 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.
[Text from file received from
Cathy Maciariello, Atlanta Public Library] |
