Arts notes

Lawrence man is among ‘America’s Sweetest Dads’

Lawrence resident Travis Hilton, 32, is a man who throws traditional family roles to the wind.

The stay-at-home dad takes care of his children — Josie, 5, and Jack, 2 — while his wife, Paula, works outside the home.

In the June issue of “Parents” magazine, the “hot and hard-working” Hilton was named one of “America’s Sweetest Dads.” He was chosen, along with 12 other fathers, from more than 2,600 nominations.

“I love the unstructured schedule and having the opportunity to do neat things with the kids,” Travis says of his stay-at-home gig. “Occasionally I crave a little more adult contact and conversation, but then I stop and think, ‘Tomorrow they’ll both be away at college.'”

For his birthday this year, Paula hired a baby-sitter to watch the children a couple of hours, one day a week. Travis says he appreciates the break but is always ready to come home and see his kids.

It’s a pirate’s life for City Youth Theatre

Swashbuckling, adventure and romance will come to life on the Lawrence Arts Center stage Thursday through June 27 when the City Youth Theatre performs “The Three Musketeers.”

Mas Bush’s adaptation features period costumes and dashing swordplay.

Co-directed by fight choreographer Doug Weaver and City Youth Theatre director Erin Girard, the play features more than 20 Lawrence area eighth- through 12th-grade youth who have been working for four weeks on the production.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. June 27 at the arts center, 940 N.H. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors.

For more information, call 843-2787.

‘River City Chronicles’

Historians detail anti-slavery in Lawrence

The first of two parts on the anti-slavery movement in Lawrence with historians Matthew Veatch and Jonathan Earle airs on 6News at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Monday on “River City Chronicles.”

Veatch, Kansas State Historical Society assistant state historian, and Earle, assistant professor of history at Kansas University, describe the anti-slavery movement and the people at its forefront in 1850s Lawrence in “Anti-slavery: Evolutionaries and Revolutionaries in Lawrence.”

“River City Chronicles” is a weekly feature in honor of Lawrence’s sesquicentennial and will run each Monday through Sept. 13.

Two art guilds join forces

This month the Topeka Art Guild Gallery is playing host to an inaugural event — the Topeka Art Guild’s Invitational Joint Exhibit and Sale — in conjunction with the Lawrence Art Guild.

Thirteen Lawrence guild artists have work featured at the event.

The show runs through July 2 at the TAG Gallery inside the Fairlawn Plaza Mall, 5331 S.W. 22 Place, Topeka.

For more information, call (785) 273-7646 or e-mail taggallery@carrollsweb.com.

Lawrence City Band sends in the clowns

The Lawrence City Band’s fourth concert of the summer season will feature music with a circus theme.

The free concert is set for 8 p.m. Wednesday at South Park, 11th and Massachusetts streets.

The program will open with “Entry of the Gladiators,” a march composed by Julius Fucik. “Commemoration Fanfare and Chorale,” a piece by 1985 KU alumni Claude T. Smith celebrating the Midwestern Music Camp’s 50th anniversary will follow.

Other featured numbers include “Flight of the Bumblebee Clarinet Polka” featuring clarinet soloist J.D. Parr, “Highlights from Gypsy” and Karl King’s “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite March.”

The guest conductor for “Black Horse Troop,” Col. Arnald Gabriel, is one of the most distinguished band conductors in the world.

The band is under the direction of Robert Foster.

Ad Astra Galleria mounts eclectic new show

Lawrence artists Sara Rich and Dessie Oread have combined their work for a joint showing titled “Time and Memory: Infinitus et Finitus” at Ad Astra Galleria, 205 W. Eighth St.

The show is designed to capture all five of the physical senses and to draw a connection between object and interpretation. Found objects, wings, mirrors and keys play important roles in the artists’ creations.

“My work deals with the complications of memory, storytelling, childhood experiences, dreams and passions and how all of those aspects are affected by the erosion of time,” Rich said.

Oread’s work focuses on natural life cycles and inevitable changes.

“Life and death are synonymous as are other seeming polarities,” Oread said.

The show will be on display through July 2.

Art guild names officers, coordinators

The Lawrence Art Guild elected new officers and coordinators at its May meeting. The following individuals will serve in 2004-2005:

  • Kimbo Jackson, president
  • Linda Baranski, vice president
  • Kate Fairchild, treasurer
  • Pam Rees, secretary
  • Laurie Culling, art exhibit coordinator
  • Sue Suhler, public relations coordinator

New members are encouraged to join the Lawrence Art Guild. Meetings are from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the Lawrence Public Library auditorium, 707 Vt. The guild will be on hiatus in July and August. Visit www.lawrenceartguild.com or call 864-3999 for information.

Art guild’s monthly meeting Monday

The Lawrence Art Guild will meet 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday in the Lawrence Public Library auditorium, 707 Vt.

The guild will discuss group business for about 30 minutes before yielding the floor to Rick Mitchell, art gallery exhibit coordinator for the Lawrence Arts Center. Mitchell will speak about the history of the relationship between the guild and the arts center and what the two organizations do for each other. He also will discuss possibilities for future collaboration and artist concerns.

Those interested in learning more about the guild are encouraged to attend.

Kansas Touring Roster open for submissions

July 15 is the deadline to be considered for the Kansas Arts Commission’s fiscal year 2006 Kansas Touring Roster.

The Kansas Touring Program connects Kansas performing artists with Kansas presenters. The commission offers any eligible Kansas presenter the opportunity to apply for grants covering 40 percent of the fees for artists on the roster.

The roster is published each December and is made available through the commission Web site to Kansas arts organizations, schools and other presenters.

Performing artists interested in applying for a roster spot should visit http://arts.state.ks.us and click on the individual artist guidelines link. For more information, call Karen Brady at (785) 368-6545 or e-mail karen@arts.state.ks.us.

Film Institute announces new scholarship program

The Oklahoma Film Institute, in conjunction with StudentFilms.com, is sponsoring a national short script competition. The winner will receive an institute scholarship valued at $1,500.

Scripts should be no more than 20 pages in length and must be submitted through StudentFilms.com. Deadline for submissions is June 30, and the winner will be announced July 5.

Institute instructors will judge the submitted scripts. The winning scholarship is good for all three weeks of the institute’s summer workshop program, which runs July 12-30.

For more information, go to www.StudentFilms.com.