UNCSA's "Dying For It," Tiny House Expedition, Jeremy B. Jones, and Piedmont Triad Jazz Orchestra

UNCSA's Dying For It

“It's a comedy that relays the pitiful story of Semyon, a man whose only choices are to learn to play the tuba or end it all. When he makes his choice, all of Russia weighs in on how to make his sad life have meaning”.  The under-known 20^th century comedy classic Dying for It by Moira Buffini is actually a free adaptation of late Russian author Nikolai Erdman's classic, The Suicide. The story was banned by Stalin and neither read nor performed in the Soviet Union until 1982.  It comes to the Triad courtesy of UNC School of the Arts. School of Drama faculty Timothy Douglas will direct a cast of talented UNCSA 4^th year students.

Timothy is Associate Artist at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and he's led productions at professional theater companies across the U.S. including The Guthrie, Steppenwolf and Milwaukee Rep.

Dying for It continues through December 7^th at Patrons Theatre, Performance Place on the UNCSA campus. 

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Tiny House Expedition

Filmmakers Alexis Stephens and Christian Parsons are the individuals behind Tiny House Expedition. They're encouraging community members to Think BIG, Build Small. In 2015, the couple will embark on a documentary adventure, taking their newly built tiny house, a vehicle, and cameras to document the tiny house movement across the country. They'll be visiting tiny house villages for the homeless and communities using tiny houses for neighborhood revitalization. In between, Alexis and Christian will engage with the curious.    

The duo is getting a little help from their local sponsor Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County and fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas, but they need you as well. The two will be holding Community Build days December 6th and 7th. Join Alexis and Christian and help them construct their home, enjoy some BBQ, and engage in a dialogue on the subject of tiny houses. The couple anticipates finishing their home in January of 2015 and hitting the road soon after.

You can follow the adventures of Christian and Alexis on Twitter and Instagram.       

They recently stopped by WFDD's studios.

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Jeremy B. Jones and Bearwallow: A Personal History of a Mountain Homeland

In Bearwallow: A Personal History of a Mountain Homeland, author Jeremy B. Jones documents his and his wife's return to their native Blue Ridge Mountains.

After arriving back in Edneyville, North Carolina, Jones took a job at his old elementary school as an ESL teacher and, the couple settled near land that Jones's family has inhabited for 200 years.

Exploring the pull that one feels towards their home, Jones writing documents how landscape shapes identity. He detailing the nuance of language, outlines the complicated debates over land usage, and maps historical events.

Jeremy Jones holds an MFA in nonfiction writing from the University of Iowa. His essays have been recognized in Best American Essays, nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and awarded the Emma Bell Miles prize. He currently teaches in the English Department at Western Carolina University. In the new year Jeremy will be reading (and likely playing the banjo) at Scuppernong Books on January 23rd at 7:00pm. For other events, click here.

Bearwallow was published by John F. Blair, Publisher, an entity celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.    

Of Bearwallow, author Ron Rash has said it "is a book to be savored".

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Piedmont Triad Jazz Orchestra

One of our state's newest big bands will be swinging this weekend in our neck of the woods and you're gonna want to check them out. The Piedmont Triad Jazz Orchestra (“PTJO”), calls Greensboro home, and soon they'll be collaborating with area high school jazz programs, offering residencies, master classes and reduced fees to bi-monthly concerts in town. PTJO musicians hail from the big bands of Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr., and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra just to name a few.

David Ford spoke with Piedmont Triad Jazz Orchestra Co-founder, tenor saxophonist Wally West. PTJO recently performed for their peers during the North Carolina Music Educators Conference in Winston-Salem. On Sunday night, December 7^th at 7:30pm, it'll be the PTJO holiday concert at The Crown at the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro.