New Additions to Genesee Community College Arts and Cultural Center Annual Season Line-Up

New Shows and Exhibits Announced

Batavia, NY (08/29/2018) — The Genesee Center for the Arts at Genesee Community College in Batavia, New York has confirmed several new events for the 2018-2019 coming season.

The season begins with "Bakkhai" performed by the Genesee Community College Forum Players. Come enjoy the tale of Dionysos who has brought his fanatic religion to Thebes, but, when his holy lineage is denied, he will stop at nothing to prove his power. Anne Carson's new version of the Euripides classic weaves this harrowing myth and its tragic end into the 21st century. Performances will take place on October 19 and October 20, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. and October 21, 2018 at 2 p.m. in GCC's Stuart Steiner Theatre.

Brighten your holidays - literally - with "A Very Electric Christmas," performed by Lightwire Theatre on Sunday, November 18, 2018 with two shows at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Stuart Steiner Theatre in Batavia. Audiences of all ages will love this magical and captivating tale of family, friendship and hope set to timeless holiday hits. Check out the production trailer at https://www.lightwiretheater.com/a-very-electric-christmas/.

GCC's Forum Players will return to the stage in "Single Black Female" written by Lisa B. Thompson, award-winning playwright. In this show, quick comic vignettes tell the story of two thirty-something Africa-American middle class women looking for love, clothes, dignity and more in a world that only sees stereotypes. This production is a thesis project for Director Jamie Arena who is pursuing a Master's degree at Regent College. Performances will take place on November 29, 30, and December 1, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. and on December 2, 2018 at 2 p.m.

On December 7, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. a dance showcase entitled "Fear: What are you afraid of?" will take the stage in the Stuart Steiner Theatre. Directed by Tara Pocock, adjunct professor at GCC, the 20-piece performance dives into the human mind and choreographs fear to modern jazz and hip-hop style dancing. The audience is encouraged to participate in the show which features students from Anastasia's Spotlight Dance Studio in Churchville. All proceeds will go to GCC's Forum Players.

Tickets for these shows are $8 for adults, and $5 for seniors (55+) and students (16+) and GCC faculty/ staff. GCC students with ID are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket. To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

The schedule at GCC's Roz Steiner Art Gallery continues to capture the wide array of dynamic work in the visual arts featuring drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and language arts in the following four exhibits:

The Fall exhibit schedule begins with "Portraits on Recycled Trash" by Dion Hitchings on display from August 23 - September 22, 2018 in the Roz Steiner Art Gallery. Through the untraditional media of children's art supplies and consumer boxes, Hitchings offers a glimpse into a unique world that is filled with altered and complex viewpoints giving the audience an opportunity to 'think outside the box.' Gallery receptions will be held on August 30, 2018 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Welcoming visitors into the Stuart Steiner Theatre lobby from August 15 - September 22, 2018 is an impressive photography exhibit entitled "Landscape Interaction/ Intervention" which celebrates the work of students enrolled in GCC's Intermediate Photography; a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) class taught by Associate Professor of Photography and Art, Joe Ziolkowski in collaboration with Associate Lecturer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's School of Art in Australia, Rebecca Najdowski. Experience the powerful images that expanded student knowledge of landscape, trans-national, trans-cultural and trans-photography concepts between the United States and Australia. The exhibit is simultaneously on display at GCC and RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. More of the student's works are visible at https://interaction-intervention.weebly.com/. Meet the talented contributing artists at the gallery receptions on August 30, 2018 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

From October 2 - October 25, 2018 the Gallery will display a special selection of works from the Gerald Mead Collection. Mead is a noted collector, Buffalo artist and educator. His private collection includes over 1,000 historic and contemporary artworks by various artists associated with the Western New York region through birth or residency. Mead will lecture on October 9, 2018 at 12:30 p.m. and receptions will follow at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Going beyond conscious intention to make coherent images from irrational juxtaposition of disparate parts is the impetus of Emily Kenas' work. While making new sense of recognizable materials, her work "Assemblage" occupies a space between painting and sculpture and will occupy the Gallery from November 13 - December 14, 2018. Kenas will lecture on November 29, 2018 at 12:30 p.m. and receptions will follow at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

A collection of paintings by Muhammad Zaman, entitled "Finding Amal" will be exhibited from January 22 - February 22, 2019. Amal, meaning 'hope' in Arabic is what Zaman hopes to inspire through his work. "Finding Amal" features compositions of urban calligraphy that combine the three languages that are the cornerstones of the artist's culture: Arabic, English and Bangla. Each individual canvas expresses a word, phrase or concept as if they were messages dedicated to the entire human race. The artist will lecture on January 31, 2019 at 12:30 p.m. and receptions will follow at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The Roz Steiner Art Gallery is open to the public Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery is also open during special events as published at www.genesee.edu/campuslife/arts. Admission is free. For more information, contact Gallery Coordinator Mary Jo Whitman at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6490, or via email: mjwhitman@genesee.edu.

# # #

Editor's Note:

For a sample illustration from Dion Hitchings "Portraits in Trash" exhibit go to:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Dion Hitchings Exhibit PortraitsInTrash.jpg

For an image from "A Very Electric Christmas" go to:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/LightwireElectricChristmas.jpg

An image from "What are you afraid of?" is available at:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Danceshow_Fear.jpg

Part of the "Landscape Interaction/ Intervention" exhibit, a photo by Rohan F. Saric-Skews, RMIT University of Melbourne, Australia is available at: http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Saric-SkewesRMIT2018.jpg

Media Attachments

An image from “A Very Electric Christmas”

A sample illustration from Dion Hitchings “Portraits in Trash” exhibit

An image from “What are you afraid of?”