First Friday entertainment on April 4 from 5:00-8:00 pm (CDT) Lubeznik Center for the Arts will feature local musicians Mike Kucharski and Brian Rich who will perform an acoustic set starting at 5:30. Kucharski and Rich have performed in the past together in Never, Never and have hosted open mic nights in the past separately at Ryan's Irish Pub in Michigan City. Kucharski recently performed in the rock band, Mike Kennedy and the Concern, while Rich was part of the pop punk band, This Last Dance, which toured nationally. The two have come together again for a special performance at LCA. Kick off the spring season with a variety of original songs and covers featuring indie rock, 80's pop rock, and more.
While at the, LCA be sure to visit the exhibitions currently on display. In the Hyndman Gallery, artists Doug Fogelson & Barbara Hashimoto create new visual dialogues in the 2D & 3D exhibition What Is Left Unspoken. Upstairs in the Brincka Cross and Northview Galleries, Laurel Izard's Embroidered Archetypes: The Major Arcana has twenty-two embroidered images depicting the symbols of the tarot. Downstairs in the NIPSCO Art Education Studios, In the Middle, features artwork by Michigan City Area Middle School students.
Wednesday, April 9 at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30) Lubeznik Center for the Arts in partnership with Purdue University North Central Department of English and Modern Languages presents singer/songwriter Ronny Cox. Tickets can be purchased at LCA, by calling 219.874.4900, or online at lubeznikcenter.org. Ticket prices are $15 for LCA members, $20 for non-members. Seating is limited.
Best known for his dueling banjo performance in “Deliverance”. Cox has acted in over 125 films and television shows. The actor turned his focus to music with his first album self-titled, “Ronny Cox” with Mercury Records in Nashville that debuted in 1993. Since then he has released several albums. Cox says, “The truly great thing about music is that it's like a double-edged sword. Songs can be frivolous or sad but they can trigger an almost overwhelming emotion… immediately. What I have found is that if I open up to my audience, they not only accept that, they also help me get through it. It is that sharing… of silliness, or sadness… or mutual understanding that I find to be very compelling.” LCA's opportunity to host the actor/musician has been possible with the help of Purdue University North Central professor, Jerry Holt. Holt, taught “Narrative Fiction” last fall at PNC. Holt chose the novel “Deliverance” by James Dickey as one of the readings for his course. He decided to locate Cox on Facebook and asked if he would be interested in speaking to his class via telephone. Surprisingly, Cox agreed, and mesmerized Holt's class for an hour-and-a-half. After learning that Cox traveled with his band, Holt contacted LCA where an intimate performance at LCA was placed on the calendar. Holt states that, “I have NEVER met anyone in the business who is as gracious and warmly human as Ronny Cox.” This is not an evening to be missed.
