The Brooklyn Museum is inaugurating a new collecting initiative that will focus on the acquisition of works by African American artists that were created between the mid-nineteenth century and 1945.
Rundgren, IU's ninth Wells Professor, will teach the middle two weeks of a four-week, one-credit hour honors course designed for a maximum of 25 Wells Scholars and Hutton Honors Scholars. The class commences in late October and finishes in mid-November. Co-teaching the class will be IU Professor of Music Glenn Gass -- whose relationship with Rundgren helped make the professorship possible -- and IU Distinguished Professor of Sociology Bernice Pescosolido, who was instrumental in helping to plan the course. Gass, a professor at IU's world-class Jacobs School of Music, said he sees Rundgren's engagement at IU as the start of a trend in which legendary rock stars share their knowledge with a new generation. Rundgren, who performs frequently, gave a concert at Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University in Indianapolis on Sept. 11. 'Todd is a treasure trove of memories, knowledge, stories . . .,' Gass said. 'This class is a way for him to celebrate what he's done and allows him to share his experiences with students who really want to hear what he has to say.' In addition to learning about the culture, politics and economics of the music business, from the 1970s through today, students will visit Professor of Anthropology Nicholas Toth at IU's Stone Age Institute to view some of the earliest tools used for making music. 'I think the students will love it. For us, the appeal of the class is really both Todd and Glenn,' said Professor of Physics Tim Londergan, director of the Wells Scholars Program. Londergan is a self-professed rock 'n' roll fan who has audited three of Gass' courses. The Rundgren course is currently full with a waiting list, and course auditors/visitors, including IU students not registered for the class, cannot be accommodated. During his stay in Bloomington, Rundgren will give a public lecture titled 'LONGHAIR: Todd Rundgren on the Beatles Effect' at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 in Ballantine Hall 013. He will also present a Halloween-night recital titled 'CLUSTER: The Birth of the T Chord' at 8 p.m. Oct. 31 in Auer Hall. Both are free and open to the public. Gass said he asked Rundgren to talk about the Beatles both because of Rundgren's collaborations with various members of the band and because of the window it will provide into his own music. 'If it was going to be 'Todd talks about Todd,' he may have felt awkward,' Gass said. 'By asking him to talk about the Beatles, we can get more insight into his music, too.' Rundgren's unique associations with the Beatles include a number of covers, participation in the Ringo All-Star Band and co-producing the power pop band Badfinger with George Harrison. When Harrison died, Rundgren did a highly acclaimed version of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' for a tribute album. In 1980, Rundgren and his then-band Utopia, did a loving sendup of the Beatles (Deface the Music) that Gass calls 'just genius.' Rundgren is also a longtime Beatles fan who credits Harrison with inventing the 'lead guitar' player, Gass said. 'When Todd was in the band Nazz, he wasn't the lead singer -- he was the lead guitar player -- which in the 50s meant one of the backup musicians. Because of George, lead guitar now means you're one of the band's leaders.' Glenn Gass Print-Quality Photo Gass initially met Rundgren in Hawaii, when Gass and his wife were on sabbatical for a year (and where they spent the past two summers). 'The kids start taking the bus together and the next thing you know, you're going to cookouts at Todd's,' Gass said. 'I quickly learned that everything they said about him was true. He's brilliant, articulate, really interesting -- and interested in things far beyond his own work and even his music. He's just a really engaged human being.' Rundgren is also known for staying true to his artistic muse. 'He refused to take the easy way out,' Gass said. 'The easy way would have been to do five more songs like 'Hello, It's Me.' He paid a price for that, but in the long run, in 50 years, I think that's why he'll matter more than starts who may have had more hits.' Rundgren was the highest paid producer of the 1970s, producing bands that ranged from the New York Dolls, The Band and Patti Smith to Meat Loaf, Hall & Oates and Cheap Trick. On Aug. 1, 1981 -- the evening MTV debuted with 'Video Kills the Radio Star' by the Buggles -- Rundgren was ready with his music video for 'Time Heals,' which premiered on MTV the same evening. Always a fan of technology, Rundgren made his music available through online downloads about 10 years before iTunes ('Everyone had dial-up connections then,' Gass commented. 'His fate is always to be just a few years ahead of his time.'). Gass said after the Beatles broke up, he was personally attracted to singer-songwriters like James Taylor, Neil Young, Carole King, Joni Mitchell -- and Todd Rundgren. 'Todd was always one of the best and most interesting performers. Even in those early albums, it was clear he wasn't just a singer-songwriter,' Gass said. At turns, Rundgren played with electric guitar or classical riffs, producing his own double album in 1972, on which he also played all of the instruments. From the time he met Rundgren in Hawaii, Gass starting thinking of ways to bring the performer to IU. A confluence of events sparked by a Rundgren speaking engagement at DePauw University led to the IU professorship. DePauw's executive director of media relations, Ken Owen, is 'a huge Todd scholar -- Todd to him is like the Beatles to me,' Gass said. 'All of a sudden it went from being a day dream to being a real possibility, and now it's actually happening,' Gass said. 'He really can call himself Professor Rundgren. This is not a gimmick: He is the Wells Professor.' About the Wells Professorships The Wells professorships are made possible by gifts from the IU classes of 1941, 1942 and 1963. Previous Wells professors have included the Honorable Helen Suzman, a South African political leader (Class of 1941 Wells Professor in 1993), Sir Malcolm Bradbury, a novelist-screenwriter-critic (Class of 1942 Wells Professor in 1997), and Holocaust scholar Christopher Browning (Class of 1943 Wells Professor in 2003). The most recently appointed Wells Professors were Sir (now Lord) Timothy Garden (Class of 1941 Wells Professor) and artist Robert Colescott (Class of 1943 Wells Professor), both of whom taught at IU in 2004.
Noosa's playground for the rich and retired becomes a comic battleground in David Williamson's Let the Sunshine. With a cast that includes Paul Ashcroft, Robert Coleby, Rachel Gordon, Andrea Moor, Jacki Weaver and Gold Logie-winner John Wood, Let the Sunshine is Williamson's latest romantic satire that reflects on issues facing a modern Romeo and Juliet.
Noosa's playground for the rich and retired becomes a comic battleground in David Williamson's Let the Sunshine. With a cast that includes Paul Ashcroft, Robert Coleby, Rachel Gordon, Andrea Moor, Jacki Weaver and Gold Logie-winner John Wood, Let the Sunshine is Williamson's latest romantic satire that reflects on issues facing a modern Romeo and Juliet.
Noosa's playground for the rich and retired becomes a comic battleground in David Williamson's Let the Sunshine. With a cast that includes Paul Ashcroft, Robert Coleby, Rachel Gordon, Andrea Moor, Jacki Weaver and Gold Logie-winner John Wood, Let the Sunshine is Williamson's latest romantic satire that reflects on issues facing a modern Romeo and Juliet.
The critically-acclaimed new American two-character play by Keith Huff is directed by Tony Award nominee John Crowley, and began previews on Thursday, September 10, 2009, and celebrated Opening Night on Tuesday, September 29, 2009.
Producers Frederick Zollo, Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, Raymond L. Gaspard, Frank Gero, Cheryl Wiesenfeld, Jeffrey Sine, Michael Rose and Robert Cole announced today that Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman will star together on Broadway in A STEADY RAIN, a critically acclaimed two-character play by Keith Huff. Directed by Tony Award nominee John Crowley, A STEADY RAIN begins previews on Thursday, September 10, 2009 and opens Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) for a strictly limited 12 week engagement through Sunday, December 6, 2009.
Philip J. Smith, Chairman of the Shubert Organization and Robert E. Wankel, President of the Shubert Organization, announced today that they have entered into a development and production agreement with Broadway producers Robert Cole and Frederick Zollo.
The Shubert Organization has joined into a new business deal with well regarded theatre producers Frederick M. Zollo and Robert Cole.
A STEADY RAIN, currently playing at The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, will dedicate the November 8th performance to The Actors Fund, granting proceeds to the fund in support of their programs and services. The curtain rises at 7:00pm.
After the curtain went down on Tuesday's performance of Broadway's A STEADY RAIN, star Hugh Jackman and wife Deborah-Lee Furness enjoyed 'a half date night' as they celebrated the DVD release of 'Valentino: The Last Emperor.'
A STEADY RAIN, currently playing at The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, will dedicate the November 8th performance to The Actors Fund, granting proceeds to the fund in support of their programs and services. The curtain rises at 7:00pm.
Hugh Jackman, currently starring on Broadway opposite Daniel Craig in A STEAD RAIN, has declined the opportunity to host the Oscar telecast for a second straight year, Variety reports. Jackman was supposedly offered the job, but turned it down, as he begins preparing for his new role in the movie The Real Steel following his Broadway run, as previously reported.
Audience members in the audience on Friday night at A Steady Rain have reported to BroadwayWorld.com that with Hugh Jackman acting as auctioneer, along with Daniel Craig, the pair auctioned off their undershirts for a total of $10,000 for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, with two matching $5,000 bids. Jackman did the same thing during his BOY FROM OZ days as part of BC/EFA's fundraising efforts.
Variety reports this week that the Broadway hit, A Steady Rain starring powerhouse duo Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, broke it's own box office record last week, setting a new high in weekly gross sales for a non-musical production. Last week the production pulled in $1,276,106 in sales, with an the average ticket price of a startling $147. As standard ticket prices range from $66 - $140, this figure suggests that many more seats than usual are being sold at premium prices. This placed the production fourth on the comprehensive gross charts, landing after the moster hits Wicked, Billy Elliott and The Lion King.
The critically-acclaimed new American two-character play by Keith Huff is directed by Tony Award nominee John Crowley, and began previews on Thursday, September 10, 2009, and celebrated Opening Night on Tuesday, September 29, 2009.
The critically-acclaimed new American two-character play by Keith Huff is directed by Tony Award nominee John Crowley, and began previews on Thursday, September 10, 2009, and opens tonight Tuesday, September 29, 2009 and runs through Sunday, December 6, 2009 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.
A STEADY RAIN stars Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig opened on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) for a strictly limited 12 week engagement through Sunday, December 6, 2009. Broadway Beat and BroadwayWorld were on hand for the Opening Night celebration to capture the post-performance press conference!
The critically-acclaimed new American two-character play by Keith Huff is directed by Tony Award nominee John Crowley, and began previews on Thursday, September 10, 2009, and celebrated Opening Night on Tuesday, September 29, 2009.
The critically-acclaimed new American two-character play by Keith Huff is directed by Tony Award nominee John Crowley, and began previews on Thursday, September 10, 2009, and celebrated Opening Night on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 and runs through Sunday, December 6, 2009 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there as the two stars took their well deserved bows.
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