ART TAP Craig Martin: Artist, Podcaster

On tap this week is a holiday roundtable of friends Cindy Gerlach Managing Director of Lafayette Master Chorale, and Brittany Rees, of the Frank Muffin band and engineer at Rec Room Recording Studio. We talk over a wide range of topics from the local cultural landscape, from both the current year and the next!

On tap this week is a husband and wife team, and members of the band Frank Muffin, the wonderful Brittany and Hans Rees, who are also part of the staff at Rec Room Recording. Joining us is Tiffany Palacio, Director of Family Promise of Greater Lafayette.
Frank Muffin is presenting its annual tribute show on November 4th and 5th, a cover-to-cover performance, this time celebrating Electric Light Orchestra’s Out of the Blue double album. Each year’s tribute show is dedicated to local charities and this year the show will benefit Family Promise of Greater Lafayette.

On tap this week is a pair of directors preparing to bring a thought-provoking program to the area stage. Marking 25 years since the tragic death of Matthew Shepard, Lafayette Master Chorale is joining with Purdue University Choir to present a contemporary oratorio on October 29th.
Joining us are the Artistic Director of Lafayette Master Chorale, Michael Bennett, and Assistant Director of Purdue Musical Organizations, Purduettes, University Choir, and Recruitment, Jeff Vallier.
The two talk about the moving experience of singing with others, creating physical sound resonance, and communicating with choral language. The recent impact and challenges of Covid, and the limitations posed by distancing, masking, and relayed headset sound, made apparent the fundamental magic of live, communal singing. Both Purdue Musical Organizations and Lafayette Master Chorale have a shared commitment to “uplift and encourage both singers and audience members.”
The story of Matthew Shepard was a tragic mark on American society, with repercussions still felt to this day. His family, through the Matthew Shepard Foundation they’ve founded (https://www.matthewshepard.org), has made it their mission to “embrace the dignity and equality of all people.” The oratorio by Craig Hella Johnson. a relatively new piece, is comprised of varied segments, including classical, Broadway musical-style, country-western, and blues-oriented. It proves to be powerful and dramatic in numerous ways, including text in the music taken from protesters’ signs. 
Look for more information on the concert and coordinated events at: https://www.lafayettemasterchorale.org or https://www.purdue.edu/pmo/ 
Considering Matthew Shepard – Lafayette Master Chorale with the Purdue University Choir
3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29th at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, West Lafayette

On tap this week is a trio of performers preparing to bring what is now a modern classic to the area stage. We have three singer/performers, the female leads of “9 to 5: the Musical,” coming to Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette… Caitlin Cotten, who is a previous guest on ART TAP, Kate Martin, also a previous guest and, by chance, my daughter, and Esther Kirgiss, a newcomer to the area.
The three talk about their influences to perform publicly, as part of lives with other endeavors in Lafayette Symphony (https://lafayettesymphony.org), Purdue Bands (https://www.purdue.edu/bands/), and a new local eatery, The Lobby (https://thelobbybygreyhouse.com). And they talk about the legacy of the 1980 movie, its iconic characters, the legendary actors who brought them to life on the screen and on stage, and the variations between the movie and the eventual Broadway show. 
There is more Florida Man to share, and a common crafting influence led to the quote of the episode, “You just gotta glue some shit together sometimes.”
“9 to 5: the Musical” comes to Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette from September 7th to 16th. Tickets are available at lafayettecivic.org. 

On tap this week is Dave Bangert, of Based in Lafayette reporting project, an online news subscription he’s established for local news. Dave has transitioned from daily newspaper coverage to daily online substack coverage, all with an eye to highlighting local happenings without judgement or political stance.
Dave talks about his growth as a reporter who moved throughout the building to different desks and finally column work. And he talks about the changing market of the news industry nationwide, which led to drastic reductions to personnel and service. This left a gap in portraying baseline local news which Dave has stepped into very competently and with well-earned trust. Check out Dave’s daily coverage at https://www.basedinlafayette.com. 

On tap this week is Chris McCauley, Executive Director the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette. Chris has been with the Art Museum coming up on one year now – and he is wholly committed to making the museum’s programs a vital part of the community.
Chris talks about his experiences, progressing from an upbringing in the upper peninsula of Michigan, through art school and the Boy Scouts of America. His wonder with the arts in the ever-changing and ever more digital world is addictive. Chris brings up several upcoming events at the Art Museum, including Art, Bark & Brew on August 12, Friday Night Live on August 18, an opening reception on August 25, and Art on the Wabash on September 24, as well as collaborative projects with the library and downtown Lafayette in the coming year. Check out the museum’s events at https://www.artlafayette.org. Oh, and he brings a tragic father and son Florida Man story to light, in our regular feature on all things “Florida Man.”