, exclusive VIP party during the game backstage, VIP bar, autographed ball and Venom gear.

Reyna Entertainment is also presenting Don Louis live at the Amarillo Civic Center on June 15. The concert is set to begin at 7 p.m., and tickets are on sale now. Brace yourselves for an electrifying night featuring a stellar lineup of five bands, setting the stage on fire before Don Louis takes over, a concert announcement says. Secure your spot now at panhandletickets.com and join them for an unforgettable evening of music, energy, and pure excitement.

For more information about Amarillo Venom and Reyna Entertainment, visit their Facebook pages. For tickets, visit panhandletickets.com .

PPHM to host Dining with Giants gala in May

The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum proudly announces that its next gala, Dining with Giants, a dinosaur themed affair, from 6 to 11 p.m. May 4. Seating is limited.

Guests will enter a Pioneer Hall transported back in time when giant dinosaurs roamed the earth and enjoy themed hors d’oeuvre and cocktails, silent auction items and more before the dinner begins.

Back this year, a fully engaging experience awaits the highest VIP levels in our Paleontology gallery with a special bar, themed hors d’oeuvres and exquisite service. This space will be limited.

Dinner will be served in the PPHM Derrick Room, where guests will enjoy a four-course meal "dining with giants." A live auction will be followed by dancing and drinks in the transformed Pioneer Hall.

WT art alumni to be featured in new exhibition

CANYON — More than 50 West Texas A&M University alumni are featured in a new art exhibition. WT’s first art program alumni exhibition will hang through April 27 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery inside Mary Moody Northen Hall.

The art program received nearly 170 submissions from 75 artists. Guest juror Deana Craighead, curator of art at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, selected 53 works to hang in the show — one each per artist chosen. Three alumni will receive cash prizes ranging from $500 to $1,500, to be announced at the opening reception.

“We are incredibly proud of these alumni, who represent graduates from the 1970s to just last year,” said Jon Revett, art program director and Doris Alexander Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts.

Fitz Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and by appointment Fridays and Saturdays. Email jrevett@wtamu.edu.

Amarillo’s first ever drone show at Hodgetown set for June 7-8

The Amarillo Sod Poodles are excited to announce the addition of back-to-back drone light show performances at Hodgetown on June 7-8. The Sod Poodles have partnered with Sky Elements to bring 200 drones to light up the Amarillo sky and pay homage to Sod Poodles baseball and other iconic Amarillo history and imagery.

Sky Elements, based in Fort Worth, is the leading drone light show provider in the United States. Their experienced team has brought the art of drone light shows all across the country for community events, sports teams, businesses, artists, and major brands alike. The company set the Guinness World Record for the largest aerial sentence formed by multirotor/drones during their Fourth of July weekend performance last year in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The shows will take place on Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8 when the Sod Poodles host the Tulsa Drillers (Double-A, Los Angeles Dodgers). Games are set to begin at 7:05 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m.

For more information on promotions and other news, follow the team on social media @sodpoodles on Facebook, X, and Instagram. For questions and more information, call 806-803-7762 or email info@SodPoodles.com .

Dali's Wonderland exhibition on display at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum

The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (PPHM) recently debuted its newest exhibit, "Dali's Wonderland."

"Dali’s Wonderland" is in partnership with the West Texas A&M University Information Technology Department. Thanks to this partnership, the exhibition will feature a virtual flipbook of Dali’s works. In the coming months, IT will also be working with to create an artificial intelligence and augmented reality aspects to this exhibition. The museum will offer some special programming this summer around the exhibition and those details will be announced soon.

Located on the campus of West Texas A&M University, PPHM offers visitors a chance to step into Texas Panhandle history with special exhibits, a permanent collection, special events and more. For more information about PPHM, visit www.panhandleplains.org.

Baby Shark’s Big Broadwave Tour swimming to Amarillo Civic Center Complex on April 21

Baby Shark’s Big Broadwave Tour will have two shows at the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Auditorium, 401 S Buchanan St. at noon and 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21.

Tickets for the performances may be purchased online on the tour's site, www.babysharkontour.com. Tickets start at $25 (while supplies last - additional fees and taxes may apply) and are also available at the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Box Office and panhandletickets.com. Prices are subject to change.

Nickelodeon, The Pinkfong Company and VStar Entertainment Group present Baby Shark’s Big Broadwave Tour!, a brand-new interactive live stage show featuring characters from the globally beloved preschool property. This tour brings the underwater world of the hit animated series, Baby Shark’s Big Show!, to life through an all-new original story, as audience members come together with Baby Shark and his undersea friends to save the Party Puddle Theatre. Featuring unforgettable music, with exciting twists on classic Baby Shark tunes, and mesmerizing visual effects, this staged “swimtacular” is jampacked with action and adventure for the whole family to enjoy.

For more information or to join the Whale Mail mailing list for presale and other exclusive offers, visit www.babysharkontour.com. Follow Baby Shark’s Big Broadwave Tour! on Facebook and Instagram at @babysharkontour .

Sesame Street Live! Say Hello coming to Amarillo in June 2024

Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and their Sesame Street friends will be featured in an all-new live show, "Sesame Street Live! Say Hello," coming to Amarillo on June 26, 2024.

Tickets are available now online via panhandletickets.com . Round Room Live and Sesame Workshop are proud to announce the new live show, which will bring the beloved characters from the iconic Sesame Street to life in a brand-new interactive production that will tour the U.S. and Canada beginning in April 2024.

“For over 50 years, Sesame Workshop has worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts,” said Whit Higgins, Sesame Workshop Executive Vice President, Head of Global Enterprises, in a news release. “Round Room Live has a history of working with new and iconic properties to create engaging and thrilling live events. We can’t wait for families and friends to enjoy this brand-new Sesame Street show filled with song, dance, and a few fun and furry surprises.”

Fans can visit SesameStreetLive.com now for tour dates and ticket information, and follow Sesame Street Live social media for exclusive tour content. For more, visit www.SesameStreet.org .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo entertainment in brief for April 21, 2024