Back with her "Spotlight on Joplin" for September 2019 is Emily Frankoski, Community Arts Director at Joplin's Connect2Culture. She was on the phone with me while waiting in the Chicago airport--an excellent way to wait out an airport layover! As usual, our fifteen-minute conversation merely scratched the surface of Connect2Culture's "Arts, Culture and Entertainment in Joplin, MO" list for September; you can see the complete list starting September 1st at https://connect2culture.org/september2019. Here, in chronological order through the month of September, are the items we discussed.
September 5: First Thursday ArtWalk, 5:30–8:30pm in Downtown Joplin. First Thursday ArtWalk is a sophisticated, yet festive event for area artists as well as patrons of the arts. Dozens of artists will show their art and/or demonstrate their artistic process, and all art will be available for sale. Participating artists will be located inside various venues along with live acoustic music. Patrons are encouraged to “walk the art” through historic Downtown Joplin. Free and open to the public. One of the First Thursday events is the opening reception for "Body Languages" by Joplin artist Connie Miller, 5:30–8:30pm at Urban Art Gallery (511 S Main Street).
September 6: Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center Open House, 10:00am–Noon at Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center (201 Riviera Dr). Celebrate the reopening of the Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center during this open house, with light refreshments and cool exhibits, as well as guest speakers from the Missouri Department of Conservation and other organizations. All ages welcome. Free and open to the public.
September 6: Opening Reception: Oceanic Journey: The Art of Papua New Guinea, 3:00–5:00pm at Missouri Southern State University, Spiva Art Gallery (3950 E Newman Rd). Experience the art of Papua New Guinea, including a selection of engaging ritual and everyday objects including Bilum (string) bags, ceremonial bowls, figures, and rattan masks. Objects on loan from Spurlock Museum, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Free and open to the public. This event is a part of MSSU’s Oceania themed semester.
September 6: Vintage Swing Movement Joplin: First Friday, 7:00–10:00pm (Social Dance 8:00pm) at Joplin Avenue Coffee Company (506 S Joplin Ave). Learn the art of swing dance with a beginner’s dance lesson. Then, enjoy live jazz music by Freddy Green and friends and show off your newly acquired skills. Cost: $5.
September 13: Wild 417, 7:00pm at Wildcat Park, Creek Side (201 Rivera Dr). Nature and art collide in this unique runway show put on by Wildcat Glades Friends Group. Local stylists will transform models into nature-inspired beauties from the 417-area code. Animals, plants, flowers... nothing is off limits. Admission: $25 per person, $40 per couple. Cocktail dress suggested.
September 19: Pro Musica opens their 2019-2020 season with the return to Joplin of the Miró Quartet, 7:00pm at First Community Church (2007 E 15th Street). The Miró Quartet, based in Austin, Texas, is one of America’s most celebrated string quartets. The Miró takes pride in finding new ways to communicate with audiences of all backgrounds while cultivating the tradition of chamber music. The quartet first performed in Joplin during the 2001-02 season and a second time in the 2011-12 season. Free and open to the public.
September 20: Fifth Annual Joplin Arts Fest, 6:00–10:00pm at Mercy Park (3002 St Johns Blvd); and September 21st from 9:00am-4:00pm. The Kiwanis Club of Joplin – in collaboration with Joplin Regional Artists Coalition, Connect2Culture, and Spiva Center for the Arts – present the fifth annual Joplin Arts Fest, Southwest Missouri’s premier fall fine arts festival, JThis two-day, juried event boasts 40+ fine artist booths, live performances by local artists, children’s art activities and a variety of food trucks. Free and open to the public.
September 26-28: MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival at Joplin Public Library, Community Room East (1901 E 20th St). Hours: Thursday Sept.26 6:00–8:00pm; Friday Sept.27 4:00-6:00pm; Saturday Sept. 28 11:00am-1:00pm and 4:00-8:00pm. MANHATTAN SHORT is an event that takes place in 400 venues across 6 continents during one week—and Joplin Public Library is excited to participate! Each year, ten short films (two hours altogether) are selected and shown across the globe. Then, audiences are asked to make their voices heard and vote for the one they think is best! Viewer discretion advised for anyone under 18. Parent or guardian required for children under 18. Free and open to the public.
September 25–29: Joplin Little Theatre: Xanadu the Musical, Wed-Sat 7:30pm, Sunday 2:30pm, at Joplin Little Theatre (3008 W 1st Street). "Xanadu" follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse, Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California in 1980 on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time – the first roller disco! (Hey, it's 1980!) But, when Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation, and chaos abounds. Tickets: Adults $18, Seniors/Students $15, Children $8.
Heartland Opera Theatre will give two performances at the end of the month in Neosho and Carthage, featuring the 1989 opera "Bon Appétit!" by the late American composer Lee Hoiby. It's a one-woman show, sung in English, based on legendary chef Julia Child. Performances are Friday Sept.27 at 7:00pm at Northwood Arts and Event Center (115 N Wood St, Neosho, MO), and Sunday Sept.29 at 2:00pm at The Woodshed (311 Main St, Carthage, MO). Tickets for each performance: $15 in advance, $20 day of show, $10 for students.
