Area Artists and Performers to Showcase Talents at Wooster ‘Jam Session’

Inaugural event scheduled for this weekend (April 22-23) at the Wayne County Fairgrounds

WOOSTER, Ohio — Dozens of local artists and performers will showcase their talents at The City of Wooster’s inaugural “Jam Session” this weekend (April 22-23) at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.

Organized by The College of Wooster’s Center for Entrepreneurship, the event will feature simultaneous performances by bands, artists, musicians, dancers, and more at five locations across the fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight.

Entertainers and artists appearing both days include magician/mind-reader Bobby Warren and dancers Alyssa & George, as well as Morgan Nyhart, who will demonstrate his illuminated drums; “Memories for the Morrow,” a play written by College of Wooster sophomore Carolyn Faldo and directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Shirley Huston-Findley; the 10-minute play “Jump” by Malcolm; The College of Wooster’s student improv sketch-comedy group Don’t Throw Shoes; Julian Taylor with his electric violin; Andrew Donlan playing bagpipes; and Poetry Café featuring Professor of English Dan Bourne. In addition, video and film presentations will be made by Dan Buckler, Dani Leventhal, Shoot It Already Films, and more.

Friday’s lineup includes the Cedar Valley Cloggers, Ohio Light Opera, Cello Ensemble, and cool jazz by Green Bean Recipe and the J Blues band. Also performing will be several College of Wooster vocalists; Compliments Electronic Music; folk entertainer Caitlin Cliff and the Gregorians; DJ-P 10; and four bands — Mama’s Boys, Empire Heights, Plastic Thieves, and Sex Panthers.

Saturday kicks off with Alyssa Wilmot’s Hip Hop Dance class, followed by the local band Standard Time Jazz and College of Wooster’s coed student a capella group A Round of Monkeys. In addition, there will be a Dance Festival featuring College of Wooster students, plus the bands Dames, Swift Taylors, Official Seals, Ethan Flack, Emore Jts, Unsung Heros, Northwest Territory, Funk Country Store, Freddie Cool, and Tom Shaper with his Sax/Guitar creation. There will also be Swing Dance demos.

Participating visual artists are theatre costume designer Charlene Gross, sculptor Jim Spires, student artist Nicholas Ouelette, and senior graphic novel author Will Santino, plus artists from 120 Beall Co-op. There will also be a Cornhole tournament for all participants with a grand prize of $200.

Performance times are subject to change. A full schedule can be found on Wooster’s Jam Session website. Food concessions and beverages will be available throughout the event, which is free and open to the public (with donations accepted for American Red Cross disaster relief and to help defray costs for the event). Proceeds from beer sales will benefit the Viola Startzman Free Clinic and Wayne County Fair.

The Jam Session was conceived by James Levin, director of Wooster’s Center of Entrepreneurship and the founder and artistic director of the highly acclaimed Ingenuity Festival, which takes place in downtown Cleveland each year. Levin’s chief faculty collaborator is Alyssa Wilmot, a visiting professor of dance at Wooster and an alumnus of the College who has produced similar festivals in the Bay area of California.

Additional information is available by contacting Martha Bollinger or James Levin by phone (330-263-2267) or e-mail at the Center for Entrepreneurship.