Schedule Of Events

7:00pm : "Wit" - A Play by Margaret Edson

In this extraordinary play, Margaret Edson has created a work that is as intellectually challenging as it is emotionally immediate. At the start of Wit, Vivian Bearing, a renowned professor of English who has spent years studying and teaching the brilliantly difficult Holy Sonnets of the metaphysical poet John Donne, has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. Her approach to her illness is not unlike her approach to the study of Donne: aggressively probing and intensely rational. But during the course of her illness – and her stint as a prize patient in an experimental chemotherapy program at a major teaching hospital – Vivian comes to reassess her life and her work with a profundity and humor that are transformative both for her and for the audience. Wit explores not only the physical effects of aggressive treatment for terminal illnesses, but also the need for those involved in the care of their patients to remember and honor human dignity. It can be easy for those in the medical field to see their patients as only a collection of numbers and data, of test results and laboratory findings, while forgetting that human compassion is ultimately what can bring their patients the most comfort. This script has tremendous educational value for those who are currently in healthcare, or who are studying to enter the field of health care.

Location : Artworks, Lower Gallery

1:00pm : Celebration Pavilion: The Story of a City Landmark

Giving the Arts a Home in Big Rapids The Celebration Pavilion, located in Mitchell Creek Park, is an example of a site-specific piece of art, i.e., a piece designed specifically for its location. The project was initiated in 2013 by then-City Manager Steven Sobers, who had seen a similar park in Nebraska that had been transformed by a structure like this. The eleven-foot-tall dome incorporates images that are iconic to Big Rapids: the Muskegon River, Riverwalk, Ferris, wildlife and nature, and the four seasons. Marlies Manning, retired landscape architect, designed the dome panels, while the Welding Engineering Technology (WET) students from Ferris completed the structural design and fabrication. The project took two years, with two separate classes of WET students bringing the project to completion. Working closely with David Murray, FSU welding professor emeritus, the structure and the panels were engineered, cut, welded,and assembled on site by FSU welding students in 2015. Join Marlies and David in Mitchell Creek Park to hear about the project and the behind-the-scene stories that brought this Big Rapids icon into existence.

Location : Mitchell Creek Park

7:00pm : Cliff Monear and Sarah Barnes D'Angelo In Concert

Pianist Cliff Monear and vocalist Sarah Barnes D'Angelo are Detroitbased musicians, each with careers that have taken them around the world. Enjoy their unique chemistry as they come together to create a wonderfully intricate and swingin’ jazz experience. Their concert performances feature clever arrangements of familiar jazz standards and classical themes. “...Monear’s breathy ideas leave lots of space, girding the music with exquisite tension. What gives the music personality is Monear’s suave touch, relaxed swing, fresh melodic and harmonic turns, and the unpretentious way he draws on familiar influences.” Mark Stryker, Free Press Music Critic "Sarah D'Angelo does it with verve, class, confidence, poise, perfect intonation, spot-on phrasing, terrific dynamic, personal expression, and loads of love. She's an incredible team player with her own exquisite persona."

Location : Immanuel Lutheran Church

Click Here For More Information