Arts Saginaw

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT: Leslie Odom, Jr. | June 2, 2027
ON SALE: Friday September 4, 10AM
VENUE PRESALE: Wednesday September 2 - September 3, 10AM - 10PM
CODE: WAITFORIT
TICKETS: templetheatre.com | https://bit.ly/leslieodomjrJUNE2

Leslie Odom, Jr. will bring his acclaimed live show to the Temple Theatre in Saginaw, Michigan for a performance on Wednesday, June 2, 2027, with doors at 6:00 PM and showtime at 7:30 PM.

Tony and Grammy Award-winning artist Leslie Odom, Jr. brings his extraordinary voice,
magnetic stage presence, and genre-spanning artistry to the stage for an evening of music
that is soulful, sophisticated, and deeply moving. This captivating concert features selections from the American Songbook, reimagined pop favorites, and beloved musical theater classics — including special performances of songs from Hamilton, the Broadway phenomenon that earned Odom a Tony Award for his iconic portrayal of Aaron Burr.

With his signature charm, stunning vocals, and heartfelt storytelling, Leslie Odom, Jr. creates a live experience that is intimate, inspiring, and unforgettable. Join us for a night of timeless music, powerful emotion, and the unmatched artistry of one of today’s most celebrated performers.

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

Commentary by Janet I Martineau

It was a magical musical moment for the ages.

On Saturday, Aug. 29, the venerable Grand Ole Opry hosted a nearly 3 hour live tribute to Dolly Parton.

The capacity 4400 audience at the Nashville venue as well as thousands more via the miracle of Facebook and/or YouTube watched and we all felt so united and close to each other across all those miles. As they say, misery loves company.

What was remarkable about this moment captured in time is that the Opry’s weekly Saturday night concert performers are pre-booked months ahead of time.

So the Opry went with on its long-scheduled lineup and asked the performers to possibly include a tribute to Parton.

In the matter of four days the performers added a song or songs to their set and had stories to share. The executive producer at the Opry wrote a profound opening statement. A Parton relative was added at the last minute. And Dolly videos galore were inserted into the program — including the sob-worthy ending.

And this is where it gets weird.

A gospel-oriented newcomer performed her first concert at the Opry that evening – she had been scheduled to perform with Parton during her Las Vegas residency, which was canceled when Dolly fell ill.

Carly Pearce was on the roster to celebrate her fifth anniversary of being an Opry member – it was Parton who in a fun setup told Pearce she was the newest member of the Opry (Pearce fell to her knees). Pearce, now 36, had given up her normal teenage life to sing at Dollywood when she was just 16.

And a long-time Opry favorite with a Saginaw link shared the story of when she was called up on a moment’s notice to play guitar player for Parton and Burt Reynolds.

The evening’s highlights:

— Belle Frantz was the newcomer making her Opry debut — for which she earned a massive standing ovation after singing “Where No One Stands Alone.” Parton never recorded it, but she created waves when she performed it on one of the Porter Wagoner television shows.

Frantz was so stunned by the standing ovation she had to take a few minutes to compose herself before she sang her own composition of “Hymns From a Barstool” — a strong storytelling song worthy of Parton’s legacy.

The stylish Frantz performs with a charisma and intensity and emotion and power that is immediately captivating. We may have seen a star in the making, which is long a history of the hundred year old Opry.

My first flashback of the evening. Many many years ago, I don’t remember when, my parents and I attended a live performance at the Opry, and performing was a newcomer and basically unknown named Barbara Mandrell.

After she sang a couple of songs, I let out a massive whoop, which startled the hell out of my parents because their normally shy quiet daughter would not do anything like that.

And we all know what became of Mandrell. I was so lucky to interview her in Saginaw in 1977 and again in 1983 (both times onboard her tour bus, and one of them while she cooked supper for her daughter and father).

A well-known dance teacher in Saginaw circles said nasty, nasty things about me when I started writing a country music column for The Saginaw News. So proud still to be country when country wasn’t cool.

— Jada Star, Dolly‘s niece, was called upon amid her grief to perform a song they sang together in a 2024 album, titled “The Orchard.” Star and another Parton relative (Richie Owens) wrote the song about the importance of place and family, and it is so touching and relatable.

During her performance Star showed a kinship big personality she shares with her aunt. And she ended by saying. “we’re all gonna be all right, I promise.” I so needed to hear those words.

— Kathy Mattea braved singing the immortal “Jolene” in her tribute and shared a fun story about Burt Reynolds and Dolly. My memory flashed backward when she performed as a part of a Saginaw Choral Society‘s Christmas concert … in 1999 at the Civic Center AND in 2004 at Temple. At the first concert, she joined the alto section for a number.

And that ending. All of the performers from the evening walked on stage, and then turned their backs to the audience as overhead a projection featured Dolly herself speaking and singing “I Will Always Love You” at the Opry in 2020.

With some fancy editing, it made it look like she was actually appearing on the stage that night.

Parton was a member of the Opry for 57 years.

08/31/2026

After devouring hundreds of glizzys🌭 last week, Counter Cruise returns to OldTown/Hamilton Street!🎉🎉
We need everyone to check-in with our 2026 🛞Air-Pressure Captain, Daniel Davis prior to our 7pm take off, to make sure we avoid any delays during tonight's social gathering on wheels.
About 8 miles planned..we may switch up the pinnacle of the route due to possible construction flow. See yall in a few hours!

08/31/2026

Saginaw Valley State University will host a wide variety of public lectures, performances and exhibits during its 2026-2027 academic year, many of which are free.

A list of activities planned for the fall 2026 semester follows:

Public Lectures

SVSU brings to campus and the region a variety of speakers addressing topics like history, science, culture and the arts. All lectures are free.

• Thomas and Hilda Rush Distinguished Lectureship:Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m., Rhea Miller Recital Hall — Marcia Ditmyer, SVSU professor of public health, will present “From Dormancy to Delivery: Trust, Growth and the Alignment of Systems.”

• Dow Visiting Scholar: Monday, Oct. 5, at 1 p.m., Roberta Allen Reading Room in SVSU’s Zahnow Library — Daniel Wirls, professor of political science at UC Santa Cruz, will present “Nuclear Weapons, the Constitution and Presidential Power.”

• Wickson-Nickless Distinguished Lectureship in Business: Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m., Rhea Miller Recital Hall — “tech humanist” Kate O’Neill will present “AI Analytics and the Human.”

• Dow Visiting Scholar: Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6:30 p.m., Wirt Public Library, Bay City — John Mauk, fiction writer and scholar, will offer a lecture and reading. Co-sponsored by the Bay County Library system.

• Raana Akbar Memorial Lecture on Islam & Culture: Thursday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m., Ott Auditorium (Gilbertson Hall) — Feryal Salem, associate professor of Arabic and Islamic studies, American Islamic College, will speak on “The Art of the Soul: Islamic Architecture, Beauty and Spiritual Formation in Islamic Civilization.”

Musical Performances

Each year, SVSU hosts a variety of musical artists, including those in Rhea Miller Concert Series
featuring performances by nationally and internationally acclaimed musical artists.

These concerts are free thanks to a gift from Rhea E. Miller, a longtime friend of the University.

• Rhea Miller Concert Series presents Gracie Potter, trombone: Friday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 p.m., Rhea Miller Recital Hall. Potter is the principal trombonist at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and has performed with orchestras across the United States and in London.

• SVSU Choirs present ICONS: A Pop/Rock Tribute: Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m., Malcolm Field Theatre for the Performing Arts.

• Rhea Miller Concert series presents José Ramón Méndez, piano: Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m., Rhea Miller Recital Hall. Hailed as one of the most exciting Spanish pianists of today, Mendéz has held faculty positions at institutions throughout the United States and currently serves as associate professor of piano at Oberlin College and Conservatory.

• SVSU Choirs present a Winter Gala: Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m. Rhea Miller Recital Hall.

Theatrical Performances

The SVSU Department of Theatre will present three productions in the fall 2026 semester:

• “What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck: Wednesday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m., Malcolm Field Theatre for Performing Arts — Playwright Heidi Schreck resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Directed by Tommy Wedge, associate professor of theatre.

• “A Trip to the Moon” by Tracy Wells: Wednesday, Oct. 18-Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 18, 3 p.m., SVSU Black Box Theatre (Curtiss Hall 180) — Set in the summer of 1969, around the time of the moon landing, this vignette-style play is composed of eight scenes, each named after an iconic song from 1969.

• “No Exit” by Jean Paul Sartre: Wednesday, Nov. 18-Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m., Malcolm Field Theatre for Performing Arts — Two women and one man are locked up together for eternity in one hideous room in hell, subjected to the shame of having all sins exposed.

All tickets can be purchased online or at the Box Office for $15 each; there is no charge for SVSU students.

University Art Gallery Exhibitions

Exhibitions and receptions are in the University Art Gallery/Arbury Fine Arts Center.

• “Three Years Later …,” Shaun Bangert: Aug. 24-Sept. 19 — Bangert’s photographic and installation work explores questions of identity and perceived realities after trauma. Reception: Thursday, Sept. 10 from 4-6 p.m.

• “Rabbit Weaving: Complex Threads of Making,” Kristy Deetz: Sept. 28-Oct. 22 —This interdisciplinary traveling exhibition features industrial jacquard weavings based on Kristy Deetz’ “Through the Veil” and “Holidays Unfolding” painting series. Closing reception: Thursday, Oct. 22, from
4-6 p.m.

• “Alienation and Desire: A Lexicon of Looking,” Mille Guldbeck: Nov. 2-Nov. 19 — Guldbeck’s work explores, through observation and contemplation, the dichotomies of the experience of nature for the artist as maker opposed to the perceptions of nature by the viewer. Closing reception: Thursday,

08/29/2026

08/28/2026

Studio 23/The Arts Center in Bay City is showcasing the work of 2026 Visiting Artist Rhonda Luckey through Oct. 24 in an exhibition titled “Seeing With the Heart.”

Luckey (pictured) is a multidisciplinary textile artist inspired by the quiet language of nature.

Living in Pennsylvania and Michigan, she utilizes natural fibers gathered from her immediate environment, transforming them through a variety of methods while incorporating and honoring traditional textile practices.

Weaving tradition with innovation, her practice is informed by the rich history, mythology and artistic traditions of Asian and European cultures — cultivated during her childhood in Okinawa, France and Italy.

Working from her studio on Intermediate Lake, Luckey is immersed in the natural world of northern Michigan, continually rediscovering the landscapes that surround her.

Through her pilgrimages within these landscapes, she says she is inspired by the sacred moments that invite her to pause, to listen and simply to be.

In her artist statement, Luckey describes the connection between these experiences and her artwork:

“Through my art, I seek to weave tradition with innovation, creating textile works that invite reflection, restoration, and reconnection with the wisdom of the natural world. Each piece becomes a quiet act of metanoia — a change of heart — a prayer for peace, hope and love for our planet and for one another.

“I am called to reflect the quiet beauty of nature — its textures, rhythms and unseen threads —and to invite others into a deeper experience of their authentic selves.”

Luckey’s work has been featured in juried and curated exhibitions at the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media; the Phillip Dressler Center for the Arts in Somerset, Pa; the University Museum of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and the Artists Hand Gallery and The Fox Clark Gallery in Indiana, Pa.

Her writing and textile work have also been published in “Handwoven” (spring 2024) and “Surface Design Journal” (February 2022). More of Luckey’s artwork can be seen online at www.enfoldmefiberdesign.com.

The mission of the Studio 23 Visiting Artist Program, through selection of an annual visiting artist, is to enhance the experience of art for the community via exposure to a greater diversity of artists, art media and artistic styles.

The program is funded by the C Joanne Grabinski Visiting Artist Fund.

Studio 23 is located at 901 N. Water St. Gallery hours are Tuesday–Friday 12–5pm and Saturday 12-4pm.