Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus’s 20th Anniversary Arts & Letters Day Celebrates the Dark Side
Miami, March 30, 2012 - Calling all vampires, zombies, dark lords and ladies of the night! The 20th AnniversaryArts & Letters Day, presented by Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Kendall Campus, offers three days of events and activities, with a “Creatures of the Night” theme, from April 3 - 5. Events are free and open to the public.
“The unifying theme for these disparate projects involves people whose passions revolve around the nighttime. ‘Creatures of the Night’ encompasses the spirit of musicians, lovers, vampires, poets, etc.,” said Prof. Richard Rose, co-chair.
Some of this year’s highlights:
Tuesday, April 3
Zombies and Babysitters
Brothers Andres Meza-Valdes and Diego Meza-Valdes present two original films. The 17-minute Play Dead is a zombie apocalypse film, featuring a ragtag pack of dogs, and The Babysitters is a 10-minute comedy in which a college freshman uses his baby-sitting gig to conquer a hot girl.
9:50 – 11:05 a.m., Room K-413
Kids’ Choice Story Contest
Kids do the judging! Bring your children (ages 5-12) to this story contest where the kids will decide the winner of original stories by MDC students. Readers include The Wicked Witch of East Kendall (Joan DeDomenico Campana), Friar Tuck (Brad Stocker) and Snow White (Nancy Yi), with Master of Ceremonies Princess Tiana (Rita Fernandez-Sterling) and writing contest director the Queen of Hearts (Marta Magellan).
5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Room K-422
Wednesday, April 4
A Night in New Orleans: The Sunshine Stompers
This professional trio takes their audience back in time to hear early jazz, featuring the lively music typical of a night in old New Orleans. Marcus Magellan, banjo; Marc G. Magellan, guitar; and Alan Goldberg, drums.
11:30 – 11:50 a.m., Beat Café, Room K-413
Keynote Speaker: David Liebman
This multiple Grammy Award nominee is a heavyweight in the jazz world, having played with such luminaries as Miles Davis, Chick Corea and Elvin Jones. He will speak about his life in the arts, the celebrities he’s encountered and what he’s learned from his career in music.
Noon – 1:00 p.m., McCarthy Auditorium, Room 6120
Lights Out
When the electricity goes out, you reach for a flashlight to lead the way. What if there was no flashlight? To that end, representatives from Miami Lighthouse for the Blind will be on hand to provide training and a perspective on the challenges of the visually impaired. Miami Lighthouse is associated with Ability Explosion, a weeklong series of special events, including Lights Out Miami Beach, a dining-in-the-dark experience.
12:15 – 1:00 p.m., Beat Café, Room K-413
Thursday, April 5
Opening Reception: 47th Annual Juried Student Exhibition
Enjoy original works in all mediums by Kendall Campus art students.
6:00 – 9:00 p.m., Art Gallery, Room M-123
Other events include a photo exhibition by students; a scavenger hunt based on The Last Dickens novel; a Beat Café with poetry, music, coffee and snacks; Shakespeare’s The Twelfth Night; art, crafts, and more!
The Kendall Campus is located at 11011 S.W. 104 St.
To view a complete list of 2012 Arts & Letters Day events, or for more information, please visit http://www.mdc.edu/publications/K_013_Arts_and_Letters_2012/Images/PROGRAM2012.pdf.
Media-only contacts:
Juan Mendieta, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu, MDC communications director
Tere Estorino, 305-237-3949, testorin@mdc.edu, MDC media relations director
Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu, media specialist
Tarnell Carroll, 305-237-3359, tcarroll@mdc.edu, media specialist
Alejandro Rios, 305-237-7482, arios1@mdc.edu