Kitchen Theatre Company has been approved for a $10,000 Art Works grant to support the world premiere of Shape, written and directed by Kara-Lynn Vaeni. This project speaks directly to the mission of KTC: to create bold theatre within our intimate space that engages community and sparks important conversations.

Overall, the National Endowment for the Arts has approved 1,187 grants totaling $27.3 million in the first round of fiscal year 2020 funding to support arts projects in every state in the nation, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The Art Works funding category supports projects that focus on public engagement with, and access to, various forms of excellent art across the nation; the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence; learning in the arts at all stages of life; and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life.

Just when winter blues have settled in, Running to Places (R2P) offers a joyful Winter Showcase to lift the spirits. The show, fun for all ages, runs Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at Ithaca High School's Kulp Auditorium.

"For our Winter Showcase we picked a wide range of exuberant songs from some of our favorite musicals," says Joey Steinhagen, R2P artistic director. "Our approach to choosing the numbers was, when in doubt, go with bigger, faster and funnier."

Aurora, NY - The Wells College Theatre Department is proud to present 'Miss Valentine,' a new play by Nadine Bernard. Bernard is an Ithaca native and Cornell alumna whose plays have been performed throughout the U.S. and Canada. 'Miss Valentine' will be performed at the Morgan Opera House above the Aurora Free Library, 370 Main Street in Aurora, N.Y. Showtimes are on Friday, Feb. 14, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at 3:00 and 6:00 p.m.

YAMATO is described as the "epitome of the Japanese spirit," bringing new life to the traditional Japanese taiko and wadaiko drums by paying respect to its rich history, and exploring contemporary drumming styles. The modern and physically powerful troupe – comprised of dozens of musician-athletes – starts each performance by hitting a Japanese Taiko drum weighing half a ton, made from a single piece of wood from a 400-year-old tree. They move their whole bodies to strike the traditional Japanese instrument with the belief that the drumbeat, like the heartbeat, is the very pulse of life and the epitome of the Japanese spirit.

Employing "vibrant and extremely precise" choreography, YAMATO's new program PASSION! has been deemed by London One "an exhilarating and worthwhile experience" and "quite a revelation for those experiencing this kind of dynamic performance for the first time." "Everything related to YAMATO – the stage, the Taiko drums, every bit of our bodies – has been created from the energy and passion of the audience," says Founder and Artistic Director Masa Ogawa. "Live performances are so full of intensity that they make people's bodies jump and their hearts race faster. Audiences are overwhelmed by the beat of the music, as their spirits, bodies and heartbeats are uplifted in sync with the powerful sounds. What moves YAMATO forward is its passion."