Things to do: Matthew Rose, 'Abstract is Real' art shows at First Friday, 'Big Lebowski'

March First Friday features Irish dancers, art shows

"Luck of the Irish" is the theme of First Friday activities on March 3 in downtown Canton.

Entertainment features the O'Kennedy-Holland Irish Dance Academy , who will perform 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. on the Kempthorn Stage at Cleveland Avenue and Fourth Street NW, with opportunities for audience participation from 7:30 to 8 p.m.

Dancers from the Medina and Akron area academy also will be making guest appearances at some downtown businesses during First Friday, which runs 5 to 9 p.m.

A gift basket, featuring a $500 cash prize, fine wine, glassware, gift certificates, original artwork and more, will be given away. To enter, you must spend $10 at any downtown business and visit a second business.

The contest will be open Friday by following the link https://form.jotform.com/230576233941052 .

The winner will be drawn at random on Saturday. Participants must be age 21 or older.

Other First Friday activities include free admission to the Canton Museum of Art and extended hours until 8 p.m.; a performance by Stark County-based and regional pop rock band Hey Monea at Rae's on Court at 218 Court Ave. NW with food and drinks available.

Free group dance sessions will begin at 6:30 p.m. at R&J Ballroom , 401 Tuscarawas St. W inside the Canton Daily News Building. Experience or a partner are not required.

Matthew Rose art exhibition opens at Strauss Studios

Acclaimed international artist Matthew Rose will open an exhibition 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Strauss Studios as part of March First Friday activities in downtown Canton.

Growing up in Long Island, Rose graduated from Brown University in 1981 with degrees in linguistics and semiotics. Following college, he worked as a journalist, freelance writing about art and advertising, including for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Rose also produced a large body of collage works, drawings, altered objects and paintings, Strauss Studios said in a news release.

The exhibition, “Overdose” at Strauss Studios, 236 Walnut Ave. NE, joins 1,000 collage works for a display of many of the artist’s critical works from the early 2000s.

Rose said that he hopes viewers of the Canton exhibition will enjoy the experience of “discovering his work, as they immerse themselves in hundreds of his collages as one might shop for vinyl records.”

In 1992, the artist moved to Paris, France. Since that time, Rose has created thousands of collage works and other art, and has exhibited his work throughout the world, including at the Karuizawa New Art Museum in Japan.

Rose also installed the 30th iteration of "A Book About Death," a global project he initiated and curated in 2009 at The Emily Harvey Foundation gallery in New York City.

Rose is the author of several books including "Coronaville" in 2020, "Animal Farmy" in 2020 and "People" in 2015.

Strauss Studios co-owner John Strauss said that Rose asked him to participate in the original "A Book About Death" project, "where as an artist, I composed a work on a post card and printed 500 copies to be sent directly to the gallery. It was a wonderful experience.”

'Abstract is Real' opens at BZTAT Studios

The work of 10 Northeast Ohio artists is being showcased at BZTAT Studios in downtown Canton as part of the "Abstract is Real" exhibition.

An opening reception is 5 to 9 p.m. during March First Friday events.

The exhibition features the work of BZTAT and others from the Canton area, including Aimee Lambes, Sally Priscilla Lytle, Dave Kuntzman, Sarah Winther Shumaker, Christopher Triner, David Dingwell, Stephen Tornero, Emily Ritchey Vigil, and Chris Wurst. Pieces include paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures.

“I like to make my gallery a collaborative experience for various artists,” said Vicki Boatright, also known as BZTAT, who operates BZTAT Studios at 209 Sixth St. NW in the Canton Arts District.

Artwork ranges "from completely non-representational pieces to photography that challenges the notion of reality," she said.

The exhibition closes May 27. Gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Special showing of 'The Big Lebowski' at the Canton Palace

The Canton Palace Theatre will be hosting a special one-night screening of the cult classic movie "The Big Lebowski" at 7:30 pm. Saturday.

A costume contest is at 7 p.m. for the best Lebowski-themed outfit. Prints of original Lebowski-themed paintings created by Canton-based artist Dave Sherrill also will be available for purchase.

Tickets, $10 per person, are available online at https://cantonpalacetheatre.org/ or at the door starting at 6:30 p.m. The Palace Theatre is at 605 Market Ave. N in downtown Canton.

Canton South Middle School presents 'Aladdin Jr.'

The Canton South Middle School drama program will present Disney's "Aladdin Jr." this weekend beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at Canton South High School.

Shows are also at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Performing Arts Center at the high school, 600 Faircrest St. SE.

The musical, directed by Canton Local Schools drama teacher Stefanie Fatzinger, features Jackson Minor as Aladdin, Alexis Poorman as Jasmine, and Italina Sabatino as the genie, as well as a cast and crew of seventy middle school students and fifteen high school students serving as mentors.

Tickets, $10, can be purchased online at https://www.cantonlocal.org/ .

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com .

On Twitter @ebalintREP