Set in Joseph Stalin’s Russia, this engrossing new American play was inspired both by Stalin’s real-life efforts to remove any hint of “aberrant” sexual behavior by Russia’s most famous composer from the history books and the idea that government intrusion in the private lives of citizens threatens everybody’s most basic freedoms. The Letters has received rave reviews from Time Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and the the LA Theatre Review.

Show times
May 2: 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
May 3: 7:00 pm
May 4: 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
May 7-9: 7:30 pm
May 10: 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm
May 11: 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
May 14-16: 7:30 pm
May 17: 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm
May 18: 2:00 pm

The show is 75 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at cardinalstage.org.

From April through November, farmers and vendors fill Showers Common with locally grown produce, annual and perennial plants, and freshly baked bread for the Saturday morning Market. Local musicians perform while thousands of people find their way among the corn and tomatoes, local dairy products, and warm scents of fresh herbs. The Market often feels like equal parts shopping, socializing, and treasure hunt. Come early so you can amble among friends as you seek out that dried lavender or fresh basil you have been dreaming about.

The Market is open every Saturday, April through September, from 8 am until 1 pm and Saturdays in October and November from 9 am until 1 pm The season ends with the Holiday Market on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, from 10 am – 3 pm.

“Featherspholio”
A photographic exhibition by Bloomington artist and avid birdwatcher Scott Evans featuring birds of North America. Runs through May 31.

Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30 am-5 pm, Sun 1-5 pm

“The Life and Times of Local Author, Ross Lockridge”

Ross Lockridge, Jr was born in Bloomington, IN 1914 where he attended Bloomington High School and Indiana University and aspired to write the next great American Novel. He began writing Raintree County in the mid-1940s. The 1,060 page novel was published in 1948. The novel explored nineteenth-century Midwestern history, folklore, and landscape all set in a single day, July 4, 1892. The exhibit explores his life before writing Raintree County and after, including the Midwestern iconography that inspired his book. Runs through May 31.

“Cracking the Code: Quilt Pattern Meanings”

In the past many thought that Quilts made during the mid-to late part of the 19th century were created to aid travelers on the Underground Railroad. Now, research shows that there is no documentation regarding quilt patterns as a form of communication for Underground Railroad Travelers. This exhibit will examine different patterns and their purported meanings. The show and exhibit are on the bus route and FREE with IHQS wristband or hand stamp,during quilt show only. Runs through August 1.

“Living in Color”
Local artist, Avi Katz, has taken historic photos of Bloomington and turned them into colorized, painted, masterpieces. Runs through September 6.

Community Voices Gallery: “Monroe County United Ministries”
The Community Voices Gallery gives local organizations the opportunity to tell their story. Monroe County United Ministries is a a nurturing organization serving working families and those in distress by assisting those with emergency needs and subsidized childcare. We provide quality education and a safe place for children, basic needs assistance for the poor and community service opportunities. Runs through July 31.

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 – 5:00 p.m. Sunday: Noon – 5:00 p.m.

Focalpoint: Personal Objects: Art from Eastern and Southern Africa
January 14–May 11, 2014 Raymond and Laura Wielgus Gallery of the Arts of Africa, the South Pacific, and the Americas, Focalpoint, third floor From jewelry and headdresses to household objects such as containers, headrests, and spoons, the art of eastern and southern Africa for the most part is intimately connected with the individual. Though these regions of Africa do not have the large numbers of masks and figural sculpture for which western and central Africa are known, the personal objects found there frequently reflect the deep cultural significances and attention to form and detail seen elsewhere on the continent. This installation has been organized to coincide with the A352/A552, Art of Eastern and Southern Africa, a course being taught during the spring 2014 semester in the Department of the History of Art.

New in the Galleries: ‘Max Beckmann’s Woodcuts’
Gallery of the Art of the Western World, Doris Steinmetz Kellett Endowed Gallery of Twentieth-Century Art, first floor
February 4–June 22, 2014
Although the German Expressionist artist Max Beckmann was a prolific graphic artist (producing 374 prints during his lifetime), he created fewer than 20 woodcuts. Most were produced during the 1920s, when Germany was experiencing a revival of interest in the medium. Seven prints from this period will be featured in this installation.

Special Exhibition: Matisse’s Jazz and Other Works from Indiana University Collections
April 2–June 29, 2014
Special Exhibitions Gallery, first floor
In addition to highlighting the IU Art Museum’s rare complete suite of twenty color stencil prints from Jazz—Matisse’s last and greatest book project—this exhibition will include more than thirty other works by this modern master from the holdings of the Art Museum and Lilly Library. Special attention will be paid to the artist’s works on paper and book illustrations from the 1920s through the end of his career.

Special Exhibition: Francesco Solimena: Picturing the World for an Eighteenth-Century Royal Wedding
April 2–June 29, 2014
Judi and Milt Stewart Hexagon Gallery, first floor
Through a selection of pieces coming from the Getty Research Institute, the IU Fine Arts Library, the Lilly Library, and the IU Art Museum collection, this exhibition focuses on one of the IU Art Museum’s masterpieces, Francesco Solimena’s Allegory of the Four Parts of the World, highlighting the painting’s history, patronage, and iconography. This exhibition features a thirteen-minute documentary, The World around Solimena.

New in the Galleries: Doris Steinmetz Kellett: Memorial Installation
April 22‒May 4, 2014
Gallery of the Art of the Western World, Doris Steinmetz Kellett Endowed Gallery of Twentieth-Century Art, first floor
This installation honors Doris Steinmetz Kellett (1922–2013), a collector, artist, and Indiana University Art Museum benefactor. Born in Evansville, Indiana, Kellett received her BA in Education from Indiana University and studied painting at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. During the 1960s, she lived in Madrid, Spain, and Santiago, Chile, where she exhibited and collected work by contemporary Spanish and Latin American artists. This installation includes an example of Kellett’s own painting, along with selected works from her collection.
Special Exhibition: Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibitions

April 2–May 11, 2014
Special Exhibitions Gallery, first floor
At 6:30 p.m. during the opening receptions, each exhibitor will give a brief talk about his or her work in the Thomas T. Solley Atrium, first floor.

April 30–May 11
Jared Gelormino, Sculpture¬
Maria Korol, Painting
Zachary Norman, Photography
Opening Reception: Friday, May 2, 6:00‒8:00 p.m.

In this exhibit, Bloomington based photographer, Kyle Spears showcases his most recent body of work from Prague, Czech Republic. Kyle says this about his photography;

Primarily, most of my inspiration comes from traveling and discovering new places/things to shoot. No matter where or what I photograph, I want to capture the beauty I see and somehow communicate that with the viewer. As a photographer, I am attracted to the absence of light, just as much as the presence of light. I love how the night can change the atmosphere and mood of a scene that wasn’t evident during daylight.

Free Comic Book Day is the first Saturday in May each year — the day when comic book shops across North America and around the world give comic books away absolutely free to anyone who comes into the stores, no purchase required and no strings attached. The free comics are brand new and made specifically for this day, with comics for every age and interest represented. Free Comic Book Day is a celebration of comics, and everyone’s invited — those who already know how great comics are, and those about to find out!

April 5–October 25, weekly
Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Thomas T. Solley Atrium, second floor
Free yoga classes return to the IU Art Museum! A Vibe Yoga Studio instructor will lead a one-hour class inspiring participants to stretch their minds and bodies as they meditate on the beauty and serenity that surrounds them.

Beginner classes will be offered on the first and third Saturdays of each month. More advanced classes will be held on the second and fourth Saturdays. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mat and water bottle, dress comfortably, and arrive early to grab a spot in the first come, first served classes. Due to the popularity of the program and in order to maintain a peaceful environment, indoor classes will be capped at twenty-three participants. No registration is required.

Get to know Bloomington as you never have before! On our tour, you will savor authentic cultural cuisine while visiting historical sites the area is known for with one of our Local Tour Guides. Suitable for 21+ and all fitness levels, this three hour guided walking tour is a unique combination of food and drink tastings as well as an insightful glance into Bloomington’s historical and local attractions (including significant facts about our very own Indiana University!). The menu ranges from savory to sweet cuisine, ethnic foods to locally admired wines, and an insider’s view into the history and architecture that defines Bloomington. This unique and delectable experience will leave you with new culinary perspectives and satisfied appetites, yet your taste buds will be hungrier than ever to continue exploring more hidden, tasteful treasures Bloomington has to offer.

The Grunwald Gallery of Art is pleased to announce upcoming IU Bachelor of Fine Arts Thesis Shows. Artworks created by graduating BFA students from all Studio areas will be featured. Student shows give advanced Fine Arts student”s opportunities to participate in exhibition planning and installing their artwork. All events are free and open to the public.

BFA 6 will be on display April 29 – May 3, 2013 with an opening reception Friday, May 2, 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Thesis work from Izzy Jarvis (Printmaking), Matt Lawler (Painting), Sarah Wiesenaur (Textiles), and Celina Wu (Photography) will be on view.

For further information, please contact the Grunwald Gallery at (812)-855-8490 or [email protected]. We invite you to visit our website at http://www.indiana.edu/~grunwald/. The Grunwald Gallery is accessible to people with disabilities. The Grunwald Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, noon – 4:00 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. – See more at: http://www.indiana.edu/~grunwald/exhibitions.php?pid=bfa-thesis-exhibitions-group-6#sthash.WKwdt82l.dpuf