Past Events

July 11, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. EST, now a virtual event

REGISTER in advance for this performance

Brought to you by the South Haven Center for the Arts and the South Haven Theatre Series.

On Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. EST, the South Haven Center for the Arts in collaboration with the South Haven Theater Series will present a virtual production of “Frida…A Self Portrait,” a one-woman performance about the artist Frida Kahlo by award-winning actor and playwright Vanessa Severo.

The performance:

Set on the eve of Frida’s death, this performance plunges us into the gorgeous, nuanced world of Kahlo’s tumultuous and brilliant life. Severo opens a powerful portal between herself and the artist, offering breathtaking physicality and raw honesty in this stunning production.

In addition to her art and marriage to artist Diego Rivera, Frida was known for her support of the working men and women of Mexico. Prior to the performance, Vanessa invites you to create and enjoy a traditional Mexican drink of the working man, the Paloma. Google “Paloma” and “Paloma mock-tail” for recipes with and without alcohol.

Vanessa Severo studied at Missouri State University and The American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco. She is the recipient of the TCG 11th Round of the Fox Foundation resident Actor Fellowships, 2017. For the past 12 seasons, she has performed at The Kansas City Repertory Theatre. She is both playwright and actor of Frida…A Self Portrait.

The Talk-back:

After the performance, Diana Densmore, a South Haven writer, multimedia artist, and filmmaker will facilitate a talk-back segment with Vanessa Severo. Diana’s previous projects have been screened across the globe, from Beijing to the Cannes Short Film Corner. Her work experiences include independent feature-length films, music videos, commercials, and studio television shows in a plethora positions from production assistant to background actress and production designer to producer. Diana holds an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA and a BA in Film & Video Studies and Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. She is currently studying Animation at Kalamazoo Valley.

REGISTER for this free performance HERE or at southhavenarts.org/events and visit southhavenarts.org/Frida to learn about other events planned by the art center to celebrate the life and art of Frida Kahlo.

This event is funded by the South Haven Community

7:30 First United Methodist Church, 429 Michigan Ave., South Haven

Starring Jeanann Power (co-founder of the Edge of the Wood Theater in Evanston, IL) as Emily Dickinson.

In this play by William Luce, Ms. Power creates a vivid portrait of Emily Dickenson. The eccentric poetess, who wore only white and remained housebound for 26 years, comes alive with grace and humor through conversations with her family, her neighbors, and her mischievous cat. Although Emily Dickenson’s life was reportedly one of frustration and disappointment, her poems glow through, revealing her internal joy and genius.

7:30 First United Methodist Church, 429 Michigan Ave., South Haven

Come commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day with one of its creators, Winston Churchill.

The performance is by Randy Otto, an alumnus of the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and numerous theatrical roles and now an internationally-known Churchill expert. Otto is so good that he was endorsed by Churchill’s great- grandson who said, “Randy does not attempt to be Winston Churchill, Randy IS Winston Churchill!”

7:30 First United Methodist Church, 429 Michigan Ave., South Haven

As Poe’s professional fame rose, his personal life collapsed. Lucien Douglas performs Eleonora, Tell–Tale Heart, To Helen, and of course, The Raven.  Meanwhile he recounts how Poe started life as a wealthy Southern aristocrat but died shortly after being found comatose on the streets of Baltimore… dressed in another man’s clothes.

Lucien Douglas is now a professor of theater at the University of Texas, Austin.  Previously, he acted in hundreds of roles on Broadway, Off-Broadway, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and others. Television and film credits include parts in Texas Ranger, One Life to Live, Miss Congeniality, Man of the House and more.  And, of course, he holds a PhD in Theatre from Michigan State University!

8:00 First United Methodist Church, 429 Michigan Ave., South Haven

As a comedy-drama, Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Uhry won a Pulitzer Prize; as a film, it won the Best Picture Oscar. This production by the Master Arts Theater of Grand Rapids includes Jerome Richards, John Meidema, and Pat Kennedy, who won an Excellence in Acting Award at Michigan’s State Festival competition.

Set in Atlanta, the play tells the story of a fiercely independent, aging Southern Jewish matron who crashes her car and must learn to depend on the African-American chauffeur hired by her son. Thus begins a war of wills, but eventually driver and driven form an unlikely friendship that transcends the racial prejudices and the social upheavals of the era as it explores how the characters change from mid-life to old age.