LIVESTREAM: See Vanessa Williams at the Morrison Center

Check out this LIVESTREAM EVENT. Women of Broadway: Vanessa Williams. READ MORE.

Treats Photography is Among the Best

The Morrison Center Wins 2018 BroadwayWorld Boise Regional Awards

"Theater of the Year" "Best Touring Show: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA" Thank you to our patrons and community members for their enthusiasm and support in achieving this honor!

The BroadwayWorld Regional Awards is a contest sponsored by BroadwayHD, aiming to recognize the best venues, productions, touring shows, and acting in the area. This year the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards featured voting in over 100 cities across America, Canada, Central and South America, Europe, and Asia. Categories were set by local editors and reader-submitted nominees were voted on by local theater-goers. Regional productions, touring shows, and more were all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Voting took place online at www.BroadwayWorld.com during the month of December 2018. Anyone with a valid email address was eligible to vote for their favorite nominees. A full list of the Boise Regional winners can be found on their winners  webpage. The Morrison Center won awards for "Theater of the Year" and "Best Touring Show" with the production of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA presented by the Fred Meyer Broadway in Boise series.

VELMA V. MORRISON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Located on the campus of Boise State University, the 2,037-seat Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts is Idaho's premier performing arts center. Nestled on the banks of the Boise River, with a panoramic view of the city, parks and foothills, the Center's 10-story stage house is a recognizable fixture of the Capitol's picturesque skyline. The realization of a life-long dream of Harry W. Morrison, and championed by his widow, Velma, the Center opened its doors on April 7, 1984. Today the Center is recognized as a Cultural Ambassador for the City of Boise and a major destination for arts and culture, annually hosting hundreds of live entertainment and arts education offerings that serve to enrich the lives of patrons of all ages. As a Boise State affiliate, the Center is a non-profit organization supported by ticket sales, facility rentals, donations and the generous support of the Morrison Center Endowment Foundation, Inc. For more information on our programs, or to find out how you can play an active role in our ongoing success as a donor or volunteer, please visit us at:  www.MorrisonCenter.com

The #MissIdaho2018 contestants' official #PHOTOS are now on the website!

#NEWS The #MissIdaho2018contestants'official #PHOTOS are now on the website! 

Click here and see: http://www.missidaho.org/2018-contestants/

***

A look at Michael Strickland: Author, Educator

Michael Strickland teaches literacy education at Boise State University.

His site https://www.facebook.com/youpublish is a labor of love designed to help authors, educators, parents and librarians in the ever changing and complex world of literature.

And visit Youngpeoplespavilion.com for reviews, analyses, author bios and classroom recommendations for children's and young adult literature.

For more about Michael's work, please see: www.michaelrstrickland.com. "Publishing is a wonderful journey that I would recommend for anyone," Michael writes.

Here is another one of his web resources for anyone who needs more support: "Get Published: Free Tips and Resources" (on Facebook).

An avid book reviewer, "Hopefully I will write about your book next!" Michael writes.

Click here for more info: https://amzn.to/2rG4IXx

Read more about Michael Strickland at Story Story Night in Boise: http://boisestatepublicradio.org/post/featuring-michael-strickland-and-story-slammer-amelia-wright#stream/0

Be sure to stay at #MissIdaho2018 official hotel: Best Western Plus Peppertree Nampa Civic Center Inn

Coming to town for #MissIdaho2018 on June 8th and 9th? 

Be sure to stay at our official hotel: Best Western Plus Peppertree Nampa Civic Center Inn. 

Tell them you're staying for the pageant! Read more:https://www.bestwesternnampa.com/

Thanks - Michael Strickland

Young Peoples Pavilion: Using Classical Music to Stimulate Children's Writing.

Source: Wikipedia

In 1979 I remember sitting in the front of the tent at summer camp, with classic rock music from the era blaring from the radio. Many of those songs endure today. It made me ponder the universal reach of classics, from rock n’ roll to Mozart. I have been pondering how to use such creative motivations from my youth to help stimulate creative writing in my classroom.

In recent discussions with professional development communities, we have been exploring the idea that when children are engaged with films, television shows, movies and video games, they are subliminally listening to a soundtrack.

The students make associations are being made to the atmosphere of a scene. With their sudden changes in tempo and atmosphere, film soundtracks are particularly useful. It is important for teachers to review, reflect on and analyze various experiences to see how they can connect them to the classroom.

With symphonies lingering in my head from a recent concert, I decided to use music to inspire some writing. As with a soundtrack, a symphony is filled with sudden changes in volume, tempo, beat, rhythm and mood. I will choose from Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mahler, and Mozart.

Such elaborate instrumental compositions are filled with the wonder, grand proportions and varied elements. This week, I will play a symphony in my classroom. To begin with, I will let the children infer what is happening. I will ask the children to write one word that summarizes the overall work of music. We will discuss what they hear and feel, and I will list sample words on the board.

We will listen to the symphony again. Then we will share: did the piece change? How did it change? The words drafted will be used to stimulate further ideas and write stories. I will model some whole sentences for the class to use. The children will have to write their stories based on the music.

I will use the analogy of an old radio. Before the digital age, we found our favorite radio station by carefully turning the radio dial until it lined up with the station’s frequency. As we approached the number, we could only hear static. But when we finally achieved the proper alignment, the music could be heard. I will tell the students that talking, thinking and reading about works of art such as music is a way to align yourself with your own best writing frequency.

After this assignment is done, I will write another diary, reflecting on how it went. Additional assignments that can be drawn from this learning experience can include writing reviews of concerts, recordings, art, and local events.