This Thursday, November 21, at 7:30 p.m., the Dallas Museum of Art will feature three local artists in conversation about the art scene in the Metroplex. We asked them each a question about their work before they take the stage on Thursday!
Photo by Michael A. Muller
Sarah Jaffe, musician
What is your favorite venue to play at in the Metroplex and which performance there stands out in your mind?
I have a few that I’m quite partial to. I love Sons of Hermann Hall. I haven’t played there in quite some time but played a lot of memorable shows there. I’m partial to Club Dada as well because I played my very first shows in that club. But my favorite venue is The Granada. I remember the very first time I played that theater almost eight years ago. Then I remember six years later selling it out for my first time. It was an incredible night for me and my band members. The crowd was full of energy. It was a celebratory night.
Steven Walters, actor, Dallas Theater Center, and founder, Second Thought Theatre
You’ve been working in the Dallas theater scene for a while now, including founding Second Thought Theatre. How has Dallas and the local community influenced your work?
I truly love this city. I cut my teeth here. Dallas is a city of “Doers.” From my point of view, it’s a fundamental part of the culture of the Big D—we get stuff done. Sometimes though, in the process of getting things done and driving toward our goals, we Dallasites don’t take the time to stop and take stock. Second Thought Theatre was founded, in part, in response to this characteristic. STT’s mission essentially says, Stop what you’re doing for an hour or two, and let us tell you a story. We’ll make you think about your life and your community. Sometimes we’ll make you laugh, and other times we’ll make you question your ideas. But it’ll always be a changing experience. And after the show’s done, you can take it with you into your day to day life, or you can leave it at the theater until the next time you come see us. I’ve always been in a dialogue with this city through my work at Second Thought Theatre.
Bruce Wood, founder, Bruce Wood Dance Project
You draw inspiration from many avenues, and Texas has influenced you in many ways and is seen through many of your pieces, including “Dust” and “Texas.” Can you tell us a bit about how Texas has influenced your artistic vision?
I grew up in a part of Texas where you could see twenty miles in any direction. I think of it as beautiful. I consider that my land. I know it has shaped my aesthetic, because it shaped me. My work is spare and free from artifice. I love empty space in a dance. I don’t feel compelled to fill all of the space with dance. It’s okay to leave some room for the dance to breathe. I am also okay with stillness, which is ironic considering the form is about movement, but stillness gives movement importance. If you want to make a movement important, you surround it by stillness. I’m from Texas. I have found that I grow better in empty spaces with big skies; bright, dazzling, relentless sun; and winds that just rip across the land. I wouldn’t be the same and the work would not be the same. It’s really that simple.
Join us on Thursday evening to learn more about our guests and perhaps draw a little inspiration.
Note: Some answers have been edited for space.
Liz Menz is the manager of adult programming at the DMA.
