Kelly Yang

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'Witness' concludes series

By Kelly Yang | April 23

Through discussions, photo exhibits, performances and other media, UNC's arts community spent the year exploring issues of capital punishment in society. The dialogue was brought about by the Creative Campus Innovations Grant, which was awarded to the University and seven other schools in the country. And to close out this year's project, Creative Campus will bring "Witness to an Execution," presented by PlayMakers Repertory Company, to Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre. The production premieres today and runs until April 27.

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Play explores death penalty

By Kelly Yang | April 11

Instead of offering his play to Broadway, actor and playwright Tim Robbins offered "Dead Man Walking" to schools and universities throughout the nation. Adapted from Sister Helen Prejean's book of the same title, UNC's Department of Dramatic Art will present the play, which focuses on the death penalty and other major social issues in a five-day run at the Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre.

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Panelists set to judge guitarists on 'airness'

By Kelly Yang | January 25

Those who've dominated "Guitar Hero" will get a chance to rock out, emulating the same moves - minus the guitar. The Carolina Union Activities Board is hosting its first Air Guitar Championship at 8 p.m. today in Gerrard Hall. Drawn up by CUAB's Fun Committee Chairwoman Amanda Kao, the championship is the culmination of a three-part event, which also featured a screening of "Air Guitar Nation" and a lecture by air guitarist Dan Crane, aka Bjorn Turoque. Kao accepted entries until yesterday without requiring an audition.

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Faculty come together for jazz performance

By Kelly Yang | January 22

Although time zones and teaching schedules have kept six professors from across the country from rehearsing, the friends and band mates said they'll rely on experience and improvisation to make the first "Jazz Faculty Jam" a success. Conjured up by a faculty member of the UNC music department, the professors will perform in the "Jazz Faculty Jam" today in Hill Hall. "The group is made of colleagues and friends who play in different settings," performer and UNC music professor Stephen Anderson said.

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Film highlights air guitar legends

By Kelly Yang | January 11

Everyone owns an air guitar, but it takes a special kind of person to be an air guitar champion. Amateurs looking to learn how to rock out in their own style will get to see the pros on the big screen. Today the Carolina Union Activities Board will show the documentary "Air Guitar Nation," which showcases some of the greatest air guitar players in recent years.

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Concert brings holidays to UNC

By Kelly Yang | November 27

With soft gestures as fluid as each of her explosive notes, soprano Kathleen Battle sang in the holiday season to a filled Memorial Hall on Monday. Accompanied by pianist Joel Martin, the two were presented by UNC's opera director Terry Rhodes. Rhodes explained to the audience that Cyrus Chestnut, who was originally slated to accompany Battle, would be replaced by Martin. Their performance was a part of the Carolina Performing Arts Series.

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Soprano opens holiday season

By Kelly Yang | November 26

Carolina Performing Arts Series opens its holiday series with a new program of traditional holiday music as soprano Kathleen Battle welcomes the season tonight in Memorial Hall. The five-time Grammy winner will be accompanied by pianist Joel Martin, who is known for his "jazzical" style - the explosive union of classical composition and jazz innovation.

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Opera to be streamed live

By Kelly Yang | September 21

In January, Memorial Hall audiences were treated to popular Broadway hit-turned-film "Rent." Nine months later, the venue is offering the classic Italian opera that inspired the musical. Giacomo Puccini's "La Boheme" - the 19th century opera that served as the basis for "Rent" - will be presented by the Washington National Opera in a live simulcast at 2 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Hall. The free presentation will broadcast to 19 universities and high schools throughout the nation from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

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Belly dancers shake up Kidzu

By Kelly Yang | August 27

Shimmies, hip bumps, snake arms and temple arms were among the belly-dancing techniques five young girls and their instructor taught to a group of parents and visitors at Kidzu Children's Museum on Saturday. The girls, ages 3 to 11, performed for about 25 audience members alongside instructor Terri Allred, stage name Sadiya, as part of Happy Hips Youth Oriental Dance Troupe. Sadiya means "Happy" or "Lucky," Allred said.

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PlayMakers series makes debut

By Kelly Yang | August 21

From "Romeo and Juliet" to "The Little Prince," UNC's PlayMakers Repertory Company's new season is one of its largest yet. PlayMakers, the oldest theater company in the Carolinas, expects an exciting upcoming year with the addition of a second-stage series in the Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre, PRC2, alongside its main-stage shows in the Paul Green Theatre. According to Jeffrey Meanza, PlayMakers' education and outreach director, the focus of PRC2 is to bring "powerful and challenging works of theater to the audience."