Arts and Culture

World-Premiere Ballet at NMU

FRT ballet
Jan. 16, 2019 —

Northern Michigan University Theater and Dance will present the world premiere of the full-length ballet, East of the Sun, West of the Moon. This twist on the classic Scandinavian folk tale features original choreography by director Jill Grundstrom and original music composed by Griffin Candey. The production is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, through Saturday, Jan. 26, in Forest Roberts Theatre. Admission is $15 for general public, $10 for students and $5 for NMU students. All theatre and dance majors and minors are invited to attend free of charge.

Theatre and Dance Presents Holiday Soiree Dec. 11

Production poster
Nov. 26, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance will present its Holiday Soirée celebration and fundraiser for student scholarships on Wednesday, Dec. 11. The festive event kicks off with a holiday buffet and live auction from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Panowski Black Box Theatre, followed by student and guest-star performances from 7:30-9. There will also be a special visit from Santa Claus.

NMU Theatre & Dance Presents New 'Home for the Holidays' Show

Home for the Holidays wreath graphic
Nov. 21, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance will present a festive new production titled “Home for the Holidays” Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 5-7 and 12-14 in Forest Roberts Theatre. The show is about a group of NMU students who convene to share tales of their diverse family traditions before they journey home for the holidays. It features musical singing and dance numbers—many familiar—with bits of dialogue to tie it all together.

U.P. Teens Invited to Enter Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Program

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Logo
Nov. 8, 2024 —
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation's longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative teens, are accepting entries from teenagers across the country in grades 7–12 through Dec. 3. The Northern Shores Storywork Writing Project site at Northern Michigan University is serving as the Upper Peninsula affiliate of the awards.

Hughes' Portrait Paintings Earn Accolades

From left: Tourmaline, Regent and Siren from Hughes' Re-Emergent solo exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery in San Franciso. The last piece was displayed in the Character in Context exhibition in Colorado.
Nov. 7, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University Art and Design Professor Steve Hughes, whose freelance studio has the appropriate moniker Primary Hughes, has received some notable accolades for his boldly colorful acrylic paintings that meld portraiture with graphic elements and patterns. Most recently, he was selected as a monthly winner in the Figure & Portrait category of the 14th Annual PleinAir Salon Art Competition. He will compete for a $15,000 grand prize and a chance to have his work featured on the cover of PleinAir Magazine at a convention and expo in May.

NMUDoIt Student Theater Group Presents 'The Last Five Years'

'The Last Five Years' poster featuring Liam Fisher and Kayleigh Clark.
Nov. 6, 2024 —
NMUDoIt, a student theater group established early this year at Northern Michigan University, will present its first full-length production—the musical The Last Five Years—at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 through Saturday, Nov. 16, in the Panowski Black Box Theatre. Tickets are free (donations accepted). Written and composed by Drama Desk winner Jason Robert Brown, The Last Five Years is described as an emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their 20s who fall in and out of love over the course of five years.

Zodiac Trio to Perform at NMU

Zodiac Trio
Oct. 21, 2024 —
The Zodiac Trio, a premier violin-clarinet-piano ensemble, will perform as part of Northern Michigan University's Siril Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, in Reynolds Recital Hall. The group will also host two free events earlier in the day, also in Reynolds: a music appreciation presentation at 11 a.m.; and a masterclass at 1 p.m.

NMU's 'Frankenstein' Opens on Halloween

NMU's "Frankenstein" is directed by Kaitlyn Frotton and adapted by Alastar Dimitrie
Oct. 18, 2024 —
For more than two centuries, Mary Shelley's 1818 Gothic novel Frankenstein has remained a favorite within the horror fiction genre. Its tale of a scientist's effort to bring back the dead by carving a new creature from their corpses—only to have his creation turn on him through a series of violent acts—has had an enduring influence on popular culture and spawned many creative adaptations. Northern Michigan University Theatre and Dance will premiere its version of the stage play, with opening night appropriately on Halloween.