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CONCERTS/SHOWS
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Franke Center Event Updates Covid-19
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VIRTUAL FILM FEST
JAN. 23 | 6 PM
TICKETS $15
Franke Center & Marshall’s Youngish Professionals
Present 3rd Annual Wolf Tree Film Festival
In its third year, Wolf Tree Film Festival will showcase films set in the Great Lakes region or that include themes or topics related to the region, as well as the work of filmmakers who reside in or grew up in the Great Lakes region. The festival will be fully virtual and will include screenings of each selected film, a Q&A with select filmmakers, an awards presentation, and a filmmaker roundtable with industry professionals.
The Wolf Tree Film Festival is housed in historic Marshall, Michigan, a gorgeous small town with a vibrant artistic community. Hosted by the Franke Center for the Arts and Marshall’s Youngish Professionals Committee, the festival is held at Franke Center*, originally a church built in 1921, now an arts complex that is the proud home of world-class concerts, inspiring theater, and award-winning movies.
This year will feature one of the stars of CBS’ Young Sheldon, Battle Creek’s own, Lance Barber. Lance will emcee the event and do a private filmmaker’s roundtable with the selected filmmakers.Lance Barber has the skills to play a wide range of television characters having appeared in numerous shows on the small screen since 2001. An alumnus of Chicago’s Second City, Lance played the role of Paulie G on HBO’s critically acclaimed, The Comeback, which The New York Times described as “among the great villains of television comedy.”
Previously, Lance had recurring roles on Black-ish, Faking It, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Californication, and United States of Tara, and he guest starred on Dr. Ken, Grey’s Anatomy, Justified, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Harry’s Law, Masters of Sex, The Crazy Ones, How I Met Your Mother, and as Jimmy Speckerman on The Big Bang Theory.
Recently, Lance appeared as Irwin in the feature film, Buster’s Mal Heart opposite Rami Malek. His earlier film credits include Gangster Squad, The Godfather of Greenbay, For Your Consideration, and Leatherheads.
Barber was born and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan. He began acting with his Pennfield High School Drama Club and later joined the theatre program at Kellogg Community College.
Why “Wolf Tree?” According to legend, the Wolf Tree was a lone, prominent tree that once stood in the middle of Marshall. The first settler in the area sought refuge in the heights of the tree as wolves and bears roamed the dirt lane and forest that would one day become the city’s downtown. Later, a platform was built in the large oak’s branches where it is said a sentry, seeking the faint glow of wolves’ eyes, would hunt, eager to protect the village from threats hidden in the darkness below. It is a wild history, a bold story, and a great homage to the films that will be featured at this exciting annual event.
Narcissick
Directed by Hugo Lacasse
Produced by Futur Media Inc.
An “Instababe” puts her physical and mental health on the line to compete against a younger, more popular rival.
Salt River Water Walk
Directed and Produced by Krista Davis, Jenny Zander
In February 2020, Sharon Day (Ojibwe) led a group of Water Walkers through the Arizona desert to walk for the Salt River. Through animation and live-shot footage, this documentary travels with the Salt River Water Walkers, describing this Indigenous-led ceremony as it creates community and builds relationships with the earth through the shared goal to care for the water.
Pegasus
Directed by Orlando Leroi
Produced by Marissa Duignan
After a brutal interaction with the police, a young black father’s search for freedom takes him beyond the limits of the atmosphere.
Medical Help
Directed by Lanessa Miller
Produced by Walkingstick Music LLC
An animated video illustrating the original swing jazz song Medical Help by Dwight L. Wilcox II with relevance to the era in which we are living.
Rise
Directed by Hannah Byrd
Produced by Emily ‘Mealz’ Smith, Jason Howard, Andrew Accaioli and Fatima Al Saif
A previously homeless man takes a ride through his past in order to understand the present and how it affects his future.
Bathroom Break
Directed by Simone LeClaire
Produced by Xiaolu Wang
Mari gets more than she bargained for when she spends her night out hiding in the bathroom.
As We Are
Directed by Michael R Faulkner
Produced by Robin Miller Ungar
When Evan Bertrand was diagnosed with autism at eighteen months, doctors told his mother, Andrea, to go home and mourn the loss of a “normal child.” Instead, she and her son went on to discover his gift for music together. Twenty years later, Evan and Andrea are putting on the biggest concert of his life, just as they are.
Lily in the Maze
Directed by Alexandra Emmons and Andrew Juhl
Produced by Alexandra Emmons, Andrew Juhl and John Morrow
Will, a quiet introvert, deals with a change in his routine on the same day a woman from his past appears. His self-control is put to the test as he struggles to harness his instincts during a confrontation that ends in a surreal mirror maze.
Satiety
Directed by Anna Rust
A troubled woman records her journey to finding her mother after she was abandoned more than a decade ago.
Tickets are $15 + processing fee. Click here for tickets.
Tips for viewing the festival – Use WIFI, not 3G or 4G cell service, and don’t use the browser Safari.
CONTENT WARNING: Some films included in this festival contain mature content that may be inappropriate for young viewers and may be triggering for others. Viewer discretion is advised.
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FRANKE CENTER CHILDREN’S THEATER
Roald Dahl’s Matilda the MusicalAuditions are postponed. Please check back for updates!
5th – 9th Grade Students
Performances February 18-21, 2021
Tickets: Adv. $15-$20 | Door $17
Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, the Tony Award-winning Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical is the captivating masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. With a book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda has won 47 international awards and continues to thrill sold-out audiences of all ages around the world.
Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She’s unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey. Over the course of her first term at school, Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound effect on each other’s lives, as Miss Honey begins not only to recognize but also appreciate Matilda’s extraordinary personality. Matilda’s school life isn’t completely smooth sailing, however – the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don’t abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils’ saving grace!
Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and an unforgettable star turn for a young actress, Matilda is a joyous girl power romp. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.
Auditions in late November 2020
Rehearsal beginning in January 2021
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THE VERVE PIPE
THE VERVE PIPE
ALTERNATIVE ROCK
FEB. 27 | 7:30PM
ADV. $40-$45 | DOOR $42
Icons of the alternative rock scene, Michigan’s own The Verve Pipe has journeyed from their roots in East Lansing to the top of the charts with hits including The Freshmen, Photograph, and Colorful. The Verve Pipe is known for powerful live performances, and this is one you won’t want to miss.
https://www.thevervepipe.com
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PETE SEEGER TRIBUTE – 3LB CUT & FRIENDS
PETE SEEGER TRIBUTE
FEATURING – 3LB CUT & FRIENDS
AMERICAN FOLK
MARCH 6 | 8PM
ADV. $25 | DOOR $22
Celebrate the music of folk icon Pete Seeger, writer of classic songs such as If I Had A Hammer, Where Have All The Flowers Gone and Turn, Turn, Turn. The show will feature Marshall’s own band “3LB Cut”, which includes Kjell Croce, Adrian Bagale, Derek Smith, and Alvin Lautzenheiser, with other special guests.
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CHICAGO DANCE CRASH
CHICAGO DANCE CRASH
CONTEMPORARY/HIP-HOP DANCE TROUPE
MARCH 27 | 7PM
ADV. $25-$30 | DOOR $27
One of the premier hip-hop / contemporary dance companies in the Midwest, Chicago Dance Crash brings their flashy blend of reparatory pieces and freestyles to The Franke. See the dance troupe the Chicago Tribune called “supremely fun to watch.”
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SADIE BASS
SADIE BASS
COUNTRY
April 17 | 8PM
ADV. $20-$25 | DOOR $22
This show has been postponed due to the number of COVID cases in the area. Check this space again and a new date will be announced soon!
Fresh off a stint performing with Brantley Gilbert, Bath, Michigan-based Sadie Bass and her killer band are ready to blow the doors off The Franke—country style.
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THE SECOND CITY
THE SECOND CITY
COMEDY NIGHT – FUNDRAISER
APRIL 24 | 8PM
TICKETS $45 – $75
In this season’s annual Franke Center Fundraiser, legendary improv troupe Second City takes aim at Marshall and West Michigan. The Second City finds laughs in local history, events, hot-button issues, and headlines from the hometown newspaper. Experience the classic Chicago-style sketch comedy and improv created by some of Second City’s most lauded alumni, including Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Gilda Radner, and Bill Murray. Cap the night off with a dinner and raffle supporting The Franke Center, and it should be an unforgettable evening!
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JOE LOUIS WALKER
Joe Louis Walker
Opener: KJELL CROCE
MAY 1, 2021 | 8 PM
ADV. $30-$32 | DOOR $35
Preshow: Alvin Lautzenheiser 7 PM
The Franke Center in Marshall is excited to present Joe Louis Walker, a Blues Hall of Fame inductee and four-time Blues Music Award winner, live in concert on Saturday, May 1. Described as a “living legend” within the blues world by fans and peers, Walker’s celebrated career over half a century has taken him across the world to many of the world’s most famous Blues venues – and now, to the intimate Main Stage of the Franke Center! Tickets for the show are $30 in advance and $32 at the door. Doors and bar open at 7 PM, with pre-show music featuring Alvin Lautzenheiser in the Downstage Club. Local musician Kjell Croce will open the Main Stage show at 8 PM, followed by Joe Louis Walker and his band.
A true powerhouse guitar virtuoso, unique singer and prolific songwriter, Walker has toured extensively throughout his career, performed at the world’s most renowned music festivals, and earned a legion of dedicated fans. Walker’s 1986 debut album Cold Is the Night on HighTone Records announced his arrival in stunning fashion, and his subsequent output has only served to further establish Walker as one of the leading bluesmen on the scene. He has been described by NPR Music as “a legendary boundary-pushing icon of modern blues.”
Born in 1949 in San Francisco, Walker took up the guitar at age 14. Just two years later, he was a known quantity on the Bay Area music scene, playing blues with an occasional foray into psychedelic rock. For a while, he roomed with guitarist and composer Mike Bloomfield, who introduced him to Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead. Walker even made a brief pilgrimage to Chicago to check out the blues scene there. In 1975, burned out on blues, Walker turned to God, singing for the next decade with a gospel group, the Spiritual Corinthians. When the Corinthians played the 1985 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Walker was inspired to embrace his blues roots again. He assembled the Boss Talkers, and throughout the 1990s merged many of his gospel, jazz, soul, funk, and rock influences with his trademark blues. Through the years Walker has collaborated with a diverse group of first-rate artists including Branford Marsalis, James Cotton, Tower of Power, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Ike Turner, and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. He has released twenty-five albums since 1986, including his most recent effort “Journeys to the Heart of the Blues” in 2018.
Looking back on his rich history, Walker shares, “I’d like to be known for the credibility of a lifetime of being true to my music and the blues. Sometimes I feel I’ve learned more from my failures than from my success. But that’s made me stronger and more adventurous. And helped me create my own style. I’d like to think that when someone puts on one of my records they would know from the first notes, ‘That’s Joe Louis Walker.’”
Watch The Franke Center website and our Facebook page for future updates.
We wish everyone safety and good health during this challenging time.
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JORDAN HAMILTON
JORDAN HAMILTON
HIP-HOP
MAY 8, 2021 | 8PM
ADV. $14 | DOOR $16
Part of the Michigan Stars Series, Kalamazoo-based rapper, vocalist and cellist Jordan Hamilton weaves stellar vocals and sharp, thought-provoking lyrics over hypnotic cello loops to create a unique brand of Michigan hip-hop. Cellist of Last Gasp Collective and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Jordan Hamilton merges songwriting, loop pedals, sample machines, and vocals to create a sonic landscape of experimental hip-hop, folk, soul, and classical music. The Western Michigan University graduate aims to find new ways for the cello, a traditional instrument, to relate to a modern audience where it can be found playing the music of Bach, the Beatles, or Chance the Rapper. Filled with an eclectic range of songs, Jordan’s set is sure to capture the heart and mind while reflecting on new horizons. Jordan is a Jammie Award winner and winner of the Local Spins’ Emerging Artist of the Year award for 2019.
Visit:http://www.jordanhamiltonmusic.com
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THE FRANKE CENTER CHILDREN’S THEATER
