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Blog Post

Nerd Nite Ann Arbor: February 20 & March 27

by mariah

For the last year, crowds have gathered each month in the early evening - in bars and venues around Ann Arbor. Around 7pm, it begins: three boisterous speakers geek out up front. What is this? Some secret club?

Nope! It's Nerd Nite Ann Arbor! And it's open to anyone and everyone who loves to learn or share what they love.

For the uninitiated, Nerd Nite (NN) has been described as “...like the Discovery Channel™…with beer!” Sounds fun, right? It is! NN is held monthly in 70+ cities, giving several folks the opportunity to give 18-21minute fun-yet-informative presentations across all disciplines. Imagine learning about everything from the science of the Simpsons to the genealogy of Godzilla. Fun stuff!

The next Nerd Nite will be next Thursday, February 20, at LIVE (102 S First St.). Doors open at 6:30, and speakers start at 7pm. What topics are on tap? Find out where beer came from, what the inside of your hand looks like, and just who is looking through all the cameras you see everywhere! Cover is just $5 (payable in cash at the door, or in advance).

There's big news about March's Nerd Nite: AADL will be co-presenting the March 27 edition of Nerd Nite (thus making that date free for all to attend). We're still finalizing the speaker line-up, so if you have something you'd love to talk about, submit your talk idea ASAP. There's a chance you could be of the speakers!

Mark your calendars and spread the word! Any and all nerds (and non-nerds!) who love learning and having a great time are welcome!

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Blog Post

Game Start Festival: Saturday, March 1st at Menlo Innovations

by mariah

Curious about making games? Know any kids or teens who aspire to be future game-makers?

Local organization GameStart is throwing a party at Menlo Innovations (505 East Liberty LL500, Ann Arbor, MI 48104) on Saturday, March 1st, 10am-2pm and everyone is invited! GameStart is an organization that offers classes using games to inspire interest in art, math, science, and programming.

For their event on March 1st, they'll have games to play and give a preview of their upcoming classes for this year, including: Game Mechanics and Design, Minecraft Programming, Computer Animation, and Video Editing. Although there is a fee for many of their classes, this event is free and open to all (and particularly recommended for students in grades 3-8).

AADL will be there with a table of fun stuff, along with other guests from the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Maker Works, Backyard Brains, AHA! and the Youth Arts Alliance. Stop in to check things out and celebrate the power of interactive learning!

Later that day, 3-5pm, the GameStart staff will also be offering a no-fee class on Storytelling with Computer Animation at the downtown AADL!

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Blog Post

Performance Network: Venus in Fur

by annevm

Performance Netowrk Theatre -- in downtown Ann Arbor at 120 E. Huron -- will show Venus in Fur, a sex comedy by David Ives Feb. 27 - April 6. The Performance Network website describes the play as "A Sexy New Play from Broadway . . . Thomas, a beleaguered playwright/director, is desperate to find an actress to play Vanda, the female lead in his adaptation of the classic sadomasochist tale Venus in Fur. Into the audition room walks a vulgar and distraught actress—oddly enough, named Vanda. Though utterly wrong for the part, Vanda exhibits a strange command of the material. As the two work through the script, the lines between play and reality blur, entering into an increasingly serious battle of submission and domination that only one of them can win." Previews are February 27 – March 6. Opening Night: is March 7. Ticket information is here.

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Blog Post

Wild Swan Theater: Under the African Sky

by annevm

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 1 pm, when Wild Swan Theater presents Under the African Sky in Towsley Auditorium. The other three performances already are sold out. The play is a humorous collection of well- known African tales including Why the Sky is Far Away, The Talking Vegetables and Tug-of-Vine. Performers will use acting, storytelling, and drumming, with instruments including a balaphone, a djembe, and a talking drum. The show is for children age 4 to third grade and there will be plenty of chances for audience participation.

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Blog Post

Performance Network: County Line

by annevm

Performance Network Theatre in Ann Arbor is showing County Line, by David Wells, January 16 through February 16. Wells also wrote Brill, a recent hit at the theatre. His current play is described on the theatre website as "the whimsical and profound story of 17-year-old Lois’ journey after the arrest of her father. Lois is sentenced to the strict confines of a foster home run by Tanya – a woman who is not your typical guardian and owns the County Line Truck Stop & Travel Center. In this coming of age story, Lois encounters both her first look at the subtle terrors one human can inflict upon another and a lifeline to humanity that will ultimately save her." Click here for ticket information.

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Public Event

Arborwiki Edit Night At Arbor Brewing

Wednesday April 23, 2014: 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Arbor Brewing - 114 East Washington

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Blog Post

The Puck Drops Here and the Winter Classic help ring in the new year in Ann Arbor!

by eapearce

At 1:00pm on New Years Day, hockey fans will pack The Big House in downtown Ann Arbor for the 2014 Winter Classic. The battle between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs is not only expected to shatter the record of the highest attendance ever at a hockey game, but is also expected to break the overall attendance record in the Big House, which currently stands at over 115,000.

To welcome visitors in town for the game and celebrate the New Year, local Ann Arbor groups have worked together to create The Puck Drops Here, an outdoor celebration being held in downtown Ann Arbor tonight. There will be over 6 hours of live entertainment throughout the event, most notably The Voice finalist and Ann Arbor native Michelle Chamuel, and a midnight ball drop on Main Street. Many Main Street restaurants plan to re-open their outside seating for the evening, so the guests can watch the festivities under the warmth of outdoor heaters.

In conjunction with this event, the Farmers Market space in Kerrytown will have family-friendly activities including a skating rink, ice carvings, and marshmellow roasting.

You can read more about activities related to these events at AADL. Kids will enoy Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphabet. Red Wings fans can explore The History of Hockeytown: Detroit Red Wings, 75 Years and The Winged Wheel: A Half-Century of Detroit Red Wings in Photographs. And, you can hear more of Michelle Chamuel’s work on Dancethink Systems, by My Dear Disco, the local band she was part of before competing on The Voice.

Happy New Year to all!

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Public Event

Arborwiki Edit Night

Wednesday March 26, 2014: 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Downtown Library: aadlfreespace
Adults And Teens Grade 9 And Up

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Blog Post

Performance Network Theatre: Jerry's Girls

by annevm

Ann Arbor's Performance Network Theatre is showing Jerry's Girls, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, through Jan. 5. Herman worked on the concept with Larry Alford and Wayne Cilento. From the theatre's webpage: "Fabulous, flamboyant and fun for the whole family, 'Jerry's Girls' is the larger than life musical revue of Jerry Herman. Winner of four Tony Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement of Theatre, Jerry Herman and his music are synonymous with some of Broadway’s biggest hits – Hello Dolly!, La Cage Aux Folles, Mame, Mack and Mabel, Dear World, and more. Complete with large scale production numbers, tap dancing, and a little bit of drag – this is the perfect holiday excursion . . . " Ticket information is here.

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Blog Post

Call for Community Presenters

by monkk

North Quad Programming is seeking presentations by individuals or groups from the greater Ann Arbor-Detroit vicinity whose work explores the idea of supporting, sustaining, or establishing community. The Exposure Series is an ongoing Powered by PechaKucha event in Space 2435, organized by North Quad Programming. Presenters are invited to prepare a powerpoint presentation under the following guidelines: 20 slides, presented for 20 seconds per slide, for a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds. The presentations will take place on December 18 from 6 to 8 pm. Email umnorthquad@umich.edu to reserve your presenter slot. Videos of past Exposure Series presentations can be viewed on the North Quad Vimeo.