Grayling Visitors Bureau

Roscommon, MI – Synthesis defines the Kirtland Center for the Performing Arts’ enhanced mission to enrich the Northern Michigan lifestyle through live performance. “By reaching out to local residents, students of all ages, and the Kirtland Community College family, the Kirtland Center will encourage everyone to take something from the performing arts center,” said new KCPA Coordinating Director, Jomarie Gurnow.  “Participating in a live performance – on stage or as part of an audience – brings a perspective and understanding to our daily lives that television, movies and video games cannot provide. We want everyone to find a reason to use our space and be enriched by live performances.”

The heart of the multi-faceted use of the Kirtland Center is the Performing Artist Series. “We have engaged performers for 2011-2012, mindful of the type of entertainment that appeals to our Northern Michigan patron base,” Gurnow said. “Before people can experience the exhilaration of a live audience, they have to want to see the artist who is performing.”  The newly structured “Build-Your-Own-Season” ticket program is designed to encourage patrons to see more than one show. “No one will leave any performance at the KCPA disappointed,” Gurnow said. “Every show is tremendous.”

The Kirtland Community Theatre is a way for anyone to participate in a live production. Each show will be professionally directed, and the KCT is looking for volunteers to perform, work on crew, sew costumes, stage manage, and help with ticket sales. KCT also is reaching out to local service and civic groups with an unprecedented fundraising opportunity. Non-profit groups may sell tickets to KCT performances and keep a portion of each ticket sold for their cause. “It’s a simple way for a group to raise hundreds or thousands of dollars, and our tickets will reach to a wider audience of people than we can access on our own,” Gurnow said.

Our integrated approach also includes two performances by college students in the fall and winter semesters. The first of their kind in several years, the performances give any KCC student a chance to learn live performance from the ground up. “We hope to build on theatre education next year by reaching out to younger students in the surrounding area, but we’ll need community support,” Gurnow said. “Kirtland Community College feels the need to take the lead on this kind of enrichment for our future student base, especially since funding for the arts in our primary education system has been so diminished.”

The Kirtland Youth Theatre again offers exemplary matinee performances to school children from surrounding communities. Each KYT show is fun and entertaining, but also encourages learning through live performance, allowing the young audience to interact with performers and ask questions about the science and execution of the show.

Contact: Jomarie Gurnow, KCPA Coordinating Director,

KCPA 989-275-5000 ext. 375; jomarie.gurnow@kirtland.edu

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