THURSDAY, November 6, 2014 The Herald-Palladium Section D ENTERTAINMENT Timothy’s Restaurant at Gordon Beach Inn 16220 Lake Shore Road, Union Pier, Michigan Herald Palladium 11/06/2014 Copy Reduced to %d%% from original to fit letter page &$$$""%! !"# " ‘Divas’ channel 1920s music Friday’s program at Heritage Museum features old tunes with timeless feel By RALPH HEIBUTZKI HP Correspondent ST. JOSEPH — The 1920s are nearly a century away, but there’s a reason why performers like mezzo- soprano singer Katherine Rohwer draw plenty of in- spiration from songwriters and composers like George Gershwin and Irving Ber- lin. “It’s lasted because it’s great music and full of pa- Photos provided thos. It’s got such gripping The cast of “Jim Henson’s Sid the Science Kid Live: Let’s Play!” will bring the PBS Kids television show to life with vocal lines,” Rohwer says. two shows Saturday at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center Mainstage Theatre. “We enjoy looking back to eras that we think may have been simpler. Listening to this music is nostalgic, and we fi nd comfort in that.” Soprano Rebecca Der- bas-Selvidge heartily sec- onds those sentiments. “A large part of it is not Sounds only the performance, but also the lyrics,” Derbas-Sel- vidge says. “Especially for a lot of these songs from the of 1920s, the lyrics are still contemporary. They still ‘Sid the Science Kid’ comes to life at MendelScience Center on Saturday have a lot of the same ideas and meanings as the songs we hear on the radio.” By JEREMY D. BONFIGLIO Based on the Emmy-nomi- As an example, Derbas- HP Features Writer nated PBS Kids television series Selvidge cites “You’d Be that debuted in 2008, “Jim Surprised,” a Berlin song BENTON HARBOR — Translating an Henson’s Sid the Science Kid Live: from 1919 that she’s chosen animated television show to the theatrical Let’s Play!” – which has back-to- for her solo set. stage has its share of challenges. back matinee performances Saturday at the “It talks about how ‘he For dancer and puppeteer Sherrell Lake Michigan College Mendel Center might not look much of a Whitmire, who portrays Gabriela in the Mainstage Theatre – uses comedy and lover, but you don’t judge a touring production of “Jim Henson’s Sid the music to promote exploration, discovery The Sherrell Whitmire book by its cover’ – very in- Science Kid Live: Let’s Play!” the biggest and science. Jim teresting lyrics that are still obstacle was quite literally stepping inside The stage show centers on students Sid Henson relevant, and people will the character’s oversized shoes. (Carolyn Wells), May (Dionne Eleby), Company. It’s also the same team that understand, too,” she says. “It’s full-costume puppeteering from head Gabriela (Whitmire) and Gerald (Cesar produced last year’s “Dinosaur Train Live! On Friday at The Heri- to toe,” Whitmire says by telephone during a Razza) as they explore their fi ve senses Buddy’s Big Adventure.” tage Museum & Cultural tour stop in Saginaw. “So it gets really, really through fun games and interactive experi- Tartaglia has been working in the pup- Center, Rohwer, Rebecca hot, but all I’m thinking is there are tons of ments, as well as asking curious questions petry industry since he was 16 years old Derbas-Selvidge and sopra- kids in the audience who know this show and fi nding the answers with the help of after joining the “Sesame Street” team, no Carrie VanDenburgh – through PBS. They know how Gabriela acts, Teacher Susie (Sarah Krauss). performing many minor characters, includ- so I’m challenged with bringing her to life. “She has them bring different things to ing Phoebe, and being the understudy for See DIVAS, page D5 You want to keep that magic alive for the school and through those different objects Kevin Clash’s Elmo. He went on to perform kids.” they learn about sight, sound, taste, smell Ernie for the second season of “Play with and touch,” Whitmire says. “Teacher Susie Me Sesame” and Oscar the Grouch for expresses all of those through songs such as “Sesame Street 4D.” He also created and ‘Detective Rover,’ where she’s describing puppeteered the roles of Princeton (the What: “The Divas of If you go how dogs have one of the most powerful recent college grad) and Rod (the closeted Downton” featuring Kath- senses of smell. It’s a very interactive Republican investment banker) in the Tony erine Rohwer, Rebecca What: “Jim Henson’s Sid the Science show with a lot of singing and a lot of Award-winning Broadway musical “Avenue Derbas-Selvidge, and Car- Kid Live: Let’s Play!” dancing and asking the audience to Q.” And last year, he was cast as the new rie VanDenburgh When: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday participate with us as well.” puppeteer for Gobo Fraggle of “Fraggle “Sid the Science Kid Live: Let’s Rock,” replacing Jerry Nelson, who died in When: 6:30 p.m. Friday Where: Lake Michigan College Mendel Center Main- Play!” was designed for the stage by 2012. Where: The Heritage stage Theatre, 2755 E. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor Tony Award-nominated actor John Whitmire, who is primarily a commercial Museum & Cultural Center, How much: $16-$26 Tartaglia, the creator and writer of dancer for TV and fi lm by trade, says it was 601 Main St., St. Joseph “ImaginOcean”; Michael Lewis, the both the animated series and Tartaglia’s How much: $40 Contact: 927-1221 or www.lmcmainstage.org veteran Broadway performer and Artist info: www.gablesgrove.com; www.henson.com producer of “ImaginOcean”; and See SCIENCE KID, page D5 Contact: 982-4030 or www.smso.org Trout Steak Revival riding Rocky Mountain high Copyright (c)2014 The Herald-Palladium 11/06/2014 November 6, 2014 3:43 pm / Powered by TECNAVIA Telluride Bluegrass Creek, the Dixie Chicks and day’s stop at The Livery. Greensky Bluegrass. “Since we all quit our jobs Festival winners “That was one of the best it’s been fun to talk creative- days of our lives, and we’re ly about tours and what we play The Livery on still feeling it,” banjo player wanted to do,” McNamara first Midwest tour and Grand Rapids native says. “I’m from Grand Rap- Travis McNamara says by ids, Will’s from Kent City, By JEREMY D. BONFIGLIO telephone from Denver. “I and Steve and Casey are HP Features Writer had a full-time job and put from Wisconsin. It’s where in my two-week notice right we grew up, it’s where our BENTON HARBOR — after Telluride. We had a re- roots are. We have so many It’s been fi ve months since ally full summer to begin friends and family who have Denver-based Trout Steak with but after Telluride we supported us but have never Revival won the band com- just got so many more op- seen us play. So this Mid- petition at the 41st annual portunities to play. We got a west tour is one of the fi rst Telluride Bluegrass Festival, headlining slot at the Fox things we wanted to do.” and the impact of that mo- Theatre in Boulder, and fes- Although Trout Steak ment is just starting to set tivals for next summer are Revival is fi rmly rooted in in. being booked now.” Colorado’s thriving string- Winning the competition The win also inspired band scene, its origins can means Trout Steak Revival Trout Steak Revival – which be traced back to Newaygo, becomes the fi rst band in addition to McNamara Mich., where McNamara, booked to play next year’s includes Steve Foltz (man- Koster and Houlihan fi rst prestigious festival, which, dolin/guitar), Will Koster started playing together as as in years past, is sure to (dobro/guitar), Bevin Foley counselors at Camp Henry. Photo provided sell out. It also means the (fi ddle) and Casey Houlihan “As counselors you play a Trout Steak Revival, the Denver-based roots music band featuring, from left, Steve Foltz, Will fi ve-member mountain mu- (upright bass) – to set out lot of acoustic music around Koster, Bevin Foley, Travis McNamara and Casey Houlihan, will perform Saturday at The Livery in sic band joins the ranks of on the band’s fi rst Midwest Benton Harbor. previous winners Nickel tour, which includes Satur- See TROUT STEAK, page D5 The Herald-Palladium ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY, November 6, 2014 – D5 DIVAS gram that related to TROUT STEAK ‘Downton Abbey’ – or the From page D1 1920s – and have a really From page D1 good time with it.” What: Trout Steak Revival collectively known as The As Rohwer notes, the the campfi re,” McNamara Divas – will take listeners trio members share two says. “Late at night, we were When: 8 p.m. Saturday through a musical journey things in common – they’re hanging out and swapping Where: The Livery, 190 inspired by the period dra- all choral directors as well covers, learning Neil Young Fifth St., Benton Harbor ma “Downton Abbey.” as trained singers. Rohwer covers and Bob Dylan cov- The concert, which bene- is in her sixth year as choir ers. In fact, Will and I played How much: $8-$10 fi ts both The Heritage director at Lakeshore High our fi rst live show ever to a Contact: 925-8760 or Center and the Southwest School. Derbas-Selvidge bunch of counselors at the www.liverybrew.com Michigan Symphony Or- directs the Coloma Com- Sportsman’s Bar there in Artist info: chestra, features The Di- munity Schools choir, as Newaygo.” www.troutsteak.com vas singing trios, duets and well as Lake Michigan The trio stayed in contact.