PBS Reno ARTS

Melissa Taylor, Executive Director, Reno Little Theater

Melissa Taylor, Reno Little Theater.  How do you adapt a classic?  RLT is producing a new adaptation of Dial M For Murder and Director Melissa Taylor gives us a preview of the new production.  Taylor explains the process of directing a 70-year-old play and preparing it for a modern audience.

Megan Berner, City of Reno Arts and Culture Manager

Megan Berner, City of Reno Arts and Culture Manager. We’ve all seen public art – sculptures and murals and the like – but what do you know about how it got there?  Megan Berner, Arts & Culture Manager for the City of Reno explains the process, tells about the updated master plan and asks for public input, then gives us a preview of some upcoming public art for 2025. 

Dennyse Sewell, CEO, Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts

Dennyse Sewell, CEO, Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. The Pioneer Center is more than just the place to see the Reno Phil, AVA Ballet and Broadway touring shows.  CEO Dennyse Sewell explains the ways the Pioneer is actively reaching out to the community, enriching lives by bringing the arts to the people who need them,and shares her excitement for the next few months of performances.

John Trent, Author, The University of Nevada 1874-2024, 150 Years of Inspiring Excellence

John Trent is a longtime journalist and University of Nevada, Reno alum who faced the enormous responsibility of writing the University’s 150th Anniversary retrospective book. Trent tells us how he managed it, and what he learned that inspired him during the journey to completing The University of Nevada 1874-2024, 150 Years of Inspiring Excellence.

Chris Lanier, 2024 Reno City Artist

Chris Lanier, 2024 Reno City Artist. As his term approaches its end, Reno City Artist Chris Lanier discusses the position he’s held since January, his solo exhibit Backyard Radiance  and Slow Draw, his curated City Hall show, plus his role as an art instructor, with all its joys and challenges.

Dr. Donald Johanson, Paleoanthropologist

Donald Johanson, Paleoanthropologist. It’s the 50th anniversary of Dr. Donald Johanson’s discovery of the Australopithecus afarensis Lucy in Ethiopia.  We learn how Dr. Johanson continues to emphasize the importance of science communication at the Institute of Human Origins at ASU, which he founded.  His continuing mission is to advance our understanding of human history.

Ryan Costella & Rod Hearn, Democracy Suicide

Ryan Costella and Rod Hearn, Democracy Suicide. Can art help us bridge the divides that grip our country?  Ryan Costella has created Democracy Suicide, a nonpartisan stage play that is the result of his own soul searching, which he expressed in the form of poetry, and eventually a staged performance with actors.  Rod Hearn plays one of the four characters who create a moving and powerful experience intended to challenge and inspire audiences. 

George Lam, Assistant Director, Nevada Humanities

Meet George Lam, the Assistant Director of Nevada Humanities, who introduces the 2024 Literary Crawl, happening Saturday, Oct 12 in Reno. The event features a wide spectrum of experiences for visitors: Family friendly activities, writers workshops, panel discussions with authors, readings, screenings and even an open mic. 

Ann Wolfe, Deep Time: Sea Dragons of Nevada

How does a curator create a unique and exciting experience for museum visitors?  Ann Wolfe is the Andrea and John C. Deane Family Chief Curator and Associate Director at the Nevada Museum of Art, and the curator of the brand new exhibit Deep Time: Sea Dragons of Nevada. She tells us about the 2 year process to curate a presentation as complex as Deep Time and how she was able to include a personal contribution to the exhibit, a children’s book.

Frances Melhop, Director, Melhop Gallery °7077

Frances Melhop has created unique art experiences since she abandoned the traditional gallery setting for a nomadic approach.  Her latest exhibit is in the last place you might expect an art gallery – the former Nevada State Prison building.  Melhop tells the story of this unlikely but powerful exhibit and describes how it came to be.