Events begin at 6:30 p.m. with
refreshments and conversation with the speaker, and the program
follows from 7 to 8 p.m. Structured as a dialogue with the visiting
artist or speaker, the events are informal, with lots of time for
questions and interaction.
First up on Oct. 25 is "Baby Animals," a special
presentation of the St. Louis Zoo. Zoo professionals will tell about
how the zoo manages its baby animal populations. Learn the
challenges and secrets of breeding animals in captivity, what
scientists must do to ensure success, what's involved in prenatal
care, how the zoo cares for its baby animals, and much more.
Sorry... no live animals because of the distance, but there will be
lots of pictures and stories about the baby animals who live at the
St. Louis Zoo. Please note that this program is specifically
designed by the zoo as an adult program and is not appropriate for
young children.
On Nov. 22, Behind the
Scenes will feature Dudley Cocke, artistic director of
Roadside Theater and interim director of Appalshop, the
award-winning Appalachian arts and humanities center in Whitesburg,
Ky., of which Roadside is a part.
Roadside Theater is a professional
ensemble that creates and tours original plays about its homeland in
Appalachia. The company is known for its artistic collaborations
with African-American, Native American and Latino theater artists
and for its community residency process that has inspired the
creation of many new theaters across the country. Since 1978, under
Cocke's leadership, Roadside has toured its work in 43 states, with
extended runs off-Broadway in New York City, and has represented the
United States at international festivals in the Czech Republic,
Sweden, England, Denmark and elsewhere.
Recognized nationally and
internationally for creating artistic opportunities and a sense of
pride for people who have not seen their lives reflected in the
mainstream of American cultural institutions, Cocke has a special
affinity for rural America and its stories, and he frequently writes
and speaks publicly about democratic cultural values and achieving
social justice through the arts. In 2002, he received the Heinz
Award for Arts and Humanities.
While he is here, Cocke will also
lead an intergenerational story circle with 15 local residents to
demonstrate how telling stories can strengthen the community and
preserve local history.
In January, the series offers two
exciting events.
First, actor Bob Lupone will
visit on Jan. 10. As a company member at the renowned Circle
Rep in New York and a lifetime member of The Actors Studio, Lupone
worked as a dancer on Broadway, where he performed as the apostle
James on stage and in the film version of "Jesus Christ Superstar."
He also starred in the original production of "A Chorus Line,"
receiving a Tony nomination for his role as Zach.
As an actor, he has performed on
Broadway in "A Thousand Clowns," Sam Shepard's "True West" and
Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge." His numerous television
appearances include parts in "Sex and the City," "Law & Order,"
"Gravity" and a recurring role as Dr. Cusamano in "The Sopranos." He
can also be seen in the films "Order of Redemption," "Funny Games,"
"Then She Found Me" and "The Door in the Floor." He received an Emmy
nomination for his work on "All My Children."
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On Jan. 31, Behind the Scenes
welcomes two sports figures.
Baseball outfielder Ryan Aper,
who graduated from Lincoln High School in 2011, holds the
single-season hits record and single-season pitching wins record in
the school's history. From 2011 to 2013 he attended Lincoln Land
Community College, where he held the single-season highest batting
average at .462 and was a two-time national junior college
all-American, conference player of the year (2013), regional player
of the year (2013) and national junior college player of the year
(2013). Aper was drafted by the Marlins in the sixth round of the
Major League Baseball draft in June.
Dave Kindred
is a Hall of Fame sports columnist who says he learned everything he
needed to know about sports and writing at Atlanta High School. A
member of the Atlanta Class of 1959, Kindred played baseball and
basketball. After graduating from Illinois Wesleyan University, he
worked at The Pantagraph, the Louisville (Ky.) Courier Journal, the
Washington Post and the Atlanta (Ga.) Journal-Constitution. Now a
senior writer for Golf Digest, he is the author of nine books,
including "Sound and Fury," a dual biography of Muhammad Ali and
Howard Cosell.
Finally, on Feb. 14, Behind
the Scenes will celebrate Valentines' Day with indie
singer-songwriter Brian Davis in a special cabaret evening.
Many may remember Davis from his appearance last year with the band
Something With Trees at the library's September MusicFest.
Davis started playing guitar when
he was 18, deciding shortly afterward that what he really wanted to
do was write songs. He has made two recordings of his work, and over
the past two years he has continued to write and perform. He
performed with Something With Trees in 2011 and 2012, and when the
band split up to pursue individual interests, Davis renewed his
interests in solo work. Using his experience of studying and writing
fiction as his backdrop, he released his latest album, "Lesser
Tragedies," on April 29 under the moniker "A Metropolitan Guide."
Tickets to Behind the Scenes events
are available at the library or at the door on the evening of each
event. Student tickets are offered at a reduced rate, and anyone who
buys tickets to four events or more also receives a discount.
For more information, visit
www.apldinfo.org or call the library at 217-648-2112.
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