Jesse & Grace: A Best Friend's Story

On September 10 & 11, 2007, Pollyanna Theatre Company presents 'Jesse & Grace: A Best Friend's Story at the CAC Mayborn Auditorium. Written by the same playwright who wrote "Too Many Frogs", Pollyanna Theatre brings to the stage a story of a little boy and a little girl who have been best friends all of their lives until peer pressure at school changes their relationship. At some point, gender issues take over and it is "not cool" to have a friend who is a "gross girl" or an "icky boy." The lay is touching, funny, and gives audiences lots to discuss. The performance is part of the Cultural Activities Center's Arts in Education series that brings the arts to Central Texas students. This show is featured for students grades 3 - 5.
Show times are at 9:00am, 10:30am and 12:30pm and tickets are $3 per person. To download the study guide for this great show, visit our website and click on Downloads to download the study guide to prep your students for the show. For more information or to reserve your seat, call the CAC at 254-773-9926. See you at the Show!
This Arts in Education performance is brought to you by the sponsorship of BNSF Railway. Thank you so much for your support!

The Grand Piano has come home!

Fully-restored to its original splendor, the nine-foot Steinway grand piano, bought in 1977 by Mr. R.E. Wendland for the Cultural Activities Center, is being returned to Temple after a year-long, custom restoration at the hands of Priscilla and Joel Rappaport at their piano workshop in Austin. “Steinway concert grands that both sound and play well aren’t a dime a dozen,” remarks Rappaport. Outside Houston or San Antonio, there probably aren’t a handful of similar instruments to be found in Bell County or beyond. In a throwaway society where everything is mass-produced, likely imported from China and simply replaced when broken, this instrument is truly unique. “This piano has a soul,” says Priscilla Rappaport,” and you can restore that. That soul speaks to the public and artists will gravitate to that soul, attracting the highest quality of professional artists and programs for the CAC.” More than a restoration, the pair has completely disassembled and rebuilt the piano, repairing, replacing, and restoring as needed completely by hand. The result is a magnificent, resonating instrument. That handwork is a lost art. The Rappaorts hold masters diplomas in piano building from the Handwerkskammer, in Stuttgart, Germany. . . . Mr. Wendland’s wife, Nora Lee, was a co-founder of the Cultural Activities Center, incorporated in 1958. His gift honored her and other family members including the late Reverend and Mrs. Charles B. Godbey, and Mr. and Mrs. Erroll Wendland. The 9’ grand piano will be featured during upcoming performances presented by the Central Texas Orchestral Society at the CAC on Nov. 11 featuring 2005 Grammy winner Billy Childs appearing with the American Brass Quartet, and on Feb. 14 featuring Michelle Schumann with Brian Lewis. Tickets are available at the CAC (254) 773-9926 or online at www.cacARTS.org.

Cab Calloway Tribute at the CAC

The Cab Calloway Orchestra has been dazzling audiences since the 1920s and the cab Jivers are no exception. Led by Cab's grandson, Calloway Brooks, the Cab Jivers deliver authentic sounds of a hot jazz orchestra with a snazzy stage style delivering the jump, blues and boogie experience of "swing that is king and jive that's alive."
Presented for your entertainment as the Jean & Durward Howard Humanities Concert. Come join us Sunday, September 23, 2007 @ 4:00pm for a swingin' good time! Tickets are $25 for Adults and $8 for Students.