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arts

Broadway Star Ben Vereen Hosting Thanksgiving Special

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – For people who may not have plans for Thanksgiving, a longtime fixture on the theater stage is hosting dinner and a show during the holidays. Ben Vereen is a Broadway legend, appearing in shows such as “Wicked,” “Hair,” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Ben Vereen on Broadway (Credit: CBS2) Now, he has a new show and two special performances this month. Ben will be bringing his acclaimed show “Steppin’ Out with Ben Vereen” to the Cutting Room in New York City on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. For tickets and information: Click here Ben Vereen’s Thanksgiving special at The Cutting Room (Credit: CBS2) Vereen will also be doing a special holiday show on Dec. 2, the first day of Hanukkah, at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut. For tickets and information: Click here The stage and television star just did a guest spot on CBS’ “Magnum P.I.” last month. He’s currently starring with Queen Latifah and Brandy in the Lee Daniels series “Star.” Arts and education are also very important to Vereen. He has started the Ben Vereen Foundation and is also involved with Americans for the Arts. Ben Vereen (Credit: CBS2) The entertainer is working on a new Broadway project with Joe Calarco called “Reflections” and even gave CBS2’s Cindy Hsu a flute solo while discussing his career.

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Broadway Star Ben Vereen Hosting Thanksgiving Special

November 11, 2018 0 comment

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Master Illusionist Vitaly Beckman Wows The Big Apple

written by DamionADIZ

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Master illusionist Vitaly Beckman is wowing New Yorkers this summer. Vitaly: An Evening of Wonders is running now until the end of September at the Westside Theater, located at 407 W 43rd St. The master himself stopped by the CBS2 studios to offer up a preview of what’s in store. For more information on how you can catch the jaw-dropping show, visit its official website .

July 28, 2018 0 comment

news Rap

Cher, Reba Among 2018 Kennedy Center Honorees

written by RickyBoyles

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cher, composer Phillip Glass, country music star Reba McEntire and jazz legend Wayne Shorter will be honored for lifetime achievements in the arts at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors. The national arts center also announced Wednesday a special award for the genre-bending musical “Hamilton,” as part of the gala set for Dec. 2. Before last year’s program, several honorees threatened a boycott if President Donald Trump attended. He and first lady Melania Trump decided to skip the event “to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction,” as the White House put it. The White House said it’s too early to know whether Trump will participate in this year’s ceremony. Trump may attend the Group of 20 summit in Argentina, which ends Dec. 1. Glass said he hopes Trump does show up as a conciliatory gesture to the arts community. “If he were to come, it would represent a real broadening of his perspective,” Glass said. “American arts really is our biggest contribution to the world, far more than our politics.” Last year, the Kennedy Center’s president, Deborah F. Rutter, publicly thanked Trump for allowing the night to focus solely on the arts and the honorees. But she also said she hoped to see the president attend in the future. “I always hope that the person in that office makes a point of showing as much support for American arts and culture as his predecessors did and as his successors will,” Rutter said in an interview. The “Hamilton” honor marks a first-time honor for a specific piece of art, and a first for a contemporary work. The award will go to the four main creators of the musical: writer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, director Thomas Kail, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and music director Alex Lacamoire. The musical is playing at the Kennedy Center through mid-September. “This work has had such a huge impact in such a short time. It not only changed the way that people think about art, it changed the way they think about history and the storytelling of history,” said Rutter, who didn’t think awards like this would become regular events. “We felt it was important to honor it in real time and not 30 years in the future.” The four men said in a statement that the honor was “humbling beyond our wildest expectations for our show.” One of the special aspects of the Kennedy Center program is that each recipient is given a personalized introduction and performance by participants kept secret from the honoree. McEntire has served as one of those surprises for four past honorees: Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Lily Tomlin and Carol Burnett. “When the curtain went up, I could see the surprise in their eyes,” she said. “I can’t wait to see who they come up with for me.” (@Copyright 2018. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Cher, Reba Among 2018 Kennedy Center Honorees

July 25, 2018 0 comment

news Rap

3 Of The Best STEAM Books For Kids

written by LavernJowett

By Laurie Jo Miller Farr Kids are naturally curious, so they’ll dive into super cool books that teach through the fun of making with an emphasis on STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics. It’s the latest interpretation by educators of the acronym STEM to STEAM, adding art and design to the other four fundamentals to round out innovation and to power skill sets for the 21st century. STEM Turns Into STEAM Supporters of the educational concept say the intersection of the arts with STEM fields will enhance student engagement while strengthening creativity, problem-solving, focus, non-verbal skills, collaboration, perseverance, confidence and more. Just think of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, the ultimate Renaissance men with insatiable scientific curiosity, artistic talent, imagination and creativity. Meet the STEAM Authors Author Jack Challoner picked up some special insights working at the flagship interactive gallery, Launchpad , at London’s Science Museum. Of course, he’s a STEAM-roller: a science and math teacher who is also a singer, songwriter, and musician. Maker Lab books make lovely gifts in hardback at about 160 pages, published by Dorling Kindersley, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. An architect and industrial designer by trade, author Ana Dziengel has three children and plenty of experience in getting creative about making colorful DIY toys and projects at home. Another talented all-rounder, her photography graces the pages of her 2018 STEAM play and learn book to inspire preschoolers to go full steam ahead. “ Smithsonian Maker Lab: 28 Super Cool Projects ” by Jack Challoner There’s nothing like safe, hands-on learning. Build, invent, create, and discover with projects that require readily available household items. The target audience of kids from 8 to 12 years can work alone, in groups, or with adults to make a lemon battery, a jungle in a bottle, a soap-powered toy boat, and a personal supply of sticky slime. Snow days off from school will never be the same again. This book won the National Parenting Publication Award for its good ideas, clear and simple instructions, and great illustrations. “ Smithsonian Maker Lab: Outdoors: 25 Super Cool Projects ” by Jack Challoner Targeted at the same age group, children can create even more outdoors. The first book was such a hit that a second version was published to take the maker fun outside. Just like the complementary book, this one explains what you’ll need to get set up and provides simple step-by-step instructions from start to finish. Why not suggest that kids help out in the garden by building their own butterfly feeder or wormery? Alternatively, would-be astronauts can build and launch a water rocket to understand all three of Newton’s Laws of Motion “ STEAM Play & Learn: 20 Fun Step-By-Step Preschool Projects ” by Ana Dziengel To learn about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, younger children can get in on the maker fun, too. This book is like a preschooler’s playground on the printed page. Enticing projects include citrus volcanoes, marble runs and mazes, sound tubes, egg carton geoboards and lots more, all divided into easy, medium, and more difficult sections. Older kids (and parents and grandparents as well) can join in the fun by gathering the materials together and setting them out. Grab some food coloring and an ice cube tray to get the kids started on creating frozen goop.

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3 Of The Best STEAM Books For Kids

July 25, 2018 0 comment

news Rap

Can Right-Brained Learners Find A Place In A STEAM Field?

written by MagdaLWKSpvto

By Laurie Jo Miller Farr Many people are familiar with the right-brain/left-brain theory that hypothesizes that each side of the brain has a function; one side of our brain is dominant over the other in determining personality, thoughts, and behavior. Perhaps you’ve heard it said that a person who is a left-brained thinker takes a more logical, analytical, and methodical view toward life and learning. A right-brained thinker is said to be more intuitive, thoughtful, and imaginative. Does Right-Brain Orientation Exist? This left-brain and right-brain topic is an interesting theory and a popular—but unproven—one. According to Psychology Today , the dominant side theory is currently being challenged as “state-of-the-art neuroscientific research is slowly beginning to debunk many age-old neuromyths.” Connectomics and Neuroimaging Neuroimaging research suggests that we do actually use both sides of the brain to perform most activities. In the growing field of study called connectomics, neuroscientist researchers are learning that the entire brain works together, using both hemispheres “via finely coordinated communication to optimize cognitive functions and creative capacity,” as reported in Psychology Today . Picking Up STEAM What does this research mean for students? For sure, the one-room schoolhouse 20th-century mantra of the three R’s (reading, writing, arithmetic) has shifted enormously. Within the past decade, an emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) skills for the 21st century has gained enormous traction among educators and students alike. Even more recently, a movement to turn STEM into STEAM has caught on, championed by academics who point out that art and design are critical to a rounded approach that embraces problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity. Incorporating the Arts Perhaps right-brain dominance isn’t the reason why some of us prefer drawing pretty pictures to drawing conclusions from data. These preferences are as natural as a preference for chocolate or vanilla. Yet, a well-rounded curriculum across all aspects of STEAM that provides both depth and breadth is what many K-12 schools are striving for today. Importantly, the arts in STEAM is an approach, not a separate subject. The STEAM educational approach favors hands-on learning, suggesting that science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics are intertwined, that they’re hard-wired in the brain and enormously useful in life. Jobs of the Future STEAM skills are vital and emerging careers require both logical and creative thinkers. Think about a web designer who must strategize the site architecture, conceive page layouts, and code the whole thing. How can a theater group design stage sets without artists that can take a technical approach? The production of television broadcasts, games and music videos incorporates a mix of skills from several components of STEAM. Even self-employed photographers, bloggers and vloggers must have storytelling skills in addition to an ability to interpret analytics for retargeting and maximizing their audience reach. What other jobs can you think of that depend upon all five elements of STEM, including the arts?

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Can Right-Brained Learners Find A Place In A STEAM Field?

July 25, 2018 0 comment

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‘I Can Turn The Gummy Bear Into Something Totally Crazy, Different’ Says Creator Of Santa Monica Pop-Up ‘Candytopia’

written by qwqum01u8x3b4

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA) — Welcome to Candytopia, an immersive, experimental adventure into the world of candy. The pop-up museum in Santa Monica is kind of like a modern-day Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory where you are encouraged to admire art coated in candy. “I love all candy. Ask my dentist,” says “Candy Queen” Jackie Sorkin, who recalls struggling with math and science as a kid. “We do have so much appreciation for engineering, for math, for how we formulate and create these beautiful pieces that requires hundreds, to thousands, to millions of pieces of candy,” she said. The disciplines of STEAM are designed, smashed, pinned and melted together at the Candytopia workshop in Los Alamitos, Calif., where calculating math is monumental. Engineering principles come into play balancing the weights with the structure of each sculpture. Same goes for chemistry. “We treat our products with certain chemicals and sealants and bonds and things that make them last for a very long time,” she said. Take the Gummy bear, for example. “I can turn the Gummy bear into something totally crazy and different,” says Sorkin who used hundreds upon hundreds of the small, fruit gum candies treat to create Van Gogh’s Starry Night. “It’s a learning process. We want people to feel it, smell it, touch it,” said Sorkin. “Just don’t eat it, don’t lick it, don’t bite it.” For Sorkin, who once struggled in school, Candytopia is a culmination of her perseverance. “Not everything is supposed to be so easy for us. The struggle builds the character and that makes the dreams come true,” she said. “I never, ever, ever gave up on this crazy idea and now look – it’s Candytopia!”

July 15, 2018 0 comment

R&B

Catch some country, rock, blues and soul in Sacramento this weekend

written by BeatrisPalmerst

Soul/ R&B /funk. 8 p.m. Friday, April 20, at Palms Playhouse. 8 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at Center for the Arts. You've got two chances this weekend to catch some new tunes off Niki J. Crawford's “The Second Truth,” her new album being released this weekend that offers up a sensuous stroll through …

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Catch some country, rock, blues and soul in Sacramento this weekend

April 20, 2018 0 comment