33rd Annual Women in the Arts Festival Nov. 9, 10

The 33rd Annual Women in the Arts Festival will be Nov. 9 and 10 at the Edgewood United Church in East Lansing. This festival is a celebration of women artists that features a variety of artists, musicians and poets as a symbol of our commitment to support women in the creative pursuits.

The Friday night show will again be co-produced with Lansing's premier folk music organization, the Ten Pound Fiddle. Taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. that night will be the amazing bassist, singer-songwriter and activist Laura Love, supported by Tammy Cook (Scary Women, Half Looking, Millenary). Laura's story-rich repertoire includes field hollers, civil rights era songs and gospel music, as well as her original compositions. Tickets are $20 for the public, $18 for Fiddle Members and $5 for students and can be purchased in advance online at www. tenpoundfiddle.org.

Saturday brings Latina comic Mimi Gonzalez to the stage at 6 p.m. Mimi is a road tested, high octane (read VERY energetic) comedian who takes the audience on a wild ride from the profound to the profane. Bawdy and political, come to this show prepared to laugh until you cry. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at www.wita festival.com.

The Day Stage on Saturday showcases the best of Michigan's talent.

First up will be festival newcomer Jaime Marvin from the small berg of Columbiaville. A staple of the local music scene and on Mackinac Island during the summer, her influences come from a vast array of different genres, which she brings together to make her own. Jaime will be sharing songs from her recently released first compact disc at the 1 p.m. show.

Voices of the Revolution, a spoken word group formed by Two Broads and a Butch (Susan Harris, Laurie Hollinger and TariMuñiz) will perform at 2 p.m. They will celebrate the work of Pat Parker, Terri Jewell, June Jordan and other powerful, revolutionary women.

Choral music will fill the 3 p.m. time slot – with Lansing's own women's chorus, Sistrum, bringing their finely blended voices, their harmonies, humor and talent to the festival stage.

Local folk singer Barb Barton will return to the festival stage at 4 p.m. to perform songs from her recently released seventh album. Her songs tell a myriad of stories and the new album differs from her other albums because of it's eclectic mix of styles, from rock and folk to classical and bluegrass.

The 5 p.m. slot will be filled by another festival veteran, but one who has not been on the festival stage for many years, way before the name was changed from the Circe Festival to the Women in the Arts Festival! Su Penn took every opportunity in the early '90s to get on stage and read her stories about the Lansing women's/lesbian community. She has been off the stage for many years, but is looking forward to telling some of her old stories as well as some new ones about her time on the Security/Communications crew at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival.

Another key highlight is a large Artists Market. This year's market will include artists and craftswomen offering items ranging from pottery, glass art, fiber art, paintings and jewelry to massages, personal care products, homemade jellies and jams, books, coffee, women's music and much more! Be sure to take advantage of the delicious food being served up in the Sistrum Café! The Artist Market will open Friday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10. The Market is free and open to the public.

An array of interesting and thought provoking workshops will be held Saturday for Women in the Arts Festival attendees, including a writing workshop by Mimi Gonzalez, a drumming session with Pele Yemaya, a ukulele class by Jennifer Rangel and a workshop on Listening to Our Bodies by Rev. Mary Lopez.

The Edgewood United Church is at 469 N. Hagadorn, East Lansing. All tickets are sold on a "more if you can, less if you can't" sliding scale.

For more information, visit www.witafestival.com/ or contact [email protected].

Women in the Arts Festival

CREDIT: Barb Modrack