1. Director Traci Ledford (Crimes of the Heart, Silent Sky) says, “For years I have been a fan of the composer Max Richter who is probably best known for his work scoring several contemporary television shows and movies. Recently, however, I discovered his reworking of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, which apparently has been available since 2014. Essentially, Richter has re-composed these famous concerti adding his trademark depth and the slightest hint of a modern twist. I've always thought Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was something of a Baroque rock star, and have routinely appreciated the complexities of Baroque music. But hearing Richter's version made me appreciate the original all the more. Vivaldi's work is in no way hidden nor unrecognizable in Richter's homage. Rather, it is a study in appreciation: highlighting moments you may have missed in the original by using the merest alteration or emphasis in rhythm, harmony, or counter melody. It's been a nice addition to my (wildly varied) walking playlist as the temperatures cool off and nature changes colors. "Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi's The Four Seasons" is available everywhere you can stream or buy music.”
2. Director Ryan Stevens (Stuart Little) says, “As we pass through October's spooky season and get deeper into fall, I'm getting nostalgic for the crunchy leaves and autumn winds of my home in South Carolina. I've been listening to the podcast Old Gods of Appalachia, which tells spooky stories set in the Appalachian south. Ghosts at the bottom of coal mines, witches in the marsh, and all sorts of strange creatures in the deep, dark woods lurk in each short, twenty-minute-ish episode, each one told in a powerful, and familiar, Southern drawl. If you like spooky stories or are perhaps curious about that peculiar part of our strange, old, very spooky country, I recommend it highly!
While the episodes don't have any offensive language, they can be pretty scary, so this may not be ideal for our younger Festival fans. Listener beware!”
2. Director Ryan Stevens (Stuart Little) says, “As we pass through October's spooky season and get deeper into fall, I'm getting nostalgic for the crunchy leaves and autumn winds of my home in South Carolina. I've been listening to the podcast Old Gods of Appalachia, which tells spooky stories set in the Appalachian south. Ghosts at the bottom of coal mines, witches in the marsh, and all sorts of strange creatures in the deep, dark woods lurk in each short, twenty-minute-ish episode, each one told in a powerful, and familiar, Southern drawl. If you like spooky stories or are perhaps curious about that peculiar part of our strange, old, very spooky country, I recommend it highly!
While the episodes don't have any offensive language, they can be pretty scary, so this may not be ideal for our younger Festival fans. Listener beware!”
3. Actor (The Fantasticks, Elephant’s Graveyard) and director (The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood) Emily Ahrens says, “My festival fave for this month is the podcast “Unlocking Us” by Brené Brown. If you haven’t heard of her, Brené is a professor, researcher, writer, and intellectual who cultivated her studies on themes of courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. On her podcast, she discusses everything from books to television to social issues to mental health and everything in between - But she always relates these topics back to the beauty of vulnerability and empathy. I really love the guests she has on her podcast and I almost always listen to her during my workouts! (I found her after reading the book Wild because one of the guests she features is author Cheryl Strayed, so so good!!)
Definitely would recommend. A good starting episode for anyone during these particular times would be “Loneliness and Connection.” So important to talk about right now!”
Definitely would recommend. A good starting episode for anyone during these particular times would be “Loneliness and Connection.” So important to talk about right now!”
4. Our Marketing Director, Isaac Bont recommends, “The Haunting of Hill House Spooooooky! As a fan of the horror genre, I can be a little desensitized to scary movies. But I thought The Haunting of Hill House had both effective scares, and also great characters and emotion to boot! This Netflix series garnered a lot of critical acclaim when it released two years ago, and I'm glad I sat down to watch it through recently. As opposed to a lot of modern horror, this series is more of a slow burn that makes you care about the characters and the awful things that happen to them. It's also a ghost story that's about not only literal hauntings, but the way aspects of life can haunt us through trauma, addiction, mental diseases and more. Definitely got binged by me.”
5. Our Arts Ed Director, Brooke Smith says, “During the fall months, I like nothing more than to plop myself down in front of the television and slip away from real life for a few hours. If you know me, you know that I am also a huge fan of animation. Cartoons are my faves, I have never grown out of them and never will! A few weeks ago, I decided to finally watch Disney’s highly acclaimed series Gravity Falls, and I am THRILLED that I did! Gravity Falls chronicles one summer in the lives of twin siblings Dipper and Mabel Pines, who are sent up north to the fictional town of Gravity Falls, Oregon, to stay with their “Grunkle” (great uncle) Stan and help him run his roadside shop of horrors, The Mystery Shack. However, things in Gravity Falls are not what they seem. Dipper and Mabel encounter gnomes, mermaids, and zombies, as well as the sinister Bill Cipher, an interdimensional triangle creature bent on destruction.
As a twin myself, I love the dynamic between Dipper and Mabel who are each other's greatest supporter (and sometimes biggest annoyance). I also love the combination of fantasy elements with real-world situations, as well as nod to the beautiful outdoors of Oregon. And, though it is set in the Pacific Northwest, the scenery and situations remind me of the great outdoors and rich lore that exist in Northeast Tennessee where I’m from! If you’re looking for something to watch that allows you to veg out a bit while also keeping you interested and excited, Gravity Falls is a perfect choice this fall!”
5. Our Arts Ed Director, Brooke Smith says, “During the fall months, I like nothing more than to plop myself down in front of the television and slip away from real life for a few hours. If you know me, you know that I am also a huge fan of animation. Cartoons are my faves, I have never grown out of them and never will! A few weeks ago, I decided to finally watch Disney’s highly acclaimed series Gravity Falls, and I am THRILLED that I did! Gravity Falls chronicles one summer in the lives of twin siblings Dipper and Mabel Pines, who are sent up north to the fictional town of Gravity Falls, Oregon, to stay with their “Grunkle” (great uncle) Stan and help him run his roadside shop of horrors, The Mystery Shack. However, things in Gravity Falls are not what they seem. Dipper and Mabel encounter gnomes, mermaids, and zombies, as well as the sinister Bill Cipher, an interdimensional triangle creature bent on destruction.
As a twin myself, I love the dynamic between Dipper and Mabel who are each other's greatest supporter (and sometimes biggest annoyance). I also love the combination of fantasy elements with real-world situations, as well as nod to the beautiful outdoors of Oregon. And, though it is set in the Pacific Northwest, the scenery and situations remind me of the great outdoors and rich lore that exist in Northeast Tennessee where I’m from! If you’re looking for something to watch that allows you to veg out a bit while also keeping you interested and excited, Gravity Falls is a perfect choice this fall!”
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