Make A Scene Magazine August 2025

MUSIC TAKES CENTER STAGE IN AJT’S 2025–2026 “SOUNDS LIKE FUN!” SEASON

As the school year kicks off, Alaska Junior Theater (AJT) is thrilled to welcome back our amazing teachers and students with a season that sings, moves and inspires. This year’s theme, “SOUNDS Like Fun!”, is a joyful celebration of the power of music to connect cultures, spark curiosity and bring people together through the magic of live performance.

At Alaska Junior Theater, we believe every student deserves access to the arts. That’s why we offer ticket scholarships for low-income students and partner with the Alaska State Council on the Arts, which offers Excursion Grants for transportation and admission, helping more kids than ever experience the joy of a live theatre field trip.

The season opens with Kattam and His Tam Tams—school shows run November 4–6, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., with a public show Friday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m. Kattam leads students on a high-energy musical adventure blending African rap, Moroccan trance and Bollywood dance, using traditional instruments like the djembe, balafon and darbouka, all with help from his playful monkey sidekick.

Next, Holiday Tales: A Season of Miracles with

Pushcart Players brings a multicultural musical of holiday stories from around the world, including The Gift of the Magi, The Kwanzaa Kite, The Chanukah Miracle and The Nutcracker. School shows run December 8–12, 2025, with a public show Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 p.m. This magical presentation is designed to warm hearts and inspire reflection on the true meaning of the season.

In January, Black Violin returns with school shows January 15–16, 2026, and a public show Friday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m. GRAMMY-nominated duo Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus blend classical training with hip-hop influences, celebrating growth, roots and the beauty of coming full circle. Their Black Violin Foundation reaches over 100,000 students each year, inspiring the next generation to dream boldly.

March features Ball in the House, a five-man a cappella group from Boston presenting And Now I See: Celebrating American Music with school shows March 17–19, 2026. Their high-energy show traces the evolution of genres like spirituals, jazz and hip hop, highlighting the impact of African American music and addressing racism’s effect on musical styles and artists.

On Saturday, March 21, AJT hosts its Annual Benefit with Saturday Night Fever, a disco-themed, all-vocal tribute to the 1970s. Festivities include live,

silent and online auctions, a champagne reception, heavy hors d’oeuvres and dessert, and an after-party with an exclusive performance by Ball in the House. Ticket price includes the reception, show and a tax-deductible donation to AJT. The public show starts at 8:00 p.m.

The season closes in April with The Singing Zoologist. School shows run April 22–24, 2026, with a public show Saturday, April 25 at 2:00 p.m. Lucas Miller combines puppets, videos and hilarious songs to teach kids about wildlife, ecosystems and the natural world, blending zoology expertise with a knack for engaging young audiences.

Thanks to AJT ticket scholarships and Alaska State Council on the Arts Excursion Grants, schools can reduce or eliminate the cost of attending live performances. Excursion Grants offer up to $600— or $1,000 for Title I schools—to help with transportation and admission for arts-based field trips. Learn more at arts.alaska.gov/grants/cultural-collaborations-excursion-grants/.

At AJT, we believe all children deserve access to professional live theatre, regardless of socioeconomic status. Help make it possible at AKJT.org. Teachers, send in your registration form and deposit now to get priority seating and a free ticket to each performance you choose. We can’t wait to welcome you and your students back to the theater.

TAKING YOUR PLACE IN THE DRUMMUNITY: THE COMMUNITY DRUMKEEPER’S TRAINING

Contributed by Suraj Holzwarth

Since the Mat-Su Valley’s 7-foot, crystal-inlaid Alaskan Grandmother Drum was born 25 years ago in Chickaloon, she, her DrumKeeper Suraj Holzwarth, and the project’s musical ensemble have toured the world activating hearts and promoting unity, peace, and earth sustainability one heartbeat at a time. Having traveled a million miles and touched over a million people across 20 countries, the non-profit Whirling Rainbow Foundation continues to expand its healing message with music at the core of its medicine.

To spread its heart work farther and wider, the foundation launched the Drum For Change Global Network to help bring Grandmother Drum’s resounding heartbeat of unity to even more communities. In addition to facilitating quarterly global drum circles uniting 360 cities in 80 countries, the Drum For Change Global Network now trains healers, artists, teachers, drummers, therapists, and spiritual seekers both locally and globally in using sound, song, sacred music, and the power of the drum in their own communities.

In addition to a series of online classes, this year’s 5-day certified Community DrumKeeper’s Training will be held September 20–25, 2025, at The Whirling Rainbow Center in Homer. The program is open to all experience levels of drummers, dancers, healers, teachers, therapists, and spiritual seekers. If you lead or have wanted to lead music in dance programs, sound healing events, meditation classes, spiritual practices, song and drum circles, treatment programs, shamanic healing arts workshops and festivals, children’s school programs and camps, wellness classes, elder care programs, or hospice, this is your program.

Suraj brings her 35 years as an international shamanic healer, teacher, singer, and drummer to this deep immersion into the elemental healing power and sacred use of the drum and core shamanic instruments. This rich hands-on training also incorporates the use of other instruments such as rattles, flutes, tuning forks, foot and hand bells, crystal bowls, and more.

You can register for one, two, or all five days of the training. If you have longed to become a Community DrumKeeper and leader of sacred music, dance, and drum circles, or just want to enhance your own meditation and spiritual practices, join us. The highlight of the Alaska 5-day Commu-

nity Mother Drum Keepers Training features experiencing and working with the heart-opening, 7-foot, crystal-inlaid Alaskan Grandmother Drum. There are only a few spaces left. For more information contact The Whirling Rainbow Foundation at whirlingrainbow.com/shamanic-training/rainbow-fire-mysteryschool-alaska/ or email thewhirlingrainbowfoundation@gmail.com, or call 907-715-4433.

Special Olympics Alaska Mat-Su Community Needs Your

VOLUNTEER? DONATE? CALL 907-631-8591

We're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to cheer on athletes, keep scores, wave flags, and spread high-fives (our athletes love those!). There are various other fulfilling roles available too, all of which are a breeze. By volunteering, you'll have an incredible experience and make plenty of new athlete friends!