SOUTHSIDE HOUSE IS BEING TRANSFORMED INTO ARTPLAY

Hopefully by now you’ve heard about the ASC’s new Arts Education & Outreach Center that will open in January 2011. We are currently renovating a Victorian home on Birmingham’s Southside as the home of our expanded education programs. The Johnson House built in 1896 Is a beautiful structure with a lot of heart & soul – perfect to be Birmingham’s center for exploring and learning through the arts! See more pictures of the renovation

Joan Rivers returns to E!’s "Fashion Police" and will be joined by Kelly Osbourne

ASC Holiday Comedy Show featured artist Joan Rivers is returning to E!’s "Fashion Police" when it becomes a weekly series at 10:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10. Watch as she adds her own brand of commentary to the stars of the Red Carpet 2010 Emmy Awards! Catch a glimpse.

Do You Recognize this Space?

When you attend your next performance at the Alys Stephens Center be sure to notice the brand new seats in the Jemison Concert Hall! During the ASC’s traditional two-week shutdown period in August, a vast array of renovations and changes took place including the complete recovering of all seats in the hall. We thought you would enjoy seeing these images and seeing the hall in totally new light. View more images.

JONNY LANG BIRMINGHAM POSTPONED

Due to a family emergency, Jonny Lang is forced to postpone Saturday night’s concert scheduled to play UAB’s Alys Stephens Center. The new date is Saturday, April 23, 2011.

Ticket holders have the following options:

1. Tickets purchased for the original date will be honored night of show on April 23, 2011. No exchange necessary.
2. Tickets can be returned for a credit which can be used toward the purchase of other performances. Tickets must be returned by September 30, 2010 to take advantage of this option.
3. Tickets can be considered a tax deductible gift to the Alys Stephens Center. Contact Box Office for more information. Tickets must be returned by September 30, 2010 to take advantage of this option.
   

For more information, call (205) 975-2787 or visit AlysStephens.org.

Get Ready for Rocking, Rolling, and the Blues!

Birmingham, are you ready to close out the Summer Concert Series with incredulous sounds and finger licking barbeque? Well, be prepared for August 28, 2010 where you’ll experience the deep rhythm of Jonny Lang. The Grammy nominated Lang released his first album at the age of 15. In his 10+ years, he has toured with some of the biggest names in Rock & Roll—including Buddy Guy (an ASC favorite), Aerosmith, and B.B. King to name a FEW!

Down home foot stomping blues awaits you, with the screeching sounds of pure rock and roll. Want to personalize your experience with Johnny Lang? REQUEST YOUR FAVORITE SONG for Jonny to play at the Live by Request Tour.

You don’t want to miss this event! See you there at the ASC juke joint (Jemison Concert Hall) at 8 PM.

GET YOUR GROOVE ON EARLY: Summer Tunes from Birmingham favorite Goodfellas, BBQ from Jim N' Nick's & Brews in the Haskell Courtyard beginning at 6:30 p.m.

By SHERMIKA DUNNER

Congratulations to Jonny Lang Contest Winners!

Congratulations to Linda James, winner of the ASC Ultimate Rock Star Contest! She receives a pair of tickets to the show, the opportunity to meet Lang in person, and an electric guitar from Bailey Brother Music Company. A big thanks to Bailey Brothers for partnering with us!

We received so much interest in this contest that we decided to award four additional winners invitations to the meet & greet with Lang. Congratulations to Kelly Hardy, Lee Ann Grimmett, Donnie C. Hughes Jr, and Michael Zagorsky.

Thanks to everyone that entered!

Jonny Lang Review and Interview

"Having graced the stage with such historic guitar legends as B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton, it seems as though these giants are showing their support to the rising of a new blues sensation. Not since the great Stevie Ray Vaughan has there been such a talent able to reenergize this cherished musical style. However, with all eyes on Jonny Lang it will certainly have been a 'Long Time Coming'!"

Read the full article here.



You can also listen to an audio interview with Jonny Lang here.

Jonny Lang will be at the Alys Stephens Center on August 28. You can purchase tickets at 205-975-ARTS or online.

ASC’s Arts Education & Outreach Initiative Gets a New Name & Unveils New Programs

With the opening of ArtPlay, the ASC’s new arts education center, exciting new programs are being planned now, including theatre programs for all ages.

Acting Out Theater Workshop for children ages 7-14
The nine-week experience will take place 10 a.m. - noon each Saturday Sept. 25 - Nov. 20, 2010. The workshop shares with children the mechanics of acting and performance. Participants will learn theater games, improvisation, warm-up and concentration exercises, voice and diction, theatre terminology, character development and minimal musical theater basics through a variety of fun, yet intense classes. Best of all, the children will get a chance to showcase their newly developed skills when the workshop culminates with a showcase production open to all parents and friends. The classes are programmed for students who are seriously interested in performance, as well as for those who just want to have fun.

Beginning Acting for Adults Workshop
Throughout the 10-week course, students will learn the basics of acting including theater terminology, voice and diction, improvisation, character development and more, through acting games, lessons and exercises. Participants will even come away from the class with their very own prepared monologue for auditions. A showcase performance for all participants is scheduled at the end of the 10 weeks. The beginning acting classes will take place 6 - 8 p.m. each Monday Sept. 13 - Nov. 15, 2010.

Intermediate Acting for Adults Workshop: Scene Development
This adult acting class will focus primarily on scene development. Students will be able to build on their basic foundation and further develop their technique, learn how to establish realistic relationships with a scene partner, how to work with a director and how to use positive expectations to achieve a goal. Students will rehearse and perform full-length scenes that will explore the depth of great acting for a culminating showcase open to supportive family and friends. Classes will take place 6 - 8 p.m. each Wednesday Sept. 15 - Nov. 17.

For more information, email heathmix@uab.edu.

New Theatre Programs for all ages offered by Alys Stephens Center’s Education & Outreach Program, ArtPlay

High school students are invited to audition for a performance-based program in conjunction with Make It Happen Theatre Company in which students will attend weekly theater classes and rehearsals that will culminate in a performance, “Extraordinary Americans Who Happen to be…” This performance will be researched, written and performed by the student participants as part of the ASC Kids’ Club series. Auditions will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 11, 2010. Students should prepare a one minute monologue and 16 bars of a song, a cappella. For complete details call 205-934-6012 or e-mail heathmix@uab.edu.

ENTER THE ULTIMATE ASC ROCKSTAR CONTEST!

How cool is this contest? Visit our website to enter for your chance to win an electric guitar compliments of our friends at Bailey Brothers Music Company, 2 tickets to see Jonny Lang live on August 28, plus an opportunity to meet him after the show! Complete the registration form and enter the words "ULTIMATE ROCKSTAR" in the comment area. Contest ends Monday, August 16 at 5 p.m.

REQUEST YOUR FAVORITE SONGS for Jonny to play at the show! Jonny will read all requests and build the set list around requests he receives. Come on Birmingham, let us know what you want to hear!

A BUSY BOX OFFICE DAY!

Tickets went on sale this morning for all shows in the ASC’s new season.

Remember if you purchase tickets at AlysStephens.org today you earn $10 in ASC Gift Cards for every $50 you spend! The more you spend, the more you earn!

Single tickets go on sale in 3 days!

It’s a season pep rally! Tickets to all shows go on sale next Monday, Aug. 9. Here’s a MASS Ensemble video to celebrate. MASS Ensemble will be at the Alys Stephens Center in September.



The Alys Stephens Center will host a single ticket day contest for online purchases: patrons who purchase $50 of tickets August 9 at http://www.alysstephens.org/ will receive a $10 Alys Stephens Center gift card to be used for future purchases. The gift card amount will increase $10 with every $50 of tickets purchased, so the more tickets that are purchased, the greater the free gift card amount. The offer will apply for purchases made online on Monday, August 9, 2010 only. The offer does not apply to previously purchased tickets.

New this year is a single ticket discount for UAB faculty and staff: 10 percent off the regular price of single ticket purchases. Plus, UAB faculty and staff will get an additional discount on the purchase of season ticket packages. Season ticket packages are now discounted 15 percent for UAB faculty and staff.

Single tickets go on sale in 5 days!

It’s a season pep rally! Tickets to all shows go on sale next Monday, Aug. 9. Here’s a Rosanne Cash video to celebrate. Ms. Cash will be performing at the Alys Stephens Center on October 22.

The Alys Stephens Center will host a single ticket day contest for online purchases: patrons who purchase $50 of tickets August 9 at www.AlysStephens.org will receive a $10 Alys Stephens Center gift card to be used for future purchases. The gift card amount will increase $10 with every $50 of tickets purchased, so the more tickets that are purchased, the greater the free gift card amount. The offer will apply for purchases made online on Monday, August 9, 2010 only. The offer does not apply to previously purchased tickets.

New this year is a single ticket discount for UAB faculty and staff: 10 percent off the regular price of single ticket purchases. Plus, UAB faculty and staff will get an additional discount on the purchase of season ticket packages. Season ticket packages are now discounted 15 percent for UAB faculty and staff.

Single tickets go on sale in 6 days!

Here is a video of Joshua Bell to celebrate. Joshua Bell will be at the ASC on January 20th.



The Alys Stephens Center will host a single ticket day contest for online purchases: patrons who purchase $50 of tickets August 9 on the ASC web site will receive a $10 Alys Stephens Center gift card to be used for future purchases. The gift card amount will increase $10 with every $50 of tickets purchased, so the more tickets that are purchased, the greater the free gift card amount. The offer will apply for purchases made online on Monday, August 9, 2010 only. The offer does not apply to previously purchased tickets.

New this year is a single ticket discount for UAB faculty and staff: 10 percent off the regular price of single ticket purchases. Plus, UAB faculty and staff will get an additional discount on the purchase of season ticket packages. Season ticket packages are now discounted 15 percent for UAB faculty and staff.

Single tickets go on sale in 7 days!

Here is a video of Joan Rivers' standup comedy in celebration. Ms. Rivers will be at the ASC on December 12.

Warning: Video contains adult content and subject matter.


The Alys Stephens Center will host a single ticket day contest for online purchases: patrons who purchase $50 of tickets August 9 on the ASC web site will receive a $10 Alys Stephens Center gift card to be used for future purchases. The gift card amount will increase $10 with every $50 of tickets purchased, so the more tickets that are purchased, the greater the free gift card amount. The offer will apply for purchases made online on Monday, August 9, 2010 only. The offer does not apply to previously purchased tickets.

New this year is a single ticket discount for UAB faculty and staff: 10 percent off the regular price of single ticket purchases. Plus, UAB faculty and staff will get an additional discount on the purchase of season ticket packages. Season ticket packages are now discounted 15 percent for UAB faculty and staff.