Amarillo entertainment in brief for March 26, 2023
Texas Tech’s Aaron Hegert to exhibit digital composites at Amarillo College
Aaron Hegert, an assistant professor of photography at Texas Tech University, will display images March 24 to May 4 at Amarillo College’s Southern Light Gallery in an exhibit he calls "Shallow Learning." He used a branch of artificial intelligence called “deep learning” to create a series of images that compares the way people see photographs to the way algorithms see them.
The Southern Light Gallery is located on the first floor of the Ware Student Commons on AC’s Washington Street Campus and is free and open to the public.
A Fulbright Scholar (Paris 2008), Hegert’s work has been exhibited and published widely. His publications are held in the Joan Flasch Artists Book Collection at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Franklin Furnace Archive in Brooklyn, and the Museum of Modern Art Library in New York City. He also is a founding member of Everything Is Collective, an experimental art collective whose work, he says, “addresses photography, subjectivity, power, and aesthetics.”
For more information about Aaron Hegert’s Shallow Learning exhibit or the Southern Light Gallery, please contact René West, associate professor of photography, at rwest@actx.edu or 806-345-5654.
WT quartet to give recital prior to NYC debut
A West Texas A&M University student string quartet will give a free recital March 26 as it continues to raise funds for its Carnegie Hall debut.
The JAMS quartet in November won the collegiate strings category of the American Protégé International Competition of Romantic Music and will perform May 27 at the Weill Recital Hall in the legendary concert house in New York City.
Now, quartet members are raising $4,000 to fund their trip via a GoFundMe page and a special recital at 2 p.m. March 26 in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex Recital Hall. Donations will be accepted.
The concert will include a lineup of favorites by Joseph Haydn, Dimitri Shostakovich, Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergei Rachmaninoff and more, as well as two movements of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s String Quartet in E-flat Major. JAMS will perform the first movement of Hensel’s quartet in its Carnegie Hall concert.
Quartet members also include Josenir Cerqueira Jr., first violinist and graduate student in instrumental performance from Criciúma, Brazil; Jasmin Caldera, viola player and sophomore health science/pre-dental major from Amarillo; and Anna Ng, cello player and freshman biology major from Amarillo.
Afroman returns to Whiskey River
Afroman will be live in Amarillo at Whiskey River, 4001 Southwest 51st Ave., at 7 p.m. Monday, March 27.
Joseph Edgar Foreman, known by his stage name Afroman, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, comedian and musician.
Tickets for this show are $30 (plus taxes and fees) for general admission or $80 (plus taxes and fees) for the VIP experience with a meet and greet. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.com
Christian musician Tomlin returns to Amarillo
American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and worship leader Christopher Tomlin returns to Amarillo for an evening of music and worship at 7:30 p.m. April 1 at The Church at Quail Creek, 801 Tascosa Road.
A native of Grand Saline, Tomlin has sold more than 7 million records. Some of his most well-known songs are "How Great Is Our God", "Our God", "Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)" and his cover of "Good Good Father".
General admission tickets for this event are $34 or $24, depending on seating. Group discounts are available for groups of six or more.
There are also Gold Circle seating ($89) and Artist Circle seating ($59) available.
To purchase tickets, visit www.itickets.com/register/new/470791
Ascension Academy to host Riverwalk Gala
Ascension Academy will hold its Annual Gala, “The Riverwalk: Sights, Sounds, and Tastes of Texas,” on Saturday, April 1, 7-11 pm at the Starlight Ranch Event Center.
At the Riverwalk Gala, guests will experience Texas as they would down south with Tex-Mex-inspired cuisine like a grilled cheese station, Dr Pepper BBQ sliders, and a churro bar! Pair that with specialty margaritas, live music, poker tables, tequila tastings and more. The Riverwalk Gala will also present guests with a huge silent auction filled with coveted items like a one-day golf pass to Hillcrest Country Club, a lamb’s wool backpack from Marcella’s furs, or a Kate Spade purse and gift card to Riley Blue Boutique.
The live auction will get the crowd going by allowing guests to bid on packages that fit the theme, such as the “Sounds of Texas” package that includes a master-play wood cutaway acoustic guitar, four designated tickets to Texas Outdoor Musical, four tickets to any concert at the Starlight Theatre, four tickets to the Amarillo Sod Poodles Game, four tickets to a Texas Rangers Game, a Magicteam white noise sound machine, an indoor-outdoor Bluetooth speaker, a hand-painted decorated violin, and a bottle of Texas Crown Whiskey.
Take a chance at winning a bracelet and ring combo from Victoria Jones Jewelry with the Golden Ticket raffle. Only 100 tickets will be sold.
Tickets and sponsorship packages are still available on the Ascension Academy website at: www.ascensionacademy.org/about-us/gala-ascension-academy-college-preparatory-school
For more information, contact Sarah Silva at (806) 382-1202.
Museum curator exhibits works at WT
CANYON — A former West Texas A&M University student who founded an art museum in Plainview is featured in a new exhibition at WT. Kelly Allison’s “Get Behind the Mule,” featuring mixed-media paintings and video works, willhang through April 1 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery in Mary Moody Northen Hall.
Allison, a Plainview native who was an artist of note in Houston for more than 30 years, attended WT in 1976. She returned to the Panhandle area in 2017 to care for her parents and founded the Contemporary Art Museum of Plainview, 219 E. Sixth Street.
The museum opened in November 2017 and has produced 12 major exhibitions and nine community projects including four large-scale murals, two involving students in the Juvenile Justice system and one involving WT art students. CAMP’s mission is to connect the Plainview community to a larger cultural dynamic, bringing people and ideas together through contemporary visual art.
Fitz Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and by appointment Fridays and Saturdays. Email jrevett@wtamu.edu.
Civic Center to host performance of 'Anastasia'
Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical "Anastasia" is on a journey to Texas at 7:30 p.m. on April 3 and 4 at the Amarillo Civic Center, entrances 1 and 12. The performances are presented by Civic Amarillo and Celebrity Attractions.
From the Tony Award®-winning creators of the Broadway classic "Ragtime", this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.
"Anastasia" features a book by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally, a lush new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) based on original direction by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak with choreography by Peggy Hickey and tour direction by Sarah Hartmann.
Tickets for this performance range from $30 to $75 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating. They are available for purchase online through panhandletickets.com
AC’s FM90 welcomes Blue October in April
Amarillo College’s FM90 welcomes Blue October to Amarillo on Wednesday, April 5 at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show will start at 7:30 p.m.
This concert is part of Blue October’s “Spinning the Truth Around” tour, which kicked off in February. “Spinning the Truth Around” is the band’s 11th studio album, which is being released in three parts. Part I was released on October 14, 2022, with Part II planned for release in 2023 and Part III soon after.
Alternative-rock band Blue October was formed in Houston in 1995 by lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Justin Furstenfeld, his brother Jeremy, and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Delahoussaye. In the 28 years since their formation, they have released 16 full-length albums along with numerous singles and EPs. They are widely known for connecting with their audience through music that touches on difficult topics, including relationship issues, mental health, substance abuse and recovery, something front man Justin Furstenfeld is very open about.
Tickets are available now through the band’s website, blueoctober.com, and panhandletickets.com.
VIP Sound Check Experience passes can be purchased from blueoctober.com. Additionally, FM90 will have chances to win both tickets and Soundcheck Experience passes on air on 89.9 FM.
FM90 is a student-operated, 100,000 watt radio station on the Washington Street campus of Amarillo College. An alternative station, FM90 also airs specialty programming such as jazz, blues, country, Tejano and R&B.
Starlight Ranch welcomes King
Randall King takes the stage with Jon Stork in Amarillo at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 8. This show will be taking place in the new Moon Palace at Starlight Ranch, 1415 Sunrise Drive.
With a sound steeped in the timeless beauty of the endless plains of West Texas, both gritty and graceful at the same time, King creates a sound like no other with his modern traditionalist take on country music.
He grew up singing in the back of a ‘93 Chevy Suburban, mimicking the pure-country vocals of stars like Keith Whitley, George Strait, Alan Jackson and John Anderson and over the years became drawn to the electrifying energy of modern stars like Eric Church, Dierks Bentley and Jason Aldean. With more than 120 million career streams to his name, King is looking to the anywhere-and-everywhere future with music that captures the essence of a Western poet who’s never been afraid to be himself.
Tickets for this show range are $20 (plus taxes and fees) for general admission; $50 (plus taxes and fees) for VIP; and $150 (plus taxes and fees) for a reserved deck table, but admission must be purchased separately.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.bigtexan.com/starlight-ranch-event-center/
Amarillo hosting premiere of 'GASP'
Amarillo will host a premiere of the short horror/comedy "GASP", starring hometown actress Payton Spencer, at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at Caliche Co., 2311 SW 7th Ave.
The public is welcome to attend the premiere, which marks the return of Spencer to acting, and for an opportunity to meet the local cast and crew.
Spencer began her career as a child star and was part of the J.J. Abrams ABC Series "What About Brian?" cast and appeared in many other roles, including stints on (NCIS, Joan of Arcadia) and more.
Written, directed and produced by CJ Scott, the movie tells the story of young Phoebe (Spencer) searching for relaxation from her chaotic life at a secluded Airbnb, but her moment of solitude quickly becomes a nightmare as a mysterious and uninvited presence intrudes upon her stay.
Faced with unimaginable evil, Phoebe must rely on her survival instincts with nothing at hand but her trusty frying pan to survive her dreadful reality. The movie also stars Edgar Camarena and Austin Vandagriff.
'Achievement in Art' on exhibit through April 9
The Amarillo Museum of Art is proud to present the 29th annual "Achievement in Art Exhibition" featuringa collection of genre and impressionist paintings by important French artists such as Alfred Sisley, Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, and Eugène Louis Boudin, among others. The exhibit is on display through April 9.
In addition to luminous land and seascapes, the exhibition also includes a number of exquisitely rendered French pastoral scenes by Daniel Ridgeway Knight and Julien Dupré, as well as Parisian scenes by Edouard Léon Cortès. Viewing this exceptional collection will transport viewers into an enchanting and idyllic late-19th to early 20th century French countryside.
The Amarillo Museum of Art is located at 2200 S. Van Buren on the Washington Street campus of Amarillo College. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. For additional information, visit www.amoa.org, email amoa@actx.edu, or call (806) 371-5050 or (806) 371-5392 (weekends).
John Bayless to perform for AC Art Force series in April
For the Art Force Piano Series, John Bayless will offer a variety of genres from opera to the Beatles. The free event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11 at Amarillo College, Washington Street Campus, Concert Hall Theater.
Bayless, who began playing piano at age 4, today is known for his keen ability to imaginatively improvise popular music through his own blend of classical training and piano technique. He is a Texas Panhandle native, originally from Borger. Bayless won a scholarship to the Aspen School of Music at age 15. He went from there to study at the Juilliard School of Music, and at New York University with Leonard Bernstein, among others.
Bayless tours widely in the U.S., Europe and Asia and frequently appears at Pops concerts.
Lone Star Ballet presents 'Alice in Wonderland'
Lone Star Ballet and the Lone Star Dance Academy present "Alice in Wonderland" Friday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 15 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St.
Based on the 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll, "Alice in Wonderland" details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatures.
Tickets to this production range from $14 to $44 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit panhandletickets.com
Cinemark to host anniversary screening of 'The Big Lebowski'
Cinemark Hollywood 16 and XD, 9100 Canyon Drive, will screen "The Big Lewbowski" for the film's 25th anniversary at 4 and 7 p.m. April 16 and 7 p.m. April 20.
From the Academy Award®-winning Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a hilariously quirky comedy about bowling, a severed toe, White Russians and a guy named…The Dude. Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski doesn't want any drama in his life…heck, he can't even be bothered with a job. But, he must embark on a quest with his bowling buddies after his rug is destroyed in a twisted case of mistaken identity.
Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Turturro, experience the cultural phenomenon of The Dude in the "#1 cult film of all time!" (The Boston Globe)
Tickets for this special screening are $12.45 and available online at fathomevents.com
Cooper to perform at Starlight Ranch
Kolby Cooper takes the stage in Amarillo at 8 p.m. Friday, April 21, at the Starlight Ranch's new Moon Palace, 1415 Sunrise Drive.
Only three years out of high school, still living in his small East Texas hometown, Cooper started selling out shows and clocking millions of streams using only his songs as muscle, earning streaming numbers typically reserved for household names.
Amassing more than 113.5 million on demand streams to date, the prolific songwriter has an uncanny ability to turn his and his friends’ life stories into relatable songs his rabidly zealous fanbase can’t get enough of. With new music on the horizon, he headlined sold-out shows all over the country during his 2021 tour, bringing with him his signature blend of Lonestar State roots, rough-hewn vocals and wailing electric guitar.
General admission tickets are $18 (plus taxes and fees); and $38 (plus taxes and fees) for VIP tickets.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.bigtexan.com/starlight-ranch-event-center/
Symphony to perform Rachmaninoff
Amarillo Symphony presents Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto at 7:30 p.m. on April 21 and 22 at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St.
The symphony's final concert of the season presents Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by award-winning pianist Joyce Yang. A work by a young composer from West Texas A&M University will also be featured, along with Ravel’s Mother Goose Ballet.
Tickets for this concert range from $21 to $21 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating. They are available online in advance at panhandletickets.com
Ball of the Bash raises funds for kids with diabetes
Amarillo's annual Bacon Bash kicks off this year with a Ball of the Bash event, Night on the Strip, at 5:30 p.m. on April 21 at The Barfield.
Ticketholders will be treated to six chef-crafted bacon dish and signature drink pairings, each dish full of Pederson's Natural Farms bacon, prepared by the Toscana Italian Steak House, Tony Gonzales, and Cowboy Chef Mike Newton.
The evening will include a casino night, entertainment by the Roman Carbajal Band, a pop-up vendor market, and live auction. All proceeds from Night on the Strip benefit children with Type 1 diabetes in the Texas Panhandle.
Tickets are limited. Secure your tickets or table today by calling Callie Lubke at (928) 965-3397, or e-mailing Callie@baconbashtexas.com.
Cocktail attire is requested and tickets for the event are $135. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nightonthestrip.com
Cinemark hosting special flick for Burnett's 90th birthday
Cinemark Hollywood 16 and XD, 9100 Canyon Drive, will screen "Carol Burnett: A Celebration" at 2 p.m. April 22 and 4 and 7 p.m. April 24.
Celebrating Burnett’s 90th birthday, this new film is packed with classic highlights, hilarious clips, and new revelations from Carol herself. It’s the ultimate opportunity for Carol’s fans to gather and enjoy the greatest moments in her career.
Follow Carol’s story from her early breakout performances on Broadway to her hilarious turn on Garry Moore’s variety show, to her own groundbreaking variety series — and her later highly-acclaimed dramatic roles.
Special guests include Carl Reiner, who calls Burnett “the most talented human being in the world,” Tim Conway, in his last interview, plus Vicki Lawrence, Betty White, Cloris Leachman, Phyllis Diller, Tony Orlando, Tina Fey, Jim Nabors, Barbara Eden, Joan Collins and Dick Van Dyke.
Tickets for this special screening are $12.45 and available online in advance at https://www.fathomevents.com/
Watson returns to Starlight Ranch
Aaron Watson makes his way back to Amarillo at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 22, for an outdoor show at Starlight Ranch, 1415 Sunrise Drive.
For more than 20 years, Watson has traveled the land as country’s ultimate underdog troubadour – a truly independent artist with the spirit of the American frontier in his veins, and a self-made empire to match.
Still pushing into the wind, "Unwanted Man" finds a creative renegade continuing to do what he does best, now working at the most “dangerous” level of his career.
Counted out time and time again, the singer-songwriter reaffirms his steadfast commitment to his craft, and takes his go-it-alone spirit to new levels.
General admission tickets are $25 (plus taxes and fees); and $65 (plus taxes and fees) for VIP seating. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit https://www.bigtexan.com/starlight-ranch-event-center/
ZZ Top to rock Civic Center
ZZ Top returns to Amarillo at 8 p.m. April 23 at the Amarillo Civic Center, 401 S. Buchanan St.
“That Little Ol’ Band From Texas” has been at it for well over a half century, delivering rock, blues and boogie on the road and in the studio to millions of devoted fans. With iconography as distinctive as their sound, ZZ TOP is virtually synonymous with beards, hotrod cars, spinning guitars and that magic keychain, all of which transcend geography and language.
Tickets for this concert range from $69 to $289 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating and with three VIP package selections.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit panhandletickets.com
Musical festival set for April 27-29
The Greater Southwest Musical Festival, presented by the Amarillo Symphony, is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, April 27-29, at the Amarillo Civic Center, 401 S. Buchanan St.
A fixture of the Amarillo community for 50 years, the Greater Southwest Music Festival encourages musical excellence in K-12 students in a tri-state area through competition and performance, drawing between 10,000-12,000 participants annually.
Students compete at the Civic Center and Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Amarillo, as well as at Amarillo College. Emerging from the pandemic, the Amarillo Symphony is honored to continue the tradition of the Festival, immersing directors and students in performance and networking opportunities and receiving feedback from seasoned, prominent educators and adjudicators.
For more information, visit https://amarillosymphony.org/
JAB to perform at Starlight Ranch
Josh Abbott Band takes the stage in Amarillo at 8 p.m. Friday, April 28, for an outdoor show at Starlight Ranch.
A staple in the Texas music scene since forming in 2006 at Texas Tech University, the Josh Abbott Band has become an icon in the Lone Star State thanks to numerous successful singles and albums over the last decade plus.
The group’s relentless on-stage attitude quickly made it a successful touring act, building out from a Texas band to a regional act to a national crew with a devoted following from coast to coast.
General admission tickets to this concert are $30 (plus taxes and fees); and $65 (plus taxes and fees) for VIP seating. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit https://www.bigtexan.com/starlight-ranch-event-center/
'Fiddler on the Roof' coming to civic center
Civic Amarillo and Celebrity Attractions present "Fiddler on the Roof" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 10, at the Amarillo Civic Center Auditorium.
Tony®-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind "South Pacific" and "The King and I" bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony-winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick.
The original production won 10 Tony Awards ® , including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of all time. Be there when the sun rises on this new production, with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter, based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins.A wonderful cast and lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family.
Featuring the Broadway classics “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life,” "Fiddler on the Roof" will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration.
Tickets for this production range from $30 to $75 (plus taxes and fees), depending on seating. They are available in advance online at panhandletickets.com
Gatto bringing comedy show to Amarillo
Joe Gatto, a well-known comedian, actor, and producer, is best known for the hit TV shows “Impractical Jokers” and “The Misery Index" brings his comedy show to the Amarillo Civic Center on June 11, 2023.
Gatto is one of the founding members of The Tenderloins Comedy Troupe who has toured with a live comedy show to sold-out crowds across the world, including legendary arenas, such as Madison Square Garden in New York and the O2 Arena in London.
Gatto is a co-host of the “Two Cool Moms” Podcast and has also appeared on hit podcasts including This Past Weekend with Theo Von, What A Joke with Papa and Fortune and Life is Short with Justin Long.
Joe loves spending time with his two children and his ever-growing pack of rescue dogs affectionately known as the “Gatto Pups.”
Tickets are now available online at panhandletickets.com, by calling the Amarillo Civic Center box office at (806) 378-3096 or at area United Supermarkets.